First Clash

"Clan princess, Iria Hakorhi sent a letter," a servant said respectfully.

"Oh, she arrived at her clan already?" Princess Samahan paused her eating and received the letter. Smudged across the parchment were a few words.

I hope Princess Samahan is well.

I arrived at clan Hakorhi safely.

Neiman is here as well as the remnant clan.

I am shifting the headquarters to Clan Hakorhi.

Send Uncle Ruhzhan over.

Iriadne Hakorhi.

"Huu," Princess Samahan sighed, "I can't believe that this girl managed to revive Clan Hakorhi."

"Hakorhi folk are not to be underestimated," Advisor Ruhzhan said with a visible smirk. He had read the letter over Samahan's shoulder, his place being behind her chair.

"Happy now that you have a valid excuse to visit Hakorhi?" Princess Samahan pouted, "I can never make you forget where you are really from, can I?"

"Though gifted from birth to Savitro Zhan, Hakorhi blood still flows in me," he muttered, "and before you can forbid Yunni from leaving Savitro Zhan, I will remind clan princess that she is Iriadne's cousin and also deserves to see her grandmother,"

"Grandmother?" Princess Samahan put her fork down the second time.

"Maybe Iriadne doesn't have to say a lot of things to you, Clan princess," Advisor Ruhzhan smirked.

"Ha, so she's writing to you too?" Princess Samahan frowned, "we'll see about that. Would I have known that there was any one called Iria Hakorhi if that stupid boy, Arhid, didn't keep pestering me?"

"I thought you were the one who told him to look for them?" Advisor Ruhzhan said quietly, reaching out to touch Princess Samahan's very bushy hair. She didn't flinch.

"I did that to get him off my hands!" she protested.

"It seemed he is very-- ahh-- taken with my neice,"

"Iria?" Princess Samahan asked sharply.

"No, Neiman,"

"Huh-- I haven't met the girl, but I'd say-- in his dreams,"

"Heh," Advisor Ruhzhan chuckled darkly, "spoken like someone I once knew,"

"Who?"

"Forget about it. There is something else I wanted to ask clan princess, though,"

"What?" Princess Samahan grumbled.

"Yunni misses you. It would be nice if you could use this opportunity to bond with your little sister,"

"What opportunity?" Princess Samahan frowned.

"Visiting Hakorhi. You can't ignore that part of yourself forever, you know."

"Who said I'm visiting Hakorhi? If the soil affinity doesn't bind anyone else of you, it binds me!"

****

General Zarin sat astride his stallion, looking down at the Valencian army's camp. Beside him was a fully masked warrior, who he looked to as he spoke.

"The signal?"

"Has been given," the other replied.

"Then charge," the order was given almost in a whisper.

Hundreds of arrows flew by at terrific speed and decended on the camp. Before the muddied soldiers could react, the main army charged down.

"A sneak attack!" General Harfad, who was with the king, yelled out when he heard the commotion outside the tent. Drawing his sword, he rushed out after the king who had hastened out immediately.

Valencian soldiers were falling from just one blow from General Zarin's men. They hacked through the defensive line like a sword through a haystack. General Zarin himself did not join the fight, but remained on the hill with his retainer.

"We have the lead," the retainer said. General Zarin nodded but said nothing, watching the battle intently.

The king fought back to back with General Harfad. It was not hard for them to withstand General Zarin's men.

"Your majesty! We are at a disadvantage!" General Harfad yelled over while he exchanged blows with an enemy soldier, eventually thrusting his sword through the other's shoulder, staggering back as the latter tried to knock him onto the ground.

"Then retreat!" The king yelled back, occupied with his own nemesis, who was very strong and wielded a spear. The king dodged the spear several times before side-stepping the soldier and plunging the sword through his back, dragging him along and finally pushing him off, sending him crashing into another engaged pair.

"Withdraw!" the king's order was echoed by the soldiers, and they gradually formed a defensive line, pushing back General Zarin's soldiers with calculated swipes. Men fell on both sides.

"General--" the retainer with General Zarin started to say, but the impassive General shook his head.

"Let's see how they intend to retreat. Leave their camp?"

The king realized this fact the same time General Zarin did. He grit his teeth and changed tactics.

"Attack! Attack as one!"

The northern soldiers felt pushed back as the Valencian force attacked with fury. The king ran forward and brought down three soldiers running his sword through the three of them one after the other. General Harfad made sure to cover the king's back, parrying a blow from another soldier which would have been the end of the king.

"Your majesty--!"

"Fight! Continue the attack!"

General Zarin raised a hand from where he sat astride his horse. The archers behind him inserted arrows into their crossbows and readied.

"Fire!"

.....

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