(A/N:) Yes, it's me. As always, I'm here for your entertainment, and also to tell you about the story.
I'd like to remind all of you that you can email me at , or you can talk to me via reviews. I'm always open to comments, though I have been known to act... rashly... in a few unfortunate cases. I wouldn't do that to you, however.
The story so far? Tortall and Tusaine are waging war. Tusaine has taken Fort Drell away from Tortall, and Tortall wants it back, plus the entire Drell vally. So, Daine, Numair, Jonathan, Alanna, Raoul, Gary, exc. are sent to Drell. In this chapter, the two main armies arrive. One for Tusaine, and one for Tortall.
Don't forget to keep reading. It's nice when you review. So don't stop.
(End of A/N)
7. Slaughter on the Great Road
"Brother, he ordered them to retreat! We had them outnumbered ten to one, and he ordered a retreat! Can you believe this?" Hilam demanded, acting perfectly.
"You dissapoint me again, Ozorne."
"No!" Ozorne screamed, his eyes widening. "I didn't ordered them to retreat! He did! Not me!"
"You dare to accuse me?" Hilam demanded.
"Only because it's true!" Ozorne shot back, glaring at him.
"Proof?" Ain asked Ozorne quietly. Only silence gretted him. "That is what I thought. At least you, Hilam, are loyal to your King."
Hilam bowed deeply, grinning at the floor. "Yes, sire."
"You may leave."
"Many thanks."
For a few strained seconds, Ozorne stood, glaring at Ain, and realizing at that moment how very much he hated him. Yes, when he was Emperor Mage once more, he would get revenge. First on Hilam, then Ain, then Jemis. Then he would use his superior navy and armies, and crush Tusaine, claiming all their land for himself, and killing anyone still resistant to him. It would be his day, very soon. If the plans he had formulated in his head carried through, he would not have long to wait.
"Sire, last night I talked to our spy," Ozorne said, breaking the silence. "He informed me that the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd divisions of the Riders would be camping twelve legues south of the other fort. We can set up an ambush three legues away. If we do it all without making noise, and making no fire..."
"Alright, Ozorne," the King said. "I'll let you take this task. But if you fail me, I will have you cast into the fireweed. It will be your last act as a human being."
"I will not fail you, my King."
Ozorne left the room, a smile on his face. The 1st and 2nd divisions of the Riders were jokes. It was the 3rd, 7th, and 9th that were the powerful ones. He would regain control of the war, and he would definatly not be cast into the fireweed.
The Queen's Riders stopped for the night in a clearing three legues south of Ozorne. A smile passed over his face. When the Riders rode in the morning, they would be totally unsuspecting to find the enemy so far west of the fort that King Jonathan had built.
The plan was a complicated one. Lining the trees along the road were the very same Tusaine archers that had taken over Fort Drell. They were among the best in the Eastern Lands. Matched only by Ozorne's enemy, Veralidaine Sarrasri.
Near the archers was a group of completely underground tunnels, put under and around the road. Upon Ozorne's signal, they would burst up with their blades, cutting down horses and the enemy. Perhaps twenty yards behind the archers were two makeshift catapults that were loaded to the brim with liquid fire. If the Riders got through the archers, the catapults would begin firing. After the catapults was a small batallion of men, all large in size, perhaps about sixty of them. The Riders would be overwhelmed. There were only twenty Riders in each division. That meant only forty Riders would be able to try and defend themselves. It would be murder.
"Commander, the catapults are in position," an eager looking young solder reported, standing at attention in Ozorne's presence.
As the entire world will after I am Emperor Mage once more, he thought.
"Good. Tell the battallion they can sleep. Make sure that the archers understand that two of them are to stay awake at all times. Tell them not to use their horns until morning, and then only to signal to the catapults that the Riders have gotten through them."
"Yes sir."
"Go."
The solder left, a small bounce in his step. It was more than likely his first battle in the war, and he was eager to prove himself to his commander, and to his country. He was overconfident as well, and that would be his downfall.
Morning came faster then Ozorne expected. He suspected it was because it had taken so long to get around King Jonathan's patrols. They'd gone at least a legue down the river, then they had walked or rode all the way to the Great Road of Tortall. No matter. They were ready and prepared. They could not be beat this time.
The archers were awake and ready. The catapults were hidden from view by thick folliage on either side of the road.
