The Will Of The Kings.

Hidden Hope. Part 1. (Not copy edited yet)

The captain had watched and planned, and soon enough his man returned with the Dalon, but only a few. Elsess their Queen was not willing to let an army go in to a country she did not know. It was of no real consequence to the Captain, he reckoned it would be a good fight, he and his men were champions in their gruesome craft. He would stand happily with these men against four times their number, and still have confidence in victory. There were no more than sixteen against them and half of those were women and children. Alone he and his men could take them, but luck could favour the brave and that was why he had brought the Dalon. The captain smiled as he watched the barn, the time had come.        

He turned to the scout,  "pass the word to my men, then see that the Dalon don't let anyone out"

The scout nodded her understanding and disappeared into the night. The captain waited. By the time their newfound friends with the dogs arrived, the barn would be ablaze, and their souls dammed with it. Knowing all was ready he finally stepped from the shadows and made for the door, where Balor and Rook waited. He had thought it through. It would have been easier to ambush them on the road or take them a few at a time. But both ways could have seen some of them get away. Taking them here, in the barn, meant they would all be in the same place. Cover every door and they would be trapped. Surprise would get them in and ensure the slaughter.     

"Surprise", the captain whispered under his breath, as he reached the door. He paused before going through it. At his back was his most trusted man, bow levied to cover him as he went in. Two more went to the opposite door and the last man, crouched by the final exit waiting to make his entrance.

 Nannajess had seen them come and hissed orders as she raced down the ladder. Rook and Balor stepped to either side of the door and Vallessa, Crane and Farmer turned to make safe the other threat. Fear was welling in all their bellies. Nannajess had only seen a few, but the gods only knew how many more there would be, it had all happened so quickly. No time to plan, no time to barricade the doors. As her feet touched the barn floor, so to did the captain come charging in to the barn. Instantly the hall was plunged in to chaos as the grim faced killers charged in from two sides. Instinctively Nannajess made for the captain, but at the last she turned away to face the last man, who had waited just a little longer than the others. He came in through a small side door. They locked swords; his weight pushed her back, but did not beat her.       

Vallessa loosed two arrows, both on target and with expert precision and speed, but their enemies were veterans. They came in low and shields high and the arrows glanced off them, spent. Crane roared a challenge and lunged in, Farmer followed. Both found they were outclassed and in trouble almost immediately. They were soon fighting for their lives. They were good with their new war spears but their attacks were parried with ease. They fought desperately trying to block the southmens blows. Vallessa, threw down her bow, and drawing her sword ran to their aid.

An arrow had followed the captain in. Loosed from the bow held by the man who covered his charge. The captain's crashing entrance had brought him against Balor, who swung his great sword, to cut him down. The captain saw the blow coming at the last moment, stepped away and lifted his sheild, to take its force. At the same time he thrust forward his sword, to skewer his attacker. He did not find his target. His sword hovered in mid air, as he grimaced at the giant that opposed him. Involuntarily the captain took a step back,  Balor came on. Standing against Balor, seeing him up close if full war gear, had made even the greatest of killers hesitate.           

Rook had waited to loose his bolt. He had waited to long. A fraction of a second before he loosed his bolt at the captain, he was charged down himself. Rook turned, crouched and planted the bolt through the warrior's thigh. To his amazement the man did not falter, he just let out a horrific scream and kept coming. Rook scrambled to his feet, his enemy was soon on him.