Chapter 42

The scouts kept a careful overnight watch, though there were no disturbances either from the Gnomes or an overnight march by the Thenarronians. At daybreak all the party went out to scout the probable battlefield, marking the locations on their maps of various contours, obstacles, soft or wet ground and potential locations from which the Torgillon’s could be observed.

It was two hours after dawn that the first group of knights from Torgillon turned up to occupy the crossroads. They were greeted by Firios who handed over the information gleaned from the scouted areas. The Elves in Firios’ group then went back to scouting out the approach of the forces from Thenarron. Darras, Balat and Sondrast returned, along with the Thieves Guild members, to their original encampment where Sondrast began marking out a magic circle that the magic users of Torgillon could tap into in order to accurately focus their spells on the potential battle site.

More and more Torgillons were arriving at this time and setting up an encampment near the crossroads even as their knightly orders began patrolling along it, including a group that headed in the direction of the Thenarronians to ascertain their speed of march. These came racing back several hours later with several horses missing their riders and other horses carrying dead Torgillons, the bodies often enough with arrows sticking out of them.

“Why did they do that?” Balat asked. “Our friends were scouting.”

“Determining the enemy’s intent, I think,” Darras replied. “Also proving they have archers.”

This event spurred the Torgillons to increase their own efforts to be prepared for when the Thenarronians turned up. Several men at arms were now hammering stakes into the ground and then sharpening them to break up any mounted charges as well as enabling their infantry and archers to have a place to stand and fight. Others were hammering small pegs into the ground with the side facing the Torgillons painted white to act as range markers.

Two hours later, Darras spotted Thenarronian mounted scouts observing the preparations at the crossroads and expected to see the main body of their army approach and begin skirmishing. The Elves under Firios then joined them after reporting to the Torgillon command what they’d learned of the enemy’s numbers and composition.

“The Torgillons are outnumbered, though not by a great deal,” Firios informed Darras. “Biggest danger to them will be the dark kin archers approaching through the woods.”

“Let’s hope their armour stands them in good stead,” Darras nodded.

“You saw what they did to the patrol,” Firios pointed out. “The dark kin will not be so easily thwarted by armour.”

“We’ll see. I’m sure the Torgillons are aware of the danger,” Darras replied.

“Aye, that’s true and they do have Rossarisi archers amongst their infantry.”

At this point Darras spotted what he thought to be the main body of the Thenarronians in the distance as it moved down the road and then turned to either side as more troops approached.

“These woods are going to cause issues to both sides,” Darras informed Balat. “Archers from both sides will be infiltrating them and no doubt sniping at targets of opportunity.”

“Aye, it’s already begun,” Firios agreed.

“A lot of deaths over a crossroad,” Balat commented.

“Yes, but whoever holds it has control, to a degree, over the borderlands of this district,” Darras replied.

“Yes, I think I see.”

“Expect to see a lot of skirmishing for the rest of the day as the Thenarronians try to get a feel for the Torgillon’s numbers and abilities,” Darras informed Balat. “Also expect magical attacks, though I suspect the Torgillons will have the edge there.”

“True enough,” Sondrast agreed. “Defensive magic is a lot easier than offensive magic and all the Torgillons have to do is hold as the main body of their armies expand their zones of control past the old border.”

“I always assumed war was about glorious charges,” Balat chuckled. “You make it seem more about minor details.”

“Get the details right and your chance of winning goes up,” Darras pointed out.

“Details?”

“Logistics, Balat. War is all about logistics. Pointless having an army that you can’t feed and arm, that can’t scout because the horses aren’t looked after, who don’t have magical defenders to counter the enemy because you can’t afford them,” Darras explained. “War is an expensive business ... if it’s to be done right.”

“You speak as if knowing personally?” Balat suggested.

“In another life I watched as my nation was destroyed and thousands enslaved by another nation that was well supplied,” Darras answered in bleak tones.

“Ah, yes.”

‘Well supplied and had better arms ... initially, ’ Erren added just for Darras. ‘In the end though, the Ostari were far better, just too few.’

“True, my love,” Darras murmured.

“There are a lot of clashes as the Thenarronians approach,” Tinara commented, seeing far more of the battlefield area than the Humans could.

“Probably the Torgillons denying them a closer approach,” Darras replied.

“Looks that way,” Firios agreed.

“Does mean you were correct and the main clash will take place tomorrow,” Traskis observed.

“Unless you’ve experienced it, it’s hard to grasp just how slow war can be,” Darras chuckled. “Plus the battles are only a small part of the whole business.”

“So I’m discovering,” Balat agreed.

“We’ll be making counter infiltration patrols tonight, as will other Elven units,” Firios informed his team.

“Doriel’s people are also keeping an eye on things too,” Balat added.

“Keep me updated, if necessary,” Sondrast requested. “I’ll inform command.”

“I will.”

