War

Hello again to all yas,
I'm happy to see a few more ppl willing to read this. I continue this for you guys, my five fans >.< oh well, at least u guys like it. ^^ So long as u wish to read it I'll write more, don't worry about that. This is chapter three (dadadaDA!) And oddly, chapter four b/c chapter 3 alone was short. So it's a twofer. Hope you like it. Next update will be Monday prolly.



3
Azel watched as the young girl was taken to safety. She would be sold off as a slave; he wondered what kind of price she would fetch for the small army.

"Is something wrong sir?"

Azel broke his gaze and looked towards the voice. Philip stared at him concertedly from his mount.

"No, go to the archers, I will ride with the north wave."

Philip nodded and rode away with the rest of the small band; Azel turned and made his way through the dense wood. As he climbed the ridge several spotters stood from their hiding places to greet him, he waved them back down to the ground. The sun was rising behind them, if anyone watched the ridge closely from below they would be discovered. As he quickly broke the ridge the small portion of his army rested mounted and ready below the brink. He smiled, the doubts from the night before had been lifted with the sun, stone cold confidence was all he could find in the faces of his men.

"Roland."

A boy of only seventeen summers broke through the mounted men, bow in hand and quiver at back. He looked steady enough but Azel could see the shakiness of his hand. The boy took his position as Azel placed a strong hand to his shoulder.

"A single release, straight up, leave a little arch so it lands before us but not over the ridge. I want the archers to see the signal through the trees, can you do that?"

The boy nodded and steadied his hand, taking an arrow from his quiver and knocking it like a worn veteran. Time stood still for Azel; the release of the arrow was slow and silent. Its accent into the sky was harmless seeming. It came back to the ground only feet before them and Roland smiled up at him for praise. But Azel was looking beyond the boy and over the ridge. The sky over the small town was darkened by thousands of flying arrows. A sickening whistling sound broke through the trees followed by the sounds of their landing. Screams reached them from the already struck and dying, male voices rose high from the guards as they flooded the lookout posts. The pounding of horse hooves broke the morning quiet and still Azel waited to attack. He looked back to Roland who stared up at him confidently now. He needed only to nod at the youth for him to release a second arrow into the air to follow the first.
With that the thundering cries of men rose from around them, they were only a hundred strong but they went boldly on. They met the mounted guards with spears to impale them and pry them from horses. They flew in low with swords and cut the legs out from under their mounts. They met the wall of guards and cut them down like dry grass in high summer. Azel lifted his hand as Roland dropped back to remount his stallion. The line of eager men moved forward in unison. Their battle horses crying shrilly from the smell of blood on the air. Azel threw his hand forward and kicked his stallion hard, sending him into a dead run, the others followed, releasing screams and battle cries as they flew down the ridge and onto the battle field. Their own soldiers broke open for them as they thundered clear through the line. The guards were terrified and becoming few. His exact motions became a blur, his blade cut through muscle and bone alike, showing no mercy for the fearful. Time, which seemed like hours, passed in minutes, within the hour they had killed every man of the king and had claimed the town for themselves.

*****

Catherine knelt near the slow flowing river, the sounds from the near battle reached her and she wished she could cover her ears. She hoped the guards had killed the rebels but she had a feeling the town was lost. And if they had been defeated that would leave her abandoned and tied to a tree. She choked back her tears as horsemen broke through the trees. Her fears were right, the town was lost, the lanky man from before was back for her, followed by a different man that she hadn't seen before. He was older looking but far more muscular. They dismounted and she saw behind them were small wagons, filled with familiar faces. They were the woman and children they were ordered to round up. Catherine searched the fearful faces for her mothers but failed to find her in the dense groups. The lanky man cut her loose and she fell forward slightly.

"Unload the carts!"

Two other men dismounted and proceeded to empty out the carts and usher them towards the river, the lanky man prodded her to do the same. She swallowed hard and tried to think back to what Azel had told them to do with the women and children. They stood, beaten and afraid, at the banks of the river, lined up and kept silent so the lanky man could talk.

"My name is Rahien, this is Wallace, and this is what I ask you to do."

The women remained quiet as he paused, and Catherine spotted her mother. She was ragged looking but still alive.

"I ask that you all bathe, and get the battle off of you. Do not try to run, there are archers in these trees that will shoot you dead if you try. And don't be a hero."

