Chapter 22: The Second Date

The people present had expected a duel, but what they had seen had been an execution. It was as violent as it was quick. The casual destruction of a human life was shocking to some of them, but the expression on Roban’s and Athea’s faces was the reason for the continued silence. They didn’t show any of the emotions expected of them. Neither relief about Roban’s survival, nor compassion for his dead opponent, not even lingering fury. There was just a happy and satisfied little grin on their faces. The voice of a little girl was like an exclamation mark to the eerie feelings of the audience.

“He didn’t make such a big mess this time, that’s good!” Menja noted, looking as pleased as the siblings.

Reaching his sister, Roban lifted her up and hugged her to his chest.

“The war is close, there will be a battle soon,” Roban whispered, looking at the western horizon.

Athea followed his gaze, until she could see a rider coming up from behind a hill. More and more people noticed them watching and turned to look as well. The rider was a soldier of Notabir’s town guard. Reaching them he directed his exhausted looking horse to Bahren Mongel.

“The Manthakin army broke camp this morning. They were moving north-west when I left to report.”

“They are not coming for us directly,” Bahren Mongel mused.

“If they are not coming to Notabir, where are they going to?” Gillyn asked.

“They are passing Notabir and will position their new camp between the town and the coast of Vernya,” Roban answered.

“Without the Tularkis army we’re down to five thousand soldiers. Not enough warriors for an open battle. We’ll have to defend the walls of Notabir. They’ll cut off our support lines to the Ghallan clans and prepare for a siege,” Bahren Mongel agreed.

“The Manthakin didn’t know anything of it this morning. Our camps are outside the town and the Tularkis army is still here as well. Why are they moving in position for a siege already?” Gillyn asked confused.

“They don’t know if they’ll have to conquer the town. If the people of Notabir accept Lord Artheos offer, there will be no need to lay siege to the town. Just before the meeting yesterday he received new orders from King Malrik. I guess in all this excitement he forgot to tell his allies about it.” Athea answered the question.

All eyes turned to Artheos. He glared at Athea hatefully before he started to talk.

“The Norgar witch is right. King Malrik and Emperor Dharkuntis negotiated a peace treaty. There will be no war between the Manthakin and Tularkis. We are allies now! The northern territory of Vernya will become a part of Tularkis. In return King Malrik grants his new allies entry to every town and village and free use of the area’s resources. The King awarded me with the lordship of the northern territory!” He told them gleefully.

“I’LL PAY YOU BACK FOR YOUR DISLOYALTY AND THE DEATH OF MY SON!” Artheos shouted.

“You’re the servant of a traitor, what do you know about loyalty? Today Tularkis became an enemy to every clan in Vernya, not just to us of the northern territory. Malrik’s betrayal will become knowledge far beyond Vernya’s borders. A country ruled by a King known as a traitorous coward; how will your neighbors to the south react, the Ogusi clans? They’re already raiding Tularkis every summer. Your King Malrik sold his allies and his honor, but he didn’t save his country,” Gillyn responded coldly.

“You will never know how they reacted, Gillyn Canbierra. You and your allies will be dead long before any Ogusi hears your tale,” Artheos snapped.

“Bahren Mongel, let the people of Notabir know about King Malrik’s offer to govern the town. Notabir and the northern territory will become a part of Tularkis, either peacefully or by force,” Artheos ordered and returned to his guards.

They tied the corpse of his son to the back of his former horse and woke up the priest, before the Tularkis party left the gathering at the gates of Notabir.

“Why didn’t you tell us yesterday about this Athea?” Sinheyd asked sounding resigned.

“Simply because I didn’t know it at the time. I saw his new thoughts today, when I gave them the choice to leave or die. This whole thing was unnecessary after all. I didn’t have to doubt his loyalty as an ally, he was already an enemy. It’s better this way; I wouldn’t have wanted this to influence the decisions you made yesterday,” Athea explained calmly.

“What will the people of Notabir decide?” Sahein asked Bahren Mongel.

“They will see it the same way we all do. The situation is a little worse after Malrik’s betrayal, but not by much and nothing else has changed. Notabir is stocked with provisions for the winter, we won’t starve and will prepare for the siege. It will become a bit crowded housing all your warriors and amazons, but we’ll manage somehow,” he replied.

“No it won’t. Your two thousand men are enough to guard the walls. The clan warriors and Amazons will move today too, and keep the position between the Manthakin army and the coast of Vernya,” Roban responded, and turned to the clan leaders. “With no one left there to defend it, you can’t allow them to stand between you and your homes.”

The women looked from Roban to Athea, a question in their eyes.

“You heard my brother; he’s the warrior of our little family. Since I’m your High Protector, I’ll make him the general of the clan armies. Although he is only eighteen years old, his qualification for the job is outstanding,” Athea told them grinning.

