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The Sacrificial Boy : Chapter 16 free porn video
In the predawn hours, two senior foresters had appeared at Lord Kelvin's
castle all in a panic after coming across a large encampment of cavalry.
Since the first stones were laid for Lisheen Castle, the lords always
had woodsmen in the forest during the campaign season. Although highly
unlikely, troops could pass through the Wyre Forest to attack the Keep
and surrounding villages.
Sir Nevan thanked the gods for their foresight, as he rode down a line
of local levies, shouting for the men to form up. With Miles and his
father on campaign with the King, the safety of the castle and the
surrounding villagers were his responsibility. The warning of the
impending attack had hopefully given the surrounding villagers enough
time to reach the safety of the castle. If not then he would buy them
that time.
?Sergeant Owen, has everyone made it safely into the castle??
The sergeant, a grizzly old veteran of the wars of succession that took
place twenty years ago, looked up as the lord?s son approached. For the
better half of the morning, he had been gathering men from different
villages together for the defense of the castle and the surrounding
lands.
?My Lord, Wyre and Stonebrook villagers have almost made it to the
safety of the Keep. Whiteflow and Ullord villagers are still coming in,
the others have not reported in as of yet.?
?All right, thank you sergeant, go ahead and move the rest of these men
to the orchards.?
While watching the militia depart, made up mostly of old men and boys,
Sir Nevan knew there was little chance he would be able to stop an
attack. He was under no illusion that by the end of the day, most of
these men and most likely himself, would lie dead on the field. However,
he needed to try to at least slow the attackers down.
With a shake of his head, he turned his warhorse around, riding off with
a group of mounted armsmen towards the edge of the forest.
?By the gods of battle, girl, you sure picked terrible time to
disappear.?
Not for the first time his mind wandered towards the missing King?s
Healer, although truthfully he missed more than her healing skills.
Without a word, she had vanished after saving so many on his father?s
lands.
Moreover, the way she handled herself during that time of crisis, Sir
Nevan knew that Aislin would have made a formidable Lady of Lisheen. But
beyond that, her disappearance had left a hole in his heart. However,
the story of her going into the woods to track down the person or
persons who abducted the young girls was absurd. No, Aislin?s
disappearance reeked of court politics.
Neither Macha nor Aislin?s grandmother was more forthcoming about where
Aislin went, either. Sir Miles believed she fled to another part of the
Kingdom due to Sir Nevan?s father?s return. But why, he would have
protected her. Sir Miles had actually planned to follow Aislin but Sir
Nevan talked him out of it.
Even more mysterious, Aislin?s grandmother had an audience with his
father the next morning on his return. From the way his parents reacted,
Sir Nevan immediately understood that Ina was more than a simple village
Wise Woman, perhaps even more than a Court Healer.
Macha too, wasn?t exactly who she appeared to be. The daughter of a
Knight, she should have been apprenticed to a Court Healer living in a
castle, not some village.
Unfortunately they both had departed with his father, summoned to the
Council of Elders. Although there were several other village Wise Woman
heading towards the castle, he knew the powers of those three women in
particular would be sorely missed.
Joining the line of battle he road up towards another group of mounted
men. ?Any word from our scouts, Constable Sinclair??
Before the older Knight could answer, a group of woodsmen came running
out of the woods, one taking to horse riding straight towards Sir Nevan
and his command.
++++++++++
Angry and more than a little concerned, King Conall dismounted from his
warhorse after riding through the army camp of the north. Due to the
size of the King?s forces, the troops moved across the land in three
large formations. While leading the center force, King Conall received
news of an attack on the northern wing, commanded by Count Valan.
From what could be determined, an unknown number of horsemen came out of
the eastern woods, striking quickly, burning merchant wagons and getting
in among some of the regimental tents. It had been a well thought out
raid. The attackers had simply ridden in, caused as much confusion as
necessary and then ridden out.
?Nice and neat, light horse most likely, your Majesty,? the senior
Knight of the Kings escort commented as the group moved towards the
command tents.
?And look at the bloody confusion it?s caused, it?s going to slow us
down,? King Conall growled. How had King Llwynog moved his forces to the
other side of the Fomar Hills already and through the Sable Woods no
less?
?Woman, that hurt!? a bear like voice growled from inside one of the
tents.
?Sit still you big baby; you?ll open your wound again; serves you right
for not wearing a helmet.?
?Gods girl, you sound like your mother.?
Stepping inside the command tent, the King found the Count?s niece, a
small red headed girl dressed in the colors of a King?s Healer, standing
over her uncle cleaning what appeared to be a head wound.
The Count pushed the King?s healer away, who looked at him unhappily
before collecting her things. Greeting the King with a smile, and a
curtsey she departed from the tent.
?Feel sorry for her betrothed, girl?s going to be a handful I?ll tell
you that,? the Count said with pride.
?Alright, Valan, what happened here??
Waving his hand unhappily, the Count motioned the King to a large chair.
