The Lion Guard: King of Outremer

Chapter 5: The Battle of the Litani

Kion felt a shiver down his spine despite the late morning's intense heat. He stroked the head of his destrier and looked around the fertile plains around the Litani river, revitalizing the arid landscape with a swathe of greenery.

Kion once visited this area with Grandmaster Talib as they scouted for the best location to build the new Hospitaller castle, allowing for adequate protection from Sonn raids and the expansion of new farming/fishing villages in the area.

However, Kion mourned for what should've been a lush and vibrant place of families, worship, and prosperity would now become a place of slaughter. For across the open field lay the vast invading army of Radcliffe and his Sonn.

Never in his life had the young King seen so many mounted warriors in a single army. The sounds of Turkomans drowned out the wind as it blew their vibrant banners. These sigils proved less colorful than Frankish ones, mainly containing green, yellow, black, or white with odd symbols and words in the Sonn language.

"How many?" Kion almost hesitated to ask Ono. The young chaplain turned pale in the face and crossed himself.

"Our father, whom art in heaven-" He started to pray. Kion took a deep breath and began praying with him, Beshte and Bunga soon joining in.

"Well?" Bunga asked.

"At least fifteen thousand mounted Sonn, and maybe another five-thousand infantry."

"God have mercy!" Beshte muttered.

"Ok, I'll admit, that's pretty daunting." Bunga muttered, his usual confidence shaken a bit. Kion gazed back at his own assembled army as they formed labored outside their encampment.

Despite issuing an Arrière-ban for the bulk of the Feudal army to assemble, Radcliffe's speed proved deadlier than all the arrows in his army's quivers. So far, Kion's army only numbered just over thirteen thousand, with most of these troops coming from Perdidit and the southern portion of Outremer.

"Take heart, Kion. Numbers don't mean everything." Kopa assured him. Seeing the Templar and Hospitaller contingents among their troops eased Kion slightly.

"Oui, we have nothing to fear. These heathen face the Lion of France!!" Sir Petrus declared, followed shortly by many other Angevine Knights who'd joined Kion and his Lion Guard. Sir Petrus was, like Kopa, a former companion of his father, having spent years fighting alongside Simba even before he became King.

Hearing such words from the seasoned Knight gave Kion some heart, but it also put an odd sense of stress and expectation on the young King, something Kopa noticed with slight concern.

"Come, we still have work to do." Kion returned to his war tent, where he sat alongside Kopa, his Lion Guard, Talib, Baliyo, and every other noble lord who'd arrived.

"This is folly, meeting the Sonn here where their light cavalry can maneuver so effectively! Wasn't the point of your damned castle to prevent such things!" The Baron of Hebron snarled, turning his rage onto Talib. However, the Hospitaller Grandmaster stood his ground and showed only commitment in his expression.

"The castle isn't finished yet, and can't withstand an assault in its current state, and neither will the new settlements."

"I'm not leaving my people to fend for themselves." Baliyo growled at the Baron with a dedication that impressed Kion. They weren't wrong either. The half-constructed castle was indefensible, and because of Radcliffe's speed, he'd managed to place himself between the castle and surrounding countryside and Kion's army.

"Everyone, calm down! Have we heard anything about reinforcements?" The King growled in a stern but fair tone, silencing the various nobles. Azaad took a deep breath and shook his head.