Chapter 8; Before the inevitable

Characters of the chapter

Havzar Village chief, Goat Herder

Julius Argentus, Magister of the Tevinter Imperium, commander of the 1st expeditionary legion of Tevinter

Selia, slave to Tiraen Tasvius

Tiraen Tasvius, Magister of the Tevinter Imperium, ambassador to Meereen, commander of the 5th expeditionary legion of Tevinter, formerly apprentice to Magister Cato Argos.

Cursive/Bold text is in Valyrian

Tiraen rode on a narrow mountain road, followed by two riders acting as her bodyguards. Pet ran right after them. He was purposefully never permitted to ride a horse, but his stamina was enough to allow him to keep up so long as they didn't ride at full tilt.

They arrived in a village of huts made of sun-dried clay bricks, with conical roofs made of straw. Home to perhaps a hundred people, maybe two. A small place, but one of the bigger villages in these mountains. Her group stopped at the clearing at the center of the village, the hooves of their horses kicking up clouds of dust. People were rapidly gathering around to gawk. She and her entourage were likely the most incredible thing to ever arrive in their village. Her garments an jewelry alone were worth many times more than all the material possessions in their village combined. She regarded them with cool composure, seeing in their eyes wonder and awe, but also quite a bit of apprehension. They knew they beheld an emissary of conquerors. They knew that her mere presence was playing with fire. They knew that if she was anything else except pleased with them by the end of this meeting, soldiers would come next. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but someday. Then their village would burn and any people and livestock found here would be massacred. She noted many of the men in the village were armed with crude bows or slings. But that was just a precaution in case she decided to try something and they were left with no choice but to defend themselves. She was confident that of their own accord they would never dare to strike at her or her guards, being fully aware of what doing so would bring.

A negotiation this might be, but not one between equals. That much everyone here knew from the start.

An hour after her arrival she was sitting on a wooden stool, regarding the chief of the village, named Havzar. He was little on the plump side (most likely a product of his age rather than eating habits) with thick eyebrows and a bushy beard, and calloused hands from a lifetime of labor. A kindly looking man, most likely an excellent caretaker for his family, though in her presence he was wary. His clothes were roughspun cloth except a vest made of goatskin and a headcap of the same. Like the others in the village he had no shoes or boots. Most likely none in the village could afford to buy such or have the knowledge how to craft such things. Instead he had opted for thick foot wrappings.

All in all, a very unremarkable man, one of millions just like him. Most days a man like him would have been deemed insignificant in the larger scheme of things and not worth her attention. But today was not most days. Today matters were afoot that required her to treat with him.

They had offered her food and drink as a matter of courtesy. Obviously they had provided their very best, but that was not saying much. The boiled goat meat stew was bland and tasteless. The alcohol made from fermented goat's milk on the other hand was so strong it made her want to gag. But she ate without complaint, taking care not to let her dislike show. It was something her mother had taught her. A noble would not complain unless it offered some tangible advantage in her long term plan. A negotiator would not do so unless it gained an edge in the talks. At the moment she had enough of an advantage due to her status she believed cordial behavior would be more useful.

Even here Valyrian was the language of their conversation, yet another reminder of the reach and influence that ancient Empire had once had. As was often the case, the version spoken by the villagers was a corruption of the original, heavily accented dialect well on its way to becoming a language of its own. But as she had knowledge of the root language this dialect was based on they had enough common ground to have their conversation with minimal difficulty. She wondered if the day might come when Tevene had left an imprint on the local languages in the same way.

"So, we are in agreement then?" She asked.

"Yes. We shall provide your forces guides and supplies and help you keep the smaller passes closed to your enemies. In return you will give the people of our village a twenty year immunity from being taken as slaves against our will. We will send word to other villages in the area as well. If any of them wish to take you up on your offer as well they shall contact you." He said.

"Excellent. Then there is only one matter of import left to discuss." She said. "If you wouldn't mind informing your people that our legions are looking for recruits. Those who join and serve for ten years, shall earn for themselves and their families citizenship in the Tevinter Imperium, which means permanent immunity from involuntary enslavement. The only way they or their families can be made slaves then is if they choose to sell themselves into it. Those who join us will be of course be trained fully before they are expected to take part in any fighting, and they will be fed, clothed and paid for the entirety of their service."

Havzar stroked his beard, considering. "I shall pass on the word. I don't know how many might wish to join your army, but if there are any they shall seek you out when they have made up their minds." He said then.

