Rain Down Hell upon them.

"Everyone get down." I yelled and channeled my magic. All of it I could muster and hoped it wasn't enough to kill me. "Sonum impetus tempestatis" I fired the whirlwind spell at the bonfire. It picked up burning logs, hot coals, and ash creating a dust devil of fire that hit the goblins and kept going to the second gate they were coming out of which caught fire. They would have to get through the fire to get to us. I hit the ground as I fell to my knees and arms struggling to lift myself up.

"Sura. The counter weight." I knew she meant the weight to the drawbridge.

"On it." Sura said. I glanced over to see her cutting a rope with several swings and heard the draw bridge fall open behind me.

"Get the women out of here now." Willow yelled.

"Come on, lets get out of here." Sura said and grabbed me helping to my feet though I could barley walk even with her help. "I got you." She said and put my arm around her. She got me out of there and took me back to the hill. When someone brought me food I ate like I hadn't eaten in days. They soon moved all of the women there as well. I fell asleep at some point.

When I woke up I saw a beautiful blonde woman standing over me.

"Easy there." She smiled and touched my chest pushing me gently back down. "I am stitching up your arm. I have numbed your arm and healed it to the best of my abilities but its pretty bad wound. The cut was down to the bone. You will need time to heal."

"Where am I?"

"Shirestone above goblin town. This is a tent they threw up for the wounded." She smiled and turned to get some bandages and I noticed her lovely white wings on her back.

"Your a Valkyrie?"

"The wings gave it away right. I tried hiding them but I just look like a hunch back in a cloak or cape." She smiled and went to bandage my arm.

"Well your to pretty to be human and you don't have pointy ears so not an elf." I smiled.

"Sorry to tell you but flattery won't make this wound heal any faster. But I appreciate the compliment." She smiled.

"Where is Princess Willow?" I looked around the tent.

"At the generals tent up the hill. She said to come get her when you woke up. But let me guess. You are going to try and get up. I will tell you to rest but you will do it anyways. I will object but I won't be able to stop you despite my best efforts to talk sense into you and unwillingness to bash you over the head since I would have to treat your concussion."

"I take it you have treated a lot of humans." I laughed

"Sadly yes. You should be fine since it was just your arm. I would suggest you eat a lot to rebuild your energy before trying any more magic." She said and stood up.

"Thank you." I got up still filling really weak. I swore I could eat a whole cow. When we exited the cabin I saw the women we had saved in tents that now surrounded the cabin. Hundreds of them. Many of them stopped what they were doing and looked at me. One came up to me and gave me a hug.

"Thank you." She said as she began to cry.

"Seems you have gained some popularity among the human slaves you helped save." The Valkyrie smiled. Others came up hugging me, kissing me on the cheek, even just a touch on the shoulder or arm. It took a good minute or two to make it through the small crowd. We headed for the tent were I saw Lord Edward along with several of his generals and a few faces I knew.

"Thank the goddess." Willow smiled and came over giving me a kiss.

"Are you good?" I ask noticing her holding her side.

"Just a new scar." She smiled and hugged me and whispered in my ear. "Maybe I will show it to you later."

"Hell of a trick you pulled boy." Lord Edward said. "By the time we got there the goblins were fleeing the goblins surrendered without much of a fight thanks to your little stunt. Luckily you didn't burn the whole place down.

"That almost killed himself in the process." Cassandra smirked at me.

"I am fine my lady but your concern is appreciated." I smiled.

"Good to hear." Lord Edward stood up and clutched his sword. "bow son." I nodded and did as he said and he drew his sword. "By the powers granted to me by our fallen king who shall never be forgotten and in the name of the queen which we serve. I command you to be brave when other men would flee. To be fair and just when others would give into vengeance. Be honest when other men would seek to deception. Protect the innocent who can not fight for themselves. This is your duty as a knight of the realm from this day till your last." He said and touched my shoulders with the sword. "Arise."

"Thank you my lord." I nodded.

"Do not thank me yet. There is still more battles to fought in this war. Even as we speak a hundred thousand men march through the everywoods led by lord Warwick son." He said looking at the map they had on the table.

"That many men he would have to take old stone road." I said. The old stone road was the largest road through the everwoods and the most traveled over the years the stones had been moved by growing trees, erosion, or sunk into the ground as mud covered the top of them but it was still the most traveled road.

"Yes they are. You know the area?" The king asked.

"My father made his trade as a hunter. I grew up hunting in those woods along side him." Luckily that put them north of my home town by a few leagues.

"Then we can use your knowledge of the area." He pointed on the map.

"The prince and the bulk of his knights. Twenty thousand strong have taken up the lead of his army putting the bulk of his best men in the lead. It would be a hard fight against that many men in an open field." Lord Edward said as he pointed on the map.

"That is where we elves come in." Willow smiled.

"You want to hit them from the rear?" I glanced at her and she nodded.

"The elves will hit them in the rear were they are most vulnerable at the supply wagons, while five hundred cavalrymen lead by Diana will hit them in the middle and cut the infantrymen and archers to pieces then retreat before their cavalry can respond." Lord Edward smiled.

