Wearing the mail coif and armor, she didn’t look like a queen, much less the princess she had been raised to be, but with her sword in hand, she stood with the proper posture like a figure of royalty held.
“Citizens of Hoffnung!” she said. Her eloquent voice echoed through the night. From atop the steep embankment, her voice carried louder and echoed. “I am Lady Dawn! I have returned to claim my throne! Throw down your weapons, renounce Waxxon as your leader, and bow your allegiance to me! Open the gates at once to spare anyone from the agony and death of war! Those who bear arms against me commit the act of treason! Your fate will be that of Waxxon’s. What say ye?”
A long silence followed.
***
Taniesse, Odessa, and Neela stood with Zauber. They were far enough away from the others that no one could hear their conversation.
“It’s good to see you faring better, wizard,” Neela said.
Zauber nodded and studied their faces. “I sense great power with you three. What do you request of me?”
Taniesse folded her hands at her waist. “We’re going to burn down the front gates to allow the armies an entrance for attack.”
“Sorcery?” Zauber smiled.
Taniesse crinkled her nose. “Something like that. We need you to cast a protective dome over us to prevent arrows from striking us. Even in our human form few things harm us, but when we must focus on a particular spell while standing within a hail of arrows, we become quite vulnerable.”
“Human form?” he asked, frowning.
“We’re dragons.”
Zauber’s eyes widened. He noticed the fires flickering in their eyes and smiled.
“Can you perform such a spell?” Odessa asked.
“Of course.”
“Quickly?” Taniesse asked.
Zauber held up a stern forefinger. “A few moments are all I need to hang the spell for quick retrieval.”
“A few moments are all you have.”
***
Lady Dawn watched the gates. They didn’t open. Voices murmured along the wall. She wasn’t certain how long she should wait. Did any of them even believe her at all?
Taniesse said, “You offered them their chance. Now, return to your armies, get them prepared them to fight.”
“What are you going to do?”
A smile curled on Taniesse and her sisters’ face. “We’re opening the gates.”
“How?”
Neela’s eyes narrowed. “You’ll see.”
Lady Dawn walked past them. Zauber smiled at her.
“Now, Zauber,” Taniesse said, nodding.
Zauber lifted his hands and said a few words. A faint bluish bubble formed around the three sisters. Arrows rained down upon them as they walked toward the gates. The bubble deflected the arrows. A few hundred yards from the wooden gates, each sister formed orbs of fire on each hand and hurled them at the gates.
As each fireball left a hand, another one immediately ignited, only to be thrown in successive blasts against the walls. In a matter of minutes the wood was smoldering and soon thereafter, burned and licked its way up and across the gates.
Arrows bombarded downward again, but the protective veil held. Since the gates were blazing, the sisters hurled fireballs at the archers. Dragon fire was fierce. Each fire blast clung to surfaces like thick sticky tar. The flames were slow to extinguish, even on surfaces that didn’t ignite. The flames seemed to feed upon their own energy.
One benefit Hoffnung lacked.
No moat.
Without a moat, the gatekeepers didn’t have immediate access to pail water and fight the fires.
Several archers’ cloaks burst into flames. They ran, slapping at the fire. Frantic and screaming in anguish, they failed to watch where they stepped and plummeted off the wall to the solid ground below.
With small fires flickering along the stone turrets and the curtained walls, the archers lost their courage to keep firing. Some crouched in tighter places where they hoped the fireballs couldn’t reach them. Black smoke billowed upwards, from the gates and along the top of the walls.
The onslaught of arrows diminished.
The sisters separated. Taniesse stood in the center of the road that led to the Hoffnung gates. Once they were far enough apart, they spoke draconic spells and turned back into dragons, taking flight.
Zauber cupped his hands before him like he was holding a ball. Sparks formed around the tips of his fingers. He flung the invisible orb toward the burning gates. When the orb struck the gateway, the crackling and popping wood flamed even higher. The impact caused the burning gates to crash inward. The burning debris was still too high for either side to cross.
