The King of the West

by Pedro Urvi

“How can you be so sure about that?” Nilsa asked her.

  “It’s what I’d do myself. In an open field, the Invincibles have no rival. Sending them into the city is a risk. But along the wall it means certain victory.”

  “Let’s see what happens,” Gerd said. He did not sound totally convinced.

  The Invincibles formed a line of ten men abreast and marched on Svensen’s forces. The fight against the mercenaries had been chaotic, but against the Invincibles it was going to be nothing of the sort. The elite infantry of Norghana was extremely disciplined and knew how to act when facing the enemy at all times. Svensen tried to charge against them with the few cavalrymen he had left, and failed. The line of Invincibles held fast, and he lost his cavalry. After this the forces of the West tried to hurl themselves at the Invincibles, but the result was the same. They were cut to ribbons. The Westerners had neither the discipline nor the skill in combat of their rivals. They went for them with axe and shield in hand, shouting, and a moment later they died under the sword. For every Invincible they managed to kill, they lost nearly ten men of their own. Svensen, seeing that they were being decimated, called the retreat.

  “What did I tell you?” Ingrid said with folded arms.

  “Well, yes ... you were right,” Gerd had to admit.

  “They’re retreating to the hill, with Erikson’s men,” Nilsa said.

  “Can you see what’s happening to Arnold in the city?” Ingrid asked Lasgol. “I can’t see him in the streets or buildings, what with the smoke and dust.”

  Lasgol concentrated and sent more inner energy to his Hawk’s Sight to see what was happening more clearly, and located Arnold and his men running to shelter in the Olafstone castle. The Thunder Army was at his heels, and for a moment Lasgol thought that he was not going to make it. Arnold and his men were fleeing for their lives down streets, between buildings, followed by enemy soldiers who saw they had victory in front of them.

  “They’re in serious trouble,” Lasgol told his friends. He explained what he was seeing.

  “I hope they manage to get to safety,” said Gerd.

  “Are you with the West now?” Ingrid asked him.

  Gerd shrugged. “I don’t know who I’m with.”

  “With the losing side?” Nilsa asked, and Ingrid looked at her in surprise.

  Nilsa shrugged. “He’s Egil’s brother,” she said apologetically. “I don’t want him to get killed.”

  “Neither do I,” said Gerd.

  Ingrid too shrugged. “We couldn’t be more divided and confused. Okay, now we’re with the losing side,” she conceded.

  Lasgol felt the same. He did not want Arnold to be killed. He knew him and knew that he was a good person, quite apart from the fact that he was Egil’s brother and the legitimate heir to the crown. The Thunder soldiers were running through the streets like wild animals pursuing their prey, and they were catching up with it. Arnold and his men managed to get into the castle a moment before they were caught, and lowered the portcullis behind them. Lasgol saw movement in the towers and battlements he had strolled along with Egil during his visit. The surviving archers appeared on top of them and released against the Thunder soldiers.

  “The archers!” Ingrid cried. She could see them on the towers now.

  “This is getting interesting,” said Nilsa.

  “Bloody, you mean,” Gerd said, sounding downcast.

  And so it was. The archers released against the Thunder soldiers, who were milling around in front of the castle gate, unable to break it down. They protected themselves with their shields, but the archers released again and again, following Arnold’s orders. The general of the Thunder Army realized that without siege machines they would be unable to enter the castle, and ordered the retreat. The soldiers began to withdraw, without turning their backs on the archers. If they did so, they would die before they were out of their reach.

  “They’re really disciplined,” Ingrid said, sounding impressed.

  “Yeah, in that situation I’m not sure I’d be so calm,” Nilsa admitted.

  “A lot of them are dying,” Gerd said unhappily.

  “More of them would die if they broke ranks,” Ingrid assured him.

  Lasgol stroked Ona and Camu who were beside him, motionless, while the great battle was taking place.

