Rage and Rebellion (Histories of Havenhearth)

3.2 Gwinael

It had rained during the night, but the next morning, Gwinael nearly forgot she was on a protectorate mission, as she awoke looking at the same clear blue sky that could be seen from the fields outside her house in Tainland. But the bustle of camp was a quick reminder of her circumstance. Breakfast, a bowl of gruel and a cup of tea, was consumed quickly, camp was packed up. Heathtree rode past. "Heads up! Only a day's more in the pass. Attack can still come at any time."
Gwinael stared soberly at the markers that had been left in the pass, denoting her fellow combattants who would not be returning home. She still had a long way to go until she herself would be, and she asked the spirits to guide everyone home. She felt a reluctance in leaving, they, to remain forever in this unforgiving foreign land.

The sound of the drums broke the stillness in the air, indicating the resumption of the march. The young women and men were wearier today, saddened by their losses, and the day proceeded without incident. A little before dusk, other Tainish forces were spotted by scouts, and they quickened their march in anticipation of meeting up with the others. They made camp near another company who had been there a fair bit longer, with plans to march on Charroux in the next day or two.

A nightguard of two dozen were positioned on the perimeter of both camps for the night. The guards, a mix of ranks and from each company, each did two hour shifts. Gwinael slept for two shifts before she was awakened at two bells, rather roughly, she thought, by one of the guards ready to go back to bed. "It's your turn Snowberry," Gwinael tried to shake away sleepiness and nervousness, struggled to her feet and stretched her arms up. "North western quarter Snowberry, you're replacing Riverstone."
"Anything so far?"
"All quiet. Let Heathtree know if you get worried."
"Will Do," they exchanged salutes and off Gwinael went to replace Riverstone, picking her way through sleeping protectorate. The air was far less humid and warm up in the hills, and Snowberry shivered, wishing she had her furs.
"Quiet, and cold." She shivered, as if to prove her point. "Would you like to go and get your colds? I don't mind waiting a minute more," the moon peaked through clouds, casting shadows on boulders.
"It'll be ok, thank you."
"Here, take my cold then, you'll need it," she handed over a wrap for her to wear.
"Where's Heathtree?"
"She's in the shadow over there if you need her. You can't miss her: snores give her away. Listen,"
At that very moment, the two of them heard, not the snores of the lieutenant, but a whistling noise.
"You heard that?"
Not wanting to risk having everyone woken up by an amateur diagnosis, Gwinael said. "Probably nothing. An Cassioni night bird maybe,"
But it sounded again. Twice. This time Gwinael was able to localise it a little more precisely. It came from the somewhere high up, on the other side of the pass, but she could not be sure.
"That's no bird, but I'm not sure what it is. I'm going to wake Heathtree," she began to pick her way towards her commander, listening for more sounds, there were none. "Snowberry!" Gwinael jumped. "Sound the alarm!" Heathtree was already awake.
"Commander?"
"Quickly Snowberry! Look!" Gwinael looked where she was pointing. She could see dark things moving, like worms in the bottom of her fishing basket when she used to go fishing as a girl. A mass of seemingly directionless movement. "Sound the alarm!" She, not having a horn or anything on her, shouted back to Riverstone "sound the alarm!"
"Useless, Snowberry!" Even under attack Heathtree was critical of her. The notes of the horn, sounding three times in warning, woke the sleeping combattants, who reached automatically for their weapons: bows, swords, hammers, spears whatever they had. Several ran to the catapults, but without further intel, were at a momentary loss as to where to fire. At the same time, the Cassioni force realising they had been seen, jumped up to standing, and started running towards the camp, which moments ago had been still, quiet, asleep. Shouts were heard, followed by a clashing of metal. The catapults fired a round towards the natives. Gwinael ran to tell the commander's tent and was shocked to see her mother, a tiny twitch in her eyes let Gwinael know that she was surprised to see her daughter as well.
"Native protectorate, attacking from over there," she should have known what direction it was, but she didn't so she just pointed.
"Yes, I see them. Spread everyone out, no archers, I repeat, no arrows are to be fired until ordered." Gwinael's mother instructed.
"Yes commander,"
Orders were called, and the Tainish spread out in formation all over the pass. Gwinael stood still, overwhelmed, confused, unsure as to whether she should stay with her mother or return to her company. "Archers, ready, nock, mark," came the call, and Gwinael saw hundreds of bows raise up in synchrony, "loose!" The arrows flew, smashing into a wave of natives. She heard the tail end of the second wave announcement "mark, loose!" And this continued. Wave upon wave of arrows were fired, many meeting their intended targets. And still more Cassioni came, out of the night.