When Zauber turned, Lady Dawn, the Dragon Skull Knights, and the Dwarven kings were on their mounts. The troops around the fires had taken their weapons and shield, forming lines to rush through the gates at Dawn’s command.
Odessa rose into the air and spiraled. In a nosedive she exhaled a long blast of fire along the wall to the left of the city gates. She breathed fire along the curtained wall and into the watchtower in passing.
Screams rose and ended within seconds.
Taniesse followed suite along the right side turrets. Even if the flames missed the archers, the scorching heat roasted them.
Neela flew over the city, but as they had agreed, she would not use fire inside the city walls. The damage to the buildings would be too severe. She flew over only to strike fear into the hearts of Waxxon and the men and Vykings serving him.
Chapter Eighty-four
Waxxon and Artos exchanged quick glances after they received news that Lady Dawn was alive and standing outside the front gates announcing her right to the throne.
Vykings rushed past with swords and shields in hand toward the front gates. Had Waxxon known that all he needed to be was ruthless with the Vykings to get their cooperation, he’d have done it weeks before. They probably still loathed him, but at least they weren’t lounging around drinking and being hostile nuisances.
The sudden breeze from the dragon’s wings caught their attention. They looked up to see Neela’s scaled belly and long tail as she passed beneath the full moon overhead.
“We need the harpoons set up,” Waxxon said. There was nervousness in his voice. “Have the Vykings brought them up the lifts yet?”
Artos shrugged. “I haven’t seen them.”
Waxxon grabbed a guard and yanked him toward him. “Go ring the warning bell!”
The guard nodded and ran.
“What do you plan to do?” Artos asked.
“I’m going to give Lady Dawn the welcome she rightly deserves.” He drew his sword and marched down the main street toward the burning gates.
***
The Vykings standing along the docks appeared bored as the evening fog began drifting over their ships in the harbor. Two Vykings were aboard a ship’s stern trying to remove the whaling harpoon, which was a giant crossbow that required several Vykings’ strength to draw back the thick cable. The cable was composed of multiple bowstrings wrapped around one another to produce a thicker, stronger tension string to fire a heavy steel harpoon.
The sails on the ship beside them burst into flames, awakening the sleeping Vykings aboard. The fire immediately brightened the docks, causing the Vykings to rush toward the water’s edge. Hissings flames gushed across the decks of several more ships.
Vykings rose, scrambling to find their weapons, and looking for ways to escape the rising flames.
The two Vykings that were trying to detach the harpoon bow decided to use it instead. They grabbed the thick-coiled string of the harpoon. Placing their feet against the side of the boat rails, they used the leverage and leaned backwards, stretching the harpoon bowstring back. They gritted their teeth and growled, flexing their whole bodies to pull the thick cable the final inch and finally slipped the cable into its catch.
Sails on two more ships burst into flames, drawing the rage of more Vykings rudely awakened. The air g
rew brighter and hotter. Swirling smoke rose upward.
The two Vykings heaved up the steel harpoon and placed it upon the crossbow. Flames licked from the adjacent ship’s bow onto the platform where they stood. The heat increased, making it difficult for them to slide the harpoon into place without being scorched by the rising fire.
Smoke billowed. Wood crackled.
The burning sails and mast from another ship crashed onto the stern where the Vykings struggled to move the heavy harpoon. The heat intensified, making the metal blistering hot. The Vykings gripped the metal. Smoke rose from their hands as the flesh burned and peeled from their hands. They cried out in pain, but refused to release the metal until they had lined up the harpoon into its slot.
Gritting their teeth, they readied their bloody hands upon the trigger mechanism, waiting for a dragon to reappear.
The heavier smoke mixed with the drifting fog-like curtained veil, preventing them from seeing where the dragons were in the sky. Flames slowly consumed the boards of the deck, getting nearer to where they stood.