The Riders rode into view, easy to see in the morning light. Ozorne signaled to one of the archers. Simultaneously, they drew their bows, and picked targets. They awaited Ozorne's second signal to start their massacre.
Ozorne turned and signaled to the catapults opperators, who nodded grimly. Then Ozorne turned to watch the advancing Riders from behind his large rock. He saw one of the catapult opperator signal the batallion.
Eyeing the approaching Riders Ozorne raised his left hand to the archers; the signal to begin firing. They did just that. With screams of pain, the front row of division one crumpled to the ground, followed by half of the second row.
"We're under attack!" one cried, voicing the obvious.
The archers stayed steady, firing arrow after arrow at the enemy. Ozorne shook with excitment. Soon he would be in the battle, along with the catapults, that is, if the enemy got past the unpresidentedly good archers.
Suddenly, the remainder of division one brook into a swift run guiding their mounts quickly. Ozorne tensed, as they drew closer. The archers had began work on the second division.
They reached Ozorne, and he stood, letting out a quick blast of fire. Five men fell to the ground, burst into flame, and turned to ashes almost instantly. The catapults rolled from behind the trees, and began launching liquid fire at Tortall's precious riders.
Ten more fell. Ozorne was almost giddy with excitment. This was going to be a complete victory! They hadn't even spotted his archers up in the trees yet, for the sake of the Gods!
The catapults continued firing. Division one of the Riders was gone. Division two had already dwindled beyond being able to be called a division, and three was already racing to their aid. Yes, this would work perfectly.
Ozorne signalled to a messanger on the ground near the archers. He nodded, and crawled into a tunnel behind a group of rocks along the side of the road. From the underground tunnels, the men burst up, cutting the legs from horses, sending Riders to the ground.
Ozorne signaled to the catapults, who in turn signaled to the batallion. With loud war cries, the batallion rushed forward, into the remaining Riders of division two. They were caught by surprise and slaughtered.
The archers sounded their horns. The third division had gotten past them. Ozorne looked, and saw that the archers had done a satisfactory job on this company as well. They were three fourths their original size.
Another line of trenchmen popped up, gutting the horses, and toppling the Riders again. The batallion charged forward, swords glittering with bright red blood in the rising sun.
The third division was cut down. They took longer, and they found the archers, and killed most of them, but in the end, Ozorne had destroyed three Rider groups completely. This would be a big loss for Jonathan. He needed those troops until his main army arrived. Ozorne wondered what he would think when they didn't show up.
Smiling wickedly, Ozorne cried, "Victory in the name of Tusaine!"
The men cheered loudly, throwing the order of silence into the wind. Ozorne couldn't blame them. They had finally won a battle after two loses, or one win and one tie.
"Back to Fort Drell!" he ordered.
"Somethings wrong, Numair," Daine told him. "The three Rider divisions should have been here by now. What's the hold up?"
"How would I now?" he replied, polishing an opal that he had recently acquired in a very expensive transaction with a supply caravan master. It gleamed as the ones around Ozorne's neck had.
"How did they bring Ozorne back from the dead?" she asked suddenly.
He blinked at her. "I suppose they somehow got a hold of Sorcerer Thom's, may he rest in piece, notes. And maybe even Duke Roger's as well."
"Oh, I almost forgot. I'm supposed to be on patrol," Daine told him, heading to the door. He merely nodded at her, and continued polishing his opal.
Daine stepped into the warm breezes of the open-air deck, inhaleing a variety of scents: sweat, manure, flowers...
Sighing she opened her eyes, and walked down the solid oak causway, then down the steps to the main level of the fort. It was bustling with activity, solders, Riders, and guardsmen running around, doing errands, and such.
Over in the corner a group of nobles conversed: nobles came to the fort at least once a week to speak with the King, not being able to at the palace anymore.
Daine then left the fort entirely, gretting her animal friends along the way to the western gate. She reached it, nodding to Onua and Alanna, and they began their patroll along with seven other knights.
Little did they know the horror they would find...
(A/N:) Yes. The horror that they will find. Want to know what it is?
To damn bad! I can't tell you! If I did, you might just skip the entire Fing chapter, and go to the next one! I can't have that happen, can I? No.
So keep reading. And yes, that is an order.
(End of A/N)