''What news from the field of battle? the Thracian King roared from his throne, his grey eyes bulging, face red, veins throbbing in his neck and sides of his temples a furrowed worried look etched upon his wrinkled brow.
''My lord!" his messenger panting, dreading the telling of the terrible truth of the gruesome inhumanity and bloodshed unleashed by Phillip II and his fearsome band of warriors. He paused to catch his breath and gather his thoughts as the young man stood trembling before his king. "Now boy! Now tell me all of it! Tell me everything! Yes!" the king cried out slapping his loyal messenger about the face, clutching the terrified lad by his uniform shaking him with every word a little of the kings spittle landing on the pink of his cheek.
"Yes!" he nodded meeting the old man's gaze here he opened up his mouth "Crenides has fallen, all is lost." his heart felt as if it had momentarily stopped its rapid beating and long were words of shouts and wails coming up from those gathered there in the great hall as the most dreadful news prevailed. Then a sudden wave of silence washed over the room where King Sunder had gathered his most wisest advisers and learned men.
"Damn your words!" here again he drew his hand back to slap the boy who recoiled in terror cowering like a dog. the king paused then with a defeated look he sat back down upon his golden throne "Were I not so old and aged I could have gone myself and fought..," his words trailed off with the many disturbing memories of glorious battles won by his hand. The ancient royal blood of Thrax flowing trough his veins began to boil, a bitter churning of bile washing over his belly. "Damn that barbarian king!" King Sunder shouted at the top of his lungs his voice not so aged as to shake the rafters of the Thracian palace that hot night in September. Tension and stress hung heavy in the air and upon the minds of the elite leaders of Thrace gathered there about their king.
For so it was King Philip II had moved his troops to the eastern coast of the Thracian Empire upon the Black Sea.The barbarian king had wished to add the mining city of Crenides to his list of conquests. Having recently taken the Athenian territory of Ampholis, seizing the vast gold and silver mines along the river Nestor; whereupon he sold the citizens into slavery and then renamed the city in his honor. So it was the most hated Phillip set his eyes and his blood lust upon the hapless city of Crenides, and her people, unleashing his vast army and siege engines much to the horror of all those souls living there under King Sunders protection. Here the messenger began his tale.
"The war machines surrounded the city walls, the gates shut tight, soldiers upon the walls fighting for their lives. The siege engines.., nothing like I myself have ever witnessed! Built high out of mighty timbers which were clad in sheets of armor, fire towers billowing with smoke glowing bright in the blackness of night. Mobile fire raisers they wheeled about the walls, sending large clay jars filled with sulphur, pitch and saltpeter; which they would catapult over the high walls of the doomed city. This fierce aerial bombardment.., flaming arcs coursing on their flights of death and destruction. Oh how our men fought fiercely as they invaders came over the walls like a surge of slashing swords and spears and fire. Fire.., streaking across the night sky like comets of Jupiter.., there.., on the inside our troops were assembled ready to throw open the gates and lead a last effort to defend the city, here the fire pored out like liquid. Panic quickly set in among the foot soldiers and the cavalry as their mounts scurried away in the blaze of smoke and fire.., those who were not trampled underfoot or crushed into dust under the stampede of horses hooves were coated with the scalding tar, set ablaze.., the noxious fumes from the sulphur burning their lungs." here the eyes of the horrified messenger grew distant a he relived the gruesome scene in his mind still hearing the plaintiff screams of the men and dying horses being burned alive. "I shall never forget the terror of that night." he paused "The terrible cries of the men and horses and then.., silence..., the unbearable silence.., which seemed to last an eternity." the young man cleared his throat wiping a way a stinging tear. "Then the real horrors began."
For so it was King Philip II had moved his troops to the eastern coast of the Thracian Empire upon the Black Sea.The barbarian king had wished to add the mining city of Crenides to his list of conquests. Having recently taken the Athenian territory of Ampholis, seizing the vast gold and silver mines along the river Nestor; whereupon he sold the citizens into slavery and then renamed the city in his honor. So it was the most hated Phillip set his eyes and his blood lust upon the hapless city of Crenides, and her people, unleashing his vast army and siege engines much to the horror of all those souls living there under King Sunders protection. Here the messenger began his tale.
"The war machines surrounded the city walls, the gates shut tight, soldiers upon the walls fighting for their lives. The siege engines.., nothing like I myself have ever witnessed! Built high out of mighty timbers which were clad in sheets of armor, fire towers billowing with smoke glowing bright in the blackness of night. Mobile fire raisers they wheeled about the walls, sending large clay jars filled with sulphur, pitch and saltpeter; which they would catapult over the high walls of the doomed city. This fierce aerial bombardment.., flaming arcs coursing on their flights of death and destruction. Oh how our men fought fiercely as they invaders came over the walls like a surge of slashing swords and spears and fire. Fire.., streaking across the night sky like comets of Jupiter.., there.., on the inside our troops were assembled ready to throw open the gates and lead a last effort to defend the city, here the fire pored out like liquid. Panic quickly set in among the foot soldiers and the cavalry as their mounts scurried away in the blaze of smoke and fire.., those who were not trampled underfoot or crushed into dust under the stampede of horses hooves were coated with the scalding tar, set ablaze.., the noxious fumes from the sulphur burning their lungs." here the eyes of the horrified messenger grew distant a he relived the gruesome scene in his mind still hearing the plaintiff screams of the men and dying horses being burned alive. "I shall never forget the terror of that night." he paused "The terrible cries of the men and horses and then.., silence..., the unbearable silence.., which seemed to last an eternity." the young man cleared his throat wiping a way a stinging tear. "Then the real horrors began."
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