Grendhill

T561083720

Valkyr and Aton stood at the edge of the field among a line of tents, keeping themselves mostly out of view of the center of the field. They looked over on one adjacent side of the field, where Domire concealed himself. They couldn’t see Tido or Misolfa on the opposite side, though they knew they were there. The wooden platform at the middle of the field sat solitary, looking rather conspicuous. A few guards mulled about the square field.

Domire looked at them, then at two different points on the far side of the field. He nodded to them, encouraging them to keep waiting. Then he turned his gaze again to the platform at the center.

The level platform top swung open, hinging at the middle while it became two lids lifted at the edges. Men began pouring out, climbing up from a dugout underneath and launching an attack on this town square made of tents. Aton tightened his grip on the hilts of his twin swords, made of wood for training. As soon as each trap door had disgorged five men, Domire gave a shout. “Advance!”

Valkyr and Aton jumped from their position and ran towards the center, accompanied by the two nearest guards. Valkyr pulled out two blunt-ended arrows and nocked one while stashing the other in her bow hand. She stopped running, arriving at an ideal distance for her to stay safe from enemy blows. Aton stepped a little to the side as he ran to give her more room to aim towards the attackers. He stepped aside again to dodge an oncoming arrow from their foes.

Likewise, an archer from Domire’s side of the field stopped and nocked an arrow. As he pulled back, Aton heard Valkyr’s first arrow whiz by and saw it strike one of the attackers on his armored breastplate. She could have done better than to hit the man’s armor.

The attackers formed a ring around the platform. Five of them were archers themselves, three of them also carrying a short sword besides. Those three put their bows away and drew swords as Aton and his siblings closed in.

The final man climbed out of the platform just as the clash began. Though armored, he carried only a dagger. He played the part of the Sageman who transported all the attackers here. He was Tido’s to capture if he could, Aton’s secondarily if Tido couldn’t get to him.

The field was filled with the crack of willow and oak weapons on metal plate. Tido swung a fake blow of his axe at his first opponent, then continued to turn and gave the man a hard kick to push him back. It was expertly done, but the prince only carried fifteen Turns of age. This man was probably in his early thirties and outweighed him by a good margin. The man caught himself quickly and returned with a blow of his club to Tido’s stomach.

Misolfa caught up at that point, a smile on her face at the chance to help her brother out. She swung her hammer and caught the man on the shoulder of his club arm. It spun him off balance and she took the opportunity to step on his foot and push him again, sending him to the ground. She swung her hammer lightly on his helmeted head. He lay still, knowing he’d been put out of this fight.

The man acting as Sageman turned back to the platform, signifying the effort to bring more attackers. Aton pretended to slit the throat of his current opponent, who obligingly dropped to his knees and then all the way to the ground. Aton then looked around quickly. Domire was engaging three attackers on his own. Tido was facing two more and Misolfa was getting pushed back by two attackers with swords. Valkyr had downed three with her arrows. The guards who came to assist were caught in their own combat with the attackers. The Farellas were winning this fight, but if the Sageman disappeared to bring more muscle, they would lose.

The Sageman could be killed of course, but it was preferable to capture him. The grunts who fought were the muscle of the operation. Perhaps the one in command knew more than just their mission, but the Sageman surely had some answers. If they killed him, they risked losing a potential source of information.

“Go, Aton!” Domire yelled. “Help Tido out!”

Aton threw one sword at the lower back of one of Tido’s opponents, hitting him below his back plate. The man looked down to see the weapon clatter to the ground beside him. Realizing this would have been a cutting blow, he fell to the ground. The other opponent realized he was now outnumbered and yelled to one of Domire’s attackers. “Jobill, get over here! They’re going to get away with him!”

As he now tried to face two opponents with one sword, he did more dodging than striking. One of Misolfa’s opponents peeled off to help his ally. The other one had made the mistake of looking to confirm his comrade was going, and then regretted it as he caught a hammer strike to the side of his head. Misolfa then launched herself after the man who had peeled off.

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He was too late, anyway. Tido acted as if to slice off both arms of the one opponent he faced, then dashed for the Sageman as Aton turned to face the attackers approaching.

The Sageman was lifting one trap door when Tido caught him by the wrist and pushed the man’s arm behind his own back, forcing him to come along with him with practiced control of his wrist. The man cringed as he struggled and tried not to comply.

The defenders gave a shout as it looked like they took today’s battle, but then a blunt arrow point bounced off the Sageman’s neck. The Sage grunted at the blow. Everyone else groaned. The fight was over, but not as a clear victory. The attack had been neutralized without gaining any information.

“That’s it! Good fight, good fight.” Captain Bailen approached from the side of the field, helping combatants to their feet and shaking hands. “Good fight, all of you. Tido, good wrist lock. Channer, how’s your wrist?” He paused to see Channer give him a nod, turning his wrist around and rubbing his neck with his other hand.

