Prince of Malorn (Annals of Alasia Book 3)

by Annie Douglass Lima

  I could die! I could actually die right now! The realization hit him harder than the second jarring blow on his shield from the man to his left. Frantically, Ernth raised his spear, but he was at the wrong angle to stab at either man. Instead, he swung it sword-style in a clumsy Offense Five. The descending sword to his right bit into the shaft instead of his throat, but then both men were raising their swords again.

  With a cry of panic, Ernth flung himself low over Hungry’s neck and dug his heels into her sides. There were other soldiers on horseback milling around them now, but Hungry found a gap and forced her way through it as Ernth clenched his eyes shut in terror.

  When he opened them again two or three breaths later, he was almost surprised to find that he wasn’t dead. He was surrounded by trees, and different soldiers were cantering past him with weapons in hand, but nobody was striking at him at the moment.

  Ernth let Hungry keep going wherever she wanted while he gasped in cold breaths of the winter air. He was ashamed of the fact that he was shaking, and he wanted to regain proper control of himself before anyone he knew caught sight of him.

  Ernth could hardly believe how close he had just come to death. And the fact that he had probably killed that first soldier was nearly as frightening. I didn’t know I could really do that. He felt sick to his stomach at the thought that he might have ended someone’s life. But what choice had he had?

  They wouldn’t listen to Korram. He hoped the other soldiers would. Otherwise, what chance would any of them have?

  From all around in the forest, Ernth began to hear yelling and the clash of weapons. The battle had begun, and he needed to get back into it and save Korram’s life. A fresh wave of shame washed over him as he thought of how he had run away when his friend needed him. What if those three warriors had already killed him?

  I have to go help. I have a debt to pay, after all. But as he turned Hungry around and headed back toward the path, Ernth realized that he wasn’t sure where his friend was anymore. How am I going to find Korram now?

  Chapter 24

  Korram had not anticipated how difficult it would be to fight a battle in a forest. He ducked just in time to avoid smashing his head against a branch, at the same instant raising his shield to block a blow from one of those elite guards Rampus had sent after him. Half-turning, he thrust with his spear at the second guard, who had caught up as well and was lunging at him. From the corner of his eye, he saw sunlight flash off a sword blade just behind and to his left, and he dug his heels frantically into Clinja’s sides.

  His heart pounding, he parried another blow from the first man as his horse leaped forward just in time to keep the other two from slashing him to pieces between them. But a low-hanging bough was waiting to whip him across the face, and when Korram belatedly raised his shield once more, another branch knocked him hard on the elbow. Even the trees are fighting against me! He had to get out of this particularly dense thicket.

  But all three of the guards were still coming after him, and Korram whirled in his saddle, trying to get Clinja into a position that would keep the first man in between him and the others. He struck out at the closest one with his spear, but the man dodged and spurred his horse near enough to slash at him. Korram raised his own spear in an Offense Six to block the blow, thankful for the fire-hardened shaft that wouldn’t easily be sliced in two. But the thudding force of it nearly knocked him out of the saddle. Sensing the shift in his weight, Clinja sidestepped to try to compensate, with the result that another branch lashed Korram across the neck. He managed to regain his balance, but his attacker had moved closer and was slashing again. Korram’s shield was out of position, and even as he jerked his spear up in a feeble attempt to parry, he knew it would be too late.

  But then there was a cry of challenge, and a different sword flashed out, clanging against the other one mere inches from Korram’s chest. “Stop! Don’t you know who that is?” a voice cried, and his assailant turned to face the new threat.

  “Stand aside! Regent’s orders!” the elite guard commanded, just as one of his comrades darted around him. Korram jabbed with his spear to keep the man at a distance, thankful that spears were longer than swords.

  “But that’s the prince,” exclaimed the newcomer, a Malornian soldier whose green sleeve stripes marked him as a lieutenant. “You heard what he said to us all a moment ago!”

