Marius lifts his head, waking to the sound of the barracks coming to life. Jess still sleeping soundly in his lap, making him smile while resting his head on the pillow once more. Until she starts to stir, turning towards him in loving embrace and slowly opening her eyes. "My hero."
He smiles "wasn't it idiot last night?"
"Can't it be both?" She says while moving in for a kiss. "So what mischief will we get into today?"
"Well we should see about getting you enlisted officially, if ... if that's something you would like?"
"Hmm ... Jessalie, soldier of Baldrum ... never thought i'd ever say that."
"You don't have to of course! We can figure something else out ..."
"I get to spend every waking moment with the big bad captain over here ... where do I sign?"
His smile widens at her words. "Well I only have 2 years left on my therm. Afterwords I can chose to sign on longer or ... retire to a certain farm I own ..."
"So I have to wait 2 years before I can stop sharing you with that little general? Good thing I'm a patient woman."
"You're ... ok with that?"
"Why wouldn't I be? I can wait another few years to have you for myself, beside we can have all kinds of adventures right here ... but for the love of the Elders leave that necklace on from now on." She jests but with an undertone obvious she meant it as well.
*knock knock* "Captain Cromwell?"
He sighs "2 more years, 2 more years." Whispering to himself before shouting at the door. "Just a minute." He crawls over Jessalie and puts his uniform on quick as he can while Jess makes herself decent as well. He looks back before opening the door, making sure she was completely dress before opening. "About time." General Walters muttered as he barges in without warning. "Ah that explains it." Looking at Jess and making Marius pause. "Don't fret Cromwell, I was young to ... once."
" Ye .. Yes sire."
"But enlist her properly with the clerk if she is staying here hmm. I would know if an elf enlisted ... don't think me turning a blind eye is a sign of stupidity." He says winking at Marius.
"Yes, wi ... "
"We where just talking about doing just that general, sir." She cuts in.
"Good. Now listen op captain. Since i get the feeling she will find out anyway i'm doing this in front of her ... We are attacking Rise tomorrow."
"What!? Why!?" He almost shouts at the general.
"The king wants this ordeal over with, so we are throwing everything we got at them. We asked the elves for aid but I doubt we will get a response, they might show but I doubt it."
"Sir, we won the last battle purely because we had the wall defenses. If we attack them thing wont go that smoothly, you have to know this.
"Aye aya captain, it was not my idea. But orders are orders, so its up to us to come up with a plan that won't get us all killed."
"Their city isn't as well defended as ours but still. Its walled off with a wooden palisade, they have catapults, their centaur cavalry and help from Dalin which is all to close by."
"Wooden palisades? Can't we just burn that down?" Jess plainly interjects.
"No it's not tha ... well ... it might actually just be." Marius says sinking in thought. "If we could get our balista's in range without them noticing and charging at us we could technically enclose their home in a ring of fire. But that's a big if. The moment they know we are coming they are meeting us in the field, they are not stupid after all.
"What if we split up our forces captain? The main force attacking them from the south, as they would expect us to do and a second circling to the west with the balista's, setting their wall ablaze."
"Technically that would work, but attacking them like that ... we will lose men general. I suppose they would break seeing their walls go up in flames behind them but even holding out long enough for that to happen is going to be a strain on the men sir."
"They will hold them off long enough captain. You'll be leading them, so I have no doubts."
"What!? Where are you ... You are going with the balista's? Sire if they find out your flanking they'll ... "
"I got you to make sure they don't so put on a good show Cromwell and see us both return home aye?"
"Yes sir!"
"We move out in the morning. Make sure your rested he ... and I do mean rest captain." He says looking at jess for a split second.
Marius simply nods and closes the door behind the general, leaning against it when he's gone. "We should have just left on Shadow when we could." Smashing the door with his fist.
"It will be fine Marius. We are survivors you and I. With a bit off luck we will put the fear of the Elders in them and have a peaceful 2 years before we ..." Marius interrupts her by hugging her intensely. "Ever since you got here I've been scared Jess, scared off losing you, scared of dying just when I found happiness, ..."
"It's ok, my love." she says kissing his head. "We will come back from this. Now I will go find that clerk and sign myself up. You start planning that attack captain."
Marius lets go off her and nods firmly before taking pen and parchment out of the trunk by his bed. Sitting down at the table, he starts scribbling lines and positions as Jess leaves to the clerks office at the barracks entrance. Once arrived the door is open and a bald, elderly man is seen sitting behind piles of papers at his desk. She knocks on the already open door to get his attention. "Sorry to disturb you mister, but I would like to enlist with captain Marius' battalion."
The man startles a bit "come on in lass, lets fill out some paperwork then.
Jess enters the room, bookshelves filled with bound papers on both sides. "Take a seat" he says will taking a form out of one of his desk drawers. "First elf I got in my office, I got to say i am surprised."
"I get that a lot mister, i just want to do my part for the city." She says confidently.
"Alright then lass, full name please."
"Jessalie whiteleaf"
"Age?"
"Euh ... 64."
He looks up at here "right ... elves." He mutters. "Skills?"
