The War of Two Cities

BR36
March 685
The harbour of Safe Haven had fallen in a short time, though much
blood had been shed to do so. The combined fleet of Furn Necolis and
the Sea Dogs hired by Marchwood took the harbour defenders by
surprise, and four of their defence fleet were taken before they could
form up their defence. Many men had been captured and their ships
along with them. The remaining few vessels had put up a valiant but
futile line of defence, but they did not last long against the attackers.
Soon the fleet had begun unloading their troops for the next stage of
attack.
It was the Company of the Bears turn to bloody their swords next.
They quickly formed into units no the harbour side and moved to attack
the city guard who were forming in the streets coming off the harbour.
They could not match the ferocity and skill at arms of the Company
however, and after a few short and bloody encounters had surrendered
their arms. Carlos had been in the front rank, and had killed three men
before the fight was finished, taking a slice to the left arm that would not
cause lasting damage but still hurt like the devil. With the harbour area
secure the soldiers of Furn Necolis were unloaded and began forming on
the harbour side. Carlos and his section were ordered to secure the
warehouses around the docks, whilst the Sea Dogs secured all the naval
personnel and their ships.
Carlos watched as the soldiers of Furn Necolis marched past the
warehouses he had been ordered to protect. They carried a spare ram
from one of their ships with a bronze head cast in the form of a great sea
serpent. In front of them marched their allies from the settlement of
Stone Oak carrying tower shields covered in hide soaked in sea water.
The gates of Safe Haven were said to be weak after an assault some

years ago by the Varyag host of Rhufgar the Flayer. He hoped for the
sake of the attackers this was true, otherwise they would die before the
gates that had stopped those raiders.
The steady booms made by the ram were heard not long after, and
the screams and shouts of the defenders and attackers were so mixed
he could not tell how the attack was going. Carlos could see that the
men around him were itching for more action, so to keep them busy he
suggested searching the warehouses for anything that could be of use to
the Company. All the while the clash of the ram against the heavy
wooden doors could be heard. It seemed the stories of the gate being
weak must be false, for dozens of strikes had been made and still they
continued. His men returned with news of a stash of arms and armour at
the back of one of the warehouses. Carlos ordered it readied for moving
to the harbour and loading onto the ships of the Sea Dogs.
The soldiers of Furn Necolis were lining the streets all around him,
waiting for the gates to break and for them to have their go at the
defenders. They were well organised, but their weapons and armour was
inferior to those of the Company. Carlos expected many of them to die
this day. The steady boom was finally replaced by a crashing splitting
noise, and cheers rolled down the line from the gates. The men before
him readied their weapon and were ordered to march double time
towards the gates. Within minutes the harbour was emptied of troops
and bells and screams could be heard from inside the city.
Carlos ordered his men to move the stash to the ships and noticed
Company men from other warehouses doing the same. His men
returned some time later, but the bells still rang inside the city, and the
screams of those inside could still be heard. It would be many hours
before the city would finally fall, but the slaughter would continue for long
afterwards.