Warrior King, page 43
“Once your men are settled in, come and find me; we have much to discuss.”
“It will be my pleasure.” King Konrad trotted back to his army.
“He seems in a fine mood,” offered the knight captain.
“He’s timed his arrival to perfection. You can dismiss your men, Captain. I won’t be needing their services today after all.”
* * *
Temple Captain Hamelyn removed his helmet, revealing his sweat-covered face. “It is as we feared, General. The enemy is marching in force. You received my earlier report?”
“Yes,” said Sigwulf. “You estimated between three and four thousand men. Is that still your best guess?”
“It is.”
“These extra men, any idea how they’re organized?”
“If their regalia is any indication, it looks like they’ve raised two extra cohorts.”
“Regalia? I’m sorry, I don’t know much about the empire’s organization.”
“Don’t worry,” replied Hamelyn. “During my time with the Temple General, she told me all about how the empire operates. To put it in simple terms, a legion typically numbers twenty-four hundred men, divided into four cohorts of six hundred.”
“Yes, I seem to recall something of that nature.”
“Each cohort has its own standard emblazoned with its number, along with the legion’s identifying mark.”
“That being?”
“A legion has what I can only describe as a simplified coat of arms: a wreath of some sort, a representation of an animal, such as a lion or what have you, and the number of the legion.”
“How many legions does the empire have?”
“I’m afraid I don’t know. The one defeated at the Battle of the Wilderness was reported to bear the number five. I’d assume they’re numbered sequentially, but the empire is reputed to be immense, so there must be quite a few more.”
“But it was working with another, wasn’t it?”
“That is my understanding, although I cannot claim to know which one. You must remember this invasion is unlike anything the Petty Kingdoms have experienced. Before, the empire only invaded a region with one legion. If two were at the campaign leading to the Pines, who knows how many more are marching through the Petty Kingdoms as we speak?”
“But the army you observed appears to be only one legion?”
“Yes, but one with six cohorts instead of four. Think of it as a legion and a half, if that makes it easier to digest.”
“And you’re certain these extra cohorts aren’t from another legion?”
“As I said,” replied Hamelyn, “their standards indicate they’re attached to this one.”
“Could you make out their number?”
“Unfortunately not. They were a fair distance away, and there was little in the way of wind, so the flags were only partially unfurled. They all bore the image of what looked like a stag’s head, but I’m afraid I couldn’t make out any numbers at such an extreme range.”
“You did what you could,” said Sigwulf. “The information you’ve provided has proven most valuable.”
“Where is the king?”
“A few miles down the road, back towards Agran.”
“And our orders?”
“General Hoffman is preparing defences, so we need to delay the enemy to allow her time to complete them. To that end, I’d like it to appear we’re preparing to defend this village, small as it is.”
“Appear?”
“Yes. We won’t actually make a stand here; we’ll withdraw back to her position.”
“How do we delay the enemy if we’re not going to defend the village?”
“We make it look like that’s our intention,” said Sigwulf. “If they think we’ve fortified our position, they’ll take time to form up into a line of battle to attack. Once they do that, we’ll retreat down the road, forcing them to chase after us.”
“And if they don’t take the bait?”
“They will. They didn’t come all this way to sit back and do nothing.”
“This is a dangerous game, General,” said Hamelyn. “How can we Temple Knights assist? Should we send out men to form a screen so we have warning when the enemy begins forming up for battle?”
“I doubt that will prove necessary. Talon Elonin will be using her magic to keep an eye on them.”
“There must be some way for us to contribute?”
“There is. Tell your men to rest. When we do eventually retreat, the enemy will be nearby, and we’ll need someone to stop them from overwhelming us. I have two hundred and fifty horsemen under my command, a hundred of whom are Knights of the Sacred Shield. I would very much appreciate it if you would oversee their deployment.”
“I’d be honoured, General.”
“Good. See to your command, Temple Captain. It’s going to be a busy day tomorrow.”
* * *
As Charlaine prayed, she sensed something in the air, as if the Saints themselves were watching over them. Tomorrow, or possibly the day after, there’d be a titanic battle that would decide the fate of not only Deisenbach, but that of Hadenfeld and all its immediate neighbours.
She’d defeated the empire at the Brinwald, but that battle had cost the victors heavily, with many of her sisters lost, but they’d at least thwarted the territorial ambitions of Halvaria for a few years. Now, however, the empire had returned in even greater numbers, and she worried that, in some small way, her victory spurred them on to bring such a large force.
A calmness washed over her, a comforting embrace she attributed to Saint Agnes herself, assuring her that the invasion of the Petty Kingdoms wasn’t the result of her defiance, merely the logical conclusion to years of conquest by the empire, and she was exactly where she was needed most.
43
Eve of Battle
Summer 1110 SR
Sigwulf had hoped to hold the Halvarians at the small village for half a day, but as soon as the legion broke the horizon, he realized they’d quickly be overrun. With no other options, he’d ordered his men to retreat to the east, back towards the safety of the rest of the army.