"The prospect of that is more than enough, given the support you already pledge." She said with a smile, then stood up. "This has been a most productive conversation, and I thank you for it. I must confess I'm surprised at how cooperative you chose to be."

Havzar nodded. "Our people have learned to be the sapling in a storm. We bend when strong winds blow, but never break. And after every storm passes we will still endure, rooted in the land where we belong. You aren't the first conquerors we have encountered. First it was the Ghiscari. Then the Valyrians. The Dothraki after them. Then the dragon Queen. With all of them we have done what we need to do for them to leave us be. Today your people are the storm, and we will weather you the same way we have all the others. "

"The only difference being that our reign shall never end. You pliancy to us will be eternal." She thought. "And on those grounds you are willing to fight the Dothraki? After all, that is what we agreed to." She asked aloud.

"The dothraki have passed here many times before, and never as friends. And with them there is no reasoning. Them we have had to fight. We are not warlike, but as ever we do what we must. To do so for you is simply more of what we would do to them already. If we aid you now perhaps you will destroy them for us, free us of their menace. If they come here we fill fight them with bow and sling and rockslide. This I have promised." He said.

"And you're not at all worried they will destroy you for it?" She asked.

Havzar smirked. "Let them try it. The dothraki may own the plains, but their horses are poor climbers. And these mountains have many caves for our people to take shelter in. Even the mightiest of Khal's knows that to pursue us there is to go die in the dark, alone and unmourned."

"A warning that applies to us as well. Noted." She thought.

"Well, once again I thank you for a swift and productive agreement. But now I should return to my army. Good day to you." She said aloud.

She returned outside, mounted her horse and departed.

On her way back she felt satisfied with the results of this meeting. One more ally aiding their cause. Not the first though. Those allies had been one of the most unexpectedly welcome surprises since they had come to this part of the world. For almost the entirety of her existence the Tevinter had stood alone, surrounded by hostile nations and peoples and not much else. Convenience against a common foe had sometimes brought them to the same side with other powers, like during the blights, or the Qunari wars, but that was it. But now, for there first time, there were like minded allies willing to work with the Imperium to further their mutual goals. Though the people of Tevinter had gotten used to standing up for themselves, it was gratifying to have them.

Beyond the cities of Slaver's Bay and the Free cities several small villages like this one had in the past agreed to provide food, recruits and other assistance. Many among the Lhazareen, who had long suffered under the Dothraki, had abandoned their peaceful ways for a chance to get some payback, flocking to the Imperial armies. Great many were also eager to receive what the Imperium offered in return for military service. With slavers running rampant across the continent, venturing further and further away in search of new merchandise to sell to the Tevinters, it was becoming increasingly dangerous for those without imperial citizenship to protect them. Maybe passing that citizenship to foreigners did cost Tevinter some slaves, but in return they got more soldiers to fill the ranks of their armies. Perhaps more than the one if proper patriotism was nurtured in the newly inducted citizens. She called that a good trade.

It had to be admitted, the free portion of the population of Essos had taken quite a few hits since the Tevinters had come to power. The Imperium eagerly bought all the slaves that were provided them. None were excluded. Even the old, the sick and the infirm were bought at dirt cheap prices through grey market connections, to then have their blood used to fuel imperial spellcraft. With such a seller's market the slave traders were sure to provide as many as they possibly could. As one by one unprotected villages and towns in the countryside were being emptied, some slavers had begun preying on the poor of their own cities, while those few at the top grew outrageously wealthy from selling their countrymen. The Imperium cared little, so long as their own people and those they had designated for exclusion were left alone. It was, after all, in accordance with their plan…

At the same time programs encouraging immigration to Essos were in progress, the Imperium bringing its own people here. The Imperial Enclaves in the various cities continued to grow with every passing year. And that was just the beginning. There was already talk of colonies. Overtime those colonies would grow and become cities. With her mind's eye she could see them already. Graceful spires reaching for the clouds, gleaming in the sun, protected by high, thick walls of solid stone. The streets and homes filled marvels beyond comprehension, inhabited by the noblest folk in the world, restored to greatness for all time. Her folk. Yet for that image to become more than an idea, a phantom, their enemies here would have to be destroyed. Destroyed without hesitation and mercy, and not a trace left of them.

She and the others… they had vowed to do just that. Vowed to see that image become reality. At any cost…

A few hours later she finally arrived at the Tevinter camp close to the entrance of the main mountain pass in this region.

