Running Thorns

Chapter 5: The Beginning

Misk:
A knight barged into his courtroom where he sat on his throne. Astonished by the look of fear and urgency in his eyes I was speechless for a brief moment. However I caught my bearings as I was used to putting the kingdoms fate first. "What is it?" I beckoned. He bowed low but fast.

"My king, there is at least ten thousand warriors outside our boundaries in tents. I fear that we are at war. The banners look to be that of King David of Rolaire." He closed his eyes for a moment and added "We have but 3,000 knights you're majesty... if they come into our territory they will burn our villages to the ground and we will not have a way to stop them. Our forces can only take on an army of that size here as a last stand resort not spread over terrain. You must call you're brothers kingdom to aid us. I fear they will breach our borders by sunrise tomorrow morning."

Why is this happening? We have don't nothing to that kingdom. They must see me as weak, trying to take over this country while a young noble from another country is on its throne. My queen sat on her throne beside me her cheeks flushing red with anger.

"You cannot expect us to sit here and wait while he harms our loyal subjects," she sounded frantic she turned to me, "please my love, do not abandon them." But what was I to do? We didn't have nearly enough soldiers to fight out in terrain. We would lose. The Knight was right. Sir Holin if I was correct. I had to make a call to my brother and fast. His forces if he could spare any wouldn't even make it here for at least a week if they hurried, and thousands traveling on cars wouldn't work. Our terrain was very outdated with little to no roads. They'd have to ride horses when they got close to our borders, especially since we have many forests around here.

"Send all of them and retreat our subjects towards the main city and the castle we will hold everyone we can. Sound the alarm everyone must prepare." I stood up from my throne and walked out of the throne room, my court room, and headed to my room. There was work to be done.

Hours later

My two generals, my captain of the royal guard, my advisor and my politician sat at a round table with me at the front. They were rambling on about this war that awaited us some of them shouting at each other. "SILENCE," I yelled and they all stopped speaking. "We are at war. We must come up with a strategy to protect our loyal subjects."

My general of the black nights spoke "You're majesty, if we send aid out to the villages we can not protect the castle and if you and this castle shall fall all of Cheshire will fall with it." He aggravated me, did he think I was blind or deaf? I very well know we'd be unguarded.

"They will be out far by our boundaries and that is a distance from the castle and the main city, they would not reach us before you will return." I said.

My second general, the general of my white knights spoke "But my king, if they kill us all out there then they will have an easy path back here. At least keep one of us here while the other general and his army goes to retrieve the subjects in the villages. Some might also protest not wanting to leave their horned defenseless. Some are with children and will not be easy to travel fast with."

I nodded my head " I know but this is what we can offer them and that is why both of you must go I will have the captain of the royal guard here and the royal knights."

The captain of the guard, Illie, spoke softly " My liege we only have a mere 300 royal knights should they make it here with their ten thousand warriors we will fall."

"I have spoken to my brother already and him and his army, my second eldest brother and his army have answered the call they are preparing for the voyage as we speak, they estimate it will take less than a week with the trails they have set on their maps and they will ride cars to the end of their borders. Lodi will be bringing 4,000 men with him and Jasper will be bringing 2,000 men. They will cut them off from behind. We must retreat every subject we can get into the castle, the war will be here, they will very much be here by the time my brothers armies will arrive so we must be prepared." I spoke with command. They acted like they didn't know what I was doing if they were to get here while my armies were away then my 300 royal guards would die protecting the castle and my kingdom would fall knowing that we had not sacrificed our loyal subjects.