Kingdom Tales Book 2: Balance

The throne room erupts in a chorus of shouts and cries of fear. Lillian, Sir Jamonson, and Malinda rush over to Winston’s side.

“Prince Winston!”, Lillian shouts as she is the first to reach him. Her voice brings Winston back and his mind begins working quickly. It’s not like he didn’t expect this anyway. First he needed to calm everyone down.

“Enough!”, he bellows with all his strength. Immediately, silent falls over the room and every eye is in his direction. “Now is not the time to panic. All civilians remain here in the castle. Look after one another. Lady Lillian, you will remain here. Insure everyone’s safety.”, Winston begins giving orders. Lillian nods at hers. Winston turns to Sir Rollrick. “Sir Rollrick you and the present knights move throughout the city. Tell civilians you find to either come to the castle or the church.”, he tells him.

Sir Rollrick nods and immediately orders his knights to follow him.

“What of Kaba, sire?”, Sir Jamonson asks.

“Keep him chained and watch him. Guards shall also remain while the rest are placed outside the castle.”

“What will you be doing?”, the question comes from Winston’s relative, Alexander. Winston turns to him.

“I’ll be dealing with Argon.”, he answers simply before making his way out the throne room.

He doesn’t bother putting on his full armor; merely his breastplate, gauntlets, and shin protectors. When he is ready he heads out to the city gates. This is the first time the capital has been faced with an invasion and Winston is determine to not let it end horribly.

By time he reaches the gates, the companies he posted outside the city have formed a defensive wall between the city and Argon’s invading forces. Winston’s army stands in six long rows. He rides throw them to join the three generals in front. When he arrives he spots Argon in front of his own forces.

“Sire, we have readied the forces and awaiting your commands.”, says the general to the immediate right of him. Winston doesn’t take his eyes off Argon. Though he is ready to end this situation with him Winston couldn’t help but feel uneasy. This would be his first actual battle besides Gordowe. He clinches his fist around the reins in hand and takes a deep breath and releases it.

The suspense and tension builds suffocating the air. Winston looks to his troops then to his generals.

“Did you follow my instructions?”, he says to one.

“Yes. Even for the wall.”, the general replies. Winston nods his head.

“Archers!”, Winston shouts. At his cue the last two rows raise and ready their bows. “Fire!”, Twenty-four arrows are launched into the air and rain down on the enemy. Argon orders his troops to charge in retaliation. The change in position causes some of the arrows to miss, but nonetheless a good bit hit their mark.

“Lancers!”, Winston calls as the arrows fall. He then orders them forward sword drawn and leads them in the charge along with his generals. He and Argon head for one another only for Winston to change direction at the last minute; going in the direction opposite of Argon’s hand holding his sword. This results in Winston’s sword slicing Argon’s horse’s chest and side.

He turns Starracer around after a couple paces to see Argon’s horse fall front first. Argon jumps to the ground and faces Winston with a face of pure rage. Winston dismounts his own horse and approaches Argon as the sounds of battle ring out around them.

Argon gets to his feet and charges Winston. With his sword in both hands Winston blocks the former lord’s sideward strike with his own. Locked, the two attempt to overpower the other only for Winston to spin around to the back of Argon. As he does he takes a swipe at Argon’s side, but it’s blocked by his armor. Argon counters with a swing of his sword. Winston ducks out of the way and comes back with an upward strike. Argon brings his own sword back at an angle to block it.

Winston is able to overpower him with the advantage of his position knocking Argon off balance. Winston takes the opening and lunges forward with his sword. The former lord stumbles back and hits the ground. At that moment a soldier charges in Winston’s direction with a mace and shield.

Winston blocks the soldier’s downward strike with his mace and throws it to the side before thrusting the tip of his blade towards his face. However, the attack is a false one only to make the soldier flinch back and Winston maneuvers in a turn around him. As he does so he knocks the soldier’s legs from under him with his sword.

The sound of someone running reaches Winston’s ears as he is about to finish of the soldier. He turns to catch Argon charging him and barely blocks his sideward strike. The impact sends Winston falling back to the ground. Argon goes in for a stab at Winston, but he manages to roll out the way. Getting to his feet in the process and landing a swing at Argon’s leg.

The soldier from before comes up behind Winston, yet as he is about to attack he is intercepted by a thrown sword to his weapon causing it to leave his hands. The sound of metal hitting metal alerts Winston who turns around to take a swing with his sword resulting in forcthe soldier back. Winston continues with the motion letting go of the sword with one hand bringing the weapon back in an arch to block a strike from Argon.

Simultaneously, someone charges the soldier who blocks a punch with his shield. He falls to the ground when the person makes his way around the soldier’s shield to elbow him in the back. Winston is able to maneuver his way around Argon with a turn. Once again resulting in Argon lurching forward, however, this time the former lord manages just in time to bring his sword to block Winston’s follow up attack. Nonetheless, Winston is able to catch a glimpse of Vincent, now with his recovered sword deliver a killing blow to the soldier.

Argon catches his distraction and breaks his and Winston’s lock by changing the direction of his attack knocking Winston’s sword out his hand. The action brings back Winston’s full attention and as Argon lunges forward with his blade he maneuvers around it and grabs Argon’s arm. He trips Argon by his legs as he send his opponent past him resulting in Argon falling to the ground face first. Acting quickly Winston disarms Argon with a stomp on the back while at the same time grasping the former lord’s arms back.

By this time, Winston notices the battle is quieter than before and takes a look around. He notices majority of Argon’s forces have thrown down their weapons in surrender while others are dead, yet still some continue to fight on. He keeps hold of the defeated leader of this rebellion as Vincent approaches him.

“Most started giving up after I brought the reinforcements from the Gordowe area.”, Vincent speaks once by Winston’s side.

“That would mean those still fighting are the ones actually loyal to Argon.”, Winston replies turning to his friend. Vincent nods. Winston pauses a moment thinking how it may cause problems if these individuals were allowed to live. Argon begins to struggle under Winston, yet is unable to get up without his arms or leverage.

Winston repositions his foot to Argon’s head muffling his grunts and curses at the two boys. “Hold his arm and hand me your sword.”, Winston finally speaks to Vincent. Vincent takes the closest of Argon’s arms to him with one hand and gives his sword to Winston with the other.

Winston raises the sword in the air and turns it. The motion is spotted by a watcher on the capital’s wall. Giving a hand signal sixteen other archers line the top of the wall. Vincent watches in curiousity as the archers ready to fire. Winston then turns from the wall and swings the blade down. At the command the archers rain down fire on all of those of Argon’s forces still fighting and suspected of being actually loyal to Argon.

One by one the soldiers fall as the archers hit their mark. Soon the last sounds of battle fade and the soldiers of the royal army turn to where Winston and Vincent stand with a furious, but defeated Argon. Seeing that they have won they all let out cries and shouts of victory.