Yrantan adventures (Completed)

[ArcticFox]

"Thank you, miss Penrose." Nerith once again bowed gratefully. The two of them walked out into the main hallway where twenty men and women stood at attention. They were all equipped in leather armor and carried longbows that were much bigger that the ones Yranta infantry used. They stood in two lines, backs straight, weapons slung, looking at Nerith for command. Nerith only nodded at them and the elves stood even more sharply.


"These are my men, miss." He said, gesturing at the elves who saluted in a uniform motion. One had to be impressed at their discipline. "Comrades, meet miss Penrose. We will be staying at her home tonight." The elves all shouted something, but Anna did not understand them. "Those are elvish words." Nerith said noting her confusion. "They are expressing you their gratitude."


"There is no need." Anna said wit ha slight smile. "Thank you all for coming. My staff will show you to your rooms and them prepare dinner."


An hour later the dining room was more crowded than ever. It reminded her of a time when her parents held parties for Councilors and their families and other nobles. But now, instead of the stuck up nobles in powdered wigs and tight suits, rowdy dark elves sat in those chairs. They were a sight. As Nerith dismissed them they started acting less like soldiers and more like children in an unknown place. They looked at the food that was brought toward with suspicion, prodding their roast beef with knives like it migth spring up at them at any moment. Some of them drank far too much wine already and were slurring their words, talking in elven, with their eyes half closed. Nerith watched all that with an apologetic smile.


"I am sorry for this, miss." He said to Anna. "My men are disciplined when it comes to war, but they are still very... raw. I will make them behave if they let themselves go too much." He assured her.


"Demons." Nate muttered under his breath. He was sitting on Anna's right, while Nerith was on his left, and he glared at the elves with utmost distrust. He was not rude to them, but he also did not try to strike up a conversation. It seemed that superstition had deep roots inside him.


- Talk to Nate.


- Talk to Nerith.


- Do something else.

 

[Ezri]

Nerith's band of archers were impressively well-disciplined... at least, for a little while. Their transition from stiff soldiers into over excitable boys was jarring and a bit incredible to watch, but it was hard to be upset with them considering their purpose for being here. "Oh no, it's alright. But I will hold you to that!" Anna laughed to Nerith. So far letting them enjoy themselves didn't seem like much of a problem, but having a bunch of drunk dark elves clamoring about her dining room could easily go south. She was happy to trust Nerith's judgement on the matter. 


Nate, conversely, didn't look like he trusted any of the elves. His disriminatory views were troubling, but he had grown up in this enviroment while Anna hadn't. Maybe it was too much to hope for, but she did wish that he could recognize their kindness for what it was. She angled her head towards him, her voice low. "I know you don't like this, but... they did come to help, after all. Please don't think too badly of them."

 

[ArcticFox]

"I..." Nate's big eyes shifted to Anna and there was a guilty look on his face. "I know." He said with a sigh, raising his hands, palms up, as if resting his case. "I'm just... nervous." He admitted.


And it was not such a strange feeling to have at that moment. Tomorrow Yranta's walls will be besieged, the city surrounded and blood spilled. This night might be the last one to actually have some peace and quiet. One should think through how they would want to spend it.


"Don't be." Nerith's voice from her left, made her turn around. The elven man spoke to Nate. "We are here to make sure you get out of this unscratched." He said in all seriousness. Then his head lowered toward the two of them conspiratorially. "If combat goes wrong for Yranta, we will help you get out of the city. You have my word." Strangely, these words, no matter how ominous they sounded, made Nate's face lighten up.


"Thank you." He said shyly, gaze shifting left and right. It seemed that the mood between them had gotten a little less tense.


- Spend the rest of the night with Nate.


- Or with Nerith.


- Or alone.

 

[Ezri]

Nervous. Anna frowned -- how dense could she be, of course he was nervous. It had been a little easier to avoid when she could bury herself in the details and numbers, but the big picture was still very scary. They were about to go to war. There would be an attack on the city she lived in tomorrow, and despite all of her efforts there was no guarantee that it would go well. 


The implications of Nerith's promise were a bit unsettling, yet like Nate it was comforting to her as well. "Yes. I hope it doesn't come to that, but... thank you." She was sure that he could pull it off, if necessary; Nerith was kind, -and dependable in a way that reminded her a bit of someone else... but they were different people. It had been a while since they'd seen each other and he must have been through a lot during that time, so she wanted to spend some time catching up.

