[DISCUSSION] Tales of Pendor (V3.7)

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Men your stories are so awesome!
@darktemplar you shouldnt leave the orcs, they really need you and in another month you could leave them standing healthy, with a ton of friendly martials and honorable lords available to you. Since you seem to really ace this game, if i were you i would start a kingdom against the strongest faction, it gives the map a chance to balance. Unfortunately in my playthrough the same exact thing happened with both the fierds and the empire so all i could do was temporarily save the fierds while taking out caesars boys for good.
 
    I left the Fierds and joined Dshar as mercenary because none of the eligible Fierd lords are martial or better and agree to marry me. Only 2 single lords were "ok" but one was looking for feminine and pure lady and the other was "captured" already. When I joined Dshar I found good lord very fast, Ardeshir was good-natured and ok with marrying me. I knew that most of Dshar were pitiless or similar, but they got along fine and marshal hosts were strong. Fortunately with me driving most lords away from the host, Fierds took everything up to Valonbray and Dshar agreed to truce. I used Dshar lords to get few last gems to get to 30+ in stats and saved one for my future order.
    Dshar are very active, so war with Empire began shortly, I was able to capture Ishkoman, Tuldar Fortress and the next castle further into Empire territory. I kept all of them, marriage bypasses any amounts of right to rule and lets you become a vassal, even when no king would agree to have such powerful and influential lord. The recruitment frenzy left me with lots of bladesmen to keep my fiefs secure. war with Empire ended and Sarleon wanted to curb our power. I wanted to let Sarleon take any our city or castle, but I needed something closer to the middle of the map. I created chapters of Falcons in all my fiefs, upgraded them a little bit and prepared for next phase. I took Marleons, but Kadan didnt want me to have yet another fief, so I rebelled. With Ardeshir, 1st Banneret of Marleons, Boadice, Roland and Alistair we took Sarleon swiftly. At this time Dshar asked for peace. No other factions was going to attack us, so I had to provoke them in "honorable" way by attacking their mercenary company. Fortunately for me, Empire had one with gem as a reward. I took castles up to Janos and Ethos, including those towns. Got my relations with noldor to 70+, snatched all good-natured Empire lords, including Agathon and his op troops. So far my policy of martial or better and 1 lord=1 walled fief works very well. With so many KO troops, I think I can take on any army with similar amounts of troops. Ardershir got Sarleon, perfect for me, because I can put all my troops there, save on wages and use them whenever I want.
    Strangely Empire doesnt want peace and Im slowly grinding honor and relations on them. Maybe I should push further and take Baccus Orator sword? Ill get to it when Ill have more time.  :razz: With so many Falcons every field battle is a swift massacre, with barely any losses on our side. My Knights of The Temple are training and gearing slowly...
 
Cousins

K`Juda moaned.
"I`ve got a headache from all your words already, cousin!"
Kassim rose and smile at him.
"So it is the right time for the gift Rambulhwa sent you. Lets go outside."
They went on the bright sun outside and the screams of the impaled Noldor instantly become louder than inside the tent. Kassim saw the signal from his man and led the Jatu toward them. Except the fifty horsemen he used to lure the Sarleon duke he had two hundred and fifty more, loaded with gifts.
"The finest spices from D`Shar lands!" Kassim began, pointing at the heavy bags, unloaded and open for their sight. "Variety of cheeses from the milk of cows, goats, mares, lambs and cow buffalos. Dried meat from them too, even from the pigs, that Fiersdvain traders sold us. Tanned hides from the south, loads of honey, bags with various cures for your healers, bullions of quality steel for your smiths, casks of good wine too. And beer, if you hate the morning headache after a night full of wine. A stud of hundred fine D`Shar mounts and hundred of young mares ..."

"Wait, wait, wait!" K`Juda interrupt him suddenly. "I didn`t told that I`ll agree with you!"
"Agree or not, as you decide, mighty K`Juda. " Kassim raise a fist to his chest in a gesture of respect. "It is only a gift to you. My own warlord sent me to express his sincere wishes for friendship between D`Shar and Jatu."
K`Juda notice the change of Kassim`s behaviour and understood that he kept his own reputation in front of the others. In private, he was blunt, annoying and irritating to the tip of his helmet, but here, in public, he behaved just as his men expected from anyone in K`Juda`s presence. And familiar with his bloody reputation, no doubt. Yet K`Juda understood too well that it was only a pose and nothing more. The respect of his own men however could only grow even more from the declaration "D`Shar send gifts." instead from the humbly "One mercenary send gifts." Clever.
Then one D`Shar horseman brought the horse and K`Juda forgot everything else.

The mount was tall and so white, that it seems covered with fresh winter snow. He seems to dance on his long muscled legs and K`Juda barely look at the fine, gold-plated saddle for a brief moment. He put his hand on the strong neck and the horse neigh and step back.
When Kassim saw that the horse is all that the Jatu could see, he proclaim with high voice.
"A gift from my warlord to you, oh honourable K`Juda! Ride with the winds!"
K`Juda didn`t heard him. He hold the bow of the saddle and jump into it. Under him, the fine mount began to step aside and abnegate his noble head back, then forth, nervous from his unknown rider. K`Juda hold him tight only with his knees, one hand gliding his thick ruff, the other one tap the neck calmingly a few times. Then he push him forward with light kick of his heels. The mount seems to notice that he had an experienced rider and obediently walk forward between the tents. Every other Jatu that he moved past him stop his activities and stare at him. Or at the horse. K`Juda wasn`t able to say which one, but right now he doesn`t care. He felt the mount`s tension and tap his neck again, then kick his hips.

The mount run lightly and the tents began to fly back faster than any other horse he`d ever had. K`Juda felt his heart full with pure joy of the life and his huge body light as his hunting hawk. The wind spread his thick long hair and it began to waive behind him as some standard. For a brief moment of his life he felt himself happy and laugh came out from his lips as the scream of eagle after pray.
The mount under him tremble and suddenly rush forward with unimaginable speed around the temporal camp. Moving past a wooden rack K`Juda hold one Honour Lance and raise it over his right shoulder.
"He will try to throw a lance!" Kassim exclaimed. "No one can do it!"
Agjaga spoke behind him.
"I`ll bet my knife that he can."
"Done!" Kassim accept the impossible bet with readiness. Agjaga had a masterpiece, stolen from who knows where.

K`Juda began to close a slave pen and all of his muscle tensed suddenly. He twisted his body back, then, with a powerful movement forth and throw the lance. Fifty meters forward a slave girl, wearing her heavy bag with washed clothes, was pierced from the huge spear as deer on skewer right through her chest. The hit killed her instantly but her body still remained straight for her weight wasn`t enough to break the hilt of the lance, its tip buried deep into the hard ground from the force of the impact.
Weapons rose in the air as thick metal forest and thousands throats roared as one.
"HAZZA JATU!"
Agjaga look at Kassim`s round eyes and open mouth with immense satisfaction.
"Is your warlord capable to do the same?"
Kassim exit from his trance-like state and murmur. 
"No. He can`t. I... I`ve never ever seen something like that before!"
Agjaga raise a hand and Kassim took his fine battle knife and place it into his hand. Agjaga put it into his belt.

K`Juda came back to them with brightened eyes, relieved from his tension with the fresh kill. 
"Take care for him." He ordered one of his Kajahars then turn toward the D`Shar man. "Kassim, your gift is magnificent!"
"For such a valuable ally as yourself, warlord, I can bring nothing but the best." Kassim spoke with respect.
K`Juda wrinkle again but said only.
"We will speak more at dinner. You may took the Noldor now. Agjaga will take care for your other gifts."

Kassim thanked him and Agjaga lead him to the captives. The impaled Noldor screamed and he would have continue to do so for many candles time more. A skilled torturer could keep his victim for a whole day on a stake. Kassim waive on two of his men and they hold a casket with beer with them. Together they close to Jatu, guarding the prisoner`s crowd.
"Hold on! This isn`t a place for visitors, D`Shar!"
Kassim spread his hands, imitating a surprise.
"No, really? Well, your warlord, K`Juda just gave me all your Noldor captives."
The Battle Rider in charge didn`t believed him for a moment.
"Haha, this is the most stupid joke I`ve ever heard." he gnarled with rough voise. "You lie!"
Kassim sigh and rise his hands in a gesture of surrender.
"Fine, fine, you got me! I see that you recognized us. We are Noldor in disguise, coming to free your captives! "Sahalonielam, Jatu ... ugh .... alborantinel? Dalahanilil?." He turn to Agjaga. "A little help, please, cousin Aeldarian! I think that I just sprained my tongue!"

Agjaga bite his lips and manage to hold himself only to wry half-smile. The Battle Rider however busted in laughter, just as the other guards, who could hear them. It was most unlikely for K`Juda to free his Noldor, but since Agjaga himself was with those D`Shar, it must be true. Still the joke for their disguise was good one.
"I suppose that I owe you something for stealing them under your very noses, without anyone seeing us, so we brought you a casket with fine beer. It will completely free you from any suspiciousness, that you left all your prisoners to sneak between your whole army right toward their forests."
Horhal didn`t hold his smile. But of course, they could surely sneak out two hundreds and forty one weakened Noldor captives right between ten thousands Jatu warriors in no time! This joke was even better one! He look at Agjaga to see his confirmation before to waive at his men to take the casket. Kassim used the opportunity and move past the guards to see over the Noldor.

At the close distance they looked much as Lethaldiran. Most of them were tall and with fine, although little sharp features, but with some hoods to cover their distinctive ears they could pass for humans everywhere. He spoke aloud.
"Who is your leader?"
None gave him any attention. The Noldor continue to look at the impaled one.
"Do you understand me? Anyone?"
 
One tall female with various wounds from ropes at her wrists and bloody bandages at her ankles turn to him. Both her eyes were blackened and the whole left side of her face was still purple from beating.
"I can speak your words, filthy human. Die at last so we can watch the last moments of our comrade. He killed more than a thousand of your disgusted kind during his life and deserve at least that honour from us."
Kassim look at her carefully.
"You must be proud with him. Still I have a proposal to your commander."
His eyes followed her thighs, not so well covered from ragged green trousers and she spit in his face.
"You are the same pig as the cursed Jatu!"
Instead to hit her she saw with surprise that he wipe her saliva from his face and smile at her.
"We are trying to show that to Jatu for years without any success yet you notice it in a moment! Well done!"

Her torn tunic wasn`t able to cover her feminine advantages very well and she spill a curse on her language.
"I hate you, dirty human! Rape me again, whip me, torture me as you wish, but I will not break!"
"A bit rough you are, but our great poet Kushal Khan Khatak wrote - "The untamed woman is dangerous as a mountain cat, but that makes the men`s life worth living." First things first, however. Who is your commander? My warlord, Rambulhwa from Turkmani tribe of the D`Shar, send me with a proposal."
Her smile was beautiful and Kassim felt movement into his loincloth then she pointed at the impaled corpses. Four crows feasted on the male one.
"Naranilin, from the House Gwinalanien. Go and speak with him. Maybe he will listen to him. I`m tired from your words."
When Kassim look at the corpse, one crow peck at the male`s face and gulp a piece from his lips.

"The eyeballs were eaten at the first day. The crows love them as delicacies." Kassim look back at the female with the indifference of a man, accustomed of such things long ago. "Who is next by rank amongst you?"
She spoke to the others. Two males respond shortly and she translated.
"They knew that we will all die here, filthy human. They have no words for you."
Kassim sighed. When he accepted the task he knew that it would not be easy, but he definitely didn`t expected to see Noldor, ready to die on a stake instead even to listen to his offer.
"Is there at least one male amongst them who will listen to my proposal?"
She translated. One stocky Noldor with broken teeth said something. Several other captives found some strength into themselves to laugh roughly.
"What did he said?"

She translate with dark apathy.
"He said that if you impale yourself right now, he will listen to your offer very carefully."
Kassim laugh and tried to figure something out of it. These Noldor weren`t as open and cheerful as Lethaldiran. Not even a little bit. They obviously hated all humans for some reason.
"At least you may tell all of them my offer..."
"Go and impale yourself, you human scum!"
Kassim waived at his men.
"Take her into my tent."
Another Noldor female step forward.
"Leave her alone, human. Naranilin was her husband. I will come with you."
"Fine by me. Come."

They went into the section of the camp where D`Shar yurts were build and both entered inside. Inside it, Kassim sat on the furs on the hard ground and look at her. Hinaraniel quickly remove her ragged clothes.
Kassim look at her with approval. Her scars showed to him that she was a warrior, not some captured peasant. Beaten severely, broken ribs, scars from whip on her back, but not mutilated, which was good. Her hands were on a woman, clearly spending a lot of time with a sword.
"What is your name?"
"Don`t bother with that. I`m here. Do whatever you wish with me."
"I must call you something anyway. Tell me your name or I`ll call you something stupid like "Grass" or "Stone."
She was not in a mood to evaluate his humour so she doesn`t react.
"As you wish, Grass, but later don`t sent your brothers to beat me, because of it."

Her lips twisted for a moment in a dark half-smile. Those humans were such strange and pervert creatures. Does this one tried to make himself an impression to her?
He pointed at the casket with hot water.
"Clean yourself first, while I explain the general terms of our offer to you. I`ll expect you to repeat my words to your next in command male."
"And why do you think that I`m not the commander?"
"Only Veccavians are crazy enough to let women in charge. And you aren`t a Veccavian." Kassim thought for a moment. "Well, the Snake Cult also let some women to command them, but they are no less strange lot. Although you are brave enough to become warrior you couldn`t become a leader. Human females just sit into their husbands yurts and worship only their husbands. That is the rule of nature. I doubt even Noldor will be foolish enough to let a female in charge."

Her hand moved toward the place where usually was the hilt of her sword and then she shot him a bloodthirsty gaze. But there was some truth into his words. There wasn`t a single female warlord amongst Noldor. Still here she was, helpless and into his power so she tried to cover her emotion. He would have what he want from her one way or the other.
Kassim notice her turmoil.
"So I have two offers, actually. The first and the most important one is to convince you to marry me, and the second, and far more easy one is to make an alliance with your Noldor."
She look at him. If only that was possible. To marry him for a time, at least while he sneak her out of the Jatu camp, then she could kill him and use his horse to run toward the forests... Perhaps if she pretend that she may repeat his mad idea for an alliance with the humans on some of her warlords? She tried to smile seductively and slowly went to the casket. She tremble from the hot water and sunk into the casket with a pleasant sigh.

"Perhaps I will like you too. Do tell me more for those ... offers of yours."
Kassim open his bag for food and kumis then sat comfortable on the furs."
"Accordance with the customs of D`Shar, the father of the bride must give a dowry of her daughter`s husband. And the shaman of the tribe must perform the ritual. Officially. So, if you intent to cut my throat in my sleep and run with my horse, I`ll be deeply offended. And my first wife will be furious, so I`d avoid to anger her if I was into your boots. I have some very good mounts, very expensive too and she knew their price up to the last denar, I`m telling you." He look at her frozen expression and add cheerfully. "But I`m sure that a courageous female Noldor, capable to sacrifice herself for another, will never even think of such dishonourable deed."

Hinaraniel from the house Elendalanal maintained her courage with last efforts. Captured four moons ago ... or it was five? She wasn`t able to say it exactly already. Raped ten times per day, sometimes even more often, she initially tried to resist. Jatu just beat her senseless then continue to rape her. Her back hurt her from the whips, her groins from the rape, her arms and legs had  wounds from their ropes too and at least two ribs of her weren`t healed entirely. She saw how Jatu impaled Sariniel and Naranilin, today was Ternalatan`s turn. Tomorrow could be hers. She hoped to endure the agony with enough dignity, but their screams ate her courage slowly, but surely.
"Does that matter for you? And why?"
"I gave my word to my warlord. I will hold it at any cost. If that mean that I`ll marry a beautiful Noldor female to sign this alliance - then so be it! Plus most men on my age already have three or four wives already. But if I manage to return to my tribe with a Noldor wife - well, that will be something, don`t you agree?"

Foreigners

King Ulric the Just, chosen of Eunomia Stabilitis herself for Her representative into the human world, rightful ruler or all Sarleon, spoke to the leader of the foreigners.
"We continue to listen about the Mettenheim valour and battle prowess for quite some time already. So by Our will We invited you here with the intention to offer you the greatest honour possible - to become Our servants. We do believe that Our offer may be of interest to you, commander Nilkar."
The Mettneheim commander, a man in his forties, big and strong for his years, bowed, leaving visible to him the long scar over his bald temple.
"I do believe that Your Magesty may allow himself to have soldiers like us into your current war. I lead a professional soldiers, well trained and hardened men, ready for battle."

Ulrik wrinkles. Perhaps this pathetic mercenary captain was from such distant lands, that he wasn`t completely sure of the unique option, that he and his men could have only once in their lifetime - to serve His Divine Person. Well, foreigners ... savage and ignorant, just as He foresaw. With the power, granted Him from the goddess herself, a single look into the man`s eyes were enough to understand if the man was honourable or not, guilty of a crime or sometimes even to read his darkest thoughts. Surely He was the most appropriate demi-god, well ... king, to say the least, for all Pendor. And it was the time for His magnificence to become known to the whole realm!
"Commander Nilkar, We always insist to check the mercenaries before We to hire them. We will require to make full inspection of all your soldiers at the first possible moment before We may speak for your contract."
"Why those man speaks for himself in plural?" commander Nilkar Vasten look at the foreign king with surprise. Sometimes he had seen such attitude from soldier, survived after heavy hit in the head, or in some mad men, thinking himself for someone else. Could that be the case with those monarch? Or they simply had a few kings in this country?

"Your Magesty may perform an inspection right now, if you wish. My soldiers will be ready before you are able to ride to our camp outside your north gate."
"Then We will go. We are eager to see the soldiers of your famous homeland."
In hope to see them unprepared, Ulric left his palace with barely eighty knights of the Lion from his personal guards and they rode fast trough the crowds toward the north gate for no more than one candle time. Just after they left the town walls commander Nilkar took his horn and gave two long signals. Ulric`s first bodyguards lead them toward the mercenary camp. As they approached the soldiers began to spill from their tents, others left their duties and run toward the large open ground to form battle ranks. True to their commander word all of the Mettenheim soldiers stood in battle ready formation before their group reach the camp.
"That wasn`t too slow." Ulric said mercifully. "Your men could react in time to repel an ambush without too many causalities."
"For half the time any other army could awake, my men will kill all their ambushers."

Nilkar respond without even to beg for His permission to speak and it annoyed Ulric, but He decide to show His patience to the ignorant foreign savage.
The first formation was composed from tough looking men in long chain mails, open helmets, wide metal shields and military picks onto their belts. Many of them were quite young by His opinion, but the scars onto their faces and gear pointed clearly that they had at least some battle experience. They however dared to look into His face without permission, so He raise his chin and move past them without a word. The next ranks were equipped in heavy plate armours, huge metal shields and pikes and short swords or maces. He wondered how they could manage against His own heavy mounted knights and allowed Himself a tiny smile when He imagine themselves under the Lion`s hooves. But the ships, capable to transport horses over such great distance were expensive and those Mettenheim men were just another muscles for hire, despite their reputation. The next one were the archers and Ulric notice that all of them had the heaviest siege crossbows and large quivers of bolts in addition to their equipment, very similar to the first infantry ranks. He rode past them toward the next rows of large men in heavy armours, armed only with huge two-handed swords. Surely they knew it made them extremely vulnerable to archers, but they probably depended to their pike men line for initial protection. The two-handed wield weapons were much more effective on a horse back, for in the thickness of a battle they couldn`t swing a meter and a half long blade so effective as shorter weapon but still they could be useful, if properly trained... The last formation was visibly smaller than the others, and arranged under the army banner.

Although they were armed with two-handed swords like the previous ranks they form separate squad and He wondered why.
"Why these men are so few into their formation, commander?"
"These men have reached the highest standard amongst us - the elite Forlorn Hope regiment, Your Magesty. There are no better warriors amongst us."
King Ulric look at their armours. Surely they spare no expenses for their armours but still ...
"They are well supplied, of that We are sure. But about their pretences? We do wonder how they could manage against a true knight..."
"If Your Magesty require a demonstration, you need only to ask." Nilkar carefully hold his voice neutral, but respectful. It was hard life to be a mercenary, but his homeland often suffered from poor harvest and draughts. Many amongst them were forced to seek a new life with weapon in hands in distant lands.

"We will be delighted to see such exercise, commander!" Ulric`s eyes brightened and he turn toward one of his bodyguards, a nobleman from old and respected family, surely far above their pitiful status, but a true noble couldn`t expect much from the lesser creatures he was forced to live with. Yet the noble Selar Nersus managed to hide his displease to be put against a lowlife mercenary with the grace of a cousin of Baron Godric himself.
The mercenary ranks step aside, leaving them enough open ground and Ulric rode toward the Mettenheim elites. All of their faces were hidden under large helmets, so he choose one of the shorter ones and the man step forward without a word, but also without even kneeling to express the proper gratitude toward the King, Who graciously gave him the opportunity to die for Him today! What a vulgar lot they were!
Selar Nersus took his lance from the leather pocket onto his saddle and commander Nilkar wrinkle.
"A mounted knight against a knight on his feet? Does your man have any honour left, Your Magesty?"

"You didn`t asked for Our terms, commander." King Ulric smile at him. "And you can`t expect to control the battlefield. Your men could be forced to fight against horsemen at any time!"
"So be it then. You asked for it."
Nilkar turn to Varug Neranel and made a gesture with his thump, pointed to the ground. He nod in confirmation. Ulric however took offense.
"Don`t forget yourself, commander! You are in the presence of the Goddess Chosen King of this land! When speaking to Us you will use the proper title of respect that We deserve! We will tolerate disrespect no longer, if you hope to be in Our service!"
Nilkar express proper level of submission onto his face and bow.
"I`m sorry, Your Magesty. I will not repeat this mistake of mine."
"Be sure not to!" Ulric waive at his knight.

Selar Nersus pointed his lance forward and kick his heavy warhorse into gallop. One well trained mounted knight on the hard ground against slow, heavy armoured infantry! What an easy target!
When he almost reach the infantryman he made a movement as if to throw himself aside to avoid the lance. But Selar was an experienced warrior and expected that, so he just moved the lance after the men. He was sure that in only a moment the arrogant foreigner would lay in his own blood, he almost felt the mortal strike of his lance! Somehow the heavy armoured men manage to step aside from his lance and raise his blade in a heavy slash. Nersus`s shield was in his left hand so he had nothing but the handle of the lance to use for protection. As he rode past him, the Mettenheim swing at him and he felt terrible pain into his right thigh. Then his warhorse neigh terribly and fell. Selar was stunned from the heavy fell. Where was his sword? His right foot hurt a lot, his left one surely was broken too. The cursed stupid horse wasn`t able to die properly without smashing his own master`s leg! He tried to crawl aside from the animal, but his left foot was still under the whole weight of the horse. His opponent came closer.
"Quickly, you peasant idiot, help me! My foot seems broken! I command you to ..."

The two handed sword raise again and decapitated him before he could finish. The Mettenheim warrior carefully killed the horse too and began to unlock the expensive looking armour. The large purse was promising too. The day was good.
King Ulric`s lips pressed together in disgusted grimace. Those ... those lowborn peasant wanted to rob his noble knight!
"The body of Our knight belongs to his family. Your men surely aren`t such base vulgar animals not to know some decency!"
"The standard rules of the war, Your Magesty." Nilkar pointed politely, but hard. "The winner have the right over the loser`s loot, as always."
For the moment King Ulric stood speechless from such insolence, then remind Himself that He actually speaks with a mere mercenary - exactly the opposite of a true noble knight of His realm.
"Yes, anyway. Lets speak for your contract. We want you ready for march in two days."
 
