Dark Armor V3 Ch01 SC01

All right, beloved friends: this is going to be Version 3 of this story. When I started Version 2, I said that I really liked the characters and the setting, the world-vision, but that the story had gotten off-course from the kind of story I really wanted to be telling here. Well, the second attempt was interesting (to me, anyway) but it ran into the same problem: it wasn't moving towards the story beats that I wanted. So, here we go with Version 3. 

Also, as you've doubtless noticed by now, I really like this opening scene. 

Pallian stood at the crest of the hill, holding his mount by its reins, and watched as his older brother looked out over the likely battlefield below.

It wasn't a good spot for either side, just a low valley with a wide creek across its center. High grasses alternated with clumps of scattered trees, and the dozen or so farms that occupied the area were rapidly being abandoned. On the far side, uniformed men organized into neat units occupied a matching ridge, and didn't seem any more inclined to descend into the valley than Pallian was. Still, they were a foreign army on his father's lands, and didn't seem likely to turn back without a fight.

"What do you think, Brother?" Ravaj was pale-skinned and dark-haired, with a lean, handsome face. He wore heavy armor and carried his helm in one gloved hand.

From within his armor, Pallian inclined his head. Ravaj was the heir, and had been put in charge of this expedition to gain some experience in battle. There was no particular reason for him to seek the opinion of his youngest brother, but perhaps he was having a moment of uncertainty out here in the wilderness of the world, so very far away from the citadel and their father's protection.

"Starting with the obvious? This is no simple farmers' rebellion."

"No. And I do not like the look of that army." Ravaj glanced down. "Or this valley."

"It's a terrible battlefield," Pallian replied. "Advantage to the defender. Victory by attrition. Costly. I'd guess we have the advantage in sorceries, but they have the advantage in numbers."

"So we could win, and still be at a loss." Ravaj was nodding."Perhaps that's what they want." He was pampered and sometimes cruel, but he wasn't a fool.  Not when it came to matters of power.

Pallian frowned. "The best outcome for them is if we attack while they hold the far ridge. The same, in reverse, for us." He paused as an arrow slammed into his armor and shattered. It must have been ensorceled, to fly so far; but his armor was their father's work, an extension of his strength, and Pallian had yet to find anything that could pierce it.

A second arrow tangled itself in his brother's sorcerous defenses; Ravaj laid a hand on the shaft, whispered new instructions, and sent it back to the archer that had loosed it.

"Neither side will get that," said Ravaj, picking up the track of Pallian' thought. "So we'll either need to draw each other out, or keep each other distracted while we do something else."

Pallian nodded.

"We'll make camp here, set up defenses as best we can. We can send some skirmishers down to keep them occupied. Likely they'll do the same, and nothing much will come of it." Ravaj frowned. "I'd send you to raze their camp in the middle of the night, but they'll probably be expecting that."

Pallian smiled inside his helmet. Ravaj might not have any deep-seated concern for Pallian's life, but the Black Knight was still a valuable asset, and the Heir didn't want to risk losing him. "I can always meet them on the field tomorrow, if it comes to that. But I agree: for tonight, it might be best to do nothing. This whole attack was clearly intended to provoke a certain sort of reaction."

Ravaj turned his back to the valley. "So we don't react. Make it look like we're uncertain, like we want them to attack us."

"Which we do," Pallian observed. "Advantage to the defender." He turned his back to the ridge, then felt another arrow smash into his armor from behind. Ravaj's return of the arrow hadn't been enough to discourage the archer; that could be a problem. An idea occurred to him, and he said: "Hide me away. Put me in one of the tents, shield me against scrying. Let them wonder what I'm out there doing tonight." 

Ravaj nodded slowly. "Let's assume they're planning to try something as well. I'll lay wards in depth around the camp, try to catch whatever they might send."

Pallian smiled. It wouldn't be visible behind his visor, and the helmet distorted his voice into something inhuman, but still... "Anyone we take prisoner could be used to bargain." Perhaps even bargain for a withdrawal, if they send a champion and we capture him.