Raven Warriors: Not all life is lived in battle by Lee LC

Author:Lee, LC
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-01-02T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 14

Battle of Lwów

In the spring of 1675, they called on János to muster for training at the sanctuary, so he rode up to meet with Lael. The senior warriors had dedicated a month to train recruits in Raven horsemanship, which in combat circumstances would intimidate the enemy, by forming a black mass. And without a command, they would fluctuate to a thin dispersion. The well-trained warriors operated with a synergy that was beyond other cavalries.

After a month spent training recruits, Captain György called the men together. “Brothers, you need to go home and get your homesteads in order and be back here in one month.”

Lael called out. “Where are we fighting?”

“It will be in Lwów. Sobieski only needs fifteen units of Raven Warriors to cover his flank.”

István asked the captain, “Is it only for senior warriors?”

“Aye, István. They will be handpicked and make new units out of all the other units.”

***

Back at the cottage, János had made a lot of progress. He finished a nicely fitted tack room, and he enjoyed spending precious time with Klára and Miklós. When the end of his leave grew near, he reminded Klára, “I have to go fight for the coin, my dear.”

“Remember your promise to me, János.”

It worried Klára to hear that the Turkish forces were outnumbering Sobieski’s cavalry ten to one. Her tears wet her cheek, and she pulled him closer. “Come back to me alive and well.”

“I will, my love. I won’t let them get me.”

“Promise me.”

***

Warriors were arriving at Lwów most of the day. Sobieski came late in the afternoon to a clamor of horses and men wandering around looking for a campsite. Sobieski’s arrival calmed the situation, and he divided his troops. He positioned his cavalry in a ravine just outside of Lwów and placed cannons on the road assigning the Raven Warriors to protect his left flank, and stationed the rest of his infantry around the city in case the Turks came from another direction.

He also conscripted locals and stationed them in the hills surrounding the plains and gave them spare lances and pennants of the hussars. It would give the impression that his troop numbers were much higher.

János and István arrived at the village that was overflowing with Raven Warriors. The Raven commander, Kaminski, stationed the units along a creek. Captain György rushed in and grabbed a flat spot for his unit next to an eddy pool in the nearby river.

***

A few days later, János and his fellow warriors awoke to cannon fire from Lwów. The men said very little as they all realized what the call to arms sounded like. As they readied for battle, the captain said, “Eat and drink, for it is to be a long day.”

The captain sent out four-man patrols. János, István and Lael, along with Jon, a Polish misfit, were on patrol, scouting for troop movement. Just a few miles out from camp, they entered the forest. A swarm of arrows came flying through, one hitting Lael’s horse. István yelled out a warning and pointed at the source of the arrows.

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