Miracle

The chief shaman of the Rafsanjan tribe sing monotonously in front of the young couple, invoking Vata`s blessing upon them. He dancing around them and the horse bones tied over his leather clothes adding deaf sounds to his own voice, while his steps followed symbolically the ancient pattern of the nomadic migration after their studs in accordance with the seasons. The crowd watching him in full silence, only a few barely spent a sight toward the pile of corpses, burning in the distance. Burzubai`s sons and all of their men and their families. None was spared, as it should be. The betrayal was always paid only in blood. 
The aged shaman Chogmak raise his head, covered with horse skull toward the clear sky and shouted with whole throat.
"VATA! Bless these youngsters with long life and many children!"
A single horse neigh respond to his prayer. The tribesmen, gathered for the ceremony, turned simultaneously toward the sound as one. On a low hill, not far away from them stood a lone black stallion, and neigh again.

Shouts raised to the heaven from the crowd, all youngster run toward their horses and galloped toward the lone mount with ropes in hands. But alas, the black mount left them to approach him with full dissipation, then turn with unearthly grace and disappeared with unnatural speed. The horsemen returned to the shaman with empty hands, already aware of the significance of their chase.
Chogmak pull slightly the younger Turkmani chief shaman Dongu, and both whispered to each other shortly, then Dongu raise his powerful voice in exalted speech.
"Vata himself blessed us with his presence in the very moment, when two youngsters from out two mighty tribes tied their lives together! It is a sign of his approval for the end of the blood feud and the new beginning for the both tribes! May our enemies tremble in fear, for we shall stand against them as one!"
Shavaar`s face doesn`t exactly brightened with happiness from the marriage, but his expression was far from the thunderous fury from the previous day. He draw his sabre and raise it high above his head.
"VATA!" He shouted high and his daughters followed, then the nearest tribesmen, and soon all together.
Chogmak look at them for some time then raise his hands. The forest of their weapons disappeared and silence followed.

It was still early for the feast, so he gave a sign for the children to compete each other with their horses. All children between ten and fifteen years run toward the studs for their horses, while Galdu, one of Kulug`s sons, rode forward to a point about five kilometres away from the camp. There he stuck a pole with painted in red horse tail into the ground and sounds a horn. The children rush forward with wild shouting and a lot of kicking the horse`s hips with bare heels. The D`Shar never used whips to their horses, but the children often used it to hit each other in such competitions and it wasn`t a rare sight some of them to fell under the horse hooves toward their death. The chieftains however forbid the whips after an especially tragic accident, when a Turkmani boy used his whip not to strike at the other kids but used it to strike at his opponent`s horse. Of course, he was whipped in front of the tribes and banished alone in the steps forever, but one excellent young mare remained blind with her left eye.
The children`s horde galloped forward and the horses, fresh from their night rest gave everything from themselves and several of them began to take advantage while the rest followed in tight group. Soon they thundered around the pole while Galdu shouted encouraging at them.

The last two hundred meters were especially hard for one grey mount and he was outrun from a white mare with barely a step advantage. The winner jump from the bare back of her horse and began to rub down her horse with triumphant expression. Chogmak step toward her.
"Tehum, daughter of Nalkan, from the Turkmani tribe won the competition in Vata`s honour today!" He sighed soundlessly. Although her father was an excellent skinner and Mangu himself wore a caftan made from him, his own eleven years old daughter wore a ragged and stained garment. He pointed at the three prizes for the winners. Pair of excellent knifes, an exquisite bow and beautifully embroidered kaftan. "Choose your prize!"
"I want the horse!" Tehum said with un-childishly serious voice.
"And she is yours." Sharab step forward and pull Tehum`s ear violently. "Open your ears, Tehum. I promised you the horse if you win and she is already yours. Chogmak`s reward is something entirely different."
"OUCH!" Tehum screamed then smile broadly. "I`ll take the kaftan."

The second place winner, a boy at fifteen chooses the knifes and gave one to his brother, who remained with the main group. The third place winner, a girl at thirteen years, had no other choice but the bow and wrinkles unsatisfied, but by some reason her father was very pleased and promised her a horse of her own and smile exchange her scowl.
The following feast continue for the whole day and night.

D`Shar doesn`t believe in curses

Singal`s market was the closest thing to an open ground for everyone as possible. Under the hot sunrays one dark-haired Sarleon merchant advertising a new model battle axe to a light haired broad-shouldered Firsdvain man with complicated tattoo on the right side of his face. Next to him pale Ravenstern bow-maker arranging his bows on a fine wooden racks and carefully pull each string as if the sounds told him something that only he could hear. Not far from them fine desert mounts gathered a large crowd around them and their tribal owner proudly displayed each one of them to his clients. Jatu mercenaries rub shoulders with black robed Confessor, moving toward the slaves, chained under the wide colourful cotton shelters, their Singalian Temptress drinking cold wine in expectation of the highest bidder for her fine stock. Green armoured Snake Cult armsman waiting patiently his turn at the blacksmiths anvil for some repairs on his heavy chainmail behind one rogue knight. Band of Vanskeery men in heavy chain mails, holding wide two-handed axes, shouting at a slim merchant, waiving at their carts, no doubt full with loot from their raids, while the merchant shouting at them with no less strength, summoning all deities for witnesses that his miserable coins were the best prices they could receive from all Singal.

Proud Veccavian woman in fine plate armour carefully tested the stock of a weapon merchant, her gelded entourage looking at the ground, awaiting for her orders. Barkley merchant picking pretentiously amongst Mystmountain clansmen stock, Melitine adventurous company purchasing food and various supplies, group of Mettenheim soldiers in heavy plate armours cheerfully talking to each other, eating hot horse sausages in thin bread, fried on the very place from D`Shar outlaw. A group of seven Baccus gladiators made their way toward the local arena, eager to bet on the next fight or probably to participate into it. At the stall of one one-eyed jeweller a pointy-ear Noldor choose exquisite seven-pointed golden star with rubies, with the size of his palm, and choose a triple twisted golden chain for that medallion. He nod in satisfaction and invited his host to his covered wagons, surround from hooded guardsmen, to check his stock.

Sharaz look at Davah with a gaze, heavy with doubts.
"Do you really know where you are leading us?"
"I know! Gaduilm sell his cursed things on his "special" clients every fourth day of the first moon cycle! I`m sure of it!" She look at the sizeable crowd. "There are so much people today, I just can`t see him!"
"Because you look her armour too much and you aren`t looking around yourself enough."
The rusty voice behind them came from the stocky man in dark blue robe. Strangely enough he wore big helmet with huge horns and face mask. Nothing could be seen from him, even his arm were covered with soft gloves. Still he put a hand into his wide girdle and took his purse, then count five coppers.
"Five this time. You really getting better with it."
Davah took it quickly and hide it within her rags. Then she asks with careless tone.

"I was into Moriss`s caravanserai yesterday and I heard that one mercenary warlord, Rambulhwa, is looking for a new weapon. Are you interested?"
The merchant issued short laughter.
"Only if he is the same Rambulhwa the people of Singal speaks so much about."
"How much?"
"Five denari."
Davah wrinkle grouchy from his steep offering.
"Fifteen you say?"
"Eight."
"Twenty, and I`ll bring him here right now."
The strange merchant was surprised, as far as his voice could reveal under his garment.

"Do you know some magic, by chance?"
"You pay me to bring them to you, not to give you information."
"True, true." He thought for a moment. "Seventeen."
"Twenty. He have a whole bag of silver. I saw it with my own eyes!"
"I don`t want to know where or how you managed to see it. Fine, twenty, but you`ll promise me that you`ll be more careful. The people doesn`t like when someone see their coins. Go and bring him here."
Davah raise her palm to him.
"He is here. Pay up."
"You tricky little ..." The merchant stop himself and count the denari into her dusty palm. "Run to your mother before you get caught by Hakim."
When she ran away he bow to his visitors.

"Please, excuse my manners, noble guests. I rely of my informants to bring me the most solvent amongst my clients. Please, come into my tent. I`m sure that I`ll find something to attract your interest."
The large blue tent behind the wooden stall was spacious. Another man with the same outfit exit the tent when they entered inside. The merchant offered them to sit onto the large thick carpet in the middle of the tent, with large soft pillows around low table with refreshments. Various by its size chests and boxes were arranged inside, along with sculptures and even a few gems in open boxes. One large mirror in heavy metal framework, almost touching the blue cloth roof of the tent, was placed between a few heavy chests but Sharaz was unable to see any reflection, despite the fact that they all sat almost right in front of it. Third man with the same outfit pour them excellent kumis in common wooden cups.
"Ah, honey cake!" Sharab remove her helmet and bite with pleasure. "The people say that you are selling one of the best stocks around. It must mean something, since we are in Singal."

Soft laughter follow.
"That is very kind of you to say, noble lady. Most people aren`t so polite. But I can assure you, it`s only gossips and nothing more. I am merely a ... supplier of their wishes. Yes, a humble servant am I, indeed. And since you are all D`Shar, "the stocks" mean horses, weapons and armours."
Sharag remove her helmet too, her long braids fell on her back and she drank from her cup with kumis.
"You don`t smell properly. You aren`t a horse breeder. And D`Shar doesn`t have any nobles. We are all tribesmen."
"Of course, please forgive my ignorance. How may I serve you?"
"Have you seen the weapons of the Sneak Cult priestesses? Their sabres, I mean."
Gaduilm nod confidently. Their leader was looking for a weapon.
"Strange looking ebony-black sabre or spear and shield is their common armament. Plus some throwing spears. They prefer medium tier armours for protection, some with a breastplate, some scale mails. Probably to look more like snakes, I presume."
"Do you have one such sabre, by chance?"

"In a matter of fact, I do."
Gaduilm waive to his servants, and two more, looking exactly as himself brought engraved wooden box with the required weapon. Sharaz look at his mask but his eyes remained impenetrable for her gaze. She reach for the box. The merchant spoke soft.
"The people around says that my stock is ... strange, to say the least. The impolite ones says words like "cursed", "possessed' or "unholy".
"Are they?" Sharaz asked the mocking question with the right tone.
"I have one battle axe amongst my stock, that was made to be buried with her first and supposedly last owner. Eleven men purchased it, and all died by its blade in terrible accidents. Although in front of many other people, some of their relatives insisted to the local Caliph that I`ve sold them a cursed weapon."
Wide smile made her beautiful face to shine. Sharaz notice the slight change of Gaduilm`s pose and smile even broader. She had that effect to the males. Despite his mask and his behaviour of "the enigmatic stranger" Gaduilm was a man like any other.

"Usually "I" happens to those around me." She said with gentle voice and took a tasty morsel with graciously movement. "Much more than merely eleven males didn't  survived "the accident".
Gaduilm gasped, unsure of the ambiguous meaning of her words. His hand moved toward a cup with kumis, then he hold his both hands and bow to her.
"I`m sure that your chieftain will use that sabre well."
"I doubt it. His weapon is longer."
"Ugh?" Gaduilm tremble visibly then laugh nervously. "Oh, you mean that he is using two-handed weapon!"
Sharaz support her elbow on a fat soft pillow and drank from her cup.
"No, I mean that he isn`t skilled with the sabre. I am. It is a gift for me." She slowly stretch her long limbs. "Some people says that I alone am a curse for my enemies. I don`t mind."

"Yes! But of course!" Gaduilm said not very clear what exactly was understandable.
"He prefer the polearm, both on foot and over the horse back." Sharaz rotate the cup into her hand. "Our common type polearm doesn`t seems particular comfortable for him when he is mounted, so we came to you." She drank the kumis and extend her long arm toward him for more.
With a bit trembling hand Gaduilm himself poured her more kumis, forgetting to call for his servants. He alone stand and went toward a pile of chests then came back with long box, visibly made from some dark coloured stone.
 
"I`ve wandered all the kingdoms of Pendor but I`ve never seen such metal before. Probably that weapon was crafted outside Pendor. You may think that it`s rusty, but I can assure you, it is only the colour of the metal itself."
The merchant open the stone box, revealing two meters long pole arm, truly rusty-red in colour. The hilt, no more than two fingers wide, visibly made from the same metal was spiral engraved, for better grasp, with straight, two sided sharpened span-short blade on one end and another, three-spans long blade, thin as the hilt itself on its base, but wider up to a span into the slightly curve into its upper part and again thinner into the very tip. Sharaz`s eyes thinned in concentration, but she was unable to notice how the blades were mounted on the hilt. In fact, both blades and the hilt somehow look as one inseparably whole. No gold or gems could be seen onto it, yet she notice that Gaduilm hold the box with such care, as if he hold his first-born son.
"Interesting, the wood of the hilt does seems exactly the same colour with the blades. Give it to me."
Gaduilm suddenly step back, away from her stretched hand.

"Please, excuse me, my lady, but a weapon such as that could belong only to a true master of the pole arm."
Something made her to stand, but before she was able to made a single step toward him, the merchant close the box.
"Please, my lady, that weapon isn`t for master of the sabre like yourself."
"I want to look at it better, nothing more. There is no need to be so touchy, it is an item like any other weapon. Give it here!" She finish with a stern order.
Gaduilm however was nor impressed, nor frightened.
"I`m only concerned for you, my lady, nothing more."
"I`m D`Shar warrior, not some f****** noble Sarleon whore! Why are you so concerned that I can touch that weapon, Gaduilm?" Sharaz hold the hilt of her own sabre. "Tell me what is going on? Is that weapon cursed?"
"No, of course not! It is merely very sharp and you aren`t skilled with that particular type of weapon!" Gaduilm stand still, with both hands full with the box, to show that he have no ill intentions. "You`ve never been trained with pole arms and I ..."

"How could you know that?" Sharaz interrupted him gently and smile as the merchant step back in surprise. She step forward and grab the long stone box from his trembling hands then the box fell from her hands and she curse savagely. It was far heavier than she anticipated.
Rambulhwa finally rose and step to them. Sharaz put a hand onto his chest to stop him.
"The weasel is hiding something! Don`t touch the weapon!"
He gently push her hand aside.
"D`Shar doesn`t believe in curses."
He lower himself, opening the box with his right hand and trying to take the pole arm with his left. Unsuccessfully. He tried for second time, then for third.
"Hold the longer blade toward the tip." Gaduilm said somehow tensed.

Rambulhwa did it and the weapon came out from its box with ease, but he snorted in surprise as it cut slightly his palm. Blood streaks from his palm over the blade and few drops fell on the ground. He sighed then suddenly stare right forward toward the huge mirror. Its dull, non-transparent surface reflected not his own image, but he saw a clear image of quite tall and light-red skinned woman with long face with extraordinary beautiful features, thin lips under small straight nose, two narrow dark-red eyes with black vertical pupils and third one between four large and twisted horns, spreading back from her bald head. He look down at her generously gifted feminine advantages, barely covered with only a few strips of clear white fabric, then low down to her flat, muscular stomach to her six fingered palms with impossibly long curved nails, resting over fine rounded hips, then down to her wide muscular thighs. Her feet's ended with large, three-fingered treads with longer and wider nails than her arms. Between her thighs, as some thick snake, twisted around them, moved a tail. The background, obviously illuminated from torches was almost entirely covered from strangely moving leathery curtain with the same colour as her skin. Rambulhwa raise on his feet but he was forced to toss back his head too look at her eyes, since she was considerably taller than him.

"You are so beautiful!" He said with slight smile on his face. "What is your name?"
The long face twisted in non-human surprise, then one taloned hand made a gesture and suddenly the mirror`s surface was the same dull and non-transparent as before.
Rambulhwa wrinkle and turn toward the merchant.
"Where did she go? Who is she? Or what? What is her name?"
"What are you talking about?" Sharag look around and put her hand on her sabre. Then she relaxed a bit. There were none else but themselves.
"I saw her!" He insisted with fervour. "I saw her in the mirror!"
"The mirror is a fake." Sharaz throw a quick glance at it and close to the merchant. "Now tell me what the hell is going on here! You are highly suspicious, your behaviour isn`t that of a common merchant and you knew some things that no one outside my family could possibly know. Speak!"

Gaduilm sat on the carpet and cross his hands in negation.
"I`m not your slave, warrior. Kill me if you want, it will change nothing."
"What will not change? Speak plainly!"
The other three assassins surround him but he doesn`t move a finger in self defence.
"I will not!"
"Enough."
The single word, spoken with normal tone made them to step back. Rambulhwa glide the strange weapon. Actually, he was able to see some shades, different tones of red onto the very blade. It wasn`t a single colour as he initially thought. He sat back on his place and drank from his cup with kumis. His bodyguards sat around him, still tensed, but not so much as before. He allow himself to say with casual tone. 

"When I took the weapon I saw a woman, or at least a female. In the mirror. It was an image, clearly not reflecting this tent, for she stood on a place illuminated from torches. And she had horns, growing right from her very head."
Gaduilm didn`t tremble even a little bit and spoke with stern voice.
"The mirror is an old and strange antique that I bought just because I like the style. Nothing more. It reflect nothing. I saw nothing like your description."
Rambulhwa turn his eyes toward his bodyguards. One by one they nod in negation. Sharaz encroached toward the strange weapon. After a moment Rambulhwa let her to take it. She stand and made several attempts to swing it, then gave up with a shrug.
"It`s not a weapon for me. How do you feel it?"
"A bit heavier than my last one, but acceptable. Perfectly balanced, although I can`t recognize the metal."
He put a hand into his belt and took a piece of fabric to clear his blood from the weapon then wrinkle. The weapon was clear, not a single drop of blood could be spotted over the dull, non reflecting blade. He open his mouth to ask why then close it without a sound. After a few moments he just change the subject.

"Both weapons are excellent and I`d like to have it very much. Tell me your price, honourable Gaduilm."
"Two thousands denari for the sabre. It is a very good, very reliable weapon. The High Priestess of the Snake Cult have the same. Five thousands for the pole arm."
"I know." Sharaz toss a wry smile at him. "I saw her. But I`ll bet that I`m better than her."
Gaduilm spread his hands in apologizing gesture and spoke as if guilty of something.
"I would have paid good denari to see that. Unfortunately I`m a humble merchant and I need to pay for my merchandize for my living. I wish I had the possibility to offer the sabre to you as a gift, for I suspect that you are as ferocious in battle as you are beautiful, but alas I`m not a khan."
Sharaz didn`t bite. She didn`t trust him.
"Five thousands for a pole arm?"

"The metal itself is unknown for this lands. It made it unique, and the unique have its price."
Sharz reach for her pouch but Rambulhwa raise a hand and took his own, then gave it to Gaduilm. He empty it over the low table and choose about half of the gems. Then he gather the rest and pull the string.
"That is enough, thank you." He hesitate for a moment and add with carefully measured voice. "If you don`t mind the humble advice of this mere merchant, you may wish to keep your rubies."
"Why?"
"Just a thought, nothing more." Gaduilm gave him back the pouch. "Thank you for your visit. I`m sure that you are very busy."
"With what?" Sharab`s eyebrows gathered together with suspiciousness.
"With the war with Baccus`s empire."
"Oh, that. Yes. Yes, of course. Let`s go."

When they reach their quarters into Morris`s caravanserai Sharaz kick the door of his room and her face twisted in fury.
"Now tell me everything that you saw and don`t miss even a blink!" she demanded with iron voice.
Rambulhwa didn`t even tried to dodge or to evade. He trusted her more than anyone else. She listened him carefully and despite the fact that his words were unbelievable she actually believed him. He wasn`t a man who liked to exaggerate and he tried to be true to his words, just like her own father.
"There is something shifty about those merchant. What a merchant put all of his servants in the same outfit as himself?"
"Someone who fear attempt for assassination?" He offered his opinion.
"Mh-hm!" She snorted, but it actually does made sense. Using servants with similar body frame and covered with the same outfit made them undistinguishable from one another. "A good cover indeed. He probably had some scar over his face and for that he wore helmet in front of his clients. No one could recognize that he speaks with him or with some of his servants for the helmet made even the voice a bit different. "Yet I don`t trust him. He wasn`t afraid from me."

Rambulhwa raise his shoulders.
"He saw your face. And it isn`t so hard for a servant to see us when we training in the caravanserai`s courtyard."
"You mean that he likes me? But he doesn`t know me at all!"
"As if your husbands cared to know you. Or anyone else, in that line of thinking." He said casually, then saw her face and tried to change the subject. "Lets discuss the march tow..."
"I understood very well exactly what you mean!" She interrupts him roughly and her voice increase with two levels. "Is that all that all you stinking males see when you look at me? A nice face and arse?!"
He respond without any thought.
"And wonderful tits!"
Her fist hit his jaws with strength that pushed his head back. Fortunately she wasn`t with her lamellar gauntlets and his jaws remain unbroken. She throw him a sight that could boil cauldron full with water. He only sighed.
"I`m only trying to be honest with you. If you want to know so badly, your first husband was the hypocrite, who ..."

Sharaz suddenly punched him once more and he fell on the floor, stunned. She marched outside completely furious. Rambulhwa slowly rose and rubbed his jaws. It was so hard to be honest man, that he often wondered how Shavaar bey succeeded all the time. Sharaz was better warrior than him and the few scars from the years of fighting and the three children it didn`t took even a little bit from her beauty. Yet he never allowed himself to forgot his master`s words, nor the fact that she herself killed her first two husbands. "Accidents, yeah, that`s right!" he thought entertained. The first one got drunk one night and hit her face when she refused him his "rights". And he died. Fell over his own sabre by accident. Twenty-six times. Shavaar only sighed and the family of the fool were too afraid to say anything, even after she throw them the boy she had from him and never turn back. She caught the second one with another woman (not with any other amongst his three) when she return to the yurts a bit early that he could foresee from that campaign. And he died. Rambulhwa wasn`t there by that time but also heard the rumors. Hamalh fell over some pole during his visit to the camp`s latrines. Quite vague but none had any intention to dig further ... there. She gave their daughter to his parents and didn`t look at her again. As far as he could say, her third husband wasn`t any different than the previous ones, so he would be lucky to survive to the end of this year. As his friend, ser Alistair, would say philosophically - "The life is full with surprises!".
 
Gaduilm knelt in front of the big dull mirror. Soon it surface began to move until it showed the image of Kaggoth-Jeag, thirteen daughter of Kaggoth-Shaal, the leader of the demons. Covered in full plate armour she step forward.
"What happens, I think that this human-thing may actually saw me for a moment!?"
Gaduilm bowed to the ground.
"Yes, mistress. He saw you for a while after his blood soaked the red pole arm that you gave me."
Her fine features twisted for a brief moment.
"It wasn`t supposed to be able to see me. Plus he insulted me in my bedroom. Kill him and bring me his head."
"I beg your forgiveness, my mistress. He didn`t said anything to insult you."
"I heard the insulting sounds of the rough speech of his wretched kind myself, you idiot! He must die!"
Gaduilm sweated but forced himself to explain Rambulhwa`s words in a way, understandable for her. After all he proud himself that he could understand the human motives better than most of his kind.

"His words were only prizes and admiration for your own beauty, my mistress!" He bowed again. "And he asked for your name. That was all. I do believe that he was instantly enchanted from the sheer image of your beauty."
Kaggoth-Jeag`s face twisted in despise.
"And since when a mighty princess like myself began to care for the opinion of your despicable dirty kind, you slave?"
"I am your loyal servant for four centuries, my mistress. You don`t care for my kind, but you do care for the loyalty, no matter where you found it."
By her softer tone he understood that the little flattering of his was successful.
"And I often listen accusations for weakness for it even amongst my own family." She sighed. The cursed idiot had something in mind. That one was obvious to her. Any other she would have killed on the spot for the questioning of her orders, but those lesser demon proved himself in more than few occasions. "Speak!"

