The Robber Knight's Love

52. One army, deep-fried, please

The six of them—Ayla, Burchard, Captain Linhart, Sir Waldar, Sir Rudolphus and Reuben—stood on the allure, looking out over the outer courtyard of Luntberg castle.

“Look out there,” Reuben said, pointing down from the walls. “What do you see?”

Ayla looked at the others. They shook there heads, seemingly just as confused as she was.

“The outer courtyard,” Burchard stated in a you'd-better-stop-messing-with-me voice.

An evil smile spread over Reuben’s face. “That's what it may be called by you – But it has another name.”

“No it hasn't,” Burchard snapped.

“Yes, it has, steward.”

“Reuben,” Ayla said in a soft voice, not wanting to disappoint him. She wasn't sure what this supposed idea was he had come up with, but it didn't sound very promising so far and she was loathed to have to smash his, and moreover her own, hopes, small as they were. “I'm sorry, but I have to agree with Burchard. I've lived at this castle my entire life, and the outer courtyard has no other name. It's just the outer courtyard.”

“No.” Reuben shook his head, as if her words didn't mean anything. “You don't understand. I didn't mean that somebody came along and named this particular courtyard. I mean that this kind of courtyard has a special technical name or term in poliorcetics.”

Ayla checked, and yes, all the four others were looking at Reuben with just as much confusion as she was. Only Sir Rudolphus seemed to be thinking, moving his lips as if tasting the word on his tongue. This wasn't going the way she had expected.

“In polio...what?” she asked.

“Poliorcetics, Milady. It is a term derived from Ancient Greek, meaning 'the art of siege warfare'.”

“Ancient Greek” Ayla couldn't keep her lips from twitching as she imagined Reuben in a scholar’s robe, studying some dusty old Greek scroll in a library. “I had no idea you were so knowledgeable.”

“Knowledgeable, I? Only about… certain things,” Reuben returned with a lascivious smile that gave the words special meaning. “I certainly know how to wear down defenses and storm a stronghold.”

Ayla blushed, though she didn't really know why. Her hand tingled at the spot where Reuben had kissed it earlier that day.

“Aaaall right,” Burchard growled. “If we could return to the subject, please...?”

“Did we ever leave it?” Reuben raised an eyebrow. “I thought we were talking of poliorcetics the entire time.”

“I certainly hope so,” grumbled Burchard.

“You were just saying that this courtyard had another name?” Ayla said, hastily, trying to avoid Burchard's suspicious eyes.

“Yes.” Reuben nodded, and a smile filled with blood-lust spread over his face. “Oh yes. A name very much to my liking.”

*~*~**~*~*

Sir Luca pointed his sword at the door of the outer gatehouse tower, then raised it towards Linhart and his men, high above.

“Smash the door in! Smash the accursed door in, and we'll rout these Bastardi figli di puttana!”

Enemy soldiers streamed in from all directions. They didn't have a ram with them, but they took the largest spears and heaviest swords and began hacking and beating at the door. It shuddered under the blows that rained down upon it.