Joel Shepherd - Haven

Now they charged, knowing they had to do something other than stand there and die. Riders came toward her, but several did not see the low fence ahead and toppled over it, another horse reared in fright and dumped its rider, and others slowed to a fearful jog. Aisha sighted one whose shield was not properly in play, drew quickly to her chin, and released. She'd wanted the throat, but hit shoulder instead. The man yelled and was hit by a second shaft an instant later, straight through the jaw.

Holes opened amidst the human lines. Aisha urged her nervous mare into no more than a canter, weaving between some panicked, riderless horses, cautioning the mare to some bushes, then slowing so she did not stumble on rising ground. The mare trusted her. Now she was in amongst the cavalry, where she would be dead in moments during the day. But her enemies stared at her and past her, unable to tell this horseman from the others.

Aisha smiled, selected a Lenay man barely ten paces to her left, and shot him through the neck. This range suited her well, she thought, quickly drawing another arrow. There was a choice between two Torovans and another Lenay. Common sense chose the Lenay, and she put this shaft through his face. Even Rhillian could have scored kills in here.

One of the Torovans died to another serrin. The other tried to gallop, and rode headlong into a tree. He fell, and as he lay on the ground, a serrin rode to stand over him and shot him through the chest.

All about it continued, feudal cavalry now trying to run, attacking friends mistaken for foes, trying to form up. Aisha saw ten Lenay cavalry make a defensive group, unaware that two of their number were actually talmaad. They killed four of the other eight before they were recognised, and simply danced away when the Lenays came after them. One of the last four fell in pursuit, two more fell to other serrin arrows, and Aisha rode quietly up behind the last as he stared about him in panic, and shot him through the back from five paces.

“ Elay esc'tah !” the serrin called to each other in Saalsi, almost laughingly. “We can see!” was perhaps the closest translation in any human tongue. It was a taunt, as serrin rarely taunted, an insult born of fury. The words rose in the air with a lilting high note, and humans ran before those alien, haunting cries.

Remaining human cavalry galloped, as fast as they dared, back toward their lines. Half the talmaad pursued. The other half ignored them and set off across the Ilmerhill River, to lay into the infantry on that side, before the Ilmerhill Valley mouth.

Sasha crouched in wait behind the fenceline of a small yard, surrounded by her Ilduuris. She'd chosen for them the eastern part of town nearer the Ilmerhill River, while Lenays took the western side, across the main road. There was no confusing either group with feudal men-at-arms, and Ilduuri were far more suited for this city fighting than Rhodaani or Enoran Steel. Smaller shields and longer swords, and a superior ability to fight alone or in small groups. There would be no great shield walls here, only small ones blocking streets and alleys. And, given the numbers that approached, lots of fast manoeuvring and improvising.

Those numbers were now running down the main road across the yard. There were shouts, officers directing men to look for enemy, to check for ambush. Many men did not seem to be paying attention, and were more concerned with putting distance between themselves and the pursuing serrin.

Sasha waited, knowing that a longer wait was better. There would be no signal to attack-the first ambushing force to be discovered would start the fight, and everyone else would join in. She waited longer, as more men and a few horses came crowding along the road. Some now came into the yard, amidst carved masonry in half-finished blocks. Perhaps the first ambusher to be discovered would be her…but these men stopped, exhausted, and gathered together to talk of what they'd seen. They sounded disbelieving, and concerned, but not yet completely terrified. That would change.

Suddenly there were yells and clashing steel. Men with her echoed it, as all about the roar of thousands of men rose above Jahnd's roofs, and they ran into the yard. Fighting erupted. Sasha stayed where she was, with several Ilduuri, concerned about a countering flank onto this narrow road. Sure enough, within moments, men-at-arms were racing out this way in numbers, getting clear of the crowded main road. Ilduuris ahead sprang from the shadows and attacked.

Men rushed from the adjoining alley, and Sasha killed one before he saw her, a fast move from a blind side, a lesson learned in Petrodor. Others came at her, and the Ilduuris with her hit them, felling several, and then there were more breaking through, and Ilduuris from the yard falling back, and everything was chaos.

“This way!” Sasha yelled as horsemen came up the alley, and they fell back down an adjoining alley, then across a closed courtyard, pursuit close behind. In the courtyard Ilduuris made a second ambush as pursuers crashed into that line. Sasha raced ahead and checked the new street, where fighting had not yet reached.

One of the horsemen rounded the corner just then to cut her off, a knight in gleaming armour, but with visor down at night, how could he see? He charged her, and Sasha darted across the front of his horse so he swung on the wrong side. A cavalryman was with him, and sprinting men-at-arms behind. The cavalryman crashed into Ilduuris emerging from the alley behind, and then Sasha had fully ten men-at-arms coming about the intersection at her, with shield, sword, and spear.

She danced right again, out into the intersection, as Ilduuris behind engaged. She tore the sword from one man's hand, forced another to defend with his shield, then went low and slashed his leg. His balance failed, his shield dropped, and she removed his head, but another nearly impaled her with a spear as she ducked away, backward down the road.

Suddenly the spearman fell, an arrow in his side. Sasha took the opportunity to entice another swordsman into attacking, ducked across and split his exposed side. Another man shrieked as an arrow took him, and the others were now spreading out, looking about in fear. Sasha attacked another, and he defended three straight blows, scampering backward past a comrade who did not adjust in time, so she killed him instead.

But she'd advanced past one more, who circled behind…and fell with a shaft through the neck. Sasha was laughing. She did not know this humour, she had never laughed before to see men die. But there was only one man with such archery in a close melee, and she could feel him with her now.

One more backed against a wall, hoping the shadows would hide him, and was skewered there by a shaft that pinned his neck to the planks, leaving him gruesomely hanging. The survivors ran, and a last man fell with a shaft through his back.

Still grinning, Sasha turned and saw a dark shape emerging from the shadows, broad-shouldered and shaggy-haired, a huge bow in hand and a big quiver at his hip. His eyes gleamed green in the dark. He stood before her, and his breath was warm on her lips.

“Hello, lover,” said Sasha with a smile.

“You told me to wait for you,” he murmured back. “I did.”

Sasha stared into those amazing eyes. She had told him to wait for her. She'd thought maybe he was dead at the time. Had he heard her?

“Where were you?” she asked.

“I lost my horse. I hid for a day on the far valleyside, cut off. When dark fell, I came back.”

“And how did you find me?”

Errollyn smiled, a gleam in the dark. “I have no vel'ennar with other serrin, it's true,” he replied. “But I share it with you.” Sasha felt paralysed. His nearness was intoxicating. But it did not seem as before. She could feel him, somewhere beyond where senses could perceive. “I see you, Synnich-ahn. You are a beacon in the dark. You are hunting for blood this night, and I have answered your call. Let us spill some together, and save our peoples.”