Duel by Jonathan Moeller

Author:Jonathan Moeller [Moeller, Jonathan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Fantasy, epic, Historical, Military, Arthurian, frostborn, ridmark arban, calliande, sevenfold sword
Google: rXRsDwAAQBAJ
Amazon: B07H1JTN9Z
Publisher: Azure Flame Media
Published: 2018-08-29T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter 5: A Knightly Wager

Tarrabus and I took the thirty men-at-arms that Mallis selected, and we waded our horses across the River Marcaine. It was a difficult but simple task. The River Marcaine is swift but not deep near Dun Licinia, and we managed to get our horses across in a quarter of an hour.

“Now what?” said Tarrabus, pulling his boots back on and climbing back into his saddle. He grimaced a little at the water that dripped from the soaked hem of his surcoat.

“Now we ride swiftly,” I said, pulling myself back into Vanquisher’s saddle. The big horse tried to bite me, and I gave a firm tug on the reins. He wasn’t happy about having crossed the river. “Swordsmen in front, archers behind.” At my insistence, Sir Tagrimn had given us ten men-at-arms equipped with bows. If we were going to hold the ford against the Mhalekite warband until Tagrimn arrived, the archers would come in handy.

“Do you think we can hold until Sir Tagrimn arrives?” said Tarrabus. His voice was hard, but there was no trace of his usual mockery. He knew we were about to have a serious fight on our hands.

“Perhaps,” I said. “It depends on how quick Sir Tagrimn can get here.” I shrugged. “Or maybe the Comes was wrong, and the Mhalekites will take another route, or they’ve already fled with their captives. Then we’ll just waste our time.”

Tarrabus smirked. “Or maybe you’ll simply kill them all, mighty Swordbearer that you are.”

I grunted. “Maybe you should have your father speak to the Master of the Order. Then you could be a ‘mighty Swordbearer’ as well.”

“My destiny is to rule Caerdracon in my father’s place when he is gathered to the side of the Dominus Christus,” said Tarrabus with a hint of condescension. “Not to charge about the realm of Andomhaim fighting every ragged orcish warlord with pretensions of conquest.”

“I’m sure Aelia will be amused to learn that the future Dux of Caerdracon hung behind the lines while the Swordbearer and the men-at-arms did all the fighting,” I said.

“Then let’s make this sporting,” said Tarrabus. “When we return to Castra Marcaine, I had intended to ask Aelia to go riding near the town.”

“As did I,” I said.

Truth be told, both of us had been asking Aelia to go on rides whenever possible. I imagine it was a source of amusement to the servants to see Lady Aelia Licinius go riding in the fields near the town, accompanied by her ladies-in-waiting and a few men-at-arms, at the behest of an eager young Swordbearer and the heir to the Dux of Caerdracon.

“Very well,” said Tarrabus. “If you cut down more of the Mhalekite dogs, I will stand aside and let you ask Aelia to go riding after our victory. But when I cut down more of the enemy, you will step back and let me ask her to go riding when we return to Castra Marcaine.”

“Fair enough,” I said. “But I have a soulblade, and you do not.

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