Chapter 35 – The Battle for Callenden
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                “Castiel!  Wake up, lad!”  Sir Fionn whispered.

 

                “Grnngh… I’m up, Fionn.  What time is it?”

 

                “About an hour before dawn.  The camp is readying for battle – and so should we.”

 

                “Aye.  Give me a few minutes to get dressed, and I’ll join you in the main chamber.  Is Rachel awake?”

 

                “Aye, and Morag too.  Tika and Alyssa joined them for breakfast to talk plans – and I came to wake you.  The ladies thought an extra twenty minutes of sleep would do you good.”

 

                “It did.  I’ll have to thank them later.  I’ll be out in a moment, Fionn.”

 

                “All right.  I’ll be in the main room with your armor.  You’ll need some help donning it.”

 

                “Aye.”  I waved Fionn away, and groaned, sitting up.  To be honest, I could probably use another thirty minutes of sleep, but I knew it wasn’t to be.  Today was the day we fought for Callenden, and if I didn’t get enough sleep last night, then it was no one’s fault but mine own. 

 

                I preformed my morning ablutions, and got dressed in my nattiest most worn out clothes – since they would likely be covered by my armor shortly, and covered in blood by the end of the day.  No matter how well the battle turned out, there would be an awful amount of dead and wounded on both sides before this business was done. 

 

                Emerging from my bedchamber, I saw the girls talking quietly at the table – Alyssa, Rachel, Morag and Tika – and saw Sir Fionn standing by my armor stand, ready to help me garb up.

 

                “Good morning, miladies.” 

 

                “Good morning, Cass!”  they replied. 

 

“Are you scared?”  Tika asked.

 

                “I don’t know.  Maybe.  It’s all a little unreal to me at the moment.”  I replied.  “I don’t believe we’ll lose – but I’m afraid for all of you.  From what Fionn has told me battles are extremely chaotic and dangerous.”

 

                “Don’t worry about us, Castiel.  Your men will do their best to keep us safe.”  Princess Morag replied.  “Just make sure you keep yourself safe and hale.”

 

                “I promise, I’ll do my best, Morag.” I said, getting a nice smile from Morag and Rachel in return.

 

                Sir Fionn motioned me over to him, and with his aid I donned my chainmail armor, and girded on my weapons – my grandmother’s shortsword and a pair of daggers, one of them the cool dagger Alyssa had gifted me with, my spear, and my shield.  I also wore the fancy armguards of grandma’s.  I know it’s silly, but when fully garbed like that, I felt a good deal more confident than when I wasn’t.  I topped the outfit off with the baldric of Callenden, with its Wolves and Ravens in gold and crimson, and the holy symbol of Feana and Hathor that Rachel had given me.

 

                “All that is lacking is your crown, Milord.”  Sir Fionn replied, taking in my appearance.  “But for today, I suggest a helmet instead of your usual attire.  We wouldn’t want you to get your head caved in, after all.”

 

                “Heh heh.  True.  I wouldn’t want to get maimed either.  A helm will do fine, Fionn.”

 

                Rachel made her way over to us, and interrupted.  “Will you have time for some breakfast, Cass?”

 

                “Aye, I should eat.” 

 

                “I already ate.” Fionn began.  “I shall see to your horse, Milord.”

 

                “Thank you, Sir Fionn.”

 

                Fionn nodded, and retreated out of the tent. 

 

                “He really cares for you.”  Rachel began.  “And I don’t think its just because you’re his student.  I think he likes you.”

 

                “I like him.  I’d like to think we’re friends.” I replied.  “But I think master and student has a part in it too.  This is my first major battle, and I think he has more advice to share with me before we get to blade work as well.”

 

                “Then come eat something, Cass.”

 

                I nodded, and had a simple breakfast of fruit, cheese and sausage, washed down with thin wine.  To be honest, my stomach probably wouldn’t tolerate any more than that, it was so full of worry and butterflies.  I was tense, and I knew it – and I tried to relax, with some success.  At least, I did the best I could.

