Alliance

Chapter 41- Paene

Paene

Latin

Penultimate

-

again he

shakes me like a snake,

omnipotent.

-

"That's- those are really big." Sanya said as the Narnian army watched the Giants (and Orknys and Vultures, but thankfully sans the Cyclopes) approach where they had assembled.
Ettinsmoor, in addition to being home to an aggressive army of various enormous creatures, was also very cold. She had never been this far up North- she felt like she would freeze in an instant.

Peter paid no attention to her nervous prattle, instead scouting out the horde. About sixty giants, full grown, forty or so Orknys armed with clubs as big as he was, and Vultures flying ahead, holding boulders the size of Selene.

Seeing the number of the flying scavengers, if they got over his army with those rocks, they'd squash them all flat.

"Archers!" He called, turning his unicorn around. "As soon as the Vultures take flight, take aim and knock down as many as possible. Spatha-" he turned to the centauress, parked beside her sister Tempesta, "you're in charge of signalling your archers. Tempesta, lead the centaurs and the cavalry for when the Orknys charge. Fauns and Animals, you're with Chadwi-" the jaguar snarled in approval, "The rest of you, you head ahead with Orieus and I when I say so. UNDERSTOOD?" He shouted- they'd gone over the strategy before, but he still had to repeat it, just in case.

"UNDERSTOOD, YOUR MAJESTY!" Came the booming yell from the army, all ready to fight.

"Peter, the Rihaayans are here, I must leave." Sanya said- even her myopic eyes could see that it was time to get out and fight. "Besides, it's about time for us to disembark."

Since they were not part of the cavalry, they would fight on foot- the Unicorn would be released and Peter knew that Unicorns, despite being pure and divine creatures, also made for very formidable warriors when enraged or when an enemy approached.

"Yes." He agreed, getting down from his perch. "I'll climb back on if needed." He whispered into Ephre's snowy mane, and she whinnied gently.

"Tritonia." Sanya said, calling for the soldier who Susan had once mentioned as being a good horsewoman and fighter. She'd scoped her out as she and Peter had trained the day before they had left, and she was a good warrior.

She stumbled forward- she had been standing with the foot soldiers, having not been let on a horse. "Yes, Your Majesty."

"I hope I got your name right." She said calmly, descending from Moonlight's back. "My horse is precious to me, and I entrust her to you during this battle."
She had not wanted to bring Moonlight, her dearest, oldest, best friend with her. But Moonlight had always been her most precious source of comfort. During her first battle, Sanya needed that.

"But, Your Majesty-" Tritonia was aghast. Why her?

“I cannot fight on horseback, I haven’t been trained to do so. I will not be able to protect both her and myself.” It was hard to admit, but true. “And I must be a leader to my people, not follow after yours.”

She held out the reins to her.

Tritonia blinked for a moment, about to argue but she thought better of it- there was no time to spend on pettiness, before taking the reins.