I feel like I'm entering the home stretch of this fanfiction. But enjoy...and warning, battle scenes are going to become increasingly common over the next ten chapters or so.
To Arms Part I
"War is hell and you cannot refine it."-General William T. Sherman, US Army
February faded away into March as it arrived bringing with it constant rainy, drizzling weather. Rowena became more despondent and dissatisfied. Her temper was starting to surface more readily and only the presence of Helga kept it in check-mostly. On one particularly stormy day, Princess Rowena Ravenclaw stood facing a wall, a blue dress on, black hair streaming freely down her back, a mysteirous book clenched tightly in her hands. She was very depressed and irritable, but lightened up as Helga came into the room.
"Rowena," Helga said, coming in. "Are you alright?"
"Better than I was before," Rowena said sternly.
"Princess," Dolag said, entering.
Rowena motioned for Helga to leave, which she did. She clenched her teeth shut. Every day brought more news of her people, which meant no escape. If she did, she was sure they'd hunt her down and kill her, even if she was a witch.
"What?" she said, her eyes slowly opening. She didn't turn around to face her chief commander.
"My Princess, three thousand more of your people have been found, bringing it up to nearly twenty thousand," he said. "They've all accepted you as their leader. Their rulers are demanding an audience with you."
"I could care less," she spat. "I'll guess...old nobles from my father's council."
"Uh, yes," Dolag said, his insides dancing a little too much for his taste. He too harbored a deep hatred for the old fools that had gathered around the king in the final years before the overthrow of the castle and now he knew the Princess also shared the same sentiment.
"They're little better than animals," she said, not bothering to hide her contempt. In her mind, they were as complicit as her father was in her imprisonment. "I want nothing to do with them."
"It won't go over well," Dolag pointed out.
"Princess," said another man. Rowena's irritable level increased tenfold. "I have grave news."
"What would that be?" she asked, again not facing either of them.
"An army of four thousand Pict warriors are coming."
Rowena rounded at this.
"WHAT?!"
"An army..."
"I know, I know, who's leading them," she demanded. As much as Rowena hated to admit it, everyone was in deep trouble and her sense of duty refused to let her abandon her people to savages.
"I don't know," the warrior admitted.
"Well, find out."
"Of course my Lady," the warrior said, running off.
"Daighgear," Rowena swore, causing some of her handmaids to flinch again. "This is not what we need at this time."
"Prin...Rowena," Dolag said under the withering gaze Rowena gave him. "What are your orders?"
Rowena closed her eyes, dreading what she had to say next. Men were going to die, but she had no choice. She cleared her mind, trying to find the best course of action. She tried to picture her mother, who had often ruled in their father's absences, how'd she handle it. Helga, who had sidled back into the room, inserted her hand into Rowena's, helping to calm her down.
"Send runners to all of our people, I want every warrior here within twelve hours, no less. We'll need everyone we can to take this army down."
"Yes Rowena," Dolag said, bowing and running out of the cave.
"Helga, use your translation spell, we're going to war. There will be casualties and you'll be in charge of treating them. I'm sorry...we don't have a choice."
"No problem Sis," Helga said. Rowena smiled; Helga had recently began using 'Sis' every now and then and it warmed the cold warrior's heart to hear it. It was new to Rowena, having a sister. She was the only girl born in the Ravenclaw royal family in the past 200 years, so it had been a bit lonely.
Rowena paced, reflecting on what she needed to do. She shelved her lack of confidence for now; what her people needed was the warrior Rowena who..but yet...
She turned around and took deep breaths.
Not now...show no emotion...show no mercy.
She took her mother's words to heart and left the cave.
News traveled fast and soon Rowena had representives...the old fools...at her cave each trying to sell her their battle plan.
Idiots...like they know anything...Rowena thought. She boiled over.
"ENOUGH!" she shouted, causing the discussion to come to an abrupt halt. "I'm not my father and I won't ever be."
Cowed by her temper, everyone shut up. Mina, who was watching and having been on the receiving end of Rowena's infamous rage many times, simply smiled watching men much taller and more muscular than her cower before the Warrior Princess."
"Your plans SUCK!...don't interrupt, because you don't know the terrain."