 

                “We’ll be ready to join you when you advance, Castiel.”  Morag said.  “Alyssa will make us invisible, and we’ll move to join you on the battlefield – while my guards protect us.  Tika and Rachel will use their magic to ward off foes and protect us, and we’ll join you as soon as we’re able.”

 

                “Thank you, Morag.  I appreciate all that you ladies are doing.”

 

                “It’s no problem.”  Morag replied.  “If you fail, we all die as well, so it makes sense.”

 

                I grimaced at her bluntness, but nodded.  “I guess so.  Let’s not fail, shall we?”

 

                “That’s the plan, Castiel.”  She laughed.  “We all believe in you.”

 

                I nodded, a bit humbled that these ladies would risk their lives because they believed in me.  I felt humbled that an army from Erevale was doing the same.  I had to be worthy, if not for me, then for all of them.

 

 

*              *              *

 

 

                After breakfast, it was like setting up a chess board – where the pieces were human lives.  I took my place with the main force of our army, alongside Sir Fionn , and the ladies took their place on the hill overlooking the city.  King Connor and his sons were overlooking the battle at their command post – sending signals via horns and banners to the troops and archers. 

 

                Callenden was built on a bluff overlooking Lake Ascorian, with a series of smaller hills surrounding the town at various points – hills upon which our command posts rested, and the ladies observation posts.  The walls of the city were at the base of the hill – where the roads wended between small fields, separated by stone walls made of fieldstone and mortar – they would give us some cover from the enemy archers, and hinder their cavalry – but they would also slow our footmen’s advance.  Still, neither King Connor or myself had ignored their tactical significance, and seizing the fields near the city gate would be one of our goals, if it was possible.

 

                Once the knights and footmen had seized the fields, King Connor and his sons would signal the archers to move up and give us cover – and help shield us as we advanced across mostly flat terrain (dotted by these small stone walls) towards the damaged city gate, where most of Prince Michaels defenders lay in wait… It would be there the fighting was the fiercest, I suspected.

 

                Once we were able to breach the gates, a large force of men would be needed to force our way through the city streets, and seize the castle, if the defenders had not yet surrendered.  Of course, none of this would be possible if we were forced into a lengthy siege…  If that occurred, this war could rage on for weeks, and in the end it wouldn’t matter who won – all that left would be ruins that would take months or years to rebuild.

 

                I surveyed the field from the hill where King Connor and King Roderic waited, along with Prince William and Prince Lugh.  Outside the city gates, behind some sturdy but shallow stone walls was about 600 men and women – the gathered knights of Callenden, once loyal to my grandfather, plus 400 of their personal household forces, and what seemed to be another 200 militia gathered from the countryside or the city itself.  If Prince Michael had been unable to get many more troops, that should leave him perhaps 800 men inside the city – with perhaps 200 of them being archers. 

 

                Alyssa and two guards of Princess Morag’s were beside us – and I saw the banner of King Connor lower from the hill… It was time to begin my gambit. 

 

                “Alyssa, I need you to amplify my voice, like we talked about – so that it can be heard by as many as possible.”

 

                “I remember, Milord Cass…  It will test me sorely, but I think I can do it.”  She replied, a little worried.

 

                I nodded.  It was a risk – she might suffer from the Call of Hrask, or be seriously fatigued – but if we couldn’t egg Prince Michael into a more traditional battle, this attack would turn into a siege.  Still, I felt like a shit when I motioned for her to continue.  I never wanted to get used to using people.  It wasn’t a good feeling for me.

 

                Alyssa concentrated, and muttered under her breath – the words were aids to her concentration, not incantations per se – and she crafted her spell.  Suddenly, she slumped, and one of the guards leapt forward to support her.  “It’s done, Milord.  Until I end the spell, at least half the city and all our troops will hear you as clear as day, as if you were in the same room with them.  May I rest?”

 

                “Yes, of course.  Take her to the others, lads.”  I commanded, and moved to address the troops – both ours and the enemies.

