The Scarlet King Page 11
Chapter 10
Time passed all too quickly. Before all of those who crossed the mountains were assembled, those of the Forest brought back reports of scouts from the East. They traveled in groups of three to five on horseback and traveled but one day ahead of the main army. They were concentrated to the front but had some even to the rear watching for possible attacks. Those of the Forest reported that they saw little from their horses and avoiding them had been easy. Their line of movement was indeed west by south through the open forest at the edge of the mountains.
Despite the many wagons, they covered many miles per day. Heather’s greatest worry was that they would attempt to cross the river before reaching the hill with the high grass. Those of the Forest told her how much more rugged the terrain was on their side of the river and they doubted an early crossing. Yet Heather continued to worry until one night she saw Daniel in her dreams saying, “It will be as the God of the Sacred Water deems it.”
As those of the Red prepared for the battle in their way, those of the Forest worked hard digging a series of holes which they covered with branches and soil. Heather’s plan was to allow those from the East to penetrate almost to the end of the grassy hill before lighting her fires along the western and southern perimeters of the hill. The afternoon winds usually blew strongly uphill from the west, which would fan the flames quickly. Others of the Forest would be hidden on the northern edge and would stay hidden until after the main force had passed. Their task was to help prevent any retreat and disable as many horses as possible. It was with this group that Heather positioned herself.
Scouts from the East repeatedly passed by them, but saw little as they traveled quickly through the country. Those of the Forest could sense their coming long before the horses and the riders became visible. All work would stop and they would carefully camouflage themselves with clumps of grass. The grass had long since gone to seed and was very dry but still rose above Heather’s waist. A natural game trail led across the hill, and Jeremy was certain those from the East would follow the trail. He explained, “The animals of this land have scouted since time began and decided long ago that this was the best route.”
Heather appreciated his wisdom but the “what if’s” kept tugging at her mind. When they returned to their camp they had no fire, for the enemy was now close enough that the risk was too great. Jeremy and his scouts had figured a midday arrival at the grassy hill by the lead troops of those of the East. Their enemy moved in a tight formation with great discipline. The wagons followed the marching troops and only a small contingent of mounted troops guarded the rear. Despite the close ranks, the front of the column would be exiting the grassy hill before the end of the column entered the grasses. The mounted troops at the rear concerned Heather, for they would be a potent adversary. The commander of the Red Army echoed Heather’s concern and asked, “What if the wind does not blow?”
Heather shrugged her shoulders and said, “If the God of the Sacred Water gives us not the wind then he will give us something else.” She said this with possibly more intensity than she actually felt.
Sleep for everyone that night was fragmented and it was only the presence of Betty in Heather’s dreams that allowed her any rest at all.
Jeremy had everyone up before the sun made its daily appearance. The predawn air was cool and Heather shivered some as she prepared for the day, completing her morning ritual. She broke the fast with the commander of the Red and final plans were completed. Edna would act as a lookout, using one of their mirrors to signal those of the Forest on the southwest side of the grassy hill when to start their fires. When the fire was well established, those of the Forest who had started the fires were to retreat into the barren lands until they could rejoin the main troop.
Heather and the remaining hunters of the Forest would lay hidden in their small trenches until the smoke was evident. They would then arise and take out as many of the drivers and horses pulling the wagons as they could. They would retreat back across the river where those of the Red who had accompanied them would be waiting for the counterattack. The main force of the Red would attack near the canyon mouth, preventing the enemy from crossing the river and hopefully forcing them into the canyon.
As Jeremy led Heather and the hunters from the Forest to the hiding spots, they discussed strategy only a little. Heather instructed them, “Concentrate your arrows on the driver first and then on a single horse, for if one horse falls the wagon moves not.”
Heather was one of the first to be hidden. They pulled back the sod from the trench and she climbed in with her sword across her chest. They carefully replaced the sod, leaving but a small opening above her face through which she had but a glimpse of the sky. The weight of the covering was not unbearable but the closeness and the inability to see but the one small area of the sky seemed to close her world in completely.