As she rode she briefly matched pace with a platoon of her legion's Shining Shields. These infantry units were a new innovation in imperial armies, created in response to the dothraki. The rectangular shields by which they were named were taller than their bearers, made out of several inches of dense wood coated in either steel or silverite. They had been designed explicitly to be able to stop a dothraki arrow at any range. The surface of the shields was perfectly smooth and kept polished at all times, so in the proper conditions their shields reflected the sun's light, blinding enemy archers. The shields were so heavy they were all but useless in a one on one fight, but that was not their intended use either. Instead they were meant to be used in tightly packed formations, shield to shield. As the expected enemy of the Shining Shields was cavalry, they were armed with long spears as well as axes for close quarters fighting.

It brought her no shame to admit the concept of this unit type had been in part inspired by the Unsullied. It was always right to learn, even from the enemy. Perhaps especially from the enemy, since turning their advantages against them was often the best way to defeat them. Those slave soldiers had managed to defeat the Dothraki once and the Imperium had need of troops able to do the same. Of course the Shining Shields and the Unsullied were not identical, the most prominent differences being in the training regime and the fact the Shining Shields were free citizens of the Imperium. But they were a sufficiently close match to competently fulfill the role they were meant for.

Moving on she saw some of her Kataphraktoi practicing shooting from horseback. Unlike the Shining Shields the Kataphraktoi had been the mainstay imperial heavy cavalry since the earliest days of the Imperium. Riders and horses were encased in heavy armor from head to toes, armed with spears and maces. Shields they did not carry. It was unnecessary with such heavy armor. Back home Kataphraktoi regiments commonly rode dracolisks, but so far from home horses were more common. Only a few dracolisks had been imported from the Imperium reserved for the most accomplished riders. Though commoners, like all Imperial rank-and-file troops, they were a sufficient match to heavy cavalry fielded by other nations, which was one of their primary functions. The Imperium commonly relied on its infantry in battle, so Kataphraktoi were typically used as a counterattack force in case the infantry had their lines broken or were flanked.

To better enable them to do battle against fast, nimble cavalry like the dothraki, modifications had been made to this unit type as well, namely in the bows they now carried. The bows were sadly not of as high quality as those of the dothraki, but nonetheless they gave their cavalry a chance to engage an enemy they would have had difficulty catching otherwise.

Alongside the Kataphraktoi fought the light cavalry, by far the larger section of the cavalry, normally used for pursuit of fleeing foes. It was part of Tevinter's military doctrine: Mages and ranged troops created opportunities for victory by damaging the enemy line, infantry claimed victory by breaking through weakened areas, while cavalry exploited victory by destroying the broken enemy and ensuring they didn't ever return to oppose Tevinter. Against the Dothraki though even the light cavalry was primarily used as reserve force.

These new units and changes had been brought about lessons learned from the early clashes with the Dothraki, when they had foolishly believed their enemy to weak and cowardly, easily broken by a proper army. Back then they had tried to take them on with head on assaults, with disastrous consequences. Only magic had won them any battles during those early days. For a time it had seemed like the Imperium's nascent dominion over Essos might end up trampled under the hooves of the horse-savages, like so many others had been. But as they had been taught by their encounters, Tevinter had adapted. They had increased their reliance on their infantry, ranged attack power and defensive tactics. They had become the immovable object to the unstoppable force of the Dothraki. Unit types like the Shining shields were a brainchild of this new line of thinking. And with those in their command they began to win battles, culminating in their triumph at the Battle of the Shattered Mind, the largest imperial victory to date. Hopefully the coming battle would be able to top even that achievement.

Using infantry to battle the Dothraki was also useful because the horse-savages thought men who didn't ride were worth nothing. That meant that the Dothraki tended to either avoid them to engage an enemy they believed worthier, or they attacked them head on, thinking they were the weakest portion of the Imperial forces. Knowledge of these tendencies helped predict their behavior on the battlefield.