?Sciath?in winged lancers, a full regiment at least.? The famed
horsemen, who rode with large winged like banners on their back, were
known as the best light horse in the realm. ?Attacked us a little after
dawn, right out of the woods; at least they do a lot of damage mostly
burning merchant wagons. Still it?s going to take at least a day to sort
it all out.
?And?? the King pointed to the Count?s head wound.
The Count frowned. ?I was having a bit of breakfast with Baron Torthgar;
wasn?t exactly dressed for battle.?
?No stockade your Excellency?? Sir Malcolm asked.
?My bleeding fault.? The Count sighed. ?We marched in late into the
night, didn?t have time to set the camp up right. Still, we are on the
other side of the Dearg River; they must have at least a week?s march on
us.?
?Two maybe three weeks I would say,? another voice added, as Duke
Blathmac entered the tent.
?What are you doing here?? King Conall asked his brother.
?I had news to tell you but you had already left.? The Duke walked over
and poured himself a drink before sitting down. ?King Llwynog?s been a
busy man; from what I just discovered his troops were already making
camp around Coedwig at the start of winter.?
The fortress of Coedwig stood at what was known as the Gaird?n valley, a
strip of fertile land separating the two Kingdoms. Because of the heavy
woods of the Wyre forest and the rough hills and mountainous terrain to
the north, the valley had often been the path which both Kingdoms?
armies took every year.
?Worst, Dun L?idir is already besieged.? Like their neighbors, the
Kingdom of Airthir had a fortified keep, one of the old Black Sorceress
fortresses, on their side of the valley.
At the news, the King started to unhappily rub his head. The carefully
planned campaign he and his council worked on over the long winter was
already in ruins.
Duke Blathmac nodded, throwing a small list of towns and villages on the
table. ?Except for this attack on the camp, your royal cousin seems only
interested in raiding towns and villages near Dun L?idir. The bulk of
his forces now sit at the edge of the Gaird?n valley.?
?He has to deal with Dun L?idir first, can?t leave it in his rear.?
Count stood up and went to be back of the tent, returning with a large
map. ?Maybe he intends to settle this with one large battle, even so our
troop numbers should be about the same.?
King Conall looked over the map taking notice of the location where the
two armies would be fighting.
?True, but he is also working hard on stripping this army of those much
needed men. Llwynog is well aware that we will have to leave forces
behind to protect our rear, if nothing else those Sciath?in lancers are
still out there.?
?Aye, although with us knowing those blasted lancers are on the prowl,
we can make their lives difficult. From what my own scouts tell me, they
appear to be returning to the main army.?
?Perhaps, but we can?t risk it. We cannot afford them to be running
around in our rear,? King Conall said, reaching for a quill to make a
list of regiments of horse and foot which would return north to protect
the army?s line of march.
?Looking at the report, your Grace, I don?t see that they attacked too
many villages near the Wyre forest,? Count Valan said. ?I would have
thought with those bloody lancers marching through the Sable Woods, King
Llwynog would have sent troops through them.?
Although highly unlikely, the woods being too heavy for most cavalry, at
best, any cavalry would be walking their horses through the thick
underbrush.
?I?m afraid they did. A rider came from Lord Kelvin?s lands early this
morning. It appears that Prince Rupert managed to make his way through
the Wyre Forest with a good number of horse.?
Both men looked up startled and a little concerned. The nephew of the
king, Rupert was considered one of the best cavalry commanders on either
side. Such a commander would create havoc in those fertile lands.
?So what happened??
?He and his entire command simply vanished; they never came out of the
woods.?
The Duke told of the events that took place on Lord Kelvin?s lands two
days ago. The other men were about to ask the validity of the report,
until the Duke continued. ?Even stranger, we received news this morning
that Llwynog redeployed his entire army away from those same woods.?
?Why would he do that? The Prince is most likely just lost, he will turn
up eventually.?
?I?m not too sure about that, your Majesty.? Count Valan looked
nervously around the room. ?You know those rumors of the Black
Sorceress? return??
King Conall looked at the Count in surprise; he had been the one to
first the rumors fanciful children tales. ?Sir Malcolm, can you ask the
guards to summon Cailtram son of Girom.?
Moments later, the heavily armored Earl, a tall young man, blonde hair
typical of the ancient warrior people called the Kareivis entered the
tent. Greeting the other men of the room, he spoke with a heavy accented
of a northerner. ?You have need of me Valan.?
?Yes Cailtram, I have been told that your people also have rumors of the
Black Sorceress? return.?
The war leader of the Kareivis tried not the make a face at the
question. The two people had quite different opinions on the ancient
Sorceress. Even after the sorceress fell, his people continue to loyally
follow her banner.
Far to the south, she was remembered only as a great conqueror. North of
the Old Forest, the sorceress was considered an evil influence on the
world. Something that the great Kings of old had to destroy. However, in
the cold lands of the far north, the Kareivis and the people who walked
among the clouds, called the Auksta-, she was not called the Black
Sorceress but Laimi-gs the Blessed One.