As she stared through her small connection to the outside world she noticed movement. Concentrating, she focused her eyes on the edge of her breathing hole and saw a large centipede starting to crawl into the hole. Her eyes crossed from staring as the fearsome looking insect hung by its hind legs right over her face. Then it dropped onto her forehead and slowly worked its way down to her chin. She could take feel the individual legs pricking her skin as the insect walked. She worked hard to control her breathing and thought she could hear not because of the pounding of her heart in her ears. Her anxiety continued to build till she knew that all hope was lost and that she would need to rise up and run to the mountains just to breathe. It was Betty who appeared in her mind, saying, “Daniel did it, you do it too.”
Her breathing slowed and she relaxed greatly. The morning passed ever so slowly and she may have slept at times, despite the centipede which continued to explore her face. Then the thunder of horses was felt as much as heard. It sounded as if they would pass directly over her. She concentrated, trying to determine their number, but could tell only that it was a small number. The scouts passed by quickly and silence returned.
Later she felt rather than heard a rumble of the earth as the main column approached. The mounted troops came first with the horses in near synchrony. It was almost a pleasant sensation like the drums of those of the Forest. It was about half an hour before the tighter synchronization of the marching troops overwhelmed the sound of the horses. The column of troops seemed to take forever to pass by, and Heather’s anxiety again began to increase.
Her thoughts were, “The troops are so many, what hope had they?” Again it was Betty who appeared in her mind and said nothing, but her mere presence calmed Heather’s mind. She concentrated on the sound and rhythm of the marching troops, noting the gradual transition as the main column passed by. A faint sound of creaking and groaning became audible and she knew the wagons were approaching. By concentrating she could separate out the sounds of the different wagons and tried to keep count as they passed by.
A different worry entered Heather’s mind when she realized that she had not yet smelled the smoke and most of the wagons had already passed by. Why had Edna not given the signal for the fires? The synchronized sound of the rear mounted guard was now perceptible, and their opportunity would soon be lost, for they were a formidable enemy. As her anxiety built she again heard Betty, but it was really Edna saying the fire was lit and progressing quickly. She then noted a change in the motion of the wagons; they were trying to stop but the inertia of the long column made it a slow process. She strained harder to try to smell the smoke and finally caught a whiff. It was enough of the signal, and she carefully pushed away the covering of her trench, along with the centipede which had tortured her, and rolled into a fighting position.
Those of the Forest were paired up with one responsible for the primary attack and the other to protect their rear from attack. Heather was paired with Jeremy who had also rolled out of his trench. Heather nodded and Jeremy assumed a kneeling position with his bow at the ready. A second
nod from Heather and the closest wagon driver slumped in his seat.
The next arrow found the chest of the horse on the side but missed the heart. The horse tried to run off, bellowing in pain, but the harness restrained it. Jeremy’s attention rotated quickly to the next wagon and again a single arrow incapacitated the driver. The next arrow found the heart of the great horse pulling the wagon. It just stopped completely and then fell forward in the harness.
Confusion amongst those of the East began to break down their orderly column. Drivers tried to turn their wagons to escape the oncoming fire only to encounter the arrows of those of the Forest. Their attack had been ongoing for only a few moments when Heather heard the distinct sound of horses being pushed hard. The air was filling with smoke, but as she looked to the east she could see horsemen riding hard with a cloud of dust. It was time to flee to the safety of the river.
Jeremy listened not to Heather’s warning, for another wagon was coming within range. As Jeremy concentrated on the wagon, Heather watched the approaching mounted troops. They had wisely shifted to the river side of the trail and were blocking the escape route. Jeremy’s first arrow missed the mark but his second arrow proved deadly. The horses responded to the slack lines by continuing their flight from the fire. As the wagon approached, it was only the heavy load that prevented a complete runaway.
The roar of the fire was becoming ever more evident, and Heather had to yell to get Jeremy’s attention, saying, “We must get out of here now.”
Jeremy responded, “How about a ride?” Without waiting for an answer Jeremy ran to intercept the wagon and jumped aboard. He had to rein in the horses hard before they would stop.
Heather climbed in, saying, “The mounted troops are blocking our escape route. We need to divert them so those of the Forest can gain the safety of the river.”
