Eques
The sound of the trumpet echoed through the valley like a moaning woman, old and tired of life.
Eques impulsively tightened his grip on his sword. Why were they retreating? His eyes found the ranks of his fellow fighters. They were weary and ragged, many fallen, no longer the proud soldiers who had charged the enemy.
That was why.
His eyes met Salum’s, who wrinkled his nose. The man’s smirk taunted him to remain, to keep fighting. What was Salum’s problem? He was the next in line for chief of the village as Roland’s son. One would think he should have a better attitude about this all as leadership loomed over him.
Eques’ brow furrowed. He fended off a burly knight, stabbing the man in the chest. He would stay here until he died, never to be called a coward. His horse too stiffened with resolve beneath him.
He caught a glimpse of Salum. Movement behind him caught his eyes. A Black Knight charged toward Salum. Should he go defend the man? Hewasn’t adept with his sword or his shield. But no, the Black Knight suddenly swerved and pulled his horse sideways.
Eques gasped. What had just happened?
“Eques!” A familiar voice called through the turmoil of war.
He quickly glanced to his side. Roland. What did he want?
“Eques, you can’t keep fighting. If our village is to survive, you must retreat. Now!”
Eques eyed the village chief. The man couldn’t be right. Maybe he had a plan. His face twitched. Should he stay? Or obey and go?
“Fine, I’m coming.”
Relief flashed through Roland’s eyes before narrowing in concentration as one of the Black Knights ambushed him.
Eques turned his horse and galloped through the dust, the yells, the chaos. His lungs burned. Each time Acuus’ hooves hit the dirt something ached inside Eques. His village was dying and they had not been able to stop it. The Black Knights would have their territory.
But the people! He could still aid the people. Escape, rebuild a new home, a new life. Was that Roland’s plan?
Shortly, too shortly, he arrived at the mountain pass that guarded the entrance to his village. A few men, bloodstained and breathing heavily, waited on their horses.
Eques looked back. “Where is everyone?”
Doren stepped forward, his face flickering. “I think this is almost all of us.”
“What! What happened to all the men? Surely, they didn’t all–”
Doren bowed his head. “They did.”
A grimace spread across Eques’ face. “So it’s just us.”
“And me!” A loud voice boomed. “You wouldn’t think I’d sound the retreat trumpet without another plan of attack, a plan of defense?”
Eques smiled. “The Black Knight didn’t get you?”
“Me?” Roland bellowed. “Never—” His words cut short suddenly as he clutched his side.
“Oh really?” The doctor turned knight stepped forward. “I’ll look at that, Roland. And,” he raised his hand before Roland tried to speak again, “you can give us your battle plans at the same time.”
Roland raised a scruffy eyebrow. “Fine, fine. Ouch, no need to be so rough.”
The doctor shook his head. “I barely touched it. Continue.”
Roland scrunched his weatherstained face into a scowl. “As I was saying, we have minutes before the Black Knights regroup and are upon us. In those minutes I propose that one person, arguably the most injured among us, gallops to the village with commands to pack and flee. We’ll flee to the mountains. They won’t find us there.” His weary eyes rested on Eques. “They may have the land, but they will never have us. The rest will guard this mountain pass until their energies die. This is the best place to do so. Limited space, only a few can come through at a time and we can take them on, giving our families time to flee.”
The medic ripped fabric from his satchel and wrapped it around Roland’s wound. “And you will be the one going back to warn the villagers.”
“Absolutely not.” Roland grunted in pain as the medic pinned the cloth in place. “A defense needs a leader.”
“We need a living leader, not a dead man.”
“My family is known for their resilience.”
“Unless you’re a cat, you’ll die if you try to fight.” The medic glared at Roland. “And that’s an order. Pick someone to lead in your stead.”
Roland’s eyes reluctantly travelled across the men in front of him. “If I must.” They froze on Eques. “You’ll do fine.”
Eques gasped. The company around him, however, seemed unstartled with Roland’s words. Salum was Roland’s son. Why wasn’t the chief picking him?
“But sir, he’s only a boy.” Salum growled.
Roland spun around, biting his lip in pain. “You question my decision? Does anyone else have a problem with Eques?”
Silence weighed tensely on the group.
“Eques it is. Salum, be quiet and do your job. One man’s resistance could ruin this.”
Eques bowed his head and urged Acuus forward. “If this plan is to succeed, you must warn the villagers now, sir.” He turned to the medic. “Go with him. The villagers might desperately need a medic. And if this does succeed, we’ll need a medic.”
The medic bowed his head and nodded. “So be it.” He mounted his horse. “Godspeed men.”
Roland grimaced as his horse tried to move forward, jolting him in the process. “When we are far enough up the mountain we will blow the trumpet. Retreat and run for your lives. Let them overtake the village; it is lost now. What we care about are the people, and that includes you.” He bowed his head. “May God be with you.”
“Go!” Eques gasped. The sound of men and screaming horses, screeching metal filled his ears. “Thank you, but go.”