Another aspect of the Dothraki was that because they insisted on fighting as light cavalry to the exclusion of all other weapon disciplines meant that they were not particularly good at attacking fortified positions. The Tevinters had taken to exploiting this by building defenses wherever they went, bringing their fortifications with them. That was what they were doing in preparation for this battle as well. Tiraen turned her eyes into the distance, to the mouth of the canyon that led through these mountains, where the engineers of their two legions were busy creating those defenses. At the entrance to the canyon a trench with sloping edges was being built. When the day of battle arrived the imperial forces would be stationed just behind it. The purpose of the trench was to slow the Dothraki down as they crossed it, depriving the force of impact from their charge, making it much easier for the Tevinter infantry to deal with them. Beyond the trench a large number of small holes were being dug. Some of them had a metal spike at the bottom, but most of them were just a hole. Simple things, but well able to trip up and break the leg of a horse riding full gallop. Getting Dothraki off their horses was essential, since on foot they were at a disadvantage against a disciplined formation. Particularly so when they ran the risk of being trampled by their comrades. A path had been left in the middle of this field of holes, a path that grew narrower as it approached the trench, creating a funnel. The horse savages would undoubtedly find that funnel during the battle and end up pressed close together travelling down it. A perfect target for Tevinter ranged attacks, their magic in particular.

Tiraen made a mental note to check on progress there. Everything needed to be ready for the battle. But time enough for that later. For the moment she returned to her tent. Before she went inside she sent her two bodyguards on their way, while Pet took guard position by the entrance to the tent. As always, Selia was waiting, bowing to her when she entered.

"Mistress. I presume your negotiations went smoothly?" Selia asked.

"Oh, just fine. They seemed to understand the situation remarkably well." Tiraen replied.

"I need to clean my palate." She decided. "So, I think dates, yoghurt and toasted bread with honey and butter. Make it quick."

"Of course, Mistress. I will get right on it." Selia said, and set to work.

As the elf was toasting a slice of bread over a fire, the flap of the tent opened and Julius stepped through. She had been wondering when he would show up. Since that first night the two of them had been spending as much time as humanely possible with each other. Only their duties had been able to separate them, and then only temporarily, always seeking each other out later. She would have gladly have them spend their nights together as well, but being in a position of authority in a military camp while a major enemy army was on its way didn't exactly allow for the privacy needed. That would have to wait until the horse-savages had been defeated. A fine reward for that accomplishment. Meanwhile it gave her time to process things at a slightly slower pace, decide with certainty what all this meant for her. She thought she knew already, but she wanted to be sure. Some matters were simply too important to make a rash decision about…

"Julius! Please, join me." Tiraen said, motioning at the foods in front of her.

"Thanks, but I'm not hungry. Had something just a little while ago." He said. Then he took a closer look at the food. "Not a fan of the cooking's of the mountain people I take it?"

"They fill the stomach. That is about the most flattering thing I can think to say of it." Tiraen said dryly. "Still, it is better than what the Meereenese like to eat. Unborn dog, really? Of all the crazy things you might think to put on a plate… ugh, the very notion of it turns my stomach." She added with disgust.

"Yeah. It's the same for me too." He concurred. "I wonder if it's the same for the Meereenese when it comes to our food?"

"Could be. At least when we are talking about things that require ingredients imported from home. And I suppose if we showed them the creature nug meat comes from they would never be able to sleep again from all the nightmares." She said, and the both of them had a laugh about it.

"Oh by the way, my negotiation with the mountain types went smoothly. They're ready to back our efforts. They are also spreading word to other nearby villages. With some luck we will get some recruits in the long run as well." She said then.

"Cato will be pleased. Controlling those smaller passes is vital if we want to prevent ourselves from being outflanked. This is going to be brutal enough with enemies coming from one direction alone. We cannot afford complications to that. But with these mountain people adding their efforts to those of the Meereenese auxiliaries I think we have a chance of holding those position. Those passages are rough terrain, after all. Hard even for a large host to fight their way through." He said.

"And the horse-savages are unlikely to send a large splinter force. They don't want to divert too many troops from their main offensive." She said. "Do we have any new information on where the enemy forces are now?" She asked.

"No new updates since last. But their raids continue, so they can't be far." He said.

"But we have our scouts continuing the search as we speak. The beacons we were making are now complete, so we should have advance warning even if they sneak past our scouts. And seeing how fast they can move we are keeping our forces ready to mobilize at a moment's notice." He added.

"And I suppose our plan for dealing with them remains unchanged?" She continued.

"Nothing new in the few hours you were away. Don't expect many changes to be honest. The plan offers us the best plan of winning and there is no reason to change it without more information." Julius confirmed.

It was then that another man was permitted to enter the tent by Pet. Tiraen recognized him as one of the runners from her legion.

"Lady Tasvius." The runner said, saluting. "And… Lord Argentus? Pardon me, I did not realize you would also be here." He added.

"What is it?" Tiraen asked.

"The quartermaster reports that a supply caravan due to arrive at camp today has failed to show." The runner explained.

