“Why did you go back,” Wills broke in, he had been there a time or to as a spy and knew the dark jungles well?
Kiron shrugged noncommittally, “Well, I had expected my tribe to take me back in after being taken by the Keshian slavers… But apparently you ‘light skins’ had corrupted me with your civilization and reason…” He held up a goblet, “and your wine!”
“So there I was,” Kiron continued again giving Wills a look that clearly said don’t interrupt again… “And there below me was this blonde Sun Elf, stumbling along the jungle path making enough noise to bring every tiger within a mile to the easy prey.”
Myst interrupted, “well I had a half dozen broken ribs at the time…”
Kiron winked at him, “I considered jumping from the tree branch and cutting his throat, but decided that I hadn't had an intelligent conversation in months and he looked like a reasonably sophisticated chap. So, to make a long story, well shorter, I helped get him back to the coast and he took me along with him to Bordan.”
Myst smiled, “and Lord Pedar immediately decided to hire him as a forester at Sunstar castle.”
Kiron too a hearty pull at his wine, “where I met my fair wife and the wonderful wine you all are enjoying! It’s an castle estate blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre grapes… but I only brought a few cases of it so we need to win this war quickly!”
Myst was quietly lost in thought of the day in spring last mid Avril sitting in the hot mineral pool in the center of the Sunstar ancestral castle, under a cobalt blue sky, jewel colored hummingbirds darting above in the majestic plane trees, then darting to the riot of blooming flowers all around the courtyard, then darting back to the safety of the trees.
On one of the wrought iron patio tables were lined up various bottles of the castles vineyards wines. He was teaching Kayla his new fiancee about the wines of Drakar provence, along with a few other wines of the greater Andalisian region.
“GSM,” he told her as they sipped on a glass of wine, “is a blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre grapes, and what Drakar is best know for, a deep hearty red with bold taste of dark fruit, cherries, plums and blackcurrants.”
Elena Varas and her husband Kiron were standing next to them in the pool also trying out the wine. Kiron was never far away, Myst well knew, from any open wine tasting…
“Ok, come over and try this one,” Talia Menton, the estates tall and very slender wine master called them over to the table. They dutifully left the pool and wandered dripping over to her.
Michaela Shadar the dark haired estates purser,had come out and just finished showering under the outdoor shower before joining them in the pool, but when Talia set up the tasting, she had helped Talia pour out the wine as the pool wasn't going anywhere, but the wine would.., and so grabbed a glass of her own to sample.
“This is a rosé,” Talia told them pouring a pink wine into a set of glasses. “It’s made mainly with the Branquet grape that I have blended with a bit of Grenache, a light bodied, slightly floral wine, notice the distinctive aroma of rose petals!”
Kayla leaned against him, “yum, I like this one as well, but it's very dry.”
“Here Kayla, try this one, a blend of Cinsaut, Grenache and Gamay,” Talia opened another bottle and began pouring, “if you like cherry as much as Myst then you'll love this one. It's not one of our’s, but comes from an estate in the northern area of Drakar, Castle Dupape vineyards.”
A few more of the castles elves joined the tasting, some cheese and crackers and duck pate had found their way out to the courtyard pool. And the wine tasting had soon become a lively little party.
“Hey,” Kiron called to the newcomes, “this is a pool wine tasting, and you all are over dressed, strip down or leave…!”
None of the late comers left, most of them having planned to take a late afternoon soak in the pool anyways.
Jacqueline Cortier called back at Kiron, “Ah, you just want more wine for yourself. I know your game Kiron!” She pulled her dark blonde hair into a ponytail before heading to the shower to rinse off, as no Sun Elf would bath before showering as it was considered rude not to. But she made it exceptionally quick and soon was standing next to Kayla who had saved her full wine glass for her. Kayla and her had become good friends in the last few weeks, she was married to Myst distant cousin and the captain of the castle guard Remi, who surprisingly hadn't made it to the wine pool party yet as he and Kiron shared a passion for the grape, as well as for all the other forms of alcohol found in the castle's deep cellars.
