Three Must Decide.

Part 28. no more waiting.

Chapter note. the first 3 chapters have introduced you to the Three. Each faction is controlled, to a degree, by a real life person so decisions have to be made.

Hidden consequences.

large commitments against one can present opportunities to others.

Decisions..

Terrill had placed riders beyond the Hold, out in the countyside and so had an option to call them to a surprise night attack.

Read on to see what they have decided.

Terrill had ridden out to the canal regularly and finally had accepted, begrudgingly, his enemies tactic to change the flow of the river that protected the hold. At first he doubted it was possible but as he saw the numbers put to the task and Ehmets resolve despite the punishing waves of arrows it was clear to him that the Iordan forces would need to be ready to leave their position at the bridges and form up closer to the Hold.

Ehmet could cross the Canal anywhere to the north once the daming had been completed but it had little effect on Terrills plan as he did not want to fight them for the bridges that crossed it, he wanted them in the open ground between it and the hold. All that would change was when the Iordans and their allies would fall back.

Terril spent the night by the becon in the court yard of the Hold he had thought of bringing his hidden riders on to Ehmet in the night, he had made sure they had prepared for it but in the end the surprise it would have given his army was not enough to make him commit. Seeing the numbers that Ehmet had and what they were achieving had unnerved him to take such a path. Terrill would rely on the prepared field around the hold and the light of day which would make every arrow shot straight and true.

That light brought the Duchess to him by the beacon, and together they stood and watched what must have been the final preparations of their enemies army beyond the canal.

"Will they come, what happens if they discover our riders beyond the canal" Oceana spoke plainly but her nerves were clear.

"we fight" Terrill replied "Ehmet will come for me here, he will see me and come for me. We have done all we can to make them believe a large part of the army is here, soon enough they will confirm for themselves that not all our force is here. Their scouts will have been out, we have to rely on ours, working in a land they know like no other to get the better of them or lead them away on false trails". Terrill knew he sounded confident and now battle was near he could hardly hold himself back from it but he was a little unsettled by the uneasiness he had felt in the night.

"And if our measures fail" Oceana knew the answer but wanted to hear it again.

"If they fail we will see the beacons and know that our surprise has failed but we still fight, we still attack them from 3 points, they will still face the fire" Terrill turned to his wife and held her. no more words were needed.

Oceana felt the power in him, had felt it before just before he went to command and fight. "I have readied the house if I have to I will leave but know I will always find you, as long as I breath we cannot be beaten" she kissed him then, with passion and fire and turned and went back to the house were she would continue to move every peace she had gathered to her to save her house whether the battle was won or lost.

Terrill rode out the gate on his own, he followed the path to the now vast stables, greeting the Iordans who had formed up there with his loyal captains who would support them before he rode on to greet Captain Berenger. Seeing his Captain and those of his oldest command lifted his spirits, he thought of Alden somewhere out there and prayed to the gods to protect him before he came up beside Berenger and looked out over the spears of the Iordans and their Allies who would fight with  him. 

With those at the stables and the rest before him they made two lines of spears forming a V with the Hold at its tip. they were the line to be held while his riders with bows and lances would ride out to confront Ehmets army in their fast and fluid battle formations.