Age of Kings

by A bag of plums

114 - First to the Wall

Emerald Edge ducked her head around the next building to survey their surroundings before ushering her friends to move along. There was a dispatch of knights standing at the nearest portion of the wall, seemingly trying to find a way over. With their backs to them, they were going to be easy to get rid of.

Not even bothering to draw her larger weapons, Emerald unsheathed her pair of hidden blades and fell upon them back of the group, taking down two of the knights before they even knew that she was there. The third picked up his weapon, but Posey was on him quicker than Emerald could blink and he went down with nothing more than a gasp.

Emerald smiled. It was good to have her friends around.

Amber Fang brought up the rear of the group, holding a bright orange dagger out in front of her face, her eyes darting back and forth as she sniffed at the air. The spymaster didn’t know how effective Moon Tide was at daggers, but she figured the woman would be able to hold her own against a small group of enemies.

"You know, it's not that cold here now," Spectrum said as she looked at the dead knights.

"Maybe 'cause the city's on fire?" Honeygold jerked her thumb at the columns of smoke rising all over Nidaroats.

"I hope there's a good apothecary in the castle," Nightfall Gleam patted her pockets and satchel. "I'm cleaned out of reagents."

“And so am I.” Light Speckle held hers upside down and nothing fell out. “We will need to fill up on our magic before another battle.”

“And there will almost certainly be one,” Jewel Pin said as her fingers drummed on the grips of her tailoring shears. “Where are we headed next?”

A flaming projectile impacted further down the street, well short of the castle but near enough to send a wave of heat over Emerald and her friends.

“Maybe we should get outta the way,” Apple Bean suggested. “Not all of us are dedicated fighters and Ah wouldn’t want to get in the way of those who are.”

“We just need to get in.” Emerald ran a hand along the wall’s surface. Again, she and Posey would be able to make it over without too much effort, but the rest of their group were not abled climbers. She was going to have to find something to get them over the wall again, and she had a feeling just finding a ladder wasn’t going to do them any good.

Before she could plan any further, there was a clank of something metallic and a rope dropped down on top of her head. Emerald rubbed her head and looked up, spotting Rake and Sombra waving to them from the top of the wall, beckoning for them to hasten.

“Everyone on.” Emerald ushered Honeygold over first, then pointed to the rope for the rest of her party.

“A rope?” Jewel Pin grabbed the straps of her pack. “How am I to make it up there with this?”

“Leave it, woman.” Posey snatched the pack off her shoulders and placed it against the wall and kicked some snow over it.

“But there is still gold in there!”

“What good is that going to do you now? You can pick it up once we are done here.”

“That’s if it will still be here…” Jewel Pin muttered, then began climbing after Honeygold.

“That’s the least of our worries.” Golden Nugget followed behind Guard Streak. He looked back down at the pack of apples one more time, then continued. “We’re leavin’ our precious produce behind.”

The rest of the group followed in short order, and once they were at the top the rope was withdrawn.

“Thank you, Rake. Sombra.” Emerald gave them both a pat on the shoulder. “I believe we’ve all gotten back here unscathed.”

“Aye. That is good news.” Rake chuckled and beat at his belly. “We have good news as well. We have formulated a plan with the high king. Messengers have also been sent out to the other holds. If word reaches them in time, there will be a sizable force coming from behind the enemy, while we will face the enemy here from within. The high king himself will lead the attack.”

“That’s… the plan? To attack?” Emerald waited for their confirming nods. “So you spent all this time in there planning, and the plan is to charge out there and fight?”

“Not the best of plans, I will admit.” Sombra folded his arms. “But it is like we did in Saddle Arabia, Emerald. My army distracted them to the walls, while you and Posey snuck behind enemy lines and took out their generals. It will be the same here, but on a much larger and louder scale.”

“I do love it when a plan comes together!” Spectrum pumped her fists into the air. “Where will I be in all this? Canterlot will rue the day they crossed Spectrum Song.”

“I think a good spot for you would be on top of the castle walls,” Sombra said thoughtfully. “That way you will have the advantage of the high ground. Can you shoot a bow?”

“Sure I can!” Spectrum replied with a grin. “Archery is a basic skill in Canterlot’s fighting force.”

“Good. Then I will engage Agramane, since our powers seem to be in the same sphere. Emerald, you should go after the other Knight of the Round Table. They’ll never see you coming.”

“The high king would like to face these Knights of the Round Table on the field as well,” Rake explained. “And I concur. With the mighty Hel, High King Magnus is a formidable opponent and the enemy would be right to fear him.”

“Then I will help on the walls,” Posey volunteered. “I may be able to get some good shots in from there.”

“We should have plenty of arrows left,” Rake nodded. “Go and rain death upon them, archer.”

Posey gripped her bow tightly and hurried off to the front battlements of the castle with Spectrum and Streak in tow.

“Any of you who do not wish to do battle should get inside the castle,” Rake jerked his bearded face in the direction of the keep.

“Ah want to help,” Honeygold said, but her mother held onto her shoulders firmly.

“No ya don’t, dear.” Apple Bean gave her a pat on the head. “You’re comin’ with us into the castle.”

“But Ah can help.”

“When you’re properly trained, Honeygold.” Golden Nugget answered. “Even Ah’m not gonna do any good out there with my staff skills.”

