Infinite Blue Heaven - A King and A Queen (23 page)

A man was feeding his horse with some fruit and had a large bucket of water close to hand.

“Please do me a favour. When you have finished with your horse, can you get some more fruit from the Cook for both our horses and give Arstan as much water as he wants?”

“Of course Sire. I would be very honoured.” He snapped to attention recognising me in the gloom and then he saluted me.

It was then I noticed the first purple rays of Sun, on the eastern horizon.

As the light grew stronger, the camp was shrouded in a fine light fog. It was probably the heat from the horses and men, in the cold crisp autumn air, but it made the camp seem ghostly and slightly mystical.

Suddenly I heard a strange sound. It was a few moments before I could place it, the sound of a child’s voice. It seemed so out of place here, at first I was confused and disorientated. Out of the mist to my right, to the south side of the camp, came a young boy, chased by an even younger girl. Then I remember Ahmed’s children. The boy ran past me and I slipped in behind him and grabbed him from behind. He squealed with delight, as I swung him high over my head.

“Put me down! Put me down!”

His little sister was pleading with me to do the same, pulling on my leg.

“And where do you think you are going, little soldier?”

He must have recognised my voice, for he suddenly twisted to see my face and said, “Oh. You are King Vaslav.”

“Yes. And I have caught you. Who are you? Are you an enemy?”

“No.” He sounded indignant. “You know who I am. I am the son of Ahmed. Demetri is my name!”

“Ah! Yes. Now I recognise you! Well, Demitri. Where are you going? Do you know we fight a big battle today? Where are you going to be?”

“With my Father, fighting in the front line. With you.” He added with a cheeky smile. I had the almost irresistible urge to reach out and press his little button nose. He looked so cute. But I didn’t. I place my hand on his shoulder and told him to find his Father and stay close to him for the rest of the day. I made a mental note to see Ahmed and suggest that he stay with the reserve column, near me and well to the rear. It would be safer than staying in camp. Of course, we would leave a few men to guard it but it was standard practice for an Enemy to sack one’s camp and I am sure Korim’s men would do this efficiently enough.

Playing with the little boy had lifted my spirits and I noticed a few of the men, standing around smiling and clapping their hands at his antics.

I met with the cook and told him to have all the animals slaughtered and to serve each man as much food as he could possible eat. It would be no good saving anything for tomorrow. As the men started gathering to eat the breakfast, I encouraged them all to eat as much as their fat bellies could take, which I knew was a lot. They enjoyed my humour and my generosity.

“Are we going to win today, Sire?” asked a young, wide-eyed private soldier.

“Of course, if you eat enough. I am going to get each of you to jump on their horses and break their backs! Then you will sit on the riders and suffocate them. It is an old ploy!”

There were roars of laughter.

Not long after this, serious preparations began. Each man went about his duties in a state of solemn contemplation and the air grew quiet.

The air became thick and solid. It was as if the very fabric of space and time was becoming drum tight. I wondered if the reason men always spoke quietly before a battle was so that they would not break this fabric.

* * *

Chapter Six

“King Vaslav! King Vaslav!”

A man was running towards me, waving his arms and occasionally pointing behind him. I was not too pleased at the use of my Royal title. When at war, I liked to think I was taken seriously as a General.

“What is it?”

“Come quick. You must see. The enemy has opened the gates and they are coming out!”

I ran after him, to the small Watchtower, and he stood aside for me to run up. There was another man at the top and I peered over his shoulder, as we both balanced precariously on the swaying structure.

“Look there, he whispered.”

I looked to the gates in the distance, up the hill and slightly east of us. Sure enough there were perhaps one thousand men on horseback descending the hill, in a wide formation, perhaps fifty horses in each line. I could also see Yedigie and Abdil’s men, just behind the rise. They were probably not yet aware of the approaching danger.

“Damn. So he hasn’t sat and waited for me, as I thought he would.”

I slid down the ladder and called for Zhuan’zhuan

“Zhuan’zhuan. Get your men mounted. Now. I don’t care if they are naked. They must follow us as they can. I will ride now. Korim has not sent enough men to wipe out the others but he may not realise this and attack.” As I reached my tent I told one of the guards to fetch Edilbai immediately.

The other guard helped me to put on my armour and as I was adjusting it, he ran off to prepare Arstan.

When I came outside the tent, perhaps one hundred men were lined up, waiting to follow me.

“Sire. We want to come with you!”

Korim had committed only one thousand of his men. This meant he probably did not know how many men were stationed behind the mound. He was guessing, since it was dark when they arrived, but he would disrupt the lines if he attacked and might even draw some of them out into the open. This might give him the confidence to send in more troops to finish the job. Without these three thousand men, we could not win. We had to defend them. But with the minimum force.

“No. You men form up with your Commanders as they instruct you. The main battle is to come and it is carefully planned. This is just a minor diversion. We just want to scare them off.”

Zhuan’zhuan rode up to my tent, holding the reins of Arstan. Moment later, Edilbai, puffing slightly, helmet tucked under his arm, came running up. He saluted. “Sire!”

“Edilbai. Get your horsemen ready immediately. But with full battle dress. Follow us and form up, as planned as soon as you can. Do not engage the enemy, unless I order you to. Also, order Kazangap and Abdil to bring in their men and form up as planned, as soon as possible.”

He saluted again and I turned to Zhuan’zhuan. “Ready?”

I mounted Arstan and trotted him between the tents, Zhuan’zhuan and the first of his men following until about a dozen were clear of the tents. I nodded to Zhuan’zhuan and heard him call “Charge!” as I urged Arstan into a gallop.

