The Shattered Realms: Hanalea ana'Raisa
Chapter Three
The Wolf Rides
"Let them come, they'll waste their lives upon our heights with us raining arrows down on them," barked the Demonai officer.
"I need to find adequate information of the enemy. We could be facing the entire flatlander army for all we know! No use twiddling our thumbs," replied Hanalea ana'Raisa, Princess Heir of the Fells.
"If I want you to go on a scouting mission, I expect you to honor my command, not whine about not getting to kill flatlanders. I need someone I can trust, now will you do it or shall I have your arse court-martialed for insubordination?" growled Hana as she grabbed the front of his cloak and pulled him close, nose to nose.
They were almost equal in height, he had a few inches on her. The Demonai officer remained silent for a bit before nodding, giving way to the Princess.
"I'll see it done, Your Highness, " he said and bowed out of the room.
Hanalea sighed and collapsed into the makeshift chair behind her, the Fellsdeer leather & sheepskin cover cushioning her fall.
Her bound Captain of the Guard laid a hand upon her right shoulder as he spoke, "We held the line, and stopped the enemy Hana; we did good. We need to know if they are renewing their attack or retreating in full," Simon said softly now that they were alone in the War tent.
Hana had given orders for the officers to see to their men and get guard patrols posted and set, convinced that nothing more was happening tonight.
Hana looked up at Simon, her green eyes sparkling from the candles. Simon looked back down at her and leaned down and presses his lips to hers. Hana enjoyed kissing Simon, his weathered lips next to hers felt just right.
Breaking from the kiss, Simon kneeled down in front of Hana, taking her gloved hands in his; he rested his forehead against hers and inhaled deeply. "I want to breathe you in for the rest of my days. The leather, sweat and wool you smell of. To recall the pine & spring you smelled like back in Fellsmarch..." he breathed in deeply again.
"You know, I would need to marry for the good of the line. Especially to form an alliance with someone who could help us against Arden," Hana whispered in return, she closed her eyes and just relaxed with Simon right beside her.
"We are bound Hana, I'll be with you until death. In whatever way the Maker has planned for us," he replied, his voice barely audible over the crackling of the fire.
"We've better get some sleep, we got a long day ahead of us tomorrow. The weather is still bad isn't it?" Hana asked, as she leaned past Simon to look out the tent opening, whirls of snow that blew the flaps opened seem to answer her.
"I believe it will continue for sometime. Didn't the wizards predict a bad snow storm?" Simon asked, coming back to a stand.
Hana nodded, not bothering to reply, with a flick of her wrist, she signaled for Simon to leave. "I'll be getting ready for sleep. Alone," putting emphasis on Alone.
As the night carried on, the blizzard blew through, bringing in a fresh cover of snow; not stained crimson by the life-blood of Arden from yesterday. The snow drifts from the mountains continue occasionally, but clear weather ahead.
"Any word from the scouts?" asked Hanalea as she came up to the ramparts.
"Not yet, we expect them back shortly," replied an officer as he turned look at his commanding officer.
"Saddle up my horse, and a triple. We'll be riding out to investigate within the hour. I have a feeling something has happened," Hanalea ordered and turned on heel and walked away.
Hanalea knew that a triple, a guard of nine would be disapproved of by her mother, but she didn't want a large group going scouting. Especially if the southerners launched another attack.
A triple will have to suffice. Hanalea sighed and she started up the trail to her tent so she could get ready and as she came to the entrance to her tent, her guards snapped to attention, however she heard arguing coming from inside the tent. As she entered her tent, it went silent and before her was Simon Byrne, and Willo Watersong, Matriarch of Marisa Pines Camp, and a apprentice healer.
"The wounded need healing to ensure their survival. Also, we need to investigate reports from our scouts of the pass to ensure what lies ahead. We received a message from Westgate to that effect, those are orders from the Queen herself," Willo said, Bright Hand right behind her nodding and stepping forward.
"She wishes us to confirm the reports from refugees who were fleeing from the flatlanders," he said and stepped back.
"I've already given the order for horses to be saddled Willow; I don't like the fact that our scouts are still missing," Hana said and pushed back several strands of her golden hair back that had came free of her braid.
"Alright, I will send word to the Queen of that affect," Willo smiled and stood up and came to stand before Hana.
"You have such fair hair as your father," Willo said as she embraced Hana.
"Father thinks my hair is lighter then his ever was. Mother thinks its the same," Hana said smiling as she returned the embrace.
"Maybe your father is right. His hair had a small trace of reddish tint to it, due to his magical legacy. From what Han has told me, you favor Alger Waterlow more, your ancestor," Willo laughed.
"As far as I'm concerned, my lighter color hair helps me blend in to the terrain. Dark hair like my mothers would stand out more," Hana chuckled.
Willo nodded and passed Hana to the entrance then turned back to face Hana once more. "It is good to see you again Hana. Be safe, Your Highness," Willo said and inclined her head, and disappeared out of the tent.