 

                “Greetings, soldiers of Erevale and Callenden.  I am Geoffrey Castiel Fowler, the grandson of King Collin and his first and only love, Janet Fowler – the wayward bride of legend.  When Prince Collin failed to meet her at the altar to be married, she returned to her world – that of Earth, the place I was born – and gave birth to my father – the first son of King Collin.  I am his son, a direct descendent of Good King Collin.  When I came of age, I returned to Mercia to explore the strange world my grandmother told tales of – for this world was the world of her heart, if it was not the world of her birth – and with me I bore a final letter to King Collin, her one and only true love.”

 

                “When I came to Callenden, and met the King – my grandfather – for the first time, I was struck with how frail he was – but how sure of himself he still remained.  I gave him my grandmother’s letter – and his heart broke in anguish.  He revealed to me that dire treachery from clan Glairmorgan was to blame for his failure to meet my grandmother at the alter – a fact he discovered too late.  A fact I intend to rectify today.  He named me his rightful heir to the crown of Callenden – and he commanded me to flee the city – for even as we spoke, my uncle’s men arrived to murder King Collin!”

 

                “Prince Michael, I serve the Twins Feana and Hathor as their Vigilant and knight!  I name you a coward and less than a man, and not worthy to wear the crown you currently bear.  I name you craven, who would send lackeys to do your dirty work instead of dealing with it like a man.  If you have any semblance of courage, I ask that you join your troops on the field of battle so that we may settle our grievances against each other – and that if you choose not to, let every man know that you, a supposed king of Callenden is afraid of what you called a mere boy.”

 

                “To all loyal soldiers of Callenden, and to all the Knights that swore an oath to my Grandfather, King Collin…  Lay down your arms and leave the field of battle – and there will be no reprisals against you when we carry the day.  Honor your oaths to your true king, and his heir – and not the monstrous pretender who cowers behind his city walls because he fears he is as incapable at battle as he has been at being a man.  To all those that oppose me, I am King Geoffrey Castiel Fowler of both Earth and Mercia, and the gods stand at my back.  I will free my kingdom from the evil that has come upon it by treachery, and honor my oath as a Vigilant, or I will die – but I promise you – I will take those that stand against me to the grave with me if I must.”

 

                “And one last thing… Prince Michael, coward and kinslaughterer, for you there will be no mercy, nor for your mother, either.  Face me and die like a man, or hide behind your minions and be slaughtered like a coward.  The choice is yours… but ask yourself this before you decide... Will you men still revere you, or follow you into battle, when they see you sniveling in terror behind the city walls – while they fight and die for a coward?  Ask yourself that, murderer!” 

 

                I turned towards my troops – the troops of Erevale.  “I call upon you to fight for justice, and for honor, and to right a wrong done by an evil man.  Today we strike down a viper that has been harbored in Callenden too long.  I ask you to be brave, and to do your best.  I ask you to fight – and if I can, I shall lead you to glory!”

 

                The troops roared with battle lust and anger…  Their blood was up – and my taunts had given them strength.  If they worked on Prince Michael remained to be seen.

 

                I motioned for Sir Fionn to blow the signal horn.  He did – and the sound was crisp and clear.  We began to advance towards the enemy.  For good or for bad, the battle was about to begin. 

 

 

*              *              *

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                As the army moved forward, Fionn and I held our pace back, to keep pace with the footmen and the archers, while the knights of Erevale were arrayed into a fast moving, mobile cavalry force.  Our advance down the hillside, and towards the first of the low stone walls separating the fields was uncontested – and by the time our archers took cover behind the first wall, I could see some disruption in the enemy lines…

 

                “What’s going on, Fionn?” 

 

                “I’d say your speech may have had some effect, lad.”   He said, motioning towards the enemy troops. 

 

                The enemy lines were breaking up – at least the force waiting for us outside the city walls!  As we watched, perhaps two thirds of the knights and their household soldiers lay down their banners and left the field of battle – heading away from the city.  Who knew what was happening in the city itself?  I grinned…  that’s almost three hundred men and knights we didn’t have to fight this day! 

 

                “Sire, I believe this would be a good time to advance – their ranks are in disarray.  We should send in the cavalry and footmen, and advance the archers to the next wall – either they will send more men out to fight, or they will withdraw behind their walls.  Either way, we must act now to take advantage of this.”