 

[ArcticFox]

The blonde man's demeanor changed greatly in the upcoming hours. So much so that he ended up drinking with the elves after dinner and chattering and trying to imitate their language. The dark elves seemed to be pretty amused by this, they laughed heartily at his attempts, tried to teach him and tried to converse using common, which proved to be a challenge for most of them. They were very secluded people, as Nerith said and did not mix with other races too much, unlike their forest kind. But, Nerith spoke common fluently, which either meant that he traveled more or that he held some sort of a higher ranking position among their kind and as such was better educated. Judging by the soldiers that followed him, it could have been the latter.


Soon, Nate and the elves moved into the main salon, continuing their fun. It was good, seeing Nate act in his usually silly manner. Anna caught him throwing a glance in her direction a couple of times, but as soon as he spotted her watching, he would turn around, a little bit flushed. What was that she saw in his eyes? Affection? It could be, after all they have been friends for quite a while, of course they cared about each other. Suddenly an elven woman produced a lute out of somewhere and started playing. Silly songs at first, fun and fast. The elves danced along with Nate. Anna clapped and laughed. And then elven woman changed the tune and started singing slow and melodic. 


"Miss Penrose." Nerith caught her attention.  "Would you like to dance?"


- Accept.


- Refuse.

 

[Ezri]

Anna's anxiety quickly melted away into the atmosphere, and before she knew it any thoughts of war were very far away. This 'party', although impromptu, was much more enjoyable than the stuffy affairs her parents hosted for the nobles and diplomats. Seeing Nate cheerfully getting along with the elves was entertaining and a weight off her shoukders, but she'd been content to stay on the sidelines for the most part until Nerith asked her to dance.


For a moment she faltered, not having expected the invitation, but she collected herself and gave him a playful curtsy. "I'd love to." She agreed, trying to sound casual despite the blush creeping onto her cheeks. Nerith was always very chivalrous to her, but he probably didn't have any deeper motive behind it so she didn't want to get ahead of herself. Not that she would know how to react if he did -- but that sort of fantasizing was exactly what she was trying to stop. One dance would be harmless, wouldn't it?

 

[ArcticFox]

Nerith embraced her gently, but still firmly. As the elven woman played, he led the way, dancing very gracefully. He moved like a gentlemen, a noble, even though he was far from it which was plainly shown by his crude and simple leather clothes. Still, the way he held himself and talked spoke of a certain background of learning. Maybe he was someone important in his tribe. The two of them danced, Nerith leading and Anna following. They looked very fitting together and moved with ease. Some of the other dark elves also begun dancing and soon the salon was filled with twirling couples. Nate had his hands full with two elven women who teased him and joked, speaking in elvish.


When the music ended, Nerith leaned down to Anna and brushed a strand of her hair from her face with a smile. "Thank you. It was a pleasure." He said, still smiling. "You know, it is customary for dark elves to spend time with their loved ones on a night before battle." His expression was serious, but still kind. "As neither you nor me have our families near... it would be my pleasure to spend this night with you." As he saw Anna's baffled expression, he chuckled. "Not in that sense, miss. Let's go outside and share a toast for good luck."


- Accept.


- Accept but also bring Nate.


- Refuse and stay with Nate.


- Refuse and go to bed.

 

[Ezri]

Dancing with Nerith was effortless, even moreso than she thought it would be. As much fun as she was having Anna found herself looking away from him at times, feeling sort of shy when she stared at him for too long. He was so different from his peers that he must be some sort of noble among his people. Maybe even a prince? Made nervous by just the idea, she tried to ignore her silly speculations at least until the dance ended.


At Nerith's suggestion her expression grew slightly darker. Her parents were long gone; maybe they'd heard news about the war by now, but even if they had there wasn't much they could do about it. With Levon and even Zach gone, the only people she had left in the world were right here. She smiled. "I would like that. Oh, but maybe we should bring Nate--" She glanced in her friend's direction, slightly amused by his situation with the elven women. All the drinking had finally let him relax, and left to his own devices he'd keep on drinking without a second thought. "He looks like he's having fun, but... I worry that he might have a little too much fun if I don't look out for him. Sailors, you know." 

