Into harm's way

'He who defends, does not make war. He endures it.' Your father's wisdom reaches your ears once more. Your father visited as often as he could while you were being trained. The two of you would sit by a roaring fire and simply talk and laugh for hours, until the fire was mere embers. He had many pieces of solid advice, hard earned in trials of battle and times of plenty. And better still, he knew when to offer a word and when it was time for his son to make his own mistakes. You wonder what he would do now, with the mountain of problems ahead of you. The pain of his absence shoots through your chest. You gently turn your mount to face the men.

“Men of the Frostpeaks.” Their frightened eyes turn to you. These men know what comes next. And yet they will not run. Pride fills your chest and threatens to steal the words from your lips. You manage to **** out, “We may be few and our enemies many. But I do not mourn the lack. I would take a single man of the Spire over a thousand Hillgard men. Brothers! Sisters! We go forward!”

Their fists crash to their chests in salute and you lead them into harm's way.

Sir Zachary rides up beside you, he looks stricken but still will steal more than a glance at your face.

“This is a mistake.” He speaks bluntly. You normally prefer it, but not today. “We don't know what we're facing. A horde this large without Hillgard's men, should be faced in the open, where our cavalry can be used to best effect. I am sworn to protect you.”

“And I swore to protect my lands and their people. 'Better to fight the enemy in his home, than your own.' My father's words.” You keep your eyes on the ridge.

Sir Zachary wheels his horse around and blocks your path. “Your father believed that. He died believing that. If you wish to end your family's ancient line in a rush for glory then you may believe it still. But how many soldiers will you take with you?”

Shock and anger war for dominance inside your heart, this was a man you loved like a brother! “My father won at Riverrain. In case you've forgotten, Sir Zachary.”

“The only men who won were the gravediggers and the song singers. Your father is a corpse, along with six hundred of the men who followed him. Did he spend them wisely, your Grace?” Sir Zachary takes hold of your horses reins. You feel the eyes of your men on you as you quarrel with your most trusted advisor. Adrianna, even Cutter who had the unfortunate luck to be in the front lines are watching, and with each moment their morale sink lower.

You feel the magic rise in your body and you can see Zachary's horror moments before his leather gloved hands begins to smoke. He snatches with hand back with a choked gasp and rips off his glove to see the angry scorches across his palm leading up his arm.

“It seem you are injured, my friend. I cannot risk your safety. Move to the rear, and direct the archers.” And with that your stallion shoulders past Sir Zachary and farther up the mountain.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

You stand atop a ridge and look down upon the goblin camp and a terrifying sight looks back. Scores of green and greyskins are mobilizing. Their usual, disorder and chaos is absent, instead a very nearly disciplined camp makes ready for war. Builders climb over half made siege engines. Even a few wolves and cavalry units penned at the edge of the camp. Your worst fears are realized, the Goblins have already chosen a Chieftan.

For a single moment you consider retreat, perhaps you could slip away. Goblins had terrible sight in bright light and by some stroke fortune the noonday sun is bright and hot upon face. You glance to Adrianna, who has been riding beside you with a concerned but silent countenance since you burned her lover. You wish you could tell her that you wanted to be a better student. That you appreciated the sacrifices she'd made coming here. The battles she'd helped you win. You would tell her so much, and yet no words came out. And then you heard their keening, first to you left, then more sounds to the right. Scouts! The sound carries and soon the whole host is screaming. And then they charge!