"The warrior who took your weapon is a warlord of some renown." Gaduilm spoke quickly to hold her attention. "The locals said that he is the Hero from Madigan`s prophesy. I thought that it may pleases you that he exactly took your cursed weapon."
Her countenance was impressive, Gaduilm was unable to see even the slightest hint of her surprise.
"Are you sure that his blood soak my blade?" She asked without any visible tense.
"I am, my mistress. I saw it myself."
"Well, well, well... You managed to surprise me, Gaduilm. You do understand what it would mean, don`t you?"
"The curse will hold onto himself soon and he will become your slave. If he manage to unite all Pendor under his rule he will practically brought it all on a plate for you. Now you are ninth favourite daughter of Kaggoth-Shaal, but if you manage to conquer Pendor, such act no doubt will be a huge step forward toward the returning of the Erida Occisor herself. I`ll bet my head that you will be ninth not for long after that."
Kaggoth-Jeag spreads carefully her huge leathery wings and the talons of her right hand began to tap over the armour over her right thigh.

"You already bet your head, Gaduilm, that you already did."
She quickly took a decision and gave him detailed orders. Gaduilm bowed to the ground again and when he look up she was gone. Alone, he allowed himself a thin smile. How many lesser Tenari like himself had risen to serve on one of the most powerful amongst Baatetsu? Not many, not many indeed. But he succeeded! And with the growing of her power, she would have become even more generous toward him. Even now, most of her subjects were smart enough to understood the significance of his position into her court. She gave specific orders about it, of course, so they wouldn`t dare to kill him or to disobey him, despite his lesser origin. And the satisfaction to look at the proud and powerful Baatetsu, bending to his will by order of his mistress giving him satisfaction that mere words can not described.

The smiles hides poison

Ediz push the door to Rambulhwa`s room and entered, dragging the girl from one side, while Septimus Oscius supported her from the other side. Rambulhwa raise his gaze from his new weapon and look at him. Another young girl limping behind them, supporting herself heavily on a spear.
"The snake that came to you is dead. This one was with her and now is trying to hide into your yurt in fear for his skin."
Rambulhwa notice the disapproval into Ediz`s voice and rose, but he saw the blood and decide to ignore it for now.
"Put him on the bed." He reach for his bags with cures.
"Her." Septimus said quietly. "She is Vassa Inato, priestess third rank. The other one is Marissa Bateni, also a third rank." The man took the words from his throat with visible efforts. "We are fugitives from the Snake Cult. We hide in a hovel with some beggars for a day until she came in consciousness enough to say that you owe a favour to her mistress, the priestess Ssalassa Inato." Septimust put her carefully on the bed, then look straight into the tribesman`s eyes." On behalf of her I`m asking for your protection."

"I admit my debt. You have my protection." Rambulhwa remove the rough, bloody bandage over Vassa`s face and chuckle annoyed at the sight of the wound. Dirty and most probably infected, just as he expected. "Where is the priestess Ssalassa?"
"Dead." Marissa spoke with noticeable relief in her voice. It was easier than she expected. The warlord was credulous soul, she thought with despise. Simple, naïve tribesman as all D`Shar. Ignorant savage. She add with carefully calculate doze of tiredness and relief with her voice. "It took some time for the High Priestess to understand why you released our captives, and then she killed her. Vassa was left for dead. I tried to sneak her away but her guards accompanied us even at the cemetery and showed interest why I didn`t put her in the ground. I fought but if it wasn`t for those Cobra warrior that was loyal to her we`d be dead. We left seven corpses on the cemetery so I`m sure that we will be persecuted."

Running steps came from outside and one Singalian warrior rush inside in a hurry.
"The High Priestess of the Snake Cult came looking for you, chief! She is right behind me!"
Rambulhwa saw that Marissa and Septimus turn pale at the same moment and didn`t hesitate.
"Ediz, stand guard with Heram on the door. Stall her at least briefly."
Both nodded and took the post outside. Rambulhwa look around but there simply wasn`t enough space to hid three people inside the small room with only a bed, chest for clothes and a few large pillows around small table, brought from the servants to tickle his D`Shar taste. He push Septimus behind the door and quickly unlock Marisse`s bloodied armour and quickly push it under the pillows. Then tore her underwear and throw it over the pillows, put her as carefully as he could in the bed next to Vassa, took off Vassa`s boots and put it under the bed, then covered both women with thin blanket.
When Adessa Valo reach the door two Singalians move to block her way.

"The warlord is resting. You may visit him later or tomorrow." Ediz said with stern voice and for more weight put a hand on the hilt of his sabre.   
"I am the High Priesstess of the Ssnake Cult and I musst sspeak with him immediately. Open the door now!" She raise her chin and look down on the guards. For her surprise they didn`t rush to obey her. The Anaconda knights behind her tensed, ready and willing to enforce her will.
"I said that you may come later." Ediz said with indifference.
Adessa turn red and hissed with barely restrained fury.
"You have ten heartbeatss to open that door before my men put thiss sstinking shackle on fire with you!"
Both warriors didn`t seemed impressed.
"I have my orders and that is." Ediz said obstinately with even voice.

The door behind him open and Ediz saw that the face of the High Priestess turn pale. He risked to look. Rambulhwa stood at the doorstep naked, his armour and weapons spread over the pillows at the floor. On the bed three naked woman`s feet was clearly visible. As he looking in surprise, one woman dragged the upper part of the thin blanket over them, revealing thick mass of black hair and pair of green eyes and giggle.
"Adessa Valo, High Priestess of the Temple of Singal! What a pleasant surprise!" Rambulhwa`s face didn`t showed even a slightest hint of surprise. "So anxious to see me! I`m flattered. Please come in, come in."
Adessa Valo gasped from his ridiculous offer. That stinking man had two women into his bed and dared to imply that she came to ... to ... that she ... she actually could ... Against her will, her eyes lowered for a moment then she blush and look up. The cursed D`Shar tribesman however catch her staring and a thin knowing smile curved his thin lips for a brief moment. He open the door wide.

"Please, come. And don`t worry, I`ll punish my guards later. I`ve never gave any order to prevent beautiful women from entering into my yurt at any time, I can assure you!"
Adessa Valo step back in pure shock. The stinking savage really thought that she ...
"You dirty cur! Put some clothes on you! I came to discuss far more important things than your whores!"
The man actually manage to open the door wider and his face remain just as calm and expressionless, despite her words. The guard, oh no, both guards grinning openly, and they even step aside from the door. She made another step back, then another, until she stop behind the first two Anaconda knights.
"Insolent pig!" She shouted angry, unable to hold herself any more. "I want only to speak with you!"
"A pity."

She saw that his face waiver as if he really deluded himself that she could ever show interest toward an illiterate, stinking, uncivilized, brutish, smelling, tribal ... pig! Then he turn toward both girls in his bed.
"I`ll be back shortly, don`t go anywhere!" He began to collect his clothes. "Ediz, please, lead them to your room. Heram will remain here."
"Are you sure, chief?" Ediz didn`t cover his wide grin very well. "We could just ... you know ... leave you here. With her ... well, with all of them. To ... discuss ... whatever you like." His tone revealed clearly enough how much exactly he enjoyed the little scene.
"You are just envious that she didn`t rush toward your bed, admit it. I know it, she knows it, and Heram could see it clearly."
"I know nothing of the ssort!" Adessa Valo made another step back. When the Singalian lead them aside she felt only pure relief. Into another small room the tall Singalian offered her a place over another pile of fat pillows. Servants came with various refreshments and she took a cup of wine then drank it instantly and took another one immediately. Such insolent pig! "Maybe I must just kill him?" She thought still shaken from the rough invitation. "No, not now. Too much is in stake. Perhaps a bit later. Yes. After the victory."

Rambulhwa sit against her and took a cup with kumis. Dressed only in light kaftan he didn`t look particularly large as he looked wearing full armour. She look at him again. And he wasn`t especially tall either. Definitely not the real hero type as the rumors about him said. He wasn`t big enough. Surely the people`s mouths made him large as a mountain and wild as a wolf, while all that she was able to see was a stinking tribesman, full with base lust for woman`s flesh. His narrow black eyes look at her and she felt herself unclean from his obvious interest.
"How may I help you, High Priestess of Beauty?" He said calm and drank from his cup.
Her knights tensed and she calmed them with a gesture.
"I thought over your offer. I ... Maybe I sspoke a bit ... I ssee the advantagess of a temporal co-operation with independent warlord as yoursself. At leasst for now. The open war offer ssome possibilitiess that I can not allow mysself to miss. Because of the Cult only!" She add quickly, noticing that his eyes hold over her breasts for unnecessary long time. The man was such a pig!
"I`m pleased that you thinking for me, High Priestess." His eyes finally hold onto hers. "I`m sure that you and I will reach a mutually beneficial arrangement. There is no need our relations to be so cold and formal."

She hissed right into her face.
"If you ever dare to think that our relationss will not be sstrictly official, I`ll kill you, do you undersstand me?"
He didn`t took it seriously enough, she could still see the lust written all over his face.
"By such logic you may kill all males in Singal, for I can assure you, they all think for yourself the same as me." He spoke so calm as it wasn`t his own life as risk. "But I suppose that it is just your sense of humour. A bit poisonous indeed, just as I could expect from the Snake Cult. Still I believe that enemy as Baccus empire will drive us toward each other. Close. Really close."
"Enough!" She rose. "If you have nothing reasonable to say, I`m going ..."
The door open and Sharaz stormed inside, followed from Sharas, Sharam, Sharag, Sharab, Sharaa and Sharal. Sharak, Sharad and the others were forced to stay outside the room for the lack of any other space.
"Heram said that you offered her to become your first wife." Sharas said with poisonous voice and look at him with barely supressed tension.
 
"Nothing of the ssort!" Adessa rejected the ridiculous though. "I already regret that I agreed to help you against the empire."
Sharam look around for a suitable place to sit. There was none so she push aside one armoured hand and sit in the lap of one Anaconda knight. He hesitates, startled, then she pat his armoured shoulder.
"Don`t be afraid, I`m not married."
Sharas and Sharag laugh loudly, which didn`t made the things easier for the poor knight. But Adessa only waive a hand. It was only a distraction. They simply found a weakness and used it for their advantages.
"I came here to offer our help. Do you want it or not?" She said cold and stern.
"I do want you ... your help." Rambulhwa said no less cold and almost flawless, but Adessa couldn`t be fooled so easily. "I even have a good plan that may help us to achieve victory over the empire for about an year or a bit more. The question is - are you ready to trust me? The plan is delicate and require some subtlety and precise timing. If you give me your word, I will tell you everything. And after the victory, when Baccus is defeated, I`d expect to share the empire equally."

Adessa was stunned from his arrogance. She look at him as a madman and spoke with disbelieve.
"Do you truly believe in that?"
"I believe that it is possible. You too believe in that, or otherwise you wouldn`t be here now."
"Or you rely that I hate Baccuss sso much that I will believe you!"
And Rambulhwa told her of the plan. Adessa could only stare at him. The man was insane. How he could believe that his enemies would act exactly by that way and not do something else? She thought that ... that ... The things become more arranged that she initially thought. He had years to prepare such a plan. The sudden help to her raiding parties doesn`t look so random as before. More like ... patiently and even painfully slow, but carefully waiting for the right moment plan. As much as any D`Shar hated Baccus because their bloody history or just because they needed an enemy, that was cold blooded and calculated planning, no doubt with some back-up, just in case the things goes wrong. There was nothing random, nothing impulsive in the narrow black eyes against her.

"I may be convinced to give you ... one tenth from the empire, if your crazy plan workss as intended." She finally spoke, her voice full with doubts. Just to show him that she may be willing to try ... barely.
"Half." He said evenly.
"Fifteen percentagess. And I`ll keep all captivess."
"Half." He repeated coldly. "And if their settlements surrender, you`ll let them to swear homage to their new master. Every ruler need subjects. Your people are too inclined to sacrifice everybody. Continue that way, and you`ll finish sacrificing yourself. And your goddess will never came back. Even if she did, she will be alone in a dead land and I doubt she`ll like it."
"Don`t dare to sspeak for the goddess, you cur!" Adessa choke from his impudence.
"I dare. When you speak with her the next time, tell her that. Or she`ll finish ruling over only real snakes and lizards."
Adessa manage to hold her tongue and swore to herself that this men will live only until the empire fell from the Cult`s army. She spoke with uncovered despise and poisonous sarcasm.

"I`ve never expected from one D`Shar to be sso concerned for Baccuss population. Are you sure that you are really a tribessman?"
Sharaz busted in laughter and Adessa turn toward her. She remembered that one. Very beautiful female warrior, probably one of his wives. Brave and cunning too. She still remembered her words about her pillows. Strangely, somehow the other female warriors with him resembled her is some ways.
"You still understand nothing. But you will understand." Sharaz laugh, truly entertained. Whatever the snake thought for his "weakness" toward the Baccus population it was so far away from concern that she couldn`t imagine.
The other women laugh with her but said nothing more. As if they shared one very special and funny joke that only they could understand and she had no idea for the funny part right under her very nose. Still it was an option that she wasn`t ready to miss.

"One third."
"Half."
"Letss ssay that I`ll agree. What else?" She forced herself to look right into his eyes.
"Only one thing more." He said calm and casual. "I`m ready to make you my first wife. When we defeat the empire. It will show to every D`Shar that the Snake Cult will not try to conquer the D`Shar lands as our traditional enemy."
She wasn`t surprised. Not any more. In a few heartbeats she smile and respond with her most poisonous sarcasm.
"By the name of Azi Dahaka hersself, what an excellent idea!" She imitates enthusiasm and look at him with evaluating gaze just as she look as some horse on the market. "However I can`t hope to take the honourable position of your firsst wife. Ssecond wife ssoundss good enough for me." She brightened against him, all charming and lovely as she truly was. "Right after you marry the Holy One!" She finished with cheerful laughter. Despite their obvious doubts she really had sense of humour.
For her endless surprise no one even smile. Actually she notice that the female warriors of his stared at him. Not at her, but at him. Rambulhwa glide his short beard in consideration, serious as if he really thinking about it. She suppressed a sudden shiver, running down to her spine. She open her mouth to explain on the ignorant tribesman what the sarcasm was, but he strengthened his back and spoke with hard voice.
"I do accept your terms. Here, in front of those witnesses."
 
After Adessa Valo left, Sharas look coldly at Rambulhwa.
"What was all about? Don`t tell me that you really want her! She isn`t even a proper D`Shar woman! She is their High Priestess! And their Holy One is the Cult`s khan, I know that from Alyssa! None of them will even look at you if it wasn`t our plan and our unique position in the war! I don`t trust her even for a heartbeat!" Sharas spreads saliva from her mouth in fury. "She will try to kill you the moment you are no longer useful to her cult!"
Rambulhwa didn`t tremble and glide his beard again.
"It`s possible, but I do believe that she`ll see the benefit of remaining in good term with us in the future. We were most helpful to their Cult and D`Shar had no reason to hate them for they never hunt for sacrificial victims amongst our tribes."
Sharaa look at him with sorrow. She liked him but sometimes the man wasn`t able to see in a woman more than ... the woman.
"She is a shake and Sharas is right about it. They are bad, bad people! We can`t trust them."

"As his wife she will have no reason to invade our lands after the victory." Sharaz respond instead of him. "Or at least you may hope for it. They are snakes, after all. Still some measure of trust must be placed from someone for the first time and you did it, despite that you`ve made yourself to look as the weaker side in the negotiation."
Rambulhwa`s face remain expressionless.
Sharab recall for what she heard from him before.
"She intent to use you, all of us, but actually you will use her." She turn suddenly to her sister. "Sharam, what your contacts report about our snake friends?"
"Our own snake people still have ... friends inside the Cult. It isn`t so easy to cut off the feelings between old lovers, comrade-in-arms or friends. Especially after we truly proved to them that we have no ill intentions against their murderous cult, despite their foul reputation." She smile briefly. "As if any D`Shar would shed a single tear if they sacrifice all Baccus people to their goddess. I`m tempted to help them myself. These snakes have no idea what true blood feud is." She giggle with joy. "They say that Adessa is summoning all her followers. They still don`t know more, but I`d guess with ease, as any of you."

Sharab understood.
"So you provoke her on purpose."
He finally broke his pose and thin smile appear on his face.
"They can not broke a promise or vow in the name of their goddess. Adessa used the name of Azi Dahaka in front of her own knights. She just forgot that the Holy One must be aware of our intervention into their affairs from our first attack against the empire patrol. She didn`t stop us, so she approves our support. And she knows, that they are obliged to us for our help. After the victory, achieved mainly because of us, I intent to ask her for a boon."
Sharas seemed as if she swallowed some foul wine by unknown reason, but the rest giggle and made dirty jokes and even gave him some very indecent advices for his future brides. Rambulhwa accepted all with good natured humour and assured them, that they will choose amongst all captives first, before all else.

Sharab came back to his room with him and made a grimace when she saw Vassa`s wound. The poor woman had the good ... or the bad luck, to remain alive after such strike. She probably would be forced to marry some crippled warrior with what`s remained from her face ... if she got lucky. The other one wasn`t so badly wounded, her arm and foot would have healed good enough. And she was pretty ... very pretty indeed.
"You saved our lives again." Marissa thanked him warmly. "She would have kill us on the spot. We may remain here until her wound healed ..."
"No, you can`t. You will come with us." Sharab said sharp and gave him more bandages. "You`ll come with the army. No one will notice a few warriors more, but some spy will surely report for a few guests that never leave their room here."
Marissa heart tremble from her concern. Probably her task will not prove so troublesome as she initially feared. Those nomads were surprisingly acceptable toward the Cult and their warlord immediately agree to help them, because of his "debt of honour". She look at the woman with more interest. Lean and tall, covered with scale armour, obviously used in battle, she stood with the calm confidence of an experienced warrior. And she found her attractive, by some exotic foreign way... She smile at her. The task wasn`t so overburdened already.

The long way to home

The feeling to be again amongst his kind made him homesick and despair at the same time. As they rode deeper into their territories Lethaldiran wanted to touch every tree on his way, just to assure himself that he is on his way back to home. After all the years of his exile he thought that he overcame the feeling, but it was there. Strong and alive as the day he left. Tears filled his eyes when they moved past one especially large tree. He climbed it so often at their games on "invaders" with Talandril, Alantonilin, Enertaasel and Letirindiel...

Kalantiliniel watched the exiled one with hatred. Since her fiancé died at the border "incident" with Sarleon, she spit at the "reparation" requested from his killers and offered to her from lord Aeldarian himself, and she joined the military fraction of lord Ithilrandir. For only twenty-six short years after her initial training was completed and she was allowed to participate in real fight she already manage to join the ranks of Aion`Aal, the "warriors" as the invaders called them. The scabbard of her sword bore the marks of three hundreds ninety four slain human trespassers. Their numbers however seems to increase with each passing year, looking for loot and captives. Now all Noldor were forced to burn their dead, since not a single burial site was left unpolluted from the tomb raiders, eager to loot even the smallest offerings left with the corpses of those, loved from their families. And Lethaldiran himself had so much Noldor blood on his hands! She was unable to understand, nor she was willing to accept Ithilrandir`s mercy, sending him on exile instead of rightful execution for his actions. Instead to spent his punishment hunting and killing humans he lived amongst their filth and even worked for them! She felt the urge to vomit again, barely looking at him. As if he could notice her hatred and despise he turn to her.

"It is so good to be here again."
"Is that so?" She gnarl in disgust. "You seems to enjoy your exile so much. A few more decades and you`ll probably miss the stench of their filth every time you happens to be around another Noldor."
"Their sanitarian standards are in desperate need of improvement, that is true." Lethaldiran smile at her. "By the way, congratulations for your promotion."
She look at him stern and cold.
"I earned it in fight, killing human invaders, threatening our lands, while you bowed and scraped in front of them. You seems comfortable enough, licking their boots. Maybe you like the taste too?"
Lethaldiran tried to neglect the challenge. Now it wasn`t the best time to accept it.
"They were awfully eager to pay me to kill others from their kind. I thought that you may find it amusing. As long as they want to kill each other it is good enough for me."

His attempt to place himself on her good side failed gloriously. She spill with hatred.
"A Noldor to serve the humans! And from the House of Ithilrandir himself, no less! How low you can fell?"
He felt the piercing pain from her verbal strike but tried to respond soft.
"As low as needed, as long as I can help ..."
She interrupted him roughly and her voice increased noticeably.
"We suffer from their attacks more and more each year! How serving them helps us?"
"Arranging war between two of their kingdoms isn`t good enough for you?"
Kalantiliniel look again at him, much more carefully this time. The exile seemed in quite high spirit. What reason could he had for it?

"Where were you for the last eighty years? For ten years already we fight Jatu on our the north border. Do you know how many of ours fell against them? And now you are coming, full with self importance, bringing a few tortured survivors and you dare to think that lord Ithilrandir will revoke your exile? I don`t believe that your trick will work!"
Lethaldiran nod to south.
"Right now Baccus and D`Shar took arms against one another, and believe me or not, I worked hard to help them for that. With a little push here, an assassination there, this time one of them may prevail. Then a long period of unease will follow, revolts, "patriotic" movements, riots and so on. The humans believe that there is some significance in the place where they are born, and their rulers exploit their stupidity quite a lot. It will buy us time. Time to increase our own numbers. Maybe even to exit from our hideout and to actually do something for our future."

Her delicate features twisted under her tall helmet.
"They are so many times more than us. Eventually they will fight each other until one of their kingdoms conquer all the others. And after that they will all turn against us. At lest now they fight mostly against each other!"
He tried his most convincing tone.
"Not all of them are so bad. At least ..."
"Just almost all of them!" She shouted in his face. "Talmandar was indeed our friend! But he died after he ruled over Sarleon barely for seventeen years and his son was delirious simpleton, unable even to speak articulately! His son wage war against us, if you somehow forgot! The humans can not be trusted, you blind fool, their "eternal friendship" always ends in a few years or decade at most! Then their new ruler put a knife in the back of the previous one and began to shout: "Kill the sharp-ears! They are stealing our rightful lands! They are kidnapping our children! They poisoned our well! They stole my pig!". How many of us must die for you to see trough their madness? All of them came on Pendor from other distant lands, just as ourselves, yet they calling us "invaders"!"

Lethaldiran`s face falter from hopeful to hopeless with each next word. Hinaraniel felt pity on him and interfere.
"He is trying to do what he can to help us, Kalantiliniel. Without him I`d be on some Jatu stake. The others too. Let him to speak with lord Ithilrandir. He deserve at least to be heard."
"Use your mind, Hinaraniel!" Kalantiliniel shouted furiously. "He had no words of his own for us, only that of his human master! What good that will be for us?"
"Good enough to risk his own life, coming here against the will of lord Ithilrandir." Hinaraniel tried to calm her.
Then they reached the end of the forest and Lethaldiran froze. Despite that he knew it well and the long years away from it, the sight invoke tears into his eyes.

