Loccy stopped before the western road, where three shield tiers and one hundred and twenty palace guards barred the evacuation. Seventy enchanted pikes jutted through gaps in rims pinned to bedrock while their commander watched the militia approach the clearing.
Below the ridge, the first refugee cart waited with its driver clutching both reins against his chest.
The commander slammed his sword pommel against his shield, "Hold them outside the clearing, fifty gold for every rebel squad leader, and let the rest watch what happens at the pikes!"
Kerr brought twenty volunteer spearmen forward while the cart driver backed toward the sheltering turn.
'Two anchor pins showing under those rims, crack them and the whole front wobbles.'
He jabbed his spear toward the exposed pins and raised his shield above the waiting spearheads.
"Brace for their thrusts," he called, keeping his point low, "clear those two pins and we bring the next column through!"
