Chapter 8

The morning of the battle was a grim one. Rain drizzled off the men's beards and they looked at each other with dismal eyes. Yet there was a spark in everyone's eyes. They knew they might all be slaughtered, but they were dying for their freedom. They were ready.

Seven hundred fifty men marched to a low, flat valley with a river running through the middle. Here they would meet the enemy. The men were silent, and only the breeze and the patter of the rain could be heard. Even the birds were quiet. Dasian was in front of them, Tnsaiu by his side. He stared across the flat land and tightened his grip on the reins. His big grey horse snorted and pawed the ground. He turned his head to look at his army. They seemed so small, so minor. But in their hearts, they were bigger and stronger than any other army.

Up on the hill were three riders. One he could easily tell was Willy. His short figure on his shaggy pony was easy to spot. The second he thought was Henry, one of his officers. The third, he couldn't tell. Suddenly the wind blew a little harder and the rider's golden hair flew around her. It was Anaella. Dasian practically swore. The battle field was no place for a woman. However, Willy and Tnsaiu had taught her the skill of the sword. If she wanted to get herself killed, so be it. She knew how to defend herself. It was not his problem.

"You let the fairy come?" he muttered to Tnsaiu, after he had turned his eyes once more towards the river.

The wizard continued to gaze into the thin sheets of rain, but he did raise an eyebrow. "Aye," he said slowly. "I did. Her strength is back and she wished to see the battle. She can wield the sword easily, sir. You need not worry about her."

Dasian snorted. "I was not worried, Tnsaiu. Whether she gets killed or not, it will not affect me; you wizards do plenty of work for me."

"Ah, but it will," he said softly. "If you lose her, your army will suffer greatly."

The young Captain grunted softly and stared at the river. By the end of the day, the river would be running full of blood. Perhaps his blood. Perhaps Felipe's blood.

Anaella closed her eyes as the rain fell all around her. She did not feel it. Her thick heavy cloak covered her well, and her mind was elsewhere, not caring about the rain. "The witch" was the only thing going through her mind. The witch knew the answers. Anaella wanted desperately to know the answers. Why couldn't she just...No it was a foolish and silly idea. Dasian would never agree. Then again, why not? Why couldn't she just go to the witch and ask her for the answers? Well, for one thing, the witch wouldn't give her the answers willingly. She would have to give her something. Perhaps Walnut would know. She could easily stop by her old home and question the fairies. The biggest problem was getting Dasian to agree.

"When are you going to do it?"

Willy's voice broke her thoughts and she opened her eyes. She turned and looked at him for a moment, confusion in her dark blue eyes. Then she understood and turned back to the rain. "As soon as the enemy is sighted."

"Are you sure it will work?" asked Henry. He was a doubtful man and questioned everything.

"Aye," assured Willy. "She's a fairy and knows what she's doing. Just you watch."

"Does the Captain know of this? Has he agreed?"

"Nay," said Willy slowly.

"No one needs to know," said Anaella briskly. "It won't affect the army. I'm going to the end of the ranks; perhaps it will work better back there." She turned her horse towards the woods and trotted off.

Henry looked suspiciously after her. He turned to Willy and muttered, "I don't trust the fairy. Something is not right about her."

"Oh, she's trustworthy alright, sir. She is definitely trustworthy. Wasn't she who warned us about this attack?"

Henry didn't answer but continued to glower in Anaella's direction. Willy's words had not changed his mind. There was something disturbing about her that Henry couldn't put a finger on. He made a mental note to keep an eye out for Anaella the fairy.

Jengo licked his dry lips. They were coming close to the rebel camp. Any moment now they would see a valley. His spy had told him so. The rebel camp lay just beyond the valley. There they lay, weak and oblivious to what was about to hit them.

Suddenly a cry rang through the first ranks. One of the men pointed down the hill. They had reached the valley. But the cry had been full of fear, not eagerness. As Jengo reached the top of the hill, he saw why. Dasian's army stretched far out before him. His mouth dangled open. How did they know he was coming? More importantly, how did he get such a huge army?

The rebel's army must have expanded out for miles, because he could not see the end. His men began to panic. They had not expected this. They had expected seven hundred men unaware, unarmed in their camp. The army before their eyes seemed to be vastly larger than their own.