He glanced over his shoulder. The enemy horsemen were closing too fast, threatening his withdrawal from Tormaline. He halted the column, then ordered the men to form up. In quick succession, each company of foot spread out on either side before they turned to face the threat.
The Halvarian cavalry, likely sensing victory, rode forward en masse, but before they closed within striking distance, a wall of spears appeared, forcing the riders to veer off to the side.
Sigwulf gave the order, and the ranks opened enough for archers to move up and loose a volley of arrows. Though the armoured riders were largely unaffected, their mounts were not so fortunate. The archers quickly withdrew, and the spearmen once more closed the gaps.
The enemy, having their dreams of a quick victory crushed, pulled back towards the mass of Halvarian footmen forming up to the west.
* * *
“This waiting has me on edge,” said Cyn.
“I know what you mean,” replied Ludwig. “Part of me wants the enemy here now, so we can finish this, but we must be patient. The longer they take, the more time Justinian has to get into position.”
“Any word from Siggy?”
“Not as yet, but even if he sent a rider first thing this morning, we wouldn’t hear anything till this afternoon.”
“Perhaps we should’ve sent one of those Orc shamans to help pass on any news?”
“No,” said Ludwig. “They’re of more use to us to communicate with King Justinian.”
“What do we know about his army?”
“Not much, I’m afraid. He has somewhere close to eight hundred, but no idea how that’s broken down. I suspect the bulk of it will be foot.”
“Does Deisenbach have any knights?”
“They do, though, to my knowledge, not many of them. Temple Commander Giselle is with them, and she has two companies of Temple Knights, so that helps.”
“Don’t forget the Orcs,” said Cyn, “although I’m curious how they’ll fight. They don’t look the type to form up into companies.”
“That’d be my assessment as well, but I expect they’ll be excellent at skirmishing. Imagine how effective our archers would be if they were all skilled hunters?”
“Some of them are.”
“Agreed,” said Ludwig, “but not nearly enough. What we really need are better bows.”
“You mean like crossbows?”
“No, Therengian bows. They’re said to be as tall as a man, but take years to master. I’d warrant they’d be almost as effective as the Elven bows.”
“That would be something to see,” said Cyn. “The only problem with Elven archers is we don’t have nearly enough of them.”
* * *
The Elven Earth Mages created four great mounds to anchor the Hadenfeld line. Two sat north of the road, the others south, forming roughly a north-south line. Farther to the north stood King Konrad’s army, a line of Elven archers in front; the rest of the Goldenwood’s Elves held to the rear to be used as needed.
To the south of the Army of Hadenfeld, the Temple Knights of Saint Agnes waited, ready to engage should the enemy try to flank them. This formation made the north end of Ludwig’s line appear weak in comparison, but that was his intention. If the Halvarian cavalry was going to attack, the north end was the likeliest point. Konrad understood this risk when Ludwig had presented his strategy, but the King of Zowenbruch was eager to prove his army worthy of victory.
The Orcs were spread out in a skirmish line in front of Cyn’s men, ready to withdraw as the enemy came within melee range.
* * *
The day wore on, and Ludwig began to wonder if the enemy had decided to withdraw. His doubts vanished as a lone rider appeared to the west. With her white horse and silver hair, there could be no doubt as to Elonin’s identity. She rode swiftly and was soon passing by the Orcs towards the flag of Hadenfeld that identified Ludwig’s position.
“The enemy is coming,” she said, wasting no time with introductions. “General Sigwulf is retreating slowly, but is in danger of being flanked.”
“How far away is he?” asked Ludwig.
“He should be here by nightfall, but he’s taking casualties. The numbers are not in his favour. Do we advance to assist him?”
Ludwig glanced over to the next hill where Cyn waited amongst the troops. No doubt she would insist on helping Sigwulf, but if they advanced now, they surrendered the advantageous terrain. This was the most difficult decision of his life, yet Ludwig knew he had no choice. “We hold here,” he said. “We’ll stick to the plan.”
“Even at the risk of losing Sigwulf’s division?”
“It’s not a decision I make lightly, Talon, but we must do more than simply beat the Halvarians; we must utterly destroy them. If we march out of our prepared positions, we risk trading lives in equal numbers. Though that would still grant us victory, it would come with a heavy loss on our side.”
“And so we wait?”
“What other choice have we?”
Elonin closed her eyes and began uttering words of power. The air buzzed, and then she snapped her eyes open. “I am viewing the battlefield from above, as if I were in the air.”
“Through the eyes of a bird?”
She smiled. “In a sense. There is no bird present, but I am using my spell of far scrye to view Tormaline remotely.”
“And what do you see?”
“The village is burning. Sigwulf was wise to evacuate the inhabitants.”
“And the legion?”
“Marching through what is left of the village on their way here. Wait while I shift my point of view.” Sweat broke out on her brow as she swivelled her head. “I see it now, a distant mass of horsemen harassing the general’s division.”
“And Sigwulf’s men?”
