Sacred Water, Book 2, The Time Before

by Charles Kaluza

Chapter 19

  Morning light brought only a lighter grayness to the sky. The wind was calm but everyone knew that by midmorning it would be blowing strong. The day passed quickly with final preparations seemingly taking forever to complete. Dusk was approaching when the first reports of the enemy scouts crossing the snow bridge were brought to Heather. Those of the Forest, dressed in their heavy furs, were pretty much buried in the snow. It would have been pure chance for those of the Red to have found them, but Heather worried any way. Darkness was almost complete before the report came that the scouts had returned across the snow bridge.

  The night was spent with those of the Forest buried in the snow trying to get some sleep, while a few kept watch. Daniel knew not how to react to Heather when she began crying. He did his best to hold her but with her bulky furs it was small comfort to either of them. Betty spoke up saying, "It's okay to be scared. We be all right."

  Heather through her tears said, "I fear greatly and know not why. I pray that the God of the Sacred Water grant me the strength to complete this mission."

  Daniel said, "I think it is a combination of the high altitude and the cold which makes you so anxious. We of the Forest know you to be a warrior and trust in you."

  The tears increased again and Heather responded, "It is that trust which I think makes me fear the most, for if it is misplaced the damage that I will have done would be unbearable. If I have planned wrong, what then?"

  Daniel tried to rock her in his arms with only some success. He finally said as he always did, "Only the God of the Sacred Water knows. We will do our best."

  Heather took comfort in his caring and words and sleep came. Her dreams were mostly of Issip with occasional battle scenes to disrupt her otherwise restful night. They were up before morning light and Heather and Betty completed their morning ritual. The fast was broken with travel rations that had been warmed in their sleeping robes. Heather’s spirits seem to have recovered and when the reports came that those of the Red had begun moving across the snow bridge, she passed the order to prepare for the counterattack. They had planned well, and now, as Daniel had said, it was up to the God of the Sacred Water. She kissed Daniel as he left to prepare to light his powder and he gave her a powerful hug.

  Things proceeded as she had foreseen, with those of the Red sending a small number of troops across to secure both sides of the snow bridge. Heather was getting impatient and when Betty first said something she heard her not. Betty had to pull on her sleeve to finally get Heather's full attention. She said, "I hear Frederick, the one I did not like."

  Heather looked at her small companion and asked, "Is he now with those of the Red?

  Betty responded by waving her hand towards the north and saying, "No. He is that way with others."

  "Others of the Red?"

  Betty scrunched her face up and replied, "Not sure."

  "How many others?"

  Again Betty scrunched up her face and replied, "Not so many as here."

  Heather held Betty by both shoulders and told her, "I would that you make Edna hear of Frederick."

  Tears welled up in Betty's eyes as she looked up at her Princess saying, "I know not how."

  Heather removed one of her fur mittens and wiped the tears from Betty's cheeks saying, "We will have to trust that the God of the Sacred Water will allow the spirits of the Forest to carry the message. I would ask that for now you would sit here quietly in the snow house and think of Edna and of Frederick. I would you keep your brain calm so the message is stronger. You have provided us an important warning. You do your part and I'll do my part."

  With Betty nodding her head in acceptance, Heather left to seek out those of the Forest who were acting as messengers. She told one, "Tell Daniel to light his powder now and return here as quickly as possible." To another she said, "Have scouts move to the north and seek out those who are moving towards the ice cliff. They must be careful, for Frederick is with them and he will see much more than those of the Red."

  Only a hundred or so advanced troops had moved across the ice bridge and major supplies had not yet begun traveling but Heather knew she could not wait. Her enemy was outflanking her and her battle plan needed to change. If the powder did not work they would be very hard-pressed to hold back those of the Red, and the other force led by Frederick would soon overwhelm those of the Forest left to guard the ice cliff. Her enemy planned well.

