Paksworld

Fewer words (1000) today, as I paused to deal with other writing-related chores, including fine-tuning the timeline for the series of battles.   And then there was the trip to the city, so M-  could ice-skate and I could not-fence and instead sprawl on the couch and discuss various writer-things with DRW (whose comments on crossbows you have, I hope, read) and J- and C-.   Spoilers will appear below the cut, so choose your level of preferred knowledge.

Changing to another POV was definitely the way to go with this battle sequence, and it’s almost to the point where the original one will show up at the scene and things will become seriously unpleasant for the invaders.  Though it hasn’t been a picnic since (among their other problems) they “became separated” from their supplies even as they landed.

DRW reminded me of the weight of crossbow bolts used in war bows and of their bulk…a limit to how many a soldier could easily carry.

So the invaders start off, being heckled by people shooting at them from cover now and then, and at first they fire back…but they have only the bolts they can carry.    They continue to be harassed by longbow snipers they can’t see.  It’s hard to catch a break for anything when you’re in the open, but in unfamiliar terrain and vegetation.

And now we have the classic farmyard battle about to begin.  See the peaceful deserted-in-a-hurry farmyard?  Signs of hurried departure..the dropped cloth, the shattered bowl, the carelessly opened gates of henyard and pigpen?   The trail heading directly south, with more evidence of haste and confusion?   But lo!  They couldn’t carry away these barrels of ale!  Or all the hams in the smokehouse!  And here’s a barrel of apples…and a big heap of dough in the trough, over-risen and smelling of yeast.

And it’s peaceful, and the mounted men’s horses have ears and noses only for the sound and smell of oats being poured from a sack.  For a few hours, anyway.