Jala watched in mute horror as the ranks of their enemy filled the field beyond the valley they had chosen for their final ground. Tens of thousands of soldiers covered the ground as far as she could see. Her mouth dry, she glanced over at Vaze who stood beside her with a look of resolve on his face. She didn’t dare look back at her own people right now, not with the look of despair on her face. She could hear the murmurs through the ranks behind her. They were nervous enough without seeing the fear and utter lack of hope she knew she wore. There was no way her two thousand could hold against Rivasa. They had faced bad odds before, but nothing like this. Not even the chosen ground they stood in could spare them from death.
“Lady Merrodin!” A voice called from across the field amplified with magic. “I would speak with you, Lady Merrodin!” The voice rose again as a rider broke free of the ranks and stopped several yards ahead of his main force.
Pressing her own horse forward, Jala rode out to the mouth of the valley with Neph and Valor close beside her. The two Bendazzi ranged ahead of her horse and stopped, their bodies both crouched in threat. With a quick spell, Jala amplified her own voice and straightened her back. “Then speak!” she called her voice steady despite her growing fear.
“As you can see, Lady Merrodin, you have no hope of facing us. I find it rather amusing that you turned to make a stand at all, but then you are rumored to be bold. I’m going to offer you the chance to surrender before I slaughter your people, however,” the man called back his voice light and filled with mockery.
“Surrender and step aside so that you can slaughter the people of Arovan?” Jala asked, lacing her tone with disgust. The man was too far away for her to see his features clearly but she recognized the colors of house Rivasa. This was doubtless one of the High Lord’s sons that she addressed and if he was anything like the ones she had already met he had very little in the way of mercy.
“Let me show you what happens if you refuse my offer, Lady Merrodin.” The Rivasan raised a hand and Jala watched in silence as two poles were brought forward. Her throat tightened as she gazed at the bodies that hung suspended like grisly banners. Despite the distance she could clearly recognize the silver of Honor Hai’dia’s hair though his body was too badly burned to tell much else. The other she knew was Micah though not even his dark hair remained to identify him.
“You son of a bitch!” Valor snarled, his voice filled with grief and rage. Frantically, Jala grabbed his arm as he pressed his horse forward. It was clear his emotions had overruled his logic.
“Valor, no, please. He is trying to goad you, please don’t,” Jala pleaded, her arms still gripping him tightly as she turned back to face the Rivasan. The man had moved his horse aside and his attention was fully focused on the ragged figure his soldiers were pushing forward to stand between the two dead Arovan. Her finery was torn to shreds and her silver hair hung over her shoulders in tangles but Blue Bess still managed to stand on her own. Even from their distance, Jala could see the blood that covered the woman.
“Tell them they have no prayer. Tell them to surrender or they will die, herald,” the Rivasan said as he rode up behind Blue and prodded her roughly forward with his boot.
Blue stumbled and Jala thought she would fall but the bard straightened and stood staring across the field at them. “Kill them all, Valor! Make them pay for what they have done! Do not trust their words. They are liars!” Blue called loudly, her beautiful voice still clear and proud despite the torments the woman had obviously endured.
The Rivasan rode forward quickly and kicked the woman to the ground. “If you listen to her you, will die Lady Merrodin. I give you until morning to surrender. If you try to flee during the night my men will hunt you down with pleasure.”
“Kill them, Valor! Punish them!” Blue screamed, her voice breaking as the soldiers drug her roughly to her feet. Jala watched in helpless torment as the woman disappeared once more into the enemy’s camp.
Turning to face Valor once more she slowly released his arm and stared at the agony written clearly on his face. Silently, she canceled the spell that amplified her voice and cleared her throat. “We will make them pay, Valor, I promise you, but it will be on our own terms, not his,” she spoke softly and kept her eyes on him until he nodded his understanding. Turning, she looked to Neph. To her surprise the Delvay wore a look of outrage on his face as well, and his eyes showed glassiness she never would have expected from him. He hadn’t even shown pain at the news that his own homeland had fallen.
Swallowing heavily, Neph met her gaze and nodded his head. “We won’t win, but I’m with you, Jala, till the bitter end,” Neph said quietly.
Nodding, Jala smiled faintly. “Bring the others to my tent, Neph. I’ll be there shortly,” she ordered and turned back to Valor as the Delvay rode off. “We aren’t going to surrender, Valor,” she said softly. Raising her hand she brushed a stray curl from her face and let out a soft sigh. “We can’t win, but maybe we can hold them long enough for Arovan to prepare for them. I won’t run here, even if I thought I could. I’d rather die fighting for what I believe in than die with an arrow in my back, running.”
Valor nodded slowly and pulled his tormented gaze from the body of his brother. His eyes were filled with tears as he met her gaze and he simply nodded and took a ragged breath. “Then this is it,” he said softly.
Jala nodded her head slowly, her own throat tightening at the thought. “At least we face it together,” she whispered, and to her surprise there was comfort in the thought.