Amber rode on horseback with her commanders beside her. Behind her the army that had in effect formed itself marched and sang.
We'll break right through Yocasta's line, hurrah,hurrah
We'll break right through Yocasta's line, hurrah,hurrah
We'll break right through Yocasta's line
We'll f**k the women and drink the wine
And we'll all do well when Amber comes marching home.
"I'm worried," she said. "It's true that a few small garrisons have joined our side, but sooner or later we'll be in a fight with the Queen's main army. The infantry of Yocasta are conscripts, but her heavy horse are volunteers and if we don't find a way to stop them they'll ride us down."
"Booby traps," said Mayor Auric. "Plugged wasp nests make good grenades.
Pit traps. Wooden spikes. Arrows. A trip rope twenty feet from our line. Dogs to scare horses, we have plenty of them, and everything we can throw. We can't stop their charge, but if we can blunt it enough we can take it. Then we charge before they can regroup,with our best troops on the flanks.As our centre gives ground, so our flanks will envelop them."
That evening the two great armies faced each other, but although both set plenty of sentries, neither was prepared for a night attack. Instead Queen Amber and Queen Yocasta both gave final speeches to those who would be risking their lives for them the next day.
"Why are we here?," asked Amber. "We are here because Queen Yocasta has occupied and looted our city, has kiddnapped people's daughters at random,and has become a greedy grasping bad ruler. If we lose the battle tomorrow she will have no mercy on us, you can be sure of that. If we win we can rebuild our lives and live them the way we want to."
Queen Yocasta, with the greenish body of her daughter propped up by her side, said to her army "Tomorrow we fight to deal with that traitor Amber. Sleep well, tomorrow we fight."
The next day she stood staring at Amber's army. "Chancellor Montor, send out the heavy horse."
"With respect, your Majesty, would it not be better to scout first...?"
"When I want your advice I'll ask for it. Send out the heavy horse,NOW!"
The Chancellor, who was wearing a full suit of plate armour, raised a trumpet to his mouth and blew three short sharp blasts and out rode the elete Vallamorian Heavy Horsemen in their red armour, their lances raised. They trotted, cantered, galloped, and ran straight into Amber's traps.
During the night a cable from the Swiftbolt had been streched over a part of the battlefield and Amber's men pulled it tight, causing the nearest horses to trip and throw their riders. Other horses tripped and fell over the fallen.
Sections of the line revealed long sharp spears that no horse would charge, dogs, that barked and scared the horses,or hurled wasp grenades...plugged wasp nests that stung the horses and made them throw their riders. Other horses fell down pits or trenches that had been quietly dug the night before and covered up. Where horsemen did break the line it opened to let them in, then closed so that they could be plucked from the saddle.And all the time people shot crossbow bolts at horses or threw stones at them.
When the charge collasped into confusion, Amber signaled the charge, and the two lines hacked and slashed and stabbed away at each other.In the centre Amber's army was weak and giving ground. On the flanks Yocasta's conscripts were faceing pirates, policemen and long-term Home Army men with the best weapons that Amber's army had.As Amber's center bent, the flanks enveloped Yocasta's army and forced it into a confused mass.On Amber's orders a gap was opened and those who wanted to flee could do. When a rainstorm started, Yocasta's infantry, many of which didn't really want to fight for her and were now soaked,started to flee in large numbers and Queen Yocasta retreated inside her city.
Amber rode as close to the walls as she dared. "People of Vallermoore, I know what's been happening to your daughters. I know Yocasta is not popular. If any of you really hate her guts, now is the time to get even."
At one of the gates a couple of gate guards, one of which had lost his daughter to the Princess Draft, and another who had seen his brother executed for desertion, took matters into their own hands and opened one of the smaller gates, allowing Amber's people inside.
The Queen turned to her Chancellor. "It's not too late for us to flee and gather a new army to complete the fight. I have many soldiers on garrison duty who were not involved in the battle." She turned to Princess Chysta's dead body and kissed it's dry cheek. "Don't worry, I won't let your birthright be stolen."
At that moment Chancellor Montor did what a lot of people had wanted to do at all levels of society for a very long time. He drew his sword and stabbed the Queen through the heart. "Raise the white flag!" he shouted. "I'm sure fair terms can be arranged."