Rowena had stolen many books from traders, travelers and sympathetic courtiers from abroad had lent her some scrolls. She had studied in detail many battles now that knowledge was finally coming in use. Rowena's mind began racing at a million miles a minute, a battleplan forming before her very eyes.
"We fight them on my terms, we are short by 1,000 men, but they don't need know that. We'll force them to fight unfamiliar to guarantee victory."
"How?" Rendrik, the man who'd she run into near Wales over six months prior, asked. Some of her father's advisors opened their mouths to object; Rowena glared at them and they immediately fell silent, glaring at the newcomer.
"Three things; we force them to charge uphill...don't look at me like that, that's how the Picts always fight. We shower them with arrows, then we hit them from all sides and cut them down. I already know where too."
"Everyone will work, Mina, I want you to leave a trail to the mountain just north of here, where the rocks divide it into three parts. Assemble the army there. Make sure the Picts find it. Helga, assemble every healer, brew every potion, enlarge your clinic, recruit every woman who can be spared. I want archers on the rocks, hidden. According to our scouts, they should be upon us in 24 hours. Move people, Rendrik, Dolag, stay behind."
Everyone scuttled away, her father's old generals throwing her digusted looks...and getting one in return. When they had all left, Rowena lowered her voice.
"Watch those buffoons, I don't trust any of them."
"Neither do I Princess," Rendrik said. "They all have their own agenda."
"Oh, as a silent observer, I watched them very carefully," Rowena said. "I know their agendas. The most crucial thing is not to waste men. Rendrik, you take charge of the archers, let loose when most opportune. Dolag, you're in charge of when to loose the men upon the enemy's front."
The entire camp was a flurry of activity. Mina, assisted by forty women, cut down trees, and left a trail an army couldn't resist. Dolag allocated the men, assigning the old guard, as he now called them privately, to the right, less crucial flank. Rendrik scouted the slopes, selecting the locations for his archers personally. Warriors poured in from all over, received their assignments from the Princess or her subordinates and headed out to designated assembly points.
"No, I will not give you preferinail treatment," Rowena shouted. One of her father's old generals, Chait, a wizened old warrior with a temper to match hers, had stormed into her chamber demanding to replaced Rendrik and Dolag as commander of the army.
"WHY?!"
"Well, were where you when my father tried to set me up with as a bride? When our castle was attacked, why did you run?! Of what nature have been your contributions to the safety of our nation recently? None. Let me remind you Chait (she put as much hatred into it as she could) who're you're talking to."
"If I didn't run I wouldn't survived too..."
"And what have you contributed since, other than barging into my chambers?"
Silence.
"I thought so," Rowena said, pulling her sword closer to her. "Now, get back to the right flank before I strip you of your warrior rank."
"But..."
Rowena lost it.
Incendio, she thought.
A massive fire erupted all around him, crisping his clothes and nearly setting his hair on fire.
"Get out before I burn you to a crisp," she demanded, waving her hand again and making the fire vanish. "And by the way, my father's law concerning witches no longer stands."
Chait stormed out muttering. Rowena's headache magnified tenfold and she laid down on her bed.
"Ow," she said as Helga came in.
"Headache?" she asked. "I'll get you a pain draft."
Helga left the cave and found Dolag waiting.
"What?" she asked, wary. She didn't exactly trust anyone here, which was why she stuck so close to Rowena's side.
"I need you to put together a Sleeping Draft," he said. "For Rowena, and keep the secret from her. I'll take the full blame for it."
"Why?"
"She cannot go to battle tomorrow, and if I know her like her father, she had a streak of pride in her that won't let her think otherwise. It's Ravenclaw tradition for the King to lead warriors personally into battle...it has gotten a few of them killed...but I can't let her do it. She's our only hope, no one can risk her being killed tomorrow, she has no heir to speak of."
Helga couldn't argue with that, and she couldn't bear the thought of her sister dying.
"Fine, I'll do it," Helga said. "But you're taking full responsbility when she wakes up."
She walked back into her small clinic, which had been set up in a small house built from the surrounding trees next to the cave and began to mix up some herbs she'd collected from the nearby woods.
