Eighteenth day Tenth Month Four Thousand six hundred and forty four rings of the Great White Tree

Rhinyll Ap Brwydr

He wiped dirt out of his eyes and looked around. The boy who he had just been talking to and who had showed so much promise lay dead at his feet. The young Nghapteiniaid who had taken on responsibily for running the regiment.

He should have only been Captain of a company of soldiers but he had taken command of the regiment. Ffwl Cyfoethog who should have been commanding the regiment was drinking wine and socialising with the other entitled nobles who had bought their commission and pretended to play war.

He looked over at the tent and saw that Ffwl and all his followers had already fled and abandoned the army.

He was called Rhinyll Ap Brwydr it was an alias, it wasn't that he was trying to hide his real identity. He had enjoyed not making any of the big decisions as a lowly Rhinyll or sergeant he had been able to avoid detection by his enemies.

But now as he watched as the Union soldiers move and block their only path of retreat. He realised that they were surrounded and out classed by the Union army. Betrayed by their own and fighting an increasingly doomed last stand. He breathed in and sighed.

It had being good only being a Rhinyll but now was time to act and try save as many soldiers as he could.

Scanning the battlefield he found the weak point in the Union formations.

"Cyn"

He yelled calling the veteran pikemen over to him.

"Gather up as many pikemen as you can, we are going to try bust out of here and I will need you to charge that regiment over there. Wait for my command and then engage."

Next he called Lancia over to him.

"Go to the Uwchfrigaydd in charge of the cannons and have him fire on that point over there."

He pointed to location he was getting Cyn and the pikemen to attack.

"Once they have fired two volleys tell the Uwchfrigaydd to destroy his cannons and join the rest of us as we try and bust through that gap".

Next he called Devin.

"See if you can save any of the wizards, we will need them to support the cannon fire to open up a gap for us to save as many elves as possible."

He watched for a second as the apprentice wizard run to rescue his magical superiors.

He called Brydyddoon over and gave him instructions to pass onto the Cyffredinol who commanded the heavy Elven Cavalry. He feared the depleted elven cavalry would not be enough he would need the orcs. Looking around he found his options somewhat depleted.

Reluctantly he had to task Cryffoddol, the over pious elf with the task of getting the orcs to join them. They would need the orcs to provide the mounted support for their attemt to break through the Union army and retreat off the battlefield.

He looked over to where Cyn had gathered together a large number of pikemen, a number of them were the retainers of Prince Ceidwadwyr with their antiqued chainmail armour.

Devin had arrived back and he managed to rescue six of the wizards. At the start of the battle there had been over twenty battle wizards. He gave the surviving wizards instructions and waited for the cannons to fire.

It was only a short wait for the cannons to fire their first volley. As instructed the wizards cast their spells and gaps began to open in the Union formation.

The second volley from the cannons created more of an opening in the formation. That's when he gave the order for Cyn and the pikemen to charge.

Offeriad y Goedwig High Priestess of the Glade

Ever since her duel she had kept an eye on the Old Rhinyll. During the battle she waited for any hint of betrayal. A swordmaster of his skill should have held a higher rank than just a Rhinyll. So focused on the old elf she had failed to spot the actual betrayal.

It had come from a whole regiment, the personal retainers of Prince Teymfradwr, they had waited till the battle was at its height, and then opened fire on their own people. She had watched as many of the battle wizards fell to this misdeed. She almost ordered her fellow Maidens to wreak terrible vengeance. However she held off waiting to see what the Old Rhinyll was going to do.

As she watched the Old Rhinyll gathered together soldiers issuing orders like a officer well above his lowley rank of Rhinyll.

She watched as Rhinyll coordinated both cannons and wizards magic to open up a gap within the Union formations. Into this gap charged the pikemen. With pikes down they drove the Union soldiers before them.

The pikeman created a hole. However the pikemen were greatly outnumbered and although there pikes had greater range to the Unions muskets turned into spears she feared that they would get overpowered. As more Union soldiers rushed to reinforce the position.

That was when she gave the command for Maidens of blade charge into breach and support the pikemen. With her sword she cut down any union soldier that got in her way.

As she fought, the silent soldiers of Phoenix gaurd also joined the fray. Most of the Phoniex gaurd carried the latest flintlock muskets. They were well versed and trained in the use of these firearms. They stood in line and fired at a column of Union soldiers.

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Though short in numbers the Phoniex gaurd proved their worth against the Union soldier's. A few of the gaurd carried the large halbards which they used with deadly profiency to cut down the Union soldiers.

As another Union soldier ended his life at the end of her blade the Union soldiers began to flee.

They had done it a hole had created in the Union army which the Confederate Army of the Elves could use to escape.

Already a stream of soldiers were flooding through the gap. She finished off another enemy. When she heard them, the Union Calvary was moving towards their position.

Hastely some of the pikemen and her Maidens of the Blade formed a line to face the opposition.

There were four thousand Calvary who had yet to be significantly involved in the combat. She knew there was no way they could stop the Union cavalry from blocking the hole and trapping the elven army.