We'll break right through Yocasta's line, hurrah,hurrah
We'll break right through Yocasta's line, hurrah,hurrah
We'll break right through Yocasta's line
We'll f**k the women and drink the wine
And we'll all do well when Amber comes marching home.
"I'm worried," she said. "It's true that a few small garrisons have joined our side, but sooner or later we'll be in a fight with the Queen's main army. The infantry of Yocasta are conscripts, but her heavy horse are volunteers and if we don't find a way to stop them they'll ride us down."
"Booby traps," said Mayor Auric. "Plugged wasp nests make good grenades.
Pit traps. Wooden spikes. Arrows. A trip rope twenty feet from our line. Dogs to scare horses, we have plenty of them, and everything we can throw. We can't stop their charge, but if we can blunt it enough we can take it. Then we charge before they can regroup,with our best troops on the flanks.As our centre gives ground, so our flanks will envelop them."
That evening the two great armies faced each other, but although both set plenty of sentries, neither was prepared for a night attack. Instead Queen Amber and Queen Yocasta both gave final speeches to those who would be risking their lives for them the next day.
"Why are we here?," asked Amber. "We are here because Queen Yocasta has occupied and looted our city, has kiddnapped people's daughters at random,and has become a greedy grasping bad ruler. If we lose the battle tomorrow she will have no mercy on us, you can be sure of that. If we win we can rebuild our lives and live them the way we want to."
Queen Yocasta, with the greenish body of her daughter propped up by her side, said to her army "Tomorrow we fight to deal with that traitor Amber. Sleep well, tomorrow we fight."
The next day she stood staring at Amber's army. "Chancellor Montor, send out the heavy horse."
"With respect, your Majesty, would it not be better to scout first...?"
"When I want your advice I'll ask for it. Send out the heavy horse,NOW!"
The Chancellor, who was wearing a full suit of plate armour, raised a trumpet to his mouth and blew three short sharp blasts and out rode the elete Vallamorian Heavy Horsemen in their red armour, their lances raised. They trotted, cantered, galloped, and ran straight into Amber's traps.
During the night a cable from the Swiftbolt had been streched over a part of the battlefield and Amber's men pulled it tight, causing the nearest horses to trip and throw their riders. Other horses tripped and fell over the fallen.
Sections of the line revealed long sharp spears that no horse would charge, dogs, that barked and scared the horses,or hurled wasp grenades...plugged wasp nests that stung the horses and made them throw their riders. Other horses fell down pits or trenches that had been quietly dug the night before and covered up. Where horsemen did break the line it opened to let them in, then closed so that they could be plucked from the saddle.And all the time people shot crossbow bolts at horses or threw stones at them.
When the charge collasped into confusion, Amber signaled the charge, and the two lines hacked and slashed and stabbed away at each other.In the centre Amber's army was weak and giving ground. On the flanks Yocasta's conscripts were faceing pirates, policemen and long-term Home Army men with the best weapons that Amber's army had.As Amber's center bent, the flanks enveloped Yocasta's army and forced it into a confused mass.On Amber's orders a gap was opened and those who wanted to flee could do. When a rainstorm started, Yocasta's infantry, many of which didn't really want to fight for her and were now soaked,started to flee in large numbers and Queen Yocasta retreated inside her city.
Amber rode as close to the walls as she dared. "People of Vallermoore, I know what's been happening to your daughters. I know Yocasta is not popular. If any of you really hate her guts, now is the time to get even."
At one of the gates a couple of gate guards, one of which had lost his daughter to the Princess Draft, and another who had seen his brother executed for desertion, took matters into their own hands and opened one of the smaller gates, allowing Amber's people inside.
The Queen turned to her Chancellor. "It's not too late for us to flee and gather a new army to complete the fight. I have many soldiers on garrison duty who were not involved in the battle." She turned to Princess Chysta's dead body and kissed it's dry cheek. "Don't worry, I won't let your birthright be stolen."
At that moment Chancellor Montor did what a lot of people had wanted to do at all levels of society for a very long time. He drew his sword and stabbed the Queen through the heart. "Raise the white flag!" he shouted. "I'm sure fair terms can be arranged."