 

                “I believe so too – but let’s see if King Connor and his sons believe the same…”  I replied, looking towards the hills behind us for a moment.  It took only a moment, but we heard the peals of the King’s horns – he too was sounding the advance .

 

                “So be it.  We advance.  Give the order, Fionn.”

 

                Sir Fionn began calling out orders, as I readied myself for battle.  So far we had been out of the range of the enemies’ archers – but if we advanced further, we would be within their range.  I readied my shield, and motioned with my spear in the direction we were headed.  “Over there, Fionn.  The wall is higher, and will provide more cover – have the cavalry sweep up the footmen and archers before they can withdraw.”

 

                “Aye, I see it lad.” 

 

We moved forward with the footmen and archers, advancing towards the second wall – a wall a bit taller than the last, which would be good cover for our archers to pepper the city walls.  It would be from there the footmen, Fionn and I would move forward to press the attack.

 

Meanwhile, our cavalry charged towards the enemy ranks – taking some losses from enemy archers – but the heavily armored knights on their equally heavily armored steeds were the Mercian equivalent of the iron-clad battle tanks of Earth, and many of the arrows simply had no effect or were harmlessly deflected.  With a thunderous crash, the knights of Erevale struck the lines of the Callendish soldiers – of the knights that refused to leave the field of battle – and swept through them, slashing and trampling.  The enemy ranks tried to maintain their cohesion, but in moments it was a rout – and what was left of the footmen and archers outside the walls fled for the city gates.

 

“Where are the girls?”  I asked Fionn.  “This is the perfect time to storm the gates.”

 

“They’ll be here soon, lad.  I trust them.”  Fionn replied, deflecting an errant arrow with his shield.

 

“I trust them too, but circumstances can change in a battle.  We may have to move forward without them.”

 

“Which was always a possibility.”

 

“Aye.”  I agreed.  It didn’t matter – the time was now.  I motioned to Fionn, who gave the command, and the archers took positions behind the wall to cover our advance, and the footmen, led by myself and Fionn, moved forward.  If the Cavalry had cleared the field, the gate would be vulnerable – and that would be our way into the city.

 

As we advanced, I heard the horns of King Conner peal behind us, signaling our catapults to fire – and as we advanced, we saw huge boulders sail over our heads towards the city wall – some falling short, while others either hit the wall, weakening it, or went over the wall, shattering businesses and homes on the far side.  The screams of the injured and dying were all around us – and the smell was that of dead men, dying horses, blood and mud.  The city’s siege engines returned fire – and a hail of trash – rubble really, mixed with nails and rocks and other things – sailed over the walls of Callenden and fell amongst our troops – heralded by screams of pain and agony.   Fionn and I pressed forward.

 

*              *              *

 

                “Alyssa, will you be all right?”

 

                “I’m just tired, Rachel.  I’ll be fine.”  Alyssa replied wearily.  “The spell Castiel asked me to cast was pretty big, and I’m a bit tired.”

 

                “Alright.”  I answered.  “I’m just worried for you.”

 

                “I know.  My part in this isn’t done yet.”

 

                “Nor is any of our parts.”  Princess Morag retorted.  “We all have a part to play.  Rest while you can, Alyssa.”

 

                “What’s happening, Morag?  I can’t see for the dust.”  Tika asked.

 

                “The troops are advancing towards the first wall – and Castiel’s taunt seems to have worked!  Several knights and their retinues are leaving the field!”

 

                “Yay!”  Tika chattered.

 

                “Yay indeed.”  Morag smiled.  “Now if my father has his wits about him, the cavalry will sweep in and destroy the rest of their formation… ah!  There’s the signal now.”

 

                “Morag, Alyssa, if they’re advancing, shouldn’t we be getting into position?”  I asked.

 

                “Aye, we should.”  Morag replied.  “Are you ready Alyssa?”

 

                “I am, but I warn you, I shan’t be any good for spells for a while afterwards.”

 

                “Fair enough.  My guards Eoghan and Dunny will care for you.  Ladies!  It’s time!”

