A Prophecy Speaks
a/n: I do not own labyrinth
Chapter 41 –or- Glory
The cavalry upped their canter to a full-on run. About half of Nogrod's dwarves ran full at them, intending to strike at the middle.
About two hundred feet before they engaged the enemy Danol blew a horn that signaled the cavalry to swing out to the sides and rear of his force. Jareth went right with Drago, and Danol went left with Saetan.
Jareth saw the dwarf force plow into his goblins and engage them in combat. But right now he had killing of his own to do. A dwarf with a long black beard swung his axe at Drago's left foreleg. Jareth swung his sword down and lopped the dwarf's head off.
"Pity," Jareth said and moved onto a red haired dwarf with a wicked looking dagger. Jareth split him down the middle and wiped the blood off with his sleeve.
King Danol was engaging the dwarves in a similar fashion, but his weapon was a wicked looking mace that brained every dwarf he came across. Blood and flesh stuck to his clothing and Jareth wondered if he looked similar.
Between the goblins and the cavalry, they had greatly diminished the force sent out to them.
"Retreat! To the forts! Retreat!" the dwarves were calling as they ran off. The goblins and cavalry followed, while the rear guard brought the catapults.
The crude forts Nogrod had made comprised of wood, mud, and little else. Jareth shook his head and wondered how someone got so insane they did not even know how to protect their own subjects.
It took time manpower to load the rocks into the catapults. Nogrod did not even have any archers inside his forts to try and thwart them. They set up camp outside the forts. They could hear Nogrod screaming all the way outside. Things obviously did not go as planned for the mad king of the dwarves.
They decided to wait until morning to fire the catapults. The elves should be near, and the light was already waning. Destroying Nogrod could wait until morning.
Corporal Wyndam, who looked alert and ready to go, shook Jareth awake.
"Yes, Corporal?" Jareth asked.
"It's first light, Your Majesty. We are about to make the announcement asking them to surrender," the corporal explained. Jareth rose and buckled on his scabbard. He joined Danol, who was already by the catapults.
"Nogrod the Usurper! We come here on behalf of the Underground to end your rule! If you and your warriors surrender, we will promise not to kill them! If you do not surrender then we will be forced to kill you down to the very last dwarf! What say you?" Danol yelled as to be heard inside the fort.
All they heard was incoherent screaming from inside the fort.
"Are the catapults ready to fire?" Jareth asked the corporal.
"Yes, Your Majesty"
"Fire them," Jareth commanded.
"Fire catapults!" the command was executed. Rocks sailed through the air, directly hitting each of the three forts. Their walls crumbled and dwarves swarmed out.
A horn sounded from the western flank all of a sudden, and they knew the elves had arrived.
"A little late there! We have already had most of the fun!" Danol told them as some goblins rushed the fighting dwarves. The elves lined up and starting picking off dwarves in the field and as they left the crumbling fort.
"Form up!" Jareth called out. Everyone got into position to march on the forts.
"March!" Jareth called. As they started to move forward a white flag flew up behind the fort walls.
"Stop!" Jareth called out.
"Let the leader of your group come forward to discuss the terms of surrender!" Jareth called out.
A dwarf with gray-toned hair done in a multitude of braids came out of one of the forts, holding a white flag aloft. Jareth and Danol both dismounted and approached the dwarf.
"I am Bard," the dwarf said with a short bow.
"Do you know who we are, Bard?" King Danol asked.
"Well, by your red hair and orange eyes I take you to be King Danol. And the one with the pale hair might be King Jareth. What are the terms of surrender?" Bard asked.
"Where is your king?" Jareth asked.
"Dead. One of your rocks caved the ceiling in right on top of him while he was foaming at the mouth," Bard told them.
"You have taken up command then?" Danol asked. The dwarf nodded.
"Very well. You and your remaining troops will surrender all weapons. We will put all of your troops together and escort them, under guard, back to Belegrat. We will be guarding your city until we get everything squared away. Are these terms acceptable to you?" Jareth proposed the question to the dwarf.
"I find your terms acceptable. I will gather the remaining troops and pile the weapons," Bard said as he turned to go back.
"Looks like you will be back before your wife gives birth after all Jareth!" Danol laughed and gave Jareth a slap on the back.
"I would rather assure myself of that once I am back in your lands," Jareth told his fellow monarch.
Corporal Wyndam rode up and saluted.
"Belegrat is two days march from here. Shall I set camp back up?" he asked.
"Corporal, set it up. Make the prisoners as comfortable as possible. We head to Belegrat at first light," Danol told him.