Overcome
"It is where we go, and what we do when we get there, that tells us who we are."
Joyce Carol Oates
Cayden, Commander of the Sector, stared at the dusty patch of desert that stretched out before them, serving as their meager road. Rotating in the saddle of her bay, Kieshra, she took a pitiful glance back at the train of cavalry she was leading to Jerusalem to meet with the King. These men had fought hard and long with Saladin just a few days ago, who was she to pull them early from their rest and drag them to Jerusalem? Her men numbered at least a hundred good cavalry and another hundred of pike men and mounted archers; less then half of what she was commanded to bring.
Shaking her head she turned back to the road again, the sand-dust whipping her burgundy hair in her face. Cayden was the only female commander in the entire Knights commandment that served within Jerusalem. If that didn't make her strange enough, her burgundy hair and green eyes sure did. Her hair was parted horizontally along her skull, the lower half cropped just before her shoulders, the upper, pulled back into a horsetail wrapped in a long, thin, white cloth and hung down her back to her thighs.
"Commander!" Fredrick, her second-in command, rode up, his dappled Arab panting in the hot sun. Raising a hand in salute, she nodded for him to give his message. Fredrick had been her first-and best man since she had come to Jerusalem to train as a knight in the stead of her brother, he had been the only one to show her how not to get beaten up and scolded for ending up places she out-not-to. Now, he was a tall, handsome young man with blue eyes and blonde hair native to Germany. "We've met the main army-apparently they had orders to dismiss from Jerusalem early, they have set up camp three miles from here. One of the scouts said they have provisions for us."
Cayden nodded. "Alright, then, send the word down the line."
King Jonathan of Conté paced back and forth in the state rooms. Alanna, the Lioness and the Kings' Champion, Keladry of Mindelan,Raoul of the Kings Own, Duke Gaerth, Lord Wyldon, Nealan of Queenscove, Faleron of King's Reach, and Roald of Conté sat around the table seated in the center of the room. Maps and charts were spread along the table, various flags marked along points.
"How many?" The King ordered. Over the last three weeks, a very large army had appeared out of nowhere, and then split up, half heading towards Scanra, the other, moving inland towards the palace, thankfully, that group had been stopped and was being held there until King Jonathan and his men could question them.
"The army towards Scanra marches at least a thousand strong, three commanders lead it. Scouts report five hundred fully armed knights, three hundred light cavalry, various numbers of archers-both mounted and foot-and pike men." Duke Gaerth said evenly, his voice betraying his emotions, they all were frightened, and armies didn't just appear out of nowhere.
"The army we have detained are five hundred strong, all cavalry, armed with provisions, healing supplies, and weapons-bows and swords mostly. Their leader is a man named Hospitalier." Lord Wyldon finished, drumming his fingers on the table.
"What of the commanders of the other army? The one headed towards Scanra?"
"Two men, one female. The men dress in heavy plate armor; they are idiots if they think they can make it in Scanra that way. The woman, oddly enough, sticks of like a sore thumb, red hair, tall, dressed in light cloth bearing a golden cross."
"A woman?" Keladry inquired, lifting an eyebrow.
"Yes, the scouts haven't been able to get much on her; she rides both within the men and outside, often moving, never really staying in one place. Some say that it's her mount, big bay horse, powerful hindquarters."
Kel quirked a crooked smile, she would defiantly know what that felt like. Peachblossom had given her quite a lot of trouble when she had been a page. Shifting in her seat she took a glance around the room, tensions were high, if the army sided with Scanra, it could mean another war between them. Goddess knows they didn't need another, Alanna and Kel had had their share of wars these past years.
"What is to be done?" Neal questioned, toying a lock of his black hair between his fingers. Jonathan sighed, his patience worn thin.
"Knock your head against the table perhaps?"
"I doubt that would solve the problem, however entertaining it might sound." George Cooper, the baron of Pirate's Swoop stepped into the door to the chambers. How in the world he managed to escape his work, Kel had no idea.