  Heather no longer sensed the deep penetrating cold, now she only felt the slowness of time as she waited for the thunder of the powder. The time she expected came and went with no thunder, however, and her worry began to increase. She prepared to order an attack on the advanced forces when a slow rumble began beneath her feet, followed by the thunderous roar of the powder echoing through the crevices. Those of the Forest who were hidden in their buried snow houses rose up like ghosts from the snow and ice, with their bows ready. Confusion at first overwhelmed those of the Red and the initial counterattack progressed well. Those of the Red soon consolidated into a small circle with their backs to the ice crevice. They began responding with arrows of their own, but to them it seemed as if the enemy would appear out of nowhere and then disappear again into the swirling snow. Their numbers continued to dwindle and when they were down to a dozen, the white flag of surrender was raised.

  While the battle raged, Heather waited impatiently for the return of Daniel. When he and those of the Forest who accompanied him arrived, they were in high spirits as they described the power of the powder. Heather listened to the story for only a short while before saying, "Those of the Red have sent a second force from the north to capture the ice cliff. We must divide again our small force and protect our exit from this ice field. I would fifty of the Forest accompany me to move back to the ice cliff. We will need to prepare the powder."

  Daniel asked, "And of those remaining?"

  Heather responded, "Those remaining must make themselves appear as a thousand, and whenever those of the Red attempt a new crossing they must rise up out of the snow and destroy the effort. We must appear as if we are truly the spirits of the Forest and strike fear into our enemy."

  Questions were asked and Heather did her best to answer. The prisoners were to be put under the care of the young priest who was to learn as much as he could from them and of their language. She would depend on Jeremy and his small troop to provide the scouting reports they needed. She closed by saying, "We are few and they are many but I believe the God of the Sacred Water will give us the strength we need to strike fear into their hearts. We need not win this battle by conquering them but only by diverting them to the great gorge away from the Forest. My prayers are with you."

  As those of the Forest began organizing themselves, Heather returned to her small snow cave to check on Betty. She asked in a quiet gentle voice, "Have you heard Edna?"

  "I hear her and think she hears me. I know not if she hears Frederick."

  Heather asked, "And of Frederick, what do you hear?"

  "I hear him and others like him and some more that sound like those of the Red. Not so many as here. They seem cold and tired."

  Heather nodded her head saying, "I thank the God of the Sacred Water for your ability to hear. Now we must travel hard to try and help Edna and the others. Would you stay here or come with me?"

  Betty looked up with a puzzled expression on her face and said, "Princess, I go with you."

  Heather smiled and said, "We leave shortly and I am honored to have you with me, for you have courage."

  Heather and her small troop traveled hard well into the night before stopping, still short of their goal. The scouts brought back reports that the enemy consisted of about 100 men traveling on skis with light packs. Frederick and about twenty others of those left behind accompanied those of the Red. They were traveling almost as fast as those of the Forest could, and had reached the ice cliff just as darkness fell. They descended not the ice cliff in the darkness. Heather re
ceived the report and said, "We must rest. The battle will begin most certainly at first light. I would we arrived from the rear with the sun to our backs about an hour after first light. We must pray to the God of the Sacred Water that Edna and the others of the Forest can hold them back until we arrive." When asked why they would not try to arrive sooner, Heather explained, "Their bows have longer range than those of the Forest. We need to have their attention fully focused on descending the ice cliff. If the air is clear on the morrow our only cover will be the sun at our backs. Now we must all rest, except for the watch."

  The scouts were out long before daylight and at morning light Heather and her small band moved out. The scouts brought back reports of an archery battle at the ice cliff. The longer-range of the enemy's bows provided an advantage, but those of the Forest were holding their own. The enemy had posted sentries to watch their rear but had not sent out any scouts. The sunrise was blood-red and the air was still. Heather wished for a snowstorm to hide their advance, but it was not to be. As they advanced silently towards the battle, she sent a few of the Forest forward to neutralize the sentries, telling them, "They must not be allowed to cry out."