Jeremy handed Heather the reins, saying, “You drive and I’ll see if I can lighten the load.” The horses needed no urging to resume their flight from the fire, and Heather intentionally drove so that those mounted troops could see them escaping towards the river. At first they responded not and Heather was afraid they would not follow the decoy. It was only when Jeremy began pushing off the barrels of supplies that they realized something was amiss and began to chase them.
Heather drove the horses as hard as she could, but the mounted troops were gaining. After backtracking far enough to open a pathway for the others of the Forest, she turned the wagon sharply towards the river, plunging downhill, caring not that it was certainly destroying the wagon.
They were reaching the area of ambush that had been set up when a rock finally broke the axle of the wagon, tipping it dangerously to the side. As the wagon skidded to a stop Heather and Jeremy fled on foot. The closeness of the horses was becoming ever more evident, and as she ran it was as if she could feel their breathing on her neck. She looked back not, but just ran with Jeremy helping to pull her along. They had not yet reached the region of boulders where those of the Red were waiting. She was about to give up the flight and try to fight, for she could run no more. As she turned to face the oncoming horses, those of the Red suddenly appeared from their hiding places and their arrows began to find their marks.
Troops from the East quickly pulled up on their horses and headed back, for they knew not how large a force they were facing. They left over half of their comrades behind with multiple arrows protruding from their bodies. Heather and Jeremy moved in amongst the boulders and collapsed, still trying to gain their breath. Jeremy began to laugh, and finally Heather asked what he found so funny.
Jeremy replied, “That was the most awesome wagon ride I have ever had. Does Daniel know you can drive like that? ” Heather but shook her head and could not help but smile. They waited as the other hunters found their way to safety through the opening they had created. Flames were now visible, and a few of the wagons which survived the attack headed back out towards the barren lands as did the remaining mounted troops.
Those of the Forest had paid a price for their attack but had done considerable damage to the enemy supply system. When their numbers had been accounted for, three were missing. Heather called for a retreat across the river, saying, “Our part is done for now. As soon as the smoke clears we will search for the others.”
The main force of the Army of the Red waited as long as possible before launching their attack at the rear of the troop column. They crossed the river at the last crossing before the start of the gorge. Each wave of soldiers that crossed the river set up a defense line which gradually moved up the hill, staying always in the rocky terrain to protect themselves from the fire. When the giant column of those of the East had finally ground to a halt and tried to reverse, they found themselves pinned between the oncoming flames and the forces of the Red. Those of the Red tried not to advance but simply held their ground against the far greater numbers of those from the East.
The movement of the foot soldiers was only temporarily stopped, for the fire was pushing those in the rear. Some made their way towards the river, but the current was too swift to cross and those that tried were swept away. Others began the descent towards the gorge and the safety from the fire that it represented. This huge column of humanity began to act like a thick liquid, squeezing out wherever there was an opening between the fire and the arrows of those of the Red.
It was only the discipline of the mounted troops that prevented a complete division of their forces. They forced their horses to charge through the burning line and create a passage for the foot soldiers to escape. They could not attack those of the Red for their own troops were blocking their way. Now the flow of troops reversed and began to move upwards, and those of the Red were unable to challenge it.
The afternoon was growing late, and the commander of the Red feared a counterattack from the mounted troops which came not. The darkness of night descended upon them with relative swiftness, and yet the glow from the dying embers of the fire provided an eerie light. The commander of the Red had most of his troops stand down, for fatigue was evident.
Those of the Forest but watched from the height of their camp. Heather allowed small campfires, for their presence was no longer a secret. She continued to hope that the light of the fire would help those missing find their way. She sat with Edna as the stories began, allowing the companionship of those of the Forest help calm the anxiety she felt. She responded but a little when Jeremy told the tale of their wild wagon ride.
As the evening wore on, Edna became detached and no longer participated. Even with the dim light of the campfire, Heather could tell her mind was elsewhere. It was not until a small scream escaped her lips and she began to cry that others perceived the problem. Jeremy tried to comfort her but she responded not. The fire had burned low before Edna began to respond to Jeremy. She tried to explain and at first her words seem not to make sense. With help from Heather she finally was able to explain how she had heard Betty and then one of those missing. He had been captured by those of the East and brutally tortured.
