As the sun dipped lower in the sky, a sense of foreboding hung over the entire Targas territory. Facing an invasion, every single one of Gwynnis's free subjects, totaling about 1,200, swarmed towards the castle seeking shelter.
Just hours before, Gwynnis had led an attack against the Northerners' vanguard, buying enough time for the citizens to evacuate. But he hadn't expected them to bring not only their families but also everything they could carry, hoping to enter the castle.
With sacks and baskets, they crammed the castle with their meager food supplies. Some clutched chickens and dragged baskets of freshly picked fruits and vegetables, likely harvested in haste as the enemy approached.
Gwynnis welcomed the food, as it would lessen his burden of feeding the people holed up in the castle. But beyond the food, the citizens brought a jumble of items.
Hoes and sickles were understandable, even valuable for the near-penniless farmers. Gwynnis could begrudgingly accept the wooden plows and hand carts, necessary for daily work and transportation. But millstones?
He was dumbfounded to see them hauling millstones, along with wooden tables, chairs, pottery, and baskets - every conceivable household item. Someone even tried to lug a straw mattress into the castle.
Gwynnis's frustration mounted as he imagined them returning for the thatched roofs and wooden beams of their homes.
"What are you doing?! Stop right now!" he bellowed. "Only bring in the food; throw everything else out! There's no room for this rubbish!"
The castle, already small, barely accommodated 1,200 people and their food. The gates were still besieged by people trying to squeeze in with their belongings.
Gwynnis ordered the guards to maintain order. Apart from essential supplies, all other items were discarded outside the castle, ironically forming a makeshift barrier in the outer ditch, slowing the enemy's advance.
Meanwhile, at the manor, Baldwin also made arrangements. Necessary supplies were moved inside; everything else was left behind. Facing the inevitable enemy incursion, they braced for the worst, prepared for the possibility that every building outside the castle could be razed.
While everyone busied themselves with settling the citizens and maintaining order, Gwynnis didn't forget to send scouts for enemy intelligence.
Recently from the tower, Gwynnis observed the large Northern force entering Targas territory, quickly splitting into several groups marching in different directions. It was evident that the marauding Northern army wouldn't focus solely on Gwynnis's domain; other nobles' lands were also ripe for plundering.
The question was, how many were headed Gwynnis's way? Did they have siege weapons? Would they attack the castle directly or merely loot the outskirts and leave?
Gwynnis needed accurate intelligence. He dispatched a ten-man cavalry scout team, led by Jervis, to reconnoiter and gather information. With over a dozen already injured and resting, Gwynnis instructed the scouts to avoid engagement, focus on reconnaissance, and retreat upon encountering the enemy.
As the sun sets, the entire Targus territory is shrouded in a foreboding atmosphere. Facing the threat of foreign invasion, all the free citizens under Gwynnis's rule, without exception, flock to the castle seeking refuge.
There are a staggering 1,200 free citizens! Just a few hours ago, Gwynnis led a proactive strike, annihilating the Northerners' vanguard, buying enough time for the citizens to evacuate. However, they not only brought their families but also attempted to bring every movable item they had, hoping to enter the castle with them.
They carried their meager food supplies in sacks and woven baskets into the castle; some held free-range chickens from their homes and dragged baskets of freshly picked fruits and vegetables, probably harvested in a hurry with the looming threat.
Gwynnis welcomed the food since it would alleviate some pressure off him as the citizens would be staying in the castle temporarily. However, many citizens brought a plethora of random items. Tools like hoes and sickles were understandable, given their value to income-less farmers. They were somewhat precious due to their metal content. Bringing along wooden plows and hand carts, which also made sense as farming tools and transport equipment, was acceptable to Gwynnis.
But what about the grinding stones? Why were they pushing their household grinding stones to the castle? Were they afraid that the Northerners would steal or destroy them? Gwynnis's eyes widened in disbelief.
Moreover, items like wooden tables and chairs, clay pots, woven baskets, and even straw mattresses were brought along. At this rate, Gwynnis wondered if they would start dismantling their roofs next.
"What are you doing?! Stop right now!" Gwynnis yelled. "Bring in only the food; throw everything else out! There's no space for such useless things!"
The castle itself was not large, and accommodating 1,200 citizens with their food was already a stretch. The castle gates were still besieged by people trying to cram in with their various belongings…
Gwynnis ordered the guards to maintain order. Besides essential items, all miscellaneous belongings were discarded outside the castle, which incidentally served as additional obstacles in the moat, slightly impeding the enemy's approach.
Meanwhile, Baldwin was also busy emptying the manor. Essential items were brought in, but the rest were left behind. Considering the enemy's imminent invasion, they prepared for the worst-case scenario where everything outside the castle would be destroyed.
While everyone was preoccupied with settling the citizens and maintaining order, Gwynnis did not forget to send out a scout team to gather intelligence on the enemy. Recently, he observed from the tower that the large force of Northerners, upon entering Targus territory, quickly split into several groups, marching in different directions.
The Northerners, intent on pillaging, would not just focus on Gwynnis's territory; other noble lands were also on their list. The question was, how many were assigned to Gwynnis's land? Did they have siege weapons? Would they attack the castle directly, or were they just there to plunder?
Needing accurate intelligence, Gwynnis dispatched a ten-man cavalry scout team under Jervis's command. Considering they had already sustained injuries without official battle engagement, Gwynnis stressed avoiding engagement with the enemy, focusing solely on reconnaissance.
For now, the enemy seemed to lack cavalry, unlikely to catch up with Gwynnis's scouts. Remembering the captive in the dungeon, Gwynnis contemplated extracting information from him.
"Cedric, find someone among the castle's residents who understands the Northerners' language. Bring them to me immediately if you do; there will be a substantial reward," Gwynnis ordered.
As Cedric went to look for a translator, Baldwin reported that the manor's storage was nearly ready, and carts were transporting large quantities of grain into the castle.
Gwynnis had two main granaries, one in the castle and one in the manor, typically sufficient for the territory's taxes and their own grain production. They usually sold at least half of their grain annually, so storage space was not a concern.
However, last autumn, after collecting the peasant's taxes, Gwynnis had not sold any grain. Both granaries were packed full. By early March, after winter consumption, they were still half full, but there was no space for the remaining grain in the manor.
"If the granaries are full, store it in the courtyard, the rooms, even the dungeon. Wherever there's space, use it," Gwynnis instructed.
Then he remembered the hundreds of acres of special grade-1 black rye growing outside the castle. Sown with seeds acquired through hard-earned governance points, the rye was in its seedling stage. It wouldn't be ready to harvest until June or July.
What could the Northerners want so early in the year? Were they planning to stay until the rye was ready to harvest?
"Baldwin!" Gwynnis called the busy steward to inquire. Baldwin couldn't provide a clear answer, leaving Gwynnis increasingly concerned.
If the Northerners took both last year's and this year's crops, his efforts would be in vain. Gwynnis had hoped that, without siege weapons, the Northerners would eventually leave after looting. According to Baldwin, they didn't plan to settle here.
But what if they intended to take everything, including the ripe rye later in the year?
"Baldwin!" Gwynnis grabbed the busy steward, inquiring about the situation. Baldwin, however, was clueless and stuttered without a solid explanation, making Gwynnis's face grow darker.
If his hard-earned black rye was stolen, wouldn't all his efforts be for naught?
Gwynnis had gambled on the idea that the Northerners, lacking siege weapons, would not persist in a siege. He planned to hold out in the castle with over a thousand citizens, assuming the enemy would leave after looting. But if they planned to take both last year's stored grain and this year's maturing rye…
The entire territory, with over a thousand people, would be facing starvation.