Roland stared at the encroaching army ahead from the city wall, an image of grim determination etched on his features. The air was cold and there was a bitter wind from the seamingly endless ocean to the north. He glanced around at the others around him, a flag emblazoned with a black lion upon a field of red flapping in his periphery. The armies of Swadia stood shoulder-to-shoulder upon the walls of Praven, from the lowliest militia to the highest ranking knight, personal representatives of the Swadian nobility. A mixture of emotions were painted upon their features, grim acceptance or ill-disguised fear. Roland shifted slightly as he examined his surroundings and re-shifted his gaze back to the task at hand, his chainmail clinking slightly as he turned, the lion on the tabard being fully visible to any ahead. He exhaled slightly as the invaders slowly came closer.
They had all heard the stories of those from across the long sea, the Pendorians were not ones to be trifled with and Calradia had largely tried to avoid their gaze, but the Empire had taken a sudden interest in the Swadians territories and swiftly marched their armies across the seas. Any sizeable contingent from Pendor had not set foot on Calradian soil for almost 300 years. Yet Roland still did not understand their intentions, seemingly no-one did, but then they had always been a strange people. Roland shook the thought from his mind and focused back on the task at hand, his eyes widened slightly as the full contingent slowly came into view. Almost 2000 Imperials from what he estimated, stopped not 600 yards short of the wall. A seemingly endless sea of black and yellow, men armed with spear, sword or crossbow with the Imperial Signet flapping upon banners and lances. They outnumbered them almost three to one, yet they had a semblance of hope. The city wall.
Silence fell upon the city, as every man absorbed what he saw, afraid to breathe too heavily incase of breaking it. A single man from the contingent, one of the few he saw riding a mount broke from the formation. The man was garbed in black-layered armour, trimmed with gold with a strange symbol delicately carved into the breast-plate. A man of obvious high command, Roland thought to himself quickly. The officer raised his hand for a moment, every man upon the wall tensed, gripping their weapons and crossbows in iron-like grips. Roland thought he saw him smirk, a sickening twist of the mouth as the man threw his arm downwards. The sound of crossbow fire broke the silence. The light from the sun high above dimmed as the bolts rained downwards upon the Swadian defence. Roland threw his shield up quickly, more from instinct rather than calculated thinking as several bolts battered the steel. Others around him were not so quick as the man next to him took a bolt to the knee, bringing forth a gargling scream before another took him in the throat, pinning him to the ground. Screams and shouts from the Swadian defense filled the air as the Empire crossbowmen released another volley. "Don't just stand there!" shouted Roland "Return fire!".
The Swadian crossbowmen cowering behind the wall peeked up briefly, emptying their crossbows in return. The bolts struck the front rank for the Imperials, sending them sprawling backwards as many hit their mark. The man in black shouted an order in their native tongue and the vanguard of the Empire soldiers began marching quickly towards the wall, flanked by skirmishers in an attempt to the keep the Swadian Archers pinned down. The Swadians continued to retaliate as bolts flew amongst the formation, killing dozens as they marched towards the wall. Suddenly the men broke and opened up as ladders appeared amongst them, lightly armoured men sprinted towards the wall in an attempt to rush the defenses. Roland shifted his shield in time to spot this, he swung around to the nearest crossbowmen contingent, who were firing indescriminately off the wall. "Aim at the ones with the ladders!" He yelled as he pointed at the nearest one, carried by six small men, sweating from the obvious exhertion. The crossbowmen nodded slightly as they each leant over, emptying the bolts at the targets as a volley of Imperial arrows struck home, taking one in the shoulder and throwing him backwards to the street below.
The Swadian volley took the entire right flank, causing the others on the adjacent side to stumble and fall before being pinned to the floor by a second volley. Roland scanned the ground below quickly, despite the constant barrages dozens of ladders found their mark on the walls. Imperials sat upon them as they rose, throwing themselves amongst the Swadian defense. One mounted just infront of Roland, quickly his curved Sarranid blade flew deftly from its scabbard as he slashed at the soldier upon it. The man screamed as he tumbled to the ground below. Imperials quickly began to scramble up the ladders as the battle upon the walls was quickly joined.
I'll most likely be updating this daily, so if you enjoy please feel free to comment and give some constructive criticism 