“Yes, stay inside with us.” Jewel Pin gave her a pat on the back. “There’s plenty of food inside. I’m sure they have apples too, darling.”

“We can help.” Nightfall gestured to Light Speckle and herself. “We first need to replenish our magic before doing anything else. We’ll have a visit to the castle apothecary and we should be good as new. I hope.”

“It depends on what herbs and ingredients they have to spare,” Amber Fang muttered. “There are many injured people and they may need the reagents to mix cures and poultices.”

“If that’s anything, we can help to heal instead of joining in on the combat. “Light Speckle patted her empty satchel. “That’s what mages do, after all. We heal.”

“I will be at the ready behind the wall.” Rake placed a hand to his chest. “I am an explorer, after all. But rest assured, I will do what I can should the enemy breach our walls. They shall not win this day.”

Another Northerner came by and after a brief conversation with Rake, he ran off and returned with a pair of shortbows and two quivers of arrows.

“Sure you remember how to shoot, Spectrum?” Guard Streak asked as he tested the bowstring.

“I could hit the blacksmith’s at a hundred paces,” Spectrum said confidently. “Though this wind might make things a challenge.”

“Alright,” Rake’s beard fluttered as he spoke. “Go and join your archer friend on the top of the wall. Mind yourselves, though. It would sadden me greatly if either of you perished; you are barely of age.”

“We won’t die,” Spectrum promised before she and Guard Streak sprinted off to the battlements.

The others watched them go.

“They certainly are spirited,” Jewel Pin said slowly, shaking her head. “I just hope they won’t do anything reckless.”

“They’ll be fine,” Emerald assured Jewel Pin. “Their luck has held out this long, has it not?”

“We should not rely on luck…” Sombra muttered. “It has a habit of deserting people when they need it the most.”

After Rake agreed to take the other members of the party to the castle, Emerald and Sombra exchanged determined looks and moved over to the gates into the town.

“This will be a tale to tell to the scribes back home,” Sombra said as he unsheathed his scimitar with a metallic ring of steel. “Nobody in Saddle Arabia has seen this snow before.”

Emerald glanced at Sombra. “Our story is not nearly done, Sombra.”

“I know, but one must commit all the details to memory so that when we do return victorious, the young and old can marvel at the sights we have seen and the deeds we have done. Tales to tell around a nighttime fire with cups of fine wine.”

“If we survive,” Emerald quipped back.

“I have every confidence that we will survive,” Sombra said lightly. “Your quest, our quest, is one of righteousness. The gods will surely see that we emerge from this battle the victors.”

“I don’t believe in your gods,” Emerald pointed out as another flaming projectile soared overhead. “Will they still favor me?”

Sombra glanced at Emerald and grinned. “Even without the gods, I know that you would accept nothing but perfect, total victory. Your adventures so far in this world have shown me as much. You are strong willed and not easily distracted from your path. Good traits for any warrior, as my father would have said.”

Emerald said nothing, but inside she felt slightly warmer knowing that the late King Aldilu would have thought well of her. She only wished they had parted on better terms before his death at Morn’s hands.

Thinking about Morn Dread made Emerald’s face tighten up. Had she finally come to terms with the fact that the old days were gone, and that he was the enemy? Having seen the pain and violence that the former Knight of the Round Table had caused, she could delude herself no longer. Morn Dread had to be stopped, and Emerald was the world’s best hope for doing it. So much was riding on her shoulders.

Someday… I will pay back Morn for all that he has done.

And she could start here in the Frozen North by routing Morn’s army and driving them from these lands.

“Are we ready for battle?” High King Magnus joined them in the castle courtyard. He was now decked out in plate armor with a fur trim around his neck, and a blue flowing cape behind him. “It has been some time since I have tasted a fight. Besides you, King from Over the Mountain. It will be an honor to fight beside a king with such talent. Surely victory will be ours this day.”

“If you call it a day, yes.” Sombra gestured to the dark sky.

Emerald too still wasn’t used to the quick darkness of these lands. She didn’t feel tired when night came, but felt a little drowsy when the sun came up. It all didn’t make sense in her mind, but they had to work with what they had.

“As High King of the Frozen North, the other holds must respond to my call to arms. Should they not, there will be judgment when this battle is won.” Magnus put on a helmet that had antlers on it, along with a crown motif. “Let us see how your Canterlot army fares against my mighty Hel, Raven Knight.”

“She has proven strong in battle before. It would be great to fight alongside you once more.” Stronghorn said. He held a hammer and a longsword in his hands. “Your majesty, we are ready to face the enemy at our door.”

Behind him, Emerald counted at least fifty vikings. Not great numbers, but they had to make do with what they had left. All she needed to do was take out Morn’s generals, so if they could last that long, then fifty would be more than enough.

Out there in the town that was dirtied with ashes and rubble, two armored warriors on horseback could be spied. The golden glow emanating from their helmets’ eye holes was unmistakable, and Emerald herself would have recognized the design of their armor from much further away, having spent five years fighting at their sides.

“This is it,” Emerald called out to her allies. “The enemy leaders have arranged themselves so as to meet us in battle!”

And now I am to fight and kill my former friends again. Sombra was right, Morn has much to answer for. If not in this life, then the next.

---

Comments

[MoonlightRift]

I think Emerald's finally ready to do what she has to when she meets Morn again, at least, I hope so.