Edna explained, “It was as if I was actually there staked to the ground with whip marks across my whole body. They kept yelling at me wanting to know who I was, but I understood only a little of what they said for they spoke only a few words of those of the Red as did I. I knew not how to say that I was of the Forest. They demanded to know who my leader was and I could only say it was Heather of the Northern palace.”
Edna paused before continuing, “I watched the glowing metal rod approach that they used to put out my right eye and I screamed in pain. They continued to yell at me as they reheated the rod. It was then that the Spirits of the Forest rescued me and brought me home.”
Heather was quiet for some time as she thought of the brutality and what it meant. Not knowing what else to say, she told Edna, “May the God of the Sacred Water grant you peace tonight as you sleep. The Spirits of the Forest wanted us to know better our enemy.”
They discussed battle plans for the upcoming day. Those of the Red still expected a counterattack but Heather was not so sure. She explained, “Those from the East will want to delay not. I would expect only enough of a counterattack to stop any pursuit as their army continues its march to your Great City.”
The Red commander responded, “We have not the equipment or men to mount a major attack on such a force.”
Heather said, “They know not our full capability and will risk not their overall plan. I would expect the mounted troops will be used to prevent any advance of your forces. This would allow those on foot time to fully reorganize and move forward without interference.”
The Red commander asked, “What would you have our limited forces do?”
Heather thought for a moment before replying, “Enough of an effort to advance must be made to keep the mounted troops occupied for as long as possible. The horses are of no advantage in the area of boulders that your troops control and they will not be able to dislodge you. The more we deplete their supplies the less effective they will be when they arrive at the walls of your Great City.” She then added, “Those of the East who fled into the canyon must not be allowed to rejoin the main force.”
“What of those of the Forest?”
Heather shrugged her shoulders, saying, “We have our dead to bury. It would be best if the scouts of our enemy were no longer allowed free reign. I would send a message to the one you call Don the Great.”
Several junior officers presented for orders and each wore several blades of dried grass above the insignia of the Red Army. They received their orders and departed. Heather wondered about the grass but asked not. She watched silently as the commanding officer started weaving strands of grass onto his uniform. He finally explained, “The men started doing this and I think it is a good idea. It signifies we are both an army of our King and of Heather with the Golden Hair.”
Heather but nodded in acknowledgment and they made plans for meeting again after the setting of the sun. Heather returned to her camp and asked those of the Forest to return across the river and begin the search for those missing. She added, “The mounted troops may be patrolling; I would they not return. Inspect the freight for that which we can use but leave nothing for them to reclaim.” She needed not remind them of the dangers of discovery, for Edna’s experience was warning enough.
The young navigator was sent back to the Great City with the messages from Heather and the commander of the Red. Two from the Forest would accompany him; they brought a horse that had run wild during the fire. The young navigator objected that he did not like riding, but Heather said, “Better for you to ride so that the message arrives sooner.” She added, “I would know if a landing to the east has occurred.”
Heather tried to get Edna to stay behind but she refused, saying, “I need to retrieve the one with whom I shared so much. He deserves a burial for having suffered so much.”
Those of the Forest came and went, reporting to Heather, but at all times a half dozen were close to her. She climbed the hill to the lookout that Edna had used and spent the day thinking and planning. Those from the East had returned with the mounted troops to attack those of the Red, but Heather could see the larger column moving ever to the west and south. Those of the Forest were rarely visible, seeming to blend in with the landscape. By midday two of the missing had been found dead of sword wounds. It was not until late afternoon that Edna and Jeremy returned carrying the body of the tortured hunter from the Forest.
As the sun began its final descent below the horizon, those of the Forest held a burial service. Heather wished for the help of the young priest, but did her best to give those departed a blessing of safe passage back to the Forest. Each of those attending said their own prayer as they shoveled dirt upon the graves.
Heather left the others to their stories and met with the commander of the Red. The day had progressed as she had suggested, and those of the Red had repeatedly tried to break through the lines of the mounted soldiers without success. Those of the East who had fled into the canyon were being destroyed from above. Heather said, “I would hope that we can delay them yet another full day. We need to begin moving to the west, for I fear a second landing is almost certain.”