  The Thunder Army, or what remained of it, withdrew and left by the southern gate to join the survivors of the Snow Army. The Invincibles also received the order to retreat. Very slowly, showing that they were not afraid of anybody or anything, they went back to where Thoran was waiting for them with the rest of his battered forces.

  Erikson and Svensen, seeing those forces regrouping by the King’s camp, went into the city through the northern gate and came to the Olafstone castle. Arnold lowered the bridge and raised the portcullis, and all the survivors of the Western forces took shelter inside the castle. Those of the East did the same at Thoran’s camp.

  “That was an impressive battle,” Nilsa said.

  “One that hasn’t finished yet,” Ingrid added.

  “Who won?” Gerd asked.

  “Neither side, I’m afraid,” Ingrid said.

  “For a long while I thought the West had won,” Nilsa admitted.

  “Yeah,” Gerd said admiringly, “but the Thunder soldiers and the Invincibles… are awesome.”

  “Particularly the Invincibles,” said Ingrid. “They’re the ones who turned the battle in favor of the East.”

  “What’s going to happen now?” Lasgol asked uneasily.

  “Thoran will try to take the castle,” said Ingrid.

  Nilsa was doubtful. “You think so? He’s lost a whole lot of soldiers. There’s barely anybody left standing from the Thunder and Snow armies. Not to speak of the mercenaries who’ve been swept away”

  “I’m afraid Thoran will go on till the end,” Ingrid said sadly.

  “Unfortunately I agree,” Lasgol said.

  Horns rang out from Thoran’s war camp, calling all the forces to regroup.

  “What do we do now?” Gerd asked uncertainly.

  “Those horns are calling us too,” said Ingrid.

  “I think we’d better go and find out what’s going to happen now,” Nilsa said.

  “We can’t go to the castle,” Lasgol pointed out uneasily. “They wouldn’t let us in, in any case.”

  “Then let’s go back and find out what Thoran’s planning,” Ingrid said.

  Lasgol nodded. It was the most sensible thing to do. They set off through the forest, leaving behind the city and the battlefield where thousands of people had lost their lives in the assault. He knew only too well that more would die, and his heart grieved for them.

  Chapter 42

  King Thoran’s camp was on a war footing. There were soldiers everywhere, many of them wounded, seeking help from the camp surgeons and their own comrades. The cries of pain of the wounded and dying were deafening. Surgeons, stretcher-bearers and soldiers were doing as much as they could, but it was blood-curdling. Many of those men would never see another dawn, others would bear the after-effects for life. Losing an arm, a leg or an eye was very common in those battles. The worst things of all, were the agonizing death and the suffering of those who knew they would not survive, but were not yet at the gates of the realm of the Ice Gods.

  Thoran had summoned Sven, Gatik, Mage Eicewald, the generals and his surviving nobles to his tent. He had gathered them together to decide on a new plan of action now that Arnold and his forces were sheltering in the castle.

  Lasgol and his friends looked for Leenbiren, but could not find him. They asked the other Rangers, but nobody had seen him. They realized that there had been casualties among the Rangers, especially those who had been in the north on surveillance. This made them fear the worst about the veteran.

  “If he hasn’t come back, I’m afraid he must have died in the battle,” Ingrid said.

  “Perhaps he couldn’t come back for some other reason,” Gerd said, not wanting to believe
the worst.

  “Look around you. There are thousands of soldiers wounded. And over there” – she pointed to the city in the distance – “there are tens of thousands of dead.”

  “I can see… it’s just that I don’t want to think that…”

  “He might be wounded or lame, and hasn’t been able to come back,” Nilsa said, though she did not sound too convinced.

  “Or else he’s been captured, big boy,” Lasgol said to reassure him, although he too thought that Leenbiren had probably died in the battle.

  They reported to the Rangers in command, who ordered them to set up a watch-patrol around the perimeter, eight hundred paces from the camp. They went for provisions before they took up their positions and met Luca and Molak, who were also getting ready to follow their new orders and begin their watch-duty.