 

                I gulped a bit, holding my breath, and I could see Tika literally shaking with fright.  We were about to enter a mass battle.  My thoughts betrayed me and called myself a moron, a fool – and told me I should hide and run.  I couldn’t.  Cass was counting on us.  I wasn’t about to let him down.  I gathered Tika to my shoulder, and stood near Morag and Alyssa, who was flanked by Dunny and Eoghan. 

 

                “Cass needs us.”  I whispered.

 

                Alyssa nodded, and began casting her invisibility spell.  The last time she tried concealing a group of people, it had hurt her severely – but perhaps one big invisibility spell instead of many smaller ones would be better?  Either Alyssa’s hypothesis was right, or she had been getting better with her magical training, or both – because in moments, the world around us seemed to take on a misty, slightly unreal tint to it, and we looked vaguely ethereal and ghost-like to each other.  Alyssa grunted with exertion, and staggered, but kept her feet due to Dunny’s help.

 

                “Well done, Alyssa!”  I whispered.

 

                “Thank you, Rachel.  We should go as soon as I catch my breath.”

 

                “Aye.”  Morag nodded.  “How long will the spell of invisibility last?”

 

                “Just over an hour, milady – no more than an hour and a half.  Likely enough time to reach King Castiel’s position, and perhaps more.”

 

                “Good.  Then as soon as you are able, we need to move – before my father suspects we are doing something other than simply observing the battle.”

 

                I nodded, grinning.  “Aye.”

 

                Alyssa smiled in agreement too.  “Aye.”

 

 

*              *              *

 

                King Conner and his sons, Prince William, Prince Lugh, and King Roderic surveyed the battle from the crest of the tallest of the three hills surrounding Callenden.  King Castiel’s insane ploy of taunting the troops had seemed to work – and King Conner was not enjoying the taste of crow. 

 

                “I can’t believe that bloody worked!”

 

                “Neither can I, father – nor can any of us… but it did, and we took advantage of it.  The damage the cavalry dealt has given Castiel a clear path to the city gates.  His plan may have been mad, but it seems to have worked.”  Prince William replied.

 

                King Roderic nodded to an aide, who lowered a red flag, and raised a green one – and the catapults and siege engines they had brought with them from Erevale began to fire and move forward.  Huge chunks of rock sailed over their troops heads, and pelted both the city walls, and the city beyond the walls – causing chaos and fires.

 

                “I suppose now it’s a matter of waiting.”  I said.  “Boy, bring me some wine!”

 

                My page, Jason, proffered a cup of wine, and then offered one to my sons.  We all drank, and the cool wine tasted like heaven in the heat of the battle.  The wine was even chilled a little, probably from the stream near our armies campsite.  Gods this was so much better than being down there on the field – sweating in heavy armor, muscles screaming from over-exertion and violence, surrounded by death and blood.  No – war was a young man’s job – a king’s was to survey and command.   Castiel would learn that in time, if he survived.

 

                The four of us watched the battle for a while – trying to judge the movement of the troops, looking for any signs of weakness in Callenden’s defences.  We were so absorbed in our studies, I didn’t hear him at first – my page, I mean.

 

                “So, my Lords, have you felt it begin?”

 

                My son, Prince William, turned to the insolent page.  “What in the world do you mean, boy?”

 

                “The poison, milord.  The poison I fed your father, you, and your two brothers.  Has it begun to work yet?”  he said with a feral grin.

 

                “What the fu….”  Prince William drew his sword, and took a step – then faltered and fell to his knees. 

 

                I could feel the poison in me now – a growing pain in my belly, a numbness in my fingertips, and a coldness around my heart.  “You won’t survive this, assassin.”

 

                “I don’t mean to, ‘milord’ – or else Queen Hemlock will see my family dead.  But I’ll do my best to take you with me.  By the way, she sends her regards.”

 

Then, astonishingly, he raised his hand and a lightning bolt shot forth.  I felt pain and fire, and a great white light – and then nothing.

