Into the fire

"The King says any one or all of these tactics will do," said Ry

"Bah!" growled Bekki. "Were it mine to choose, I would not offer them surrender terms as King Blaine has said he will do."

"Better they surrender without a fight than to have them maim and kill our own," said Beau. "I'm sick of seeing so many warriors lying in their own leaking blood, weary of sewing and patching muscle and skin as if they were nought but shredded remnants of a torn garment, weary of dealing with broken bones, weary of pain and death and crippling harm… ah, me, but I am weary of war."

They rode awhile without speaking, but then Linde's horn sounded from the fore.

Loric looked at the others. " Tis the call to fall into formation as pla

Bekki sighed and said, "May Elwydd shield ye all."

"May Her hand protect thou as well, Drimm Bekki, DelfLord of Mineholt North," replied Phais.

Bekki peered long at her, an unfathomable look in his eyes, but then he saluted with his war hammer and wheeled his pony rightward and to the fore, where the Chakka of Mineholt North rode in array.

"Take care, wee ones," said Phais, and then she and Loric also turned, and they cantered toward the Lian of Arden Vale.

"Remember," said Ry

Farly shook his head. "I think the High King put us there just to get us out of the way."

"No, he did not," replied Ry

"Well, out of the way or not," said Tipperton, "I say we should get over there now, commander. I mean, I don't trust Modru to honor a grey flag."

Ry

In row after row came the King's host, each long row reaching across the wide flat between the hills to the right and the precipice to the left.

In the lead rode King Blaine and Silverleaf, with Larana to Silverleaf s right and Linde to the King's left. Couched in Larana's stirrup cup was a lance bearing a grey flag, and on Linde's lance flew the King's scarlet and gold.

In a row a short way behind the King were borne the many ba

Directly after the standard bearers came the heavy horses with Baeron astride, maces and morning stars and war hammers in hand, for as Blaine had said, "I would have the foe tremble at the sight of such huge men and mounts; mayhap it will give the enemy pause should there be deceit in their hearts."

And following after the Baeron came row after row of men and Dwarves and Elves, armed and armored for war.

And two miles ahead and also arrayed in row after row stood the Lakh of Hyree and the Askars of Chabba and the Rovers of Kistan, along with the Fists of Rakka, all of them accoutered for war as well.

"Oh lordy," said Beau, "but what a throng. I swear, Tip, there's more foe here than ever was at Dendor."

Grimly, Tipperton nodded but otherwise did not reply as he and the Warrows pressed forward, riding along the right fore flank at the foot of the hills.

"Take note of the terrain," said Ry

Even though Tip was thoroughly familiar with the lay of the land, for he had studied it well while making the sketch, a sketch he had shown to all, still he sca

All was as Tip had last seen it; nothing seemed to have changed.

Tipperton looked up to the right. Somewhere in the hills above, Vail, Arylin, and Flandrena yet watched.

When the distance between the host and the foe came to a half mile or so, King Blaine signed to Linde, and she raised her black-oxen horn to her lips and blew a resonant call, and the host came to a stop.

Riding forward through the ranks came the emissaries who were to accompany King Blaine forward from this point. From the far right rode a wee Warrow on a pony. These emissaries arrayed themselves among the ba

Now King Blaine looked behind and saw all was as pla

"Beware treachery, my lord," gritted a voice from behind.

"I shall, Lord Bekki," replied the King without looking back.

Together, Blaine, Silverleaf, Larana, and Linde rode forward, the grey flag on the right, the scarlet and gold on the left. Directly behind rode the emissaries amid the many ba

The foe did not respond.

Long moments passed, a candlemark or so, yet neither ally nor foe stirred, and Ry

And then Bekki cursed, "Kruk, Loden, look. There's Coward Tain."

Ry

Tipperton looked long at the enemy ranks, and he could make out Lord Tain astride a mount and whispering to the remains of his daughter, while gesticulating toward the host. Tip glanced at the cluster of emissaries: the King and Silverleaf and the others, notably Ry

Of a sudden, Lord Tain straightened and glared about -a shudder ran through Tipperton -the surrogate peered at the waiting King and his escort and laughed, then turned and spoke to someone at hand -and from the hills above there came a horn cry -Tipperton snapped his head around, and there on a crest stood Flandrena, sounding a signal of alarm and pointing northwesterly away from the foe, while thundering downslope toward the King's small assembly came Vail riding at speed -Yaaaah…! Shouted the enemy in a collective wordless howl, and forward charged the throng, mounted Hyrini-ans and Rovers hurtling toward the host, spears lowered, swords raised -"Fly, Ry

Even as the heavy horses of the Baeron thundered forth and the ponies of Dwarves and the horses of men and Elves hammered after, the King shouted a command to his escort, and as one they readied weapons and shields and waited for the wave of allies to come.