  Ingrid beckoned Molak aside to talk, and Luca whistled. “What a battle!”

  “You can say that again,” Nilsa said.

  “What side have they given you?” Gerd asked.

  “Southeast.”

  “Ah, that’s all right, it’s behind the camp. You’re in no danger there.”

  “Well, I wouldn’t be so sure of that. If the enemy tries a surprise attack, it’ll be from our rear…”

  “Oops! That’s true,” Gerd had to admit.

  “Be very careful,” Nilsa said to Luca.

  “I always am. Besides, I’ve got Molak with me, and he knows what he’s doing.” Luca indicated his comrade, who at that moment was busy kissing Ingrid behind a tent.

  “Yeah… that’s for sure,” Nilsa said with a mischievous smile.

  They all smiled, and for a brief moment, the horror of war seemed a distant thing. A moment later the screams of a dying soldier with an arrow buried deep in his stomach brought them back to reality.

  “You all be very careful too,” Luca said.

  They had been allocated the northwest. They knew it was a bad site, because if there was an attack from the city by the left flank it would come directly to their own position. They found a good place to hide among rocks and a group of oaks, and settled down to wait. They could see several fires at different points in the city which had not quite gone out, so that parts of it were lit up. Night fell gradually and covered the bodies of the dead, as if bringing them the eternal rest they deserved. The castle was left in almost total darkness. The area around it, on the other hand, was well illuminated in case anybody came close to it. The archers would kill anyone who tried.

  Nilsa, who was the best long-distance archer, climbed to the top of a tree. Ingrid stayed among its roots with her three bows at the ready. Gerd found a place among the rocks and watched the great city and all the dead around it. He looked anguished. They were all affected by the horror of the deaths they had seen, by the pain and suffering of all the wounded and those who had lost dear comrades. Lasgol thought that for the families of those thousands who had lost their lives in that fratricidal war, there would be still greater pain and suffering. The idea saddened him greatly, and he felt a profound anger and frustration.

  “I’ll take the first shift,” he said to the others. Walking a little would help him to feel better, even though he doubted whether he would ever forget all this horror.

  “Be careful,” Ingrid said, “and at the slightest sign of danger, call us.”

  “Don’t worry.”

  “Don’t go further than a hundred paces,” Nilsa called from the top of the tree.

  “I won’t.”

  He signaled to Ona to come with him, as soon as they had disappeared into the darkness of the night, Camu became visible beside him. Lasgol stopped for a moment and bent over to stroke his partners’ heads.

  You’re the best, he said lovingly.

  I yes.

  Lasgol gave a little chuckle, Yes, you are.

  Ona second best.

  Well, I think you’re both equally good.

  Camu bent his head and blinked, then he looked aside at Ona. The two best, he concluded.

  That’s the way I like it, Lasgol said happily.

  He explored the area carefully, and as Nilsa had advised him, he did not go more than a hundred paces from the others. He crouched down to observe the city in the distance and the western expanse, in case he could see any sign of danger. Ona and Camu were beside him, both alert. Suddenly he thought he had glimpsed a moving shadow through the trees, a little to his left.

  He pointed. Watch. Ahead, Left, he transmitted to his two companions.

  Watch, Camu sent back. Ona stiffened, and her bristling tail showed that she was ready to attack.

  Lasgol nocked his short bow and stealthily approached the trees. He was a hundred and thirty paces or so from his friends. He had only seen a shadow, perhaps a fox or something of the sort, so he decided to say nothing for the moment and instead get closer to make sure it was not a spy from the West. As he was beyond the safety limit, he put all his senses on the alert. When he reached the trees, Ona immediately got ready to attack.

  Someone, Camu warned him.

  It was no animal there, but a person. He raised his bow and aimed to his right, where he could make out a shadow hiding behind a tree.

  Ona on the right. Camu on the left, he told his companions.

  Camu became invisible, and Ona crouched in the underbrush. They moved forward with great care. He was aiming at the tree, expecting the figure to come out in one or other direction. At last he was standing under the branches of the tree.

