I paused beside an offensive siege machine on the wall top and studied it closely as a band of Yesathurim warriors looked on curiously. The machine in question was a simple bolt action javelin launcher.
The javelin was already loaded into the receiver and was of standard design. Turning to the warriors manning the siege batteries on this far left side of the wall I asked in their own language, "Do you have any javelin bolts for this machine designed with a latchet to attach a rope?"
One warrior dug around in a pile behind him and produced a javelin that suited my needs perfectly.
"Perfect! Now can you guys reload the machine with that javelin bolt and then move the whole contraption closer to the wall edge?"
They worked to quickly do what I requested, which gladdened me. It was as I suspected. With no real leadership being exhibited by the tribal leaders, the warriors were only too glad to follow the dictates of someone with an actual plan.
I doubted that there was an experienced warrior on the wall who believed victory, or even just defense against the enemy forces beyond the wall, was even possible. To the tribal chiefs and common people, however, the wall looked imposing and combined with their arrogance of superiority they thought themselves invincible.
"What are you up to?" came Mayrin's voice from behind me.
I turned to her, "Think you can get your horse up here on the wall?"
Her eyes got big and stuttering slightly she said, "Uhhh…… I think so, but why would I want to do that?"
"Just do it."
She just stood there staring at me. "Well get on with you!" I said, shoving her good-naturedly into action.
She turned from me and began leaping down the stairs two at a time. Turning back, I was in time to see the javelin launcher moved into final position.
I picked up the ends of two rope piles and tied them together. I then kicked one pile of rope over the valley side of the wall.
The rope from the second pile quickly snaked down over the wall after the first rope pile. I picked up the free end of the fast disappearing pile of rope and tied it off to the metal ring on the end of the javelin.
Turning to the valley side, I called out to the first of my friends that I saw there, "Sar'ran!"
He looked up and I gestured to the rope hanging down the side of the wall, "Tie it off to your horse and be ready to move all out when you're given the word!"