 

[ArcticFox]

"You are right." Nerith said with a chuckle. Nate was surrounded by dark elves, drinking and singing. He did not seem to register either of them as they approached him. He was holding a bottle of wine, talking something and slurring his words, quite red in the face. The elves seemed greatly amused by him even though most of them did not understand a word he said.


"Nate." Anna had to push her way through the crowd to grab Nate's arm gently in order to get him to notice.


"Oh, Anna." He looked at her with hooded eyes, an innocent smile on his face.


"Would you like to get some air with Nerith and me?" Anna asked. It took a moment for Nate to comprehend what he was asked, but soon he nodded with a bright grin.


Once they managed to drag Nate away from the elves, the three of them walked outside. Anna led them into the back courtyard, under a dome with wooden benches and a table. They brought a bottle of wine and glasses with them and Nerith set them on the table. It was a wonderfully calm night and no one would believe that there was a war about to start. They took their seats, Anna and Nate sat on one bench and Nerith was opposite of them. He filled their glasses and placed them in front of each of them. There was only a finger of the red liquid inside each glass, which was good, since Nate was pretty drunk already.


Nerith raised his glass and spoke melodic words that must have been in his native language. He smiled at the two of them. "It is a toast to the gods of war. May they be on our side tomorrow."


The other two raised their glasses in support. When Anna finished drinking, both of the men with her spoke in unison.


"Miss Penrose-"


"Anna-"


She looked at both of them.


- Let Nate speak.


- Let Nerith speak.

 

[Ezri]

Thankfully, Nate wasn't yet drunk to the point of belligerence and it had been easy to convince him to come outside with them. The bustle and noise of the party inside was lively and fun, but it was still a sort of relief to step into the quiet night. If she had been alone Anna might have interpreted the atmosphere differently, but thanks to Nerith in particular she felt surprisingly relaxed. As many things as she had to be upset about (and there was no shortage of them), it had been easy to forget about it all for at least a little while.


She settled into her seat at the table, more relaxed than she'd felt in a long time. The toast was unexpected, and she wished that she could understand the words, but even without knowing it was somehow comforting to hear and she toasted accordingly. Whatever help his gods could give them, she would be happy to accept it. But the moment she put her drink down both men were talking over each other, and Anna couldn't help but laugh lightly at them. She was certainly popular tonight! "I'm sorry, one at a time please. Nerith?"

 

[ArcticFox]

Nate was too drunk to take offense. He just shrugged his shoulders and stood up, taking the bottle of wine with him.


"I'll go join the elves." He said, slurring. Then he turned around and walked in the direction of the mansion.


Nerith first watched as the blonde disappeared around a corner. Then his deep blue eyes looked at Anna. His expression was serious, but still gentle. 


"Miss Penrose, me and my people owe so much to you. I am hoping to return a small part of that favor in the battle tomorrow, but that was not my sole purpose in returning. Ever since I've met you, you've shown me nothing but kindness. That is not something that a dark elf experiences very often." He stopped for a moment as if considering. "I have... grown fond of you." He smiled. "As a friend and as something more. I do hope you share my feelings, but even if you do not, please know that I value your friendship. I would like it if you could someday come with me to visit my people."


- Reply however you feel like.

 

[Ezri]

Anna watched Nate stumble away, half-wondering if he could make it back inside on his own. But he looked alright, so she took another sip of her wine and looked back at Nerith expectantly. But as he went on, it appeared that the fantasies she dismissed earlier might actually be true.


"I--" Anna started in surprise, then hesitated. Before, she was always dreaming about how someday a handsome young man might sweep her off her feet. Now that the moment was real however, she felt different from how she imagined she would... she could still feel her heartbeat thudding against her chest, and how hot her cheeks were growing, but it still wasn't quite right. While Nerith was kind and brave and undoubtedly good-looking, Anna wasn't excited -- she wasn't sure why exactly, but she actually felt a little sad.


"I..." She realized that her silence must be noticeable by now and shook her head. "I don't think I can give you the answer you hoped for. But I do think of you as admirable, and amazing, and a dear friend. And of course I'd be honored to visit your people." Anna smiled, sincere and apologetic. 