The commander of the Red listened as Heather told him of the black ships far to the west. They were fewer in number and their purpose unknown, but she suspected a second site of invasion. After thinking a bit more she said, “If I was invading by both sea and land, I would split my forces and have the smaller force attack first to distract the defenders as much as possible.”
The commander of the Red sat and rubbed the stubble growing on his chin as he thought. He asked, “If the landing to the west is the smaller force, they would need to be making their way to the city as we are here trying to delay the force which landed to the east. Should we not be repositioning our army to meet this new attack?”
Heather struggled for the right words in the language of the Red before saying, “Our forces are not sufficient to simply overwhelm those of the East. We must always use the element of surprise to our advantage. If this second invasion is as I envision, then our best chance is to wait until they are fully occupied by their attack on the walls of your Great City. Then we attack from the rear.”
“Will not this greater force from the East simply move against us?”
“Possibly, but if they do then they lose their advantage of the surprise attack on the city walls.” She went on to discuss her vision of their plan and how depriving them of supplies was still their best option.
They finished their planning, and as Heather was preparing to leave she remembered the arrow tip that those of the Forest had found. She brought out the partially burned arrow, which had a tip made of fine knife blades joined at right angles, which produced a weapon that would slice as well as penetrate. The commander of the Red felt the sharpness of the blades and the lightness of the tip before saying, “I would not want to be on the receiving end of one of these.”
Heather responded, “I will have those of the Forest search the destroyed wagons for more of these tips. They must have had a backup supply, and if it is the will of the God of the Sacred Water, we will find it amongst the debris.” She then added, “I wonder how long those of the East will continue with this cat and mouse game?”
The commander the Red was quiet for a moment before responding, “It would seem that their main troops are safely on their way, but yet the campfires of the mounted troops are visible on the hilltop. The question may be why are they still here.”
It was Heather’s turn for a moment of quiet reflection before she responded, “If I was waiting for a supply shipment I would need to protect it from attack.” With but another minute of thought, she said, “We must head east and intercept the shipment. I would those of your troops who have traveled before with those of the Forest again join us. I would you and your remaining troops do all they can to keep the mounted troops occupied.” She added, “We leave two hours before sunup, and if the God of the Sacred Water is willing, those of the East will notice our absence not.”
The commander of the Red but nodded his head before replying, “The troops will be ready and we will do our part to keep the mounted troops of the East occupied.”
When Heather returned to the campfire of those of the Forest, she told Jeremy, “We must head east. I would leave two hours before sunup.”
Jeremy replied, “We will be ready, but some are out scouting.”
Heather replied, “They will find us. I
would some go ahead when the moon arises and scout our way.” She then added, “We are looking for a supply caravan which I expect is headed this way.”
The remaining night passed quickly, and in the light of the half moon those of the Forest prepared to depart. Those of the Red who had marched previously with them arrived ready to travel, and they moved off to the north in a silent, somewhat disorganized column. As always those of the Forest came and went, keeping Heather informed of what lay ahead.
They traveled for several hours before stopping along the river. Heather felt it was safe to cross the river, for they had put many miles between themselves and the mounted troops of the East. The river cooperated not, and it was not an acceptable place to cross. Heather and the others rested until the scouts found a suitable crossing a few miles upstream.
After crossing the river they headed east until they came upon the unmistakable track that the army from the East had left. With scouts ahead, they simply traveled back along the same track. It was nightfall when scouts brought back word of an approaching convoy of wagons guarded by about thirty mounted troops.
The evening meal was without any campfires, for Heather wanted no chance of discovery. They told their stories in a circle as always, but without the campfire they brought little joy. Many had already retired to the tents when one of the scouts returned, accompanied by Stan of Those Left Behind. Those of the Forest welcomed Stan as a long-lost family member, and it was some time before he was allowed to tell the story.
As Heather had requested, Stan and Those Left Behind had mounted a series of delaying attacks on the column from the east. The mounted troops were formidable and several of Those Left Behind fell victim to the swords and spears of the mounted troops. For the most part they worked by distracting as many of the troops as possible and then attacking the rearmost wagon. Those of the East had learned to circle the wagons when attacked, which limited their success but did slow the progress of the column.
