Flower of Bulann

Chapter 51

Kuan reined in Windrush before the gathered commanders, Vior and Tai'ishi already sat upon their horses as Tanahashi swung himself up into the saddle.

He could empathise wholeheartedly with him, though Kuan hoped they could avoid a full-scale slaughter of Tanahashi's family.

"It is good to see you again, brother," Vior greeted him.

"As it is to see you also," Kuan replied warmly. "I have brought thirteen thousand men, I fear my mother's advisors are being overly cautious in regards to the Dian clans recent movement near the border," Kuan said in disappointment, for though he could overrule his mother, to do would be to undermine her authority.

"Do not let it bother you, brother," Vior replied quickly. "It matters only that you are here."

Kuan quickly looked around, surveying the gathered troops and noticing a lack of blue armour.

"Are your in-laws not joking us?" Kuan teased, though their lack of an appearance was concerning.

"It would seem that the Hyenta forces are worried about their southern border," Vior explained, though his tone indicated that he didn't believe such an excuse.

"I believe that as far as a blind man can see," Tai'ishi said in disgust, his horse stamping at the change in its master's mood.

"Be that as it may," Tanahashi interjected. "If you take a position upon the left flank, Kuan, we could do with your horseman as scouts... we are light on cavalry."

"What of Tai'ishi's cavalry?" Kuan replied in puzzlement, only Garbrand cavalry can match them."

"They..." Vior began. "Are our secret weapon, if all goes to plan, the Uzada will not be expecting four thousand heavy cavalry, with six thousand foot in reserve."

Tai'ishi chuckled, his horse calming down as he did so.

"Present company excluded," Tai'ishi said. "We Hamata have an eternal axe to grind with the Uzada."

Tanahashi didn't reply, for he was all too aware of the two clans' bloody history.

The gathered commanders rode down the hill together, the army beginning to march as they took their place at its head.

As the head of the advance cavalry, Kuan found himself engaging in dozens of small skirmishes with the Uzada scouts over the next few days.

Casualties were light, and the main objective was still being accomplished. Screening the Uzada army from getting solid intelligence... but especially keeping the Hamata cavalry from sight, even the slightest glance would give them away in that bright red armour.

"Riders on the eastern ridge!" Called out a scout from the Faden company.

Kuan followed their line of sight, straight to the approaching Faden vanguard, in only a few minutes the main body of the army would be coming into sight from the valley.

"Run them off!" Kuan bellowed aloud, raising his spear and drawing off thirty of his combined Faden and Liu scouts.

He estimated the two groups to be roughly even, though he couldn't leave the hillside he occupied empty, for fear of another group moving into position.

Kuan's men galloped along beside him, the roar of their hooves deafening as the enemy drew up in line atop the hillock.

A great roar erupted from the enemy scouts, several men remaining in place as the others lowered their spears and began their countercharge. In less than a minute the two lines hit, the familiar sounds of clashing metal and dying screams coming to Kuan immediately. His own spear had broken, the top third of it lodged in some poor fools throat. He drew his sword and carried on, he would trust in his soldiers to defeat the enemy. His own task was to dispatch the remaining observers.

"Come, meet your deaths!" He roared, his challenge drawing the two scouts attention away from the approaching army.

Kuan swore as one of them broke away, perhaps recognising him, perhaps exercising good judgement. Either way, it meant Windrush would have some work to do. The other observer tried to stall him, but Kuan deftly parried the blow and, with a flick of his wrist, sliced the man's throat.

A distant horn blew, and a new group of scouts appeared upon the horizon. Kuan looked back to his own men, only six remained in the saddle, the others laying dead or unhorsed upon the blood-soaked ground. He could still catch the scout, but Windrush would be exhausted doing so. He decided, reluctantly, that it wasn't worth throwing away his life here. Kuan instead rode back to his men and aided the fallen however he could.

It was gone sundown before the main body of the army had camped, Vior finding him inside his tent.

"Forgive me, brother," Kuan started. "I allowed the enemy to escape... I am sure they will know our numbers now."

Vior dismissed his apology with a wave, sitting beside him and crossing his legs.

"I have been somewhat surprised, you know," he said, clapping a hand upon Kuan's shoulder. 'That you have kept those scouts at bay for so long."

Kuan tilted his head slightly to observe Vior's face more carefully, the wan light of the candle glowing upon his brother's smirking face.

"What trickery have you employed, brother?" Kuan asked in an annoyed tone, feeling as though Vior had played a prank upon him.

'Patience, brother," Vior replied. "If things go as planned, we will see battle in the next few days... and our consolidation of the Western lands will be almost complete."

Kuan marvelled at Vior's words, he had never even considered that his brother intended to conquer the clan lands. Perhaps when this campaign was over, he would pry those intentions from him. Until that time, however, Kuan would execute Vior's will as best he could.