 

[ArcticFox]

Anna was startled by Nerith's melodic laughter. He held a hand in front of her face to stop her, as he took a deep breath to contain his laugh. "I'm sorry." He said still with a grin. "Please, Miss Penrose, don't be silly. There is no need to apologize to me. I'm not a fragile soul, I won't break under the weight of rejection." His lips formed a kind smile. "Still, I am honored that you tried to let me down gently."


His hand suddenly grabbed Anna's and for a moment there was a glint in his eyes that made Anna think that the elf would throw himself on her. She closed her eyes. And then she felt a touch on her hand, cold yet soft. Nerith was one one knee in front of her, his lips on her wrist, as gallant as a prince from a story. The moment seemed to stretch into eternity. When he finally stood up, there was a sad smile on his face.


"I come from a race of savages. We are a strong, stubborn and relentless people. We do not let our emotions to get the better of us, as we have learned what devastating consequences that may bring. But, I can feel a sadness in you, Miss Penrose. I will do my best to protect you on the battlefield, but I cannot do anything for the pain that you carry within. I'm sorry."


Anna was left alone in the courtyard, as Nerith bowed and left without saying another word.


- She woke up early tomorrow.


- She overslept.


- She did not sleep at all and waited for dawn in the courtyard.

 

[Ezri]

Anna thought that it must be an awful feeling, learning that someone you had feelings for didn't reciprocate them, but if Nerith was terribly hurt he was good at hiding it. She laughed a little herself, slightly embarrassed by how she must have been rambling on, but it was a relief that he seemed to be taking it well. In fact, he was as chivalrous as ever.


And as clever -- somehow he saw right through her. All she could do was stay quiet while he talked, at a loss as to what she should say, until Nerith left her alone with her thoughts. As much as she tried to put it out of her mind, Anna couldn't help but wonder about the past few weeks: what she should have done, or said, or if she could have changed anything anyway. Maybe it was useless to mope so much... she did have much more immediate problems to concern herself with. The only thing to do was move forward, even if part of her still didn't want to.


Anna decided that it would be best to try and get some rest, in order to approach the trials of the next day with as much strength as she could. That was easier said than done; the evening had been a whirlwind of emotions and it was difficult to get herself to close her eyes, but once she finally did she felt like she could sleep for days. Of course she couldn't really do that, but she definitely didn't awaken until noticeably later than she should have...

 

[ArcticFox]

"Anna, wake up!" Nate was in her room, on her bed, shaking her shoulder and trying to stir her from her sleep. It had been a deep one.


"What is it?" She asked groggily, opening one eye slowly.


"The war, you idiot!" Nate exclaimed, pulling her up in a sitting position. "You have a squad to command and don't forget that those new recruits will be looking for a familiar face among Tavish's grim soldiers."


This brought Anna completely awake.


It took them about some half an hour to gather outside the Penrose mansion. The dark elves stood in line, as disciplined as ever, their armor neat, bows strung and ready. Nerith was standing one step in front of them, looking up to Anna as she descended the front stairs. She wore her riding uniform, due to a lack of a proper military outfit, but it suited the purpose. It was navy blue and white, in the colors of Yranta, with sturdy leather pants and a coat over a light tunic. She had her long tied boots on and even wore a short sword around her belt. The sword was a relic from days past and Nate had found it rummaging through Mr Penrose's room in his drunken state last night. Still it was good to have some protection.


"Miss Penrose." Nerith inclined his head and the elves clicked their heels in unison. They did not look a tiny bit hungover. "The attack has started." Nerith said, turning to point toward the walls of the city. "We need to go."


- Make a motivational speech (also choose a means of transport: on foot or horseback, the elves and Nate will still walk).


- Don't say anything (also choose a means of transport: on foot or horseback, the elves and Nate will still walk).

 

[Ezri]

Leave it to her to sleep through a war -- Anna mentally scolded herself while she rushed to get dressed. Luckily Nate hadn't had any qualms about barging in and waking her up, but she couldn't allow herself to keep making silly mistakes like that. Especially not now. The other preparations went by in a blur, and before she knew it they were about to begin. She had opted to take a horse, deciding that having a better vantage point was for the best, but for the moment she was still on the ground as she faced the group.