Roland set his teeth and galloped toward the village.
“Line up.” Eques gasped. His eyes fell squarely on Salum. The other men he trusted, but Salum was roiling for revenge.
Salum, Salum—there was a mystery behind this. The man was up to something. Roland knew what it was but didn’t tell Eques. And now it was driving Eques crazy.
The mystery did not remain long on Eques’ thoughts as the first Black Knights appeared.
“Any words, captain?”
Eques eyed the men. “Fight for what you love that remains behind you. You’re standing as their protection. Without you, they will die. Remember this and hold fast. Help your brother if he is in trouble beside you.” His gaze found Salum’s, and Salum shuddered. Eques swallowed. “We shall fight!”
A mighty roar surprised the Black Knights and their horses missed a step. The captain turned to his king. “Didn’t we slaughter all but a remnant?”
The king tightened his jaw. “However many remain, we will finish them off quickly.”
“Even with the mountain pass?”
A glare from the king silenced his general and put more fear in the man’s heart of his leader than of the force in front of him.
The two forces engaged with the squeal of steel. Eques gritted his teeth. Pain slashed his arm. His eyes met the helmet of a Black Knight. Horses screamed. The sky disappeared in sweat and metal. The armour of the enemy vibrated with energy. Eques slashed toward his attacker. He overextended, missed. The bite of a sword cut his other arm. Eques’ own armour hung heavy around him, rubbing painfully his already sore skin, the sun broiling him in this perfect slow cooker. He lunged forward and stabbed the Black Knight. The man disappeared in the chaos of the battle.
Something clanged against his back. His horse reared. Eques grappled at the reigns, desperate to stay on. The armour weighed him down. His horse hit the ground again. “Good girl, Acuus.” He breathed.
His vision rose and he almost groaned as his nemesis once again stood before him. “You just won’t be cowed, will you?”
He wasn’t sure what the man said through all the battle confusion but it sounded like, “I’d say the same about you.”
Sword slashed against sword. Eques could feel the man weakening. One sword stroke, his opponent leaned too far to one side. The armour overbalanced him. Arms windmilling, he fell to the ground.
Eques winced and bowed his head. That was not a fall you got up from.
He returned to the ranks of his men. A few had fallen. Many remained desperately fighting for their lives, or rather, for the lives of those they loved.
“Eques!”
His head spun. One of his men was fighting a Black Knight. “Yes?”
“Something’s up with Salum. He’s going haywire.”
Eques gritted his teeth. “I take care of him.”
He studied the chaos before him. It was incredibly loud yet he could barely hear anything. The dirt, the chaos, the wounds—it was a terrible picture. One that needed to end now.
Where was Salum?
Something poked him in the neck. He ducked and a sword clattered onto the rocks. Spinning around his eyes met—Salum!
“What are you doing?”
“Taking back what is rightfully mine.” Salum growled and stabbed at Eques.
“I know you hate me, but let’s have this out when we’re not trying to save our families and our own bodies.”
“Now is when we need you. I kill you, take control of this company and return in victory for having completely conquered he Black Knights. They wouldn’t know.”
“But that’s impossible. All we can do is hold the lines.” Eques protested.
Salum’s beady eyes wavered Eques’ composure. Why was he looking like that? Eques steadied Acuus, who was threatening to charge. “Easy boy.” He tightened his grip on his sword. “You’re not—”
“Go ahead, say it.” Salum growled.
Eques’ eyes widened. Oh. The scene from a few hours ago made a lot more sense now. “You’re allied with the Black Knights. You’re the reason we’re here in the first place. That’s why the Black Knights avoided you on the battlefield. How did you manage to get those scratches though?” His eyes scanned the area around him, waiting for a Black Knight to pounce.
Salum’s cheeks reddened. “I–”
“The warrior who inflicts wounds on himself to–” Eques could barely talk with rage. What a coward! His gaze moved from side to side. If someone came from behind—
“You don’t need to be on your guard.” Salum shifted in his saddle. “I instructed the Black Knights to let me handle you.” With that he stabbed Eques’ forearm.
Eques gasped but barely felt the pain as he parried and tried to get in a better position. Salum intentionally positioned himself on the higher ground. It would be difficult, but he wasn’t too scared. He’d seen Salum fight before.
“Why?” Eques yelled over the heat of blades flashing back and forth.
“Why…why what?” Salum gasped. He lunged forward, trying to reach Eques’ torso, but Eques lunged to the side.
“Why…why did you—ha.” Eques wheezed for air. “Why did you…betray us?”
Salum’s gaze hardened. “My dad. He had decided to give you the line of village chief. I’m his son! Yet you’ve always been his favorite.”
Eques froze. Salum saw an opening. He stabbed toward Eques’ torso again. Eques managed to swerve, but Salum still nicked his armpit. Eques gritted his teeth as hot wet blood added to the discomfort of his armour. “But this?”
“I’m going to rule, no matter how I get it.”