"I am a proficient hunter. I can handle a bow and arrow though I haven't really handled a sword before."
"The rangers then. And you wanted to sign up with the wolf battalion you said?"
"Wolf battalion?"
"Yes, captain Cromwell's battalion?"
"Yes ... yes I would." If he picked that himself he truly is an idiot she thinks to herself.
"Alright then. How many years do we sign you on for?"
"2 years please."
The man scribbles on his peace of paper. "You do know the pay isn't great? You do get food and lodging to compensate this ... somewhat."
"Not to worry mister. I am not here to gain wealth."
"Alright, that's all really. You can pick up a ranger uniform, armor and weaponry at the end of the hall. We shall assign you a quarts so you ..."
"That won't be necessary mister. I got a place to stay."
"Soldiers are required to be in the barracks when on ..."
"I will be mister."
He looks at her curiously for a moment but decides to drop it and stamps the form. "Report to captain Cromwell than. His battalion was on leave but I heard they called everyone back in for some reason so he should be in his quarters ... at the end of the hall, las ..."
"I know the way, thank you mister." She says smiling as she walks out, leaving the clerc with a bewildered look on his face.
"Jessalie?" She hears as she just turned down to return to Marius. Turning around revealing Galmeth walking towards her. "You enlisted?"
With a genuine smile "Yes I did, officially a ranger of the wolf battalion now."
"Glad to have you on board private." He says saluting and getting saluted back. "Are you headed towards the captain?" He continuous to ask.
"Yes I was sergeant. You as well?"
He nods. "I just heard we are heading out tomorrow, attacking Rise."
"General Walters came to bring the news personally a little while ago." She replies.
"I have to be honest, I'm a bit scared. Facing them like this ..."
"Marius to sergeant."
Galmeth burst into laughter as if a joke was just told. Jess looks surprised at Galmeths buldering laugh.
"You? ... Your serious?" He asks, still snickering.
"Off course. Why wouldn't he be?"
"Its just ... the captain isn't one to get scared. I've seen him face overwhelming odds and not flinch. He's ..."
"He's only human Galmeth. You know what makes him such a great leader? When fear grips him, he does not run or give up, no, he overcomes that fear. That's what it mean to be brave."
Galmeth looks at her as if wisdom just struck him like lightning. "I ... I never looked at it like that. He just always looks so confident."
"He has to no? Would you follow a captain that questions himself? Cowers in the face of the enemy? I doubt you would sergeant."
Reaching Marius' quarters Galmeth moves his hand to knock but Jess just barges right in. Finding Marius still at the table with a few balls of paper on the ground around him. "I think I got it!" He says enthusiastically as soon as she walks in. His face tightening as soon he notices Galmeth behind her.
"Well, show us she says, looking at the scribbled paper on the table."
Galmeth walks in, clearly uncomfortable as Jess acts so casual around the captain. "Well?" She continuous.
"Alright look here. This is our line right. They will charge it as soon as they spot us. When they engage their centaur cavalry is going to flank us."
"How are you sure about that sir?" Galmeth asks.
"That's what I would do sergeant. The moment they do, we fold our left and right flank back, making sure its made out of spear infantry. We let them run themselves true on our spears while our rangers pick them off on by one from the center. The downside is that we enclose our self and retreating will not be an option ... so the general needs to succeed in putting that wall ablaze or ..."
"The general will come true for us, i'm sure of it captain." Galmeth says confidently.
"He'd better." Marius smiles at the man. "We just need to make sure we time it exactly right, to early and they can maneuver around us, to late an we get over run in minutes."
"We wont fail captain, if it pleases you i will send word to captain Anders, Captain Davies and Captain Bodrin, informing them of the tactic. Will you be commanding us or ...?"
"Very good sergeant. And no, you will Galmeth. I shall be at the head this time. The wolf battalion is under your command sergeant."
"Yes sir! I wont let you down sir!." He says surprised but confident.
"Now run off Galmeth, inform the other captains."
Galmeth salutes the captain and runs off at full speed, leaving the couple alone once more. "So we are all set?" Jess says, seeing him more confident once more.
"I think so, we are going to need luck on our side though. If we fold to fast or ... " She interrupts him by jumping on his lap.
"Don't start doubting again now, its a good plan. Your men are well trained. The general won't fail ... we will come back Marius."
He sighs "I hope we do, I did the best I could."
"I know you did. So now what do we do?"
"Well we wait until tomorrow morning. The general will be preparing the balista's so there is nothing more to do."
The pair remained in there quarters for the rest of the day, Marius quieter then usual, still contemplating everything in his head. When night begins to fall, both turn in early, Marius struggling to find sleep. Pondering and going over the battle in his head over and over again.
*the rooster crows*
Jess finds Marius already sitting at the table, looking at his piece of paper. She doesn't say anything, instead just walks up to him and swinging herself over his lap. "Enough staring at that paper." His face lights up at the sight of her and he kisses her.
"We should get ready, we have a long march ahead of us." He says while standing up and lifting her with him. Jess kisses him one more time before jumping off and heading towards the armory and grabbing herself proper ranger gear. After both are ready, they join the army assembling at the north gate.