Tiraen raised an eyebrow. "Why did the quartermaster feel like a delayed shipment was worth sending a runner to me? It seems fairly routine."

"Yes, My Lady, I understand, it would be." The runner said. "That's what we thought at first as well. The quartermaster sent some additional scouts to establish contact with the caravan and determine the reason for the delay. They found the caravan not three miles from our camp. But those scouts came back reporting the caravan was destroyed, not merely delayed."

Those news made her stand up quickly enough to knock down her chair. "Destroyed!? By whom!? The Dothraki!?" She demanded. Could there be a passage through the mountains they were unaware of, that the Dothraki had used to sneak a force to their rear?

"U-unknown My Lady. The scouts did not remain on site long enough to determine the culprits." The runner said.

She nodded, grasping her chin, her expression thoughtful. Of course the scouts had not stayed. Something like this needed to be reported at once. And why stay around waiting to be killed by whoever had staged the ambush? But this also meant the situation facing them was an unknown, something that ought to be avoided in war whenever possible. The lack of information could kill you.

"Any notion on enemy numbers?" She asked.

"Nothing concrete, My Lady. But I'm told the caravan was guarded by several hundred guards, many of them mounted." The runner said.

Her frown deepened. To destroy a guard force that big, not to mention all the caravan drivers and their wagons, utterly and quickly so no one had escaped to raise the alarm implied a sizeable force and a total surprise of the caravan. This had to be dealt with. Supply lines needed to be kept open. And to leave an enemy force like this in their rear could present a serious issue come the day of battle.

"I'm done with these." Tiraen said to Selia. Her slave nodded and started to clean away the partially eaten food.

Tiraen then turned to the runner. "Go to the camp Prefect. Tell him to call up a force for my use posthaste. A thousand of the Shining Shields, five hundred archers and three hundred light cavalrymen and any mages attached to those formations. I will be leading the force myself. Then go to Magister Argos. Tell him what has occurred and that I am taking a force to investigate and deal with the threat."

The runner saluted and departed at once. She waited until he was gone.

"My love, I would invite you take part in this mission. Your help would be most welcome." She said to Julius.

Julius smiled. "It would be my honor to do so, love. We will destroy this enemy together. Just give me a moment to notify the commanders of my legion and get myself ready." He said, then left the tent.

It did not take them long to gather their forces and make ready for battle. As soon as they were assembled they departed along the route of the caravan, the scouts that had discovered the ambush site showing the way. As had been reported, the caravan was found destroyed some three miles from the camp, in a place of low dry hills and gnarled, hardy bushes. The remnants of the caravan were still in marching order. Whoever had done this had not even left them time to organize themselves for battle. Even more alarmingly as she rode amongst the destruction she spotted no obvious enemy fallen. Either there had been none or there had been so few the enemy had been able to remove all of them. Most worrying. The ground was trampled with hoof prints though. She could not tell how many enemies there had been. A lot. A least as many as she had brought with her, and probably a lot more than that. Based on the tracks the ambushers had swept in from the hills to the west and departed the same way. The wagons had been burned and according to the soldiers searching the area most of the wagons still had their cargo in them. Their enemy had done this in a rush, leaving no time for looting. Perhaps they had been worried about getting caught and destroyed so close to the Tevinter encampment. Or perhaps the enemy considered it more important to deny these supplies to Tevinter forces than to claim them for themselves.

"They never even had a chance of fighting back…" Julius echoed her thoughts.

"Yeah. One hell of an efficiently planned ambush. I wish I had a commander capable of executing something like that." She said.

"A bit unusual to be perfectly honest. The Dothraki are a deadly foe, only an idiot would deny that. But what I see here implies forethought that in my experience is very unusual among the horse-savages." She added.

She shook her head angrily. "I hate seeing talent like that amongst the enemy, because t always means it will be a bitch of a project to end them. Still, we have to. We need to find these bastards Julius, and make them pay for what they have done."

"Aye. But we ought to take care when pursuing this matter. We are facing an unknown here. If we rush too quickly we will only share the fate of the dead here. We should send scouts along these tracks. Those are our best bet to find the people responsible. Once we find them and know what we are up against we will know what our next steps should be. Most importantly we need to figure out if our forces here are sufficient or if we need reinforcements." He said, ever the voice of reason.

She nodded her agreement and was about to give the order when one of her soldiers pointed and shouted: "My Lady, My Lord, look!"