Even after a night of serious drinking the elves seemed more put together than she felt. They were military, but now Anna supposed she had to be as well. Summoning all her courage she stood up straighter, looking over her tiny squadron for a silent moment. She couldn't recall ever having to give a speech of this magnitude before, and she hadn't prepared for one in the slightest... well, at the very least she shouldn't waste their time and do her best. Impromptu as it was, she wanted to show her support.


"Everyone," she began, addressing the elves with determination. "Thank you, again. This won't be easy. The people we're fighting are cruel and relentless. But because we have you on our side I believe... I know that we can overcome whatever they throw at us. Because I know that even when things look darkest, you don't give up! You fight, and keep fighting, and... won't let anything destroy you!" Maybe it was clumsy, and she doubted it was the sort of speech scholars would talk about in history lessons, but it was made of her true feelings and conviction.

 

[ArcticFox]

Most of the elves did not speak common language, so as Anna spoke, Nerith translated her words softly to them. The elves' deep blue eyes moved from Nerith to Anna and soon there were smiles on most of the faces. When she finished a deafening sound of booming and cheering voices arose. The dark elves raised their bows above their heads in acknowledgment and Nerith placed a hand on his chest and bowed toward Anna in respect. Nate started clapping.


"Wow, I never figured you for a commander!" The blonde said with a grin as he walked past Anna.


"That was a nice speech, miss Penrose." Nerith added. "Thank you."


A horse was brought for Anna and soon they moved out of the mansion's yard and marched toward the walls, with Anna ahead of the column.


It took them less than half an hour to arrive, since the streets were cleared of people. It was odd to see Yranta in this state. Anna was used to busy streets, loud merchants and crowds of people you needed to elbow your way through. Now the streets were deserted and now and then they saw a worried face peaking at them from behind a window curtain. People were aware of the danger. At least those that chose to stay in Yranta, more than a half of the population had left on the ships. As they approached the military district, though, it was a whole another story. Soldiers lined the walls, two rows of them. Most of them held crossbows and ducked behind battlements, while some of them manned the ballistas that were set to both of the sites of the main gate of the city. The archers and war machines were firing constantly. Every now and then the invisible enemy would answer with a fire of their own, and a rain of arrows would descend on the soldiers up on the high walls. Some flew above them and landed among those that were stationed behind the walls, in squadrons of hundreds. Anna saw men fall and yell out in despair, but in a blink of an eye others would move to take their places.


"Penrose!" A commanding voice called Anna when they approached. "Take command over the recruits, we have lost Commander Kiel." It was Lord Tavish, their Military Councilor, the man who held the highest rank among them. He rode his warhorse, trotting among the ranks of his soldiers, now close to Anna, but still far enough that he needed to yell. 


"I am not a military commander." Anna said to her defense. After all, it was a huge responsibility to have.


"These men know you, Penrose!" Lord Tavish scowled. "Lead them!" It was not really a choice.


The veterans and the fully trained soldiers were settled on the walls and close behind them. Cavalry was at both sides of the gate, ready to charge, should the enemy go through. Infantry was placed directly in front of the entrance, but some hundred meters away, to serve as a hammer in driving the invaders off. New recruits were behind the infantry on the last lines of soldiers and some of them now turned to Anna, looking up. There were four thousand of them and they covered the wide street that led from this district into the resident quarter. A stray arrow must have hit Commander Kiel, there was no other explanation for it. Anna could not see any of the guardsmen around, they must have been sent to secure the houses of Councilors and notable buildings in Yranta. They would be stated throughout the city.


The recruits did not look very promising. Even though the battle has just started and they have not yet seen any fighting, most of them looked to Anna with frightened eyes. Most of them were too young or too old anyway. There were a lot of female soldiers also, while this was not uncommon among Yrantan troops, there were far more male soldiers. Anna needed to motivate and take control of her men. And it would be difficult to do without a couple of captains who would relate her orders to the soldiers, after all there were four thousand of them! A couple of choices were presented to Anna:


- Use those elves who spoke common as captains.


- Use some among the recruits as captains.


There was also a choice of a second in command, a person that would take over should something happen to Anna, or should she get separated from her troops. This much she learnt in the past couple of days of her thorough preparing for the war.


- Have Nate as your second.


- Have Nerith as your second.


- Use both of them.

