The Draconia Chronicles: Knights of the Westfold
Chapter 11: Tragedy (The Rape of Conlaodh Moor)
With Lady Noemi back from the Dragon Kingdom, I welcomed her back and the rebel dragons, "So...there are some in the Kingdom that have the gall to stand up to Ol' Blackwing?" I said to the dragons. I was in full armor and my crowned coif of chainmail, "you must be Elyss, Qualin, and Blue," I shouldered my battle axe, and looked at the young dragons with their mother, "oh and who are these younglings?" I said with a light smile, and chuckled as they hid behind their mother.
"Oh they are my daughters, your highness, I'm sorry if they are a little shy," replied the red-haired dragoness, "go on introduce yourselves, girls,"
"I'm Fiera," said one looking at me like she was ready to jump out of her scales.
"And I'm Mizu...," said the other, and I ruffled their hair to tell them there is nothing to be afraid of
I nodded and looked at Lady Noemi whom had a ready sword unsheathed. That knight from the House of Blaireau is one of the bravest warriors I have ever met. She defiantly goes to the Dragon Kingdom to rescue the children of the woman she loves. Blue is a strong dragon just like her own comrades, I can see it in those green eyes. I looked at the combined army now 8,000 strong with knights, infantry, archers, and crossbow-women from all the regions of the Westfold.
I raised my axe to the sky, and bellowed my loudest battle cry and the others joined their voices together. With these rebel dragons and this hardened army, we moved out from the camp. I lead the army with Lady Noemi and Lady Glenda riding behind me. The hooves of 1,500 mounted knights from my royal guard and the two rebel houses noble pounded the ground like an earthquake, and the sound of armor and weapons ringed to a single and steady rhythm in their march.
"My Queen, permission to speak?" asked Elyss, and I granted it to her with a single nod, "I feel we must lead the army through the mountain pass,"
"The mountain pass? The Pass of the Olden Queens?" asked Lady Noemi, 'it is treacherous, but it is the fastest way to the Valley of the River Righ,"
"The Dragons will lead their forces through the pass, it is the only way we can get into the Westfold," added Qualin, "I am certain the Queen is using that route,"
As the army marched on the road leading out to the Pass of the Olden Queens, the army stopped as we came across a horrible sight. A village had suffered the malice of Queen Oscura. The bell from the local church rung in the silence. Not a single building was standing. The entire village had been burned to the ground, "I don't understand, a standing army should have been here," I said looking at the devastation before me, not even children and males were spared in the attack.
"My Queen!" called out Lady Glenda over looking a cliff. I could see the look of shock on her face as she pointed down. What I saw was a field colored red with bodies of a slain army. The stench of burning flesh filled the air. I looked at the tattered banners to see that this army came from the House of Whitetail. The bodies were so badly burned that they could not be identified, yet the banner was the only way to tell where they came from. This army was from the Northwest.
There wasn't a single dragon among the dead, and there were no archers among the army as the Whitetail's don't believe in the use of archers in battle. Queen Oscura was not pulling any strings. I know I am going to have to face Blackwing's armies. As some might say, one queen in one land is unity, two queens in one land is war. Blackwing already has a war that has been raging for over one hundred years. I am no mode now for terms or conditions. If she wants a battle, then so be it.
"By the Goddess," said Blue in awe with the other two dragons, she kneeled down in the snow as if to check for something, "this attack was resent at least two days ago,"
"That was about the same time she left on her own," said Lady Glenda, and it was then that I saw Lady Noemi coming up from the distance, "no...it can't be,"
Noemi came out of the battlefield holding a helmet that I seemed to recognize, "Lady Claramond...," Noemi said sadly while being comforted by Blue. This is a tragedy that none should have to suffer for, "they were attacked without warning, and Dragons attacked from the mountainside, this wasn't a battle, this was cold-blooded murder," looked over to see Lady Noemi walk over to the outskirts of the battlefield. She stuck a flanged mace into the snow, and placed the helmet on it.
"It wasn't your fault, Lady Noemi," I said putting a consoling hand on her shoulder, from the evidence of the battle I could tell our army was dealing with a very large army. I led her away, and back to her horse. I mounted up, and surveyed the army, "Blackwing's army is moving quickly, we need to make haste before they reach the capital, we are the only hope for the Westfold now...MOVE OUT!" This land lost one of it's best knights. Like Lady Noemi, I will not allow her sacrifice to be in vain.
My eldest sister and my mother were both executed by Queen Oscura. The only family I have left now is my younger sister Lady Annabelle of Golden-Mane, "The Dragons are trying to send us a message, My Queen," said Lady Annabelle riding up beside me, "as your sister, I feel it is time to send one back to the Queen herself," such dedication to the cause made me proud to call her my sister. Though she failed to take Whitestone Castle by force of arms, she seemed as ready for battle as me.
The army came up out of the pass, and saw the royal castle only a few miles away. The army had made it to the entrance of the Valley of the River Righ, "We made it lassies, we made it!" I cheered to the army. We had accomplished our goal, but the Queen's army was no where in sight. I would not be lulled into a sense of false security, "keep your eyes clear, me lassies, make no mistake, we will meet them," I advised the army before we headed down into the valley from the mountain pass.
I gathered Lady Noemi, Lady Glenda, Elyss, Qualin, Blue, and Lady Annabelle in my tent that evening, "We will divide our forces into three sections, Noemi you will command the left, Glenda you will take the right, and I will lead the center, Qualin, Blue, I need for you to make a water shield to the best of your strength, a shield big enough to protect 8,000 warriors, do you understand?" I asked them. The two water dragons looked at each other and nodded a single nod before they faced me.
"You are asking a lot from us, your highness," said Qualin,
"But we can do it," Blue said flexing her arm and holding her arm muscle as a show of strength, "fire dragons are weak against water,"
"They have earth dragons as well, judging from the attacked village," said Elyss, "probably to protect themselves against your archers,"
"Then we will do this," said Lady Glenda pointing the tip of her dagger at our position on the map, "Blackwing's going to expect us to fire our volleys into the air," Glenda explained, "our arrows have had success against everything but earth dragons, to that we will hide our archers in the ranks of the infantry, and send a second volley straight at them, they won't expect it," I nodded in agreement, and that was until Blue had a plan of her own. I knew then that I could trust these dragons in battle.
"Permission to speak, your highness?" She asked, and I granted it to her, "I notice you have crossbow-women in your army, I suggest we place them here on the sides in the forest areas and have them attack the flanks, they won't have the time to power up their magick to counter it," said Blue, I smiled as Lady Noemi gave her a kiss on the cheek for her input and to say she agrees with her. With this place set, I was confident in both the army we have, and the dragons noble to our cause.