Chapter 198: 155: Preparatory Work

155: Preparatory Work

Proposing such a request was entirely because the Elf fleet under Cirdan had already arrived at the mouth of the Anduin River at this time.

They were currently gazing from afar at the temporary camp of the Umbar Pirates.

Before arriving here, they had even driven away a small pirate fleet that had invaded the Lebennin region.

Angalimir, who was presiding over the meeting, was no stranger to naval warfare; after all, his fief was also a coastal region, and Dol Amroth also stationed a small fleet.

However, the final say for the Royal Navy at Pelargir still rested with Berilach.

"Lord Cirdan, the ships brought by the Umbar Pirates this time include fifty or sixty large vessels, and countless small ones. Although the pirates suffered some losses in battle, by comparison, our losses were greater. If we rely solely on Pelargir's existing maritime strength, it will be difficult to defeat the enemy in the open sea."

Listening to the situation described by Berilach, Cirdan said with a calm expression: "No, the enemy no longer has that much strength."

As he spoke, Cirdan briefly recounted the gains the Elf fleet had made along the way and told Berilach that this was the best time to drive away the pirates.

Because the enemy entrenched in Mordor at this time could not possibly muster another force so quickly to harass the city of Pelargir.

Even if they could, under the joint defense of Allen and Cirdan, the safety of this town could be guaranteed.

Thus, the naval forces originally guarding Pelargir and the Anduin River no longer had any worries behind them.

They could fully utilize the help of the Elf fleet to have a decisive battle with the Umbar Pirates at the mouth of the Anduin River.

If they won, the current situation in Gondor could likewise be reversed.

By then, the reinforcements remaining in Belfalas and Lebennin could go to aid Minas Tirith without any burdens.

And without the threat of pirates, the Pelargir navy would even have the opportunity to support the battlefield at Osgiliath.

In Cirdan's view, this was also an opportunity to break the deadlock; if grasped, the war would soon end.

Moreover, he believed that the certainty of winning was very high.

Soon, Cirdan and Berilach began to discuss this matter.

Regarding naval warfare, Allen could not interject; he and his own troops were all standard landlubbers, and it could be said he knew nothing about this aspect.

After confirming repeatedly that there was nothing left for him to do, Allen left the meeting with Aragorn.

In the next few days, he would likely spend his time in the infirmary, where many soldiers were waiting for his treatment.

Regarding Allen's arrival, the official in charge of the infirmary was naturally very welcoming.

The medical arts passed down from ancient times in the Kingdom of Gondor were already very advanced, and furthermore, the Numenoreans had always fought on the front lines against darkness; they were especially skilled at treating wounds and understood the knowledge of using herbs.

It was just that the Black Shadow Disease brought by the Witch-king of Angmar this time made the healers of Pelargir feel very troubled, because this disease exceeded their existing skills and knowledge.

This time, the Witch-king of Angmar rode a Fell Beast and fought against Angalimir on the battlefield twice.

The poisonous aura emitted from his body caused most of the soldiers guarding the Prince to fall into a coma after entering the town.

Although Allen had considerable experience in treating this disease, the large number of wounded truly kept him quite busy.

"My lord, is there really no other better way to treat this disease?"

Aragorn had also tried to ask if he could learn this white light of Allen's that saved people from the brink of death, but the result was naturally self-evident: it was not possible.

Facing Aragorn's question at this moment, Allen thought for a moment, and while treating a soldier, said: "Actually, there is a herb called Athelas; it has another name, which is Kingsfoil. In the records I have seen, it can block the influence of evil forces, but my family has lost the method of using it. Perhaps your mother, Lady Gilraen, understands the knowledge in this regard."

Hearing the answer, Aragorn nodded thoughtfully and said nothing more, instead wholeheartedly helping Allen as an assistant while learning some basic medical knowledge.

Not to mention the actions of Allen and Aragorn in the infirmary, and how much prestige they gained in the town for the two of them.

Pelargir, however, had become increasingly lively in these few days.

