Gods of Blood and Fire - A. J. Strickler Page 0,249

future King.

The Queen sent word to King Havalon that she would wait three more days for him to mourn his sons then he could either lower his flags and be escorted out of Bandara by the Asconans or he could prepare his army for battle.

The King still held the message in his hand. He stood between the bodies of his sons, he had not been able to bring himself to bury them yet. There was really no decision to make, he would not go back to his county in disgrace or without his boys. He bid his men to fill the royal pavilion with wood and whatever they could find that would burn. The old King softly kissed each of his sons on the forehead. Then he put a torch to his grand pavilion and watched as his legacy turned to smoke.

There was no need to wait three days. When the fire died, the King sent a runner to the castle to tell the Bandarans his men would be deployed in the fields outside the city by morning, and he would await the Queen’s army.

K’xarr had insisted that the six hundred Bandarans that were left be allowed to ride with the Asconans. Eldon Cross balked at first, citing that his men had been disciplined to certain commands and the Bandarans didn’t know them and they might get in his knights’ way. However in the end, he yielded to the Queen’s general. Cross liked K’xarr, much to the surprise of Ansellus and the Queen. The Grand Master told them he admired the man’s boldness and his courage.

The Queen and Isabella stood on the wall, watching the armies prepare. Kian, Endra, and Rhys joined her. “Endra, I am so sorry I have not seen your daughter yet, Rhys said she was something to behold.”

“Oh yes, Majesty, she is something alright.” Endra answered ,grinning at Rhys.

Raygan turn to Kian. She didn’t like talking to him, but she was curious. “May I ask you a question, Kian?”

“You may ask me anything you like, Your Majesty.”

“Why aren’t you with K’xarr and Rufio, even Cromwell is down there, despite the wounds he received defending the gate.”

“General K’xarr has told me on many occasions. I’m no soldier, Majesty.”

Raygan was very leery of the Half Elf and did not press the matter. It was best he was not out there, she thought. A shiver shook her at the thought of what he had done to Donovan and Griffyn. K’xarr was right. Kian was no soldier, he was a killer. Despite the fact he had saved her life and defended her against the Abberdonians, she still feared the swordsman and the devil that lived inside him.

Eldon Cross had brought fifteen thousand knights with him, the rest of the fifty thousand Asconans were heavy infantry and archers. All of them wore plate armor, even the archers sported plate armor, except on their shoulders and arms.

The Asconan knights lowered their lances around noon and crashed against the Abberdonian line like a steel wave.

King Havalon watched solemnly as his army was cut to pieces.

The Knights of Ascona controlled their warhorses like they were born on them, turning and wheeling them, charging the Abberdonians’ lines over and over. Mud flew from the horse’s hoofs and the screams of the dying filled the air.

After the fifth charge by the battle-hardened knights, Grand Master Cross sent in his heavy infantry. The battle-weary Abberdonians fought as best they could, but they were defeated before the battle had ever begun. Kian had killed them and their King when he beheaded the two Princes. Their resolve was gone and they had no will to fight on.

Havalon stood sword in hand, as the army he had been so proud of was sundered. “Turn and meet you fate, old man.” Havalon looked over to see the huge Toran he had imprisoned in Turill coming towards him with a bloody ax in his hand.

“If you wish to end my misery, savage, then I offer you the chance.” The King swung his sword at the giant of a man only to have the blow turned aside by the barbarian’s daunting ax. The huge savage traded blows with the old King. Time after time, sparks flew from ax and sword in a barrage of deadly strikes. Havalon knew he could not stand against the might of the Toran’s hammering attacks, but he intended to make the brute work for the privilege of killing a King. For what seemed like eternity, the Abberdonian King