<strong>Quinta Jana</strong><br/><br/>It was amazing how few defenders had been injured, and only four killed?  The Children of Kolyat must be numbering their dead alone at close to two hunderd.  And the screams of the wounded?  Music to the ears of the veterans of last weeks battle.  He made it to the gatehouse, more slowly than she had hoped, the captain of the tower on the other side of the gte was already presnet.  She accepted the sack of rather good wine, shared it with all.  And swept calculating eyes around her.  Strong, building, thick outer portals, middle portcullis, strong inner gate. Murderholes galore for the passageway through.  It would be taken by assault at both ends or not at all.  Which made the towers flanking it vital strongpoints indeed.<br/><br/>"We have time."  She sighed, in conference with gatehouse and far tower commanders.  "But how much?  They will try tunneling of course.  Be ready."<br/><br/><strong>Thane</strong><br/><br/>Despair, grief, a hollowness inside.  All around him, Thane could see it in the eyes of the army.  The bright raging fire gained from last week's victory was dampend.  but not gone.  Shock and dismay were uppermost now, but the faithful would bounce back.  The cataclysm they had survived back at what had once been their home had been worse than this.  Far worse.<br/><br/>A man waited quietly nearby, for his turn to speak with a man some were already referring to as The Voice of Kolyat.  "Your holiness,"  he began respectfully.  "I, I can't be certain, but there is an old woman alone in the woods.  She told our foragers that if they would not bother her garden, she, she knew of a way to get past, no, she said under the walls."