 

 

*              *              *

 

                The guards surrounding the Lords of Erevale and Northame were good, and they were fast – but they couldn’t outpace lightning itself, nor overpower poison already flowing in the veins of their lords.  They butchered the assassin after he cast two more spells – but the deed was done.  King Connor of Erevale, and his sons William and Lugh, and King Roderic of Northame were dead, slain by Queen Hemlock’s agent, a sorcerer of some talent.

 

                The troops, unsure of what to do, called for the healers – who were far too late.  By the time anyone thought to seek Princess Morag, they discovered she too was gone, with all her friends and allies. 

 

                For better or worse, the fate of Erevale, Northame, and Callenden was now entirely in King Castiel’s hands.

 

               

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                I screamed a command and thrust with my spear, taking an enemy soldier in the shoulder, piercing his leather jerkin… he screamed and went down, and I felt more than saw an arrow deflect off my shield.  Sir Fionn was fighting just as fiercely next to me, stabbing and slashing with his sword – his spear had splintered on an enemy’s shield moments ago, and we were both beset by enemy warriors.  It was hard to realize in the heat of battle that these were soldiers of the country I meant to take – my people.  In the heat of battle, there was only us versus them.

 

                I stabbed another man in the chest with my spear, his lifesblood gurgling out his mouth, and then reversed and stabbed a man to my left with another thrust.  We had been fighting almost constantly for close to ten minutes, and I knew if it weren’t for my enhanced stamina – the training I had done as a Vigilant, I would be weeping with stress from fatigue.  As it was, I was tired, and my muscles burned with stress and cramps.  I don’t know how many men and women Fionn and I had killed today… twenty?  More?  I had lost count, and my heart ached for it.

 

                I looked towards Callenden – we were virtually at our objective, only a hundred yards from the hastily patched city gates.  Where were the girls?!  The hail of arrows and sling stones we were taking was withering our troops – but the Callendish forces were suffering too – a lot worse than we had. Our catapults had damaged the walls, and taken many to their graves – while our archers had performed very well, winnowing the enemies on the city walls.

 

                I stabbed another soldier – a woman this time, and as she died, my spear was dragged from my grasp.  “Twins watch over you, woman.”  I muttered, and drew my grandmothers blade.  It felt right in my hand.  For a moment, the battle around me cleared – and I could see Sir Fionn beset by three men – and as I rushed to his aid, he swung his blade and nearly severed one’s head.  One of them – a footman with a mace, swung, and Fionn’s shield splintered under its attack.

 

                Then I was upon them, stabbing and slashing, sweat pouring into my eyes. I took the one with the mace, and moved to shield Sir Fionn with my body if needed, and engaged the other man.  He swung a curved axe at me, and I blocked it, but I could feel the strength of the blow in my shield arm.  I readied myself to end him.

 

                “I’m sorry, Milord – but if I don’t fight, my own comrades will kill me!”  He said, moving to attack.

 

                I didn’t answer… but I nodded at him.  “I understand.”  He stepped up and swung at me – and I stepped aside, stabbing him in the leg, and then as he fell to the ground, screaming I prepared to end him with a coup de grace – and thrust my blade between his left arm and his body – purposely missing him.  He looked up at me in amazement, and I whispered “Stay down.  You’re grievously wounded.  I don’t want to kill loyal men.”

 

                He nodded, tears of gratitude in his eyes, and laid back…  “Grievous wound!” he moaned, and fell back, pretending unconsciousness.

 

                I surveyed the scene – and the battle outside the city gates was virtually over – hundreds of dead footmen on either side lay dead or dying, or screaming from vicious wounds – and the entire place smelled of blood and death and viscera.  Our archers had taken a heavy toll on the enemy – but we were taking an equally heavy toll from their return fire.  We needed those gates open!

 

                I looked towards the hill where King Connor and his sons were sending commands – but I saw no battle flags, no messengers giving orders.

 

                “Something’s wrong.”  I yelled to Fionn, who nodded in agreement.

 

                “We should have heard the horn signaling the rams to be brought forward.”

 

                “Sneak attack?”

 

                “Perhaps lad.  We shall need to take the initiative.  They can be upset with us later if needs be.”

 

                “Aye.”  I turned to our troops.  “Bring up the ram!  Assault the city gates!”  If the girls weren’t here, this was our only remaining option to breach the city walls.  Where in the seven hells were they?!