“So Kayla, what was your favorite,” Talia asked.
Kayla was more than slightly tipsy by this time and had tucked herself under Myst left arm, partly because she wanted to, and partly to help her stand up without any swaying… “Oh that’s hard… maybe the Zinfandel, I loved the mocha - black raspberry taste. Or the GSM, that was superbe!”
“Excellent,” Talia proclaimed, “we’ll have the Zin and GSM with dinner tonight!”
Suddenly Myst was jolted back to the present as the others loudly laughed as some joke he had missed… “Shit,” he thought sadly longing to be back at Sunstar castle tasting wine with Kayla.
~
A week later, Alia wondered about the senior officers brothel that was an elegantly furnished, giant dark red silk tent complex, with a large main room and a four corridors that lead to smaller rooms for private ‘entertaining’. A large table was set up with food and drink in the center of the main room, alcoves of silk cushions created by privacy screens decorative with depictions of love, or at least the physical manifestations of love, were scattered about the room, but did not really provide much privacy... A brightly lit magical chandelier was suspended above the table, a harpist in the corner provided a pleasant accompaniment to the sounds of the patrions. Perfume and incense hung in the air...
Alia was snacking on some horderves, she had been there for at least five hours already and had worked up an appetite. The food in the senior officers brothel was certainly superior to the others around camp, and there was even a little time to take a break... “The girls working the regular tents certainly didn't have the time for snacking,” Alia doubted there were more than five hundred girls working the brothels, for sixty thousand troops, “that was a whole lot of busy…” She had just started chewing on a Mini Crab, Spinach, and Mushroom Tarts, when Madam Demonney, came hurriedly her way.
“So much for leaving early...”
“Alia my dear, are you busy,” Madam Demonney asked slightly out of breath, and without waiting for an answer she continued, “I have a party of Keshian Nobles here visiting the Captain General, they have requested the services of a ‘Sun Elf’, and I’m afraid you are the only blonde not currently entertaining…”
Alia, swallowed the Hors d'Oeuvre, sighed, then asked “How many of them”?
Madam Demonney, fanned herself and quietly answered, “four… I think.”
Alia, rolled her eyes. She picked out another Hors d'Oeuvre, a bite of Fig with Ricotta, and Pistachios, drizzled with Honey, and gave a nod.
“You are a dear,” she told Alia, “they are in the Red and Gold room… I can send Verona in to help when she’s free?”
“Hah, four? I got this…” She picked up a flagon of wine and sauntered seductively toward the Red and Gold room.
An hour later and she was running full tilt across the camp, barefoot and naked she caused people to stop and stare as she streaked past. She dodged around a slow moving wagon, slowed for a large crowed coming out a mess tent, then leaped over a water trough that was in her way, finally an open path and she broke into a sprint for the last hundred yards.
In front of the tent Moss Blackforge and a contingent of guards stood watch, they tried to stop her…
“Hold there lass, you cana go in,” Moss commanded as he stepped in front of her and reached to grab her.
Alia, ducked his arms and tumbled into the tent in a heap on the floor...
Around the map table Myst, the
Captain General Ral Cordan, and a half dozen senior officers stood shocked at her dramatic entrance…
“Alia,” Myst started.
Moss and four other guards chased her into the tent.
“The Keshians know you found a secret way though the mountains,” she blurted out.
That shocked them. “What, by the Creator,” Captain General Cordan loudly exclaimed!
“The Keshian delegations overheard the news a couple hours ago in your command tent, they are in the brothel talking about it now.” She told him.
“Moss,” Myst commanded, “Hurry, take a squad of guards and seized the Keshians, if they try to communicate or use magic, kill them and burn the bodies.”
“Aye sir,” and he disappeared out the tent flap.
“Myst, can we contain this,” Captain General Cordan asked?
“Until an attack tomorrow night… doubtful, maybe a thirty percent chance. The odds are at least one of the Keshians will have already tried to sell the information. And who else has overheard the secret by now...”
