The Quest For Hope

The Battle: Chapter Five

The sunset in the forest. No stars were visible through the green branches. The only sounds were Prince Hans's careless footfalls as he stomped through the leaves.  He paced back and forth, anger growing with each step as his scout bowed before him.

Red wrinkles marked his forehead, and he wore a fearsome scowl. Waving his staff, Prince Hans faces his scout.

"You what?!" He yelled, wanting to make sure he had heard correctly.

"I followed the princess like you requested," Iago said, his voice and hands shaking violently. "You told me to follow and keep you informed of her position."

"I did not ask you to get caught!  I did not ask you to give them a reason to keep guard, and I most definitely did not ask you to take your time getting back to me! I heard the news from other channels before you made it back. Incompetence!" Prince Hans snapped. Iago fell as the staff collided with his cheek, then his stomach.

Hans turned his back to his men and continued pacing, counting his steps as he concentrated on his next move.

Behind him, some of his other men ran to Iago and carried him off to have his injuries treated.

Prince Hans stood oblivious to it all, his hands moving a mile a minute, marking the air with the ideas running through his mind. Every once in a while, his men heard a yell or hiss, usually followed by a wild cackle.

His followers were split. The younger knights seemed entranced with the spectacle he was making of himself.  His peers and elders shook their heads, unnerved by his new obsession with the Princess. But they said nothing.  The last time someone suggested that he was going mad was the last time that man had spoken.

Prince Hans paced for hours; brief moments of exclamation and excitement passed without notice. The camp remained quiet. They stoked the fire and waited for their leader to come back to his senses.

It was late into the night when his excited outburst stopped.

"Men," he said, snapping his fingers.  "Gather around! I have a plan." No one moved. "Men!" He screamed.  "Gather round!" He waited as everyone scampered into position close to him.

His manic pacing began again. His eyes gleamed as he gazed into the fire, entranced by the dancing light.

"Listen," he started, a strange enthusiasm in his voice. "Last year, we performed a great service and were promised a great reward that would rise our kingdom's status and ensure our future.  That reward was withheld from us. It's up to us now. Our territory must receive what is rightfully ours. We must retrieve it."

His men sat still, considering the tantalising promises of wealth.

"We rid this forest of bandits, but now we need the riffraff's help. We need a mass of men to secure their reward.  I task each of you with our goal. Bring me all the fighting men you can find. Offer gold, homes, as for taking in our future. Our success depends on your success." He paused.  The younger men cheered; the elders feigned joy.

"One week. Return to me in one week's tie.  By the first snowfall-we attack!" Prince Hans commanded, and his men roared in agreement. "This time it's ours! The reward is ours!" 

The forest seemed alive with action.  With no time to waste, the men focus on their new goal. Camp broke as each man headed out to find the bandits again.

Prince Hans stood next to the flames, his eyes gleaming in the flickering light as thoughts of gaining Princess Elsa danced through his mind.