Three Must Decide.

part 37 Who can Endure.

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.

setting fires creates barriers for all.

Decisions.

Ehmet had to decide to advance through the fading fires, attack north and south or fall back across the canal and defend.

Or something other from the mind of the real life faction leader

Read on to see what they have decided.

Ehmet had gathered the best riders he had around him. It took only moments for him to order it. The Squires of the Awoken Sun took a blessing from their commander, bringing the grace of their gods to them and then on command they crossed the canal. As soon as they moved Terrills horse archers had come swirling back on to the field in an attempt to drown the Squires in the dry canal with their unforgiving rain of iron, but they did not have it all their own way. To reach the Squires they came in range of Ehmets archers and that aid, although out numbered, gave the Squires room enough to climb back out, form up and from behind shields push on. Even so they would surely have broken if it were not for the knights that came behind them.  The Squires had no where to go. Back and the knights would be caught in the same hail and they would all die. The knights had to drive these devil's away. The Squires could drive on no further, they settled where they were, a rapidly thinning line forming a shield of flesh and blood.

That unthinkable effort had driven Ehmet to his decision, a Crown Prince had no place in the brutal fight. His responsibility was to rule, be there to lead and guide, stability. If Drathan lost their Prince then the loss of a clear path to the next king could lead to greater turmoil.

Ehmet knew his responsibility but as he had in the civil war when he and Terrill had ridden together there were times when he would not hold back. Terrill had proved themselves more fearless but when Ehmet had joined the fighting he had demonstrated he was also a fighter, brave and a clear desire to stand with those who served and gave their lives for him.

He would ride with the Knights, 300 with him. Fire behind, a second whirl wind of Terrills horse archers battered the Bronze shields. All needed release and it could come by driving north and Ehmets decision to join them was sealed when he saw Earl Aldens banner.

So his best had gone to the edge of the canal and waited to cross. He spent time riding among them, all eager to please their lord. Ehmet was ready to break out.

The Bronze Shield commander had waited. Followed his lord and waited, seen the fire in his lord, knew what he wanted to do but to him what Ehmet planned was not where his lord should be. However the commander, as he was, of the Bronze shields should not be following his lord around the feild. The order of rank and file was clear, the lord's stood by the prince and gave council and took commanders. The commanders stood by the lord's, two steps from the Crown Prince and took those commands and won the battles for them or ran when there was no point in staying on the field once the lord's had left, run and run hard.

The battle had been brutal, twice the commander had looked to his lord's ,had always had a detachment of his most able runners in view of them. His loyalty was unwavering to his Prince, to the lord's and also to his soldiers. If the moment came, when lord's leave the field, then it was his job to save his soldiers and more than once in his long years of service, running had been the best and only option.

Today it had been close he had felt and both those moments had come while he and the Bronze Shields had been standing and waiting. When the riders had come from all sides and it had become their duty to hold the line to the south they could see the danger but relished the fight to come, they were the Bronze Shields, the arrows would shatter upon them and the lancers, when they came, would face foot soldiers who could stand close, take the body breaking impact and with them within Swards length slaughter them. They were the Bronze Shields and they would not break. But now was a moment that had rarely come and only because so many had fallen which left no lord between them and the Crown prince. Now they had to speak directly to the Crown Prince and direct it would be.

Ehmet was checking his lines clearly readying to move off to join the fight beyond the canal. The Bronze Shield commander suddenly felt unsure how to approach them, awkward. There first effort was verging on feeble and that shame brought them back to themselves. They stepped right in front of Ehmets horse.

"My lord" his voice loud and clear, honed to cut through the raging raw of battle. His Crown Prince came to an immediate stop before him, his face first showing angry dismissive frustration and then recognition that his Captain stood before him. Then his attitude changed in an instant to concern and he looked over him towards the lines of his Bronze Shields.

He moved to reassure him and to drive his point home quickly as now he was talking directly to them he wanted it over as soon as possible, this was not his place.

"We are holding my lord they will run out of arrows and their lancers will come but we will still have enough numbers and be ready. We will not break."

Ehmet could see there was more to be said "speak quickly Captain we have only moments" Ehmets attitude  had changed again to show a returning irritation.

"We should withdraw my lord" the Captain could see his Crown Princes face go blank, so she stood straight , looked just past him and drove her point home "our runners tell me the knights can break us out but that will be them and their horses spent, we can stand what we have to but many will be lost which leaves just those who wait behind the fires" he gestured towards the burning field where so many had been taken to their graves. " It will vbe to them alone to win this day and they will face Terrill himself, with archers, lancers and all the Iordans have. It's better to make our stand together my lord make Terrill have to try and win the day in an attack"

She had finished, stood and waited. Ehmet circled his horse, charged away to the end of his line, the captain waited, now eager to return to his Shields, he saw him turn again at a spot which gave him a view of what the Bronze Shields were facing then he returned at full tilt. Lord's and runners that had seen him move instinctively gathered to him.

"We move back beyond the canal, as soon as there is space, steady and in good order there will be no threat the Bronze Shields will protect us all" orders were given and Ehmet turned to his Captain "take what you need from those uncommitted, I will guarantee we will be ready to support your moves, and Captain I am Great full for your sight, it will not be forgotten"