Captain General Cordan pondered, “The weather would be better tomorrow night, less clouds, but if we lose the element of surprise it's for naught…” He turned to one of his officers, “Milo, can you do it tonight, is there enough time to get ready and make the night march?”
Knight-General Milo Terras, commander of the cavalry, thought a moment looking at the map, “If we can leave in the hour, we should be in position at least an hour before sunrise.”
“Go!,” He shouted, “Myst get your scouts out marking the trail… General Furtain, begin moving the reserves to the right flank…”
Myst paused on the way out and whispered in Alia’s ear, “good work lass, damn good work,” he gave her butt a congratulatory spank, “oh, and put some clothes on, you’ll distract the general…” he told her as he rushed out into the evening. “Well, it wouldn't be the first time I’ve distracted the general,” she call as he walked out, “not the first by a long shot...”
~
Chapter 2
Myst had improved to a slight limp from his injury, just a dull ache, but still was not up for much running, not that Myst ever was particularly up for running, there was way more entertaining forms of exercise.... So he was sitting astride his warhorse and letting the creature do the walking, that was fine with him.
They had been riding all night, the cavalry had been moved to the rear of the camp, and then after nightfall the 10,000 horsemen had silently left the back gate. Ser Wills Cados had found a trail, a smugglers route that started ten mile behind the camp in Kushian territory, and then wound up through the mountains and then down into Surin about eight miles from the coast and well behind the Orcs fortifications.
While most of the Imperial army waited in the fortified camp, the cavalry, made up of provincial Knights Regiments mostly from Andalis, rode through the dark to give a surprise wake up for the enemy. Myst was riding next to Knight-General Milo Terras the Baron of Port Vendres, and Commander of the Expeditionary Cavalry Division. Milo was rather serious with the dark hair that was more common with Sun Elves from Aquitainia then from the rest of the Empire, the addition of Wild Elves into their ancestry was likely cause as Aquitainia had a common border with South Nadark, or the Feydark as the Wild Elves called it. Myst noted, under his leather brigandine armor, he had on a pink silk shirt, when Myst pointed this out to him, Milo insisted for some reason the color was salmon, but refused to elaborate. It made Myst a bit nervous for his sanity, but Aquitainians were known for their eccentricities.
Milo was tense and Myst could tell he was wound up tight with the excitement after spending all those boring weeks waiting at camp for the attack that had not happened... But now it was, finally. Milo was slightly younger than Myst, but had plenty combat experience as Port Vendres was a fortified frontier city with plenty of action. He had only done the minimum Imperial service before inheriting his title and taking up a commission with the provincial Knights of Aquitainia. A hundred years defending the border from the sometimes savage raiding parties across the Mountains of Mist had given him plenty of experience maneuvering cavalry in the mountains, a round peg for tonight’s round hole...
The column passed from the hidden smugglers way a few hours before sunrise, they swung wide out from the foothills and formed silently a half dozen miles behind the enemy's encampment, but only two from its main supply depot, the one place where the Orcs were most vulnerable, the ability to eat for the next six months in this hostile land was protected in this one crucial spot, safe miles behind the rows of fortifications, or so the Orcs thought.
Ser Wills had lead them to the heart of the enemy, he had scouted the defenses as well as the locations of the Orcs watch post guarding their rear. Ser Wills and the rest of Myst elite scouts had silenced the watchers without the alarm trumpets sounding. Soon the real killing would begin in earnest.
“About time,” Milo asked.
“Almost four thirty.” Myst agreed.
Behind them the standard bearer unfurled the Imperial Army Banner of dark gold sunburst on emerald green. Each of the five regiments of Knights Cavalry raised their standards, three caring the Red Bull on dark blue of Aquitainia, one regimental standard with the White Crane on royal blue of Solmara, and the last with the White Rose on bright blue of Drakar. The three provinces of Andalis, but without the ancient Andalisesse Gold Eagle standard… “that was forbidden us by the Emperor.” Suddenly a wave of anticipation seemed to rippled through the host.
