Richard Parker - Elsewhere

He did not have time to worry about the upcoming encounter however, as Sergeant Lewis poked his head into the tent.

“Speaker Nadler reports contact with Gan…the High King wants details on our situation,” the Sergeant announced, thankful once again that he was not in command of the Knights.

Hothgaard nodded and waited quietly as the Speaker entered and set about making contact with the High King.

“King Weldon has entered the Pass and Arden is convinced that Lynndon will fall very soon,” King Mastoc said confidently. “I want you to move up the timetable and lay siege to Manse. The Massi are finished. Bring the traitorous Prince to me alive if at all possible. I would like to be present when his head is cut from his body.”

Captain Hothgaard said nothing for a moment, considering the apparent good news coming from all across the land, but then he said very strongly. “I think we should pull out of Massi. Gwaynn’s forces are formidable and after the encounter with the Toranado the Temple Knights are as weak and inexperienced as we’ve ever been. The risk may not be worth the gain.”

“What! What are you saying? Massi is ready to fall,” the High King blustered. “Pull out…have you lost your mind…or nerve.”

Hothgaard remained passive during the personal attack; he even smiled ever so slightly. “No, I believe my mind is still intact…as to my nerve…let’s say that I am not so much concerned for my welfare as for yours.”

“What do you mean? Why?”

“The Massi cavalry are loose on the plains…they are good, very good, perhaps even on par with your own Temple Knights.”

“Impossible!”

“Tell that to my dead men,” Hothgaard replied. “Whoever is leading the Massi horsemen is bold and aggressive and very well trained. Perhaps it’s King Gwaynn himself.”

“Prince Gwaynn!”

“As you wish…but my advice is still the same. I advise we pull out of Massi…at least for now, until we are in a stronger position.”

“You will not pull out of the fight…you will lay siege to Manse and you will either kill that Prince or bring him to me,” Mastoc yelled, his rage coming clearly through the silvery bubble hanging in space. Well, that could not be helped. Kings were like spoiled children…used to getting their way…used to the people fawning in constant agreement. Hothgaard promised himself long ago when he was promoted to lead the Temple Knights that the King would get nothing but the truth from him, no matter how disagreeable.

“Do I need to sail to Massi?”

“That would not be advisable or necessary. I’ll pull our strength together and do as you wish.”

“Manse will fall?”

“Manse will fall,” Hothgaard answered, hoping he was not breaking his long ago promise.

ǂ

“We should meet them here,” Lonogan Bock said from the top of a long flat rise located in a section of rolling hills near the foot of the Scar Mountains. They were positioned perhaps two miles to the north of the Aleria Pass. Bock sat on his horse between Gwaynn and the Traveler na Gall. Also in the group were Samantha, Krys, Prince Phillip Toranado, his Weapons Master Tabernas plus the Zarina Monde. The main army was still several miles behind their position but would arrive within an hour.

Gwaynn sat on Eve and surveyed the landscape, quickly approving of his General’s choice of terrain. The Palmerrio were already a day into the Pass, but would not complete their march through the mountains for several more. They would emerge to find the Massi army waiting for them, spread out on this hill…and hidden behind it.

“The slope is steep enough to slow any attack and the top is large enough to support all of our men comfortably,” Bock said, still trying to sell his choice.

Gwaynn’s plan to meet the Palmerrio was a bold one, though he could not take all the credit for it, since it was Samantha who initially suggested the strategy to him. Captain Hahn of course, immediately saw the benefit of such a daring plan of action, though he modified some of the initial ideas. The strategy called for the main lines of the Massi army to meet the Palmerrio attack from atop the hill. Well back from the front lines a force of their best warriors including Gwaynn, Krys, Tabernas and a mass of Toranado heavy infantry would wait with the Travelers. Once the Palmerrio moved forward and engaged the Massi, na Gall and Monde would open a bridge to the rear of the enemy’s lines. Gwaynn and the others would bypass the bulk of the fighting in order to move quickly and decisively against King Weldon. If everything went well, the plan was to either kill or capture the Palmerrio King and hopefully bring a quick end to the conflict.

“Are you sure Captain Kommidi can keep the Palmerrio cavalry off the flanks of the army?” Prince Phillip asked clearly worried. His mother’s health was flagging. Doctor Linkler felt it was mostly fatigue brought on by the constant stress of warfare, but Phillip believed it had more to do with the loss of Eno. She loved the city and he wanted to see her home as quickly as possible.

Bock frowned. “He’ll have to…but I think they’re up to the job.”

“Just having them present will keep at least part of the Palmerrio cavalry busy watching for our own flanking maneuver,” Gwaynn said.

“And we’re sure King Weldon is with his army?” Krys asked.

“We’re sure,” Monde and na Gall said in unison.

“Let’s make camp down below,” Gwaynn said, then almost to himself added. “One battle…this must be over in one battle. We can’t let the Palmerrio run amok on the Plateau. We need to end this so we can concentrate on the Temple Knights.”

Everyone was silent for a long moment. They were all aware of the pressure Captain Marcum was under at Lynndon, and there were reports coming in that the Temple Knights were scouting Manse. If either position fell, the country of Massi would be nearly impossible to hold and if that happened, Gwaynn and his army would be forced to flee into the mountains and become rebels. The fight with the Palmerrio must be finished quickly and decisively. They could not hold out long against three threats to the Plateau, especially when one of the armies array against them was the Temple Knights.

They were alone, and the final outcome was going to be decided in the next few days.

ǂ

‘We’re losing the Plateau,’ Captain Marcum thought in a panic as more and more Deutzani troops poured up the Scar to face them. Arrows were flying rapidly into the enemy soldiers but with little apparent effect. The Deutzani soldiers on the top of the ridge hastily formed a shield wall against the missiles and the wall was growing stronger by the moment. Marcum knew he had to attack with his remaining foot soldiers; they had to attack right now…or all was lost. He’d put off the final charge as long as possible, hoping that Gaston would show and relieve the pressure, but it was nearly ten in the morning and so far there was no sign of the cavalry. Marcum glanced at Sergeant Birdsong and nodded.

“Prepare!” the Sergeant yelled louder than his Captain would have thought possible, and the men around him quickly came ready. There were precious few infantrymen left, less than three hundred in all.

“Charge!”

There was no hesitation even though most of the men and women present realized that they were badly outnumbered and had little chance of victory.

The Massi infantry shouted in defiance and lifted their halberds and in one coordinated movement, charged the Deutzani shield wall. The two groups hit with massive force and for a moment it appeared that the Massi might actually break the Deutzani line in spots, but after giving slightly, the heavy infantry of the enemy began to push back. Almost immediately the more heavily armored Deutzani began taking a heavy toll on the lightly armored Massi halberdiers.