View Single Post
Old 11-23-2005, 05:23 AM   #57
Anguirel
Byronic Brand
 
Anguirel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: The 1590s
Posts: 2,825
Anguirel is a guest of Tom Bombadil.
As the Corsair Captain hurried to put the next stages of the plot into action, Sangalazin speedily began to return the chess pieces to their drawers, his long fingers nimbly grasping a Mumak here, a Knight there...and the hapless Pawns, in their masses...his stray left hand struck a silver bell hanging to one side. It was the call for the black-armoured Guard of Sangalazin to attend to its lord.

Andlang, eager as ever to demonstrate his loyalty, arrived first, but many others followed him quickly. Before the last peals of the bell had died away, the forty bodyguards, every man assembled, stood ready to act.

"Lord Azaryan and Captain Chatazrakin are marshalling their Corsairs and preparing to disembark," Sangalazin explained smoothly. "Bring me my armour."

The guards designated Sangalazin's personal squires, grooms and armourers, four in number, the youngest who had most ethereal Numenorean beauty about them, came forward with the steely intricacies of the Lord of Umbar's battle-garb; cuirass, corselet, grieves, helm...fully equipped at last, he looked something akin to the part he played, his longsword at his side, and his great height, at least, befitting a warrior.

"Now you are armed, my liege," Andlang asked, "are we to depart? The Lord and Captain have launched their assault already. Pelargir is in flames...they met with almost no resistance. The plunder will be rich."

"Patience, my boy," Sangalazin answered slyly. "Patience. We shall move onto the deck of the xebec; but we shall not join the attack until I give the word."

The yellow-haired, dark-plated soldiers filed on deck, their blades flashing in the last splutterings of the evening sun. From their vantage point, they could see all the devastation being wreaked. A few fighters of Gondor, scattered and ill-prepared, lay spread-eagled in attitudes of death. Beyond the docks, warehouses, mansions by the coast, even the bastions of the town were licked by a choking caress of smoke and fire. Now and again a loose band of Corsairs would stagger by, cutlasses out, overlaid with booty.

"I think our friends are scattered enough," Sangalazin remarked. "Andlang, keep fifteen men to guard the vessel with the remainder of those paltry Corsairs. I am going into town to requisition the spoils from the ill-disciplined poltroons..."

Last edited by Anguirel; 01-11-2006 at 08:52 AM.
Anguirel is offline