?No?not rumors. The Rune Singers have spoken of the return of the Laimi-
gs. She has been seen in the shape of a great bird, calling the Burvju
to her once more.?
The other men in the room shifted uncomfortably. Duke Blathmac asked.
?The Burvju? I haven?t heard that name before.?
The Earl almost laughed; these southerners knew nothing. No wonder his
ancestors had made war upon them for so many years. In Cailtram
grandfather?s time, the last battle took place with Kareivis defeating
an army twice its size. With that victory, they earned back much of the
land they lost in previous wars. Now an uneasy alliance existed between
the two peoples.
?Those who have the Dovana, the gift, take a journey when they come of
age to a sacred place among the mountains and to sit and wait for her
calling. Those who are fated to become Burvju do not return.?
King Cullum frowned. From what he grandfather had once told him, the
Kareivis tied the young people to a boulder high in the mountains as
some sort of sacrifice to their dark goddess.
Whatever his opinion on their religious practices, as a King he,
understood that the needed to be careful with his words. For the
upcoming campaign to be successful, they would need their strength. Earl
Cailtram and his people were a proud folk, valuing family and clan honor
above all things. The Kareivis were also some of the best foot troops in
the realm. With their shield walls and runic weapons, they could take
down a heavily armored knight with single swing.
?What about those who do return?? the Duke asked. Like the king, he too
thought that these young people were sacrificed to their dark gods in
return for a shorter winter.
?It?s no dishonor not to be chosen, my mother was one who took the
journey. The young women who return became healers, or wives of our
chieftains or Earls. The men usually apprentice themselves to Rune
Singers or Rune Smiths.
?So you believe these Rune Singer?s stories about the Black Sorceress?
return?? King Conall asked carefully.
The Earl looked as if he was going to say something else, then changed
his mind and simply said. ?I do.?
The Kareivis just sat there and listened as King Conall explained what
had happened with Prince Rupert and King Llwynog army.
?What do you think??
?I am not worthy enough to understand the thoughts of the Laimi-gs but
what would you do, great King, if someone invaded your lands. Why would
you expect her to do any less??
++++++++++
From the battlements of Dun L?idir, the defenders watched the two armies
finally come together. Since coming under siege, King Llwynog had not
attempted to assault the fortress or batter it down. No, the defenders
knew that King Conall?s army was defeated outside the gates; they would
have no choice but surrender.
As night descended, the two armies sat across from one another. The
landscape appeared to be covered in stars, each a campfire surrounded by
men. As the healers worked long into the night preparing for the
wounded, and the smiths and armorers made last minute repairs, those
among campfires readied themselves for the next morning.
For some, battle would be a joyous occasion, a chance to show their
worth. The Kareivis drank large quantities of mead and sang the ancient
battle songs of their fathers. The Sciath?in on the other hand talked
quietly as they went over every inch of their arms and armor. Each held
significance in their lives, a gift from father to son, with certain
pieces being passed down through the generations. Like the Kareivis,
they too waited excitedly for the call of battle, for the hunt to begin.
For others, the battle only brought fear. Many believed that the next
day would be their last. They sat around the campfires, silent, thinking
of loved ones while hating every hour as it brought them closer to the
dawn.
Before the first rays of dawn appeared, both camps began to stir. Men
and animals were fed, weapons readied and both armies began the short
march to the battlefield. Slowly, regiment by regiment, they stood
across from one another. The mercenary companies and other veterans
moved in tight formations, maneuvering across the landscape with
precision.
Other troops, like the Kings levy looked more like a mob. The sergeants
walking in the rear holding stout clubs to use not against any attacker
but those who thought to flee the line of battle.
With the cavalry finally taking to the flanks and the heavy foot moving
towards the center, missile troops on both sides moved forward in front
of the armies. From crossbows, to short bows to the few longbows they
would draw first blood.
Then both armies stopped, looking across the field at one another. On
both sides, they waited. Before the conflict began many times, there
would be a battle for honor. Knights on both sides would call each other
out for single combat. Or perhaps, as many hoped the two Kings would
meet and talk and there would be no battle today.
However, this day of battle was unlike any other. As the armies readied
themselves, a long figure in black appeared in the center of the
battlefield. A woman with raven black hair, stood next to a massive
creature, which looked at both armies with disdain.
Her sudden appearance caused some confusion and panic among the ranks. A
contingent of levies suddenly turned and fled, running over the
sergeants to get away. Did they fear the woman or the beast, no one knew
as the other units closed up ranks to fill the holes the fleeing troops
just made.
From both sides a rider appeared, carrying the banner of their king.
Nervously they approached the woman. As each returned to their line,
after speaking to her, they returned once again but this time with Dukes
of the realm, sent to speak to the Sorceress.
As the morning wore on, both sides watched the curious meeting that took
place in the center of the battlefield. Finally, as the Dukes and
heralds returned to their own side, troops made ready for battle but
instead orders were given to return to camp.
The fighting between the Kingdom of Airthir and Kingdom of D?l Riata was
over.
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