The following morning, after what had proven to be a busy night for the Elves with a series of moves and countermoves, the two armies finally took fully to the field with the Torgillons holding the slightly higher ground above the crossroads itself. The Elves had reported that the scrublands and woods were filled with dark kin, though this had been countered somewhat by the Elven troops from Rossaris who were in a position to interdict any fire the dark kin could make on the centre of the Torgillon formations.

Battle commenced at around 9am with the Torgillon light horse advancing on the left wing of the Thenarrons away from the wooded areas where they’d be vulnerable to arrow fire. They in turn were countered by both infantry and a squadron of knights in full armour. This naturally caused the Torgillons to pull back rapidly with the knights in hot pursuit. This, however, was a feint and had simply been used to exhaust the mounts of the knights as they then faced a charge from a knight unit that had been concealed by the territory. The two groups clashed with the Thenarronians being driven back in headlong retreat, pursued for a time by the Torgillons, though they were recalled before they got too far and had the same thing done to them.

All this, Darras explained to a raptly listening Balat, including the reasons why the two groups did as they did, as well as the mistakes made by the inexperienced Thenarronians.

“So they were trapped by the Torgillons?” Balat asked.

“Yes, they exhausted their mounts and were forced to sacrifice their leading knights to enable an escape from a group fighting at their full potential. Even then, a good few were caught and lanced from behind.”

The centre of the Torgillon lines had signalled an advance at this stage, with their own left wing shielded by both light horse and Elven archers. Seemingly unhurried, the Torgillons advanced their mounts at walking pace, ensuring they were not exhausted as the day itself grew hotter. They did come under increasing arrow fire from the Thenarronian left and centre, though not the concentrated waves of arrows that would follow once they closed.

“Doriel reports the dark kin are starting to slip forward, as well as moving to support the Thenarronian centre,” Balat reported to Sondrast who quickly wrote it down and sent it via kirach to the command post where the Torgillon Commander, Earl Graccen was.

The Earl’s response was to stiffen his Elven infantry with shield-bearing Human infantry to hopefully enable effective counterfire, relying on the armour of his knights to protect them from the arrow-storm sure to follow.

“Not going to be enough,” Darras muttered, knowing just how well the Elves could direct their fire.

“They’ll be repulsed?” Balat asked.

“No, but they’ll pay a price in blood,” Darras replied thoughtfully. “As will a good few of the dark kin, though likely not as many as the Torgillons.”

“Agreed,” Tinara replied. “Humans seem to have forgotten how good we are with our bows, even as we’re under fire ourselves.”

“Looks like he’s preparing his own light horse on the right to counter the dark kin once they attack,” Darras pointed out.

“It’ll help a little, but they also will be countered,” Tinara nodded.

“This is where the knights of Rachtelin will have an advantage as their second ranks are horse archers and whilst not as good as the Elves would like as not keep them occupied as the charge goes in,” Darras replied.

“An interesting concept. You may well be right.”

“The day of the heavily armoured knight is coming to an end,” Darras prophesised from his own experiences and histories. “Infantry, foot archers and mounted archers will be the future, with light horse remaining to be used as pursuit troops.”

“Wonder how the Human nobility will show off then?” Firios chuckled.

“They’ll find a way,” Darras replied with a smile. “They often do.”

“First battle is going in,” Annos informed them.

Darras and the others turned to where the sound of bugles spurred the advancing Torgillons into a canter towards the centre of the Thenarronian lines with their own knights now advancing to counter them. The arrow-storm from the Thenarronian left also began in earnest, though was countered to an extent by the now shielded Elves. Still, even as the Torgillons advanced, in their wake lay the bodies of both men and horses. One hundred metres out the charge sounded and the Torgillon horses broke into a fast gallop and the lances came down as they smashed into the waiting ranks of the countering Thenarronians. Still the hail of arrows assailed them, coming over the ranks of the Thenarronians to sweep the knights in the rear, causing more and more casualties until the bugles ordered a withdrawal as the second battle moved into position for a charge.

“They retreated?” Balat asked.

“Lost momentum and failed to breach the Thenarron line,” Darras replied. “These are disciplined men and the casualties will have hurt as well.”

“And the second battle?”

“Will likely fail too, though not the third.”

“Why’s that?” Sondrast asked.

“The Thenarronians took casualties too, but not quite enough and they are being reinforced,” Darras replied pointing out the movement in the Thenarronian lines. “They do not however have the sheer quality of the Torgillons and will pay a price that the third battle will exploit.”

There was a series of massive lightning discharges as the second battle advanced at the walk, all were deflected away, presumably by the Torgillon support wizards. The bugles sounded and the knights broke into a canter even as the arrow-storm began again. This time though, the Rossaris Elves were in a position to support and peppered the area where the arrow fire was coming from. Whilst this didn’t prevent the fire from the front, it did reduce the casualties coming from the more vulnerable sides of the knights. This meant when the final charge was called, a more solid block of knights hit the centre of the Thenarronian lines, pushing it back from their original position. Pushed back, but not broken, however, as the Thenarronian reserves moved to give support. Casualties for the Thenarronians were, however, much higher before the Torgillons retreated still in good order.