Legends of Arkn

Ch. 4 - Roads Untraveled

Phan wiped sweat from his brow with the cuff of his tunic. The column of horsemen galloped along the King's Road, Phan at the front with the General. They had left the city, headed along the coast briefly, then turned inland. Their destination was a three-day ride east along the King's Road. The Duchy of Bourdon was perhaps the wealthiest of the small nations that had risen out of the ruins of the Old Kingdom. Duke Robert ruled with an even hand, as had his father and grandfather; men who put their stock in the old values of the nobility, to protect their people and nurture their lands. Pham knew little else from what he had heard, but his brief experience with the Duke led him to believe he was a man to be trusted and relied upon.

"Not far now," the General said, breaking up the silence. "I expect we will be greeted by an escort when we reach Robert's outer holdings."

Pham nodded, but said nothing.

The thin forest through which they had been riding began to thin and give way to rolling green hills. Small trails of smoke in the distance were the first signs of habitation they had seen in days. Sure enough, as they approached a rise in the road, Phan caught sight of movement along the ridge.

"Movement," he said quietly.

"How many do you judge?" asked the General.

"Maybe a dozen, eighteen at the most," Phan said. The vague outlines bobbed back and forth, lit from behind by the setting sun. "Either they aren't prepared for a fight or the Duke sent out his dumbest lads to see who is on the approach."

The General let out a loud, hearty laugh. The men on the ridge line froze at the sound. He slapped Phan on the shoulder and rode forward alone, hand raised in the air in a friendly gesture. Phan slipped the sniper scope off of his rifle and used it to get a closer look at the ridge line.

"Hello, men of Bourdon," shouted the General. "I come seeking an audience with your Duke."

"And why would the Duke entertain mercenaries carrying the flags of a fallen house?" shouted a man. He claimed up to stand in the clear at the top of the road.

"They must have earthworks on top of the ridge," Phan mused.

"Like they're expecting an attack," said one of the other soldiers.

"I'm a friend of Duke Robert," said the General, guiding his horse closer to the line of Bourdon soldiers. Phan watched the soldiers behind the earthworks bristle. He slipped the scope back onto his rifle and checked the action.

Loaded, he confirmed silently.

"The Duke is in no state to receive guests," shouted the soldier. His hand drifted toward the carbine rifle in its long belt sheath at his waist. "Leave now and you'll receive no trouble."

"It's easier to run," the General nodded. "Please give my regards to the Duke. Tell him General Shinoda wishes him health and good fortune."

A murmur went up from the line of soldiers. Phan felt a pit form in his stomach. Something was very wrong.

The soldier standing atop the hill seemed to consider his options. He turned and said something inaudible to someone behind and below him.

A roar went up suddenly from behind the lines. Two dozen men poured up onto the hill. Half of them sprinted toward the small party of Shinodan soldiers, short swords raised. The other half drew rifles, aimed, and fired a volley. Pham rolled back off of his horse, grabbing his rifle from its saddle sheath as he fell. He hit the ground hard and rolled again as the telltale crack of bullets echoed in the space he had just occupied. He drew up to a knee. The General was charging the line of oncoming swordsmen, his soldiers racing to catch up and meet the foe head on. Phan marveled at their instant action. They were outnumbered two to one. They had nothing to gain and everything to fear, but still they charged into the teeth of death.

Phan rose, riding on the back of the pressure of the battle. He aimed at the man who had addressed the General. He let out a breath, steadied his hands...

Bam!

Phan jumped and nearly fired a shot into the air. A shot from a copse of trees rang out and the messenger dropped like a sack of grain. A new roar arose as men charged out of their concealment among the trees. They wore green and brown capes with hoods and bandanas wrapped around their faces so that only their wild eyes shone. Each man had a rifle, a short sword at his belt and a hatchet. At the core of the group, one man sprinted faster than the rest, despite clearly being older than the others. Duke Robert wasn't young, but neither was he an invalid. He barreled across the fields like the bear emblazoned upon his royal crest.

The battle was over in seconds, as a new volley of rifle fire took the charging swordsmen in their flank. The General and his men charged on and cut down the enemy riflemen as they panicked at the sight of oncoming cavalry.

Phan hadn't fired a shot.

He grabbed the reins of his horse and massaged a sore spot on his hip where he'd hit the ground. The General's men had gathered around him, still tense from the fight, but they exchanged nods with their counterparts under the Duke. The two leaders clapped arms as Phan arrived to stand with the rest of the Shinodans.

"Haven't I always told you to take the roads untraveled?" said Duke Robert. "You'd have met my men instead of these louts."

"I'm glad we did get to meet some of your men, Robert," chuckled the General. "Now, why don't you fill me in on why these louts are holding your roads instead of locked in prison cells."

"We'll take you to camp. Your men can get some rest and I'll catch you up in what's happened in the short time since we last met."