"Here's your potion," Helga said, having rehearsed this for nearly an hour and hoping it would work.
"What's in it?" Rowena asked, suspicious. Her warrior insticits told her something was up, she just couldn't quite put her finger on it.
"A pain draft designed to remove your headache, nothing else, I swear," Helga said, raising her hands up.
Rowena downed it and shuddered; it tasted like raw sheep stomach.
"Yeah the headache is..."
She gazed at Helga, sleepiness taking over her.
"Are you sure, what...you!"
"I swear it wasn't me," Helga said, acting innocent. "It was just supposed to be a pain draft, I swear."
Dolag came in.
"Sorry, Princess, but I can't let you lead the men tomorrow," he told her.
Rowena was out. She collapsed onto her bed snoring.
"I'll hold you to that promise," Helga warned him, knowing the storm that would awaken when Rowena awoke in twenty four hours.
"I'll be back tomorrow, or not," Dolag said.
A massive, smelly, army of nearly naked Picts marched following the trails expertly made by Mina. Along the way, they were watched by Ravenclaw scouts and their movements expertly relayed to Dolag. On a nearby mountain with trees, stood 2,500 Ravenclaw warriors. Interspersed among the trees, it helped to conceal their numbers. Rocks jutting hundreds of feet into the formed a funnel, evening the advantage in numbers. Behind the Ravenclaw warriors was a path down the other side in case they needed to escape. On the slopes were the archers, both in front of and behind the main body of men.
"Where's the Princess?," Rendrik asked as Dolag came into the tent alone.
"She's asleep," Dolag explained. "She has no heirs, and we can't risk losing her."
"But she's brilliant. This plan will not fail."
"I know, and we're going to follow her plan to the letter. She is good, I'll give her that. She even marked where the army was likely to march and our scouts have reported they are following her path to the letter. So, when the Picts get within sight, we'll have our warriors line up. Per Rowena's instructions, the Picts will charge, we'll blast them with arrows and then lay into them."
"I hope you're right," Rendrik said. "For all our sakes. If we lose, there will be no Ravenclaw clan left."
Upon sighting the Ravenclaw warriors assembled on the mountains, the warriors ignored their commanders and charged. A woman dressed in Roman-esque attire in the center tried to restrain her men, but they ignored her, too busy focused on the small force in the mountain in front of them.
"They're coming," came across the Ravenclaw lines. Many of the Ravenclaw warriors had been scrounging just to survive over the last year and all were eager for a fight. But they remained still and disciplined in their lines.
As the mass of sweaty warriors advanced, runners on the cliffs carefully noted their moments. As they came within one hundred yards, a blue eagle flag raised up, to be met by others on the cliffs around them. Rendrik had a bow and around five hundred scattered around the cliffs that formed a large V-shape. The Pictish army charged up into the opening of the V towards the Ravenclaw warriors gathered at the top. The best hunters from all the Ravenclaw cells that had been roaming the countryside were stationed above the cliffs to ensure every inch of the ground would have an arrow in it.
"Ready, Loose!" Rendrik yelled.
"LOOSE!" circled among the men and around the cliffs.
Five hundred arrows laced into the air. The Picts, busy charging uphill didn't notice them until it was too late. Their mysterious cloaked commanders could only watch helplessly as the arrows did their work, thinning out the Pictish ranks at an alarming rate. Rendrik's men ceased firing when the lines became too close, but their work was done. Around a thousand Pict warriors lay on the slopes.
At Dolag's signal, the Ravenclaw warriors assembled at the top of the V charged and all stragety went out the window. It became one man against other, each struggling for survival with every fiber of their being. Casualties began to mount on both sides, but amongst the Picts it was devestation. Despite the great losses they'd already sustained, the Picts and their mysterious Roman commanders reformed and began to push the Ravenclaw men back up the slope by sheer weight of numbers.
"This isn't good," Dolag said, fending off a Pict.
Rendrik cut down another one.
"We'd better stand our ground, if we lose cohesion, we're beat."
The Ravenclaw men fell back but reformed into a spear like formation and crashed into the Picts again. The second round of fight was as vicious as any in Dark Age history. In the carnage men on both sides lost their lives in hideous fashion. With both armies locked in close quarter combat, the Picts seemed to be winning.