 

 

*              *              *

 

 

                “Come on!  It’s only a little further!”  I called, as we picked our way through the bodies of the fallen and the mud of the battlefield. 

 

                “I’m doing the best I can!”  Alyssa called back.  “It’s hard to concentrate on the spell, walk around the dead, and dodge arrows, you know!”

 

                I nodded.  It was.  The thing about invisibility it seemed is that no one can see you – which means no one gets out of your way – so to avoid needless fights, we had to maneuver around various groups of combatants at a distance to maintain our own safety – and even then, Dunny and Eoghan had had to kill a few Callendish soldiers – and Morag had shot a few with arrows to maintain a safe distance between us and them.  Tika was clinging to my shoulder and squeaking in fright, but still managing to stay alert in case her powers were needed.  I was saving mine for the city gates… after all, Tika and I had blown them to pieces on the way out of town.  It seemed fitting we blow them to pieces on the way in, too.

 

                “Rachel is right.  We need to make haste!”  Princess Morag replied.  “The troops are virtually at the gate, and they’re calling up the rams – we’re way behind schedule!”

 

                “I know! I’m sorry!” Alyssa replied.

 

                “Don’t be sorry, girl – be faster!” 

 

                I wanted to defend Alyssa, but Morag was right.  We needed to be at the city gates like ten minutes ago.  I reached over, and helped her up from stumbling in the mud.  “I’ve got you.  Can you keep going?”

 

                “Aye.  Sorry, Rachel.  Sorry Morag.  I’ll push harder.”  Alyssa straightened up, and staggered forward through the mud and death with a renewed pace.

 

                All around us were the dead, dying and unjured…  The best of both Callenden and Erevale, wounded and slaughtered.  And if we don’t win this battle, I thought, then it’s all for nothing.  I gritted my teeth and pushed forward with Alyssa and Morag.  As we crested a small rise, we could see the battlefield around us – the vast majority of the footmen were pushing towards the city gates, only a few hundred yards away.  We can do this!

 

                “See!  They’re not that far!  If we get to those troops, we can get to Castiel and get the gates open!”

 

                The girls nodded, and they – and Dunny and Eoghan, pushed forward, the two soldiers taking the lead, using their shields as cover.  They were almost there!

 

 

*              *              *

 

 

                “Milord, they’ve reached the city gates.”  General Geralt began

 

                “I can see that you simpleton!”  Prince Michael began.  “What do you intend to do about it?”

 

                “We have boiling oil stationed to the left and right of the gate, and the archers…”

 

                “No, you idiot!  I know what our forces are doing and where they’re stationed.  What are YOU going to do about it?”

 

                “Me, milord?  I’m commanding them…”

 

                “No.  You’re going to go down there, with as many men as you can muster, and you’re going to wait for them to breach the gates, and then you are going to hold until relieved.  Do you understand?”  Prince Michael replied angrily.  “If you can’t hold them, then I’ll be forced to take to the field because of your incompetence.”

 

                General Geralt looked panicked, and sweat ran down his brow.  “As you command, my King.  I will hold until relieved.”

 

                “Good.  Maybe you’ll do something fucking useful before you die.”  The prince retorted.

 

                Geralt fled the presence of the king, and ran down the steps from the battlement.  He’s mad.  Geralt thought.  He’s pissing our lives away and he’s too fucking scared to face his younger cousin, Geoffrey.  He’s a coward.   I have another idea…  One that might save my head, because if I follow that fuckhead’s orders, I’m a dead man…

               

                General Geralt headed towards a group of about twenty soldiers.  “On me, men!”

 

                The men saluted, and came to attention, and fell in behind him.  Oh, I’ll go the gates, alright.  I’ll throw them open wide and welcome King Geoffrey in myself, personally.  Enough Callendish men have died for that asshole today!