Heather asked what they had found in the wagons. Stan explained, “We have only captured a couple of the wagons and they contained strong wooden tubes with metal bases and many metal balls.” He added, “The wagons are heavy and their progress is slower than the normal pace of those of the Forest despite the four horses pulling each wagon.”
Heather asked, “A cannon like Daniel’s?”
Stan scrunched up his face as he thought before he replied, “The balls are bigger and made out of some sort of black metal. The tubes are almost twice as long as Daniel’s cannon and have a small chamber on the back.” He then added, “We have found no supply of powder, and instead of the packing rod that Daniel uses it had just a bunch of sticks and small boards with the tube.”
Heather was lost in thought and let the stories continue around her. This was obviously a weapon like Daniel’s cannon but she could figure not how it worked. Those from the East were expending significant resources in the transport and protection so they must be of great value. She interrupted the stories to ask more questions about the lay of the land. There seemed no easy approach for a surprise attack.
Her thoughts were interrupted when a scout returned and reported that a large group of mounted troops had separated from the main force and were camped a half day’s journey to the west. She thought for but a moment before announcing, “We attack with the rising of the sun. I would we approach from the southeast and use the sun as a shield. Those of the Forest will launch the attack with the sun at their backs, and then those of the Red must move in from the south.”
Jeremy spoke up, saying, “We should allow two hours for proper positioning. The country is fairly open and we should be able to travel well despite the small moon. The moon will arise about three hours before dawn.”
Heather but nodded in appreciation and said, “We will arise with the moon. I pray to the God of the Sacred Water that all can get some rest yet tonight.” Despite her fatigue Heather found sleep difficult, and again it was Betty who seemed to appear in her dreams and bring freedom from her anxiety.
The moon was barely showing its crescent above the trees when Jeremy aroused the camp. A simple meal of travel rations and they were on the move. Heather simply followed the one in the Forest in front of her, knowing not how they found the trail in the darkness. Scouts came and went, traveling quickly with their loping run, bringing reports about the terrain ahead and the status of the enemy’s camp. When they arrived at a point directly south of the enemy’s camp, those of the Red took the opportunity to rest, for keeping up with those of the Forest was a most difficult task. Heather told them, “Wait until the sun is clear of the horizon and then attack as a spear point. We will need protection from the mounted troops. Our goal is to destroy the wagons and the weapons they contain.” She then added, “May the God of the Sacred Water watch over you.”
Those of the Forest continued moving to the east and north. The enemy’s camp was coming to life with the cooking fires becoming visible. They rested but a short time before Heather said, “I would the sentries be found and eliminated.” Those of the Forest who were best with a knife discussed amongst themselves their plan and moved off silently.
The glow of the sun to the east was becoming visible. Jeremy announced, “Time to move forward.”
Heather but said, “I pray to the God of the Sacred Water for your safety. If possible, we need to scatter the horses and spread the fire.”
Jeremy led them off at a much slower pace, clearing their path of sticks which might have broken when stepped on. They moved in silence and could hear the snoring of the troops before the camp itself was visible. Edna stayed at Heather’s side while Jeremy and others silently entered the camp. Heather sat motionless, hardly daring to breathe, listening with all her might. She detected a few soft thuds but no general alarm was yet raised. With the sun now almost half exposed over the horizon their attack continued, with the cooking fires used to begin spreading a general fire beneath the wagons. This was enough to arouse the sleeping troops and the general alarm was sounded.
With the confusion now evident, some of the Forest worked feverishly to free the horses. The general troops reacted slowly, but the mounted troops had a greater discipline and their officer soon had them organized and running towards their horses. Those of the Forest were greatly outnumbered but had surprise on their side. As the enemy worked to extinguish the fires, those of the Forest flitted behind cover, attacking with their arrows. The enemy of the East was only partially successful in extinguishing the fires, and finally formed a defensive perimeter which limited those of the Forest.
The commotion amongst the horses delayed the mounted troops but a little. Before the sun was fully above the horizon, the first of the troops had fitted his horse and himself with armor and went on the attack. Heather and Edna were providing the initial backup defense and the rider headed directly towards them. Edna readied her bow and fired as soon as possible, but the arrow simply bounced off the armor. Heather, with her sword drawn, stepped out to take on the charging soldier. Her quickness allowed her to dart to the side every time the horse charged. The fearsome creature would rear up and the soldier would strike downward with the sword. She could deflect his sword thrust but not the ironclad hooves of his steed. The best she could do was to dive to the side at the last minute, using her sword to fend off the down stroke of the soldier’s deadly weapon. This mouse game continued while Edna repeatedly struck with her arrows, which penetrated not.