 

[Ezri]

When her friends and the elves all cheered at her words of encouragement Anna couldn't help but feel more optimistic. The battlefield, however, was a grim glimpse of reality and more than ever she felt totally out of her depth. It was difficult not to wince at every loud thud or scream, whether they came from their own side or the enemy's. Part of her doubted whether she should be here at all, but it was far too late to change her mind -- especially with Commander Kiel gone, there were people depending on her to lead them. As fearful as she felt, she couldn't let these soldiers see it and hurt their morale. 


Anna scanned her group of recruits, jaw clenched and gripping her reigns tightly enough to turn her knuckles white. Some of them looked horribly lost; they might feel more at ease if someone they were familiar with was giving them direction, and they would need every scrap of confidence they could get. She looked for those who looked the most composed, but there weren't many. Still, she had to put her faith in those she did choose.


Which led to her second -- "Nerith!" Anna called over the noise as she turned, trying to make sure she hadn't lost sight of him. She didn't know if he had military experience himself or if it was for some other reason, but Nerith seemed to lead his own men effortlessly. Honestly, Anna thought he would probably be a better commander than she ever could, and knowing that he might step up if something happened to her was as comforting as that idea could be.

 

[ArcticFox]

When Anna made her choices, the recruits were partially satisfied and partially suspicious. They, like most of the Yrantan population, did not care to be close to dark elves. They were wary of their dark skinned allies for no reason but the silly prejudice and superstition that was still deeply rooted among the human population. Of course, since Yranta was a city with a wide range of races, not only humans, among the new recruits was also a handful of dwarves, but they were old and perhaps too eager to get in the fight. For one part at least, they seemed to be alright with Nerith taking the charge. There were no elves among the recruits, but there were some couple of hundreds of them among the veteran army.


Anna's little army, such as it was, now numbered a squad of dark elves and four thousand recruits of questionable skill, along with one second in command and half a dozen captains of sorts that would relay her instructions to the rest of the recruits. Nerith accepted his new position with a firm nod that somehow made him look even more capable. He immediately said something to his own people in their language, which made the chosen human captains fix him with stares of mistrust. He did not seem to notice. Nate stood close to Anna's mount, with a short sword and a shield at the ready, but if one looked closer, his hands slightly trembled. Choosing to give Nerith more responsibility was probably the wise thing to do.


Just when Anna's troops had some semblance of order among them, there was a loud bang on the enforced wooden gates of the city. It was very far from Anna's position, but still the land trembled with that hit. Ulmo was knocking on their front doors. This meant that Yrantan forces did not succeed in keeping them far from the walls. They have brought a battering ram and if they continued to use it it was only a matter of time when the old gate would crumble.


- Pull farther from the main troops.


- Push toward the main troops.


- Have the elves situated on the walls to help with removing the battering ram.

 

[Ezri]

So far so good -- Nerith was even more impressive than she hoped he would be, but she couldn't watch him for long. There was a lot to take note of and her gaze flitted from place to place until she found Nate at her side, finally noticing the state he was in. She couldn't blame him, and was hit with a pang of guilt -- he could have just left on a ship if it wasn't for her. 


"We'll be alright." Anna told him, half telling herself, but as soon as the words left her lips the ground shuddered, and she felt herself grow a little pale. So soon! If Ulmo was already at their doorstep, it was hard to believe that the battles outside the walls were going well at all. She gulped -- the first thing to do was to tackle their most immediate problem, which was probably about to hit their gates again at any moment. 


"Archers!" Anna called to her elves at the walls, thankful that the need to yell caused her to sound more authoritative than frantic. "Get rid of that thing! The battering ram!" Even if Ulmo's forces would inevitably push through one way or another, at least they could slow them down.

 

[ArcticFox]

Nerith relayed Anna's orders to his soldiers and they saluted in unison. Soon a mass of dark skinned archers, with longbows slung on their backs, pushed their way through the mass of recruits and regulars and rushed up the walls to the battlements. Anna could not see very well from where she stood, but there seemed to be a momentary confusion among the men on the walls. She expected this to happen, Yrantan army would not accept the dark elves so outright, but she trusted that Nerith would take care of things.


Only a coupe of moments after Neirth and the elves left to help with the battering ram, the pounding on the gates lessened. Anna wished that she could see what exactly was happening among the enemy troops behind the walls. This way she was half bling, and with Councilor Tavish and his commanders being busy with their own forces, no one came to give Anna any more information than she could see with her own eyes.


