October 23, 1345.
Stormhold Castle,
The walled city of Rothwell,
Capital of Myknos.
Lady Odeya Katarina Black
As Odeya crossed the gates of Stormhold, she couldn't fight the wave of emotion that overwhelmed her.
Her plan was to simply draw her father out for a one on one battle, one she was are to lose, to give Hayden's army time to catch up to them but as she waited staring at the drawbridge linking the castle to the rest of Myknos, a shudder passed through her.
What if she never returned to Nicolas?
When she had made her plans, she had been confident in wanting to give her life up for a kingdom she had no part in but now that she had seen his face, the sole person she was fighting for, weakness overcame her.
She battled with her thoughts on just turning the whole thing to an all out war but when she saw the black clothed soldiers of her father's army, she knew that the untrained army around her needed her to face her fears.
The men rode to a halt at the other end of the bridge observing them with mocking glances once again reminding Odeya of her first actual battle over ten years back.
Clenching her teeth in anger, she signalled the banner man who held up a white flag waiting to see if the bastards would allow for the short reprieve.
They raised her father's banner and she took that as a sign that she could ride forward, deciding to trust him even if just this once.
"Lord Felfar Black!" She called out after crossing to their side, an icy hand running down her spine as she spoke her Lord Father's name, "Come out and fight me one on one. None of these men have to die today. You already know what's at stake here. If you win, we'll surrender and Myknos is yours."
She knew she was being too reckless offering up the entire kingdom when she knew that her father was as ruthless with a sword as he was a father.
She had never fought against him but had seen what he had done to the men he sparred with.
He was quick and precise and didn't pull his punches, wether with a trusted general or enemy soldier.
He was a cold blooded killer.
"You didn't say anything about winning daughter." He laughed walking through the path his men had formed, his cold voice sending another shiver through her, "Do you doubt you could win against me? You'd be right in doing so although I'd hate to think that I raised a failure after all these years."
Perhaps she should have hid behind the safety of the towns walls.
No Odeya.
You have to do this.
She had to keep him talking for as long as she could. She didn't know how soon Hayden's soldiers would be joining them and as much as she relished a good battle, it would do her no good to waste so many lives especially when fighting someone as tricky as Lord Felfar.
"I see your words are as encouraging as ever. But I didn't come to take a trip down memory lane with you. Do you accept the challenge...Father?"
He smiled a cold smile at her spreading his arms out at his sides in a manner that was all but welcoming.
"Draw your sword."
Odeya heaved a deep breath and dismounted wasting no time drawing her sword for if she knew anything of her father, it was that he saw through her plans and would not let her have her way.
Clang!
Their swords sang as they met in a hard thrust.
She had been right not to trust him to enjoy the battle.
He wanted a quick victory as he liked all things done.
They pulled back and circled each other, him smiling as if he had won as his men beat on their shields and her gritting her teeth as her arm complained of their clash.
She ran straight for him, meeting his sword already raised and so began their dance neither one willing to back down from their struggle.
Cold sweat flooded her back as she exerted herself, her arms started to protest from his assault while he laughed.
"Getting tired, daughter? I didn't think I'd raised you to be so lazy." He mocked, "Then again you've spent too much time in the company of these noble fools to train. Why don't you surrender now and I'd spare your life."
Never! Odeya thought unable to answer as exhaustion filled her.
Their clash intensified as her father noticed her unwillingness to surrender and she was the only one standing between him and an inevitable victory.
Perhaps in her eyes, he saw that she would rather die than let him win for when he struck next, it was with intent to kill.
Odeya realized an opening in his attack she went for was a fatal mistake when he moved to the right and sliced through her arm drawing first blood.
His army cheered, their barbaric sound even more frightening in the painful haze she was in.
Nausea went through her as she spied her own blood flow from her hand, a distraction that nearly cost her life as he moved in to slash at her neck with a weak move.
"Give up now child." He advised almost lovingly if he was capable of such, "This kingdom's not worth fighting to protect."
"Aargh!" She yelled going after him with a thrust that he parried landing a cut on her side.
She dropped to her knees as pain blinded her.
Cold steel kissed her neck and even though she had writhed in pain, she went stiff at the realization that her life would soon be over.
"You could have lived, you know?" He muttered walking to stand behind her, "But I guess this proves you're not an utter disgrace. No daughter of mine would give up easily. I'll grant you a quick death."
Just as he raised his sword to end her, an eerie battle cry filled the air drawing everyone's attention, including her father's.
Using his momentary distraction, Odeya rolled to pick up her sword sending a deep cut to his side.
"Now!" She yelled her command carrying into the trees as her placed archers sent a wave of arrows into her father's army confusing them.
She turned back but not quick enough to stop her father's sword piercing her side before being dragged off by his men.
The Myknosian soldiers ran forward to meet her father's army at swords, few hands carrying her off to safety within the castle.
Her vision danced with red and gradually faded into blackness as the blood loss finally took hold but just before she lost consciousness, she spied the banner of the Imraian soldiers and knew that this war would soon come to an end.
We did it Odeya.
We've saved Myknos.
That was her final thought as everything faded into nothing.
Super late update, I know, but this is one chapter that had action that I promised in the beginning.
Stay tuned because a lot of drama's about to go down.
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A Kings Surrender
Historical Fiction"Oh really. I'd say you really enjoyed my visit." He said with a mischievous glint in his eyes. He walked closer to her until she had to use her hand to stop him from crushing her against the wall. He bent his head and nipped a small line from her n...