“They appear to have made little progress since I left them. The Halvarians have them surrounded, cutting off any chance of retreat.”
Ludwig held his breath, cursing himself for not ordering Sigwulf to withdraw sooner. His insistence on delaying the enemy would now cost the huge northerner his life. His throat tightened as the great loss threatened to overwhelm him. He fought down the sadness; the emotion would do nothing to help him now.
“A battle is raging,” added Elonin. “The general’s division is tiring, I can see it in the way they fight.” Her silence stretched on, and then she suddenly took in a sharp breath. “Their lines have collapsed, and the enemy is in amongst them. I fear it is only a matter of time until they are all dead.”
One thousand men had been under Sigwulf’s command, and now they were gone, wiped out by a merciless enemy. Ludwig steeled himself, silently swearing he would make the Halvarians pay dearly for the death of the great northerner and his men.
“A significant loss,” said Elonin. “Almost one quarter of our entire army.”
Ludwig found his temper rising. “What would you have me do? Retreat? Throw away our best chance at defeating the Halvarians? I will not consider that!”
“I am not your enemy,” said the Elf.
He forced himself to take a deep breath. “No, you’re not. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to take it out on you.”
“Your anger is understandable, given the circumstances. We Elves are not immune to such emotions. During the Great War, the fighting was savage, and though it shames me to admit it, atrocities were carried out by both sides. This is what happens when wars become prolonged and people lose hope.”
“This war has only just begun.”
“If you succeed in destroying this legion, it will put an end to their advance. Their claim of being an undefeatable enemy has already been tarnished; another defeat puts that to rest once and for all.”
“We have lost our numerical superiority.”
“Perhaps,” said Elonin, “but not our spirit, and that is our greatest strength.”
* * *
It was late in the day when Elonin scryed yet again. “They are almost here,” she said. “You should get everyone into place. I doubt they would attack so late in the day, but I am led to believe that when Humans are flush with victory, they oftentimes feel invulnerable for a while. I fear their destruction of General Sigwulf’s division will have them eager to continue the fight.”
Ludwig turned to Gustavo. “Send word,” he said. “Everyone is to take up their assigned positions. Skirmishers to the front.”
“Were you the enemy,” asked Elonin, “would you fight?”
Ludwig shook his head. “Not until daylight. The sun will be low on the horizon by the time they get here, and no one wants to fight in the dark; it’s too easy to mistake friend for foe.”
“Then perhaps we have an advantage.”
“I’m listening.”
She nodded upward. “The sky is cloudless.”
“What are you implying?”
“Orcs have moon sight, provided the moon’s rays are not blocked. They can see as well under such circumstances as Humans do during the day.”
“Do Elves have the same?”
“No. We are able to see things in dim light, but only at relatively short distances, nor as well as when the sun is up.”
“Do you think the Orcs would be willing to do a little raiding tonight? Not to cause casualties, but to keep the enemy from getting a good night’s rest.”
“I am afraid I am not in a position to ask them, considering the shared background of our people. Were you to ask, however, I think they would be amenable to your request. It will be some time yet before your eyes can behold the enemy.”
“Then you must excuse me,” said Ludwig. “I need to find myself an Orc shaman.”
* * *
The sun was fading fast as Charlaine observed the Halvarian Legion’s arrival. It was immense, easily dwarfing the army she’d fought in Arnsfeld, and for a brief moment, she wondered if they hadn’t made a grave error in choosing to fight here in the middle of nowhere. She turned to speak to Teresa, who stood to her right, but before she put her thoughts into words, a calmness overcame her.
“I know what you’re going to say,” said the Temple Captain.
“Can you read minds now?” asked Charlaine.
“I don’t need to—I know that look.”
“And what look is that?”
“The one you get when you know Saint Agnes is watching over us. This is the second time I’ve felt it.”
“When was the first?”
“At the Battle of Alantra, when they tied me to the mast of one of their warships. I remember the agony coursing through me before a calmness engulfed me, as if the Saint herself held me in her arms. I thought then that she had come to take me to the Afterlife.”
“And now?”
“Now it feels as though she’s telling me I’m right where I need to be.”
“I feel the same,” replied Charlaine. “It’s as if all the worry has been lifted from my shoulders. I’ve felt it several times over the years.”
“You are the blessed of Saint Agnes.”
“Nonsense.”
“As I’ve told you before,” said Teresa, “your aura is white, which is very unusual, perhaps even unique. It marks you as gifted in some manner, and I think it’s your spirituality. I’ve never seen anyone as devout as you when it comes to their beliefs. You truly live by the words of Saint Agnes.”
Charlaine pointed towards the enemy army that was now spreading out to set up their camps for the night. “Those Halvarians care naught for spirituality, or beliefs other than their own. You and I have witnessed the horrors they inflict on their prisoners; we shall not allow them to be given the opportunity to act in such a manner ever again.”
Teresa gave her a curt nod. “May the Saints watch over you, Charlaine.”
The Temple General smiled. “I doubt we’ll see fighting until tomorrow, so save your blessings for then.”