Catherine searched the trees around the river but saw nothing, she smiled at her stupidity. Why would they want her to see them?

"We will wait at the road, as you finish come up and meet us at the carts. Again, archers will be watching you all so behave."

The men left and the woman stood for only a moment before some began to disrobe and obey the orders given. Catherine ran up and hugged her ragged mother about her neck before walking into the cool water.

"What happened mother, please, tell me everything."

"They shot arrows first, they blotted out the light there was so many of them. I hid in the house but even then some shot through the thatch. Men on foot began to attack the soldiers but they were cut down so quickly. Our house, many houses, were caught on fire. Then the horsemen came down from the north and ran down anyone left living to oppose them. They made quick work of the other women and children, they gathered us together and brought us here. What happened to you dear? Your shoulder is wounded."

Catherine looked to her shoulder and remembered how it pained her, dirt and gravel was lodged into the open wound, but it wasn't too deep.

"I walked out here as a favor to Aldeen, she needed her laundry done and she paid me a silver. They must have been making sure no one went in or out of the town, they killed a guard who was talking to me and then captured me."

Her mother's expression saddened as she spoke and Catherine knew immediately that something was wrong.

"Mother?" She looked to her, tears in her eyes.

"Aldeen and her family were killed Cat. The rebels ransacked their house and found proof that her husband was a man of the king. He was a spy."

Cat swallowed her sadness down hard; it wasn't a time for that. She looked about herself again and thought twice about running. A glint of steel in one of the trees told her an archer had knocked his bow.

"Quickly Cat, we should wash and clean out that wound before they come for us again."

She nodded in agreement with her mother and slipped off her dress, throwing it to the bank. Her mother's deft fingers worked gently at the sore flesh and soon it would be clean again.

*******

"A fine victory Azel, very fine indeed!"

A portly man named Edden rode next to his leader as he looked over the ransacked town. They had already piled the dead and proceeded to burn them in mass graves, taking their valuables and other things for future use if needed. Left alive was a sole tavern owner and his wife who were seen as valuable hands for the duration of the small army's stay. They wouldn't enslave them, and they wouldn’t be killed. The only ones given that pardon by Azel. Boisterous rebels drank away the pains of their battle wounds free of charge as worked hands were traded out for fresh ones to finish the cleaning of the town.

"Lord Ulrich should be returning soon. Make sure a room is ready for him to his liking." The portly man nodded and smiled happily.

"Of course sir. And I'll be sure to tell him how the lazy guards of the tyrant king went down so easily onto their drunken backsides!" He rode away, humming a happy tune but was stopped by Azel's voice.

"Where are the slaves that were gathered?" Edden lifted a hand to his mouth to amplify his voice.

"Taken to the river sir, to bathe, they should be returning soon."

Azel nodded to him and let him go as he galloped out of the town and towards the river. When he made the bend in the road towards the forest he came upon the soldiers trying hard to organize the group of almost fifty women. It was failing miserably. He galloped in and silenced the crowd.

"Women that have seen thirty summers or more, or who have children climb into the hind cart."

The crowd was still for only a moment, but his heavy gray gaze urged them forward, they did as they were told as silently as they could. Catherine let her mother's hand go as she climbed into the cart with the other mothers.

"Very good, now, children that have seen twelve summers or less follow your mothers into the hind cart."

The children moved immediately, happy to be following their parents. Catherine stayed still, she didn't fall into that category either, but she very much disliked being separated from her mother. Another cold stone was resting in her stomach; something bad was looming over them. Catherine stared up at the mounted Azel, his gaze rested on her in return. It was a heavy look, and he spoke his last command directly to her before she broke and stared back at the ground.

"The rest of you may climb into the front cart. Stay seated until we get back to town and we help you out. Try to run or jump cart, and you will be cut down."

