Knights of the Westfold Chapter 4, a misc. comics fanfic

The Draconia Chronicles: Knights of the Westfold

Chapter 4: On The March (Ye Jacobites by Name by Beth Patterson)

The soldiers had finished packing their belongings or what little they had that was not confiscated by the Dragons, many of them had only their armor and weapons. Their dreams of freedom fresh in their minds,"We move out!" I called out as Lady Noemi was leading our army. Glenda's scouts say there is a Dragon camp in the hills to the east.

I am Claramond of the House of Whitetail, I command this army with Lady Noemi and Lady Glenda. Like this army, I fight to see these beautiful lands free, and in hopes that someone will step up as Queen. Our Tiger neighbors say that the lines that divide our land are cut so deep that the Westfold will never see a queen. I refuse to believe that.

This coming from a people whose princess has yet to grow a spine. We might as well say that the Tiger Territories are ruled by a child. Though our relationship is not a friendly one, it would not be wise to fight the Dragons and the Tigers. We do not have the might to fight two wars. Our noble houses seem to be the only major resistance.

As our army went through the forest, we passed by villages. The faces of the old and the cries of hungry cubs were a reminder of whom we are fighting for. It broke my heart to see the faces of cubs with eyes that cried out for help. We are heroes in their eyes. Some of these children have lost family and friends. I know this pain all too well.

We all have our reasons to fight, whether it be in the name of freedom or in the name of a lost loved one. Lady Noemi has told me her tale. As for why I ride into battle, my mother died defending me when I was a cub. I remembered hearing the laughter of fire and lightning dragons over the screams of the dead and dying as our village burned.

My mother's name was Aine. The mace and sword belonged to her as does the armor I wear and the shield I carry on my back. Her spirit lives in me, and gives me strength. I know that when I look up at the heavens when I pray that she is smiling down at me, proud of the knight that I have become. Those close to me say I look just like her.

As the soldiers marched along the trail, Lady Glenda decided to liven up their souls. I have come to know Glenda as being a great bard as well as a great knight. According to our sources, the camp is a fortified wooden outpost full of Lightning and Fire Dragons which are the norm in these areas. When Lady Glenda sang, our soldiers followed.

Ye Blarelites by name, lend an ear, lend an ear
Ye Blarelites by name, lend an ear
Ye Blarelites by name, your faults I will proclaim
Your doctrines I must blame
You shall hear, you shall hear
Your doctrines I must blame, you shall hear

What is right and what is wrong by the law, by the law
What is right and what is wrong by the law
What is right and what is wrong
By short sword or by long
A weak arm or a strong for to draw, for to draw
A weak arm or a strong for to draw

What makes heroic strife famed afar, famed afar
What makes heroic strife famed afar
What makes heroic strife
To whet the assassin's knife
Or haunt a parent's life wi' bloody war, bloody war
Or haunt a parent's life wi' bloody war

Then let your schemes alone in the state, in the state
Then let your schemes alone in the state
Then let your schemes alone
Adore the rising sun
And leave a lass undone to her fate, to her fate
And leave a lass undone to her fate

I look forward to the day when the drums of war fall silent, and the hills echo the coming of the fall harvest with song and dance. In these times, just having enough food to last a few months is cause to celebrate. The Dragons have bled us dry of our crops. Those we do get to nourish our soldiers is smuggled in by farmers from the resistance.

As we passed through, some of the village cubs picked up rocks and threw them at our prisoner calling her a 'demon' and 'whore' among other names which I dare not say. It only stopped when Lady Noemi intervened. I am not going to label her a traitor. Lady Noemi is my best friend. Being a knight is about learning to stand up for what is right.

It would not surprise me that Dragon scribes have called our victory the 'Massacre in the Meadows' when there was plenty of Dragon resistance. The other thing being Lady Noemi spared the Water Dragon. Now we drag her as our prisoner. I do not doubt Noemi's need to keep her alive, but I wonder how many times she will try and escape.

As we entered the Greenwood Forest along the old trade routes, the soldiers marched in rows of three. The sounds of steel plate armor and iron chainmail echoed among the oldest of trees. I breathed a sigh and could feel my breath coming out of the five breathing holes on each side of my visor. It was my turn to look after the prisoner.

I looked down at the prisoner named 'Blue' from atop my Arabian. The reasons that Lady Noemi keep her alive are reason enough for me not to look down upon her. She looked at me and smiled, "Lady Claramond, is it?" asked the dragon as she was dragged behind my horse by chains, but keeping up, "come on, let's see that pretty face,"

She is mocking me, and I find it bothersome. I will oblige with her request. There is a reason I am called 'Claramond the Scarred' by the knights and soldiers under the banner of my house. I tipped up my visor, and looked at the prisoner smiling back at her. I saw the look of shock seeing the scars on the bridge of my muzzle, and left eye.

"Never mind," Blue said looking away and I put down my visor. Her body was bruised from the stones. Now that I look at her, I do pity her. Blue is not like the Dragons we fought. There seems to be something forming between Lady Noemi and this dragon. I saw her feed her last night, something neither me nor any of our soldiers could do.

"We all carry scars, Blue," I replied, "some on the outside, and some on the in," I am hoping she understands. Lady Noemi is my friend and I will not see her hurt. I gave her a warning, "I know Lady Noemi seems fond of you, but if you hurt my friend, I'll see to it that your brains will be splattered on the trail, and your body left to the crows."

I am loyal to this army, and I will follow Lady Noemi and Lady Glenda to the death. For death is the destiny of a warrior. For we cannot predict our deaths, or what form it might bring as it not always be at the hands of a Dragon. I will fight until my last breath. When the time comes, I know my mother will be waiting for me in the next world.