We raced through the long grass and then onto the bare ground at the western edge of the battle ground. I could see Korim’s men were cautiously circling the rise, five hundred on either side. They were hoping to outflank our men and it was good for us because I would only have to engage half as many men. I was now only a few sachine from the first of the enemy horses, which had turned to face me, but I dare not look behind. Perhaps I was the only one who would engage.

I drew my sword and brandishing it, as menacingly as I could, I steered Arstan just to one side of the first horse and slashed at its rider. He had been waiting for me and grinning, lunged his shield into place, to deflect my blow. My sword skittered across the leather and iron and I focused on the next rider, nearer the front of their strung out line. I was slightly behind him and I aimed for the back of his neck, using a backhand slicing action. I missed and hit the iron of his helmet but the blow knocked his head forward and he swayed in the saddle. Arstan was still moving too fast for me to aim any more blows on him so I aimed for the third man. He was right at the front of the line and looked more senior than the others. I subconsciously registered the adornments of his armour and aimed at his outstretched right arm, which held a spear, cradled under his armpit. It was pointed directly at the neck of one of Abdil’s spears-men, on the far left of the front line. I swung my sword towards his arm and just before it made contact, he turned to face me and a surprised look crossed his face. The sword bit into his unprotected flesh and nearly sliced clean through his forearm, just below the elbow. I was past him, skidding Arstan to the right to avoid our own men, before I could see the man’s reaction. I could see the mouths of many men, open and screaming, but all I could hear was a loud confused noise, of clashing steel and iron. I rode down the flank of our own line to the rear, looking for Sabitsan or Abutalip.

I momentarily cast a glance to my right, to see my incoming men, Zhuan’zhuan and the others. There were indeed about four hundred men there, not all fully armoured. Zhuan’zhuan was not wearing any greaves and others were even missing their shields or breastplates. They were all within twenty sachine of the enemy and most of the outer flank of the enemy was turned to face the danger.

“Where is Abutalip or Sabitzan?” I asked a soldier, leaning down close to his ears.

“You will find Abutalip right at the very rear, in the centre. Sabitzan, I do not know.”

I rode to the rear of the lines and then across the field, behind the rearmost line. I could see a white horse with a rider coming towards me. It was Sabitzan.

“Sire! What do you wish us to do?”

“Go to the far right front flank and order your men not to follow the enemy out from behind the mound. It is imperative we keep together. Defend yourself but do not break out from behind the mound. I will bring more men.”

With that I swung round and rode back to the front of the left flank. In the distance I could see the fresh dust cloud of Edilbai and his men approaching, on foot.

I reached Zhuan’zhuan, covered in blood, and called him to disengage. He could not so I rode along the line, picking out men who could break off.

“Go around to the right flank and help defend it.” I ordered them. In this way about one hundred and twenty men were sent to the right flank.

There was much blood shed at the front of our columns and bodies lay strewn, body upon body, in a few places but the enemy was beginning to percieve they had to break off or become completely trapped.

The rearmost horsemen had already turned and were fleeing back to their Fortress. In another few moments, the enemy horsemen on the right flank began peeling off and following their comrades.

After another few moments, apart from occasional jeers from our men, there was relative peace on the field. I rode to the end of our line, Zhuan’zhuan following, and halted Arstan to watch the enemy approaching their gates.

“Are you alright?” I asked Zhuan’zhuan.

He brown eyes were lit up with the fury of battle. “I feel good, Sire. It is good to shake off the cobwebs.”

I was not sure if this was truly how he felt, or just bravado.

The great gates opened and we saw the stragglers riding through, suddenly in shadow.

Korim will know now how many men we have committed and that this is to be the day of battle, I thought. When the doors closed, with a distant rumble, I turned to Zhuan’zhuan.

“Let half your men take up position there,” I said, pointing to the ground, higher and in front of us, perhaps a third of the way to the gates. “The others will soon be with us.”

We watched as half of Zhuan’s men, horseless, formed up in front of us, the rest on horses, staying beside us.

We must have waited half an hour for Edilbai’s column to approach.

At the front of their column, Edilbai had his trumpeters, blowing all our famous battle tunes. It was a glorious sight and a great affront to Korim. Here we were, after crossing the desert in the heat of summer, after being attacked by his forces three times and we were still at full strength and in high spirits.

As Edilbai himself finally drew up to us on his grey horse, he raised his hand. The long column halted, creating a clamour of ringing steel and stamping feet and throwing up a cloud of dust.

He smiled at us and then saluted me.

“Reporting for duty! Like cuckolds, your men are not fully dressed.” He said, more to Zhuan’zhuan than to myself.

At that he urged his horse forwards and leaned forward holding out Zhuan’zhuan’s greaves.

“Thank you.” Said Zhuan’zhuan.

“As we planned?” he asked me.

“Yes. Good luck.” I answered.

Edilbai, still young and powerful, as the leader of his men, was relishing the manner of his approach to the field of battle. He must have been amused that he was the first to approach at his own pace. Proudly but casually, he urged his horse on and the five hundred horsemen continued to the right flank of the field. As they passed, many of his men threw down items of armour and clothing into a pile next to Zhuan’zhuan. When they had finally passed, he urged his men forward to attire themselves properly.

“Cheeky Bastard!” said Zhuan’zhuan.

“Don’t mind him. I remember when he was an impulsive whipper-snapper.”

I was irritated that Korim had forced us to form up so much earlier than planned. There was at least three hours to go before Midday. I looked up at the sky. There were a few scudding clouds in the blue sky. At least it would not be a hot day.

It did not take long for the men to form up, one hundred men wide, five deep, and as soon as they were formed, we looked west for any signs of the remainder of my Army.