  By the time they arrived within striking distance the enemy had indeed focused its attention entirely on scaling the ice cliff. Their archers had driven back those of the Forest enough that they had begun descending the cliff in large numbers. Heather and her troops continued to close in and held their attack until their presence was finally noted. As soon as the enemy’s alarm was sounded, they responded with volley after volley of arrows. By the time they closed to within sword fighting distance, those remaining had escaped over the edge of the ice cliff. Heather began chopping the climbing ropes with her sword, sending many to a crushing death. Soon the battle reached a stalemate with their enemies occupying the base of the ice cliff and those of the Forest occupying both the top of the ice cliff and the lands surrounding the bottom.

  Heather held conference with Daniel and others of the Forest. She summarized the situation saying, "Those of the Red, and those who were left behind who have chosen to fight with the Red, have little in supplies. We could simply wait and let the cold and hunger do our work, but that leaves our forces divided. Our other option is to use Daniel's powder and conclude this portion of the battle."

  Daniel was the first to speak up saying, "Can we not offer them the option of surrender?"

  Heather shrugged her shoulders asking, "How would we present the offer? We speak not their language and anyone descending the cliff would probably forfeit their life."

  One of the older hunters spoke up saying, "Dying of the cold and starvation is a most difficult death, and one I would not wish even on my enemies."

  The discussion continued but the wisdom of the older hunter could not be denied. The decision was made and Daniel began to prepare his powder. Heather took Betty aside and asked her, "I would you try and hear Edna. She needs to know of the coming explosion."

  Betty sat on the snow and with her eyes closed and her face scrunched up she concentrated. Tears began to form in her eyes and she looked up at Heather saying, "I hear not."

  Heather's anxiety increased and she asked, "Are you sure?"

  "I hear only a little echo."

  Heather said, "That means she may yet live."

  Heather returned to were Daniel was working and said, "You must hurry. Your skills as a healer are needed from those below."

  Daniel just nodded and proceeded to lay the trail of powder he would use to ignite the explosion. When he was ready everyone moved back and the powder was lit. It was a much smaller explosion than the one at the snow bridge, yet large enough that the ice beneath their feet shook with the force of it. The ice slide began slowly but was soon racing down the ice cliff with an awesome force. Those of the enemy below had only enough time to look upwards as imminent death bore down upon them. Then all but the sentries posted away from the cliff were no more.

  The ice had no sooner quit shaking when those of the Forest began descending the new face of the ice cliff. The explosion had created a much deeper initial face but the climbing ropes were long enough to scale the cliff. The ice slide had created an unstable area at the bottom and the going was slow over this unstable surface. By the time Heather's troops reached firm footing, those who had been guarding the ice cliff had subdued the remaining enemy. Only three of the Red and one of those left behind survived the ice slide.

  Heather waited impatiently at the top of the ice field until the way had been cleared for her descent. Those of the Forest lowered her by rope with only minimal input from Heather. The sling seemed to gradually tighten and by the time her feet again were on firm ground she was all too glad to be rid of the constricting tightness. Daniel was already treating those of the Forest. The longer range and greater elevation had given those of the Red a more significant advantage then Heather had thought. Only a few of the twenty who had been guarding the cliff escaped without injury. Several had already died of their wounds. When Edna was brought forth on a simple sled, she was unconscious. As Daniel began his exam, Heather asked those of the Forest what had happened. They told her Edna had climbed onto the ice face to better position herself during the battle. Apparently her leg gave out, and she fell about twenty feet. She was found unconscious but still breathing.

  Daniel finished his exam and Heather asked impatiently, "Will she be all right?"

  Without looking directly at Heather, Daniel replied, "She has broken no bones but has injured her head. The eyes respond well to light so there is hope. Only the God of the Sacred Water knows for sure."

  "Can you heal her?"

  Daniel now looked directly at Heather and the sadness in his face told the story. He said only, "I know not how."