The stairs connecting the plaza to the docks were oriented to the four points of the compass and each was flanked by a pair of ramparts guarded by a low wall. Belicia took the time to walk around the perimeter of one such bulwark, observing that her archers would have a clear field of fire over any attacker. Because of the height and the crenellated defensive wall, the youngsters who made up the bulk of her missile troops would be well protected from direct contact with the attackers. As long as the shield wall held across the width of the stairs, the Hylar up above would be able to create a deadly distraction to the enemy trapped on the approach.
After a great deal of thought, she had decided to divide her shield company into five sections and place one group at each of the four stairways. The fifth group would include many of her best warriors and would form a reserve to garrison the trading plaza and also be ready to rush to the defense of any threatened quadrant. She had broken her archers into four bands, each with standing orders to garrison the ramparts of the stairways in the event of an attack. From here they would be able to direct a harassing fire onto boats approaching the docks, and Belicia was convinced that she could make an enemy's efforts to land prove very costly indeed. Furthermore, she had stockpiled a huge amount of arrows at each archery station.
She took a few moments to inspect the final cornerstone of her defense. One of the heavy ballistae rested on a swivel mount just above the stairway rampart. A pair of these overlooked each set of stairs, and she nodded in greeting to the three grizzled veterans who operated this particular weapon. The ballista was like a giant crossbow, powered by a massive spring and shooting a steel-headed missile whose shaft was made from the trunk of a medium-sized tree. Though even a veteran crew could shoot only one shaft every few minutes, each great arrow weighed hundreds of pounds and was quite capable of puncturing or capsizing all but the largest of lake boats.
But if she made her stand at the stairs, that meant abandoning the waterfront in the face of the first wave of attacks. The announcement of that decision had stirred up a hornet's nest. Now she turned to await the approach of a delegation of merchants and ship-owners, all of whom had spent most of the last two days demanding that Belicia's defensive arrangements be overruled.
"My good captain," declared Hoist Backwrench, a shipbuilder who did a significant amount of business along the Hybardin docks, "You must reconsider your plan! We can't simply hand over the dockyards to our enemies, no matter how numerous their swords!"
"My plan is the only chance that gives an undersized force a fighting chance against a more numerous foe. Why can't you understand that?"
"We understand perfectly!" retorted Sootmaker Darkfern, a prominent importer of coal. "You're willing to throw us to the dragons so you can keep your own troops alive!"
Belicia flushed, infuriated by the words. Before she could snap out a reply that would have done nothing to soothe the merchants' fears, she bit her tongue and forced herself to take a deep breath. "You've heard the news from above?" she asked, knowing the whole city had been abuzz with news of the Klar attack.
"A few lunatics with more ale than sense, I'll wager," Hoist said. "No doubt we'll find out that most of the stories are nothing but exaggerations."
"Or it could be the start of an attack that's bigger than anything we've ever considered," Belicia said. Ever since she heard about the raid against the Level Twenty-eight, she had grown increasingly apprehensive about the vulnerability of the Life-Tree. "We have suspicious reports from three clans and clear signs of trouble afoot."
"Bah! There could be a thousand reasons why the boats have stopped!" insisted Hoist Backwrench.
"And one of them is that the thanes of the Theiwar and Daergar wanted to cut us off from any chance of warning. When you've heard that the Klar are already making mischief, didn't you think we would have to take this seriously?"
Before the argument could proceed any further, a pair of gray-bearded dwarves and their escort of palace guards approached the party. Despite her firm stance and utter self-assurance, Belicia was relieved to recognize her father and the thane.
"Ah, there you are," said Axel Slateshoulders, giving his daughter a wide grin. "Why don't you explain to these gentlemen what you told the thane yesterday? I'm sure they'll see that your plan makes sense."
"What makes sense is to hold the whole dock!" insisted Hoist as he crossed his arms over his broad chest.
"I'm surprised at you, Hoist," said Baker Whitegranite. "You know better than that."
The acting thane blinked at the dozen or so merchants who formed a glowering ring around them. His glasses were smudged, and Belicia wondered if he was having a little difficulty seeing.
"This is not about cowardice," the thane continued, "or throwing anyone to the dragons. It's about holding and protecting Hybardin if the worse comes to worst."
"And what's the news from above?" demanded a Hylar Belicia didn't recognize. "There are tales of Klar run wild!"
"I'm afraid that's true," Baker replied, turning his attention to Belicia. "Several bands of armed Klar burst into manors on the highest level. The Ferrust family was killed to the last dwarf and several others took casualties before their house guards were able to prevail."
"Then the attack was more than just an isolated raid?"
"Of course it was," Axel answered. "Perhaps a hundred or more different routes into Hybardin were used, and the attacks were as carefully timed as you could expect from the Klar."
"What about the King's Wall?" Belicia asked.
"We held at all four gates," replied Axel. "The fact is, they made a good barrier to hold the bastards away from the lift station."
"And your father had them cleaned out in a few hours," Baker added.
"Did you get my message about the halting of the chain boats?"
"Yes," Baker said. "That's what brought us down here." Now Belicia spoke decisively. "Then I believe we have to treat the situation as though we could be attacked here at any time."
"I agree," Baker said firmly. He addressed his young captain again. "What else do you need to make ready for an attack?"
"We need to close and block the short lifts that lead from the docks up to the Second Level."
"You might as well close the markets!" wailed Fortus Silkseller, Hybardin's most esteemed fabric dealer.
"We can't use the stairs for cargo!" Hoist Backwrench added insistently.
"I have a feeling that the dark dwarves are going to be closing the markets for you," Belicia replied, "but there must be two score lifts connecting these two levels. We must block them all. Otherwise, even though we might hold these stairways, it will just be a matter of minutes before they've got us outflanked."
"And on the stairs you have four relatively narrow routes to hold," Axel interjected, speaking sternly. "You know she's right."
Baker quickly ruled in Belicia's favor, and Axel took on the role of insuring that the orders were followed. Each of the merchants was asked to provide materials-bales, barrels, crates, and coal-that would be used to fill the elevator shafts.
Though the merchants were still grumbling, Belicia got their attention before they clumped off to do as they had been told. "We all hope I'm wrong about this. All of us hope that nothing will happen. If so, in a few days the chain ferries will be running again and we can all be back to our regular tasks. But please listen to me. If the worst happens and we're attacked, Hybardin needs the help of all of you."
"What do you want of us?" growled Hoist Backwrench, who despite his surly expression seemed to be listening to her.
"I need you and all your workers. Take up whatever arms you have and join us atop these four stairways. There are places on the ramparts where those who are unable to wield a sword can join my archers. Or they can throw down oil, torches, even blocks of steel could do some damage. And the rest of you can help us make a stand that will make all of our descendants proud."