  Ona. Camu. Bring down, he ordered.

  The two animals charged, one on either side.

  Nobody, Camu communicated.

  Nobody? Where did he go?

  “Are you looking for me?” came a voice above his head.

  Lasgol knew he had been completely duped. The figure was among the branches above his head, not behind the tree.

  He raised his bow in a lightning movement. With another, even swifter, movement the figure snatched it away before he could release. He froze.

  “You wouldn’t shoot your beloved, would you?”

  He peered between the branches and saw a figure dressed completely in black. And a pair of green eyes, which to his soul were unmistakable.

  “Astrid!”

  It her! Camu’s message reached him as the creature appeared beside her.

  “How big you are, Camu,” Astrid said. She petted him, and he let her stroke him in delight.

  Ona moaned from below. She too had recognized Astrid and wanted to join in the affection.

  “I can’t believe it!” Lasgol cried, surprised and delighted” What are you doing here?”

  With incredible agility, she dropped to the ground. She gave him back his bow, and Lasgol slung it on his back.

  “How…” he began, but she put her arms around his neck and kissed him with such passion that he was left breathless.

  “As…trid…” he tried to say, but she went on kissing him. He had to give in and let himself be carried away by his feelings.

  “I’m on a mission,” she told him when she had stopped kissing him. But she kept her arms around him, looking at him all the time with a loving smile and a special brilliance in her eyes.

  “You could’ve told me you were here. I’ve been worried sick about you.” He did not want it to sound like a scolding, but he could not avoid it.

  “I’ve been very worried about you too, love,” she said, and gave him a smile that was full of tenderness. “I’m delighted to see you without a scratch.” She kissed him again, all the time holding him tightly, squeezing him against her.

  “And so am I to see you,” he replied the moment their lips parted. “Are you really well?” He tried to move a little away so that he could get a full view of her.

  “I’m perfectly well,” she assured him, and clasped him to her again. “You’ve no idea how long I’ve been wanting to do this.”

  He smiled. “The same as me.”

  “So, tell me. How much do you love me?”

  �
��A lot.”

  “Only a lot?” she said. She put her hands on her hips.

  “Ummm…. well… tons. You know. “

  “Tons?” she repeated. Her expression suggested that she was not entirely happy with the answer.

  Lasgol, who had no idea what to say, was finding things difficult. He wanted her to know how much he loved her, but he could not find the words. Words had never been his forte. He looked around and then up at the sky, trying to find a good answer, and at last he found it. “I love you as far as the stars,” he said, smiling. The answer would have to do. It was a good one, or at least so he thought.

  “You mean as far as the stars and back,” she teased him with folded arms and a look of pretend-disapproval.

  “Exactly,” he said, hoping she would like the reply.

  “Not bad, but you’ll have to improve on it,” she said, and gave the trace of a smile.

  Seeing the smile, Lasgol felt he was out of the hole he had dug himself into with his first answer. He showed her, with a sweet and passionate kiss, everything she meant to him.

  “That was much better,” she said, and winked.

  “You know I love you with all my heart.”

  “Maybe, but I want to see it and hear it.” She looked at him to make sure he had grasped the message.

  Lasgol smiled. “You make me sweat, my love.”

  “That’s how it should be,” she replied, and smiled from ear to ear.

  They embraced for a long moment in silence, filled with an intense joy, both experiencing the love they felt for one another in the midst of very turbulent times.

  Astrid pointed up to the stars in the sky. “Always there and back, no matter what.”

  He looked up in turn and nodded. “Always,” he promised.

  “Are the others well?”

  He nodded. “All well. Ingrid, Nilsa and Gerd are with me.”

  “I’m glad. They’ll protect you.”

  “I can protect myself.”

  Astrid smiled at him. “These are difficult times. It’s better if you’re in good company.”

  He was unable to hold back his uncertainty. “What mission are you on? What orders has Thoran given you?”