A battle cry drew everyone's attention. Above the hill crested thousands of more men, uttering war cries and armed to the teeth.
"Whose are those?" Dolag asked, as stunned as everyone. Many of the warriors split apart to watch the spetacle unfold.
The newcomers charged down the slope towards the main fight. With them was Rendrik's archers.
"They're ours," Dolag said, now very excited. "Men, prepare to fall back and let the new ones take charge."
The new clansmen tore into the Picts, sparing no one. Dolag's men fell back, letting the newcomers do the rest of the dirty work. So quick was the attack that many of the Roman-like commanders didn't have time to Apparate away. The Ravenclaw men cut them down without mercy. But many disappeared into thin air with a 'pop'.
"Thanks goodness it's over," Dolag said, as his men started the grim process of gathering the wounded and preparing the dead for a ritual Ravenclaw burial.
"Could've been worse," Rendrik said, joining him. "I have news, most of the comamnders survived, but somehow all the old guard are dead or missing. I'm suspecting some of our men helped as well though."
Dolag wasn't surprised.
"No way we can prove it. Let's just keep that between ourselves. No need to report that to the Princess."
"Did someone say 'Princess?" said a voice over their shoulder.
A man stood before him, a man who looked very familiar. Flanked by four burly, barrel-chested warriors, he had Rowena's black hair, blue eyes, but not her thinly swiftly-suited built frame. Muscular like the old King had been himself, he wore black clothes and a dark cloak off of his black emblazoned with a soaring bronze eagle.
"Did you say 'Princess'?" he repeated earnstly. "As in Princess Rowena Ravenclaw?"
"Yes, how do you know?" Dolag demanded, suspicious.
The men around the man were offended.
"Easy, they don't know," he said to them. "I am Prince Fearghas Ravenclaw. Rowena's younger brother."
"Your majesty," Dolag and Rendrik said together, bowing.
"No bowing, we are all equal here," he said. "So, back to the Princess. Is she alive?"
"Well, she is," Rendrik said. "We wouldn't be talking about her if..."
Dolag nudged him in the ribs.
"I must see her at once, it's been ten years since my father forced us apart."
"We'll take you to her."
Rowena was furious. After waking up from the Sleeping Draft, her temper was flaring. What she hadn't expected was Helga anticipated this and had put in an additional ingredient that rendered her unable to walk. Bedridden, she could do little but simmer and snipe and wait for news from the battlefield.
Dolag came in to the cave.
"DOLAG HOW DARE YOU!" she screeched at the top of her lugns. "HW.."
"Silencio," Helga said in Welsh, her wand hidden under her dress. Rowena's mouth clamped itself shut, but only for a moment.
"We won Princess," Dolag said, taking advantage of the momentary silence.
"Who's idea was this?" she demanded, glaring at both of them.
"It was mine," said a voice she hadn't heard in nearly ten years.
"Fearghas," she whispered as a burly man came into the cave. She couldn't believe it; she had accepted all of her siblings as dead. Rowena looked around; she needed to put any recriminations aside for now, yet she was still very happy to see him.
"Fearghas," the Princess shouted. She swung her legs off of her and tried to get up-and forgot about her limp legs. She made it two steps before her kneecaps locked. Fearghas caught her in his arms before she faceplanted and swung his sister around in the air.
"It's been too long, I thought you were dead," Fearghas said. "Or married to a stranger in some distant kingdom."
"I managed to avoid that luckily," Rowena said, still suspended a foot off the ground. Her brother was a head taller than she was and his arms were at least twice as thick as hers. "Um, could you put me on that bed please."
"Sure," Fearghas said, complying. "You can't walk?"
"Thanks to some sleeping potion," Rowena muttered, throwing Dolag and Helga dark looks.
"Why?"
"Ask Dolag," Rowena said, relishing the opportunity to throw her newly found might around. "Why did you do it?"
"To keep you safe," Dolag said, completely calm. "We couldn't risk losing the only known Ravenclaw-at the time-to battle. Who'd lead us?"
"Good point," Fearghas said, "Don't lose your temper with me."
Rowena gave him a dirty look.
