A Tale of Blades & Blood-Chapter 15: Consequence

[Merill's Point of View]

Just as the council had thought, the wedding was not safe. I rode with my men as we scouted the city perimeters. It was not long before the siege of the city had begun. I still recall what happened...

On a ride with my three trusted men, Ser Trustaine, Ser Bronnsen, and Ser Caellix, the siege had already started. We could see them from a distance- the siege towers, the battering rams, and the trebuchets. It was no mystery as to who they were or who they fought for. I know a green banner with an owl anywhere. Traitors, I realized, filthy traitors.

"Ser Trustaine!" I called out, "Master the riders! Take Ser Bronnsen with you and we will meet on this very mound, do you hear?" I asked.

"As the captain commands." he remarked as he sent himself and his stallion away to the distance along with Ser Bronnsen.

We never should have allowed them to go, I thought. Those men are scattered, I told myself, I can only hope Ser Trustaine gathers them before they breach the gates. "Ser Caellix!" I called out. Without another second, the knight turned his horse to me, ready to follow.

"Yes, my lord?" he asked.

"What do you think of this?" I ask him. "What do you think we should do?"

He looked at me confused, then he looked down, to the field of yellow flowers as if in thought. "Why must you ask me, my lord?" he asked. "My answer is less worthy than that of yours." he remarked.

"You..." I began, pointing my finger at him, "...are one of the few men who I trust." I told him. "Give me your thoughts. I insist." I demanded.

After a short pause, the young knight held his sword, and released it from its sheath. "We could take them by surprise, my lord." he tells me. "Should we take them from the side, we can surround them and trap them inside the city." he explained. Not a bad plan, I thought.

"That could work." I replied. "We take them quickly, leave them no chance to flee, and we cut their throats, eh?" I jokingly asked.

The knight lets out a small chuckle. "Blades and blood..." he began, "...it's all a game until you play it. Then, it becomes something you wished you never joined in." he explained.

"Why did you join this 'game'?" I asked curiously.

"I wanted to protect those I love." he told me. "Some men join the army for honor, glory, power, and respect. I joined the army to make sure my family's safe." he remarked.

"So, you're one of those... family men?" I asked to clarify.

"Indeed, my lord." he replied. "All I can desire now is to see them again when I go home. Who knows how many memories I can make with my daughter, my lord?" he imagined. "I already know I'd survive under your command." he remarked.

I could hear them now: The hooves of horses, the sound of armor, and the gentle wind that came with them. I did not have to turn around to know that the cavalry was already there. "My lord, what is your next command?" a voice asked. That voice was Ser Trustaine, and on the other side, was Ser Bronnsen.

"Line Formation, Ser Trustaine..." I ordered him, "...twenty men thick."

"LINE FORMATION!" he repeated to the army, his voice hung in the air as he rode on to the front lines. "TWENTY MEN THICK!" he yelled. The men obeyed swiftly, moving into position. It was almost mesmerizing to watch them move. Oh, how proud they should be, I thought, for being the best cavalry in all of The Northern Island. Soon enough, the men were in formation.

I look into the distance, moving my stallion forward. The Strix army was close to breaching the wall. Trap them inside the city and kill them off, I remember. Damn, that boy of a knight sure is witty. I take my sword and free it from its sheath and I aim it to the armies ahead. "We charge at the armies as they begin to enter!" I told them. "Surround them, ride around them as you keep your distance!" I exclaimed. "Do you hear, men?".

A loud reply of a short chant, filled with the words "RED MEN!" erupted in the air. "Then we charge!" I exclaim as I raise my sword in the air and close my helmet. "To the green men who will die today! Give them your swords!" I exclaimed as I rode into the fields. Beside me, Ser Caellix rode with the right flank, and Ser Trustaine and Ser Bronnsen led the left flank. The men wore steel armor, adorned with red patterns, with the helmet having horns, a connection to House Ballister with their goat sigil.

I could feel the wind hit me as I rode. This is the peace before the fight, I thought to myself, in no less than a moment, I shall see the horrors of war again. We neared the Strix army, at the same time they bashed the gates open. The green soldiers flooded into the city. They fell for it, I joyfully realized. My men roared as they charged into Strix lines.

The sound of metal and the cries of horses paired with the groans of men entered my ears. With my sword at hand, I pierce through many Strix heads, almost getting myself disarmed when my blade took the body with it. The taste of blood hit my tongue once more... it was nostalgic to feel that again.

Soon, I reach the other side of the gate, where very few to no enemy soldiers gathered. "Surround them, men!" I ordered, blowing my horn. The knights of red encapsulated the Strix men into a tight circle, the wall acting as the other side. The riders did as they were told, to ride and kill but to keep their distance. I could see one, two, three, four, and so forth men fall to the ground as their throats were slit or their head was cut off.

