Chapter TwoThe Final BattleS

o it all comes down to this, Sir Hue thought, drawing his sword as the sun began to blaze over the morning horizon. Oh how I wish your fate could be different, Lady Fern, but you stuck your dainty foot in my war so I am afraid I’ll have to remove it.

Hue was good man, strong, powerful, and practically glowing with the authority of all war leaders before a great battle, but he thought like all men, and so women were simply tools to him, servants to cook and clean and take care of offspring. That was their purpose and they would remain that. They could never reach the status of a warrior or knight; they were simply… there. He would prove his point today, the day he was sure to win such an easy victory. He’d walk home with Fern’s blood on his blade, and her head on a post, for he would not lose. He never lost; he was Sir Hue after all.

He lined his men up in their unbreakable formation and took his position at the front, there was no need for him to miss the action like other leaders would by staying safely at the backend. He could see in the distance the tangle of Fern’s soldiers as they tripped and fell from their injuries. Pathetic.

Fern saw Hue, too, and took a deep breath as she also took her front position next to William and Jeffery, her two weakest soldiers, she saved the strongest for a sneak attack, but they wouldn’t be needed. Her plan was in action already, and it wouldn’t fail. She straightened her shoulders and faced the enemy that was only yards away; the final battle was here.

Hue moved with great care as if there was glass spread across the ground. He wanted to make sure Fern was going to make the first move. No need to throw his men at her, after all Ladies first.

Fern waited patiently, but didn’t move. Her sword remained undrawn, and so did all her other men’s.

Hue eyes her curiously, the way an animal eyes unusual prey. What did she have up her sleeve?

Fern took a single step forward, then another. Hue flinched, as if expecting her to suddenly throw a knife at his head, but she didn’t. She kept walking, step by step, until she was so close only a few more feet would close the distance, then she stopped. It was the perfect time to attack, Hue was ready and was already braced for the impact of a sword or spear to his heart, but it never came. Instead came a smile that played itself upon his lips as Fern held up her arms in a sign of surrender. It was over.

Now that he had won the battle he relaxed and took a better look at his trophy, now just a mere young girl. She was remarkably beautiful with her mahogany braids and eyes the color of the midnight sea. A true prize to behold. Fern smiled, too, but hers was forced and tight. All she saw was a greasy dark haired man with a crooked nose and a scar pressed into beat red cheeks, the look of a bandit or crook. Her hands itched for the blade tied around her thigh, but she resisted. It wasn’t time yet.

Hue managed to hold back a laugh, the women looked so idiotic with that smile of defeat plastered across her face for all to see. He felt giddy and still had a rush of adrenaline from the preparations for the fight, he almost felt sorry they’d given up so easily, a little exercise would have been fine with him.

Fern continued her act, all the while making plans. He was relaxed, she could tell he thought he had won-oh how wrong was he. She’d need to get close, but that wouldn’t be hard, she’d slowly been nudging her heels forward the whole time. He hadn’t noticed.

Oh how self centered he must be, she thought, her smile slowly reaching her eyes, not to be able to know what his own men were planning. She’d overheard them talk a few nights before when she had planned to attack when they were asleep. They’d been talking about what they would do if this battle were lost. The moment their leader was killed they would back down and surrender, for they knew that Fern had conquered many more army’s then this that were stronger and with more men. They had been convinced of that. Also, if by some reason they did win, they were going to overthrow Hue, as if he had been no more then a puppet they had been using to get to the real battle. Oh an act like that should be punished, thought Fern, but I shall let it go, for that it was I’ve been counting on, Hue, you and your betraying warriors. Men were all alike they were simply after money and power, it seemed as if they never had one carefully planned out thought or strategy. They were barbaric, and sometimes she wondered if the human race was really worth all of that.

Hue’s men were sweating even though they had not moved. Fern could tell they were about to make their move, and she was about to make hers. One of the larger ones began to slowly inch forward, as did she. They moved in perfect rhythm, each with the same intention. The larger one smiled at her and winked. She was tempted to wink back, but was afraid it would give her away, instead she gave a shy look and let her eyelashes flutter into a half-closed dazed look. Her arms slowly went around her back and she began to fumble with the rope on her leg, the knife bounced with sharp, rigid edges across her skin.

