Last Battle of the Icemark (30 page)

For a moment she almost halted the attack while she reconsidered her tactics, but her army had already begun its advance, rolling down on the city like the shades of the world's last night. Nothing could be done to recall them. The decision had been made; it was up to her now to ensure this war reached its obvious and glorious conclusion.

Thirrin and her army had been advancing in a state of high alert all day. Scouts had reported that they were a matter of a few miles from Romula and that the city was under attack. Smoke was pouring from the streets, and the Hordes were entering many breaches in the southern walls. But, most importantly, the fighting was still going on. Over a quarter of the city was ablaze, but the central and northern districts seemed to be intact, and – as far as could be ascertained – the Palace precinct was untouched. Obviously the Emperor and his Senators were still safe. But if they should fall into the enemy's hands, all was lost; city, freedom and war. It was imperative that Thirrin and the Allies reached them before
Erinor and her Hordes.

The Allied infantry advanced at a sustained jog, eating up the remaining miles to Romula, but it still took all of Thirrin's iron control and experience not to dash off at the head of her cavalry to save the city. It was essential that the army arrived as one disciplined unit, and entered the battle like a blade burying itself in flesh. As usual, they were heavily outnumbered, and their only hope of success lay in surprise and rigid order.

“General Andronicus, take all the Polypontian units and place them at the head of the army,” she ordered. “And make sure they display every Imperial flag and banner they have. We don't want to have to fight the defenders on our way into the city; we come as saviours, not conquerors.”

The Polypontian general saluted and galloped off to issue orders, and Tharaman-Thar pulled in alongside Thirrin. “Refreshing change, really, marching on a city instead of defending one.”

“Well, we are defending it really, we're just doing it in a roundabout way,” she replied. “But once we're through the gates, and the Polypontian defenders realise we're on their side, that's when the real fighting will begin. It'll be interesting testing our mettle against the Hordes. They claim to be undefeated and unbeatable, and that simply has to be challenged!”

“My dear, I do believe you're actually looking forward to this!” said the Thar in amazement. “Here we are about to confront an army that's known nothing but success and your only interest is to test yourself against it!”

“Not my only interest, Tharaman. Don't forget that they've declared our Hypolitan allies traitors, and stated that
they intend to wipe them out. After which, no doubt, they'd turn their attention on the rest of the Icemark, and anyone else who gets in their way. And on top of that, I think it's pretty clear that they intend to re-establish the empire with themselves as a ruling elite. So all in all, I think it's in all our interests to stop and defeat the Hordes.”

“Yes, yes, no doubt you're right. But this old warrior for one is wondering when he'll be able to fight his last battle.”

Sharley, Mekhmet and Kirimin stood with Cressida's cavalry unit and looked out over the walls of Romula. The snows of the mountains and foothills had been left behind, and the huge city stood on the fertile plain below them, magnificent in its size and unassailable in its legend.

Far off on the southern horizon a dark smudge of movement discoloured the greenery of the plain, and a murmur rose up from the ranks. This was the first sight they'd had of the fabled Hordes, and though the distance between the two armies was huge, the flash and glitter of weaponry as the invaders continued to pour reinforcements into the southernmost sectors of the city reminded the Allies that the enemy was vicious and undefeated.

At the head of the army, Sharley could see his mother giving final orders to Andronicus and Leonidas, then at last the army rolled forward and down onto the plain. The next few minutes would be crucial. If the defenders of Romula believed they were a second invading force, they could find themselves fighting to get into the city before they'd even struck a blow against Erinor and her Hordes.

The flags and banners of the empire snapped and rattled in the wind of their speed, while above, the squadrons of
Vampires flew in tight formations that perfectly reflected the cavalry ranks below. As the huge, crumbling walls of Romula loomed closer, Andronicus gave the order for bugles to announce their approach. The bright, brittle glitter of notes scythed through the air, and soldiers could be seen scurrying about the walls as they watched their approach. But then an answering bugle call sounded, and with it came the distant sound of cheering.

After a minute or so, the gates they were approaching slowly opened and a contingent of horsemen rode out. With Thirrin's consent, Andronicus and Leonidas spurred ahead and they met the Polypontian cavalry midway from the walls.

