Of Love and Valor

62: Unpleasant Incidents

"It looks like everyone is here," the Yrivvior remarks, bringing the quiet conversations throughout his Hall of Private Audience to an abrupt halt. "Honorable Orenfior, Kazmiohn Meskaiavin, I think we will begin with you. How are your projects in Old Orenxiao progressing?"

"Better than anticipated, Your Imperial Majesty," Kazmiohn Meskaiavin reports. From where I'm standing, in the shadows somewhat behind the Yrivvior's elaborate chair, my Kazmiohn looks quite pleased about the information he has to share. "Testing on the arrow-entrapping panels we commissioned for the new wall is underway, and I believe we can begin installing those within the next few days. Almost no tweaking is required there. I'd say we're at 75% completion on watch towers on the eastern bank of the Virella."

"We have also been working on a variety of strategies for maximizing our use of Old Orenxiao in the event of an attack," the Orenfior, also visible from my vantage point, adds with a meaningful smile in my general direction. "We would not want our potential adversaries to be able to set up any sort of base or camp on that bank, and of course the wall will help to prevent that, but we are very interested in stationing many of our own troops in Old Orenxiao, should our scouts bring reports of invaders from either direction on the river."

"I am intrigued. Do go on," the Yrivvior invites.

"We have previously discussed restoring the ruins, to some degree, and making them a stronghold for supplies and our most vulnerable populations. However, it would never do to leave such vulnerable persons undefended, and so of course Orenzhanim must be stationed there. We think a mixed force of archers and those best at hand-to-hand combat and stealth should be employed there."

"What benefit could hand-to-hand combat possibly have for those behind the wall?" one of the salori present argues.

"Assuming the wall is breached, we will need to have close-range as well as long-range fighters behind it," Kazmiohn Meskaiavin points out, mildly annoyed. "The ruins provide multitudinous hiding places for stealthy troops to ambush any who would venture into the stronghold we are creating deeper in the mountain. We are also exploring the possibilities of creating traps within the network of tunnels in the mountain, and the potential for a manufactured avalanche to repel potential invaders."

"All of this seems promising," the Yrivvior replies, and Zelphinon, who stands not quite an arm's length from me, mouths 'I told you so' to me. I roll my eyes, but a smile fights its way onto my lips anyway. I knew that the Orenfior really liked my ideas from the last time we were on the other side of the river, but I had no confidence that the Yrivvior would see any merit in them. "Safety considerations for our ambush troops are being taken into account with the avalanche and trap plans?"

"Of course, Your Imperial Majesty. Once you approve these plans, we intend to begin training Orenzhanim in Old Orenxiao as soon as possible, so that all of these maneuvers and strategies will be well-practiced before we would have to use them against our foes."

"I have full confidence in your abilities. Provided there are no objections here—"

"What sort of traps are you planning?" a salor interrupts. "Would they pose any risk to the people meant to be taking refuge in Old Orenxiao?"

"All of the traps are being designed to require manual activation by a member of the Orenzhanim, I believe," the Orenfior answers smoothly. "We have specifically vetoed trip wires and pitfalls and the like precisely so as to ensure the safety of any citizens who would be sheltering there."

"In regards to specifics, we are working on various options involving spikes, gates or other barriers, and methods of trapping invaders in dead ends for us to deal with once the battle is over, as we see fit," Kazmiohn Meskaiavin clarifies. "However, this is meant as a last resort. Our primary plan, in the event of an invading force from the river, is to attack the invaders from both sides, both with archers and the...unsavory creatures we have previously discussed."