The dragons roared overhead.
In spite of their pain, the Vykings pulled back the trigger with their slick bloody hands. The harpoon shot through the thick fog and thunked into a wooden surface. Another ship. Through the fog and smoke a dragon’s head popped into their view. They didn’t have enough time to react or scream as a stream of fire flowed down and roasted them.
Taniesse and her two sisters circled the harbor over and over, setting fire to dozens of Vyking ships. Dozens of Ratkin spilled from the sides of the ships, but before they had a chance to reach the docks, the dragons blazed fire across the water’s surface, incinerating them.
Desperate Vykings tried to leap from burning ship to burning ship in an attempt to reach the docks, but the majority was unsuccessful. They either burned to death or dropped into the sea, sinking and drowning.
The three dragons hovered overhead, watching and waiting until the burning vessels were consumed and sank. The Vykings had no escape by sea. They had to remain inside Hoffnung where Dawn and her armies could kill them.
***
The broken gates were a pile of smoldering embers. Rising smoke formed a thin wall where the gates had once stood.
Dawn raised her hand above her head and motioned forward. She kicked the flanks of her horse, charging forward. Caen and the other Dragon Knights rode beside her.
Caen had attempted to get her to send warriors ahead of her, but she refused. She had sworn to Sarey that Dawn would lead her armies into battle. She had stated it, so she felt obligated to follow through.
The billowing smoke prevented her from seeing what lay right inside the castle walls. Her apprehension built. She pulled an arrow and placed it into the bow; ready to fire when she passed into the city.
Her horse didn’t hesitate to leap through the smoke and over the burning embers of the door fragments. Caen was right beside her.
The main street was broader inside the city walls. She glanced down both streets that ran parallel to the front city walls. Dead smoldering archers were scattered each direction. Some were charred beyond recognition.
Dwarf riflemen entered the side streets along the front walls on both sides of the main street. They moved at a slow pace with their rifles trained upon the upper wall ledges, ready to fire at the slightest movement of any remaining archer.
The horrid deaths of the archers must have struck deep fear in the other infantrymen. The streets were almost barren, other than the occasional citizen glancing out a window, obviously checking to see if it was actually Lady Dawn.
Caen pulled his horse in front of hers and grabbed her reins.
“What are you doing?” she asked with a stern frown.
“Letting the warriors lead the charge now. You did what you said. You led us into Hoffnung. Now you need to let others clear the way. This war is in vain if you are amongst the casualties.”
He stared into her eyes, still regarding her as a squire with the firmness of his gaze. Despite who she was, she knew he was right. The armies had more fighting experience and could better protect her. She nodded.
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” he replied.
The meek expression on her face indicated that she didn’t like him addressing her so formally. She whispered, “Dawn to you.”
Caen smiled. In the bright moonlight she still detected his face reddening. She grinned.
Dwarves with shields and axes moved ahead of them like an armored wall.
Corwin shouted, “Search every alleyway and watch the rooftops! Check every crack and crevice inside the trader stalls.”
Two soldiers rushed to the center of the street. They tossed their weapons on the ground and bowed before Dawn.
“I renounce Lord Waxxon,” the one said with his gaze cast downward.
“As do I,” the other said.
Caen glanced at Dawn. She smiled and seemed relieved. Perhaps there’s hope yet.
Lehrling rode up beside Caen and Corwin. “Something doesn’t seem right.”
“What do you mean?” Dawn asked.
“The streets are too empty. Waxxon isn’t so ignorant to not have sentries ready to attack us.”
“I agree,” Corwin said.
Dozens of dwarves and human soldiers marched past.
Yarrow pointed. “Perhaps they are nearer the Royal Gardens or the Temple?”
“Why there?” Dawn asked.
“Waxxon wants to retain the throne. He’d be more apt to fortify the area around the castle instead of scattering his troops. The more soldiers he keeps together, the harder it will be for us to get to him.”
