“Have you ever ridden a Griffin?” Louen asked, Dog walking silently at her side as they neared the lake. Korone stretched out before them, the city quiet in the wake of the war in its fields. The docks were as busy as ever, fisherman trawling its waters, boats making their way inland along the river.
“No, lady.”
“Lady?” Louen snorted.
Dog cursed, “Lord.”
“Not what I meant. Aren’t we past that?” Louen laughed, “You hit me with an axe, I tried to stab you…”
“I did not interpret that to mean we were past what niceties Victoria had taught me for court.”
Louen stiffened, “I don’t see why not.”
“You have not been appreciative of my… Behavior.”
“It's better than sycophants or traitors.” Louen laughed, “Perhaps we got off on the wrong foot… I was emotional. For an outsider to know a secret like this? It's beyond the worst case scenario. I was saved only by luck that you’ve all said nothing.”
Dog said nothing.
“Come now, I am not quite as crass as I have led you to believe.”
“I do not want to speak and anger you again. Victoria does not want me getting into any trouble.”
Louen laughed bitterly, “Perhaps it is she who needs to be mindful of trouble. Speak your mind, Hound. I will not bite.”
“I really don’t want to be in trouble or fight you again.”
Louen blinked, looking down at him, Neera watching with a large eye.
“I… Did I hurt you badly before?”
“It was not the worst i’ve received.” Dog said after a moment.
“I’m sorry.” Louen said, Dog looking up, his surprise hidden by his helm, “I was scared. Afraid. My whole life I’ve had to hide who I am. Merlin explained that you’re… You’re not from the court, like me. You have fought a very, very long time. I didn’t realize my actions could have such an effect. I was childish.”
Dog said nothing.
“Again, I apologize. I do not want any fearing who I am. Who I really am… You know who that is.”
“I don’t know who you are.” Dog said, and Louen felt her shoulders droop, “But I would not be opposed to knowing this person.”
“A fresh start, then?”
“Why not. Victoria stabbed me, and we aren't enemies. Perhaps being more open minded is not so bad.” Dog said, lifting his visor, “I am Dog.”
“Is that really your name?”
“Yes.”
Louen laughed, “Very well. It is fitting. I am Louen. Pleasure to meet you.”
Dog said nothing.
“Not a talker are you?”
“I am still worried I will get in trouble.”
“You won’t.” Louen sighed exasperatedly.
“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with being a girl.” Dog said, “What I said in the castle that day, I didn’t mean to insult. I was asking if your father was hiding you because I couldn’t understand why someone would want to hide someone like you.”
Louen turned, suppressing the flush in her ears, cheek, and neck, coughing loudly into her fist to hide her shock.
“Are you well?”
“I am.” Louen coughed, waving him off, “By all means, I appreciate the honesty.”
“I am sometimes too honest.” Dog said, “I am… Anyone stronger than me has been a woman. The most powerful people I know of are women. I know for a fact they are just as capable of wielding a blade, killing a man, and holding the front line. Even ruling a kingdom. I am certain one day you will make a fine queen.”
Louen stammered, “P-pray tell good Hound, why would you think that? Out of curiosity, I mean.”
“You spoke with compassion for your enemy. An enemy that is not of your people, not even human. You spoke of integrity, of honor.” Dog said, “I have served many lords, many kings. There is only one who spoke of such things, and they were the best of many.”
Louen smiled, “I am glad you did not find my idealism childish.”
Dog sniffed, “I am not smart. But I believe that idealism is good.”
“Why?”
“I am not sure of how to word it.”
Louen laughed, extending hand to him, “Well, a time for words later than. Think you’re ready for that ride?”
Dog’s eyes shone.
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Dog vomited as he stepped off Neera, the Griffin chirping as she rubbed her beak through his hair.
“Not a flyer?”
“I loved that.” Dog spat, rubbing at his face.
Louen laughed, “You sure? Neera took it easy on you. She’s worried now.”
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“Can we go again sometime?”
“Absolutely. Let's win this war so I can give you another ride.”
“I will do my best. We have fielded one victory so far.”
“So far?”
Dog’s eyes darkened, “It is wise to not count your victories too soon.”
“Spoken from experience?”
“Aye.”
“Very well. You owe me a spar if we win, by the way.”
“No magic sword.”
“Fine, fine.”
“Tomorrow I meet with the lords.” Louen sighed, dismounting and taking a place at his side near the stream they’d landed nearest towards, Neera sprinting into the forest, cawing loudly as she began her hunt in earnest.
“To settle the coming strategy?” Dog said, “We have boxed them into the northern part of the forest with your victory. That means it gets harder. They are going to know it better than we will.”
Dog growled, smashing down on the warrior before him hard enough to split her in half. He twisted, cutting a spear down before a second found its way into the chain covering his shoulder. He felt the smoldering pop, the scorching sensation running up his body assessed and discarded it, snapping the haft and smashing through the guard of another warrior, crushing her flat.
“Captain!” Tedric called out in warning.
“We need to pull back!” He growled, eyeing the broken silver soldiers in the glade around them.
“We didn't hit their rear camp-”
“There isn't one. Not here.” Dog leaned against his axe, “More scouts are coming. Time is short. We can still serve a purpose if we collapse back onto the main battle line and offer a successful enough flank.”