The Human compatriots who had come from afar in the north, holding the rewards they had just received, rested well in this port city of Pelargir, dispelling the fatigue brought upon them by battle and marching.

Of course, Allen would not do anything to favor one over the other; the Durin Dwarves, Woodland Elves, and Dunedain also received rewards, as well as the opportunity to enter the city to rest.

Regardless of whether they cared, Allen felt he still had to achieve a certain level of fairness.

In fact, as the lord of the city, Berilach's pressure this week was actually very great.

After all, this was an organized army entering the town; to avoid problems, he had arranged for corresponding officials very early on to receive these soldiers.

It was mainly to arrange places to live and entertainment venues, and most importantly, to avoid conflicts between local residents and the reinforcements entering the city.

Although these soldiers had taken off their weapons and armor when entering the city, their fists and feet were still lethal, and they were highly organized.

Once a conflict occurred, it would be large-scale chaos.

However, such a thing was of course impossible to happen; not to mention the discipline the soldiers themselves possessed, Allen, having finished his busy work, often gathered with them.

With him presiding, it would be hard for things to get chaotic.

In short, the result of this matter was still very good; the soldiers who came to Pelargir to rest were satisfied, and their physical and mental states were much better than before the battle.

In this strange city, they tasted delicacies they had never seen before and also bought many local specialties.

Some soldiers even took a great interest in the architecture of Pelargir and even specifically visited local architects, preparing to build one such house for themselves in Rhovanion as well.

And the residents of Pelargir were also satisfied, because these soldiers were quite generous with their spending and did not act rudely; many people earned in these few days what they would have earned in the past few months.

Although the prices in Pelargir rose somewhat because of the arrival of the soldiers, it was not exaggerated, because they held a large number of farms, orchards, and what could be called the best transportation convenience in this era.

The supplies lost in the city were replenished very quickly, and prices soon fell back down.

Only the Elves of the Woodland Realm might have been a bit unaccustomed, because no matter where they went, there would be some curious people watching them, and the Dwarves actually received the same treatment, just not as severely.

It was just that the ample wine in the taverns, coupled with delicious food, was enough to eliminate that little bit of unhappiness in the hearts of these drunkards.

And the busiest people in Pelargir were actually the shipwrights repairing the ships and the sailors preparing for battle.

As the naval commander of the Gondor royal family, the experienced Berilach could naturally perceive the opportunity for victory in the war from the information provided by Cirdan.

Not long after Allen left the meeting, the two of them settled the relevant details of this naval battle.

The maritime power currently held by the pirates was indeed somewhat stronger than Gondor's, but after being weakened by the Elf fleet during this period, it no longer had that kind of overwhelming advantage.

And the Elf fleet, in small-scale battles, could fully utilize its faster speed, more flexible operation, and longer range to achieve victory on the battlefield.

But this was limited to small-scale battles; once the number of pirate ships increased, the Elves would also need to temporarily avoid the brunt of the attack.

After all, the ocean was so vast, and who could guarantee that the insidious and cunning enemy would not set up some sinister scheme to ambush them?

The Elves were also flesh and blood, and the Elven ships were also made of wooden planks.

Furthermore, the enemy also possesses aerial reconnaissance forces; they cannot be underestimated.

Therefore, this requires the Gondor fleet to act as cover during the war, drawing the majority of the enemy's attention so that the scale of the Elf fleet's battles can be maintained within an acceptable range.

And amidst the busyness of the Gondor navy, Cirdan left Pelargir quite early with a small squad.

This battle at sea requires his personal command.

The command of the entire Elf Cavalry fell upon Lindir.

Compared to being a commander, Lindir actually prefers his identity as a poet.

For Pelargir, which has thousands of years of history, he has already brewed a short poem.

After all, this city was built during the most glorious era of the Numenoreans; for an Elf poet, it counts as a very good subject, at the very least, it has the depth of history.

If Bilbo Baggins, who also likes poetry, happened to be here, I believe he would have some common language with Lindir.