  “Regent’s orders,” the man repeated doggedly. He shoved the lieutenant’s sword aside and swung his own back into position just as the third man moved forward and the second one slammed his shield against the tip of Korram’s spear. Korram ducked and backed Clinja rapidly away from the three of them, darting a quick glance over one shoulder as though looking for an escape route. The lieutenant moved his horse forward to block one of the guards, and as their two swords clanged together, Korram used the distraction to spin Clinja around in a half-circle and charge at the second guard from the side.

  Offense One should do it.

  It did. The man slid silently from his saddle, and without allowing himself to think about what he had just done, Korram spun Clinja around once more. The third guard’s blade was already whistling through the air, and Clinja sidestepped rapidly again without being told, saving her rider from certain decapitation. His heart pounding harder at the close call, Korram raised his spear and made as if to strike high and a little to the left. When the guard raised his shield to block the expected blow, Korram switched angles smoothly and struck out in a low Offense Two.

  The feint worked. Korram tugged his spear free, choosing not to look at his opponent’s bleeding body. Later he knew he would recall these last few moments with sickened horror, but this was a battle. Right now he would do whatever was necessary to stay alive. One false move and it could have been him bleeding on the ground.

  He turned to join the lieutenant, who was facing the last of Rampus’s guards. The guard clenched his jaw defiantly and brandished his sword, at the same time trying to back his horse away to the relative shelter of a dense cluster of trees. But Korram and his new ally, by unspoken consent, turned their mounts to come at him from either side where he couldn’t defend against them both. In a moment, Korram’s spear had felled its third victim.

  With a quick glance around to check for any other danger, the soldier gave a half bow from his saddle, eyeing the spear with new respect. “Nicely done, your Highness. Lieutenant Togan, at your service.”

  “Thank you. Guard my back, then,” Korram ordered. “I still have to tell more people about Rampus.” Hearing the truth had obviously convinced this officer, and that gave Korram hope for the rest.

  For the first time since the battle had started, he could afford to pause for a moment and look around. Scattered among the trees were dozens of dueling pairs. In some cases, red-clad Malornians battled each other; in others they fought his Mountain Folk soldiers or the few green-uniformed Alasians who had shown up so far.

  They should have listened to me! Though Korram had suspected much of Malorn's military would side with the regent, it dismayed him to see that he had been right. But not all of them know the truth yet. Those three guards had caught up with Korram before he could make his way far down the path.

  Plenty of Malornians were still not yet involved in combat. There were far more of them than of the Alasians and Mountain Folk, but the majority seemed uncertain what was going on or whom they were supposed to fight. Many were hurrying down the trail toward the clearing, where most of the fighting seemed to be heading.

  Korram urged Clinja through the trees back toward the path, Lieutenant Togan just behind. “I’m Prince Korram!” he called, stopping to block the way of a mounted platoon. “Regent Rampus is trying to have me killed! Who’s on my side?”

  There was an instant’s startled pause, and then the sergeant at their head raised his drawn sword in a salute. “Your Highness! We’re yours to command!”

  It was just in time, too. From out of the trees to the left burst a score of soldiers, ve
ry obviously charging straight for Korram. Rampus must have sent more men after me. Korram barely had time to turn Clinja to face them, raise his shield, and lower his spear. But the sergeant was yelling orders, and even as the first assailant’s sword clanged against his shield, the platoon was surging forward to protect him.

  “This way, Sire,” urged Lieutenant Togan, gesturing over his shoulder to a gap in the combat. Korram hesitated. The platoon was fighting for him, keeping his attackers at bay, but he couldn’t just slip away and leave them.

  “They’re buying you time,” Togan reminded him. “Tell the others, Sire!”

  He’s right. Korram turned Clinja in the direction indicated, pausing to aim a quick Offense One at the back of a foe who was on the point of overpowering one of the young soldiers. The private, his face pale, thanked him with a grateful grin as Korram kicked Clinja’s sides to hurry her past. I have to tell the rest of the army.