"Look!" Nate pointed a trembling sword hand toward the walls, startling Anna out of her thoughts. The battlements were in even greater confusion than before. It seemed that Yrantan soldiers were attacking the dark elves! Anna could not believe her own eyes. She did not want to.


"Oh, no." With a whisper of hopelessness she cursed her decision to send them there without her to calm the Yrantan soldiers.


But, before she could spur her horse toward to aid them, there were new figures appearing on the walls. Ulmo soldiers. More and more of them, they climbed the battlements on wooden stairs and ropes, while the Yrantan soldiers were too distracted fighting among themselves. She saw an elven soldier fall down to his death and then a glimpse of Nerith's white hair as he took a swing at one of Yrantan soldiers. But, no, his sword passed by the man's shoulder, slashing across one Ulmo soldier behind him. This seemed to stir the others from their mindless quarrel and soon men, dwarves and elves all turned around to face the enemy that was on their walls. The sound of pounding on the gate continued more persistently than before. 


"We are losing the walls!" One of Anna's captains yelled out. "There's too little place for them to fight." And it was true, Yrantan soldiers kept falling off, but the dark elves kept their balance still. Ulmo's forces were growing in number on the walls and while Councilor Tavish did send reinforcements back, they were unable to approach the top of the walls, due to the awfully narrow space.


- Help Nerith.


- Recall Nerith back.


- Let Nerith fight.

 

[Ezri]

If there was any doubt that Anna was not a military commander, she thought it must be very clear now. How could she have been so short-sighted! For once she hadn't thought about how the other Yrantans would react to the dark elven troops, but she was so intent on the actual enemy that she imagined everyone else was as well. Her heart felt like it was made of lead, but she didn't have the luxury dwelling on her failures yet. 


Instinctively Anna moved forward towards Nerith and her company but quickly changed her mind and pulled her horse back -- she was no soldier, and the walls were already too crowded to even stand on safely. If she went up there herself she would only make it more difficult for them by being in the way. As someone who'd only picked up a sword for the first time that morning, how much help could she really be?


"Ugh!" Anna clenched her teeth. While going herself would almost certainly end badly she couldn't just let them stay in that horrible position either, especially not after putting them there herself. "Fall back!" she called, not sure if it was the right thing to do even as she said it. But as horrifying as it was to think that her decisions could cost people their lives, a decision still had to be made. It looked like Ulmo's army was really going to make it into Yranta, and soon. Staying up on the walls didn't look like it was doing anything to slow them down, and if Nerith and the others could get out, they might at least have a chance on the ground.

 

[ArcticFox]

It was happening. Just when it looked that the Yrantan troops had the upper hand, the Ulmo soldiers started accumulating on the walls. While the human army did not fight the dark elves, instead fighting with them in unison, there was a small pocket of time when the Ulmo took a chance to make their move. Their main quality however was their superior armor. Yrantan soldiers were lightly armed, wearing uniforms of cloth and leather which was typical for the infantry. But the Ulmo wore heavy steal breastplates and chainmail which might have been outdated, but served its purpose. Their soldiers would simply push of Yrantans and take up their places on the walls, while their armors stopped the melee attacks. While the soldiers on the walls gave their best to fight off the invading troops, it just was not enough.


Anna's order was carried by her captains and it reached Nerith just in time. He had lost three of his men and was eager to get them to safety. It was plain that the walls had been lost. As the dark elves jumped down nimbly landing inside the walls, Councilor Tavish sounded a retreat. Yrantan soldiers up on the walls hurried to get down, but they were followed by Ulmo troops. While Nerith and his elves soon arrived safely to the first line of Anna's recruits, the other men on the walls were not so lucky. Many of them died on the walls or fell to their deaths or were pulled over to the other side, disappearing from sight. The slaughter lasted for a quarter of an hour until Yrantan archers pulled pack from the walls, or at least those that were left. Then, a new order was sounded, trumpets and drums announced in unison. In the same moment the second line of the veteran troops on ground pulled out their crossbows sending out a deadly volley of arrows at the walls that were now cleared of their comrades. Ulmo soldiers fell despite their thick armor as the crossbow bolts were designed to pierce any metal. Volleys continued until no soldiers was left standing up on the walls and then a brief silence ensued.