The Noldor town, Elacrai, spreads over the high plate like a many facetted gemstone for his sorrow eyes. The familiar for him architecture, typical for Noldor but unknown for the humans with their roughly build and filthy settlements, made him to wish that he could see more of it and outside their forests. The impossible high town walls covered anything but the towers inside and was risen at sixty meters above the carefully build and fortified basement. Towers, reaching eighty meters with ease shadowed the huge wall, so wide, that trebuchets were established at regular intervals onto it. With the height advantages it could be used at even longer range than anything build on the ground, meaning that no invading army could use effectively any type of siege equipment. The sheer height of the walls itself made the common assault impossible for any ladder or siege tower. No common battering ram could break the thick bronze outer gates, and even it happened, there was inner gates, then inner fortified area behind each gate, prepared for death trap for any invaders. It was truly a masterpiece of the Noldor engineering. The fine buildings of the real town behind the gates was far more delicate and complicated, far more art than fortification, for they all knew that the fall of the outer walls would mean their death anyway. Lethaldiran recalled vividly the slender structure of the Grand Anvil, the brightly painted Armoury, the iron flowers forming the gates of the House Aeldarian ... That wish of his disappeared as a thin smoke at wind, just as quickly as it appeared, for he knew inside his soul that if the humans somehow mastered the Noldor techniques his beloved town would have been their first target. Whatever the humans could not be able to conquer, they wanted destroyed and burned to the ground.

Kalantiliniel saw the tears, streaks down on Lethaldiran`s face and nod with satisfaction. The exile would have had no other chance to enter inside Elacrai again. Lord Ithilrandir was generous, but he could be ruthless too. There was no place for Lethaldiran inside. Not any more.
 
A lone figure step silently from the cover of the nearest sequoia. Tall and with warrior`s build she stood on their way to Elacrai. The first horses stop, then the rest too.
"You broke the order of lord Ithilrandir, exiled one." Falahalinalael`s voice was hard and cold as the blade she wore in her hand.
"Salohaniel, Falahalinalael ..." Lethaldiran began officially, but she interrupted him rough.
"No one care for your greetings, exiled one!" Her sword tremble from her sincere wish to use it over him. "I was sent to escort you back to the border. My only hope is that you may try to resist."
Lethaldiran nod to her with polite attention to her words.
"You`ve become warrior, I can see that. Yet you aren`t match for me just as Galanavaralin wasn`t. Sheath back your sword. I came only to bring a proposal for a peace between Jatu and Nol..."

"Peace!? With Jatu??" Falahalinalael busted in rough laughter. "They will receive eternal peace from our swords very soon."
Lethaldiran came down from his horse and stand in front of her. His stern pose falter a bit, when he realize that she was grown taller than him and quite a lot.
"It isn`t your right to judge that, but to Aeldarian and Ithilrandir. And I have another message for them from the human warlord I`m fighting for. It is important enough, I believe, to almost break the terms of my exile."
She step forward and towered over him, sword in hand.
"Please, do try to make a single step forward." She said soft with gentle feminine voice. "Then your head will meet them both!"
"There will be more fighting ahead. Tell him that I`m asking only for a meeting."
"Are you afraid, exiled one?" Falahalinalael smile charmingly at him. "I doubt that you had the opportunity to kill another Noldor in a duel for quite some time. You must feel yourself much tensed indeed." She look at him evaluating his stance and hold her sword in second position of Lethanilanalar`s style, the blade pointing low and right to his left hip. Her face brightened with wild joy.

"Come!" 
Lethaldiran felt the temptation but tried to fight it. It was so long ago when he crossed a weapon with another Noldor in a duel for the last time.
"I would have had expected from you to help the survivors." He tested her zeal.
"You think that I can`t be as cruel as yourself just because I`m a female?"
Her sword flashed suddenly and left a thin scratch over his left cheek. Blood drop fell from the light cut, then another one.
Lethaldiran understood that it was inevitable and his heart jump in joy. He draw his long sword from his scabbard without more words and took the first defensive position in the classical style of Baletheol school. It would be interesting for him to see how much exactly she had mastered from Lethanilanalar style, invented from one of his own ancestors. The others surround them in silence.

Just as she stood, she suddenly stretch her arm forward to pierce his hip and when he made half a step right to avoid it, she turn the piercing strike into a decisive slash to his left shoulder, that could have split him in half ... if he was some fresh recruit. He twist his wrist to parry, holding the sword loosely and immediately counter attack to her neck, barely visible under the tall helmet. Her right hand began to move, as if she would have parry in fourth position and he change his slash just a bit, already tasting his victory. Then she step closer, his blade slide over her armour and her left fist smash his nose on a pulp. When he falter back with eyes, full with tears from pain and humiliation, her sword left another shameful scratch over his left cheek. Instead to finish him, she step back, touch the bloodstain over her sword and lick her finger.
"You grown soft, exiled one." She mock him openly as the other Noldor watching them in full silence.

Lethaldiran put a hand over his broken, bleeding nose and stare at his own blood in disbelieve. He - the master duellist, he was humiliated from that child, barely a hundred and seventy years old! He roared insane and throw himself forward, his sword barely visible in the perfect attack in the style, mastered from him over a hundred and fifty years ago and brought him his bloody glory amongst all duellist in Elacrai.
Falahalinalael`s smile widened, revealing her uneven teeth, as she parry each one of his furious strikes. One of her front teeth was broken. She incline her head left to avoid one furious piercing strike barely, but enough to show him her total disdain, parry his next strike toward her left thigh, both toward her left arm...
"I`ve mastered the styles of Lethanilanalar, Enilavarilaan, Daneliniltaralt and Taracelindial." She made a pirouette to avoid his artistic combination from attack in sixth position, flowing not into seventh, but in flawless eleven, that could behead someone less skilled warrior. Her sword flashed again in false attack from fourth position, that turn to sixteen and he parry in time to avoid splitting his skull, but not fast enough to avoid another shameful scratch over his cheek.

"I bested the four Elen`Esai from the House of Delaniliel."
She strike at his face again and he step back, just a moment too late, but he took the strike that slice his cheek to the bone for the chance to move under her hand. Then he strike at her stomach. A strong hit from blank point distance would have spill her guts for at least a candle time of agony. Falahalinalael already moved forward, because of the momentum of her last swing and took the strength of his strike. Lethaldiran made his strike, completely confidant in his victory. There was no way that she could escape.
Falahalinalael let him to strike at her. The armour she wore was crafted from Selintilarinar himself. She paid dearly for it. He was far older than her, of course, but he had a weak spot for her since she was barely fifty years old. She was disgusted from him and his advances, yet he refused her money and gifts when she tried to gain his favour. With her advancement in the warriors ranks, she become fully aware with the significance of the personal protection and he ... he was the best armour smith in Elacrai. Finally she gave him what he wanted. Her rigorous training and personal endurance helped her a lot ... during the six moons she lived in his home. In the moment she took the armour from his arms, she was still unable to comprehend that she hold no ordinary armour for Aion`Saal, but a masterpiece with quality, far beyond even the personal armour of Ithilrandir himself. Selintilarinar help her to arm herself and assured her, that if she reconsider his offer, his skills would be available for her at any time, but she was too eager to leave to be bothered. It took her more than three decades to realize that the smith must have had melted a piece of his own soul into it, but it decrease her disdain for him not in the slightest.

So she let Lethaldiran`s common long sword to hit her stomach, completely confidant in her protection. And her armour endure. The blade rebound, leaving only a minor groove over the armour`s surface, and in the next moment her hilt smash at Lethaldiran`s temple. He tried to grab her, and this time she laugh in delight, drop her own sword, grab his both hands in strong grip and began to strike at his face with her own. She had helmet, he had not, and his face quickly cover in blood, his nose broke again even more soundly, several teeth fell between his cracked, bloodied lips.
"I also defeated the so called "Treune`Laal", Aeldarian`s champion!" Her knee hit his groins with merciless precision. "He was better than you, exiled one." She throw him on the ground and began to kick his ribs with one metal boot until she heard the satisfactory sounds of broken bones. "Undefeatable one, my arse." She laugh rough, looking at him.
He vomited powerfully and curled into a ball, trying to protect his groins. Her next kick push him a whole step forward and he saw his sword within an arms reach. In his desperation, he reach for it and swing at her.

Falahalinalael saw his movement and simply hold the blade with her left armoured glove. He push forward with all strength, remained into his broken, beaten self. She hold her grip, although the screaming of the sharp blade against the metal glove made her skin to prickle and strike at his left hand, breaking it instantly. Then she hold his throat with her right hand and raise him up until his boots left the ground.
"While you grow slow and soft, grovelling to your human masters, exiled one, I trained hard. I fought and surpassed Aion`Aal, then Aion`Cien, that your human curs call "rangers". "Rangers", or "those who stay on range", she repeat with disgust. "What a stupid word. They are simply archers, and most of them without any ambition to sharpened their skills further. Then I fought my way into the ranks of Aion`Telai or "the maiden rangers", again that stupid word, don`t you think? Most of them prefer the melee. And who sane female will remain maiden in her second century, if not early? Anyway, I wasn`t satisfied with their pathetic subdued behaviour, so I fought into the ranks of Aion`Naol or "the noble ones" and now only the Aeon`Saal, the "twilight knights" are better than me. But I have plans for them too."

Lethaldiran suffocated slowly in her iron grip and was ready to surrender to the merciful death when she throw him aside with strength, that push his body more than seven steps aside from her. Falahalinalael crouch next to him and look at Lethaldiran with curiosity while he gasped for his breath and spill blood. Then she said gently.
"Lord Ithilrandir sent you in exile. He is displeased from your rough insubordination. He sent me to remind you that whatever message you have for him, you could safely pass onto the border guards." She smile at him. "On the next attempt you`ll die. Please, do try to trespass the borders again, I beg you!"
Falahalinalael rose and look at the moaning wretch with disdain. Lethaldiran gasped and look up to her. Even amongst his kind, where the females usually outgrown the males, she was above the ordinary height. From his current position, curled on the ground almost in her feet she towered above him as some of the statues on the Dragon square. He grab her boot with his strong arm.
"I must speak with Ithilrandir!" He moaned a but vaguely because of the missing teeth.

"There is nothing that he would like to hear from you." Her voice was cold and formal again.
"There is! Listen to me..."
"There is nothing that I would like to hear from you." Her voice didn`t change.
"PLEASE!" He moaned desperately. "Only two words!"
Her patience almost depleted entirely.
"Say it then and be gone!"
"On your ear!"
She pull him with only one hand.
"If you bite me I`ll smash your face by such a way that you`ll wear a mask to the rest of your miserable life, do you hear me?"
Lethaldiran was genuinely horrified.
"If someone dare to scratch your beautiful face I`ll drop da`an into his drink!"

It was rare and powerful poison, most notorious amongst the other poisons with the spectacular effect over its victims. Da`an made the veins to crack, inflicting massive blood loss on the body`s surface, along with large portion of pain, yet the victim could survive for a candle time or even more, with enough endurance, if the antidote wasn`t accepted during the first stage of the poisoning.
She snorted in his face.
"I`ll bet that you said the same to all of your whores."
He tried to soften her with one of the human`s more funny superstitious.
"Most humans, even their whores, believe that the bathing is dangerous for their health, if you can believe in that."
Falahalinalael laugh from heart, truly entertained, and turn her ear to his bloodied lips. He really whisper only two words to her, yet her face immediately turn flat in surprise.

"How he ... Where ..." She began quickly then press her lips together. It wasn`t safe to speak openly for such a thing.
He began to whisper to her again, covering his mouth with his palm for a short time, then she rose on her feet.
"You stay here. I`ll inform lord Ithilrandir immediately. The others may continue to the town."
Falahalinalael walk with fast pace toward the nearest redwoods and disappear for a while, then appear again, galloping in full speed over the back of her white gold-leaf warhorse toward Elacrai. The rescued captives took their farewell with Lethaldiran and followed her with more reasonable speed.
When the daylight began to fade Falahalinalael return, accompanied from four more horsemen. Three of them sunk into the forest to ensure their safety, the fourth one came with her toward the small camp where Lethaldiran bandaged his wounds. The newcomer remove his tall helmet, revealing thin, long and almost wrinkles face with two faded scars over the beard.
"... The human trust is with the colour of ... death."

Lethaldiran bow to the head of his House with the little dignity he could gather.
Ithilrandir look at the male who killed his favourite nephew. Despite all the decades of his exile his face was the same as in the day of his banishment. Well, without the fresh blood on his mouth. Lethaldiran lowered his eyes in shame and didn`t saw the moderate blow that almost broke his already wounded jaws. Another white teeth fell from his mouth and his face burned in pain but Lethaldiran`s pride came on his help and he swallow the painful moan.
"That was for your insubordination." Ithilrandir close his eyes for a moment then continue with visible efforts. "Now tell me how your human master happen to be in possession of a Qualis Tear."
 
Lethaldiran choose his words with extreme care.
"He is only a temporal employer for me, my lord. As for the Tear, he said that he found it accidently in a chest, half-hidden in pile of grass into a stable in Rane. One criminal from the Red Brotherhood sold him the exact location of the drop. I`ve managed to gain his trust and I had no reason to doubt him. He didn`t wanted to sell it."
"I`m astonished that you didn`t killed him for it." Ithilrandir slowly noted with stone face. "It isn`t into your style to show patience."
Lethaldiran refused to bite.
"There are few amongst the humans that I don`t want to see dead, my lord. He is a honest man and as a D`Shar he lack the prejudices toward our kind. He actually took some steps to close his relations with us, so I`m inclined to believe that he will be willing to give us the Tear in exchange of something or as a favour."

"You`ve always been inclined to attach yourself too much to your human friends, Lethaldiran. Far more to them, instead to your own kind, I believe." Ithilrandir wasn`t surprised in the least. "What did he want for the Tear?"
"I offered him nothing, not yet, my lord. I`m sure that he isn`t aware what it actually is, nor its significance for us. He is keeping it into his personal bag along with a few trinkets with sentimental value and small souvenirs from distant lands."
"So you said. What if he try to sell it to another?"
Lethaldiran`s face didn`t tremble.
"Then I`ll kill him and the buyer too, and I`ll bring the Tear at home. I ... I still believe that it will not happen, my lord."
Ithilrandir thought over it for some time.
"Ask him to give the Tear to you. If he refuse ... offer him anything in reasonable borders." He prepare himself to stand. "Is that all?"
"Almost. He is trying to fulfil the prophesy of Madigan."

Both Ithilrandir and Falahalinalael froze on their places. Then Ithilrandir sat heavily back on the grass.
"Another one of them. That much for the "rescued" Jatu captives. Am I right?"
Lethaldiran made a pause to make the impression that he think over it. Too quick admission would have reveal the long repeated speech.
"I think that he is interested to become our friend, my lord. Of course, the captives could be used as a show of his goodwill or as calculated attempt for co-operation because of the prophesy. Probably part of both. Or ... " Lethaldiran suddenly left the initial plan and said honestly. "He doesn`t believe in the very prophesy. He is ... well, mostly amused from the fate that so many humans put into it."
He saw Falahalinalael`s surprise and explain right to her.
"D`Shar doesn`t believe in prophesies. They honour their god-horse, Vata, and respect the other deities, but they aren`t superstitious, generally."

"So they strife for the ultimate superiority." Falahalinalael said with understanding. Power-hungry human she could understand.
"Who warlord doesn`t dream for war and glory?"
Ithilrandir felt the sting.
"You know how to hit where it will hurt most, I`ll give you that much. Yet it is true. I`m a warlord too. Do you think that he must be killed?"
Lethaldiran didn`t hesitate.
"I`d give him the chance to prove himself as our friend. The freedom of Jatu captives is a good start."
"Ah, the savage Jatu." Ithilrandir incline his head with curiosity. "What can you tell me about them?"
And lethaldiran told him everything he knew. Ithilrandir asked him a few additional questions before to form his own opinion.
"I doubt that he can prove intentional interference from either Sarleon or Ravenstern to provoke fighting between us and the Jatu."
"He can`t, my lord." Lethaldiran agree with readiness. "But taking into consideration their base nature, their greed for our weapons and armours, their lust for our females too ... it is at least very likely. And they tried to kill us all before."

"True. And how K`Juda look at the possibility of peace with us?"
"Rambulhwa sent one of his trusted companions, Kassim from Pamiri D`Shar, to convince him as he can. Although I went with his horsemen in D`Shar disguise, I wasn`t able to enter K`Juda`s tent myself for I`d be discovered and impaled on the spot. Kassim however told me for the plan, created from our strategists, including the possible alliance between us, Jatu and the Mystmountain men. They will have the opportunity to defeat ... well, to massacre the Ravenstern men and to establish their own rule there, favourable toward D`Shar and Noldor."
Ithilrandir mouth curved into a mocking smile.
"Somehow I can`t imagine K`Juda, jumping in joy from that."
"Well ... Kassim told me that he was forced to use threads and blackmailing to "convince" him. Including the possibility to help us and the Ravenstern king against K`Juda himself. It`s possible, of course, D`Shar are almost the same as Jatu, but I found it unlikely. Rambulhwa hires all Jatu mercenaries he could find and value their skills above any D`Shar horsemen, including their finest - the Windriders. But K`Juda have no way to know that."

Ithilrandir put some thoughts about it. It does sound convincing.
"What else?"
Lethaldiran hesitates for a moment.
"I`m not sure how it is related but he hates Baccus ..."
"A mutual feeling by all accounts ..." began Ithilrandir, then mute when Lethaldiran interrupted him.
"I`m not finished yet, my lord. He is helping the Snake Cult against them, and not only recently."
That part stunned Ithilrandir completely.
"He is a cultist?" He asked with stunned disbelieve into his voice.
"No, no, not even a little bit. But he is so ... aggravated toward Baccus that he is ready to accept even the help from the Snakes. The Cult never bothered to enter D`Shar lands in their hunt for sacrificial victims and they generally doesn`t care what the Snakes could do to anyone from Baccus. Personally, I think that the Snakes just knew that D`Shar are in constant moving as any nomads, meaning they aren't easy to find as a Baccus village in comparison. And they have faster horses than the heavier breed the Cult using, meaning they just can`t outrun them with the captives. But it is only my own opinion, my lord."

Lethaldiran neglected the pain from his broken teeth and continue with the best of his abilities.
"We even have a real Snake Cult priestess amongst his trusted companions and she commands hundreds ex-cultists, taken into our warband as captives or purchased from the slavers. Up to now they proved themselves and fight for us like any other mercenaries. And the Cult didn`t seems to object about it."
Ithilrandir remind him bluntly.
"At least seven Snake warbands entered into our forests."
"Were they chased from Baccus or Sarleon army?"
Ithilrandir wrinkle from irritation but respond with a shrug.
"Yes. They were chased."
"So it is possible that they weren`t hostile toward us. At least for now. Rambulhwa is trying to impress their High Priestess in Singal. He may as well marry her."

"An ambitious one." Tiny smile appear again on his face. "Do you think it for possible?"
"The mutual hatred toward Baccus may push them both to each other. And after we conquer the empi ..." Lethaldiran`s voice tremble almost imperceptible and he continue smoothly. "... imperial trade centres around their borders, we ..."
"Please, continue from "after we conquer the empire" part. It is already began, isn`t it?"
Lethaldiran curse himself for his momentary distraction and tried to use his most sincere face.
"I`m trying to say ..."
Alas, a useless effort. Ithilrandir suddenly seemed to him as a dragon, smelled fresh blood."
"Don`t bother to deny your participation into your warlord`s plans." Ithilrandir doesn`t even bother to cover his boredom. "I`m far older than you, and believe or not, I have quite an experience in the area of the human treacherous nature. I outlived their attempt for genocide us." He made a short pause to look at Lethaldiran`s shock and continue. "So Ravenstern is out of the battle map if we sign a peace with Jatu, for they will be swarmed from thousands very angry Jatu horsemen. What about Zulkar, by the way?"

Lethaldiran lower his head, ashamed. He was unable to cover the plan as good as he believed.
"Ser Joselin, another trusted and honourable companion of his, was already sent to negotiate with him." He murmur  barely.
"I thought so." A methodical mind may spent a lot of time in planning, but once started it usually finish quickly." Ithilrandir smile at a memory of his. "I`ve seen similar schemes a few times in the last few centuries." He chuckle once, twice. "Not bad, not bad."
Falahalinalael close to his ear and whisper something. Ithilrandir nod briefly.
"Ah, yes. She is also curious, how you managed to keep Sarleon and Fiersdvain away from invading the Principalities. Or from joining their forced with Baccus. None of them would like to see them overrun from screaming savages, I have no doubt for it."
"I`m not ..." Lethaldiran began with perfectly played surprise when Ithilrandir`s armoured glove hit him in the blind eye. Lethaldiran saw a hundred new stars in the darkness then Ithilrandir`s voice came to him from one of it.

"Yes, you ARE involved into it to the tip of your pointy ears. Or even more. You are the best chance for your warlord to reach my ears, so don`t insult my intelligence any more. You may speak with me, or I may went for a good night walk. And you`ll be left here, in the company of Falahalinalael." His voice remain polite all the time as he used Lethaldiran`s cloak to clean the blood from his gauntlet. "And don`t even dream that she may forget or forgive you for the death of her father. And in case, that you doubt her abilities, just know that I left her to utter her tension over the captivated human invaders. They all began to talk in the end. And quite a lot, I can assure you." Ithilrandir wrinkles as if in attempt to recall something then continue with the same polite voice. "She isn`t exactly ... what was the human words for it ... ah, yes, "the forgiving type"."
"You`ve made her a torturer!" Lethaldiran wasn`t able to believe on his own ears. "How could you?"

"They`ve made me to see Ithilrandar`s torture. Every little bit of it. Until he began to shout that he want only to kill them all, the entire humankind." Ithilrandir spoke with the same quite and polite voice yet Lethaldiran felt freezing cold in his very bones. "Then they dragged him in front of the crowds, so all humans were able to hear his "confession". Then I saw how they impaled Alendaral, Taralaniliel, Sielanliniel and many more, who lived for years amongst them, into their towns. I saw other Noldor torn apart alive."
Again Lethaldiran felt utter terror. These were the names of some of the most venerable amongst the Noldor. Respected for their abilities and their merits for the entire Noldor race. Many like him even believed that they still roamed distant lands in seeking of Noldor`s lost homeland. Yet how Ithilrandir could have speak about it with such certainty? If the history were true, it happened hundreds of years ago, almost five centuries...
"It was centuries ago!" Lethaldiran tried to sound reasonably, shaken to the bones from Ithilrandir`s words. "The humans in the present days aren`t the same as in the old tales."

"Ah, yes. The common old answer for one ... inconvenient truth." Ithilrandir chuckle briefly. "This year we killed barely two hundred forty one invaders more than the previous one. This is the most convincing sign for their goodwill slavery and generous thefts, how could I miss it before, tzk, tzk."
Lethaldiran was stunned from his calmness but tried again.
"You still blame them for the crimes of their ancestors! If there is no forgiveness, the peace is hardly ..."
"I saw my daughter and my three sons raped and skinned alive from the humans, who laughing at them all the time as they screamed and begged for mercy. None of them harmed any human into their short, so short life." Ithilrandir continue with the same calm, reasonable voice, speaking to Lethaldiran as if speaking to some simpleton. "But I suppose that you may see such deeds pretty normal, since you are so attracted from them." Ithilrandir smile at him. "Maybe on their next attempt for genocide you`ll burn the other side of my face for your human friends, no?"
"What?!" Lethaldiran spoke shocked and confused.

