Kingmaker

Battle Prep #2

"Tewkesbury is 34.8miles from here. It will take around 11 hours for us to march there. But we need to give time for the men to rest aswell. So we'll do 6 hours marching today. Then set up camp if the men feel they and their horses need to rest" started Ava, turning her stallion in a tight circle as he became unsettled. Her men watched her, feeling the tension and determination radiating off of her. Fully suited in armour, she looked like a force to be reckoned with. Several of the men gazed to her, her eyes between the slits of her helmet held fire. "Men. York will be out there" she continued, turning her horse again; the stallion once more becoming unsettled. "They'll be waiting with their King Edward. His army is said to have been at 6000 the last we heard. They could be stronger now. But we are just as strong. Have faith in yourself, and those around. Have faith in the metal you wield. Remember what I said all that time ago. It still stands. I will fight for each and every one of you for as long as I am able. Should you fall today. I will send coin to your wives and children to help them this Winter. Men, be brave today. Show no fear in the face of the enemy. And trust in me as I have in you. Let's go. We've a lot of land to cover today. Just over 17 miles"
With that, her men gave a roar of support. A battle cry, almost. Ava turned her stallion to the gates of the castle. Walking him out as her army followed behind in rows of 4 to begin with. They marched onwards, each man talking to those at his sides. Trying to keep the less experienced men calm. Though Ava had made sure each man had been put in combat situations during training, some of the younger men still felt nervous.  She rode at the front of the army in silence, the banners of Lancaster held high just behind her to the sides. This wasn't the first time she'd led an army into battle. But this was the first time she'd been the one to speak of a location, and be allowed to march to it. She said Tewkesbury mainly because she'd heard murmurs of York being heard to pass through there, and it was the best location for a battle; if one could chose that is. The hill would indeed be a vantage point for Lancaster. It was also one that Ava knew well. She had specifically put her men where they would 'peform' the best based on their weapon, and skill.
After 4 or so miles, Sir Richard and his own men eventually caught up. Sir Richard riding to the head of the army to ride beside Ava. He glanced to her. It had been some time since he'd seen her in full armour, and the last time he'd seen her like this she was almost killed. Yet persevered and made sure each of her men were taken home. But this time she wouldn't be able to do that. The threat was far too great. Even if they won the battle, they hadn't won the war. "The hill at Tewkesbury. Why did you say to march there?" asked Sir Richard after some time. Ava shuffled in the saddle for a moment before replying. "York, no matter which way they come at us. Will always be below us. If we are on the hill, we can see a threat from a fair distance away. We get the birds eye view, so to speak. Our archers will be able to aim high and send their arrows sailing further through the sky. Our cannons will be able to reach much further too. We'll also be able to take out more men with one shot if we are at a higher point" She shrugged now. "It just seems wiser to take the vantage point whilst we have the chance. I also know the hill pretty well. I used to ride there when I was younger. The ground at the bottom of the hill is a pit of mud when it's been raining. Men on foot will find themselves stuck and struggling to walk as the mud sucks at their boots. The horses won't struggle as much, soldiers however. Will struggle a lot"
Sir Richard nodded, seeming impressed with how much she really had thought about this. "Any specific targets today?" he asked, though he already knew the answer. "Sir Henry Stafford and Sir John Howard. And if I see him, King Edward. And any soldier that blocks our path of course" she replied, gazing ahead of them at the terrain. It seemed flat as far as she could see, and would prove no real task for her and her men. They had already covered 10 miles of the 17 they had to cover today. Maybe they could go further than they first thought. But she would have to talk to her men to see how they and their horses were fairing. "If we can cover the 17 miles today, our men will be able to rest at the hill. We'll set scouts around us on all directions, and we'll keep eyes on all sides at all times. We can't check every single soldier ourselves, so our generals will have to play a part in this too. How many generals do we have? 16 each? Each general has 250 soldiers that he has to care for. If my math is correct. We'll win this battle, Sir Richard. We may not come out of it unscathed. But we will win. I don't intent to fail" said Ava, earning a smile from her husband. He loved her confidence in her men. It showed how much she truly trusted them and cared for them. In his eyes, it was the exact mindset and attitude that a leader of an army should have. 
Confidence in those around you, gave them confidence in you and your ability to lead. Sir Richard still had ruling and some form of command over Ava, but he rarely had to discipline her. Some day he may have to. He hoped today wasn't that day.

[Authors Note: The battle is getting closer! Maybe in the next part we'll see Lancaster and York clash!]