As far as Sharley could see from his position amongst the ranks of Cressida's unit of cavalry, there was a great deal of back-slapping and hand-shaking going on as they approached. Further off, the gates of the city continued to swing open, allowing the Allied army access. Kirimin trotted briskly between Sharley and Mekhmet, her huge jaws slightly open as she sampled the air for scents. Nobody said a word – Cressida demanded silence in the ranks during action – but that didn't stop the odours conveying their stories of fear, fire and fighting in the streets of Romula.

To Kirimin's acute senses, smells were as articulate as words, and the men that Andronicus was still conversing with gave off a tangled skein of scents themselves, ranging from the extreme stress of warfare to relief that an army had come to their aid. One or two also seemed a little wary of the host of monsters that was approaching, but with the supreme pragmatism of the desperate, they were content to accept help from anyone – even the hideous Vampires that kept perfect pace with the land army below.

Andronicus now drew his sword, and, after bowing in his saddle to the approaching Thirrin, he raised it aloft and called the army on. The pace rose to a gallop. The noise of thundering hooves and jingling weaponry masked any conversation now, and Sharley leaned from his saddle to run his hand through Kirimin's fur.

“This is it, meat-breath,” he called affectionately. “Give 'em fury, but take no risks!”

“You too,” she called back. Then, raising her head, she gave the coughing bark that was the war cry of the Snow Leopards. Immediately all of the huge cats took it up and Tharaman-Thar roared thunderously, the sound echoing back from the city walls like the boom of artillery.

Imp-Pious flew up into the air as the push to the city began, but after hovering for a few moments he hurried to catch up with his friends. Then, as the defences loomed nearer and nearer, seeming to rise out of the plain like dark cliffs, Pious landed on Kirimin's neck and burrowed deep into her fur.

Sharley caught Mekhmet's eye and winked. They'd ridden together into many battles far to the south and beyond the borders of the Desert Kingdom as the Polypontian Empire had broken apart. But now they were about to enter the very heart of the old Imperial power that had dominated millions of lives in dozens of countries. From here Bellorum had plotted and planned to enslave as much of the world as he could, and yet now they were riding to save it from its final downfall!

The army rattled through the eerily quiet streets and reached a wide square, where a hastily-convened welcoming committee had gathered. Here a halt was called, and all of the top-ranking officers gathered around for a council of war.
Thirrin impatiently acknowledged the speeches of welcome and then demanded information. Obviously, to fight the Hordes effectively, they would need to know exactly where they were and counter their advance. Soon Polypontian officers arrived from the fighting and gave details of positions, numbers and dispositions. Sharley felt like screaming as time passed and the distant sounds of the fighting sent ghostly echoes over the square. But then at last plans were finalised and orders given.

The army was divided under the separate commands of Cressida and Krisafitsa, who would lead their human troopers, Snow Leopards and housecarles through the streets of the city; while Thirrin, Tharaman-Thar and Grishmak would take the other half of the cavalry back through the gates along with most of the werewolf infantry and the Hypolitan. Eodred and Howler were also to stay in the city and lead their mixed regiment of werewolves and housecarles as an independent command that could react swiftly to whatever need should arise. A similar role had been assigned to the Vampires, but their remit extended beyond the walls too, and with this in mind Commander Bramorius Stokecescu had subdivided his force, ceding command of one half to Squadron Leader Petros Cushingoss.

Sharley, Mekhmet and Kirimin were to stay with Cressida, and the boys couldn't resist grinning when they saw Commander Leonidas riding with the Crown Princess. But now that both Princess and Field Commander had very definite military objectives to achieve, they were talking to each other easily, and General Andronicus hardly needed to fill any silences at all. Besides, all talk was of the coming struggle, and human, Snow Leopard and werewolf Allies busily finalised
details as they hurriedly marched to the front. Stokecescu and his Vampires were initially being used as scouts, and were busily pointing out the quickest route to the fighting.