The main army marches straight towards Rise with the general leading a splinter force true the west gate over the deadsea line north with the balista's in tow. It takes a full 4 days to reach Rise territory when Marius halt the army, letting the men rest in cover of the dense pine forest. They will need it for the battle to come, of that he has no doubt. A day passes and when night starts to fall on the 5th day Marius walks amongst his men saluting him as he passes.
"Sergeant?"
"Yes sir." Galmeth says saluting the captain.
"Send Dale to inform the other captains, we are moving out. We dallied long enough."
"Yes captain!" And Galmeths off, mobilizing the troops who are in formation just outside of the forest in no time. Marius moves at its head a top of Shadow in full armor plate and with Jess taking position with the other rangers of the wolf battalion. Their cavalry positioned at the very back as the line starts moving forward. The moment Rise appears on the horizon there is already a line of orcs, goblins, trolls and the other uprising races their to greet them.
"Hooold!!!" Marius shouts as the line instantly comes to a stop. The cavalry still in the forest behind them, hidden out of sight. "Noise!" He shouts as swords start clashing with shields in an intimidating fashion and the sound drowns out all others.
A battle horn sounds from the opposing side and their line starts moving towards them. "We just need to buy time! So no hero's! We hold the line for as long as we need to!" He shouts out above his troops while marching Shadow along the length of the army line. When he gets to the wolf battalion his eyes lock with Jess and he faintly smiles at her. "Captain!" Galmeth shouts while pointing to the uprisings forces. As Marius turns he sees a flurry of arrows about to rain down on them. "Shieeeelds!!"he yells atop of his lungs and the troops raise their shields with the rangers taking cover behind them. As they lower them the enemy is only feet away from them and the lines crash like water hitting a dam.
The battle rages on with Marius leading by example on the torch lit battlefield atop of Shadow. Casualties on both side dropping all around them. Until suddenly the uprisings battle horn sounds again. Marius knew what that meant, the dreaded centaur cavalry. In the thick of battle he makes his way behind true his own line, trying to get an overview of the centaurs when he sees them charging from both sides he feels both relieved and worried, it was the moment of truth.
The close start to close in and he grabs the horn strapped on his belt, letting out 2 sharp blasts. His line starts moving, they are folding back, the rising forces turning with them as the centaur cavalry tramples some of their own troops before clashing into Baldrum spears. The captain lets out a long drawn out sigh and blows the horn again, this time only once both long enough for the sound to travel far enough. And before the centaurs can retreat the Baldrum cavalier charges from out of the forest, hitting them full force and turning the tide of battle in their favor. Marius doesn't rest and charges out again together with the cavalry, engaging the centaurs.
The battle continuous to rage for ours, with both sides not relenting but fatigue hitting the Baldrum forces harder then the enemy. "Captain!? We are crumbling on the left." Private Dale shouts while blocking an incoming blow. He made his way towards the captain from the left flank. Marius blows his horn again, signaling the cavalry to follow him as he retreats true the line and moves to circle to the left flank. Once there the rise forces clearly outnumber the Baldrum army and the flanks are folding further back and are in danger of getting surrounded. But then he notices in the distance ... fires rising up from the horizon. The general did it! The uprising forces start to break rank and are crumbling back on their city. The battlefield starts to die down and cheers start to erupt among the troops. Marius looks around, instantly looking for Jess as he will only rest easy knowing she survived. Then he sees it, the white hair flowing in the wind as she runs towards him. He instantly dismounts shadow and he swings her round in a loving embrace. "Thank the Elders that's over with." She says in his ear. "Not that I ever doubted ..." Marius tilts her head up and kisses her.
"This was a close call. If the general was any later this would have ended with a field of Baldrum soldiers." He says, relieved it didn't.
"But it didn't" she says comforting.
"No but ... so many died and for what? Because a king far from here commands it?"
Jess looks around at the fallen, pilled all over the once grassy field. She had seen dead but never quit like this. It gave her pause really looking at it like this. "Captain!?" Galmeth comes calling.
"Good to see you made it sergeant." Marius says relieved and actually happy to see the young sergeant.
"Likewise captain, not that I ever doubted that. But what now?"
"We move back to the forest sergeant, for tonight we rest. Tomorrow we collect our dead and return to Baldrum."
"Aye captain! The men will be glade to rest for a few hours before heading out."
Marius nods firmly and salutes the sergeant as he moves back to the remaining troops. Marius mounts shadow again, pulling Jess up behind him and rides towards the forest. Their supplies still there waiting for them and a small makeshift campsite is quickly set up. They only had a few hours off sleep so most made the most of it an fell asleep instantly, most still in full armor, falling asleep where they sat. And so the battle was won at great cost, but peace should endure now for some time. Both forces where severely weakened and a big portion of Rise's outer wall went up in flames, still smoldering as black smoke filled the horizon.
Marius finds himself a quiet spot, just far enough away from the campsite and rolls out a sheepskin underneath one of the trees. Without many words, he and Jess settle in for the night and find sleep rather quickly.