"Hold your ground men!" he yelled.

"Their army is huge!" shouted a man.

"We'll never be able to win!" cried another, thinking of the quick and determined rebels he had fought before, though there were not many of them, they fought hard and mercilessly.

Jengo swore vehemently and yelled at the men. "You blockheads! Hold your ground. It's time to fight the rebels and you know it. Hold your ground and prepare for a day of victory!"

When Dasian saw Felipe's army stirring in confusion, he thinned his eyes in puzzlement and suspicion. He glanced back at his own men and his eyes widened. His army was bigger than when he last looked at them. The ranks extended into the woods and farther. Dasian darted his eyes here and there, wondering what had happened. He was just as baffled as Felipe's men, but happier.

"Don't get your hopes up high, sir," said Tnsaiu, not even turning to look at the huge army behind him. "It is a mirage, a trick to scare Felipe. You still have seven hundred men."

"The fairy did it, didn't she?"

"Aye, she did. I asked her to."

"That is clever. Very clever."

Tnsaiu looked at him and smiled, ever so slightly.

Dasian flashed one of his rare grins and he shouted at his men, "The time to fight is now! Are you ready?"

"YES!"

"You know your places and your commands. I expect every man to do his part, no one slack."

Dasian nodded proudly at his men, and then returned to his spot beside Tnsaiu. The enemy was advancing and the horses became restless. Even the men began to stomp their spears on the ground and bite their lips in impatience. Dasian's horse bobbed his great head up and down and pawed the ground eager to storm the coming ranks.

A soldier bit darted his eyes to the foe before him and singled out his first opponent, and another tightened his grip on his sword. Felipe's army was close enough, and Dasian's men gave a mighty roar before plunging into a run towards them. Felipe's army stopped at the sight of the huge mass of men running towards them. But when the two armies collided, they began to fight, weakly at first, then gain courage and they dealt their blows almost desperately.

From the top of the hill, Anaella watched nervously. Her mirage could not fight; but Felipe's men did not know that. If only they would get scared and run like Tnsaiu hoped they would do, then everything would work out fine. Her hopes went up as she saw Felipe's army moving slowly back, like a wave, they pushed forward then back and forth and the triumph was still uncertain.

Hours later most of Felipe's army had deserted, afraid of being slaughtered. She had not seen Dasian, Willy, or Tnsaiu at all. She finally caught sight of Willy in the middle of the great mass of men and swords. He was up and swinging his sword in every direction. He wasn't far from her and she found herself watching his every move, uncertainly. Even though he was half as short as his enemies, that didn't stop him from cutting them down. It wasn't until she saw a huge troll swinging a gigantic club, did she realize her hand was on her sword.

"Willy, watch out!"

Willy turned and saw the monster coming at him. When the club swung down the first time, he dodged it and tried to run around the troll. But he was too slow. The club came down again, barely missing him, but it threw him off balance and he fell, his sword clattering away.

Anaella didn't know what she was doing until she found herself in front of Willy, sword in hand glaring at the troll. The troll hesitated in confusion, as if it had never seen a man like this before. In that moment of hesitation, Anaella felt herself swinging her sword across his legs. He yelled in pain and brought up his club to smite the golden haired man. She jumped back with a cry, then drove her sword into his heart.

The troll already had a few arrows sticking out of him. The slash in his legs and the pierce in his heart were too much. He began roaring in pain, banging his club against his head with anger, till he fell to the ground, dead. Anaella stared at the dead troll in amazement, wondering if she had really done it; it had happened so fast. Willy got to his feet, trembling. Suddenly pain shot through her arm, just below the shoulder.

"You just saved my life."

She grabbed her throbbing arm and winced. Her knees buckled and she heard Willy cry out in horror. Shouts of triumph started to ring through the valley. But whose shouts, Anaella couldn't tell. Dizziness swept over her and she almost fell to her knees. Unexpectedly someone put their strong arm around her waist and straightened her. She looked up to see Dasian shaking his fist and yelling the victory. His face was streaked with grim and blood, but his eyes radiated pure joy. He looked down at her and said something she couldn't hear. She tried to smile, but instead darkness filled her mind and she went limp.