Heather was concentrating so hard that she saw not the small rocks. As she again dove to the side as the horse’s hoofs were descending upon her, the rocks caught her foot and ankle. It was not so much the pain of the fracture as the sound of the breaking bone which seemed to radiate to her inner self. Unable to rise, she could but crouch with the sword in front for protection. The soldier reared back mercilessly on the reins, causing the horse to rear high above Heather, who could only see the metal-clad hooves which wer
e about to crush her. She was determined to get one last strike in even if she could evade no longer, and planned on plunging her sword into the soldier’s underside even as the horse descended upon her.
Edna was frantically trying to penetrate the armor of the mounted soldier. She drew her last arrow, which was one of the slicing arrows they had found at the previous battle site. She again drew a bead on the chest of the attacking soldier, and then a calmness seemed to settle on her as she heard Betty. Without knowing why, she raised her point of sight from the chest to the soldier’s neck and let her arrow fly. The arrow penetrated the soft space between the soldier’s helmet and his chest protector, severing the carotid artery in its passage. Blood poured forth from the wound and the soldier screamed but a little before collapsing.
As the pressure on the bit relaxed, the horse also relaxed and seemed to turn slightly to the side as he returned its hooves to the ground, just missing Heather. Blood from the soldier continued to pour forth for a little longer, staining both the side of the horse and Heather, but she cared not. She tried to stand but her foot would not hold her weight. With Edna’s help they dragged the soldier from the saddle and Heather, using her good foot, pulled herself up on the horse.
By now those of the Red had fully entered the battle, and although they outnumbered the enemy of the East it was a hard-fought battle. Those of the Forest withdrew slightly and surrounded Heather, who said, “We need to save one of the wagons to transport our injured.”
Edna spoke up, saying, “Concentrate your arrows on the neck of the enemy, for they will penetrate not their body armor.”
Those of the Forest with remaining arrows joined with those of the Red in the attack, and in a short time the battle came to an end. Heather glanced at the sun, which seemed to be racing across the sky and was now halfway to its highest point. She said only, “We must leave our dead behind and use the wagons as a funeral pyre. Save one of the wagons for transport of our wounded and prepare to depart.”
It took not long to select one of the few undamaged wagons and gather enough horses, but longer to pile the wagons, some of which were actively burning. Those of the Forest brought two of theirs to the funeral pyre and those of the Red contributed many more. Heather said out loud for all, “May the God of the Sacred Water take you safely back to the Forest.”
They were emptying the one salvaged wagon and Heather asked, “Can the horses handle both our wounded and one of the tubes?”
Jeremy shrugged and said, “If we travel at a slower pace.” After thinking a bit more, he added, “We will need to travel slower anyway because of our walking wounded.”
By the time they had crossed the river the dust of the approaching mounted troops was visible in the distance. Their travel was impeded, for they had no road for the wagon to travel on. Scouts of the Forest kept coming and going, bringing back reports. The mounted troops had traveled hard when the smoke became visible, but when they arrived the fire had progressed and was consuming all they had hoped to protect.
They followed the trail of those of the Forest to the river crossing, but stopped at the water’s edge and conferred. Their leader was obviously unwilling to risk his troops facing a force of unknown size with the likelihood of ambushes. They turned around and returned from whence they had come, but at a much slower pace, for their horses were now fatigued.
Heather and her troops traveled but a little further before Heather called a halt. She needed help dismounting the horse and was unable to stand on her left foot, which was turned at a funny angle. Despite her efforts, a small cry escaped as she tried to support herself, and she needed the help of others. They made their camp early and did the best they could for their wounded. Edna carefully strapped Heather’s foot and ankle but the foot was still rotated outward. Jeremy began crafting a crutch out of branches for her, wishing Daniel was there to practice his craft. They had accomplished their goal but little celebrating was done, for the cost had been high.