Ithilrandir moved behind him and when he came back into his view, his familiar long face disappear as thin smoke. Falahalinalael stood at his side with torch in hand so Lethaldiran could see the terrible remains of his face with ease. Both his eyes were missing, the entire right half of Ithilrandir`s face was so badly burned that there was practically no cheek, nor teeth from this side, half from his both lips were missing too. Almost against his will Lethaldiran wondered how Ithilrandir was still able to see, to eat or to speak. Or just to be alive, in that row of thoughts. Ithilrandir`s torn lips began to move, yet Lethaldiran somehow heard his usual voice with ease.
"They made me to see the raping of my beloved wife until her death. She was very ... durable, as they were so proud to inform me, she endure so many of them before she die. And I look at her all the time, every one of them, completely unable to do anything for the female I loved more than my life. Seven of the humans rape her after she died, actually. Then those who waited for their turn with her gone mad in anger for the missing opportunity that they tore apart my eyes slowly with red-hot pin and then push my head in one fireplace to "stop the bleeding". After five centuries I still remember the feeling of the hot embers into my eye sockets. Strange, how could I`m able to remember such insignificant details, no?"

The shattered face, looking as burned corpse turn so close to Lethaldiran`s own that the lips almost touched.
"Since these joyful for the humans days we, the Noldor changed our greetings a bit. My own humble addition to our custom." Ithilrandir took his bow, ready to leave. "You have no more merry questions, I see. So I`ll tell you anyway. My wife`s name was ... SALOHANIEL!"
 
Ithilrandir rose and turn his back to Lethaldiran. Falahalinalael draw a thin, curved knife from her belt and step toward Lethaldiran with an equally thin smile.
"I assassinated Sven Hairybreek, Inar Hairybreeks`s brother, the Fiersdvain lord, and left tiny evidence, leading to Duke Alamar Darnerien from Sarleon." Lethaldiran spoke so fast, that his words were almost unintelligible. "Lord Inar is an influential lord of Koningur Valdis and I have my people inside his retinue..."
Ithilrandir made a step further and Lethaldiran screamed behind his back.
"I used the Red Brotherhood to poison Jarl Eydis Fairhair and the investigation led them toward duke Aelfwine Briesenweldt! In two days the Fiersdvain will invade Sarleon!"
Ithilrandir slowly sat back and the unsatisfied Falahalinalael put the knife into her belt.
"Continue." Ithilrandir ordered evenly.

"Fiersdvain have a lot of soldiers at the D`Shar border, but after their Koningur have the proofs that Sarleon`s dukes assassinating his trusted lords, he will invade Sarleon." Lethaldiran didn`t dare to Look up to Ithilrandir`s face and continued a bit more clearly. "With or without major battles, it will hold both of their kings long enough for the D`Shar and the Sneak Cult to conquer the Baccus empire. The whole imperial army will be defeated in a day. Then it will remain for them only to occupy the bled lands of the former empire."
"A sound plan indeed. D`Shar and the Snake Cult have no blood between them and it is quite possible even to share the former empire between them." Ithilrandir nod with approval.
"Then my human warlord will become more renown and respected even than their Bahadur Khan. Kadan will try to take Rambulhwa as one of his own khans, I have little doubts for that. However Rambulhwa will ask for Singal and its area, and that Kadan will never grant to him."

"Why not?" Ithilrandir`s voice sound truly surprised. "Such accomplishment surely deserve an equally proper reward."
"Caliph Tahir rule this fief already and Singal is one of the four most important settlements into D`Shar Principalities, all of it ruled from Kadan`s most trusted vassals. The caliph will not give it to anyone and Kadan can not take it from him without open rebellion. Such are their customs. A fief can not be taken unless its lord perform a betrayal."
"But surely Kadan can offer to his Caliph another part of the conquered empire?"
Lethaldiran nod in negation.
"The Snake Cult will occupy the entire empire in short time after the battles. For years they amass their servants in disguise and reinforcements already arrived from their own land, Amassa, including their elite Dread Legion, led by the Chosen One of their goddess herself. Rambulhwa believes that because of all his help during the last years and this plan, that will drag most of the Baccus forces on the open field, the cultists will hold their word. I don`t believe it. The Cult already have three armies on the field, ready to swarm the imperial forces and with the arriving of the Dread Legion... They will have the overwhelming numerical advantage on their side and the Chosen One will take the whole glory for the victory alone."

"And how is all that connected with Singal?"
"Kadan already promised him whatever he choose for the victory over Baccus. Refusing him his boon - Singal, will lead to great unrest amongst his other khans, for he will appear just a liar. Who lord will be confident serving a ruler who break his own word? It may lead to open rebellion amongst the lesser khans of him. And after their alliance with the Snake Cult become known for everyone, Kadan will not be able to ask for help from any other ruler in the whole Pendor. Rambulhwa will try to marry the Chosen One of the Cult too, meaning that he will escape from Kadan`s reach."
This time Falahalinalael snorted in surprise and whisper something to Ithilrandir. He busted in laughter from her words.
"Does the estimated Chosen One even aware for her eminent betrothed?"
Lethaldiran admitted without hesitation.
"No, my lord. But Rambulhwa is completely confidant in his success. I don`t know why yet. But it will be foolish from my side to neglect the chance that he may actually succeed. He thinks that with the marriage the Cult will live in peace with D`Shar."

Lethaldiran spill a little blood when another thought strikes him.
"It is possible to want Singal because the Temple of the High Priestess is there. It will be a tremendous gift for her. The type of gift that could make her to marry him. Well, in theory, he may intent to give his share of the empire to Maltise, but if they took the whole empire themselves he will have nothing to offer ... I don`t know ..."
Ithilrandir`s laughter sound too high in the silence.
"Ambitious human, isn`t he? Yet it is impossible. It isn`t likely for the Snake Cult to bound itself in such a way. It will be far more cheap to kill him, when he is no longer useful to them."
Lethaldiran, however, wasn`t convinced.
"We`ve been together in more than few tight spots, my lord, when most humans would try to flee or surrender themselves. He prevailed. We`ve manage to make this warband famous and strong. Rambulhwa`s master and his bodyguards are dangerous killers from their famous Scorpion Assassin`s order. They are few in number, but in close combat they may prevail against our Aion`Ceon and probably against some of Aion`Telai. The Barclay officer he have drilled his soldiers into a professional army, for humans, I mean, capable to face twice their number from any other Pendor`s king army. And ... I`d not stand against him, armed with pole arm."

Ithilrandir thought over it for some time and when spoke, Lethaldiran was able to hear the tiny humour into his voice.
"You alone said that he doesn`t believe in the prophesy, yet he is trying to fulfil it."
"That is the truth, my lord. In private, he often mock that particular prophesy. Even more after I shared with him that there is no way for Madigan to be half-Noldor. There is not a single child, produced from mixed couples from Human and Noldor. Not even one. And I too ... tried for about a century. We ... laugh a lot after that and speculated if Madigan was false prophet, drug addict or simply a madman." Lethaldiran hesitates for a moment then continue. "Well, as a human, he could be the three in one body."
"Hahahaha..." Ithilrandir fell on the wet grass in laughter. Even Falahalinalael suppressed her laughter, but her lips curved in wide smile for a short time. He slowly support himself on the nearest tree and throw one leg over the other. "If not else, you`ve developed sense of humour during your exile, Lethaldiran."
"I ... I really mean it, my lord."
"So it seems that your Rambulhwa isn`t a fanatic. He want only power then.
 
"It is possible, my lord, yet I`m not completely sure." Lethaldiran dare to look at him. "What about the peace with Jatu?"
"The peace with Jatu." Ithilrandir repeat slowly, then sighed. "Do you truly believe, that such thing is possible? Even now a vanguard of two thousands Jatu rode in the forest near the north border, and no less than ten thousands more are on a day ride from them. Am I suppose to believe, that they came with peace?"
Lethaldiran hastened to explain his reassurances.
"These men will leave in a day, my lord, if you allow us to speak with them. I came with four of K`Juda`s bodyguards, his "Kajahar", and they will order the vanguard to leave our forest at once. K`Juda summons all Jatu under his war banner against the Ravenstern king."
Ithilrandir gave orders. One of his Noldor bow to him, jump on his horse and left toward the border.

"Aeldarian was ready to lead some of our forces against them. I`ll let him know that they may leave on their own. I`ll give you the chance to prove your words."
Ithilrandir had no eyes, yet somehow Lethaldiran felt himself unease, as if he weighted his value with critical sight. His throat was dry and his tongue barely whisper his words.
"I give you my word, my lord."
Ithilrandir rose and move behind him, and when he appear again into Lethaldiran`s sight his ruined, burned face was disappeared, replaced somehow with eyes, skin and teeth. His lips twisted in smile, as if he could read Lethaldiran`s very thoughts.
"The magic, capable to hide an entire town is also capable to hide a single face. But keep that piece of information for yourself only, or Falahalinalael will be forced to sharpen her skills over your dirty hide, Lethaldiran. She will keep an eye on you from now on, and if anything happens to her ... you and all of your blood line will die."

Lethaldiran froze. Accidents happens and he had old parents, a few cousins, nephews and ...
"My lord, what if something happen to her by accident? Surely I can`t be hold responsible for that?"
"I`m sure that your relatives will die very reassured to hear that, don`t you think so?"
Ithilrandir didn`t waited for his answer and turn to Falahalinalael.
"You know what to do, Falahalinalael. If you need anything, ask now."
She bow to him with respect. He was willing and able to do everything for his fellow Noldor, no matter of his personal preferences. And despite his sincere wish to split Lethaldiran on two, he was able to force him to act for the good of all Noldor, not only for his twisted, wretched human-like self.
"I wish only to serve you, my lord!"
His illusionary lips twisted in so sad smile, that broke her heart. Then he unhook his own sword and offer it to her. She fell on her knees, completely stunned. The weapon was priceless. It was one of its kind. Ithilrandir took it from the body of his own mother when she fell in the border conflict with band of tomb raiders from Sarleon.

"This weapon is a true relic from our lost homeland, passed in my lineage for seventeen generations. I have no other blood kin alive, since Lethaldiran killed my favourite nephew and the rest fell against Jatu. I`m choosing you for my successor."
Ithilrandir draw a bit from the blade and cut slightly his own hardened palm. Blood coloured the cold metal.
"From this moment forward, you are no longer from the House of Faergwethanir, but from Ithilrandir. Do you swear upon your own blood and over the blood of all our ancestors, that you will do anything to preserve our kind, no matter of the danger for your own life, or those or your own children?"
Falahalinalael cut her own palm and let the blood flow over Ithilrandir`s.
"For my own blood and for the blood of all our ancestors, I swear!"
Ithilrandir left the sword into her hands.
"Then raise, my daughter. You will never kneel again. Nor in life, nor in death."

Falahalinalael unhook her sword and Ithilradnir took it from her hand and put in on his belt. He smiles to Lethaldiran for one last time and turn toward his horse. Walking to him, Ithilrandir began to sing a childish tune.
"But the human trust is the sound of bark of cur from the grave.
The human trust is the smell of blood omen.
The human trust digging us like mole.
The human trust is with the colour ... of death!"
Then he turn to his horse and ride back into Elacrai with his two bodyguards, leaving the stunned Lethaldiran alone with Falahalinalael. She send him with sight until he disappeared in the darkness, then turn her eyes toward Lethaldiran. He tried to smile, revealing his broken teeth.
"On your horse, we are moving toward your human curs on the border." she ordered with steel voice.
Lethaldiran felt his every bruise and wound and tried to sound reasonable.
"Its dark and I`m wounded. A little rest for the night will ..."
"Right now."
His shoulders lowered in despair and he began to limb toward his horse.

The ambushed ambusher

The first fifty Dervish Riders moved forward, looking on the road and the nearest part of the forest. It was past noon and they rode since the first light of the sun. Thousand paces after them rode Kalandar Khan, surrounded from his Dustriders, and followed from three hundreds of Windriders in tight columns, wide as the road itself allowed them. Then three hundreds spearmen and equal number of bladesmen, four hundreds Dervishes. Quingit bey came after him on his magnificent mount with scores of his Noble Knights in heavy chainmails, riding atypical for D`Shar heavy warhorses, then many more Dervish Riders and the rest of his warband. Then came the soldiers of Faridar Khan. Kadan Bahadur Khan rode in the middle with Caliph Bahman, surrounded from mass of Windriders. Horde of infantry followed them all the way to the rear-guard, where the light wind flaunted the green snake of the "Honourable guards" from the mercenary warband of Rambulhwa.
The road was in good condition and the army marched in good speed, but no drums sounds in the air, no song to raise the spirit of the marching warriors. Ten thousands horsemen and five thousands infantry couldn`t possibly travel in full silence, of course, yet it was obviously that they made considerable efforts to do so.

Caliph Bahman wrinkle savagely. He had some experience, dealing with "Honourable guards" before, but it was small time job, yet now Bahadur Khan himself using them in the war with Baccus. Something bothered him, something almost untraceable.
"Bahman?"
"Yes, Bahadur?"
"You seem quite preoccupied, what bothers you?"
"Forgive me, Bahadur, nothing important."
"That "nothing important" keep you busy enough not to hear me for the last thousand paces." Kadan pressed him lightly.
Bahman sighed.
"I`m an old man and I always expect something to go wrong. Not that I have doubts in the plan, no." He quickly confirm his trust into his Bahadur. "Yet I thought that those Baccus curs may change their plans in the last moment."
 
Kadan look at his old friend. Bahman served his father before he took the title of "Bahadur" for himself after his death, and along with Tahir and Hamid was into his inner circle of his most trusted supporters. He knew them as good as himself.
"There is something more, isn`t it?" he asks soft. "You will fight Baccus in the forest as eager as in the desert."
"True." Bahman agree with readiness. Kadan had his own flaws, but he wasn`t a man to forget for a man`s merits. "I`m worried about those mercenaries. They are quite renown already, even more than some of your own Khans, yet they refuse to swear homage to you."
Kadan look at the forest for some time, thinking over his words. The afternoon sunray pierce the leaves over his head and he close his eyes for a moment, blinded.
"Do you have any reason not to trust them?"
"Tahir and I spoke a few times recently. He said that Rambulhwa become extremely popular into his own town, the people constantly speaking for him more often than their own master. Tahir is convinced that he intent to take his fief."

"Honourable guards" are true to their name, Bahman." Kadan pointed the obvious. "All of my Khans and Beys hired them for one task or another. There are not a single unsatisfied employer."
Bahman snorted mockingly.
"The reputation of a noble adversary suits him well, the common tribesmen praise his name into the caravanserais all over the trade roads indeed. A man who fought valiantly against the brigands and keep the roads safe. A man who sell the captive bandits on the galleys instead to release them for ransom for the evil they did to the people." His voice turn dark with sarcasm. "A man so esteemed, that he never kill his captives and sometimes take them into his own warband, even if they fought against him. Or release them without ransom if they don`t want to join them. How noble from him, oh yes indeed."
Kadan push his horse closer and spoke with low voice.
"I know all that. What did you learned?"

"Did you know that six years ago his warband was assaulted from Radian Cross knights on their way to Janos? They weren`t so numerous as these days and the Baccus men didn`t knew, or didn`t cared, that the mercenaries weren`t under your command at that time."
"No, I had no idea. And what about it?"
"Honourable guards" suffered heavy casualties, but managed to overwhelm their attackers. During the fight however, one of Rambulhwa`s wives died, pierced in the back from heavy lance and ..."
Kadan interrupted him impatiently.
"He isn`t married. Your man is a liar!"
"Have you ever look at his bodyguards more closely, Bahadur?"
"No, why should I?" Kadan respond with another question. "They wear some scale mails and Torbah`s masks."

"They are women."
"You can`t be serious!"
"But I am. Think about it. There is almost no D`Shar who doesn`t have at least three wives at his age. Yet he have a dozen females "bodyguards".
"Even if he truly had women for bodyguards ... they could be women warriors, just like those strange women in Fiersdvain."
"Perhaps. But listen further. After the fight where one of them died, he personally impaled all captives from the Radiant Cross. Including the wounded. All of them."
Kadan stare at him. Bahman nod in dark mood.
"Definitely a revenge of a wounded man. And there is more. Have you heard for the village of Racon, west of Falcondark castle in Ravenstern?"
"No, why should I?"

"Once the "Honourable guards" moved there to purchase food there, as they usually did on their way. In the local tavern another of his women "bodyguards" drank too much and one of the local brutes took his chances with her. He and his two friends were gutted like fishes. But their brothers didn`t took it well and the same evening they ambushed her, beat her and raped her. She pretend unconscious and run naked outside the house they kept her in. One them shoot her in the throat with an arrow. You know that most of they are good with the bow. What they didn`t knew however is how much he value them. He ordered his men to arrest all the villagers, one thousand three hundred and nineteen total, and promised to kill them one by one until the killer gave up. While the village was searched stone by stone he began to kill them. He killed forty-four of them until the house with the blood spot was found and the killer began to beg for mercy."
Caliph Bahman spit from his saddle and continue.

"Amongst his companions there is one woman, skilled with pole arm, with the merry name "Kaverra the Castrator". She quickly forced him to name the others. All of them were castrated and forced to ate their manhood, then Rambulhwa impaled them on a place near the village, so they could see them all the time during the day. Along with their whole families. And promised the villagers to return, if they bury the bodies. I sent my men there. The remains are still there. Strangely enough, there wasn`t a single rape in the village ever since."
Kadan rode another thousand steps considering the news about not so shining reputation of his top mercenary.
"Are you sure into your man?" he asked finally.
"The man broke your orders to stop the blood feud and killed two men from the other tribe then run away. And he believes that I will use my considerable influence to receive a pardon for him from you. I send my best men to check his story. It is true. They found his family. The relatives of his victims also looking for him. So I do believe him. But I can`t believe so much to a man pretending for noble hero. He is after something, but I don`t know what exactly."

"You think that he will not be satisfied to become one of my Khans?" Kadan smile broadly.
"He have more warriors than me, and I am a Caliph! Kadan ..." Bahman began very carefully. "... he is almost as renown as yourself. Yes, I don`t believe that he will be satisfied from one village. He will ask for more."
"And I intent to give him some castle, taken from Baccus and a village or two. More than enough for a new Khan."
 
"Kadan!" Bahman look right to his eyes. "I`m trying to tell you that those "Honourable guard" isn`t as honourable as he pretend to be!"
Kadan Bahadur Khan remove his helmet and smile at the sky, barely visible trough the branches over their heads.
"Bahman, my old friend, I appreciate your concern about me. I truly do. Perhaps, if he become ... troublesome, we may ask one of your own bodyguards to ... remove the problem, no?"
Bahman understood. The Scorpion Assassins, forming his own group of bodyguards could ... remove such problem without much noise. Accidents happens all the time in any country. For beggars ... and for kings too. He sigh with relief.
"I will be ready to ... remove any obstacle on your path."
Kadan smile at him.
"As you always did."

The same night, when the camp was casually prepare for the night, three horsemen rode outside in a regular patrol. When they went far enough outside the camp, the leader turn to her comrades.
"Ride carefully, I could not explain the spare horses to the guards. But His Imprerial Magesty must receive the message at any cost. Do you understand?"
"Yes, my lady!"
"Yes, my lady!"
She gave them a pouch with every single denar she could scrap together. The man open it and snorted unsatisfied.
"At any cost, you said. I see a hundred denari, if that."
"I have no more in me, during a campaign. The rest is in a safe place away from here. You`ll receive all that I promised you and more, if you succeed."

Both men look at her fingers and the heavy ring with the large sapphire onto it. Everyone could guess that it worth a lot.
"It`s a token! It could be easily recognized!"
"Don`t worry for such things, my lady. It could be lost ... or stolen. Nobody will doubt about it."
She curse them soundlessly and remove it from her finger then toss it over him. He took it in the air with accustomed gesture.
"Thank you, my lady. The message will be delivered in time. Come, brother! Lets go!"
The night quickly swallow them and their mistress slowly continue her ride around the camp alone.

Into another tent four men in chainmails, wearing a lot of weapons look at the large open pouch with barely restrained greed. The
silver coins brightened on occasional movement of the candles and their eyes moved at the pouch again. The woman against them waive with what she thought for gracious gesture toward the four glasses, full with dark red wine.
"Wine?" She offered them with rough hoarse voice.
They look at her and one of them laugh.
"I`m not stupid enough to drink your wine, Riva. Noradar drank it and died."
She look at his, then rose from the fur she laid over and put a long finger over the scar over his right cheekbone.
"I do remember how you took that one." The finger moved down. "It is perfectly safe for you. He was a cruel man, without any concern for what he did to me. You weren`t ... aren`t like him, Davalam."
Mernat snorted at him. The fool had always a weak spot for her. He wasn`t so soft in heart.

"I`m not the only one who remember you as one of the whores in his band, Riva. What do you want from us?"
"Lady Riva Blackwolf!"
Balanar glide his long graze hair in his casual manner and smile at her.
"Blackwolf, eh? Lady White Arse sounds far better!"
The last man in the tent gnarled and hold the hilt of his mace. His burned face twisted in despise.
"The funny names will not cover what you are, Riva. Tell us, what do you want from us."
She move past them, touching their faces in turn, tracing their scars. Then sat over the furs again and took her glass.
"Is it a strange thing for a lady to share her wine with her trusted retainers? The same men, who supported her in her darkest times of need. The men, who fought for her faithfully for years. I think not."

Not even Davalam believe her for a single heartbeat.
"If you wish is to get rid of us, you will need a lot more silver than a singe pouch, Riva. We aren`t as easy as Noradar."
"Who said that I wish to get rid of you?"
Balanar smile with his toothless smile and his scars move over his rough face in quite unpleasant grimace.
"You still pretend for noble whore after all those years. The foolish D`Shar may fell for your lies, but we knows the truth. You aren`t better than any of us, no matter what you think yourself for."
"I do not pretend to be. I am a noble lady in truth." She smile at them. "And if you weren`t such suspicious ... pole, you could find the proof at the bottom of your glass already."
He laugh right at her face.
"You are a common bandit, just like us."

"I`d say that you are honest mercenaries. It does suits you better. For you are, and for years, are you not?"
"Well ..." Lartek put a hand over his shaved head. "If you put it that way ..."
"Aren`t you members of the "Honourable guards"?" Riva took another sip from her glass. "I asked the scribes and they told me that you are members of the warband for how long? Nine years? Experienced scouts, with impressive records of found enemies, discovered ambushes, fulfilled dangerous missions behind enemy lines ... the list goes on. And nothing worse that tavern brawl and some broken furniture, broken arm or two and nothing more."
"Yeah, we are those men. Exactly."
"So you are just the men a lady like me could trust with important task, am I right?"
"If you were a noble lady? Surely not. But since you are a common whore, you know that I`ve always liked you." Davalam smile at her without bother to play her game. "You know how I like it."

"I do remember. But Kassim will kill you and I dislike to trust important matters on strangers. So be a noble friend once in your petty life of a brigand and drink your wine. It will help you to recall that I`m a lady of noble birth, and I have nothing in common with any sort of bandits."
"Fine, I`ll play. But they will kill you, if I die."
Davalam took his glass and drank the wine in a single huge sip. The rest look at him with the expression of people, convinced that he just made the last mistake in his life. Then he coughed heavily and his jaws began to move. He spill something into his palm. The emerald brightened at the nearest torch. The others look at it with faces, twisted in open greed.
"Perhaps your memories are clearer now, Davalam?" Riva move into more comfortable position. "Maybe finally you recall that I am a noble lady?"
He look at the gemstone with something close to love, written all over his rough face.