I as well did the same. I cut deep into the armor of these men, and pierced their eyes through the holes of their helmets. No armor could withstand my blade; I was simply invincible. Slowly, we ate away their lines, pushing them closer into the city as the forces of Ravenhan gathered behind the gates in greater numbers. "Win for your kingdom!" I exclaimed, taking another soldier's head- how many was that now, nine, ten, fifteen heads taken off?

The battle weighed in our favor. The morale of the men was high, and many had smiles on their faces as if celebrating their victory even though it had not even arrived... but who knew it would not even arrive at all? The tide was good... too good to be true. The silence was loud, and the birds flew from the south as if... flying from something else.

There they were, from the hills towards the south, the green men rose from the mound, revealing themselves from hiding. They rode on stallions not from the lands of The East Plains nor of The South Cradle, but they were from The Freelands, south of The Northern Island, but they were not a part of the kingdom, hence their name. The men wore Strix armor yet their swords were of deep south origin with a slight curve.

Those men were led by none another than Lord Loreys of Tiberrun, who bore a scar on his eye. While the man was old, he stood among them as high as can be, leading them with absolute might. On his left hand was a horn, and on the other was a blade. His feet were secured on the stirrup on his horse, and his face was aged and full of hair so white.

With a terrifying range, he blew his horn, sending my men to chills as they saw the impending doom riding upon them. He spoke with no words, yet his mere presence commanded the Free Men of the Free Cities. "Do not falter!" I exclaimed as I faced the army of the enemy. "The Old Goat that is your lord has not fallen!" I told them, "So, charge in his name and win!"

My men faced the cavalry, and rode towards them. I put my sword in my sheath, and take my spear and shield from my back. With a slow move, I aim my spear to the armies and arm myself with my shield. This is where the true game begins, I realize, the plan to surround them was only a mere instruction.

With a large clash, I knock one rider off of his stallion. One lucky soldier managed to get a blow on my shield with his sword, almost knocking me off of my horse as I sway to the side, hanging off of my belt, hooked to my saddle. Luckily, I managed to get back on my horse, but not before having my helmet dented by a curved blade- that made me nauseous.

It would not be long before my horse was taken down. Two riders extended their blades, interlocking them as they charged past both my left and right, and took off my stallion's two front legs. I fell to the ground on my face, eventually falling on my side as the poor horse did. I take release my belt from the saddle and swiftly take my leg off of the horse's body, leaving my splintered and broken spear behind.

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What in the world are these riders made of? I asked myself. There was another rider who charged at me with his mount. Great, I thought, another one. With my sword released from its sheath once more, I prepare myself. The rider came at me hanging from his side ever so slightly. Then, I saw that he was not secured to his saddle as his belt hung freely in the air. Big mistake.

When he was near enough, I made our blades collide, and I latched on to his arm and put my foot over the stallion. With a quick motion, I dragged him off of his horse and rode his own, leaving him behind to be killed off by my men. "Thank you for the horse, you fool!" I exclaimed happily.

My happiness did not last for long. There I saw in the distance; my men were being killed by The Strix army. Those riders were like no other. They had stallions of stone and arms of steel; what more could we do?

Along the corner of my eye, I saw him. Ser Caellix, I realized, no...

There he was as well, Lord Loreys Tiberrun, surrounded by large men, a steel sword on his hand. The young lord turned at the last moment, locking eyes with the old lord. "SER CAELLIX!" I exclaimed aloud. Of course, he could not hear me; the battle raged on around us, and my voice was only a whisper. I watched in horror as he plunged to sword into the chest of the young lad as he charged towards him on a horse while Ser Caellix's stallion was still. Blood was coughed up from his mouth, and with tears of sorrow, he fell off his stallion, but there was also a smile- one that was proud that of his duty's fulfillment. Soon enough... he was as still as all the other corpses on the ground.

My eyes widen as my jaw lowers and my mouth opens in shock. All of his words go back to my head: "All I can desire now is to see them again when I go home. Who knows how many memories I can make with my daughter, my lord?" he told me earlier before the battle had even begun. I knew I could not save my men, for I had no men left. All those that remained were my trusted men, Ser Bronnsen and Ser Trustaine, along with what seemed like a hundred men against what seemed like two thousand riders- perhaps more.

I could almost see it form- a lake of blood on the battle field.

I can do no more, I realized, I am of no help to my men but only a danger to my life. "Forgive me..." I whispered with a shaky voice, "...my men of valor are dead." I finish. "They now feast with the three men above us all at the long tables of heaven..." I imagined. "Ser Caellix would love that." I remarked as the tears flowed more intensely, drenching my wounds in salt and water. I do not deserve to ride away, but I still did.