She started running to find her company, and the enemy ran full tilt into the centre of the line of Tainish, cutting it in two. The catapult launched a boulder, perfectly aimed, towards the middle of the advance, cutting off support from the rear. The Tainish at the front were ordered to close the gap, which they were able to do with their swords. Another one came, and the Cassioni were left to scatter. Gwinael reached her company just as she heard the horns sound out the ceasefire, and the order was given to charge. Heathtree galloped by, giving a yell and swinging her sword down towards any of the bodies that did not get trampled by her horse. A little uncertain, but realising she had a job to do, Snowberry ran after the horse, swinging her sword. The enemy had begun to retreat, and knowing the terrain, many got away, disappearing back into the night. She stopped to catch her breath and saw a robed figure on horseback lift her sword, flashing in the light of the moon and come down on a running Cassioni. This act seemed to mark the end to the battle as Gwinael could neither see nor hear any other attack. She took another look at the robed figure, feeling that her mother had done something significant, for it was not common that a force commander would be found at the frontline of battle, bloodying her sword. But Gwinael had just watched her mother kill someone. And more than likely that person did not deserve to die.

The casualties were revealed to their full extent in the early light of the morning. They had not been great, but a dozen Tainish would not be continuing on with them. However, there were many more injured, keeping the medical staff and their helpers busy. But the pass was clear, the enemy gone, and the dead were buried under rocks as grave markers and Tainish banners.
Gwinael also spotted her mother speaking to one of the commanders, a bloodstained bandage around her arm. Somehow she looked rested, calm, as if the events of the night had never even occurred. Gwinael wondered if she would ever be able to detach herself from the work she had been trained to do. She caught her mother's eye, who gave her a big smile and a wave, and Gwinael went about her duty of packing up camp.

That morning they exited the pass and before they descended out of the Herb hills, they took in the view of the ancient city of Charroux, its towers at each corner of the hexagonal walls, which seemed to have survived the demands of time. The gatehouses on the east and west walls were likewise intact and constantly manned, opening the wooden and iron gates at sunrise and closing them at sunset, Gwinael had heard. During the day the same garrison monitored the constant flow of people, animals, vehicles and goods that trickled in and out. From up in the hills, Gwinael could see the length of the mountain range of the blue hills and the great dividing range that they were a part of. From here, they would descend into the plains towards the city of Chevelles.

But their orders suddenly changed because the city had been seized.
Just south of Chevelles, was where the gap in the Tainish circle of the city would be, since the small hills were heavily defended by the group known as the Golden Defenders. This would allow the city itself, also under occupation to remain well-supplied, not that they needed anything now- the siege would only begin when the Tainish forces circled around the city, the operation of which would begin shortly after the arrival of Gwinael's company.

This time, the camp had a very different feel to everywhere they had been so far. Although the Tainish forces had been there only a short while before the air was full of tension, urgency floated around and alertness wason high. Constant perimeter watch of their camp was maintained, as if battle was expected at all times. Shortly after they had made camp, "Snowberry!" Gwinael heard Heathtree calling her again. "Follow me!" And away they marched into the Commandaire's tent, which, Gwinael realized was why she had also been summoned: because it was her mother's.