Chapter 99
The first alarm bell shattered the dawn.
October didn’t waste a second. She shoved the tent flap open, the icy air biting her cheeks as she stepped out into a camp already in chaos. Soldiers ran in every direction, their breath streaming in the cold. Horns blared, and the thud of boots against frozen ground matched the pounding in her chest.
“Enemy sighted on the southern ridge!” a scout shouted, his voice cracking. “Numbers—too many to count!”
She didn’t ask for more. “Get to the command tent,” she barked to her aides. “Now.”
Inside, the large war map already lay spread out, markers showing every regiment’s position. Officers gathered around, eyes tense, waiting.
“Report,” October demanded.
The chief scout stepped forward, still panting. “They’ve split into three main forces—infantry pushing the center, cavalry circling east, siege weapons coming from the west. If we don’t move fast—”
“We move now,” October cut in. “Signal the archers on the west wall. I want the cavalry from the northern barracks intercepting the eastern riders before they reach the supply train.” She stabbed a finger onto the map. “Tell the center units to hold, but not to break formation. No heroics—our goal is to keep the line intact until reinforcements arrive from the north.”
A messenger saluted and bolted.
Another officer hesitated. “What about His Majesty? He’s already—”
“I know where he is,” October said, eyes fixed on the map. “He’ll hold the front. We’ll hold everything else.”
\---
On the front lines
Snow whipped into Baldwin’s face, but he didn’t blink. The enemy charge was coming fast—shields up, spears leveled. His sword was already drawn, the steel glinting pale in the winter light.
“Shields!” he roared, voice cutting through the blizzard.
The front rank obeyed instantly, locking into a wall just as the southern infantry smashed into them. The sound was deafening—metal against metal, the dull thud of bodies slamming into wood and iron. Baldwin stepped forward into the chaos, his blade flashing.
One man lunged; Baldwin sidestepped and cut him down in a single stroke. Another came from the left, swinging a heavy axe. Baldwin blocked, the jolt running up his arm, then drove his sword under the man’s guard. He didn’t pause.
“Push!” he bellowed, shoving the shield line forward. “Drive them back!”
The men responded, heaving together, step by step. Snow turned red underfoot. The air reeked of sweat, blood, and smoke.
A lieutenant fought his way to Baldwin’s side. “Sire! The enemy cavalry’s heading for our rear flank—”
“I know,” Baldwin grunted, parrying a blow. “October will handle it. Keep the men focused here.”
The lieutenant’s eyes flickered with uncertainty. Baldwin saw it and growled, “Do you doubt her orders?”
“N-no, sire!”
“Then fight.” Baldwin shoved him back into the fray, then surged forward again, leading the push.
\---
Back at the command post
October paced between the map table and the lookout window. Outside, she could see flashes of steel where the main clash raged, but most of her attention stayed on the messengers running in and out with fresh updates.
“East flank holding,” one reported. “But we’ve lost half the mounted reserves.”
“Pull the remaining riders back to the supply train. Have the foot archers cover their retreat.”
Another burst in, pale-faced. “Enemy siege engines are almost in range of the west wall!”
“Catapults ready?”
“Yes, but—”
“No buts. Give the order to fire the moment they’re within range. Aim for the wheel assemblies, not the crews—we need them crippled before they reach the wall.”
The officer saluted and ran.
A young soldier stumbled in next, breathless. “They’re—coming—through the forest path on the north side. Just a small force but—”
“They’re trying to flank us,” October finished for him. She leaned over the map, marking the new position. “Send the scouts to harass them. Do not let them regroup.”
Her voice stayed calm, but her pulse was hammering. Every new report shifted the balance of the fight. She had to see every angle, every weakness before it broke them.
\---
Baldwin’s side
A horn blast sounded over the din—enemy reinforcements joining the fight. Baldwin’s teeth clenched.
“Hold the line!” he roared, cutting down another soldier. His arms ached from the constant blows, but he ignored it.
The enemy pushed harder, forcing the front line back. Baldwin stepped in where the shield wall wavered, taking a spear thrust on his armor before driving his sword through the attacker’s chest.
“Form on me!” he shouted. “We take their left flank now!”
He led the charge himself, swinging in wide arcs that cut down anyone in his path. His men followed, their momentum turning the tide for a moment—enough to drive the enemy back a few precious yards.
\---
October’s side
A loud crash shook the command tent—the west wall had been hit.
“Damage?” she called.
A runner shouted from the entrance, “Outer layer breached, but the wall still stands!”
“Patch it. Use the snow and ice if you have to—freeze the gaps shut.”
“Yes, ma’am!”
October turned to another officer. “Tell the west garrison to fire at will. No holding back.”
The ground trembled again. Outside, flames lit the sky in the west, but the siege engines were slowing. Her orders were working—at least for now.
\---
The battle stretched on into the afternoon. Both sides bled into the snow, but neither broke. Baldwin’s sword arm felt heavy, his lungs burning with the cold air, but he refused to yield an inch.
At the command post, October’s voice had gone hoarse from constant orders, her hands numb from gripping the table’s edge. But her mind stayed sharp, every choice measured against the survival of the North.
\---
By the time the sun dipped low, the southern forces began to pull back—not defeated, but slowed. The battle was far from over, but they had survived the first onslaught.
October exhaled slowly. “Send word to the front—tell them to hold position but not pursue. We can’t risk overextending.”
Baldwin, still on the field, lifted his sword to signal his men to halt. His armor was dented, his cloak torn, but the line had held.
Far apart, both commander and emperor knew this was only the beginning.