Chapter 269: The burning of the city of Parisii
Chapter 269: The burning of the city of Parisii
On the outskirts of the city of Parisii at night, Sigurd Ring proudly gazed at the two siege towers and the onagers that had already been built.
In three days of non-stop work, all the captives finished the construction of the siege weapons.
So he gave the order that arrows of fire and stones will be launched in the city throughout the night.
Since in the morning, the siege of the city will begin.
Giselda, who was quite worried about the fate of the city, only went out to her balcony to see how everything looked at night.
Unfortunately, the view of the city was interrupted by the noise of the attack bells from many parts of the city.
Arrows with fire fell on different buildings, which had to use earth to put out the fires, otherwise, they would have to wait for water.
But this was only the beginning of her ordeal as soon after thousands of stones thrown by the onagers created unprecedented destruction.
Giselda cried when she saw that because things had worsened for the city. With the death of her brother, at least he did not seek to destroy the city if not to conquer it.
But now the situation has changed, those pagan and savage Vikings will not hesitate to use brute force to destroy the city.
Alphonse, who was looking at all the destruction, looked at the princess seriously.
“Princess, it is likely that in the morning the barbarians will attack us. You must leave the city or you could die in this place.
Let me stay so I can fight in this place until the end. Once you leave the city with your guards, you must go east to meet your father.
Although if you can’t get there, you can always go north to take refuge in any of the many allied castles.
You don’t have to stay in this place princess, this city will end up being sacked and your father will be late in coming. “
Giselda, who was watching the destruction of Parisii, squeezed her hand “If the city falls I will die with it because I cannot escape.
A few days ago the guards told me that because of the tunnels the escape routes ended up collapsing.
In this place, we will be until the end. “
Alphonse sighed and stroked her nose “Princess and if you use the catacombs to hide, I know it might be claustrophobic to be in those places.
But I could wait until the Vikings finish burning and raping to get out. I think that’s the only option we have. “
Giselda sighed and wiped her tears “I thought so, Alphonse, but the priests told me that the catacombs are flooded.
When they created the wooden bridges, much of the water from the Seine river flooded the tunnels. There is no chance we can hide.
I am afraid to die Alphonse, but I have no choice. If the city is going to fall tomorrow, I will not let those savages catch me alive.
I will jump from the balcony carrying with me the flag that my grandfather made. That will be my way of dying.
At least that way, they won’t be able to destroy the flag and outrage my body. I don’t know what fate my brother had, but it shouldn’t have been something quiet.
If possible, I would like to send a farewell message to my father and my sister using the carrier pigeons.
I want you to know that I did my best but the barbarians simply overcame the city walls and now we have to die for it.
That will be the last memory I have alive. I know I am not a woman of high values but I hope I can be canonized as a virgin. “
Alphonse gave the princess a smile “I’m sure your father and sister will do their best to fulfill their last wishes.
You should rest now princess, tomorrow will be a sunny day and blood will run through the city. “
After this, Alphonse left the princess’s room and went to where the priests and leaders of the troops on the walls were.
Because he had to organize the entire population regardless of whether they were women or children.
Because tomorrow would be a tooth and nail fight to defend the city.
When the first rays of the sun rose, Sigurd Ring gave the order for the two siege towers to begin to advance.
The captive soldiers had no choice but to push the colossal towers towards the city wall of Parisii.
Along the way, the defenders did the best they could use their bows to kill the slaves who were moving the siege towers.
But this was just a senseless attempt because when one died another was forced to continue moving, seeing the massacre of Christians against Christians.
Sigurd Ring smirked mischievously, as he knew this would be a good incentive to foment hatred between his captives and the defenders.
That way when the siege towers reached the walls, the captives drugged with berserker potions would only think of killing everything in front of them.
Because he knew very well the effect of the potion, all the captives who will fight on the wall will only have with them daggers or a sword without any protection.
Ensuring that they can only advance to kill and, in case they try to attack their warriors, they die easily.
It took two hours for the siege towers to reach the walls and in that course, 500 captives died.
It was at that moment that the assault on the walls began; the captives were forced to take the berserker potion and later give them a sword or dagger.
All of them, after this, had to climb the stairs and when they reached the top, the potion had already taken effect. So the drugged soldiers.
They behaved like beasts that when the wooden hatch of the siege towers was opened; they ran away like bloodthirsty beasts.
The defenders could initially stop the onslaught of the drugged troops but soon realized that they were like brainless beasts that only sought to kill.
That, coupled with a lack of sleep and low morale, caused the soldiers’ defense line to drop in just a few minutes.
Leaving only the women, children, and militiamen to defend the wall, although they fought bravely.
None of them were a soldier or had experience so they held out for a while before they panicked and started running.
When the Vikings saw that the wall had fallen, the warriors and Vikings began to climb.
Being an elite force, they were the last straw in the battle in the defense towers, so the walls were completely lost.
The few defenders and militiamen began to run towards the walls of the battlement tower, where they hoped to defend the last bastion of the city.
It was also the place where the population was because the city was already empty.
With the drugged slave troops and the arrival of the Vikings, the sacking of the city of Parisii began.
Nothing was saved from the fire, houses were almost completely destroyed in search of valuable things, businesses were burned after taking everything of value.
The little food and animals that had been used to prepare a feast while this was happening in the center of the city.
In the walls, the Vikings opened the doors to be able to enter as great conquerors, Sigurd Ring when entering through the door of the bridge that entered the city.
He felt a sense of power and security like never before. Not only did he win the city, but he did not lose any warriors in the process.
It had been a victory that could be passed down from generation to generation as the greatest achievement achieved by the Norsemen.
While enjoying the feeling of being a conqueror, one of his Vikings approached him.
“Leader Sigurd, we have a problem in the center of the city since there is a bastion where all the inhabitants of the city are sheltering.
Although we can use stairs to enter, it would be a hard battle. “
Sigurd Ring simply smiled “Bring the onagers and use hot stones to start fires in their buildings.
Also that two onagers shoot only at the main door, they should not resist long, when it opens send more drugged slaves to kill everything in their path.
I don’t want survivors, as I want everyone’s heads to hang around the walls, while the bodies must be burned next to this city.
We will leave an obvious message to that mad emperor that at any moment we can destroy everything he loves.
That way he will learn to respect us, who knows, he may give us lands to avoid the destruction of other cities. “
The Viking nodded and carried the orders while everyone else continued their sacking of the capital.
Giselda, who was looking at everything, could only cry as she saw the holy city of Parisii being sacked. Not even Attila could take the city in the past.
But now the city had fallen into the hands of the pagans from the north, and her father was too far away to bring help.
She knew that the end of her life was near, but there was nothing she could do to prevent it. In the end, she was only a princess, not a goddess or the mythical Genoa of Paris.
Alphonse, who was on the wall when he saw the destruction of the city, also cried. That day the tears of the Parisians stained the ground when he saw his city burn in the hands of the pagans.