Summary: Anwyn is the sixteen year old moranrch of the small country of Hadran. With her mothers assassination she is forced to protect her country against the invading Calscuri army.

Disclaimer: Are you kidding? I totally own this!

Authors Note: A story i wrote for school. I wanted to post it and so placed it under a Tamir Triad and Cry of The Icemark crossover as they were the two books that gave me the inspiration for thsi story. I am not rewritting this and there will not be more. Sorry. And i want reviews before i finish this story. please? Cake for reviewers.

CHAPTER NINE

Anwyn's army stood still at the narrowest part of the pass. They had been arranged as planned, with supply wagons behind them and archers at the back and on the outside. Her hands were encased by her gauntlets as she clutched her spear and sword. Her warriors stood beside her bravely as they awaited the first charge.

The first charge happened shortly after. The Calscuri cavalry galloped towards them full charge. Shouting their battle cry the Hadran housecarles threw their spears in a volley of death. The first line of horses fell and the soldiers picked themselves up continuing the charge on foot. The housecarles stood their ground as the wave broke upon them. Their minds fell into the training routine and they moved as a unit, crushing the Calscuri soldiers, even with their larger numbers.

The second wave of cavalry was also struck down by the deadly aim of the housecarles. Again, the soldiers tried to continue to the charge on foot only to be met and killed by the fryd. The rock walls stopped them from surrounding them and the frontal attacks weren't working. The commander was yelling at his army as he sent yet another wave upon the Hadran. The Housecarles were getting more confident as they continued their chants. "Blood! And Fire! Blood! And Fire!" The Calscuri were now charging over the bodies of their fallen comrades in order to attack the fryd. Their hacked corpses carpeted the pass, their bloody bodies chopped and sliced by the swords of the housecarles.

Anwyn was covered in blood. She watched helplessly as her housecarles took their first casualty. The left side had been broken, three of her warriors dead. She screamed in outrage as she realised Verni was one of them. The man that had taught her weapons, taught her to climb and fight was dead. The second row of warriors had taken the place of their fallen comrades quickly; making certain the fryd maintained its stability and strength. Anwyn called for the first and second lines to switch as the Calscuri attacks paused for a moment. Her third line took the place of the second so the tiring warriors of the first line could take a break.

The Calscuri archers shot volley after volley into the Hadran ranks. Every second line placed their shields above their heads protecting themselves and the line in front leaving the archers free to shoot a counter volley back into the Calscuri army. The archers were effectively cut down and the Housecarles cheered. "Blood! And Fire! Blood! And Fire!"

Anwyn ordered her archers to focus on the bulk of the Calscuri forces. Their numbers weren't helping them. Anwyn's advisors had come up with a brilliant strategy when this one was suggested. They stood a chance.

Anwyn's small force advanced a small five meters out of the narrow pass. They strengthened their ranks and lined the larger area. They made five lines, their older veterans in the front. Most of the force was still secured in the smaller section of the pass, only the first twenty lines venturing out.

They stood 100 men wide waiting for the next charge. Hopefully with the wider front and their more skilled warriors the battle would be over soon. Their archers continued to shoot volley after volley into the Calscuri host. Their numbers were decreasing slowly.

The commander ordered a sideways charge, his host charging in a single wave. Anwyn's soldiers were surrounded by rock walls on three sides. The five rows that stood outside the bulk of the housecarles were pressed back onto the wall. They held their positions as they allowed a few of the Calscuri to infiltrate the first line only to fall on the second. They were engaged.

The Calscuri commander was enraged. The little girl had stopped all of his attacks. His army was dwindling. The 50 000 men he had started the invasion with had dropped. He calculated his force to be about 30 000 men now. The little bitch had killed almost half of his army already. And he had only managed to kill four of her demon warriors.

He ordered a sideways charge and watched as his entire host moved forward as one, sweeping across the battlefield from left to right. He smiled when he saw several of his soldiers make it past the first line, but the smile stopped when he saw them all fall before they had made it through the second line. The bitch had planned this. He couldn't believe he was losing to a small, sixteen year old girl. He had expected this invasion to be a push over. His assassins had killed Queen Lalita in order to make it easier for his invading army. He had expected it to be a pushover. No army he knew would ever consent to being led by a sixteen year old girl, and a un bloodied one at that. He couldn't believe it. The bitch was winning.