Of course, this was only a small victory. Having abandoned the walls, Yrantan left the battering ram to work unopposed and as soon as the fighting died down the wooden gate gave out a haunting creak and then another one, until it finally collapsed in a storm of debris and dust. As the dust settled, the vanguard of the Ulmo heavy infantry was seen making their progress through the gaping hole. As if that wasn't enough, Ulmo archers started releasing their own volleys of arrows now more frequently and they fell among the thick ranks of soldiers just behind the walls. Being so far from the front line was good for Anna's troops.


- Wait until Councilor Tavish calls for the recruits to join the battle.


- Help out the troops near the gate.


- Consult with Councilor Tavish about your next move.


- Consult with Nerith.


- Consult with Nate.

 

[Ezri]

It was difficult to bear, seeing fewer men return than had left, but nevertheless it was a relief to see them come back at all. Anna breathed a heavy sigh, after realizing she'd been holding her breath, but before long the gates finally gave way to the invading army. Through her fear Anna felt a surge of anger -- Ulmo must have prepared for this extensively, while Yranta had so little time to brace themselves. She couldn't expect them to be fair in a battle of course, but knowing that didn't make being at a disadvantage any easier to stomach. The situation looked more dire by the second, but they weren't defeated yet. For her sake, and the sakes of those with her, she couldn't afford to give up so easily. 


Ordinarily she might be intimidated by Councilor Tavish enough to try and work out a plan herself, but war was no time for timidness or etiquette! It would be more effective to have everyone on the same page, rather than her just making moves on her own, and surely the councilor would know that as well. "Councilor Tavish!" she said as she rode towards him, her expression serious. "Where do you need us?" As he was an experienced military commander, Anna trusted his judgement on the matter much more than her own. 

 

[ArcticFox]

Councilor Tavish turned his war horse toward Anna when she approached. He was already surrounded by his generals, commanders of his forces who were now in a turmoil after the breach of the gates. He was shouting orders and sending men to relay them to the troops, and when Anna came close to him with a question, it was apparent that the man was tired. The battle did not last for a very long time, but still it was already going badly. Such a thing weighed hard on a man responsible for the whole military.


"Just have your men ready to aid the regulars should the need arise." He said, tone still commanding. "Pray that it doesn't come to that." Anna nodded in affirmation and returned to her position. Councilor's words were far from inspiring.


The battle continued much in the same manner for the next couple of hours. Ulmo forces advanced through the gates only to be pushed by a charge of Yrantan cavalry. But still, with their every advance they pushed in a little farther. Even though Anna and her soldiers still had not come to contact with the enemy, it was obvious that they were strained. Looking at the battle that was slowly progressing toward them could not be anything but stressful for their morale.


"This doesn't look good, Anna." Nate said, face gloomy as he looked at her.


And it really did not. In the third hour of the battle, Ulmo had managed to push a bulk of their army through the gate and overtake a military encampment closest to the walls. Using the buildings and barracks as cover, they regrouped, gaining a tactical advantage. Much of Yranta's heavy cavalry was useless now without any room for a charge, as they were pushed against the infantry lines of the main forces behind them. Ulmo showered them with volley after volley of arrows, until Councilor Tavish was forced to pull what little had remained of his cavalry back. It seemed that position all the available troops so close was a mistake, because, while it was difficult to breach that wall of bodies, it was also difficult for the soldiers to move inside it.


A messenger from Councilor Tavish arrived in front of Yranta to relay his message. They were to pull back through the Gate of the Army and into the workshop district. Here they were to wait until called to join the fight. This way the main forces will have more space for maneuver and will be able to hit the enemy positions in hope to drive them out of the city. And that was what Anna did. Her captains carried her order to move back and with her in front and Nate following closely, the four thousand people moved to go through the next wall barrier and a gate that was still open. The dark elves walked behind them all, many of them turning around to see what was happening in the clash of two armies. That was when the huge outer wall of Yranta started to break. It came as a shock to Anna, hearing the crackle of stone as it was bombarded by something huge and heavy from the outer side. Still, having no time to turn and watch, she led her recruits through the gate, waiting beside it for them to file in and take their positions.


- Wait for orders.


- Think of a tactic.


- Talk to Nerith or Nate.