“I guess I need to get used to this, it was my own decision after all. At least I can’t fault his reasoning. A Manthakin army between us and our home would be very bad indeed,” Gillyn agreed.

“But there will be twenty thousand Manthakin against our three thousand clan warriors out in the open. They’re even mounted and much faster than we are. They could force us into battle at will,” Sahein argued.

“That was the situation all along. They are invading your lands and as long as you’re willing to defend them, they don’t need to be faster to force you into battle. The highland territory east of Notabir is an advantage for us. We can use steep hillsides and deep fissures to prevent them from surrounding us and their mounted advantage will diminish in the rough territory as well. Splitting our forces to defend both, Notabir and your homes, is the disadvantage we have to take,” Roban replied.

“To fight twenty thousand Manthakin with only three thousand clan warriors, and three hundred Amazons, isn’t just a disadvantage, it’s suicide,” Sahein huffed.

Roban shrugged. “Three thousand or five thousand doesn’t make much of a difference in this situation. If they stay to lay siege to Notabir you don’t have to fight, unless it’s to support the town. If they move further east you can fight or flee your homes. I guess they’ll split too. They’ll leave enough soldiers at Notabir to build siege equipment and the rest will move further east to attack your homes. That’s what I’d do.”

“Barnyre Castle, the home of the Dohougney clan, is only a three day march east from Notabir. What do you suggest we do?” Sinheyd asked resigned.

“A general doesn’t suggest, he commands! Stop the whining already and don’t ask such a silly question again. He will fight and so will you!” Athea told them in an icy voice.

“Easy for you to say, what do you have to lose?” Sinheyd asked her angrily.

The slap to her face came unsuspected, quick and hard.

“I have everything to lose that’s important to me. Never give me another reason to doubt your loyalty, Sinheyd Dohougney. You swore an oath of allegiance and I will hold you to it! This discussion is over. You will break camp and move east, as my brother told you to do. Now leave, all of you!” Athea’s eyes were a blue flame of anger.

The women bowed wordlessly and left with their families.

“Come with me to the armory, Roban. We might have some things you would like to add to your arms,” Bahren Mongel invited him.

Bahren left with Roban, followed by his men and children.

“You don’t have to worry about the Amazons, Athea. If there is any chance for us to survive this war it is your brother, and I know it. Come now, we too have to prepare to leave. I don’t want General Roban to get angry with us,” Hassika told her gently.

“You all fight to survive; I just wish my brother would do so as well,” Athea said sighing.

An hour later Roban joined them again. He had taken a stack of heavy javelins and a huge looking broadsword from Notabir’s armory, but it was the big shield he carried on his back that cast a smile on Athea’s face. An hour before noon the clan army and the Amazons were on their way. Roban was riding with the clan leaders once again, asking about the terrain. Athea with Menja sitting in front of her was with the Amazons and her friends, talking as well.

“I see some of the Amazons have taken their pets with them,” Athea noted.

“Don’t let anyone hear you calling her hunting-hawk a pet,” Hassika replied laughing.

“I want those in one group and close to me if it comes to a battle,” Athea told Hassika.

“Ohh shit! You want to stay with us in a battle? Does your brother know that? Athea, we can’t protect you on a battlefield!” Hassika responded upset.

“I do too!” Menja exclaimed determinedly. Hassika just groaned in reply to her statement.

“Rhabina, Denyssa, Ynerca, what about you, don’t you want to complete my misery?” Hassika asked annoyed.

“I can’t say I’m looking forward to it, but I think close to Athea is the best place for me if it comes to a battle,” Denyssa shrugged.

“I’m an amazon, of course I’ll stay and fight!” Rhabina answered angrily.

“The Ghallan clans are led by women; did you believe they would hide from a fight?” Ynerca snorted.

“At least promise me you will stay close together and you will have to tell Roban yourself!” Hassika demanded.

“My brother would wonder about anyone not wanting to join a battle,” Athea laughed.

A good two hours before sunset, scouts reported the Manthakin army had camped about a mile north-east of Notabir.

“We are a three hours march ahead of them. It will be four hours when we make camp at the river you told me about. I’ve chosen a battlefield for tomorrow. It’s not perfect, but the best according to what you have told me about this area and it will be close to our camp. That gives us some additional time to prepare for the battle,” Roban told the people around him.

“Are you sure tomorrow they won’t just pass us to get to Barnyre Castle?” Sinheyd asked worriedly.

“They don’t have any interest in your home at the moment. The movement of their army was a threat to force you into a battle. If they win tomorrow’s fight, they won’t go any further in direction of your homes. They’ll leave the conquest of Vernya for their main army and return to Notabir for the siege. They’ll actually be happy they don’t have to chase us. I expect them to gladly accept our invitation to fight, even knowing the battlefield is to our advantage. Compared to the advantage of accomplishing a main objective early on, they’ll overlook such a little inconvenience. Their numbers will give them enough self-confidence,” Roban answered grinning.