"I ... yes, m`lady, I remember ..."
"You are a capable and trusted retainer of my noble house, are you not?"
"Uh, well, yes! I am!"
Balanar took his glass and spill the wine on the floor. The large topaz at the bottom of the glass brightened with the colour of his own eyes. Lartek and Mernat also found their gemstones and hold it with the gentle care of the fathers to their firstborn children.
"So after we clear the matter who is who into this little tent, there is one matter that I`d like to discuss with my trusted retainers." Riva look at their empty expressions and explain. "With you. I`d like you too keep a closer look at Julia. I know that you are ... the right men for the job. Right?"
"Yes, yes indeed we are!" Lartek ensure her in haste, then add one "m`lady".
Mernat put the gem into one pocket and his expression hardened.
"What would you like us too look for?"

"She doesn`t behave like herself recently. It is not our first battle so I do believe that she is after something else. Find out what. Follow her everywhere, use our other ... friends, if you decide for necessary. The silver is for that. And there will be more. The war will not goes forever. When I receive back my title and my lands I will need trusted retainers at my side too. Everyone needs people whom they can trust, is it not?"
They understood her very well. Yet Davalam tried one more time.
"This isn`t necessary the end with our close ... friendship, Riva. You know, I love you."
"You are so ugly that you can love every woman who isn`t capable to run away from you." Riva look at him with merciless gaze. "Make yourself a favour and buy yourself a slave girl. Or five. I will marry Kassim, and he is far better warrior than all of you. And is much more likely to recover my estates. So forget about it. The denari will bought you the true love of your slave girls, I can assure you, if you don`t took "souvenirs" from them. Do your job well, and you`ll have a family of your own, into a nice house near to my estate. You may raise children of your own and to train them into the skills you knew best. Just as I`ll teach my own children."
"Ouch! You really hurt my feelings!" He moaned and hold a hand over his heart.
The others laugh and even Riva smile at him.
"I do wonder whose feelings did you stole this time."
This time even Davalam laugh with them.
 
Marissa remove the old bandage over Vassa`s face, but she still hissed in pain. She tremble and apologize, but Vassa only waive a hand to continue. Marissa cleaned the wound again, carefully smear it with new balm and put a clean bandage over it. It actually began to heal, but still it was a long way until Vassa could show her face or to participate in battle. No doubt the movement of the sliced jaws inflicted strong pain. Marissa could only imagine the pain from the sliced eye. Vassa`s other eye however look at her with the cold gaze of any real snake and Marissa painfully kneel before her, ready to show her skills with her tongue. Vassa often rub her nose with it, even when their bodies began to smell after the first few days of travel.
This time however Vassa gnarled and didn`t even tried to speak. Instead she only slap her face and exit the little tent that D`Shar warlord provide her. Hopefully she was just tired this evening. Tears came into her eyes, then she remind to herself very hard that she was lucky just to be alive. After her promotion Vassa wasn`t the same, and she could guarantee that after the death of her priestess she could become colder than any other snake. She expected nothing good from her. Yet while she was alive, there was hope. Tiny, little spark of hope, yet even the illusion of it was better than the eternal darkness of the grave. The tent`s fabric whispered when Vassa return to her, obviously determined to punish her again.

"I`m yours to command, Revered." She whisper with enough submission into her voice. Or at least she hoped that Vassa will accept it for enough. Last night, after she finished with her, she pierced profoundly her thigh with her bare fingers until the wound began to bleed amply enough for her. While she bled, Vassa only look at her tearful eyes, waiting for her to beg for her mercy. And Marissa begged her, humiliating herself more and more, for any painful scream wound bring the nearest guards on the run. And it would destroy their cover. In which case her life would be worth even less than nothing. The success of their mission was her faint but only hope to avoid the sacrificial knife.
"Well, that`s a tempting offer, that I can`t hear every day!"
The cheerful voice startled her, and Marissa turn toward the entrance with a moan. The tall D`Shar female warrior look at her with a light smile on her flat face, the dark narrow eyes almost invisible, but she hold her hand on the hilt of her sabre.
"Oh, please, excuse me. I though you for another person."

"Is that person the other young priestess that came with you?" Sharab ask with curiosity, looking at her items, spread around.
Marissa recall the woman from the day they were accepted into the warband.
"What can I do for you?" She ask with polite voice.
Sharab look at her and note the tears, ready to streaks down her face, but said only.
"You don`t came to eat with the rest of us since we left Singal. Are your wounds so heavy?"
"No, I`ll be fine, I promise." Marissa assured her in haste, frightened not to think her for cripple. She had no idea how D`Shar deal with those of them, crippled in fight, but she wasn`t sure that she wanted to know more. D`Shar were savage and brutal lot.
"Hiding into your tent while your wound still bleed isn`t a good way to take care for yourself. Or to meet some new friends. Your new life is with us, after all."

Marissa finally understood, that any new member of the warband no doubt would be eager to met the others and to become more familiar with them.
"I`ll be glad to meet more of you. I didn`t really expect to find any female warriors amongst D`Shar. I just ..." She tried to sound as much frightened and unsure as she could. "... I only know so little about the mercenaries. So many men and so few women around. Don`t you afraid? Sometimes?"
"Well, yes, I`ve become familiar with their fear after the first year." Sharab respond casually then laugh suddenly. "Oh, you mean ... that I can be frightened? Poor girl, the men in this warband aren`t stupid enough to make me angry at them. The rules are strictly followed here. Any man, trying to force himself on any of us will die. And not fast, I can assure you. Drugs aren`t allowed, so if you have such habit tell me now, so I could chain you until you are cleared completely. We don`t want to lose any more men because some fool like his poppy balls too much and is unable to see the enemy from his dreams. You don`t want to die because of it." Sharab look at her expectantly but Marissa said nothing and she continue. "The other rules are the same as into any other warband. No stealing and killing amongst us. If you have problem with another men or woman, that you can`t resolve by yourself, just ask your commander."

Marissa had no idea was that ordinary amongst the mercenary warbands or not, but nod in agreement anyway.
"Your payment as priestess third rank will be substantial, I can assure you. We are paid on the last day of every moon, but since you are new, I brought you one payment in advance." Sharab gave her the pouch with hundred denari. "When you are healed properly, your fighting skills will be tested and you`ll receive more. Armour and weapons will be provided to you from us. Until then I suggest you to appear more amongst us." Sharab sniff the air like a dog. "What`s that smell?"
Marissa`s face twisted in shame.
"I ... The walking is still quite painful and I didn`t bath myself from Singal. I`m sorry, I ..."
"I smell blood." Sharab sniff again. "Definitely blood. Are you bleeding again?"
"Just a little. I`ll be fine."
"Show me the wound."

Sharab crouch next to her and Marissa let her to unbound her thigh. She touch the wound lightly but Marissa still tremble.
"It is fresh, you hurt yourself again very soon. And you smell foul. When you bathe for the last time?"
"Six days ago. Why?"
"The plague and many other sickness are result of lack of personal hygiene. Ask any of our healers. Are you well enough to take a quick jump in the nearby river?"
"In the river?" Marissa was truly horrified. "What about the cold? And all those men around?"
"It is quite warm, we aren`t in Ravenstern, after all. And we care for the men only if we are in the mood for them. They may look at us as much as they like, but they will do nothing more. Or they will lose body parts. Come on."
"I can`t!"
"Fine then." Sharab turn her head aside and bark. "Ehrani!"

One stocky tribesman appear on the moment.
"At your orders, Behichi*!"
"Bring me a cask with water, she need a bath."
"The river is near, Behichi."
"Her thigh is pierced with spear."
"As you wish."
The man went outside in hurry and soon came back with two more tribesmen, wearing a cask. They put it inside and left without word.
"Come on, drop the rags already. They must be burned, no washing may clean it. I`ll give you a spare kaftan."
Marissa tried to do it as fast as she could. When Sharab saw her slow movement she just tore her blooded dirty remains of her clothes and drop it aside, then helped her to enter inside. Marissa didn`t miss her evaluating gaze.

"Do you think that I`m too fat?"
"Horse piss! You need to eat more red meat, girl. I do remember, when I fist saw Alyssa. She was truly a scrawny mare then. Living on bread, apples and whatever grass she could find, I don`t even want to think about it. She was reluctant to eat meat too, in the beginning. It took us some time to persuade her. And since she isn`t skin and bones any more, Alistair can`t be separate from her with an axe!"
"Will you help me? My right hand is pierced too."
Sharab remove her armour and her undergarment, dunk herself into the cask, then helped Marissa to exit the cask and began to soap her body.
"Is he your husband?"

"Who? Ehrani?" Sharab giggle. "No, but he delude himself that he could become. Adarhal was killed years ago. Two moons later I gave birth to a daughter and gave her to his family. I feel no wish for another male. If I do, I have plenty to choose from."
Marissa thought that she measured her right. She gently began to soap her in return, feeling the hard muscles under her fingers.
"What about the warlord? You spoke with him as you two are ... close to each other."
"We are close as family members indeed. But I don`t sleep with him." Sharab turn toward Marissa and let her to continue to soap her. "He is strong and reliable man, he didn`t gamble and drink only kumis, but ... have you ever seen someone to remove three bolts from his body without a single moan, without even to change his face?"
Sharab`s body tremble into her hands, but not from her touch, so Marissa understood that she reminiscing.
"He become too much like my father. I can`t do it with him. I do like him, as a brother, but nothing more. Why? Do you like him?"

"No, no, I`m just asking!" Marissa`s voice sounds casually. "It is important to know who is close to the leader, don`t you think? I thought that you are his wife."
"Nah, only a bodyguard. Along my other sisters too. It isn`t common amongst D`Shar, not yet anyway, but my father could be ... persuasive, hehehe."
Sharab and Marissa cleaned themselves into the cask. While they sit on the furs next to the fireplace to dry themselves, Sharab call her man to bring bandages and balm for the wounds, then spoke with casual tone to calm her. She could sense that the girl was frightened, and not because the men look at her body openly.
"Do you want me to tell you the story for the noble Mettenheim knight Forkanor, who took a sword in the gut for the cook Baidar?"
Marissa smile gently at her.
"It can`t be! You just mock me!"
"No, I`m serious! I saw it myself!"

Sharab push Marissa on her back and began to smear her wounds with balm.
"It was several years ago near Ethos. We were ambushed from a Radiant Cross warband. Bolts flied everywhere, their knights charged against us riding heavy warhorses, our own charging against them, people roar in anger, wounded and dying screams in pain, blood flows left and right and one of their knights hit Baidar`s horse with his huge lance!" Sharab slap Marissa`s thigh lightly and she almost jump. She laugh and continue. "The lance broke, Baidar fell with the horse and try to raise before the knight could  turn back. The knight turn his horse and came with sword in hand for the kill!" She put clean bandages over her thigh and bound it with experience hands. "The knight raise his sword then suddenly another blade hit his horse into the neck, under the armour and almost decapitate it. Forkanor, one of our warlord closest companions, came and began to exchange hits with the other knight." Sharab finish with the thigh and began to bound the arm.

"By the way, don`t call him "geezer", he hates that. So, the knight charge at him with sword and shield against two-handed sword. Usually warrior without shield is in disadvantage, but Forkanor is a formidable fighter despite his age, and strong enough to swing the big chunk of metal as a mere twig. With the second strike his managed to split the knight`s shield and to severe his left hand. The knight saw his doom and strike forward desperately, right in the moment when Forkanor strike at him. Both hit each other right in the stomach."
Sharab finish with the wounds and pull Marissa to sit near the fire. Marissa manage to sit so close to her, that their thighs touched.
"So, ... the noble knight died for a mere cook?"
"Oh, yes!" Sharab exclaimed, still hold in the memories. "Greatsword right in the guts! Forkanor pierced his breastplate and his body right to the back side of his armour! What a strike! I thought that he`ll damage the back plate too!"
"But what about those ... Forkanor, yes? Isn`t he dead too?"
Sharab giggle and put a hand over her shoulders.

"Forkanor wear the heaviest armour I`ve ever seen. His breastplate is a plate of solid metal as wide as my thumb, made from the best steel the famous Mettenheim smiths can make. Masterpiece, I give them that. They spare no expenses for their elites from the "Forlorn Hope" regiment. And the Baccus cur hit him with ordinary broad sword. Not a chance to pierce such an armour. The heavy armour could be useful sometimes."
Marissa press herself to Sharab and her voice sound doubtful.
"All those struggles for a cook?"
"After a few moons on a field rations you`ll do the same to save such a talented cook as Baidar. Usually the food, the boots and the regular payment are the most common reasons for unrest amongst the warbands. Well, not only amongst the mercenaries, hehehe. Here we gave our people a lot, and we expect a lot from them."
Sharab turn to her and gently remove her hand from her shoulder.
"Better have some rest. Tomorrow we will fight."

Marissa didn`t ask her how she knew where the enemies are. She dreaded the moment when Vassa would come back. She hold Sharab`s arm.
"Don`t leave me alone. It`s not good to be alone before battle."
Sharab look at her very seriously.
"You have the body of a trained warrior. Your hands are calloused from the sabre and I`ll bet my boots, that it will not be the first fight you`ve seen. Tell me what do you want."
"I want to remain with you. I need to be away from Vassa, at least for some time. She is angry now, she is right to be angry on me, she have every right, but I ... It hurt so much ..."
"Did she do that to you?"

"She have the right to do that, to kill me if she want or worse! Septimus is a decent man, he doesn`t like it, but he is her loyal dog, he will say nothing!"
"I`ll speak with Rambulhwa. She ..."
"NO! PLease, don`t do this! I`m sorry, I didn`t want to become a trouble! Go away, I`ll be fine."
Sometimes all the good wishes and efforts weren`t enough. Sharab knew enough not to insist. The little game turn into something close to life and death matter. Her lips pressed shortly and she took her decision.
"You will live in my tent."
Sharab dress herself quickly, cover Marissa into her own cloak and wear her alone to her tent.

*Behichi - old Mongolian title for princess consort or noble lady of equivalent status.
 
"I came, I saw, I lost."

"Wake up!"
The voice interrupted her dream and Marissa suddenly open her eyes and tried to raise. Sharab caught her in time and pull her back into her arms.
"Calm down, it is still quite early. We have enough time to arm ourselves before the bell for breakfast. I`ll go to eat with the warlord and my sisters, as we always do. I`ll leave you Ehrani, he is a reliable man."
Marissa remove the mask over her mouth and smile at her.
"I don`t know how to thank you."
"Your presence here is more than enough." Sharab rose and took her sabre. "I feel myself ready to defeat the imperial army all by myself!"

"I`m sure that you can!" Marissa laugh, then her face hardened. "If I`m a burden to you, or if you`ll get into troubles because of me, just tell me. I`ll manage to survive on my own."
Sharab look at the very pretty face of the young priestess and touch her gently for a moment, before to took her kaftan.
"You are awfully serious for your young age. I`m probably twice your age so you can trust me when I`m telling you that your presence here is not a problem. And if it become a problem ..." Sharab draw her blade and smile menacing. "... I know how to deal with it!"
The pretty face against her suddenly twisted, the full lips opened with pure sneaks' hissing, revealing two long fangs and Sharab rebound a step, raising her weapon in defence.
"Vassa is ..." Marissa began to say something then struggle to control herself and continue a bit calmer. "Do not underestimate her, she is trained from the High Priestess Ssalassa herself. I`m 53 years old and you were right, I`ve participated in fights before yet she bested me." Her voice turn bitterly in her self-pity. "I thought myself for quite skilled too, yet she left me with those wounds. I was lucky that she didn`t decide to kill me. Do be careful! Please!"

"You can`t be serious, you are barely 19 or 20 years old." Sharab was unable to believe on her own eyes.
"The power of the goddess give me strength and long life but I`ll never be able to kiss you. At least for that the rumors about us are true. So I beg you, do wear your helmet all the time around Vassa. At least for a few moons."
Sharab took her armour and arm herself. The sabre, the throwing knives, the shield, then she took her helmet and put it over her head.
"If that will make you feel better, I`ll do it for you." Sharab almost laugh at the sudden relief, clearly written over the almond-looking face of the girl. "I need to go, we may speak for that later. Stay back with the other wounded and if the things went really bad for us, run. The horse I choose for you is quite fast. Use the shield to protect it and yourself from arrows and bolts, you still have one good arm."

The crow screamed high and Alyssa`s eyes open in the very moment. She push Alistair`s hand aside and rose, then took the message from the little cylinder and read it. Thin smile curved her lips and she hissed in satisfaction.
"Am I the reason for that happy sounds so early?"
Alyssa took a few bits of meat from their dinner and fed the tired winged messenger, then put it into one little cage. Alistair`s hands took her from behind and she let him to hold her for a time. His self-confidence was constant as the sunrise and for that alone she thought highly for him, putting him above the other men she knew. Not that he had no other skills, oh no, but she loved his lack of false modesty and the total fate into his own abilities. He was gifted, capable man and he had no reason to hide his superiority over the less skilled ones.

"The priesstess Esstanea report that the Baccuss army is near. The Dread Legion iss already on the shore, following them on a reasonable disstance. Their number however iss more than we expected. Mariuss surely left half of the borderss bare to gather sso many ssoldierss. They are more than uss. And they are their elitess."
Alistair press himself to her and Alyssa laugh on his readiness.
"We still have some time before to kill them, no?"
She put her mask tighter over her mouth. The incoming bloodshed made her equally anxiousness.
"If they live a moment or two more because of uss, the goddess will forgive uss!"

Lesle was already fully armed and just began to count the bags with her cures when Diev awoke and smile at her.
"Do you need help?"
"No, but if you don`t arm yourself now, you`ll miss the breakfast."
He rose and made a few swift movements, demonstrating his fitness to her.
"If you come closer we may miss the breakfast together."
She waive at his shameless offer with impatience.
"I`ve got fifty-seven healers waiting and you can think only for yourself. Take your arms and try not to cut yourself today. I`ll be too busy to come to your rescue."
He clean himself with a bucket of cold water and began to arm himself.
"I`ll try to stay away from harm`s way today. Even if I`m forced to use a bow instead a sword."
She smile at him. He was barely a mediocre swordsman but what he lack with the blade he compensated twice with his bow.
"Do it then. Our next child will need you, just as myself."

He drop his bow and hug her so strong that for a moment she was unable to breath.
"Another one! My heart, you are magnificent! I`m so happy! This time it will be a boy, I`m sure of it!"
"It could be a girl, you know that." Lesle look at her hands. They already had four daughters, but he continue to insist for a boy. Why all the men were so eager to have sons? As if they could give birth alone, without the women... Just as she expected, he didn`t paid much attention and kiss her.
"Then we will name her "Adonja" and we will have a boy the next time!"
Lesle busted in laughter from his absurd idea. He hated the savage Mystmountain woman passionately. But he was a good-hearted man, honest and sincere. Their relations become warm soon after they met each other in the warband, but she went alone into his tent the night he took the beating from Donavan instead her. The cruel Barclay sadist thread her with public punishment for disobeying his orders. She didn`t paid him enough attention and the next time the warlord himself ordered Donavan to whip her. Diev step forward and beg for her, promising her obedience and offering to take her punishment himself. She thought that the warlord will not allow it, but one of his bodyguards whispered something at him and he suddenly changed his mind. Of course, Donavan made him to bleed double for that, yet she alone treated his wounds and when he offer to her to stay into his tent, she felt herself shameless as ...
"Arm yourself and took something for breakfast, or I`ll name him "Donavan"!"
And the terrified look on his face made her to gasp in laughter.

Donavan check the armours of Eshari Daeth and Messahi Vashat again and snorted in approval. Say what you want for the Omen Seekers, but those women knew how important was the discipline and obedience on the battlefield. Well, they had the tendency to command him sometimes, but as long as it was in the intimacy of his tent, he was inclined to allow them the little disrespect.
"Stay into the formation and don`t rush forward, even if you see Marius himself. Both of you. You are too skilled and well trained to lose you because of one old imperial bastar*."
Messahi look him from above and smile.
"You`ll flog us if we do that, right?"
"I will, so don`t do it. You know how important the discipline is for the army. It keep most of the soldiers alive."
"If I didn`t knew you, I`d thought that you care for us a bit more than that." Eshari stood still as trunk and added one "ser".
He didn`t get it. The man just nod, deadly serious.

"I do care for you two far more that it is ordinary." He took a deep breath and continue. "And this is quite unprofessional from my side."
He made two steps forward, then two steps back into the tent. They waited patiently. It was best that way.
"I`m not ... quite familiar with your own customs. As you know, I`m a Barclay man, but I know that in some parts of Pendor the customs are a bit different and I ... I want both of you to become my wives. Officially."
They look at him in shock, totally unprepared for such atypical for him behaviour. He notice it and continue in haste.
"I`m only a second son and I`ll not inherit much, I know it. But I`m with this warband since the very beginning and I have a considerable sum in the Merchant`s Guild in Singal. Enough to purchase a small estate and to live relatively well. We will not be rich, I know, but it is all that I can offer to you."
Messahi Vashat found her voice with considerable efforts.

"Is this an offer, ser? Real offer?"
"It is all that I can offer to you right now. The warlord himself promised me a good share if we won, but I count only what I have, not some future possibilities. You are ... strong, skilled, and very disciplined soldiers and you definitely deserve more than I can offer to you ... But yes. I sincerely hope, that you may agree."
For a man, so deeply concerned about his "noble" origin and heritage, to ask both of them, women with no traceable lineage (to say the least) was extraordinary, almost impossible feat. Nor Messahi, nor Eshari wanted to recall the early years of their lives. The number of the unpleasant memories was overwhelming. What choice the orphan girl had in the camps, except to sell herself? Their initiation as Omen Seekers, and their completely dependence from Burilgi and his drug, was just as painful and humiliating to remember. Their Omen that send them on their journey was a bit strange, and become even more unclear, when they appear on the slave market soon after they left the desert, yet after they were forced to clean themselves from the drug they were quickly assigned into the elite unit of the warband, receiving respectable and well-paid positions. Although Donavan liked too much to drill them even in the intimacy of the tent, both knew too well that to offer them marriage wasn`t easy for him. It was almost as if to admit that he is an ordinary person and not some special divine blue-blood high creature. They didn`t even dreamed of that. Living in some little estate in the province was unimaginable luxury for them. They still kept all of their loot, in gold and gems, into their bedrolls, tied over their horses. Just in case if they need to run away from someone ... or something.

Eshari smile at him, still uncertain from the sudden change of him.
"If you are serious, ser, I am ready to accept your proposal."
"I... well ... yes, I mean, yes, I agree too." Messahi followed her.
Donavan took two long items, carefully packed in soft leather and spoke with noticeable relief.
"I`m glad that you follow my orders! I mean, to marry me! So, just in case, of course, I prepared a gift for you."
He unrolled the packs and offered them two brand new Noldor bows. They stared openly at him. The weapons were extraordinary rare and very few persons, outside the Noldor themselves, ever touched such weapons in their lives.
Eshari took her bow and pull the string with trembling arms. They were accomplished archers and they surely were able to evaluate the bow much more than Donavan himself, who fought with sword and spear.
"How did you get it, ser?" Messahi put an arrow into one of the tent`s poles, just to try it. It was better than any other bow she touched in her life.
Donavan respond shortly.
"Commander Lethaldiran, from the House of Ithilrandir, owed me a favour."
"There are TWO bows."
He made a grimace.
"Well, now I owe him a favour. Plus he made me to promise that you`ll never, ever sell or give the bows to anyone, save your children. And that you`ll never, ever use it against ANY Noldor. Or he will kill us. He promised that to me too."