“I’d assume after they watched the burning archers drop that they retreated more from fear,” Dawn said.
“That’s possible too.”
Vykings roared from several blocks away. They stepped from side streets and alleys and formed a large square barricade. Several dozen Vykings stood there, striking their steel weapons against the side of their shields. The burning torches that lined the streets made it difficult to see exactly how many Vykings there were.
“Ah, now,” Drucis said to Dwiskter and Boldair, pointing his ax. “That’s what we’ve been waiting for.”
Dawn looked at him. “There are nearly fifteen hundred Vykings that came to port.”
Dwiskter grinned. “They should’ve brought more.”
Boldair turned to face his troops. He lifted his ax and hailed them forward. Several dozen Oculoth troops shouted and rushed down the streets toward the Vyking horde, which steadily continued to increase in number.
Dawn didn’t like how the dwarves viewed this battle like it was nothing more than a game. They risked being maimed or killed. She supposed that their attitude prevented fear from mentally crippling them. They were more savage and courageous, which unsettled their enemies.
The nearly hundreds of troops that followed Dawn rushed the street, heading for the Vyking dam near the center of the city. As they came closer, another huge band of Vykings rushed from the right side of the crossroads, trying to helm in her troops.
The dwarves turned, fighting two Vykings at a time. Their hammering axes thundered against Vyking round shields. The battering echoed. Roars, and painful shouts rattled with the constant strikes and counterstrikes as blades ricocheted off one another.
More dwarves rushed through the street and clashed into the Vykings on the right side of the crossroads. This line of dwarves with heavy battleaxes and shields moved like a deadly geared machine. Strike, block. Strike, block. Strike block. The dwarves’ thick heavy plate fortified them into a living metal wall. Because of their shorter stature, they maintained vigor longer than the Vykings.
Dawn glanced toward Caen. “We’re not staying here are we?”
Caen turned toward the other Dragon Knights.
“At your command,” Lehrling said. “We’re here to protect you ever how you decide.”
“What kind of queen would I be, if I’m not willing to fight
to gain back the throne?” she asked. She nodded to move forward.
Caen nodded.
A window above the street opened. An elderly man peered down with a lantern in hand and waved at her.
She regarded him with a nod.
“Are you really Lady Dawn?” he asked.
“I am.”
“Long live Lady Dawn!” he shouted from the window.
His shout gathered the curiosity of others. More windows opened. Soon, dozens of the citizens joined in the mantra. As the chanting grew louder and louder, more and more people gathered outside cheering her arrival. Hoffnung soldiers that wore Waxxon’s wolf symbol rushed from side streets, ripped off the patches, and rushed to attack the Vykings.
Emotions rushed through her.
As she and the Dragon Knights rode toward the square with the horde of Vykings fighting her troops, she noticed the carnage was already piling up. Dead Vykings, dwarves, elves, and humans were scattered on the cobblestone square. Pools of blood meandered and trickled into streams.
Regardless of whether she killed Waxxon now or later, the fighting would continue until all of the Vykings were killed. They had to be destroyed. It was the strongest message to send back to King Obed since he had violated the peace treaty he had made with her mother. She wanted him to take to heart that Hoffnung was not a city to cross.
***
Sarey frowned. Anger burned in her eyes. She took an arrow and sprinted to the wall of a building. The dark color of her forest green leather vest, bracers, and leggings allowed her to conceal easier into the shadows.
She notched the arrow into place, pulled back the string, and eyed the sights until she targeted a Vyking with his heavy ax raised over his head. His plan was to split the skull of a dwarf facing the opposite direction.
“A bit underhanded,” she whispered as she released the string. The arrow sliced through the air and struck the Vyking through the throat. The ax dropped and clanged on the cobblestone at the same time he fell. She favored decreasing the enemy’s advantage.
Lady Squire- Dawn's Ascension Page 63