The Allies' battle plan was simplicity itself: those in Romula were to support the Polypontian defenders and stop the Hordes' advance if possible, while Thirrin and the rest of the army would ride round the walls and take the enemy in the flank and rear as they waited to enter the city. Hopefully their losses and demoralisation would be so great they'd break and flee. General Andronicus had assured them all that it wasn't impossible, and that he'd almost done it himself with much smaller numbers. All they could do now was to pray to the Goddess, and hope that Erinor's phenomenal luck would finally run out.

All of the Allied soldiers in the city knew it was imperative that the Hordes did not reach the Palace Precinct, where the Emperor was sheltering. If the palace should fall, the battle and the war were lost.

Sharley, Kirimin and Mekhmet trotted through the labyrinth of city streets as part of Cressida's cavalry. The marching formation of the army was lost as the warriors crammed into the narrow roadways and dark alleys of the poorer quarters, but they still moved forward at a tremendous pace as the clamour of fighting drew closer. This was it; this was where the fighting finally began. Then at last, under the guidance of the Vampires and the Polypontian scouts, the Allied army began to enter the wider streets and boulevards of the governmental enclave. Here, in the time of the empire's greatest power, foreign embassies and commissions had stood, and the streets had been peopled with politicians, diplomats and rich merchants. But now they were empty of everyone and
everything, apart from smoke and the occasional glimpse of a feral dog or cat slinking away.

Sharley tightened his sword belt and patted Suleiman's neck as the horse blew and sidled at the acrid stench of burning. “Steady, steady. We'll be able to see them soon,” he said, knowing the charger would settle down when the enemy came in sight and was no longer a hidden threat.

Mekhmet was muttering quietly to himself, offering up a prayer to his One God. Sharley had heard his friend pray many times before and knew he never asked for safety in battle or deliverance from death; instead Mekhmet asked for bravery and the ability to do honour to his ancestors.

Sharley offered his own prayer to the Goddess, and then another to Mekhmet's One God. After campaigning and living for so long with the Desert People, it seemed only polite, and he knew the Mother wouldn't mind.

Spiritual duties done, Sharley glanced over at Kirimin, who was trotting silently beside him. “All right, meat-breath?” he asked kindly.

“Not really, no,” she answered. “Is it always so . . . 
fraught
before battle?”

“Oh, yes,” he replied. “Everyone's always pooing themselves; don't believe all these stern martial expressions you can see around you, we're all terrified.”

“Really?” she asked incredulously.

“Absolutely.”

A sudden flurry of wind brought the sound of shouting and screaming with it, and they both fell silent as they stared ahead. “How many of us will die?” Kirimin asked.

“Well, that's direct and to the point,” said Sharley with a pained smile. “But I couldn't possibly say. If it all goes well,
perhaps only a few hundred; if it goes badly, maybe thousands. Maybe all of us.”

Kiri nodded, unconsciously using human body language after living in their company for so long. “Thanks for being honest at least.”

“No point in being anything else really. We're about to fight a battle and no amount of pretty lies is going to make it any easier.”

A Vampire swept in low, screeching as it came, and then did a slow barrel roll. The enemy was within sight. Immediately a muted rustle and murmur passed through the ranks of soldiers as equipment was checked and voices swore oaths or simply prayed. Then suddenly the road they were following ended, and the army emerged from the twisting skein of back streets and on to the hugely wide Eppian Way. Immediately horse and Snow Leopard, housecarle and werewolf fanned out and redressed their ranks, filling the wide boulevard from side to side.

Cressida barked orders and the cavalry surged forward at a swift trot. She stole a glance at Commander Leonidas, who rode beside her, and she found herself deeply approving his bearing. He rode straight-backed and with an elegant ease, as though he was in a show ring. Next to him, his father General Andronicus rode with all the style of a sack of coal; as the old general himself was always saying, his son took after his mother. But then the demands of Cressida's command claimed her full attention, and she stared along the boulevard. In the distance she could see a makeshift barrier being swept aside by a squadron of truly mountainous creatures, which she guessed must be the legendary Tri-Horns. The Polypontian defenders were retreating before their advance, but were still maintaining
good order, and others were running to join them in what looked like a futile attempt to resist the Tri-Horns.