Chapter 14

Things May Not Go According to Plan

My dreams were getting quite vivid, real almost. Of course something just had to wake me tonight. Maybe it was still early and ... but no; those sounds were real, not imagined.

Diana was up first, not much to put on really so she was out of the tent in a heartbeat or two; followed by Ingrid then, as soon as I rolled off her, Sigrid was up also.

The call: ‘To Arms’ was either a poor man’s joke or we really were faced with another enemy at our tent in this case. In the earlier battle, we were on defence, this was a bit different in that the enemy was pretty much sequestered around us and arranged in rank and file; not looking like they were charging anymore, like they had earlier. There were also a bit more of them than before too, quite a bit more.

My initial words, after fastening my breeches was that Army of the Dead that Freya charged me with might be in-order today. That idea lasted about as long as it took to rub the pain in my arm away from the two hits, vicious hits I tell you; that the goddesses gave me. What did I know? I guess I should just do as I’m told.

I exited the tent and saw what must have been all from a dozen kingdoms or more slowly surging forward. I’ll attempt to describe what I saw. Above several hundred dragon-kind, red, blue, green and a few gold and silver were circling the front lines. Flanking both right and left, theirs not mine, were archers and with them slingers and three lines of spear and pikemen, half heavily armoured. Horse, both heavy and light patrolled the line, infront of many ranks of long spears and mace holders. Spread in back, mages, sorcerors, priests and healers poised to either defend or counter attack. All-in-all it appeared to be a right-proper arrangement, not like before.

We still held the hills and high-ground but the swamp-land still around us was mostly to our dis-advantage now should we need to be the aggressors. There were so many enemy dragons today, that many of our troops began to pull-back around the girls for protection; not that I could blame them. In the back, nearer to their baggage train and extra arms were the varios banners and standards of those arrayed against us. I became obvious that the earlier engagement was merely a holding action; one designed to trap and keep us in-place. It seemed a costly sacrifice for them to do so, but here we were.

Our line, yes it was barely a line across which is why I wanted to use the undead; but nooooo, I also had my trump card to play. Ingrid called upon the wolves again but the forest was only on the sides and with so many archers on either side not much would be gained unless they attacked. Same case with the pits, mud and death spells, they had little to aid us unless we were in close combat. On defence, we were positioned better than the OPFOR for that. With exception of our own dragons all we had for offence were the Black Riders and ... and ... my own, untried and un- tested spells Freya had given me. Duh! Un-used until now.