Hamshah saw the barricade, meanly hidden behind a bend of the road, but before to shout the bolt pierce his throat and he felt the tearing pain, then he fell back from his horse. The rest of the vanguard fell around him as dead leaves, fenestrated from the volley. The Windriders roared and rush forward. The second volley came from both sides of the road, men and horses began to fell, covered in bolts. Someone shouted order, the infantry behind the first three hundreds Windriders run toward the hidden enemies, some of the Windriders managed to jump from their horses and joined them with wild war cries. Nergal run with them, took two bolts with his shield and saw one crossbowman behind a large tree. He just tried to raise his spear when two handed sword split his leather armour and sunk deep into his stomach, cutting his spine. He screamed in pain, and the last he saw was an armoured foot who step over his chest, pulling the sword from his body. Then the darkness came and swallowed him whole.

Half of Dorhag`s men were killed during the initial volley, but he was an experienced warrior and the orders began to flow from his mouth. The Dervishes took cover behind the nearest trees and began to shoot at the covered enemies. They didn`t need to win, only to hold the enemies until the rest of the army came. His arrow hit the breastplate of one armoured crossbowman but his short bow lack the power to pierce it. The crossbowman saw him and raise his heavy siege crossbow. The bolt pierced the chainmail, the leather undergarment beneath it and the breastbone. He died before his body to touch the road.
The messenger reach Kadan Bahadur Khan`s bodyguards and bow quickly.
"Message from Kalandar Khan, Bahadur! The imperial curs attacking us from ambush! The Khan will try to hold them until you send reinforcements!"
"HOW? How they could do that!" Kadan roared enraged.
"Traitor, probably!" Bahman`s wrinkles deepened and he bow in his saddle. "We`ll deal with him later. Your orders, Bahadur?"
Kadan hold his burning fury to deal with the immediate danger.

"Quingit to take the right side of the road, Faridar the left side. When someone is close to breach you`ll be behind with your men. Crush their ambush and bring me their heads!"
When Bahman bow again, Kadan add with lower voice only to him.
"You know what to do. Do it."
Bahman gave orders. His warband followed him. Half of the other Windriders followed them with slower steps, ready to face any enemy. Kadan remain over his mount, completely enraged. A masked warrior approached him and bow.
"Rambulhwa is ready for battle, Bahadur. Your orders?"
Kadan`s teeth pressed together in forced calmness. The enemy, supposedly away from them in the plains, was suddenly on a blade distance, taking them in ambush, yet the mercenaries were ready for battle. How the hell they knew it? Then he saw two columns of black smoke from the rear, where the mercenaries were and bark.
"My orders are to stay in reserve. When he is needed, I`ll send him order. Why is that smoke?"
"The enemy tried to burn some of the supplies."
The calmness of the masked warrior irritated the Bahadur Khan for a moment then he throw him out of his mind and roared.
"Scouts! I want report for the position and the number of the enemy!"
 
Four of his bodyguards galloped forward to fulfil his orders. Kadan throw a quick look around to ensure that he is well protected and decide not to call for the mercenaries for now. He didn`t wanted anyone to steal the glory from him. Not when the hated Baccus were so close to defeat. He would have gain the whole glory, as Bahadur Khan, not some pathetic muscles for hire.

Quingit bey roared and his men charged forward, shields up. Behind the first rows, the Dervishes raised their bows and shoot above them in such a way, that the arrows may fell right over the heads of their enemies. He had no illusions that they will manage to inflict them some serious casualties, but it was only a distraction, until he reach them on a blade distance. The enemy archers appeared and released a volley of bolts at his men. They had shields, but from light ones, suitable for horsemen. Dozens fell, some armour saves their owner`s lives, some managed to continue with bolts into their limbs, another, less lucky fell and the next ones began to run over their bodies. There was no time to save them, for any moment of delay would have cost them much more blood. He run with the next waive.

The Baccus crossbowmen continue to rain their bolts over his men almost until they reach their line, then their legionnaires charged forward. Quingit bey turn his body left, so the sword slash only air and his sabre cut off the man`s hand clearly in the wrist. The legionary screamed in pain and Quingit slash at his neck. His sabre cut deep and the man fell in his feet. Another run toward him and swing. One of his bodyguards, Arbodu, raise his sabre to parry. The swing turn to piercing strike and the strong hit manage to pierce his armour. Arbodu screamed when the sword cut his innards, hold the man`s hand and fell. The legionary didn`t manage to pull his weapon in time and Quingit hit him in the face, right into the left eye. The man fell, but there were more and more. Quingit took a hit with his shield and strike at the next one. He parry also, then more of his men charged forward and he took a deep breath, then gave order to strengthen the pressure. He knew very well that the ambush must be broken swiftly, before their crossbowmen could turn the fight into the massacre. He charged forward furiously, using his superior skills to break their rough line, moved around the next tree and slash one legionary in the back of his helmet, then roared to his warrior to charge.

His trained and experienced bodyguards were the spearhead of his warband, and despite the heavier armours and weapons of their enemies, they had no the chance to form their usual battle ranks into the forest. Here every man was for himself, the next tree could hide a friend or foe with the same easiness. Another sword hit him in the back. His armour endure, barely, and he turn swiftly to see bodies of Fardul and Mehraat on the ground. The imperial Mortal, done in the distinctive blue armour or their Order look at him surprised, but quickly poke at him with his sword and bash with his shield, trying to push him aside from his warriors. Quingit circle the nearest tree, then turn back and saw the back of his enemy, who was trying to face him from the other side. Quingit`s sabre slash his neck and he kick the body with victorious roar.
His warriors saw him, and roared with him, then push forward, tramping over dead and alive alike, and their charge cut off the first enemy lines. Quingit saw some of the crossbowmen slaughtered, the other left their crossbows, taking swords and shields to defend himself against the swarming horde.

"At them!" He roared with whole throat and bash another man in the face with his shield, then slash him between the legs, sending him screaming on the bloodied ground. "Kill them all!"
The enemy began slowly to give them ground, dead and alive covered every visible place between the trees and Quingit throw himself over a short Mortal, who`s sword was into Garhan`s thigh. He parry his first two strikes with his shield, then Quingit took the rim of his shield, pulling it to him with all his strength and his sabre hit the Mortal right over the left side of the head. The helmet bent inside, crushing the man`s skull, killing him instantly. More and more enemies began to show themselves between the trees and Quingit roared for reinforcements.
Sekmahi`s body fell into his feet and impede his footing. He almost fell over him, then regain his balance just in time to tilt under the two-handed sword, before to cut off his head. Hamsan rush forward from his left side and slash at his attacker, who repel the blade with his own, parry Quingit`s counterattack and his next strike split Hamsan`s face on two, then turn again to Quingit and strike at him, using the long blade as a spear. Someone`s hand pull Quingit back, but the Immortal just push forward and his blade found Gardal`s body, piercing his heavy chainmail.

Martah made a furious roar when another two-handed sword split his guts and fell. Quingit saw more and more Immortals around. His men surrounded him in tight circle as living wall of flesh and steel, but Quingit understood that the legionnaires were a decoy, sent to lure him forward. Now the Immortals cut the first half from his warband from the rest, and he and his men were almost encircled and cut off from the rest of their own men. He raise his sabre.
"Back to our lines! They are trying to separate us!"
He throw himself back on the way he came. The forest leaves were covered with bodies, most of them D`Shar however. He kill the nearest Mortal and roared for retreat, but it was too late. When most of his men turn back, the enemy legionnaires and Mortals stop their false retreat and rush over him and his men. Their Immortals pierced the D`Shar horde, splitting it on two, holding them separated long enough to encircle and slaughter about half of Quingit`s warband. More and more enemies coming at them. Quingit lost his shield and three fingers from his left hand when he miscalculate the strength of his enemy. The Immortal`s next strike split his armour and his right shoulder. Quingit roared in pain and the sabre fell from his palm. The next strike split his skull and half of his chest.

"Quingit bey is dead!"
The shout took the last strength from the hands of his men and they run back. Few of them throw their weapons and tried to surrender, but their were killed with the rest nevertheless.
The D`Shar horns sound for retreat and the tired, bloodied survivors separated themselves step by step from their enemies, leaving the battlefield covered with the bodies of their comrades. Those, who charged forward first, weren`t came back. The ambush was well prepared and executed, thousands lost their lives when Quingit and Faridar were killed. Their dead seems to crush the fighting spirit of their men and some even tried to run away.
 
The fall

"Quingit and Faridar are dead, Bahadur!" Uglai reported as quickly as he could. Their warbands suffer heavy casualties and desperately need reinforcements. The Immortals pressing them badly!"
Kadan roared out of himself in rage.
"They can`t hold any formation in the woods, how our men can`t breach them?"
"They are the Baccus elites, Bahadur." His first bodyguard, Uruh, said quietly, but with the confidence of his personal experience. "They are better trained than most of our men, they have heavier armours and weapons, and they have the advantage of the ambush. What about their number? If we have more men we can sacrifice half of our forces to crush them, if we must."
Uglai didn`t gave him much hope.
"There were many of them. The whole western part were covered with blue-armoured dogs. I`d say we lost no less than three thousands men."
So the poor Quingit took most of the enemy strike. But what of Faridar? His Blademasters were famous all over the Principalities with their skills. Kadan saw the tension in Uruh`s face and decide to trust him.
"We will charge at them at once! Call the reserves."
"What of the mercenaries?" Oragai spoke with surprise. "They still waiting for your orders?"
"And to make them my saviours? To look that they actually could won the fight instead of me?" Kadan gnarl infuriated. "I`ll die first! Attack!"

Far behind them, the noble ser Alistair Aloniel removed his black horned helm and look at the warlord, calmly sitting over his horse in the midst of his bodyguards.
"It seems that our glorious Bahadur doesn`t need our soldiers and intent to kill all enemies himself."
His cheerful statement irritates ser Ralad Baluent and he respond a bit sharper than he intended.
"He is the one who`s denari covers your insufferably high payment so it is inappropriate to put his decisions under question! He is a rightful leader of all D`Shar and he`s know what he`s doing!"
"The unquestionable obedience is the shortest way toward the grave, ser Paladin. Of course, your immortal love is waiting for you there, but I humbly prefer to stay here. Unlike you, I was able to find some love and joy in this world."
Alyssa`s hissing laughter made him to turn red in fury.

"You are shameless dog, who parade with his murderous mistress from the outlawed cult, performing human sacrifices and other atrocities! I can barely breath into your foul presence!"
"And why are you sstill here, noble Paladin, if that iss sso painful to you?"
The soft hissing into her voice didn`t covered the poison in her words. But before he was able to respond, the huge Fiersdvain peasant interrupt them with his rough laughter.
"Because his old friends from the Order of the Dawn still hope to put him into one of their bonfires, that`s why. He isn`t so stupid to wander alone and to be captured and burned alive after a day or two."
"I don`t fear for my life, peasant!"
"But you saw enough men burned alive not to haste to jump into the bonfire, are you not?"
Sara`s voice sound too high, no doubt to attract attention to their ... dispute, and finally, the warlord took notice.

"It isn`t a good way to die. It`s the way of the cowards, to frighten the crowds without any danger for themselves. That way, it is not the D`Shar way."
The honest opinion of ser Ralad was, that all tribesman were too busy killing each other, but he wouldn`t say it aloud. Instead, he pointed the obvious.
"We are waiting here while other D`Shar fight and die a few hundreds paces in front of us. Is that the D`Shar way, warlord?"
"It is a war, and the war require some sacrifices."
Rambulhwa`s words surprised them all and they waited for him to continue. No one of them, peasant or knight, interrupt his silence. They eagerly awaited him to continue. 
"He was a good man once. Strong and fierce warrior, who could made D`Shar independent ... Alas, my hopes for him are dead. He began to believe that he, and he alone, is the voice of all D`Shar tribes and he is the Principality. But he is only one man. Nothing more."

"Ahum." Ser Ralad cleared his throat. "Then why did you took his silver?"
"You all knew, that it was necessary for us to be with his army, to know exactly when we will face the Baccus curs. We all discussed the plan and we accepted that it was the best way to act." Rambulhwa throw a quick glance at the smoke columns and nod with satisfaction. "Our turn will come soon."
Ser Alistair and Alyssa look at each other with childish grin on their faces. Alyssa spoke with uncovered impatience.
"Sso you truly believe, that Adessa will come? After all your provocationss? For Azi`ss name, I don`t know why she didn`t killed you already!"
"Curiosity, dear priestess, and the lure of the unknown. Probably not many men around her are ready to tell her their thoughts. In time it isn`t hard to become accustomed with it, to believe that your opinion is always the right one. Are you still so confidant that the Cult`s way is the only way?"

"No." Alyssa admit in front of all commanders. "But it took me yearss to change my mind. You can`t change her for a few moonss."
"Indeed. I can`t give her the luxury of time. I must convince her much faster. It will be ... more painful for her, I know, but it couldn`t be avoided this time."
Sigismund spoke first.
"So you rely on luck with her?"
"You know me, my friend." Rambulhwa smile at him. "I don`t believe in luck. I build relations and fortify it."
A lone tribesman without helm, but with fresh wound on the right side of his face approaches, and all reach for their weapons, before to recognize him as Batubai, Uruh`s son.

"Bahadur Khan order you to attack, warlord! We need your help now!"
Rambulhwa look at his familiar face as if he saw him for the first time in his life. Not only Batubai was too nervous, but the horse he rode was a common animal, not one of his fine mounts.
"Show me the Khan`s sign."
It was the signed ring, that Kadan gave to someone of his men, when he brought his orders. Batubai however, shrug uncomfortable.
"I lost it on my way here. I was in the fight when Bahadur ordered me to ..."
"He didn`t ordered you to come, am I right, Batubai?"
Batubai look at Rambulhwa`s cold face and admitted.
"He did not. And he probably will not do it. But we are badly pressed and we need every warrior. They are more than us and in good position. We need your warriors or we will be defeated shortly."
Rambulhwa nod shortly and pointed.
"Go to the healers over there. You`ve done all that you could. Now is our turn."
Batubai bow in his saddle and push the horse into that direction. Behind him a horn gave the signal "Forward".

One bolt stuck into the tree a finger above Kalandar Khan`s head and he quickly return into his cover. His oldest son, Hamsul, tightened the bandage over his left hand and smile at him. 
"It was a good battle, father."
"The battle isn`t over, my son. Rambulhwa waiting behind us with many warriors."
"Then why he isn`t here!" Hamsul shouted enraged and step forward, then his right foot fell under him and he fell with it.
Kalandar helped him to raise.
"He will come!" He said with confidence. "He will come. Believe me. He only waiting for Bahadur`s order."
Hamsul murmur with the voice of the man, accepting that his last stand is coming.
"He would have given that order already. We will die here."

Dozen horns gave the signal "Regroup" and Kalandar and his warriors look back surprised. They all expected to hear "Forward". The green standard of the mercenaries approaches and they saw with relief, but also with great surprise, how the forest behind them revived with many warriors without helmets, revealing female faces over their armours, coming at them with even steps, weapons in hands.
Rambulhwa moved trough them without to look nor left, nor right, and step onto the road. Unmolested from the numerous corpses he slowly look around, then turn to face his tribesmen.

From his position, waiting for Marius`s order to attack, Sidonius Legatus saw how one tribesman, armed with long polearm, step forward on the road and spoke to the other tribesmen. The poor fool was as good as dead, but he was in a good mood, so he allowed himself to hear him.
"D`Shar warriors kneel to no one, nor fear the death."
The tribesman shouted on their rough speech and Sidonius Legatus smile. Fear or not, he would have give them only death today. The savage continue.
"Yet you cower in front of the Baccus curs as frightened women. The women into my warband WILL FIGHT THEM!"
The tribesman pointed the numerous warriors, coming to him and Sidonius Legatus stare at them. They were all women! Those D`Shar lead them their women in battle! Impossible! Something was wrong here. Very wrong. D`Shar never allowed their women to have weapons, nor to participate in battle. He turn to his first commander, Necius Domicius.

"Shot him! Right now!"
Four bolts hit the strange D`Shar in the back and he fell forward. Angry shouts followed and more D`Shar warriors came from the forest. Sidonius Legatus was ready to give order for attack when he saw with pure shock how the same tribesman rose, with four bolts in the back, turn right to him and shout.
"Will you kneel in front of those Baccus curs, who mount each other, instead to mount their women?"
For three or four heartbeats there was almost full silence, interrupted only from the screams of the wounded, then furious shouts came from his enemies. Sidonius Legatus recall too late that for the D`Shar "fagot" was mortal insult, not something normal, like within the great and civilized Baccus empire. And that the savages, unlike the civilized people, often killing people only for verbal insults*.
"Shot him, shot him now!"

Ten crossbowmen around him shot. Three missed, but still seven bolts hit the tribesman in the chest and he fell from the force of the impact. The angry shouts turn into furious roar and the same savages, that run away from the rain of the bolts of his armoured crossbowmen, push forward trough the ranks of the strange female warriors, swinging their weapons in wild fury. Then the fenestrated tribesman, who must have died for sure, somehow manage to raise back on his feet and Sidonius Legatus stare at him, unable to believe on his own eyes. From that distance he could see the blood, streaks down over the pierced scales of his armour. He must have died for sure! No one could live pierced with eleven bolt! No one! Yet he stand, raise his polearm and shouted.
"Will you follow me to victory?"
Drums began to beat for battle, horns loudly gave the signal for "Attack". Frenzied, almost unhuman screams followed, and all D`Shar rush forward. Right toward the enemy, who`s waiting for them.


* "The civilized people were more un-courteous from the savages, for they knew that they could be rude without someone to split their skull just like that." - Robert Ervin Howard.
 
Sharas was the first one, who reach Rambulhwa when all of the Bahadur`s remaining warriors rush forward in battle frenzy. Her strong arm took his left arm and she supported his weight with all her strength. Her other sisters surround them in a few more heartbeats and they covered him with their shields and bodies from the enemy bolts. Everywhere around them warriors throwing themselves at the first rough lines of the enemy Mortals, who`s task was to blunt the initial charge. They all knew that the most experienced and dangerous enemies waiting behind them, ready to attack when the tribesmen grew tired. Many of them were already wounded and even driven to frenzy their strength would not last for long.
"What are you thinking doing?" She hissed angry, although she wanted to scream in helpless rage. She could clearly see the blood, coloured his armour and she even didn`t dare to drag the nearest bolt, pierced his body. Sharab wasn`t so gentle.
"Turkmani moon-crazied billy goat!" She roared enraged. "Drag him to the healers!"
"NO!" Rambulhwa push their hands aside and shouted with all of his authority. "At them! Breach them! Kill the enemy crossbowmen now!"
"You will die!" Sharag`s face was covered from her helmet but her voice betrayed her. For her, he was always as a little brother.
"Maybe. But not today." He smile at them and put his helmet alone, walking forward as fast as he could drag his fenestrated body forward.

They reached the bloody melee and Sharaf led the charge. She sliced the face of the first Mortal on two, cut-off the left knee of the next one and left to Sharaz to finish him. She casually slash trough his throat and parry the deadly strike of another Mortal in the last moment. The man strike at her with his shield, pushing her out of balance right to another Mortal, who took the chance to poke at her with his bloodied sword.
"Crouch!"
Sharaz didn`t hesitate even for a heartbeat and crouched. In the next moment the tip of a rusty-red polearm hit the second Mortal right in the middle of his face. It scatter inside his open-face helmet, spraying her with blood and brain. With practiced movement Rambulhwa used the short blade on the other side of his weapon to poke at the first Mortal. He saw it in time and raise his shield in front of his face to save himself. Then Sharae`s blade slice his nape, killing him instantly. Two Warriors fell at Sharad`s feet and she made half step aside to avoid the slicing of a two-handed sword in the hands of a huge Gladiator.

The precise slashes made her and Sharad to step aside from him, then a throwing knife hit his chest, covered in leather armour and buried in it. The expression of shock and disbelief on his face invoke a short bout of laughter amongst them and Sharak spare a moment to collect her knife.
"Imperial roosters. All in fancy decorated leathers, phu! The leather can`t protect you even from a knife, you simpleton."
The Gladiator tried to hit at her but there was no strength left in him and Sharak just brush his weakened hand aside with ease, then left him and along with Sharad attack the next one. Two Immortals came behind their backs and rush forward toward their leader. Wide slash of the polearm made him to step back. The second one parry with his large two-hander and push forward with all of his strength against the fenestrated tribesman, who seems barely able to stand still alone. Not surprisingly, the man push back with far less strength and staggered back, almost falling over another tribesman. One masked tribesman began to circle around them with the obvious intention to move in his back. Locked in his duel with their leader he tried to step back, his foot step askew over something soft, he lost his balance and began to fall. Where was Venicius, for Damia`s sake? He was supposed to cover his back, as he always did.
The rusty-red blade slice trough his throat and while he roll over the blood-spread road the last thing he saw was the body of another Immortal and the knife, pierced Venicius`s left eye.

Sixty paces behind them Boadice Veccavia watched the butchery with calm and expressionless face, despite the boiling blood in her veins and the burning desire to charge forward alone. Surprisingly, the weak, almost useless ungelded Bahadur`s men somehow found enough strength and courage to breach trough the first enemy units. Their suicidal charge however couldn`t last long and the enemy reinforcements would have came any moment. Yet she needed only a moment. Her eyes followed the swings of the red polearm of their warlord, wondering how actually he was still on his feet. Anyway, every breath until he fell was of use to her. Her eyes followed closely his bodyguards, evaluating correctly their actual skills and she found herself fascinated as always. One shield darkened her sight for a moment, protecting her from two bolts, then ser Jocelen Naimar step back at her left side on his usual place. She spared a moment to nod to him in gratitude. Despite her general despise toward the men, his respectable and constant attention managed to caught her attention for a short time aside of her beloved Ularde in Valonbray. Only because she and Ularde decided to have children, of course, not because they cared for any man.

When she command him to make them children he just obey her, as it should be. Perhaps there was some hope for him ... some day. Their daughters grow up strong and full of life children and she remind to herself to speak with Ularde for another child. And to check what happened with him during his mission to warlord Zulkar from Jatu. He barely managed to return from his mission in time to join the battle, killing four horses in his haste, but uncharacteristically for him he avoided conversations with her and didn`t look her in the face. "Tonight!" she decide, watching how the red poleam swing toward the first imperial crossbowmen and turn right.
"Ser Donavan, reinforce our warlord with your men, a large contingent of Immortals approaches them."
Ser Donavan Daverna bow to her and led two thousands D`Shar Bladesmen on the road after Rambulhwa. Actually almost half of them were Blademasters, undistinguished from their less skilled comrades with the same armours and weapons. He alone handpicked them one by one and carefully used them only when truly necessary. Now, covered from the suicidal charge of their warlord his men could reach the enemy almost without resistance or pesky archers. Honest battle, blade against blade, warrior against warrior! His heart tremble with pure happiness and he gave the signal for his drummers. They began to beat the drums in steady rhythm and his warrior followed him in light trot.

Boadice nod with approval. He would have follow her orders to death. She waive to Betah Lahali, commander of the Omen Seekers.
"Wait until the Immortals shows up and kill as many as you can. Concentrate over those of them, who are without shields. Forward!"
Betah Lahali bow to her and led her four hundreds Omen Seekers. She choose a good position in a more dense part of the forest near commander Boadice`s position and order:
"At the Immortals! Draw!"