"Any suggestions George?" King Jon asked, plunking down into his seat at the table. George crossed his arms and frowned, thinking.
"They outnumber us with cavalry; we don't know their battle plans. What do you think Alanna?"
"If our situations were reversed, I would say that we should capture one of the officers."
George smiled. "I knew you did think sometimes." He coughed, hiding his laughter at Alanna's incredulous expression. "Yes, I agree. I also propose we see if this Hospitalier can help us with that. It's obvious this man doesn't believe in the same things that this other army does."
Jonathan nodded. "He and his men have proven cooperative so far; unfortunately, they couldn't say anything about battle plans." He paused, "We ride at dawn."
They reached the camp that was holding Hospitalier and his men two days later. Storm clouds rolled overhead as the troupe of men rode into camp, once settled, the captain of the garrison took them to where Hospitalier and his men had camped.
"Which one of you is Hospitalier?" The captain called.
"Over there, sir!" A young man, perhaps twenty-two or so stood at attention. Brown hair matted to his face from fog and rough weather. Dressed in flowing black robes painted with a white cross on the breast, a shield resting nearby bore the same markings.
King Jonathan nodded. "What is your name boy?"
"Godfrey, sir!" Godfrey said.
"Godfrey, at ease." Almost immediately, Godfrey took a seat and resumed cleaning his shield. From the darkness a tall man, slightly bald with an ugly scar running from eyebrow to mouth, stepped foreword into the flickering torch light. Dressed also in black robes with the white cross he bowed to the men, raising an eyebrow at Alanna. George frowned.
"We've come for information."
Hospitalier nodded. "I guessed as much. Worlds may have shifted, but times have not. If memory serves me, you're worried about Caliber's army."
"Calibers?" Wyldon asked. "This is not your army?"
Hospitalier shook his head. "It is mine-at least this part-The Hospitaliers'. However, the main army is led by Lord Caliber, Lord Freon, and the Lady Cayden."
"What can you tell us?"
"What do you wish to know my lord? Please, take a seat." At the words of their commander, three knights moved from their seat around a small fire and moved back into the shadows. Hospitalier sat and motioned for them to sit.
"We need to know their plans-and if it is possible to cripple them in any way." Alanna stated tired of sitting here and watching things not unfold.
"I do not know their plans. Soon after our arrival here, I led my men separately. I cannot help you in that way. However, you may kill two birds in one stone."
"How?" This from Faleron, who was seated across of Hospitalier.
He smirked. "Lady Cayden is one of the most gifted leaders I have ever laid eyes on. When she arrived at Jerusalem in her brothers' stead, I was the one teaching her the arts. However, as I have gotten older, and her more troubled with the ways of the world, I fear she may not realize what exactly Lord Caliber plans. Despite that, if you wish to conquer Lord Caliber, you will need Cayden on your side."
"How, exactly, Lord Hospitalier, do you expect us to do this?" King Jonathan asked.
"Easily enough, the easy part will be convincing her, the hard part will be getting her come here."
"Can't we just say it's a summons from you?" Neal asked. Hospitalier chuckled.
"Not that easily lad. Cayden never lets her men ride to battle without her. She holds firm to the code of chivalry of knighthood where it comes to battle and knights. Technically, she will not lead her men into a battle they do not wish to fight, and vice versa. Cayden takes her responsibilities seriously, she does not lead her men into battle if she herself is not commanding them and she does not leave her men in the hands of another commander-which is probably best for all of us."
"What do you mean?" Lord Wyldon asked, "Surely troops do what they are told."
"Oh easily enough, sir. However, her men are free spirited; she did not choose born nobles as her charges. She took raw talent off the streets and trained each one herself. Only one, the Lord Fredrick, her friend from her page years, is allowed to ride with the troupe as a member."
"How ridiculous! Untrained knights…led by a foolhardy woman!" Wyldon exclaimed.
Kel glared at Wyldon. "He did not say they weren't trained, he said that they weren't noble."