  Ernth stared frantically around. Where’s Korram? In every direction people were fighting now, and his heart pounded wildly at the proximity of all those sharp blades that could so easily end his life. The blades that had ended who knew how many lives already. Here and there Ernth could see men lying motionless on the ground, some wearing red and black, some wearing green. He didn’t dare look too closely at any of them. He didn’t want to take the chance that he would recognize anyone he knew. To his relief, however, he had not glimpsed any bodies in deerskin yet.

  Just ahead, blocking his way, one of the green-clad Alasian soldiers was fighting what seemed to be a losing battle against a pair of men in red. Ernth hesitated, but only for a moment. The Alasians are on Korram’s side. That makes them our friends.

  The closer of the two enemies had his back to him, so Ernth urged Hungry forward at a canter, lowering his spear into position for the underarm thrust that was Offense Two. The poor Alasian was trying to back away, panic on his face as he realized he wasn’t going to be able to escape both of them. Both the Malornians were laughing in cruel triumph, but the laughter stopped when one of them lurched forward, dropping his sword as he slumped over his horse’s neck.

  Ernth tugged his spear free with difficulty, ducking an angry swipe from the other soldier’s sword. Hungry leaped to one side just in time to save him from another swipe, and then the Alasian’s weapon flashed out and the second Malornian fell limp as well.

  “Thank you,” Ernth and the Alasian gasped simultaneously. Ernth grinned shakily, glad that they had each saved the other’s life at almost the same moment so that there would be no question of anyone owing a life debt.

  “You’re one of those Malornian Mountain Folk,” the man observed, panting, eyeing Ernth’s deerskin clothes.

  “Yes. I’m in Korram’s army.”

  “You traitor!” snarled a voice, and they turned to see three more red-clad soldiers bearing down on them. “You’re a Malornian,” one of them accused, glaring at Ernth. “And you just killed two of our own to side with the enemy!”

  “The Alasians aren’t enemies,” Ernth protested, raising his shield and lowering his spear again. His heart raced as he realized that the man beside him was already exhausted from his last struggle and that the approaching enemies all looked full of energy. “Regent Rampus is the enemy!” he shouted desperately. “He wants to kill Korram! We’re on Korram’s side!”

  But these men, apparently, were not. Ernth braced himself for the impact, and Hungry half-reared as the Lowlander horse crashed into them. The man’s sword swung at his throat, but Ernth blocked it with his shield, thrusting his spear under his opponent’s shield in another Offense Two. He was almost surprised when the man dropped his sword and toppled sideways off his horse. Sanjik was right. The Lowlanders really don’t know how to fight against enemies with spears.

  But then the other two were upon him from on either side of the now riderless horse. “You Mountain scum!” one of them spat, slashing violently with his blade. “You’ll pay for this! Your whole tribe will pay for this!”

  Hungry leaped backward – a move Ernth had not realized she was capable of – even before he could urge her out of the way. He jabbed with his spear at the second Lowlander, but the man caught his Offense One with the blade of his sword and knocked it aside.

  “As soon as we defeat the Alasians, our next mission will be wiping out the Mountain Folk!” the first man sneered. “You people have always been nothing but trouble, and now you’ve turned traitor to Malorn. Just wait; if you survive the battle, Regent Rampus will assign the military to slaughter you all as soon as he’s king!”

  Filled with alarm at the prospect, Ernth barely managed to duck the next blow. Was it true? Could Rampus really do that? Was he the kind of person who would try?

  Probably. No wonder Korram was so adamant that he had to be defeated. And that meant that Korram and his army had to win this battle – simply had to, not only so Korram could be king, but because otherwise everyone Ernth cared about would either be killed or spend the rest of their lives in danger.

