The Union 253 Senseless Blood

"They will be. Instead of us attacking your position, they will attack our fortifications. If they can't win in a pitched battle, they can't win against fortified Castonians. The Hadean host will bleed badly"

"You... you are killing them! For what? For nothing. They will die senseless deaths!"

"I gave you the chance to surrender! I gave you the chance to end this war with us" King Timothy's voice was thunder, shaking Layfare's body. She could see the anger on the King's face, the fury. She could feel the disappointment, the pain.

The Queen was quick to console the King. She embraced him with one arm and whispered something in his ears. The young King's expression turned tamer.

"You have lost. All of Hadea is under the control of the Union except for your capital. Senseless deaths? I despise senseless deaths. I abhor seeing people die for nothing and your father is sending people to their deaths for nothing. A two-p.r.o.nged attack will hit this camp from the north and from the east. Your father leads the attackers from the north while some General named Horis is leading the attack from the east. Now we will give you a chance to lessen the casualties."

"How?" The last statement drew both confusion and interest in Layfare. Lessening the casualties, preventing more Hadeans from dying senselessly like Neil was an outcome she desired. The Hadeans needed to go back home to their families and live. This war was lost like what King Timothy said. The resistance her father was doing, although valiant, would not change anything. Hadea would fall and become a subject of the Union no matter what they do.

"You are the Princess of Hadea. You have authority second only to your father. Isn't that right?"

"That is correct."

"And the group of Hadeans in the east is led by a General. You have higher authority compared to him"

"You don't mean...."

"Yes we mean exactly that" The King was smiling now, shallow yet true. "Command them to stand down. Tell them to surrender. You outrank General Horis."

"That is true but" Layfare's anxious chuckle was discorded. "I... I mean General Horis. You don't know him. He is..."

"Tough, violent, hungry for power, prideful?" The Queen said. "We know. His squire told us. The other spies also told us of this behavior. Now Princess Layfare, we are gambling in this plan. You could order them to join the attack. You could flee, leave the half of the Hadeans under your father, and fight another day. You can do these things. We don't know you too well. We don't trust you yet. But we are hoping that you have sense to see that surrendering will be the best course of action. It's not a matter of whether you can do it, but rather whether you will do it."

Layfare fell in silence. Ordering the surrender of the Hadeans would bring her shame. Some would mock her for a traitor. Her father would probably hate her. And although she knew that they had lost the war against the Union, she still had the pride of a Hadean. But no more, she told herself. Too many people had died for nothing. Neil died for nothing. She remembered the sorrow she felt that day she found out about what happened to Neil. Everything felt unreal that time. It still haunted her up to this day and the pain would haunt her for the rest of her life. Many more Hadeans would experience that sorrow if they continue this nonsense.

"I will. I know you don't trust me but I will take command of the Hadean army from the east and order a surrender. Omniscient give me strength."

"Good then. If you are successful, then you would have saved half of the Hadean army already. Now the only problem is the ones your father is leading personally. You cannot use your authority to order your father to lay down his arms. But I am still hoping that you could convince him somehow" King Timothy said.

It would be difficult. Her father was prideful, more prideful than General Horis. She would try nonetheless.

"May the Omniscient guide my words. My the Omniscient prevent blood from wetting the land."

"Indeed" King Timothy said. "You should go. Shadow and a few riders will accompany you. With haste Princess, with haste."

***

Corey was on his horse, a white steed built for a charge. His crown sat proudly on top of his dark hair. His sword was on his hip, sheathed for now. Behind him were three thousand riders and five thousand infantry.

His face was still warm. His frown was still deep. His anger was still burning. He tugged the reins of his steed like how a taskmaster would grip his whip. He would b.l.o.o.d.y his hands with that of King Timothy. He aspired to do just that.

The anonymous letter he received last night boiled his blood. He had been searching for Layfare since the other day, sending a thousand of his riders to scour the field. And then he just found out that the enemies had his daughter. It was a cheap move, cowardly. He immediately had the forty sentries that night executed and took half his army on a march to the north. They would hit the Union's camp while Horis attacks from the east. It would be b.l.o.o.d.y. It would incur deaths, piles of corpses. But the enemies had tested his limit by abducting his daughter.

The Union's camp was visible now. The palisades were high. The moats were wide and probably deep. There were sentries everywhere and the land was too ragged and sloped for a rush. It would be a tough fight and he could lose. But there was no stopping now.

The gate of the Union's camp facing them swung open. Riders, thousands of them in glinting armor and long spears sallied out. Corey was daunted a little. They couldn't possibly see his host. They were still at least a league from the camp and lush vegetation and trees covered his approach. That was the reason why he chose to attack from this direction.

The riders trotted towards them. Not a charge, not an a.s.sault, but a simple trot. Corey ordered a halt. The spearmen presented a wall of spears to the riders. Corey's cavalry were put on alert. They had been discovered. The plan, which was a simultaneous a.s.sault with Horis' men, was now useless.

As the riders neared, Corey changed his mind. Defending against them would be foolish and would waste time. Layfare needed him. His daughter was probably being abused right now. She cannot wait for caution.

Corey raised his hand. The ring embedded with a ruby, the symbol of the Hadean royalty, presented a red hue. At the drop of his hand his cavalry charged.

The field was dusted by the kicks of their horses. The wind spoke of their cry for blood. Three thousand horses formed in a wedge, charging with a shout of fury. At the front was Corey. He aimed his spear, murder was his wish, rage was his thought. Castonian corpses, Vanadian copses, he will make those things today.

The enemy cavalry retreated. Cowards, Corey thought. Cowards, he insisted. The charge wasn't severed. They chased.

"Faster!" Corey shouted though his voice was lost in the sound of a thousand hooves tapping against the powdered soil.

The chase went for long. The enemy cavalry were swift. They went around and around, a mockery of sorts, until they retreated inside their fortified camp. The Hadean cavalry followed but the gate was already closed.

His blood boiled again, this time steaming through his flushed face. His hand was sweating. His body trembled.

Cowards. Face me cowards. Deal me a battle.

And then neighs of horses slapped the silence. Their lines were flattened by long bolts of ballistae. In a single blink dozens of his cavalry were bleeding on the ground. Some dead, the others also dead but later. A single bolt whizzed pa.s.s Corey, brus.h.i.+ng against the head of his horse and then falling beside.

He gritted his teeth. "Retreat!" He shouted. The Hadean cavalry ran back in haste to the the infantry. Several more were cut down by the barrage of the enemies during the retreat. They reached their infantry with broken spirits.

His cavalry was now exhausted. His infantry was shaken. But Corey still eyed the enemy camp with the same rage, unshaken by fear.

Layfare was inside that camp. His daughter was their prisoner. He must pulverize them and get his daughter back even if it costs him everything he have.

Horis' men were still idle. There hadn't been movement in their direction. Corey cast a contemptuous look to the east. Maybe Horis betrayed him. Maybe they all have fled. Something must have happened to them. It doesn't matter. Nothing else matters except Layfare.

He raised his hand again despite the fearful look of his men.

"Attack!" He shouted.