Crane pass
Seven thousand soldiers matched across the rocky plain towards Crane. That's how it went in the novel too. In the novel Lord Natt had set out confident of his odds against the priest's army and had intended to confront the enemy army in open battle but had to quickly change tact as he found out the invading forces largely out numbered his army three to one. So he instead dug in in the Crane pass, a valley between high cliffs the invading forces has to take to advance further into the Coldfire region.
Lord Natt had sent for reinforcement from Fen and held on for two weeks, hoping, but no help came till he and his unyeilding forces all died with Viktora opting to strategically abandon them counting on their loyalty to buy her time.
I naturally wouldn't sit my butt and die in a god forsaken valley though, I had an escape plan in the working. Taking everything into consideration, this war is pretty straight forward. There's no trick the enemy used to turn the war around that I could stop that I know of, or a wrong decision the knights of Wali made that I could correct via advice. No, it was just a priest wanting a pass and a stubborn lord blocking his way.
All I had to do is wait for the right time and leg it, which entails the entirety of my escape plan. Cowardly you say? See you try to survive this. Besides I have to get to the Heroes grave forest for an Eye of my own. Since Viktora could end up being my nemesis judging by her motivations, I can't be outdone by her now can I?
We set camp in the plains, tent raised and stockades cast around the perimeter. Me and the loud mouth Jakesean were expected to share a tent he'd carried on his war horse. He talked insistently as we raised the tent together. "Ever been with a girl?" He asked as he tied a strap to a stone.
"How do you mean?" I asked, curious.
"Like have sex, you know?"
"Oh, have you?"
"Nah," he grinned. "Not much luck with my fiancee on that front really.... You know her right? We'll be fighting with her in this coming battle most likely you know,"
"She's an enemy soldier?"
"Enemy? I guess it's like that now, but they were just fellow nobles to us like days ago. She's Silvia, the Guis house second princess. And you know whichever war the priest fights, the Guis follows."
"You and your girlfriend are going to be contesting to take each others life soon?" I asked amused, "I don't see the excitement there,"
"Of course you do!" The silver haired boy snorted. "Plus we could just sneak away and do it,"
"Have sex?"
"Sure, what have we been talking about the whole time?"
"Fighting your fiancee?"
"You are a dense guy aren't you?"
I sighed and continued the grueling task of listening to him.
True to script lord Natt sent scouts to Crane and just as expected they came back baring bad news. So early morning the next day found us breaking camp and hurrying over so we could beat the enemy to Crane pass and occupy the valley before they arrive. That required us spending our horses and leaving the infantry behind as we stormed towards the pass.
The afternoon was bright and hot as we reached the valley with dark clouds taking over the eastern sky. Gray cliffs rose before us, touching the sky, like giant walls build intentionally to separate the plains. A wide pass-like gateway cut through it as wide as three highways. The way legends had it, the Crane cliffs had indeed divided the world in half as it stretched from here to the sea at both ends, but the Not men had cut a path through it escaping Kurda the massacrer in the earliest history.
We dismounted and lord Natt ordered for the valley to be fortified; just stockades and rock covers here and there really. As the men set to work, the man hovered above in the air, his long silver hair stirring in the winds as he stared at the direction the enemy will come.
As for me I found a stone to sit then took out my map and traced from here to Heroes grave. Direction was rather easy, I could reach the forest if I follow the Crane wall north. That simplified everything, now the only trouble was figuring out when and how to get away from here.
It started raining not long after we arrived. The soldiers were still working to fortify the valley in the blistering rain when someone shouted. "I see them!" The work was swiftly abandoned and people started drawing all kinds of weapons. I peered out of the tent I was sitting in curiously.
"It's not the enemy," lord Natt said touching down in the valley. His eyes looked gloomy, "Its our own people, let them through,"
The refugees poured into the valley, hundreds of them all hugging packets. They all looked dirty and hungry and weary. I hoped I don't have to share my tent with anymore person. Jakesean was trouble enough. I didn't have to worry, the refugees found sleeping place themselves. And no one told me to share dinner so it was okay.
And so I sat in the valley waiting for an opportunity.
Arc ends.
Thanks for reading once again. I still have only little time for writing but I try to make much of them. This will be over in two weeks or so. Probably.