“You won’t have any subjects left if you let this happen.” Eques knocked Salum’s shield from his grasp. “The Black Knights will—”
Something clanged against Eques’ head. He saw stars and his vision went blurry. On instinct he spun to the side, with some help from Acuus who pranced sideways. A black blob waited tense in front of him. His vision cleared. His head throbbed. The heat was oppressive.
It was a Black Knight. Their leader by the looks of it with the horse bedecked in black jewels. All the other horses were plain.
Eques felt woozy. “You want to fight too?” Oh why had he just said that? Of course the man did. That was why he was here.
“Not doing too well, are you, kid?” A deep voice rumbled from beneath the faceless helmet. “I’d make your death easy, it’s just I have a bit of an annoyance with you. This band would have probably fallen without your resistance. You have my respect—that comes with consequences.”
Eques felt like Acuus was falling sideways. No, he was. He tried to straighten himself. A shimmering blade, deathly black, spun towards him. On instinct Eques lifted his blade in time to meet the death blow. The sound of shrieking metal brought him back to his senses. The world began to refocus.
Eques gritted his teeth. Right, left, left. Feint. The Black Knight retraced the wound Salum had inflicted on his forearm. That poor arm felt like it was going to fall off, yet it still had to hold his shield, which was becoming increasingly important.
Clang!
Man, the Black Knight was strong. Eques desperately pushed the sword off to the side. He couldn’t take the man straight on with his strength, but he could come in from the side. A well aimed stab.
Ahh, there, finally. Fruit of his labor.
Eques risked a glance sideways. His men were doing well, just barely. They were holding the Black Knight. This was not a mission most of them, if not all of them, would come back alive. He was proud of them. But where was Salum?
The Black Knight hissed, glancing at his side wound. “You have more to you than I thought, boy. Apparently you don’t want me to go easy on you.”
Eques parried for his life. He could barely see the Black Knight’s sword. It blurred into a terrifying glaze of black. Up, down, over, toward his head, neck, chest, legs, arms. All in a breath. The Black Knight’s sword could have been an extension of himself with how well he handled it.
“Boy!” The Black Knight spat.
Eques noticed a spot in his vision. No, that wasn’t a spot. That was Salum! He was charging. Eques couldn’t defend himself against both at the same time. Could the Black Knight see Salum? No, probably not. He was too focused on Eques. A hair-brained scheme formed itself in Eques’ mind. It wasn’t great, he would probably be gravely injured, but it was all he had right now. When was the perfect moment? A second off would ruin it and do good for both his enemies.
Not now, not now, not now—
Salum was inches away, the Black Knight was sweeping downward.
Now!
Eques jumped out of the way and slammed into the ground, barely maneuvering himself around so as to avoid skewering his body on his sword. It caught his side. Was it a life-threatening wound? He didn’t know.
A flash of metal met body and flesh. A terrible noise rend the air. Eques groaned and tried to see what had happened.
A trumpet let loose a lamenting groan through the wind. Something registered in Eques’ mind. That meant he could return home, return to his people, return to where they wandered.
A wet nose nuzzled his face. Heavy breathing made his eyes water. Something nickered in his ear.
“Acuus, did you hear that?” Eques grabbed the reins and pulled himself up, quickly, carefully. Through bleary eyes he studied the ranks of his men. Too many had fallen. Others he saw in the distance, fleeing to their families. Only one remained.
Salum and the Black Knight grappled over the rocks and ledges of the mountainside. The Black Knight bled badly but was quickly overcoming Salum.
Eques looked toward the green prairies. Should he help Salum? It would be much smarter to leave him. He had betrayed his people. But the look in Roland’s face. He knew what his son was going to do and had entrusted Eques with him.
Eques groaned. “I’m sorry, girl. We can return home once we finish an errand.”
Acuus’ eyes smiled with understanding. Eques pulled himself up and managed to swing himself onto the saddle.
Toward the battling pair he trotted. Each jolt pained his bruised and broken body. Salum was falling back to the cliff. “Come on, girl.” Eques muttered under his breath.
The Black Knight pinned Salum. This final blow would kill him.
“Wait!” Eques cried.
The Black Knight spun in a fury. “You! How are you still alive?” He charged toward the pair. Eques tightened his grip on the sword. Who was he kidding? He couldn’t survive another attack from the Black Knight.
The strokes were deafening. His wrist felt broken. Scratch that, his whole arm. He desperately stabbed back and forth. His form was terrible. Each stroke lost him ground. Left and right.
Cling!
He watched his sword fly away over the mountainside and with it any hope of survival.
“I’ve got you now, boy.”
Eques could feel the delighted heat of the Black Knight’s gaze. He licked his lips. Acuus stumbled backward.
The Black Knight raised his sword—
And dropped it.
Eques gasped.
The Black Knight gurgled and slipped off his horse. Behind him stood Salum, trembling and white.
Eques stares at him. “Thank you. Shall we go home?”
Salum nodded silently.
If you had stood on the cliff a few minutes later, you would have beheld two men galloping into the valley toward the straggling villagers climbing the opposing mountain.
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