"That's my big sister," Fearghas said, shaking it off. "Always hot tempered and lovable at the same time."
"Watch it, I haven't forgotten."
"Could you leave us alone," Fearghas asked Dolag. "Men, take the warriors back to camp and disperse them. Tell everyone the Princess has returned."
His men stood at attention then left. Everyone left the two royals to catch up on ten lost years. Once everyone had gone, the smile dropped from Rowena's mouth.
"Why are you here?"
"To take back our kingdom," Fearghas said, now all business. "I know we've had our disagreements in the past, but I'm going to need your help. I hope that we can establish a close relationship when it was denied us in the past."
Rowena wasn't sure what to make of this or his intentions. In all honesty, she wasn't sure what to think of her brother Fearghus, a man never supposed to inherit any throne. As children they'd been close, but her father had separated them forcefully at age ten. Over time, their relationship had become somewhat strained as Rowena increasingly isolated herself from everyone but Mina.
That's something we do have in common. Marry into a rich family and leave the clan. Typical. Yet somehow we both got away with it, Rowena thought.
Fine," Rowena agreed, regaining control of her temper. "Fine. Truce for now. But we're going to have to make some major changes around here before I agree to make life tolerable for you."
News spread like wildfire. Everyone knew soon knew of the return of a prince, now the king. Princess Rowena Ravenclaw was also relieved. She was free...or so she thought. Fearghas's ideas for ruling were far different than she expected.
With the support of his sister, Fearghas moved quickly to assert his control and crowd out any potential rivals. He merged Rowena's subordinates into a new ruling council of ten, half the old guard from their father and the other half from more those who had digutuished themselves more recently. The first meeting was held in a forest glade lined with log chairs having, been hewn recently by Ravenclaw craftsman.
At the head of the small circle was the last two known Ravenclaws in the world, Fearghas and Rowena.
"This council meeting will be quick," Fearghas said. "I mean to make two things very clear before reconvening in two days at noon. How this council is going to operate. The head of this council (several of the old guard swelled importantly) will be my sister Princess Rowena."
Rowena was completely taken aback; she didn't expect this at all and she wasn't sure how to process it. Grumbling came from the old guard, while the newest members applauded quietly, including Dolag and Rendrik.
"If a concern is raised by the council it goes through her. I also confer the title of regent on her if something were to happen to me as she is also my heir as I have no issue right now."
Fearghas paused to let his words sink in.
"In effect, my sister and I are going to share the responbility of running this tribe until our lands are restored. We'll divide up the royal duties later on, but I will have no one questioning her authority. Council dismissed."
Everyone filed out, with the old guard throwing dirty looks at the Princess-and getting more in return.
"Why did you do that?" Rowena demanded, completely taken aback. She hadn't expected something like this.
"Because unlike father, I won't make the same mistake."
"Mistake? Which is?"
"Sideline you from royal duty. You see sister," he said, directing her gaze to him. "I believe in you. You just created a battle plan that won without you even being there. Come on."
"Come on what?"
"When will you begin to see yourself as I see you?" he asked. "And lose that temper."
"When did you become Mina?" Rowena demanded, hand on her hips, trying to prevent a smile from breaking across her face.
"When you were locked away from me," Fearghas said. "You have no idea how much I missed you."
"That's rare coming from a Ravenclaw prince. It's not..."
"How you survive, in public yes, in private no," Fearghas explained. "Look, there is no escaping your royal responbilities. If you want them lessened just tell me. No matter what, I want you at the glade in two days at noon. No excuses."
With that, he left the glade and Rowena to her own thoughts. She wasn't sure what to believe about herself now. But she resolved to keep her sword on her at all times. She didn't trust her father's old advisors at all. Next day after getting ready, Rowena had more questions for her brother, only to be met by several of his newly-appointed advisors.
"What's going on," Rowena said, ill-tempered. "Fearghas is the king. What's the problem?"
"He's gone Princess," Rendrik said. "He went hunting this morning. That leaves you in charge."
Oh, so that's why gave me so much authority.
"Fine, what is the issue."
She waved the advisors into the cave, wondering briefly how Godric and Salazar were doing in the West Country. They couldn't be doing worse than she and Helga were, right?