They turned their heads to look where the soldier was pointing and saw the head of a man peeking out from behind the hill. The man had clearly been spying o them, his head disappearing behind the hill as soon as he noticed he had been spotted. Almost as soon as he had gone a rumble of thousands of hooves could be heard, fast approaching.

There was no need to look for the enemy after all. They were here, and had been watching their movements this whole time.

"Oh crap!" She cursed. "Form square! Form up, form up! With haste!" She shouted to her forces, and the imperials abandoned whatever they had been doing and rushed into formation. The sudden turn of events had startled them, but maneuvers like this had been drilled to them until they could do it in their dreams, so discipline and good order held despite the slightly panicked rush of the Tevinters.

The Shining Shields assumed their position on the outer rim of the square in two rows, facing outward from the center on all sides. Archers were stationed just behind them and the cavalry left their steeds in the center and joined their fellow soldiers on the edges. The mages for their part took position on the corners, those with horses still on them so they could see over the heads of their soldiers.

The square formation was another innovation to better battle the Dothraki. Cavalry the world over liked to flank their enemies, to surround them and destroy them, so the square formation left them no flanks to take advantage of. The formation required ranged troops to effectively deal with light cavalry with missile weapons, but with archers and mages the Tevinters certainly had that. The main downside of the formation was that it was largely immobile, hard to move without having their lines disrupted. So here they would have to stay until the fight was resolved, one way or another. The Dothraki would arrive in a great wave, to drown them and carve them to pieces. The Tevinters would hold their ground and resist them with all their might.

They got their order together just in time, the Shining Shields deploying their spears just as the first enemies came into view. The Dothraki poured over the hill, ululating as they came. There were about a thousand of them. Less than there were Tevinters here. She was not about to complain about that, but it surprised her that the enemy was willing to engage at a disadvantage, even though they had the option not to. Not what she would have done, that's for sure. But she put that out of her mind. Time to ponder over that later.

Arrows began to pepper the imperial line, clattering off their shields. Here and there a lone Tevinter dropped when an arrow sailed over or between the shields. The imperial archers returned fire at once, as did their mages. Tiraen fired off a blast of lighting, annihilating a small cluster of enemies at once. At her side Julius closed his hand around a sword made of golden light, materializing from thin air. Pet too drew his two swords and calmly waited awaited for the arrival of his former comrades. He did not have to wait for long. The Dothraki had already realized their arrows were having only limited effect and as ever they were eager to get to grips with their foe. So they charged. Just before they made contact with the imperial formation Julius unleashed a shockwave powerful enough to sunder flesh and bone, killing several of the savages with it. Moments later the closest six had their blood voided from their veins, drawn into her palm in streams of red light. She turned that boost of power into a beam of lightning, carving a line through the dothraki still charging into battle. Then the charge hit home, smashing against a single face of the square. The line bent from the impact but did not break, and the spears of the Shining Shields slew many horses and riders in the process. With the charge stopped, the Tevinter archers continued firing on the Dothraki at point blank range, the riders high on horseback easy targets for them. She and the other mages continued to attack as well, spreading carnage amongst their adversary.

She already dared to think they had the situation under control when a second force of cavalry appeared on the field, twice as big as the first. The sight of it made her curse. This explained why the Dothraki had been confident in engaging her forces. The enemy was not outnumbered after all.

This group was different from the Dothraki. She saw them carry no banner, the riders carry no recognizable uniform, but their hostility was immediately apparent. Even without anything to identify them with it was perfectly clear who this second group of enemies were. In this part of Essos there was only one group that had these numbers and was willing to ally with the Dothraki to oppose Tevinter: The Second Sons. Of course they were involved. Why wouldn't the Dragon Queens pets combine their efforts for something as vital as this battle? If only she or one of the others had given thought to this possibility, precautions might have been taken. She cursed herself for her shortsightedness.

The Second Sons smashed into another face of the square, and the battle became a lot more intense than moments ago. The Shining Shields continued to hold their ground, their formation buckling at points during the fight, but not collapsing, restabilizing the situation after each time. The small groups of enemies that managed to slip past their line were set on by the dismounted imperial cavalry, usually cut down in short order. Fire continued to be exchanged, both sides giving it their all, though the Imperials had the advantage there thanks to their mages.

