Age of Heroes (Age of Heroes Chronicles)

Chapter 389: It began (3)

ARLEANS

HARALD WAR CAMP

The war camp is filled with intense atmosphere and their faces are all showing their anxiety and nervousness.

'Your Highness please fall back' Earl Girth said to the King concern in his voice.

'Fall back. That is your wise counsel?'

'Yes, Your Highness. Fall back toward Bayern, carrying with you or destroying everything which could afford sustenance to Arial army from the whole breadth of the land. This would soon, reduce the Dragon army to great distress for want of food, since it would be impossible for him to transport supplies across the border this deep into Vangua for so vast a multitude.'

'Yes, what Earl Girth said is not wrong. This is a wise decision, Your Highness. Please listen to his counsel. Fall back to Bayern with your family while we attack and block him here'

'Beside' Earl Girth continued speaking as he sees that his cousin in law is still hesitant 

'this plan would compel Duke Arial, in the extremity to which he would be reduced, to make so many predatory excursions among the more distant villages and towns, as would exasperate the inhabitants, and induce them to join Your Highness army in great numbers to repel the invasion. We could then raise a large army to match that of Arial. Even right now many of the lords are coming in drove to help us. If even the common folk help us, then surely we could outnumber the dragon forces.'

Harald look at his cousin in law and at all of his vassals. 

He could feel their care for him. 

Girth and Lyon, his cousin in law adhered to his cause, and, as the hour of danger and the great crisis which is to decide their fate drew nigh, they kept close to his side, and evinced a truly fraternal solicitude for his safety. 

How could Harald heart be not warmed by such companions? 

It was they, especially, who had recommended to Harald to fall back on Bayern, and not risk his life, and the fate of his kingdom, on the uncertain event of a battle.

He considers the Earl points. But he has made his decision.

He shakes his head after contemplating the issues.

'I could never adopt such a plan. My conscience does not allow it. I, as the King and Protector of this land, could not be so derelict to my duty as to lay waste a country which I am under obligations to protect and save, or even to compel my people to come to my aid by exposing them, designedly, to the excesses and cruelties of so ferocious an enemy. Have you not heard what happen in Dantes? The cities they sacked, the village they pillaged? What King leaves their subjects in fear? Is it not my duty then, to shield them from such evils?'

He said passionate in his argument and the other officers nodded.

'I am determined to give the dragon battle.' 

Harald then expressed this opinion to his officers and they all agreed and in awe with the King personal views of kingship.

However, Harald is not a fool. It is not that he doesn't know that Arial is man of extraordinary strength and defeating him alone is not an easy feat. 

Harald is not deaf to Arial achievement outside the continent. 

The Orc war in the Plains of the Orcs, the Monsters hunt in the dangerous region of the dragons, the martial art tournament in Xenos Desert.

It is not necessary, however, for him to attack the Duke directly. No matter how strong Arial is, he is not a god. 

Overwhelmed him long enough, he will fall.

Harald perceived at once that if he should take a strong position and fortify himself in it, Arial must necessarily attack him, since a foreign army, just landed in the country, could not long remain inactive on the land. 

'Girth!'

'Yes, Your Highness'

'Lyon!'

'Yes, Your Highness.'

'Let us make camp in a strategic position. Position our camp six or seven miles from the Dragon camp, and fortified our army strongly there.' 

Of course Harald knows that neither army was in sight of the other, or knew the numbers, disposition, or plans of the enemy. 

The villages and cities around the area between them is, so far as the inhabitants were concerned, a scene of consternation and terror. 

No one knew at what point the two vast clouds of danger and destruction which is hovering near them would meet, or over what regions the terrible storm which was to burst forth when the hour of that meeting should come, would sweep in its destructive fury. 

The inhabitants, therefore, is everywhere flying in dismay, conveying away the aged and the helpless by any means which came most readily to hand; taking with them, too, such treasures as they could carry, and hiding, in rude and uncertain places of concealment, those which they were compelled to leave behind. 

The region, thus, which lay between the two encampments, is rapidly becoming solitude and an area of desolation, across which no communication is made, and no tidings passed to give the armies at the encampments intelligence of each other.

They begin their stalemate.

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ARIAL SIDE

It is the tense morning of during the winter of 1023. Arial has put on his dragon encrusted armor. 

He stands proudly in his full-length chain mail; but unlike his soldiers he wears no helmet, his long white hair flows like the uncontrollable sea, waved around by the wind.

Instead of a sword, his hand holds his prized glaive from the Orc King and is planted around the ground where he is standing.

A huge banner of the dragon is tied to the top of the tents as it flutters in the wind. 

His prized warhorse, Firebringer is now led to him by a squire, a virile stallion and like Arial troops, like him, are already in armor, and they are now setting out from Arleans Hill and advancing towards the place where it is believed that Harald's army lies assembled. 

Duke Arial has sent scouts to ride ahead, and from the top of a hill they peer down to ascertain Harald's position. 

One of them is now returning with fresh intelligence.

'So, how is it Ser Elrond?'

'Their camp is near but their full number could not yet be estimated. Many more will come from the shires and the county.'

Arial nodded.

Arial has chosen someone to become the commander. Kyle the commander of the first division. West the second division. Sothern Ormont third division. 

And the other is regulated by the other military commander that the other commander chooses.

Then he gestures someone to inform the courtier and he order a captain to go to Harald side as he relays his orders.josei

And the body of horsemen went across to the enemy side, down the hill which separated the two encampments, though his emissaries were not spies, but ambassadors, with propositions for peace. 

Arial had no wish to fight a battle, if what he considered as rightfully his kingdom could be delivered to him without it; and he determined to make one final effort to obtain a peaceable surrender of it, before coming to the dreadful resort of an appeal to arms. 

After all, Arial has repeatedly said and declare with his own action that he is not an unreasonable man as long his patience is not tested.

Blood and chaos? Who wish such things? 

A Bishop named Margot from the Papnoticon army is sent to give the propositions to Harald. 

The ambassadors ride, with a proper escort and a flag of truce, to Harald's lines. 

And now Arial creasing his eyebrow, he waits.

'I hope you accept Harald or Arleans will be bathed in the blood of Vanguan youths' saying this he slowly returns back to his war tent.

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