Her Omen Seekers raise their large, double curves bows and pulled the strings with all their strength, along with herself. Their shield-bearers took suitable positions in front of them, filling every gap between the trees, fell on one knee and made as good as possible shield-wall with their large and thick shields. Quite effective protection against enemy archers, as they already proved before. For some reason, their warlord commanded each of them to choose their own shield-bearer immediately after their purification. Probably to watch them not to touch again the drug Burilgi forced them to take, if they asked her. An unnecessary precaution, for everyone in the warband, caught to take drug were executed slow and painfully but ... anyway. Just by her time, her eyes fell over one monster of a man, a famous wrestler from Pashani D`Shar, and after she defeated the other four Omen Seekers, who wanted to take him for themselves, she drag him triumphantly into her tent. Some warriors spoke behind her back that Tajurzan was only a lowly horse thief, but she gave no attention about such rumors. Even to those, that said that the horse  he gave her as a gift resembled overwhelmingly the favourite mount of Haji Naji Bey. They even whispered that the warlord himself is somehow ... too protective toward them! Many were just full with envy and jealousy! The story quickly became famous, as such things usually happened, and there were no shortage of huge and pleasantly muscular men and women volunteers to join their warband, eager to become their shield-bearers. She was a first class warrior herself, and excellent archer, yet she had nothing against to see Tajurzan`s wide armoured back in front of her. She fondly recall one skirmish last year, when he beat to death one Gladiator with the same shield he hold for her now and smile.
"LOOSE!" she roar with whole throat.
They managed to release four volleys before Donavan`s men reach the melee and she shouted new command.
"Shoot without order!"
Each Omen Seeker began to pick her targets individually, using the cover of their shield-bearers. 

Boadice turn toward ser Alistair Aloniel.
"Ser Alistair, took your cohort and support the left flank. I need you to stop them."
He bow to her but didn`t walk forward.
"I have not enough people to hold that many enemies. Give me ser Jocelen and his men too, and I`ll hold long enough."
She considered it for a few more heartbeats then nod.
"Ser Jocelen Naimar will follow your orders. Go!"
Ser Jocelen covered his displease not especially successful, but stop only to choose one of his most faithful Heretic Magni, Estard Nikarea, to take his place at her left side and followed ser Alistair. Two hundreds and thirty nine knights of Eventide and three hundreds sixty three Heretic Magni went with them, covered with heavy plate armours, heavy metal shields and morningstars or runic weapons. Ready and eager to prove their skill against the best warriors the Baccus could field against them. Even on foot, without their powerful warhorses they were force to be reckoned with.

Once, when she thought to gather their both units into one, ser Jocelen explained to her that vulture like Alistair can sacrifice some of his knights to kill him. So he asked for permission to form his own units from purchased warriors called "Heretic Magni". It took time and silver, but they were amongst Ramun`s favourite clients and he put a lot of efforts to provide them the slaves they required. It wasn`t an accident that Ramun was called "Prince of the Slavers" and he was true to his name. His slavers searched every slave market in Pendor, every arena, every galley and every mine and quarry, but in the end he proved again that he could provide every human stock in existence. Of course, the slaves were more than happy to take arms again as mercenaries, instead to remain slaves in whatever pit they were dragged from. For a male, ser Jocelen wasn`t completely useless, by her opinion.
 
The eyes could see only enemies. The lips no longer open for battle cries. There is not enough breath for that, only for short and hasten inhales. The tired hands only rotate the weapon to parry or to strike over flesh. Blood, both own and another`s cover the armours. But the battle is still far from over.
Heavy hit found Sharae`s left side of the armour, tore between the scales and bite her flesh. She roar in fury and slash at the Immortal. He avoided her strike, then Sharas`s blade sliced his wrists, then his throat.
Rambulhwa grab her belt and shout in her face.
"Go to the healers!"
Unwillingly, she forced herself to retreat. Another Immortal charge at her, when she step back, then one arrow found his face and he fell almost over her.
Rambulhwa spare a moment to look around and evaluate the battle as pure disaster. Despite their best efforts, pressed from the whole Immortal legion, the D`Shar centre was near to collapse, the left flank still hold the imperial curs, but the right flank, assaulted from the Radian Cross legion, was breached and forced to retreat up to the Omen Seekers, who shoot almost at the faces of their enemies, separated from them only from the thin line of their own shield-bearers, who fought to protect them with tooth and nails. There were no more reserves. He saw Boadice`s signal and forced himself to shout:
"Retreat!"

Step by step, the Khan`s men and his own retreated. The imperial forces, already confidant into their victory, pressed them even more. D`Shar`s only option left was to sell their lives a bit more expensive, but nothing more. Then the earth began to shake. Initially barely noticeable, then a bit stronger.
Marius Emperor, sitting over his horse behind his bodyguards at the edge of the forest, watched the galloping Horseman with slight curiosity. The battle was practically won, why those fool wanted to kill his animal in haste?
Varius Tercius spur his horse again to run faster, although it was more than obvious that the poor animal was at the edge of its strength. He pull the leads just in time not to be slain from the Emperor`s bodyguards and bowed.
"Your Imperial Majesty!"
Marius felt himself annoyed, for he wanted to see the total destruction of the D`Shar main force, but the victory made him feel generous and he nod to the man to speak.
"Large force from the Snake Cult approaches, Your Imperial Majesty! Many Anaconda Knights, and some strange creatures ride with them! They will be upon us very soon!"

"WHAT?"
Varius bow lower from his saddle and continue.
"A whole Snake Cult army approaches, Your Imperial Majesty."
"How they could knew about us HERE? How many are they?"
The Horsemen wanted to crawl under the imperator`s burning gaze but he said only:
"They galloping right toward us. The field behind me is darkened from their number. I`d say that there are between eight and ten thousands of them. I came with all speed to report. Your orders, Your Imperial Majesty?"
Marius began to tremble uncontrollable. Just in the moment of his deserved triumph to be caught from the Snakes it could be nothing else but the foulest act of the whole human history - a betrayal! His heart began to pulse faster just from the thought what they would do to him, if they put their covered with scales hands upon his holy imperial person. Nothing less than a sacrificial knife, piercing his divine body, pointing right toward the holy heart, beating inside!

"We must retreat immediately!"
Kyros Dux was unable to believe of his own ears, seeing Marius shaking in fear.
"We can`t left our soldiers! They will be slaughtered or sacrificed! We must regroup and face them! We still have a chance to win!"
"Against ten thousands fresh soldiers? All my forces are engaged in the battle, I can`t defeat the D`Shar curs in time to face the Snake Cult with all my forces! I will be pressed between two enemy forces and ..."
Marius Imperator suddenly recall that usually very respective Kyros Dux somehow missed the proper (and obligatory) "Your Imperial Majesty" and felt a shiver right onto his whole backbone. So he was the betrayer, right under his very nose! No sane Empire subject would dare to put his divine Emperor at risk at any cost, even if it cost the life of every man, women or child in the whole empire! Yet Kyros Dux was ready to suggest to form second battle line against ten thousands fresh Snake Cult soldiers with his tired forces, and with the savage D`Shar still behind him! He was the betrayer from the very beginning!
His personal healer interfere respectfully.

"With all due respect, Your Imperial Majesty can not be put on such risk, between two enemy forces. The Emperor may delegate the command of the army on some Legatus and step aside on a safe distance for a while. We can`t risk his safety."
Marius felt deep relief from the clever outcome, offered from his spymaster. He strengthened himself over his saddle.
"Lord Kyros Dux, I command you to crush my enemies, fighting to the last man if need be!"
Decimus Barius continue with another bow.
"To increase the safety of His Imperial Majesty and to maintain the fighting spirit of his men I humbly suggest some soldier to exchange his armour with His Imperial Majesty."
And once again Marius evaluated the priceless advice from his most faithful servant, who`s only concern was the safety of the holy Emperor`s person, as it should be! He choose one of his bodyguards, who were specifically chosen by their physical resemblance with his divine person and quickly exchange his exquisite battle armour for his much simpler armament. Then he turn his horse toward Janos and rode away with small contingent of cavalry.

Kyros Dux look at the back of his emperor, still unable to believe that he is willing to retreat, if not to run, then he concentrate over the current problem. Caught between the trees his elite Shadow Centurions would be of much of disadvantage without their powerful warhorses. He unleashed his sword and shout, turning toward his elite warriors.
"Noble Centurions! Follow me! For the Emperor!"
He rode toward the incoming enemies and most of the Order men followed him on a certain death. Less than tenth from them however gathered themselves around one of the lesser commanders from the Order, Tercius Nenicius, an older, and more experienced Centurion. The men, who stood with him were not nobles (just as himself) but members of wealthy families, who paid good denari for the prestigious membership of the Shadow Legion Order, and rich enough to allow themselves the purchasing of the expensive Ironbred Stallions. One of the oldest Centurions, Titus Lenicius, approached him.
"What shall we do, commander Nenicius? Should we charge after the others?"
"Are you feeling particularly noble today, Titus?" Tercius look at his old friend. "Noble enough to charge an entire Snake Cult army with barely a few hundreds of men for glorious and foolish death?"

"Well, since you put it that way, not particularly, no. Ser." he add respectfully. He knew Tercius for a long time and knew that his old friend is stable and reasonable man.
"Then I strongly suggest to you to raise a white banner and to look for the nearest tribesman. We must surrender to them quickly, before the Snakes finish with the noble idiots, and to add us to the celebratory sacrifice along with them."
Titus Lenicius hesitated.
"We have small chance to let us live, ser. They hate us."
"They hate us less than the Snakes." Tercius release a deep sigh and continue with harder voice, to give his old friend a bit of hope. "At least they may be tempted to release us for ransom. The Snakes want only our blood."
"Then ... we may flee. To our men around Ishkoman or Singal?"
"To what end? To be caught between two forces again? Without supplies and only with ourselves we will be at the mercy of the first D`Shar tribe who cross our leads. I think that I saw the banner of some mercenary band earlier. Find them. Raise the white banner!"
"As you command!"

When they lost from sight the rest of the army, Marius would have rode in full gallop toward Janos, but Decimus stopped him respectfully.
"Our way is toward your forces around Singal or Ishkoman, Your Imperial Majesty. It was necessary for your safety to be seen riding toward Janos. But when you gather your soldiers around the enemy fortresses you will have enough strength to return safety to Janos. And to regroup."
Marius nod for his thoughtful insight. The traitor no doubt would sell his direction on the first enemy.
"Your forces will not fell alone. Not without taking many enemies with them. The enemy will be weakened and the chances to return in Janos with sizeable part of your forces will be better. But now we must rode fast to avoid some enemy patrol or rear guard. It will be fatal for Your Imperial Majesty."
Marius heard the wisdom into his words. True wisdom, for his personal healer spoke nothing for himself but only for his Emperor`s safety. As it should be. He turn his horse toward Singal.
 
The dead man`s duel

The earth began to shake stronger and stronger, and suddenly the forest behind the Baccus forces fill with the heavy black mounts, ridden from Snake Cult`s Anaconda Knights. Sharaa saw one of them to throw a javelin with such a strength, that the short spear pierced the entire armour of the Immortal, nailing him for a tree. The savage Netherworld Chargers were trained to bite and kick the enemies, and they were no less dangerous than their riders, adding considerably to their attack strength. Some infantrymen rode with the knights, and after the initial charge they jumped from the horses and attack the Baccus men, armed with short spears and shields. Sharab took a peek into one of them and shiver under her armour at the sight of his rotten face as he bite one Immortal in the face, holding the man into his arms with great strength. No wonder that army was called "Dread Legion". She saw that the warlord began to fell and jump forward to support him.
The Baccus forces suddenly began to retreat and the exhausted, half-dead remains from the D`Shar army almost began fell in relief from the sudden rescue. Few of them had any strength to pursue some enemy, so they simply began to tend for the wounded or just sat, gasping for a few sweet breaths.

Sharal remove her helmet and took a long breath with relief, then began to bind her pierced thigh. It bleeds a lot, but now she had a good chance to survive, despite her broken ribs and left arm. Her sisters, wounded no less than her, gathered around the warlord. Then behind the nearest threes came a group of seven Immortals and charge at them in suicidal attack. Sharaa took the first strike with her blade and push the man back with the strength of the pure rage. Yet the man dropped his sword and hold her in wrestler`s grip, pulling her aside. The next one rush forward right toward Sharag, who`s right arm hang helplessly. With her left hand she throw a knife at him, but it bounce aside from his thick armour. She step aside, giving Sharas enough space for a good slash to his face. He parry and press with strength, then Sharag`s knife hit him between the locks of his armour. He screamed in pain and fell in agony, but the third and the fourth came immediately behind him and push both of them aside. Sharaz, Sharab and Sharak stand against them. Meanwhile the next couple moved aside to avoid them. Sharal, Sharad and Sharaf moved against them. The last Immortal use the sudden opportunity to attack the enemy`s leader and attack him with sword and shield. He avoided a few strikes but quickly push him into position that he was unable to use the long weapon in his advantage. He was ready to die, just as the other Immortals, just to kill the enemy`s warlord. He push the polearm up with his shield and slice the right thigh of the tribesman with his sword, then raise his weapon for the mortal strike toward the fallen enemy.

Sharag throw herself over him, taking the strike with her own body. The sword pierce her armour and sunk deep into her right lung and her breath stop suddenly from the incredible pain. All that she was able to do was to bite her tongue not to scream in pain, then Sharaa and the others surround them, cutting the Immortal to pieces.
They quickly remove her armour and the bloodied leather undergarment, but there was nothing they could do to help her. Pierced lung means only sure death from suffocation, until the victim drowned into her own blood. All of them were seen enough wounds to delude themselves. Rambulhwa throw aside his helmet, knelt and took her into his arms, turning her face toward him. The others stood around them speechless from the turn of the events right in the moment they thought that they were saved.
"Why?"
Despite his stone-like expression, by the gasping of the usually hard hoarse voice she understood the deep of his feelings. Slight smile appear on her bloodied lips.

"Don`t grow soft on me, little brother. We are warriors, we knew the risks. Just ..."
She spill some blood over him and she felt his trembling.
"Your weakness toward the women prevent you to use them properly in fight. You can`t care so much for us, the people already speak for the Omen Seekers." She gasped and spill more blood.
"Why? WHY? What did I do to deserve such devotion from you?!"
"No one receive what he deserve, don`t you understood it already, little brother? Only what he can take and protect." Sharag took a shallow breath, spill more blood over her chest and continue. "We love you, stupid horse arse as you are. None D`Shar warlord would take any D`Shar women for warrior into his warband, and you took us for your own bodyguards! The highest honour amongst all!"
He stood speechless for a moment, but when he tried to say something Sharag hold him tight.

"Listen to me! You must finish what you began! For you and for all of us. Conquer Pendor and don`t allow D`Shar to live in the stone yurts as our enemies. The laziness will be our doom!"
"What are you talking about?"
"My sisters knew. They will tell you later." She spill more blood. "Live, and remember us! Now finish me."
"NO! You can`t want this from me!"
"I want ... to be ... you. Don`t leave me to scream or to drown. Make it quick."
"I ... I can`t!"
"You can ... gasp ... I want to be ... you!"
Rambulhwa took his polearm and hold the longer blade at her throat. Sharag smile at him. With enormous efforts he forced himself to slice her throat. Sharag gasped in her last convulsions and hold his gaze up to her last moment. 

One horseman in exquisite black armour approaches over huge Netherworld Charger, followed from twenty Anaconda knights. By the standard and the way the masked warriors surround the man, holding a dead woman into his arms, Maltise decide that he must be their leader. Surely the fenestrated savage was already dead too, but at least they would have told her who was the next in the chain of command.
"Who is your leader?"
"I am." Rambulhwa spoke without to change his pose.
Maltise look at them more carefully but she was unable to decide who of them actually spoke. All of them were covered in the same armours and helmets, and all of them were obviously seriously wounded. She spoke again.
"Who of you?"
Rambulhwa slowly and gently left Sharag`s head on the bloodied ground and tried to raise. He hold the hilt of his weapon for stability and managed to stay on his feet alone.

"I am. My name is Rambulhwa."
His narrow dark eyes look at her carefully.
"And you are late, love. The agreement was to be here before the signal fire quenched."
Maltice snorted irritated, but she hold herself. Surely Adessa Valo didn`t exaggerated the tribesman arrogance and stupidity not even a little bit.
"As if some of us could care for some savages."
Rambulhwa tried to rush toward her, weapon in hand and her knights push their horses forward. On his second step, when he tried to step over his sliced foot, the savage just staggered and didn`t fell on his face only because another warrior hold him in time. Yet he gnarl at her with fury.
"You delay yourself long enough for us to be slaughtered! We had an agreement and you broke it!"
"Oh, so perhaps you aren`t so brainless as you seems to be." Maltise smile under her helmet. "But I did not broke our agreement, you ignorant savage. Nor me, nor Adessa swore in the name of the goddess."

"You cheated me! You used me to lure the Baccus with us and now you`ll take all the credit for their defeat!"
"Exactly." Maltise laugh on his startled expression and add mockingly. "Surely you didn`t expected from us to share the victory or the spoil with you?"
She saw his face and said with open despise.
"Oh, I see. You DID expected it! You are even more stupid that I thought." Maltise laugh in his face. "Please! To give you half an empire! You are so stupid, that you are actually funny."
The savage`s painful surprise, written all over his bloodless face was priceless. Maltise could taste his anger and despair.
"I will not accept your cheating!"
"And you will do ... what?" Maltice mock him openly. "Your army is broken, if I snap my fingers, my knights will just trample over the pitiful remains with ease. You are dying. The victory is mine and mine alone."

The pathetic savage hold himself and push the hands of his bodyguards aside. But Matise didn`t missed the fact, that he used his polearm to hold himself straight.
"But I am not dead yet! I helped your Cult for so long and you cheating me now!"
"I didn`t asked for your help, you idiot. All that you did, you did it because you decide to do it. I owe you nothing. Be grateful, if I decide not to take your still alive tribesmen for sacrifice."
"You lack any common dignity and decency!" The fool erupted suddenly and made another step toward her, using the long weapon as a crutch. 
Maltise was ready to order him killed, yet for the same services he made to the Cult she decide to be magnanimous ... this time.
"For those old co-operations of yours I will let your people to live ... this time. Die grateful for my generosity."

The mix of anger, disappointment and despair upon the savage`s face was ... unique. Maltise look upon it with delight. Somehow he manage to find enough bravado to show some spirit.
"So ..." He began almost pleasing to hear her negation. "... you didn`t came to become my wife?"
"Your ... WHAT?!?"
"Another part of our arrangement was, that Adessa will become my second wife, if you become my first one. Isn`t the conquering of the empire not enough for that?" He spit on the ground. "For that she agree in the name of your goddess!"
Maltise took her ebony sabre in a heartbeat, ready to kill the insane savage on the spot. Clearly Adessa Valo underestimated his arrogance and blind self-assurance. She shoot him with a sight, that could froze the blood of any of her priestesses on the spot and saw, how his arm over the hilt of his weapon hold it with all of his remaining strength. She notice the slight trembling of his body and understood, that the man barely hold himself straight. She push her horse forward to him.

"Adessa said nothing of the sort. You lie. But she surely underestimated your insolence and stupidity."
He also made a step toward her and staggered. In the last moment he managed to remain straight, holding the hilt of his weapon with both hands.
"I speak the truth!"
"But I don`t care. Nothing in the world is enough to ... ugh ... it disgust me even as I think of it! To become your wife?! Seriously? You are mad!"
"I will teach you what dignity truly is!" The savage gnarl at her with badly suppressed fury. "You will learn to hold onto your word and to your agreements, not to avoid it any time you see a chance for it!"
Maltise look around with exaggerated concern.
"Oh, my! You and what army will do that?"

"I will be enough for that! I challenge you to a duel! If I win, you will become my wife. If I lose, my warband will submit to you."
Maltise raise her sabre to slice the idiot, then she smile at him.
"You aren`t as stupid as you look. You are dying. But if I accept your terms and kill you, you will protect your people from the sacrificial knife for sure, making them my servants."
The savage tried to cover himself, but the small trembling of the muscles of his tightened jaws betrayed him.
"No! You are wrong!"
"Yes, yes, you are such great fighter and so on and so on. Do you have any idea how many times I was challenged?"
"Not often enough to teach you to hold onto your word, obviously!"
Maltise gnarled and jump from her saddle, holding her sabre and spiked shield in readiness.
"Come on!"

"Do you accept my challenge in the name of your goddess? In front of those witnesses?"
"Oh, you are so pathetic! Yes, yes, I accept."
"Say it! I can not trust you so easily already!"
"Hahaha! I haven`t had such fun in years!" Maltise incline her head in amusement. "Perhaps I`ll make myself a pair of gloves from your hide as a memento. Fine! I swear in the name of Azi Dahaka, that I accept your terms of the challenge! Satisfied?"
"I will hold you to your word! Are you ready?"
Maltise could only to stare at him in mute amusement.
"Oh, you don`t want to be said that you defeated me with unfair advantage? I am ready!"
She look at the fool as he tried to walk toward her. He made a step forward with his strong leg, then quickly stuck the small blade of his weapon in the ground, supporting his weight onto it, then dragged his sliced leg forward.

It took him some time. Then again. This time a bit slower. Then again. Even slower. On the fifth step he breathing shallow and quite quick, supporting himself on the hilt with both hands and he stop for a short rest. But judging of the eleven bolts and his other wounds it wasn`t really a surprise. Maltise remove her black hornet helmet and casually turn him her back, hooking it to her saddle. As she expected, she heard clanking of an armour and saw one of her knights to raise a javelin. She raise a hand to stop him and turn around. She knew what she would see. The savage tried to use the moment of her "vulnerability", yet his legs betrayed him and he was on his knees, the right hand holding desperately for balance on the hilt, his head failing low. Just as she look at him, she saw a blood streak, streaming from his head to the ground.
One of the other warriors spoke with tensed, half-chocked voice.
"D`Shar warrior do not kneel! Stand up!"

Maltise look at him with curiosity, as the dying tribesman gather the last of his remaining reserves of strength and painfully slow raise on his feet, using only his weapon for support. The trembling of his arms was clearly visible, the convulsions of his body could hardly be missed, just as the blood, streaking from his mouth. His eyes was focused on her. She waited a few moments, but he didn`t made another step and she realized, that his eyes didn`t look at her, but somewhere trough her, and he lack the strength to make even one more step forward. She yawn in mocking boredom and waive a hand to him. He didn`t react. Suddenly angered, Maltise made two long steps forward and hit his strong leg, piercing the thigh to the hilt of her sabre, holding her shield high, just in case the polearm fell onto her. The only reaction was one short and sharp inhale, the staring glassy eyes of his continue to look trough her. She left her sabre into his leg and make a circle around him, admiring his endurance despite herself.
"Come on, try to hit me at least once! Come on! Fight me!"
His hands began to shake even more onto the hilt. She smile and whisper into his only ear.
"Yes, that`s right. Raise your weapon one last time!"

And he did it. She saw the slow raising of his palms over the hilt and prepare to block it with her shield, but alas, in the moment the hand lifted the hilt from the ground, his devoid from any support body fell forward. The weapon fell out of his hand and roll out of his reach. He didn`t even tried to raise, just tremble in strong convulsion, then a weaker one. She chuckle disappointed, then recall that not many people can hold for long with such wounds and decide to end his suffering. Still holding her shield into her left arm, she lowered herself to him, grab his neck with her right arm and raise him with ease, until his boots hang in the air. She look right into his unwinking eyes one last time.
"Time to die!"
The glassy eyes focused onto her own eyes and the mouth twisted into wry half-smile.
"Without a kiss?"
Her eyes turn round in shock and surprise and Maltise instinctively reach for her sabre. Then a knife touched her throat and she froze. The savage look at her with a new and cold expression, pressing the knife into her throat until the tip took a drop of her blood. His voice was even colder than his new expression.
"It seems that I won, don`t you think so?"
 
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