Captain Bailen continued with his assessment of the struggle. “Domire, if you’re leading the defense, you need to give more instructions. You hung back somewhat and had a good view of what was going on. You’re tall enough that you could see over your opponents’ shoulders. Your siblings and other guards were in the thick of it. Let them benefit from your view. Aton, that was good that you went with it. Went well overall, but… All of you, you can’t let your guard down when you think you’re winning. Yes, you stopped the assault, yes you were taking them down. But where are they from and what is their mission? A dead Sageman can’t tell you anything. This could have been only the first wave. Once it’s been long enough without his return, they’d start sending more automatically. They only have to stop because of crowding. True, in a real situation, more of your reinforcements would be arriving right now, but you can’t let your guard down for a moment.”

Bailen looked over at Valkyr and Pilbon, who was giving her a critique on her archery. “Master Pilbon, can you give us a minute please?” Pilbon nodded, and Valkyr came closer to the group. “Valkyr, how’s your training with the blade coming?”

Valkyr shrugged. “I’m working on it, but it feels alien to me still.”

Bailen sighed. “You’ve got to work on that short sword. You need to be able to fight in close quarters. Your archery is great and all that, but sometimes—like this scenario here—you’re more needed up close. Even you have to be careful where you’re shooting when there’s a fight like this one. I saw you sighted in and holding shots because it wasn’t safe to take them. That’s when you pull your sword out and jump in.”

Valkyr nodded. “Yes, sir.”

“Misol, you did well assisting Tido. Keep that up and add to it next time. Gain your own presence. Now all of you, overall, good job. Remember, tomorrow in front of everyone, don’t be nervous. Just do what you’ve been doing and keep your wits about you. When your Aunt Stalfa did her Departure—remember, she only has a shield—she carried a dagger as well and used the shield as best she could. She put on a great show, too. You just do what you can.” He nibbled his lip momentarily. “That’s it for today. Well done, have a good day, get ready for tomorrow.”

He turned and walked off to see to his duties with the Guard.

Pilbon called Valkyr over and resumed his archery critique. Tido stepped up to Aton. “Thanks, Aton. You had my back.”

Aton shrugged. “We all have each other’s backs. That’s just the way the fight went. Besides, they don’t attack me as much since I’m supposedly not so threatening as the rest of you.” Aton sighed. “First prince of Grendhill without a weapon, best painter, best musician, best on the ball field. No proper weapon of my own. What’s the point? You and the others have a clear job. Join father and Aunt Stalfa and lead the guard and protect the land. I’ll paint any threats away or serenade them to pacifism. Some help that is.” He sighed, frowning.

“No, Aton,” Tido assured him, “you’ve got it made. You’re one of us, and a fantastic fighter. Your fighting…isn’t the same as the rest of us.” He hesitated, admitting Aton’s sensitive spot. “But after Father and Domire, you’re the best with the sword. Only I can best you with a battle axe. Only Misolfa can outshine you with the hammer, and only Valkyr can hit targets more true with an arrow. You shouldn’t be bummed. You’re the best with those two swords, too, and throwing a dagger.”

Domire and Misolfa walked up. Pilbon continued coaching Valkyr, who was drawing her bow and pointing practice arrows at a post on the edge of the grass-filled square.

Aton kicked the grass with his toe. “You’re right, Tido, of course. But you guys get to go on your trip. Well, I get to go there but then I just come right back. You actually go to the training point and pick up your weapons. I just come back and it’s life as usual. It’s not fair.”

They saw Pilbon finish with Valkyr, and Valkyr started jogging towards them. They began walking back towards the city. Valkyr caught up after a few more seconds.

“So, what’re we all doing this afternoon?” Valkyr said. She had a twinkle in her eye. Aton relaxed at the change of subject.

Domire answered. “Well, Father wanted us to go watch him in court, but from the sound of your voice it sounds like you have plans afterward.”

Valkyr pursed her lips. “Well, perhaps I do, perhaps I don’t.”

Misolfa laughed out loud. “Okay, Valkyr, you’re going to go see Jacquer the Baker again, aren’t you?”

Valkyr turned with an amused fire in her eyes. “Don’t call him that! Just ‘Jacquer’ will do just fine, thank you very much!”

Misolfa couldn’t help herself. “Fine,” she said. She drew her voice out laboriously in a show of resignation. “Even though his father is a baker, and ‘Jacquer the Baker’ rhymes so nicely—what more could you ask for—I suppose I will respect your wishes and call him ‘Just Jacquer’ from now on!”

Valkyr said nothing, but punched her sister in the shoulder.

Aton Farella [https://www.thorn.link/Grendhill/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/aton-scaled.jpg]