 

 

*              *              *

 

               

                “Raise shields!”  I commanded, as the forty footmen around Fionn and I raised their shields, forming a shield wall to protect the ram and ourselves.  “Forward!  Smash the gates!”  The soldiers did as I commanded, and Fionn and I held back, letting them advance.  I had a number of nicks, cuts and minor wounds – and Fionn had a nasty wound in his shoulder he was in the process of healing.  Not a bad idea, I thought, and called upon my power.  “Feana, Hathor, lend me your strength that I might continue the fight.  Blessed be your names.”  The short prayer was enough, and I felt the majority of my bumps, bruises and cuts restore themselves.  No doubt I would have lots of little scars – but at least I was ready to get back into the fight – and by the look of it, so was Sir Fionn.

 

                Just then, Fionn and I heard troops approaching – our troops, and encircled within them was Alyssa, Rachel, Tika, Morag and her guards Dunny and Eoghan!

 

                “You almost missed the party!”  I called out.

 

                “This… This is not a party.”  Rachel replied.  “We got here as soon as we could.”

 

                “I’m glad you’re here.  The ram will be able to crush the gate open if we give it time, but if you and Tika can open the gate like you did last time, it’ll save a lot of time, and a lot of lives.”

 

                “We came this far, Cass!  Yup!  Yup!  We can do it!”  Tika chattered, a little less scared for the moment.

 

                “I know, Tika, and I thank you.”  I replied.  “Can you two get that gate open?”  As I asked, the air was punctuated with the screams of men being burned by boiling oil, poured onto the ram from above.

 

                “You know we can!”  Rachel replied.

 

                “Then let’s move forward.  Wait till the ram moves back from the gate, and them time your spells to hit the gate as the ram strikes – push the force of the blast into the courtyard beyond and keep our troops safe.”  I told them.  “We need to breach the walls now, before we suffer too much more arrow fire.”

 

                The group of us moved forward, using our shields to protect the ladies.  We covered the distance slower than I would have liked, but we crossed it alive, perhaps with a few more arrows in our shields than I was comfortable with, though.  Soon, we were in position – and Rachel and Tika began preparing their spells.  Alyssa stayed back, under cover – her part in the battle had been accomplished, and she was undoubtedly tired.

 

                I saw Tika and Rachel concentrate, and point – I figured it was a concentration aid, like my prayers to the Twins when I cast magic – and waited…  The ram swung, and crashed against the gate – rocking it in its hinges, and the men slowly pulled it back – the massive thing had a lot of weight and inertia to it, which made it slow and difficult to move.  Then the ram swung forward again – and magic light – green, blue and gold – spread from Rachel and Tika’s hands and struck the gate, just as the might ram smashed against it. 

 

                As Tika’s spell hit the wooden gate, the wood of the gate grew dry and brittle, and much weaker than it had been – and then Rachel’s spell struck a moment later as the ram hit the frail wood.  The gate exploded like a bomb had gone off, spraying jagged wooden debris and shrapnel in a cone beyond the gate, shredding and tearing Callendish soldiers to death.  Some of them simply disappeared in a spray of blood, while dozens of others lay on the ground screaming, impaled by jagged lengths of wood.

 

                The gates were breached!

 

                “Forward!”  Castiel called.  “Take the city!  The gates are breached!”

 

                His troops roared their approval and charged, full of battle rage and bloodlust.  Five hundred men, survivors of the winnowing assault outside the keeps gates, charged forward.  Sir Fionn and I let them pass, and I checked on Rachel and Tika – both seemed alright for the moment.

 

                “Rache, Tika, you and Alyssa could stay back now, if you like.  Sir Fionn and I can take it from here – and I suspect Milady Morag still wants her shot at Queen Hemlock.”

 

                “No.”  Rachel replied.  “I’m with you until the end.  Tika needs to help Morag, and Alyssa can help us both.  You need us.  We’re not done yet.”

 

                “Alright, my love.  Then let’s bring them hell.”  I smiled.  “I have a date with Prince Michael, and I don’t intend to be late.”

 

                We made for the open gate, hundreds of Erevalish men still pouring into the city.  We had broken the city walls, and prevented a siege.  Now to stop Queen Hemlock and her son.  There would be a new king in Callenden this day, or likely Rachel and I would lie dead.  We entered the city gates.

 

 

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