  Once again, a quick leap by Hungry saved him from decapitation. Ernth turned and jabbed as hard as he could, taking advantage of the fact that he was within spear range of one of the Lowlanders but out of reach of his sword. The man caught his first thrust on his shield, but Ernth stabbed out again and again, higher, lower, shifting smoothly between Offense One and Offense Two the way Sanjik had taught them, changing angles each time. His enemy kept shifting his shield to defend himself, but when he was forced to raise it to protect his face, Ernth took advantage of the opening below it. Just as the first one had, the man dropped his sword and slid sideways out of his saddle.

  That will be my strategy from now on. To stay back at just the right distance so that I can use my spear but they can’t use their swords. It almost didn’t seem fair, but then again, wasn’t he supposed to try to win however he could?

  The third Malornian was now dueling with the exhausted Alasian. He probably expected to overcome him momentarily, if the triumph on his face was any indication. But he was too preoccupied to realize his danger until Ernth was almost upon him. Glimpsing the flash of sunlight off the head of the spear, the man turned, swinging his shield around just in time. But he couldn’t defend against both of them at once, and in a moment his body had joined his companions’ on the ground.

  “I have to go find Korram,” Ernth told the Alasian, determined not to let himself be distracted any longer from the real reason he was even in the Lowlands. Helping keep Korram alive was probably the best way Ernth could help defeat the regent, after all. “Good luck.”

  The man nodded. “Same to you. Let’s get rid of Rampus’s men so both our peoples will be safe, eh?”

  Ernth nodded, raising an arm in farewell as he hurried Hungry back toward the path. He had been away from Korram far too long already, and it would be the ultimate shame to let his friend die before he could repay his debt. Besides, if Korram doesn’t survive to become king, not only will everything he promised us come to nothing, but all my people will be doomed.

  “There you are! Are you all right?” Thel demanded, cantering up to Korram at the head of her platoon. Her eyes were anxious and the tip of her spear gleamed red, but Korram was relieved to see that she didn’t appear hurt.

  He had proclaimed the truth to everyone he could find along the path, shouting his message out again and again until he was hoarse. But it had been working. Malornian soldiers kept rallying round him, protecting him from the waves of warriors who kept appearing out of the trees to attack him – sent directly by Rampus, Korram was certain.

  “I’m all right,” he assured Thel. “Are you?”

  “Yes, but so many people have been killed. It’s terrible! Oh, Korram, you have to make it all stop.”

  “I know. I’m trying,” Korram assured her, hoping she wouldn’t tell him who had died. Could Ernth be one of them? If his friend was all right, surely he would be here. But Korram didn’t want to know right now. None of them would get through this batt
le alive if they stopped to grieve.

  Everywhere he looked, Korram still saw combatants struggling among the trees. He had no idea how many of the Malornians had heard his message, how many were actually loyal to Rampus and how many still thought they were fighting for their kingdom. But he couldn’t exactly interrupt battling warriors mid-blow or he would be the cause of more deaths.

  As far as Korram could tell, there was only one way to stop the battle now. He had to persuade General Dorralon to make his trumpeter announce an end to it. But it seemed that the general would not be convinced as long as he saw Rampus as Malorn’s legal ruler. Which meant that Korram would have to try again to convince Dorralon that Rampus was really breaking the law.

  “I need to go find the general now,” Korram called to Thel and Lieutenant Togan and the other soldiers surrounding him.

  Nobody knew exactly where the general had gone, but they all turned their horses back toward the clearing that had once been the Alasians’ Camp Four. That was the direction in which Dorralon had been leading the army in the first place, and much of the combat had been drifting that way, so it was as good a spot as any to start searching.

  The fighting grew thicker as they approached the clearing. More Alasians were in sight here, and more Mountain Folk too. Korram was proud to see his friends battling so bravely, most of them still in their platoons, using the techniques Sanjik had drilled into them.

  Many were outnumbered by their attackers, though. At Korram’s command, some of those who had rallied around him broke off to assist his Mountain Folk friends, or even Alasians. He was frustrated not to be able to go and fight beside them himself. But Korram knew that the best thing he could do for all of his people – and Jaymin’s people too – was to put an end to the battle altogether. So he hurried on, determined to find the general.