Hospitalier made to respond but a sudden shout and then a rather large thunk, interrupted them. For, lying between his knees was a black shafted arrow, a red stream protruding from its feathers.
"What devilry is this?" George exclaimed, drawing his sword. Hospitalier chuckled.
"Smart girl. I'll have to let her know about that trick later on." He turned to them. "Looks like Cayden wants a meeting."
"How do you know?"
"Only Cayden uses black shafted arrows, the red streamer is an old code used by knights in Jerusalem to signal when someone wanted to meet with the King in times of trouble. Only Cayden, her men, and I know it. Everyone else spends their time learning new tactics, that they forget the old ones are still usable."
Hospitalier got up, dusting the dirt from his trousers. "Follow me, but at a distance. Hide in bushes. If I need help, I'll call a wolf. This may prove easier then expected."
"Hospitalier, what do Cayden's men specialize in?" Faleron asked, rising as well.
"Well, that depends. All of masters of archery, each crafts' his own arrows from swan feathers and making their own tips if they can. Most are reasonable pike men."
"Alanna meant, do they travel on foot?" Jonathan interrupted.
"No, my lord. Each one has a special mount given to them when Cayden trained them. They are experatly skilled, can mount at any pace and have some horse tricks up their sleeves that even I am sure does not belong even here naturally. Perhaps, when we capture Cayden-which I assume you want me to do, and she calms down enough to realize that I am right about Caliber, she will allow you to watch her practice. But, don't count on it; even she doesn't know I watch her."
Hospitalier?" Cayden called quietly, standing in the middle of the god-forsaken forest in the middle of a god-forsaken night was not how she wanted to plan her days. Brushing a lock of red hair behind her ear she sighed. A light breeze ruffled the thin black shirt making goose-bumps appear on her bare arms. Despite the distance, her leather arm-guards, inlayed with a bare, branching silver tree, reflected the dim torchlight coming towards her. It was all she could do not to jump him right then and there.
"Filigree?" The codename for her.
"Aye." She responded. "The phoenix burns." Almost immediately Hospitalier emerged from the foliage, his dark robes making him blend perfectly with the darkness.
"You called?" He asked, raising a marred eyebrow at her. She sighed, rarely did she meet with her old mentor under friendly terms, and quite frankly, she missed the companionship. Although her men provided some, occasionally they acted like eight-year-old boys, still running about in the streets.
"Caliber has plans to kill you. He sent two scouts ahead of me, whether I beat them or not, is yet to be known." Her breath raspy from the ride, Hospitalier guided her to a nearby log and took a seat.
"Any ideas?"
"Probably will chop you into four sections and keep you at the four corners, using your sword as a pike." She chuckled, Caliber was always coming up with new and inventive ways to kill people or torture them.
"I am glad you warned me." Hospitalier said, kind brown eyes starring at his young pupil. He squeezed her shoulder and got up, stopping suddenly when he felt blood trickle from his fingertips.
"Cayden?"
Pain filled green eyes turned towards him, she shrugged. "A couple of sentries nicked me with throwing stars as I went past."
Hospitalier frowned, she was lying, however convincing her story might be to those who didn't know her, and he knew her better then anyone. Cayden was far too quick, even if she wasn't the stealthiest, to be caught by mere sentries, despite who they might serve. Allowing it to slide, he moved behind her.
"Let me see." With a sharp jerk, he ripped the edge of her shirt and pulled back, bringing the torch closer to see. The wound was no five pointed mark like the throwing star scars she did have, this one was far too thin and light, a dagger perhaps, and at close range, from the angle, he could tell someone had come from behind.
"This might hurt." Dropping the torch he pressed lightly on the wound, a sharp intake of breath, and then she was out. Hoisting her over his shoulder, Hospitalier picked up his torch and stole off into the night.
AN: Well, the start of yet again another story! I will complete this one! I AM DETERMINED!
Please Read and Review thank you!
-Blackeri