Voyage of War

Chapter 17

Queen Adira sat atop her chestnut mare, with her heart beating in her throat. All her senses seemed to be hightened by adrenalin. She could feel her mare's steady heart beat and hear the pawing of thousands of hooves, tha clang of metal against metal as armour clad men shifted position and the heavy breathing of the Gaints. The stench of the Ground trolls was unbearable and so was the waiting to face off the enemy.

Queen Adira's heart sank as the enemy soldiers marched thought the mist and into her line of sight she started to doubt if even with the foreing troop they would ve able to defeat the enemy. Ywt she steeled herself remembering that her confidence can make or break their chances.

The enemy troops lined up and lowered long spears in anticipation to their attack. Queen Adira breathed heavily and thrust her sword into the air. She turned to face her soldiers and in a high ckear voice lowered her sword and yelled.
"Fall back! Gaints defend the rear!"
Like one man every soldier turned around and ran in the opposite direction. The Gaints stayed and started jogging after every last soldier had cleared the area. Queen Adira coukd hear the battle cries of the enemy following them, but she didn't dare look back. Dull thunks echoed back probably the Gaints swinging their wooden clubs at an ememy soldier who had caught up.

Her men and their horses were exhausted when they arrived at the marker for their chosen battle field, a small clearing closely surrounded bydense trees. Queen Adira coukd also feel the fatigue starting to take hold of her but she didn't stop to rest she reigned in her mare and turned to adress the Generals from Casima, flocking around her, without getting off. They had covered some groung near the end but it would be a full blown slaughter if they didn't prepare and do so quickly.
"I want half your archers up in the trees surrounding the clearing and the rest at the back of the formation. Your riders in front and your foot soldiers split to flank them so they can attack from the sides." Queen Adira doesn't adress anybody inparticular.
"My men! Take up position behind the others! Smaug and Arnold you're at the very back, but I'll need a word with you first." She shouts as everyone scuttles to take thair places.
"Your highness, we are all very honourd to serve but do you think it is wise..." One of the Generals pipes up.
"If you've got a better formation speak now and do it quickly." Queen Adira doesn't even try to keep her annoyance out of her tone.
"It's not that. Shouldn't we regroup and try to negotiate with the enemy first."
"There is no deal we can cut with them except surrendering my Kingdom freely and without a fight and I'm danm well not going to do that. Now if you'll excuse me."
Queen Adira leaves the shocked Generals behind and gallops to the back of the formation.
"Smaug! Arnold! Listen closely.
If things start to go down hill at the front I want you two to circle around and attack from behind. If before we get to that point you change your mind you are free to leave and take refuge somewhere safe. You are not sworn to my kingdom and I can't and won't hold it against you."
"We have given you our word and our word is worth just as much as the oath of a soldier. We will not forsake you." Smaug asures her in his deep voice.
Queen Adira can't help but feel more as ease. This only lasts until the hears a battle horn. The enemy has caught up.
She rides through the crowd of soldiers making a path for her to the front. As she did the time before she pulls out her sword and thrusts it into the air, yet this time she'll be leading her army forwards.
"Archers!" She yells and hears it echoed by the Generals.
Queen Adira lowers her sword and thousands of arrows fly over her head and from the sides of the clearing. The enemy blocks with their shields but faraway grunts carried by the wind tells her that some had found their mark.
"Archers!" She yells again and the process is repeated.
"Riders of Casima!" She lifts her sword breathing out a heavy breath. "Charge!"
Thiusands of hooves thunder towards the enemy as they try to line up and cover the gaps left by fallen men.
"Men of Aevan line up! Esquires prepare yourselves!" Again she puts her sword in the air and waits for the first onslaught to clash with the enemy.
"Riders follow! Esquires attack from the sides! Gaints you know what to do! She lowers her sword and charges with the riders following in the first thousands footsteps.
Into the arms of the enemy. Fighting as every other soldier. Metal against metal surrounding the enemy.

                                  *   *   *

Arnold could hear the battle cries and painful grunts of men fighting. He saw scenes of the battle field already strewn with bodies as he circled it. He almost crached into Smaug when they met at the back.
"I don't think I can do it!" Arnold whimpers.
"Yes you can now lets go." Smaug drags him by the arm, with his own battle cry booming across the field drowning out all other sound.

They make good progress until they got noticed. Then the fighting started. Smaug swung his club wildly whilst Arnold hesitated with each swing. They were soon over took and a seconds hesitation resulted in a fatal blow. A brave Esquire took his chances and drove a spear through Smaug's chest before Arnold could stop him.

A pained cry broke over Arnolds lips and all the fighting seemed to stop for a second to taek in the fallen Gaint. Smaug sank to his knees. Arnold caught him before he could fall forwards. Lying his brother down Arnold took the spear and flung it at the soldier responsible, impaling him. Arnold swallowed a dry sob and stood up a fierce anger burning within him as reality begun to move at a regular pace again and sound returned.

Arnold fought with a new determination and without hesitation. They will win this battle even if he had to slaughter every single enemy soldier by himself. He will avenge his brother.

                       *   *   *

Queen Adira could see that they were on the losong side. Soldiers from Aevan and Casima alike were strewn either dead or dying across the field.

She heard the cry of pain as of it was beside her. Not of physical pain but that of a heart being ripped in two. It was as if everything slowed down and every soul, even from the enemy, paused to watch the mighty gaint sink to the ground. This was a turning point and Queen Adira had made up her mind.
She reigned in her mare and called out abov the sounds of battle.
"Soldiers of Avean and Casima! Fall back!"
The soldiers from Casima were the first to respond and run. Then her soldiers ran but not without taking as many enemy lives as the could whilst doing so.

Queen Adira pushed her mare ro catch up with the Generals from Casima. The faint sound of fictory echoes through the trees as well as those of the Blood fairies fluttering wings. She caught uo with them a few miles from the battle field.
"We can rest here and go back for the bodies at dusk."
"Go back?!"
"Yes, they fought for my kingdom and I'd like to honour them in return by allowing their families to have a decent funeral."
"What happens now?"
"We regroup with the rest of your soldiers in Aevan and evacuate the city. With the Great waters blocking off two sides we'll have a better chance to protect it with our deminished army."
"After all this your Highness hadn't yet considered just surrendering."
"Not in the slightest."