“Are… Have I failed? Are our casualties so severe?”
“No, Tedric. Not yet. But they've either moved it, or it was never here. We can't push further. Not like this.” Dog glanced up at the trees above them, “They knew we were coming.”
“Information couldn't have leaked, could it?” Tedric panted.
“I think it's magic.”
Tedric froze.
“I can't be certain. But the trees… Do they not seem wrong?”
The raider looked up at the forest, frowning, “As if it's trying to stop us.”
“Every step.”
“Back the way we came then?”
“No. Straight through.” Dog replied, “That way, double time. I…”
“We should leave the dead, shouldn't we?” Tedric grimaced.
“Aye.”
Tedric nodded, “I understand, captain. How far? Can you smell it?”
Dog took to the air, “Not far. We could reach it within the hour, but it will be non-stop.”
“We have strength in us yet.” Tedric turned to the men in the woods, “Don't we brothers?”
“Sir yes sir!” They roared.
“Lead on Captain!”
“I knew today would be foul.” Dog nodded, “Stay close. There will be no rest. We will hit them as soon as we see them. Remember, take them two to one, and stay close. Distort their sight.”
“Yes, Captain!” They chorused.
Dog hid his surprise well, Tedric chuckling alongside him.
“Tedric?”
“You're surprised, aren't ya?” Tedric asked, keeping pace at his side, the green merging into one blurry mass.
“I am.”
“You thought they'd hate you?”
“I did.”
“You've saved us plenty enough these few days, I think.” Tedric explained, “They respect you. You're reliable.”
“I am only doing what needs doing.”
“Is that not reliable?”
Dog grunted.
“Sig was right.” Tedric snorted.
“About what?”
“You are a simple man, Captain.”
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True to his word, Dog led the raiding company at his back square into the rear center of the elves formation. He raised his arm in signal, Tedric roaring at his side, the archers turning in shock and surprise as a mass of bloody, raving soldiers smashed into their lines, cutting their seamless synergy down the center. Dog roared, howling like a blood starved beast, egging on the men around him as he cut through the poorly armored host before him like a scythe through wheat.
“Highgarden!” He bellowed, “Highgarden! Highgarden! Highgarden!”
The men around him were driven further, and further unto the onslaught, the elvish frontline recovering enough to spare bodies to protect their poorly armed scouts, though too few. They were unyielding, dauntless in the face of their foe as Dog carved a bloody path of ruin through the masses. He nearly froze, pausing his rotten work as a low rumbling tore through the ground beneath him. He looked up, seeing a treant larger than any he’d encountered so far bearing down upon him.
Its roots were tearing through the earth beneath each side, the elves adapting quickly, leaping up and over, using its many limbs to anchor themselves and fire from, arrows exploding on contact and sending grown men to the ground, holes in their chests. Dog roared, throwing his axe forwarded with all his strength as a leg larger than any tree trunk smashed into him. He heard someone scream, his body airborne for a fraction of a second, before he slammed into a tree.
Someone screamed, and he was dragged off to the side, into a low creek along the ridgeline they’d crested, the battle roaring somewhere in the distance, his head ringing as a voice reached his ears, “You must love getting kicked, eh Captain?”
“No.” Dog slurred, rubbing at his head.
“Can you blame em? You’re just the height for it.” Tedric laughed, bandaging his head, “You did good, Captain. You split their line in half till the treant got to you.”
“Need to get back to the fight.” He wheezed, his helmet tugged free with no small amount of effort.
Dog blinked rapidly as he looked up into Tedric’s grizzled smile, the man unable to help his amusement.
“I think the fight might be over, Captain, see?” Tedric grunted as he hefted Dog up the ridge, laying him flat in a place amongst the brush. Knights swarmed the field, a tide of muscle, and meat, and steel. Elves scattered across the field, retreating in full as Victoria stampeded forwarded, her banner held high, her blade glistening in the sun, stained red with blood.
“For Highgarden! For the Hound!” She screamed, the knights at her back roaring their assent.
“For the Hound!”
“The Hound of Highgarden!” They screamed.
“First campaign and you’ve already got a nickname.” Tedric snorted, “Some luck, Captain.”
“This is luck?” He wheezed.
“Yeah… On second thought?” Tedric hummed, “Now we just need to deal with the tree. Good thing you got us permission to carry oil pouches-”
They both watched, mouth’s agape as a bolt fell from the sky, a rending tornado of steel and claw, feathers flying about in a storm of wind.
“I fell you beast!” Louen screamed, Neera screeching as her claws rent the treant asunder, “In the name of the Grail! I order you! Fall!”
The treant roared, low, and deep. The sound carried far enough to reach Dog and Tedric even where they hunkered down, rattling about in their chests. Fall it did, crushing those elves too slow to get out from under it. The ground cratered, and shook, knights of all colors swarming over the field now, as well as from the sky. Women in armor with helms sculpted in the visage of their winged companions rampaged through the field, Louen at their helm, her sword blowing apart anything it touched on contact.
“What a king.” Tedric whistled, “Those Griffin knights are no joke. All women, for some reason.”
“I am lucky he did not kill me.”
“Fucking right you are.” Tedric laughed.