"If the elves can catch them in this area they will have the high ground and rain down hell upon them. Those hills are steep meaning they want be able to muster much of a counter attack against when you retreat even if they have cavalry." I pointed on the map. I always avoided hunting there though it was a nice place to set up camp.

"We will need flat terrain for me and the cavalry to hit him and then make our escape." Diana said stepping forward. She was an older woman though she still looked very fit and wasn't to bad looking.

"Here. It was one of my ideal hunting grounds." I pointed on the map. "Flat terrain for several miles and the vegetation this time of year should help to hide your approach. You can take the road here and then cut south."

"We just need to slow him down." King Edward looked at Diana who nodded.

"If I may my lord?" I spoke.

"Please." He held out his hand.

"Those trees grow thick and tall in those woods. If you can send some men with axes to cut down trees along the road ahead of there army..."

"It will slow there men and might halt his supply wagons to a dead stop. " Diana nodded. "He can't march an army on an empty stomach and expect to win. It would buy us hours if not days."

"Plus they would expect an ambush at everyone. It would have to be before the crossroads here though." Willow walked to the map and pointed. She winched slightly in pain.

"Good lad." He patted me on the back and looked around. "Any questions? No. Good. Lets move." Everyone got up and began to leave. "Lady Willow. A word with you and your friend."

"Yes my lord." Willow said. He waited before everyone left.

"Is your second in command fit to lead?" He asked

"Of course. I trust him with my life and the lives of my men."

"Good. I want him to lead the ambush." Lord Edward said.

"I can..." She began to speak but he cut her off.

"A good leader must know their own weakness. Your injury is a liability to those around you in the field. Besides I have another task for the two of you. We have nine hundred women that we need to see safely to the capital. Not just for there sake but for the people in the city. They represent the hope that we can win this war. The two of you will take them home and tend to your wounds."

"Yes sir." Willow nodded reluctantly.

"So where did Sura run off to?" I asked when we left the tent

"She went back home. Lord Edward said he will discuss her terms with the queen. If he agrees to it I am sure he will use them when the best opportunity arises." Willow shrugged.

The road home was long. Thanks to the slavers we had the wagons along with a few military ones. Luckily the king had sent soldiers who knew what they were doing. Stuff like feeding nine hundred people on the move. I burrowed a blank journal before we left. Taking down names, home towns, locations of possible next of kin and even trade.

Around four hundred were town folk who had lived in settlements that were now just piles of rubble. A little over half of them knew a trade of some kind while the rest were housewives. Two hundred were not even of age yet to marry yet. Some had mothers while others were orphans. Two hundred were farmers, millers or other trades that were typically done outside of the city. The rest were other odd jobs and such. Fifty of them were whores which I promised to introduce to Emerald. Between the two brothels and her tents she might be able to offer some work. About half of them offered to personally show me there trade for my help. Willow was happy to take them up on my offer in my stead.

Sadly I couldn't help them all.

I wrote to the queen asking her tents or sails to be put up on the west side of the city and to the architect at hunters rest asking him to draw up as many small plots as he could. Not so much to sell as much as to give those who had a trade and children a place to begin to rebuild or at least live for awhile. I guess I was a lord now. I had best pretend to be one. I was glad to see Fairhaven. I guess because it meant we were close to home.

"Hey stranger." I head a voice and looked to see Emerald standing next a a place were a few men just began to build the frame of what I would guess was to be a new brothel. I hopped off the horse and walked over.

"Were have you been hiding?" She smiled and offered her hand.

"I have been away." I shrugged and took it kissing it.

"Your injured." She saw my arm.

"Just a scratch. It will heal." I shrugged. It wasn't just a scratch. Luckily it wasn't my dominant hand but I couldn't use my bow without experiencing searing pain.

"Who are all these people?" She said as she took my arm.

"Survivors from goblin town." They were the last of the refugees. Hopefully soon people would move back north and help rebuild though it would take years for the north to recover.

"You mean it's over?" She smiled.

"Not yet. But the goblin army was defeated." I nodded.

"I have about fifty girls who want to meet you who were all in your previous line of work. I know you can't hire them all."

"Well my other brothel is finished. I can hire some on there and I can move the tents here. If you can get me some more tents."

"I will do my best."

"Just don't be surprised if I come to you for another loan to build a third brothel." She said and kissed my cheek.

"Who is this fine looking lady my lord?" Willow said riding up.

"Stop with that all ready." I shook my head. She had taken great satisfaction of calling me my lord every chance she got.

"Whatever you say my lord." She smiled and got off her horse. I saw her winch in pain. She did her best to hide it but she was hurt worst then she let on.

"My Lord?" Emerald smiled at me.

"Lord Edward himself knighted him." Willow nodded

"Willow this is Madam Emerald.This is Princess Willow."

"Oh my. My lady. It is a pleasure to meet you." Emerald did a perfect curtsy.

"The pleasure is all mine Madam." Willow smiled.

"We were just discussing her taking on the whores."

"Ah. Most are in the last few wagons. I can make introductions if you like Madam." Willow said.

"That would be lovely my lady." Emerald nodded.