She settled into a rhythm, drawing blood from enemies close by and transferring power thus received into spells of devastating potency. Rinse and repeat. With every action she took multiple lives were ended. Such was her way in battle. Julius meanwhile alternated between firing spells and cutting down enemies that came within reach with his weapon of pure magic. His skills as an arcane warrior were truly a sight to behold. Most arcane warriors (or knight enchanters as some called them) settled on a single type of magic weapon, most commonly a sword. Not so with Julius Argentus. His weapon changed to whatever he needed at the time, being at one moment a sword, at another a spear, at another a whip that turned to ash all that it touched. Pet for his part moved to wherever the need was most dire, his swords cutting through men and horses with ease. The Valyrian steel blade given him proved a most useful tool in this, cutting down even those of the Second Sons with heavy armor without any difficulty whatsoever.

As the battle raged on she tried to spot Daario Naharis, the commander of the Second Sons. Killing him would have been a significant accomplishment, perhaps even enough to cause the Second Sons to disband, end their resistance for good. She was sure he was somewhere on the battlefield, since all or most of the Second Sons appeared to be here. He would not have excluded himself. She had not seen him before and had only the sparse descriptions given to her by her spies to go by, but she tried to spot anyone that looked to be giving orders. Sadly in the chaos of the battle she could not spot anyone she could definitively say was him. But she did spot someone else though. An elf with white hair and silvery tattoos all over his body jumping off his horse and phasing through the line of the Shining Shields in a blur of blue light. The greatsword he wielded looked far too large to be practical, but he wielded it as if it weighed nothing at all, carving up a dozen of her troops in a matter of moments, creating a small opening in the imperial line that the Second Sons began to press through immediately. When he put his fist through one of her mages that tried to stop him she knew his identity for certain.

Fenris. So Danarius's rebellious little slave had decided to take to the field as well. And now she knew he was here at least there would be an opportunity to remove one thorn from the Imperium's side. He was an unusually dangerous opponent though, one of the deadliest fighters in Thedas, certainly in Essos. Best to kill him quickly, before he had a chance to defend himself from her.

She raised her hand and tried to use her leeching spell to pull his blood out of his veins as well. The two Second Sons right next to him screamed as their bodies shriveled up and streams of red light erupted from their bodies. But with him she felt a strange disruption around him that prevented her spell from taking hold. He remained completely unaffected, aside from the intense silvery blaze of his tattoos. His markings appeared to somehow protect him from the effects of this spell. And he seemed to sense what she had tried to do, because he turned his gaze on her, their eyes meeting. She sent a bolt of lightning at him, but he simply turned into a blur of blue light, closing half the distance between them in an instant, then charging towards her, sword raised to strike. Before he could reach her however Julius interposed his horse between them, slashing at the elf with his weapon. Fenris jumped aside and struck at his horse. Blood fountaining from the cut in its neck the horse collapsed. Julius was back on his feet in a matter of moments though, dueling with the elf, their weapons moving at speeds almost too fast to follow. She had a hard time casting spells to intervene in the duel for fear of hitting her lover by accident, but she did what she could. She sent a cloud of tiny glowing darts of fire at the elf. They danced and swirled around him, trying to strike at him. One did strike at his cheek, leaving a burn mark on his face. But for the most part he managed to dodge and turn out of their way. The darts did make the fight with Julius more difficult for Fenris, but they didn't stop him. But many Second sons and some of the Dothraki were not so fortunate. The darts passed through their eyes and into their brains or pierced their chests, puncturing their hearts, passing through armor, flesh and bone with unnatural ease. No foe was able to interfere and come to Fenris's aid. On the Tevinter side Pet noticed what was going on and joined the fight, his blows impacting on the elf's blade with enough force to make Fenris stumble each time their swords met. Between those two and Tiraen casting spells in support he was starting to have serious difficulties.

It was then Tiraen saw Julius fall for a feint, leaving himself open. Her eyes widened as Fenris brought his sword around to strike at her lover. Reacting in a split-second she brought up her hand, stopping the elf's blade mere inches away from Julius's neck. The sword trembled as she and Fenris fought for control of the weapon, him with his muscles, her with her magic. Julius stepped back, pale and rubbing the spot where the elf's blade would have struck without Tiraen's intervention. But he nonetheless took advantage of his opponents distraction and readied a spell. Pet stepped closer from behind, raising the Valyrian sword to cut the elf down.

Fenris made a quick desicion of his own, releasing hold of his sword and phasing away, Pet's blade sweeping the air where he had just been. Tiraen and Julius both sent spells at him, only just missing their mark. She could see Fenris's distaste at the thought of withdrawing, but without a weapon and outnumbered three to one by exceptionally deadly opponents he had no choice. So he retreated back the way he had come.