"I'll gather the guards for you Hana," Simon said, and as he passed by Hana he leaned in and kissed her lips softly. Hanalea, grabbed ahold of him, wrapping her arms around him, entangling her fingers in his hair.
She felt Simon stiffen briefly then returned, she felt his hands wrap around her and pull her close, crashing their bodies together.
Simon pulled away first, flushed & breathless. "I should get ready Hana. Once this war is over though," Simon breathed as he planted a kiss on Hana's forehead and pulled free and organized his hair with his fingers as a comb.
As Simon stepped out, he could see several horses already geared and ready to ride. He glanced over at the campfires and tents and spotted the blue of the Queen's guard, and the hand picked Highlanders that accompanied them.
Walking over, his breathe steaming as he exhaled, his mind wandering elsewhere. "I will need you guys outfitted and ready to ride in twenty. We will be scouting ahead to see where the Demonai scouts have gone to," Simon ordered and the guards nodded and started getting ready.
"We'll send word once we are ready sir," came a reply from one of the bluejackets.
"I'll be with the Princess Heir, send word there," Simon said and turned on heel and walked away to tend to his own horse and equipment first. Simon ran a gray through his black hair, brushing away snow as the wind blew in some more.
As Simon finished getting his horse ready to ride, he paused to look out past the Bulwark into the pass beyond and what awaited them. As far as he could see was nothing but snow.
As he kept his eyes on the pass and started down the steps to Hana's tent and ran right into a wall of muscle and went down hard on his rear. Before he could react he heard Hana laughing, and he looked up to find her right before him.
"You are usually so grounded. What happened to your footing Byrne?" Hana chuckled, amusement evident and her eyes sparkled with mischievous intent.
"Just feeling like riding out into that pass is a very bad idea. Like its a mistake that you only make once..." Simon replied, his voice trailing off at the end.
"I know, I got a bad feeling as well, but that won't stop me from doing what is required of me, Simon." Hana replied, keeping her devious side in check.
As everyone had mounted their horses, Hana came forward, Simon to her left.
"Everyone. This is a high risk mission, we are checking to see what has been going on in the pass and where our Demonai scouts are. Keep in mind this is information only, we are at all odds to keep from making contact with the enemy." she ordered, looking at each guard in turn who simply gazed back at her.
She mounted Spirit and snapped the reigns and started down the trail to the gates of the Bulwark, her triple following her out, and taking formation, placing her in the middle. Their bright blue cloaks marking them against the blinding white snow. Hanalea being the only one dressed in white to blend in with the weather.
As they departed from the Bulwark into Marisa Pines Pass, Hanalea felt a chill to her bones. She felt chilled to her core, despite being dressed for the occasion. Simon noticed it too and brought his horse alongside hers.
"Are you alright Your Highness?" he asked, his gray eyes seemed to peer into her soul and steady her.
"I feel as if the mountains are calling me back, warning me not to go." she said softly, keeping her eyes on the move. Looking over the horizon and the edge where sky met the ground to see if they were being watched.
She felt eyes on her, as the Princess Heir though, eyes tended to fall on her anyway, especially as the commanding officer and known as Running Wolf in the uplands. Her younger brother, Adrian was known as Speaks To Horses, and Alyssa was Daylily.
I guess they will grow up on the field as I have, I would prefer they not have to fight and know the horrors of war.
As they continued their trek into Marisa Pines Pass, the temperature dropped, and by high noon, a storm began to brew on Hanalea's peaks. Lightning danced around the sky sending waves of thunder rumbling through the pass.
Continuing on through the pass, speed was now a priority as the storm could cover the trail at any time. The Demonai trail had went cold a few times, but Hana's tracking skills matched any of the Demonai as she had trained with them since she could walk. She had fostered with the clans for three years at Demonai camp.
Following the trail deep, they crossed into the borderlands, the divide between the Queendom of the Fells, and the Kingdom of Arden, or as the southerners called it - the Empire of Arden.
"Your Highness! It will be dark soon, and we haven't found them." Byrne said as he rode up beside Hana. Hana nodded in agreement then a glint caught her eye.
"There. Ahead on the trail." She pointed ahead at the hillside. As the group came up on to the hill and as Hanalea dismounted to get a closer look at what caught her eye, Simon grabbed ahold of her arm.
"Lets leave now. I have a bad feeling about this, Hana." he said, the look in his eyes was stern yet wild as if he knew trouble was coming. Hanalea pulled her arm free and turned to look at Simon, a sound that they all knew pierced the air.
SNICK - SNICK - SNICK
The sound of crossbows going off and several of her guardsmen fell before they could even draw their weapons. Simon practically leapt off his horse, covering Hanalea with his body before she pushed him off and pulled her sword free. The remaining guardsmen crowded around her, their swords hissing free as well, Simon to her right.
Hanalea took in the lay of the land in the blink on an eye.
A ledge to the left, a cliff-face to the right and at the hilltop was the enemy.