As for Allen, he lacks artistic talent in this regard; a single sentence, "The beauty here is the heart's blood of the Gondorian people, the pride of the Numenoreans."

With one sentence, he basically exhausted his vocabulary.

However, he does not have few things to do; the Ithilien Rangers who came from afar from Osgiliath have already arrived at Pelargir.

This is a twelve-man squad, most of whom are wearing green or brown clothing, and each is equipped with a Cedar Longbow that is almost as tall as a person.

The quivers on their backs contain arrows with green feathers, and at their waists, they carry a Longsword for close-quarters combat.

All members of the Rangers are very outstanding warriors; they are tall in stature, have fair skin, dark hair, and gray eyes.

Only descendants of Ithilien who have proven themselves on the battlefield can join this squad.

Besides this, these people's equipment also includes green bracers and a green hooded Cloak.

While the hood covers their heads, some also wear green masks, revealing only a pair of firm eyes that occasionally show a trace of sadness.

Such attire allows them to be less easily discovered when walking in forest clearings, and likewise, it allows them to hide their figures well when ambushing enemies.

Beleg, who has lived in Emin Arnen for generations, is the Captain of this squad, and he is very familiar with the area of Minas Morgul and Osgiliath.

He himself even has a distant relative relationship with Turgon and is deeply trusted by the Steward's family.

And his arrival this time carries the heavy responsibility of guiding Allen.

However, before setting out, Allen talked with Beleg for a long time and gained some understanding of the terrain of Emyn Arnen.

The better news among this is that the land south of Emin Arnen is a flat and open verdant plain; because it is far from Minas Morgul, it has not been poisoned much by dark forces.

If the Human Cavalry and Elf Cavalry set out from Pelargir, traversing the Harad Road there would be a very good marching route; the surroundings are an endless plain, and it is also difficult for the enemy to conduct ambushes.

Moreover, cavalry can exert their greatest combat power on the plains, and Allen does not care about the enemy's ambushes.

And the bad news is that the distance between Minas Morgul and Osgiliath is truly too close, so close that standing at a certain place on the city wall, one can see everything happening in Osgiliath through the gaps between the valleys.

Therefore, to attack the Haradrim stationed in Osgiliath, one must dispatch an elite force to hold the Crossroads leading to Mogu'er.

To avoid the enemy rushing out from that evil valley and launching a pincer attack on one's own troops.

And that place is a dense forest, and there are continuous hills; for cavalry to stay there is not a very appropriate action.

Allen feels that this task might be more suitable for the Dwarf of Durin from the Lonely Mountain, as well as the Elves of the Woodland Realm to complete.

Upon hearing the relevant information, Fili and Legolas did not refuse this task.

If the information provided by Beleg is correct, then the well-equipped Dwarves who are good at infantry combat are enough to block several times the enemy on the road in the middle of the valley.

And the Elven Archer can use bows and arrows on the hills on both sides to cause devastating blows to the invading enemy.

Moreover, Lindir will also leave behind a portion of Elves proficient in shooting to assist the two of them in completing this task.

Besides this, Allen is still a bit worried about whether the current Osgiliath is suitable for cavalry to launch a rapid raid.

Beleg expressed that there is no need to worry about this problem; that once-glorious city is now very dilapidated, and the city walls that made people feel secure in years past no longer exist.

Gaps are everywhere, enough for the cavalry to quickly enter the town and appear behind the enemy in an unexpected posture.

And those Haradrim who occupy that place have not spent effort repairing it during this time; their hearts are entirely focused on how to cross the Great River and plunder the fertile land before them.

However, Beleg emphasized one point, which is that although the streets of Osgiliath were built extremely wide, there are also many abandoned buildings, and ultimately, one must rely on infantry to end this battle.

This point does not count as a problem for Allen; whether it is the soldiers under his command or those Elves, their infantry combat skills are equally strong.

At the very least, it is more than enough to deal with the Haradrim.