With Fenris's departure the fight began to come to a close. The hole he had created had been the best chance for the enemy to breach the imperial defenses and win the battle. But without his efforts the Tevinters were able to drive the enemy back and seal the gap once more. With their best chance now failed and casualties climbing the Second Sons decided to break off and retreat. the Dothraki lingered longer, their pride not allowing them to concede defeat. They only fled once they had been reduced to a shell of what they had been.

The exchanges of fire between both sides continued for a while longer. Her final action of the battle was to yank the blood of the closest six enemies still within range of her spell to herself, then send one last beam of lightning carving through the retreating enemies, slaying as many as possible. And then it was over.

She dismounted and went to Julius. The two embraced, followed up by a passionate kiss, both of them grateful the other was still alive.

"Thank you. I'd have been dead if not for you." Julius said when their lips parted.

"None shall be allowed to do so, my love. Not while I'm here. That much I know. As surely as I know you would keep me safe from harm." She declared.

"Well you're right about that." Juius said with a smile. "But today was your turn to save me for certain. Something tells me that will be more likely outcome of the two in the future as well."

"That elf we fought… was that who I thought it was?" He asked.

"Yeah… Danarius's foolish notion for a bodyguard coming to haunt us yet again." She said.

She gave a shake of her head. "Damn. We were so close to killing him. If only we had managed it. Too soon to say for sure, but I don't think we got the commander of the Second Sons either. They didn't behave like we had."

"Still… I don't think this a bad result all told." She continued, her eyes moving over the battlefield. The Shining Shields had proven their mettle as a defensive unit once again. By a quick estimation the Imperial casualties had remained under two hundred. In exchange a force of around a thousand Dothraki hd been sundered, most of them dead or dying all around them, as were a great many of the Second Sons. The latter would take a long while to recover from the losses inflicted, diminishing the threat they represented considerably. "I'll take it."

She went to speak with one of the lower ranking mage officers:

"Have out forces handle the enemy fallen and leftovers. Standard procedures. Set a watch in case the enemy comes back and get the rest working. Oh, and set a few of the living ones aside for interrogation later. You know what is to be done with the rest." She ordered. The mage officer nodded and started barking out commands.

Standard procedures. One more aspect of this long war with the Dothraki. Terror was a weapon, and she had done her best to apply it against this adversary. But the horse-savages were an atypical people, with a very unusual way to look at the world. Typical methods of psychological warfare did not affect them in desired ways. And intimidating them was incredibly difficult. A strong enemy only made them more enthusiastic to face a challenge, a worthy foe. But over time she had learned of their kind, and had discovered methods to get under their skin, methods that legions other than her own had begun to adopt. Once she had learned that Dothraki beliefs necessitated burning their fallen for them to enter the afterlife she had given a standing order that dead Dothraki were not to be buried or burned after a battle. Instead the bodies would have their braids cut off, beheaded and left to rot in the open air. That was what was done with the dead. She had also been told of the Dothraki tradition of never cutting off their braids unless they were defeated. Those Dothraki men that lived and didn't manage to kill themselves rather than be captured were shaved, their scalps then burned so hair would not grow back anymore. Shamed not just for a time but for the remainder of their lives. Those deemed too troublesome or too badly injured were killed afterwards. The more docile were brought to the nearest city to be sold. Always useful to make some money wherever possible and cover the expenses of warfare. By these methods she hoped to make even the horse-savages afraid of imperial armies. To fight the Tevinter Imperium now meant risking their souls and their honor in addition to their lives.

As she had requested prisoners were brought for her to interrogate. She was not gentle in taking the information she wanted from their minds. Through them she learned how this had all transpired. With help from the Second Sons this Dothraki force had broken through one of the smaller passes nearby, overcoming their opposition fast enough to prevent any alert from being sent. They had then come here, destroying this supply convoy as a target of opportunity. With two victories in a short period of time the enemy had gotten greedy. They had decided to wait around to see if a response force small enough for them to destroy would come along as well. But when her troops had shown up the horse-savages had proven unruly, attacking without orders. The Second Sons had been dragged along to defend their ally. In the wake of this battle that had cost them.

In response to the day's events corrective measures were taken. A new force was sent to replace those lost at the pass until it was collapsed shut by the new allies she had brought to the fight. The same was done in several other passes, freeing up forces to guard supply convoys and hunt the remaining Second Sons. Messages were sent to Meereen, Yunkai and Bellidarius, calling for reinforcements to join these efforts, so the Tevinter legions could focus on their primary objective: Defeating the great horde still on its way.