I Give My Life Freely

Chapter 3 The Battle Begins

 I Give My Life Freely

By LadyDawn

The Picture to Right is Sir Androw Patrolling the Border >>>>>

Chapter 3 The Battle Begins

The barbarians attack, from the west as predicted. The army of Sheams was waiting some hidden within the trees most lined up upon the shore. Shields they bore, side by side they stood, an attack they await. The plan: let the barbarians get to the water out in the open, let them make the first strike with arrows. We dive down behind shields till after arrows stop, we attack with arrows from our shore from a new dirt embankment, then as they get ready to send the next volley of arrows loose, we attack their archers from the rear from the tree tops killing as many as possible, all the while sending more arrows from the embankment on our side. To cover the retreat of our archers from the trees, we ignite the shore fires to surround them while they escape through a tunnel.

The plan goes off as predicted. The barbarians are caught off guard, almost all their archers and forward command are destroyed. There are a few that retreat for the time being, a new plan must be set. Sir Author is in command of the army, my brother is so brave. He sets up the next plan to stop the forward attack. From upstream a row of crosses float down, they block the way across the river, and is anchored to the shore. Another set is brought forward from behind the embankment. This will slow down any forward movement.

The night passes, all is quiet. We fly out to inspect the encampment of our enemy and find them moving to the north. With a hurried turn we quickly return. To which Sir Androw informs of the change. We have prepared for this attack plan, though the West was beefed up most, the North has the same fortifications as well. Though there were no trees on the other side, a surprise was set. The river is blocked, the beach too. The fields behind us are our hiding place.

On this second day, a loud roar you could hear. The barbarians came running into a trap. Down on the beach they came, with a thunderous roar, till our archer let loose some flaming arrows and the shore was set ablaze. That held them back, while our archer attacked, volley after volley were sent off. The barbarians began to drop. They pulled back the fire died down. Then a strange weapon came forth pulled by twenty men. This is the thing that Kar told them about! That contraption they knew not of or how it would work, but they were soon to find out.

These barbarians were not dumb men, they had the latest of weapons, they were going to take this village if it was the last thing they did. Plans were set, the catapult was brought forward. With this weapon they were sure to cross. One volley they did figure, would be all it would take, to scare the defending army all the way back to castle.

Little did they know that the Sheams army already knew of this weapon, from up high it was watched just how it worked and what it would do. Plans were set to let them throw, then they would just watch as it flew overhead, then just move aside as it landed and move back in line once again.

So sure enough they let loose one large rock, it flew over the river and down toward the awaiting men.

Just as it was going to hit, the men separated, with a thud it hit and twelve men walked back in line. We all started thumping our swords on our shields as a laugh. We were teasing them for their plan was a bust. The plan from abroad had failed, they looked on in disbelief, the defending army knows all their plans in advance. Again they retreat a new plan must be made. All is quiet for that day.