“Your cheerfulness feels really reassuring to me!” Cybrien said smiling at Roban.

“That’s because you’re as insane as he is! Of course I mean that in a most respectful way, Oh great General. I wouldn’t want Athea to slap me around like she did Sinheyd,” Gillyn huffed.

“Yeah, that did hurt and not just my pride. It was worth it though. I could see what you did already, Athea does have the spine to lead us,” Sinheyd commented.

“Well, and Roban obviously has the insanity to lead us into this war. Not much to complain about, aside from the foregone conclusion it will lead to our destruction,” Sahein quipped.

“Don’t mind them my friend. Women don’t see a battlefield like we do. They can’t hear the music in a scream of pain, or enjoy the play of steel clashing on steel,” Cybrien sighed longingly.

“The beauty of a corpse blossoming in a shower of blood, or the peaceful picture of an enemy taking his final breath,” Roban added smiling.

“Insane!” Gillyn repeated. Staring wide-eyed at the two men, Sahein and Sinheyd nodding agreed.

The placement of the camps was a bit different from the positioning at Notabir. The Amazon camp was in the center now, surrounded by the three clan camps. The evening meal at the campfires was a silent affair. Not the usual lighthearted talking or happy laughter that could be heard just a day before. Athea, Roban and their group of friends went to sleep early, also without the by now usual wild and freely shared pleasure amongst each other.

Sometime after midnight Roban was awakened by the movement of Athea. She sat straddling his hips and watched him. For a long time they just looked in each other’s eyes. At long last, without to ever break the connection between their eyes, Athea placed Roban’s cock at her pussy and slowly sank down on it. When Athea had taken him inside her as far as she could, she stopped all movement and continued to look at him.

“You will not leave me today.”

It was the only thing she said. After she finished the sentence, Athea erupted into the most frenzied act of sexual ferocity Roban had ever seen of his sister. The expression on her face was of manic intensity. Her eyes, now swirling pools of blue light, kept his gaze captive in their bottomless depth. Without a sense of time, he was as surprised about her sudden scream as he was about his own orgasm.

When Athea ran out of breath she collapsed onto his chest and he realized how wet he was there. She was still clawing at his shoulders when she fell asleep again. As he looked closer he noticed the wetness on his chest wasn’t blood, but her tears. Roban’s humanity swore to do everything in its power to not disappoint his sister. For the first time in its existence even the beast felt something like worry.

About two hours before sunrise Roban was pointing out to a group of clan members and Amazons where they would take position, and what he expected them to do during the battle. It was cold and a continuous drizzling mix of rain and snow increased the somber mood seemingly everyone but Roban felt. Roban was brimming with energy and the awareness of the coming battle had set his senses on edge. Wherever he went the people around him could feel his eagerness to fight. To Roban it was more than eagerness, it was a hungry craving from the depth of his being and it became worse with every passing minute.

Two hours after sunrise a clan scout reported that about twelve thousand mounted Manthakin had left the camp and were moving in their direction. With them were large packs of huge war-dogs, difficult to count but no less than a thousand maybe even two.

An hour later Roban could smell them and felt vibrations through the ground from the many thousand hooves of their mounts. He needed every last bit of his control to keep from charging in their direction.

Finally, after another hour, the first Manthakin riders appeared on a hill a half mile west of their position. Roban stood a hundred yards in front of Hassika’s troop of the three hundred Amazon warriors. Each one held a longbow, a quiver with twenty arrows strapped to their back and a bundle of fifty arrows was driven into the ground close to their feet. They stood in two loose rows behind a line of sharpened wooden poles. The poles were dug deep into the frozen ground, and the sharpened end at chest-height for a horse. The line of poles ended on both sides at the start of the next hillside, too steep and rough for a horse to pass. Behind them the hill gently tapered off until it leveled with the riverbank. To the north the Manthakin would have to ride for more than two miles before they could turn and come up the hill behind their position. The way around at the south was much shorter. Five hundred yards behind them a rider could come up the hill and attack them from the back. Although this five hundred yard path led through a fifty yard narrow canyon, formed by an equally steep hillside to the south and the side of the one they occupied.

Close behind the Amazons stood Athea with her friends. Further down the hill, out of sight from the Manthakin, three thousand clan warriors were waiting for their planned moment to attack. Only a few men and women from the clans were assigned with a different task.

More and more riders appeared on the hill and soon to the sides of it as well. A little more time passed until a crow rose from behind their hill, but as soon as it was in range the amazons shot it down and two of them let their hunting-hawks rise to circle their position.