“You know, Milady,” Hue said suddenly, putting his hands behind his head and staring up into the dull brightness of the sky, “To tell you the truth I thought you’d put up more of a fight, dazzle me a bit before I took you out. As I’m sure you know it’s always best to take the leader out first.” He paused and stared at her for a moment before she realized he was expecting an answer.

She nodded her head slowly and tried not to kick him, “Yes, Sir. I know.”

“And I can see you also know when you’ve got too much on your plate. Since you backed down.” Another pause.

All she did was nod, and keep her phony smile in place.

He laughed. “I didn’t think you knew how to give up. You seemed like the kind of girl who liked a challenge.” He stretched his arms out lazily and turned to face her. “After all, it seems as if all women think about is proving themselves to men. That must mean they think we’re good if they want to impress us.”

Fern’s smile drooped a little; the larger man had stopped and eyed her curiously. Now? He mouthed. She shook her head slightly, no more then a little turn of the neck. Her braids bounced back in forth, as if to emphasize.

“All women eventually realize they can’t win though,” Hue continued, nodding his head toward her, “as you have today. Your smarter then I gave you credit for, I was almost sure you would have attacked me right now, especially since you have that knife tied to your leg, and that it seems you formed an alliance with my men.”

Fern froze, her smile replaced by a shocked neutralized expression. So he had known all along what his men were planning, and he’d also known that Fern had been pretending. He played the part of the villain well.

“So you see, I too have my own weapon. Thanks too one of your soldiers.”

Fern scowled. Of course the man she had thrown away would betray her, it was only natural for him to want revenge. “So what are going to do? Kill me? Look around you, Sir, and tell me what you see. Soldiers, all of which planning to overthrow you at my signal. The moment I die, you die too.”

“Are you sure?” Hue said. “I’ve got my own weapon you know, you’re not the only one with a battle plan. I’ve got thousands of soldiers surrounding the area, all are assigned to attack every solider, even my own.”

Fern gritted her teeth together. An ambush, of course! It would be the perfect time too do so, when she was so sure her plan wouldn’t fail, but she still had some advantage, she could still kill him now while she had the chance-

Suddenly, someone grabbed her from behind. They kicked her in the back until she fell to her knees. Fern turned to see her own soldiers surrounding her, each in a frightened cold sweat.

“You can have her!” One of them called, and thrust her forward at the feet of Hue.

Hue smiled, “You really get to see how loyal your men are when threatened with death. In a few short seconds my own men will come back to me, leaving you with no one.” He put his foot on her head and shoved it into the stone street. He heard a crunch as her jaw hit. He hoped it hurt.

Fern tried to raise her head, but Hue still had his foot firmly pressed into her scalp. “You’re bluffing,” she said through the pain, “I bet my life that there are no men, that you really don’t have anything. After all how could you have assembled an army that large in only a few nights? And so far away from any towns?”

Hue scowled, “So what if I am? You can’t be sure.” Whispers began to blossom among the men. Could Lady Fern be right? That there really was no threat? “I guarantee I’m not lying.” Hue said firmly.

“Can they even trust you?” She asked. More murmurs followed, “Prove it!” someone shouted. More shouts followed, “Yeah! How can we trust you?” “Maybe she’s right!” “Show us this army of yours!”

Hue stared angrily at Fern, how could she have known that he was lying?

“I say!” Shouted one of the bigger men in front, “I say we kill him right here! We kill him, he can’t call his army any way!”

“Yeah!” Chorused the soldiers. In seconds they had all surrounded Hue, blocking him from sight and swallowing him into a maze of swords, arms, and legs. They had all forgotten about the women laying only a few feet away on the ground.

Fern staggered to her feet and swayed as she tried to prevent her legs from giving way. Slowly she moved away from the crowd of people, breathing heavily with each step. She didn’t even bother to ask the men to follow her. She had no need for those who were afraid of death. And so slowly she walked away on the road that stretched out in front of her, the road that required many sacrifices, and many sucker bets.