The second regiments formed to the left and and third to right of the main column a quarter mile before the attack would begin, the fourth and fifth in line behind the first. The vanguard spurred their warhorses to a trot and then to a canter as the dark shapes of Orc wagons appeared in the dark, the signal was given and the trumpets let loose with the blaring call of the Elven charge, “Harru! harru! harru, harruuu…!” And the thunder of thousands of hoofs rocked the night.
The mounts tore up the ground as lances were lowered and the mass of Knights overwhelmed the lone regiment of a thousand Orcs guarding the rear supply train.
The six thousand knights in the lead halted just passed the depot, aligned to protect against the two hundred thousand enemies that they were behind and would soon turn to destroy them. The fourth and fifth regiments had halted inside the Orc main supply depot and hurried thousands of torches and jars filled with oil brought for just this purpose; they set about burning everything they could destroy in the shortest time possible. Soon a raging inferno blazed in the night and the Knights reformed, wheeled to the left and with horns blaring charged again, setting upon the command and control elements to the right wing of the Orc lines in a wanton slaughter.
Meanwhile in the Elven army’s front line, they had been waiting, in the dark Captain General Ral Cordan had moved two full divisions up into the hills facing the orcs left wing of their lines. He had massed all of his war mages and had quietly reinforced the numbers of ballista’s and catapults as well.
As soon as the distant notes of Elven trumpets broke the still of the night, Ral Cordan gave the signal and simultaneously all the siege weapons and the war mages unleashed hell upon the Orc lines.
The Orcs, those who were now awake where looking to the rear in consternation as the attack heralded a looming disaster, and so were unprepared for Ral Condan’s onslaught. Almost all of the mundane weapons impacted the Orcs and well as half the magical attacks. The Orcs fortifications blazed in fire and destruction and then out of the dark, waves of Sun Elves charged into the Orc palisades. While only two divisions of Elves attacked the fortifications of five divisions of Orcs, the effect of the surprise attacks from front and rear sowed confusion and panic in the Orcs. The center and left of the Elven line sent forth waves of fire arrows and flaming balls from the catapults facing the rest of the orc lines and made as much noise and confusion as possible.
Once the panic started it spread rapidly. Not only the right wing collapsed, but the rest o
f the Orc army abandoned its positions fleeing into the night. And then the true slaughter began. The Elven Knights harried the retreating Orcs, anytime a group would start to form the Knights would charge in mass and scatter the survivors and slaughter the rest. The elven infantry kept steady pressure on the crumbling Orc formations, slaughtering those to slow or who tried to turn and fight.
The Elven cavalry soon was separated into smaller groups, commanders tried to keep units together, but the division was scattered over miles of churning chaos. Knight-General Milo Terras had only a rough idea where each of the regiments were. Most of them had separated within hours into battalion or even company sized groups, with commanders trying to cobble them into larger forces... But, there was no time for regaining order, only a frantic killing of as much of the panicked enemy as possible before it viously turned and fought back.
Under a parched sky, a mass of forces, a quarter million strong, milled together in a chaotic dance of death, one side wreaking havoc upon the other... The Elven Imperial infantry chased down the Orcs from behind, and routed out those who tried to hide, while the Knights charged again and again and again, until their horses could manage no more than a quick walk. By then the fields were littered with the corpses, tens of thousands of dead and dying Orcs. The Elves gave no quarter and pressed hard their advantage. For two days without pause, the Orcs were relentlessly pursued until both sides were past exhaustion.
Myst wandered down a dust dry streambed, the blazing sun cooked the cornflower blue sky overhead. His boots seem to barely shuffle the dirt, always just enough effort to keep moving through the lane of dry tan grass and scrub oaks, here and there a tall cottonwood cast a fat welcome shadow. The smell of many thousands of dead they had left behind scenting the still hot air. The Thorn Trees that were endemic to Surin had torn clothes and flesh more so than the fleeing Orcs. The high ground above the dry river bed was thick with them, but they had proved too thin of foliage for Orcs to successfully hide. They had better luck in the dense clusters of trees and tall shrubs of the arroyo.
Darkness has Fallen (Elf World Saga Book 2) Page 3