Than she heard a horn and the Silver Fox led his remaining chargers through the gap and charged the Union calvary. It was four to one odds. If this had been at the start of the battle than her money would have been on the Silver Fox.

However the elves had already seen fierce combat. There were many with visible injuries, she doubted that they would be enough to halt the Union cavalry. So she waited sword in hand ready to continue the battle.

Lancia Ap Brwydr

He had expected the Uwchfrigaydd or Major commanding the Elven artillery to argue with him when he explained the plan.

But the Uwchfrigaydd had just agreed with the plan and carried it out. Once the cannons had fired the two volleys the soldiers in charge of the cannons, had sabataged their weapons and watched as them blow up.

They then joint the stream of soldiers flooding through the gap in the enemy lines.

He spotted Ffermwr, fighting a couple of union soldiers. Ffermwr pike was imbeded in the body of one of the soldiers. This allowed the second soldier to dash in and create a grievous wound with the sword at the end of his musket.

Aiming his musket he had fired at the soldier that had just injured his friend. The bullet exploding through the head of the attacker killing him instantly.

He than grabbed Ffermwr placing his arm over his shoulder he assisted him towards where the army was fleeing.

They were almost through the hole when he saw the Union Calvary charge. Unable to do anything he stood there waiting to be trampled to death by the approaching cavalry.

Then the Confederate Elven Calvary rode past and engaged the Union calvary.

This created the opportunity to make it to the forest. However with Ffermwr drapped over his shoulder he was struggling.

The Elven Calvary were beginning to give way before the union horsemen. Again he feared he was still in danger of being cut down by the approaching horsemen.

Then he heard a cry from behind him.

"Out of the way"

As Cryffoddol rode past. The dour elf who claimed to hate orcs, rode on one of the large horses that belonging to the orcs. In his hands he carried a large orc sabre. Following him came the rest of the fearsome orcs.

They charged the Union Calvary. With the combined might of the Elven cavalry and their orc allies they drove the Union calvary from the field.

Finally he made it to the forest, they had made it off the battlefield. He followed the rest of the army as it fled. They found a place far enough away from the battle that they could rest and recover.

He leaned Ffermwr up against a tree.

"We should be safe here, I'll go and grab a healer and we will get you patched up".

Ffermwr just smiled and looked up at the tree's.

"Thankyou I wanted to see the forest one last time."

With that Ffermwr closed his eyes. The elven farmer breathed his last breath and died.

He looked around to see if any one had a shovel so he could dig a grave and bury his dead friend.

Cryffoddol Llwynog Arian

As he walked through the clearing he looked at survivors. Only a small fraction of the soldiers he had lead into battle had survived. Many of the veterans that he had served with for many years had perished.

He supposed he would have to resign his commission. If he was lucky they would court marshall him and lock him in a dungeon. However he suspected that he would just be made to disappear.

He spotted the blademaster who he had made a Rhinyll.

He had been told that it was him that he had to thank for coming up with the plan to save the army.

The Rhinyll was currently talking to the orc Warlord. The Rhinyll spotted him and waved for him to come over and join their conversation.

"So Cryffoddol what are planning to do with the army now?"

Asked the Rhinyll.

He looked around

"What army, I will return to Capital and await my punishment for leading the army to defeat."

He said resigned to his fate.

The Rhinyll looked the Cryffoddol in the face and spoke

"You have lost one battle, but you shouldn't let the results of one battle dictate what you do next, when fighting the hill tribes did you win all your encounters."

He shook his head, no he hadn't won all his encounters, but never had he lost so many men.

The Rhinyll spoke again

"In our history we have lost many battles but we always win the war, now is the time to show that you are a true Cryffoddol of the elven nation. Your speciality is lighting raids against your enemies is it not."

He nodded. This had been his first large scale battle with multiple regiments fighting an enemy who actually outnumbered his force.

"Now is time to use your skills and make the Union pay for blood they have spilt today"

The Rhinyll then continued

"We should act like we are defeated force. We should split our forces. The orcs should act like they are heading home, you should take your veterans and look like your trying to head back to the capital. The rest of us will look like we are heading back to Gellifew."

The Rhinyll started drawing in the dirt.

"The union will probably send forces to trail the three different groups."

He drew triangles to represent the different groups.

"What we will do is once we have gone a a bit deeper in to the forest. Your band will loose this group pursuers"

He said pointing to the Orc Warlord.

"So will your group Cryffoddol, and than they will meet here where the third group will halt and fight. We will wipe out the enemy and gain the first victory of the war"

It was a sound plan and he nodded his head but the Rhinyll had more to say.

"Once we lost our pursuers or destroyed them we can than go on the offensive. A army as big as the Unions will need alot food and water."

Again he nodded and said out loud

"If we take out there supply chain. We would force them to either reinforce their supply chain or withdraw their army from the Forest."

He was now getting excited. He gathered up his veterans. He would show the Union that the Silver Fox still had role to play in this war.