The first and second lines were advancing slowly allowing gaps to form in their ranks so a few of the enemy could move onto the third line. They moved as individuals as they sliced at the enemy, while keeping moving as a singular unit at the same time. The housecarles were outnumbered at about 6:1 but they were taking it well. The first line of Housecarles had fallen and the second was retreating back to the third as the Calscuri kept coming. Anwyn ordered the rest of her army out to back them up leaving the archers at the narrowest point.

They formed another 30 lines behind the four that were already there. Her archers kept shooting at the advancing army. She ordered runners back to the wagons to bring more arrows.

Hours passed. The battle raged on as the two forces met in a flash of metal and the clangs of steel on steel. Her housecarles had proven their worth many times over as they went up against multiple opponents and came out on top. They weren't out numbered by as much now. Their archers had run out of arrows a long time ago but they had done their job well. The army that had once outnumbered them at 10:1 was now barely outnumbering them at 2:1. Anwyn could see this coming to a quick end. Many of her housecarles had fallen in the process. Their losses were few when compared to those of the Calscuri but were enormous when she thought of the amount of life that had been lost. Friends had lost friends and many had lost brothers, mothers, fathers and sisters. Only 1000 housecarles had fallen, but that was a fifth of her force.

The housecarles kept their ground well. They swung their swords with all the passion in their heart. Blood covered them and they were splattered in gore but they kept fighting. Their voices where hoarse from their chants but that only served to make them increase their volume. "Blood! And Fire!" rang out over the battlefield as every single Hadran warrior took up the strain. "Blood! And Fire! Blood! And Fire!"

Anwyn was tired. She could feel her moves slowing steadily as the battle raged on. She could see her housecarles slow as they also reached the end of their endurance.

Waves of adrenaline took over the Fryd as the regrouped Calscuri force made another charge. The fryd stood solid as the Calscuri crashed upon them as waves unto rock. The Calscuri flowed over the bodies of their comrades as they broke upon the first line again and again hoping to wear them down. They trod on the mutilated bodies of their comrades, not caring where they were standing as long as they reached the Fryd's ranks.

The Calscuri reached the lines of housecarles only to find themselves joining their companions, their blood flowing in a dark red river back towards their commander. He had joined the fight but it was too late. Anwyn called a charge and her remaining warriors ran hard out of the narrow pass to engage with the few remaining Calscuri soldiers. The Calscuri had failed. It was their turn to be out numbered. The army that had numbered 50 000 was now only a fragment of its former self. The remaining thousand soldiers retreated quickly, outnumbered 4:1 by the housecarles.

The Calscuri commander sat awaiting his execution. Dantes picked up the sword and raised it. "Do you have any last words?" The commander looked out across the battlefield at his decimated army. 50 000 men had lost to an army of 5000 housecarles led by an unbloodied sixteen year old girl. It wasn't possible. He turned back to the group that was watching him. Gathering his saliva he spat at Anwyn. "You Bitch!" he yelled. Dantes swung the sword at his neck and decapitated him. "Don't you dare talk to our queen like that." Anwyn walked slowly away from the headless man. Behind her the fryd was hailing her as Muna. She didn't feel like it. Lothian found her there.

"They're hailing you as Muna. " he said simply. Anwyn let out a hollow laugh. "aw, common An, what's wrong?" he laughed. "There's nothing wrong with being hailed as the saviour of our country. She was the first and best queen we've ever had." Anwyn looked at him sideways.

"I don't feel like her." She said simply. She sighed, "Lothian, if they think of me as Muna I have a lot to live up to. There's such a high standard." Lothian took her hands and kissed her.

"You can do it. I know you can. You're the best." Anwyn smiled at that. She punched him playfully in the arm. "Of course i'm the best!" she said. She took out her sword. "Kneel Lothian." She said smiling. Lothian knelt. She tapped him on the shoulders with the flat of her blade. "Rise Sir Lothian of the Southern Marshes." Lothian drew his sword and held it out to her. "With my sword I swear fealty for life. I vow to protect you with everything I have. And I vow to love you until the day that I die." He rose and took her hands. "I will never let you down." They smiled and kissed.