She climbed up into the cart with the rest of the girls and sat on one of the small benches in the front corner of the cart. She sat just behind the driver but he moved over to the other side as if to make room for another. Whispers rose up around her as she watched the rebels closely. Something was not right. Azel rode over to the other cart driver and spoke low to him, she couldn't hear him for the voices around her and she wished she could read his lips. He came back up to their cart and left his horse for another man to ride instead of walking. He stepped up swiftly onto the driver bench, only inches away from her. Her gaze was ripped away from him as a scream rose from the other cart. One of the mothers was standing and trying to throw herself out of the cart; it was turning to go away from the town. They weren't following them, they were separating them. Cries and screams rose from the girls around her as they tried to flee for their mothers. Catherine's own throat was tight with a scream but she dared not move. A girl just older than herself managed to fall onto the road, but before she could stand, a mounted archer behind them shot her through with an arrow and she dropped to the ground lifelessly. The other girls silenced and Catherine turned her face away but she found Azel looking at her wolfishly from above. His own sword was drawn and ready, the point planted between his feet and his hands resting on the black hilt. She curled in on herself and buried her face in her knees; she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry. The screams of the girls around her were silenced by several loud warnings and threats of more killing. Soft sobs just surrounded her now as she took hold of her emotions and quelled the sadness in her chest.
As they neared her town it didn't look like anything she remembered. Her home was nothing but a pile of ashes, as was most of the town. A few inns were left standing and the tavern where it seemed Billy and Sarah Longstead were still alive and well. The cart stopped and the other girls stayed quiet and still, hanging on their sisters or friends, afraid they were to be ripped away as well.

"Come on girls lets go."

Azel jumped down from his seat as they all stood to pile out of the cart. She looked up to the valley, just east of the town. Tall spires of smoke reached for the skies from deep pits nearly forty feet around. She knew what burned in those pits and she gave a silent prayer before moving on. She watched Azel warily as he clasped Wallace's shoulder and spoke to him low. She had a feeling that her previous thoughts of him being their leader were wrong. He was important yes, but she didn't get the feeling that he was a Lord, and none of his men called him by a title other than sir. He must have felt her eyes on him because he turned and looked right at her as she passed, she quickly lowered her gaze and allowed them to usher her into the old inn. The soldiers gave them all their own rooms and linens to sleep in. Catherine was ushered up the stairs and into her temporary room on the second floor. The rest filled the other rooms and moved up to the third floor.

"You'll get some food later tonight after the soldiers get their rations."

The cool voice drew Catherine's attention, but she recoiled to find Azel at the end of it. She moved back from her doorway and quietly closed her door. She wasn't embarrassed that she was the first to do so. Azel followed her movements until she was out of sight and safe behind her locked door. She placed her back against the rough wood and let out a long drawn sigh. She felt safe for the moment. Before her was a simple bed with two nightstands to either side. A trunk at the end of the bed held extra blankets for her if she needed them. To her left was a small dresser and mirror with a washbowl for her. Her window was open, and a light breeze pushed her curtains into her room. She went to the sill and looked out on the new life of the town below. Toughened leather boots and horse hooves pummeled the roads. Men of higher rank took stead in the inn across from her while the taverns upper levels were becoming leader chambers. Large decorated trunks were being carried through the door, avoiding the loud drinking soldiers as they passed.
She noticed more women as well, blowing kisses and sweet tidings to the soldiers as they passed. She had heard it common for prostitutes to follow the bans of lonely men, it was good money. There were other women too, plainly dressed and seeming very busy. Some looked healthier than others, but all had a strip of dried sinew around their necks, tight enough to keep it on but not too tight to choke them. They went about gathering clothes or food or weapons. Wagons and carts began to pour in with the provisions the army had carried with them, she decided they had hid them until they had claimed the town.

"Lunch girls, open up."

Catherine looked to her door and listened, boots scraped across the wood near her door. A knock came to her but not commandingly. She stood and warily walked to her door, letting the lock slip open. The soldier turned the knob for her, he didn't seem too threatening. Compared to the others he looked almost soft.

"Here, before it gets cold."

Other soldiers were behind him, trays in hand as well. She looked at her tray as she took it and he moved on. A soup, or a broth really, a few chunks of potatoes and meat but nothing of great substance. A slice of bread accompanied it, and a clean glass of water. She lifted her napkin and found a small chunk of cheese, freshly crumbled from the block. She smiled and closed her door again, she really was hungry and it was nearly noon.


Next time, on War...
Cat finds it a hard life to bear being sold off into slavery, but a friend helps her out and Ulrich comes back for his post..wait..whos that? Stay tuned for the next exciting adventure on War!


ok guys R&R PWEEESE! I loves you all, enjoy your weekend!