Death!
Gæded's heart raced as she stood before the closed gate. It was coming. These men, these soldiers, would fight for their home. So would she.
Death!
She felt slightly afraid, but she did not let it show. She was one of the eorlingas. She had to be brave.
Death!
She looked around her, at the men. Their golden hair glinted in the sunlight and their eyes sparkled with fear, excitement and determination. She felt those feelings too - she was not alone.
Death!
She tightened her grip on her sword, the leather squeaking at the motion. She held her shield up to her chest. She was ready to fight.
Death!
She heard the command to fire. Arrows released, hitting their targets. Phaewyn was up there shooting. Gæded had faith that her shot would remain true. The chanting stopped after the first volley, but she could still hear it in her mind. She felt courage.
Death!
Another volley. The orcs were getting closer. A command to form a shieldwall was issued. She followed it, fitting in well with the men around her. She was one with her people once more.
Death!
Sounds of things hitting the gates were heard. Another volley fired. An orc climbed over the palisade, dropping in front of them. She got ready to strike.
Death!
It was down in moments. But more came. Soon she was slashing, swinging, blocking, hitting, cutting, ripping, ending. She got hit, but she hit back twice as hard.
Death!
The orcs stopped coming over for a moment - the men in the towers saw that they were attacking a weaker part of the palisade. There was an order to protect it, so she and some of the soldiers around her ran off to get there in time. The Huntsmaster was following her, she had been this whole time, as the woman was injured and could not fight properly. She would protect her.
Death!
She got hit, but she did not care for it. She was fighting hard and nothing would stop her, lest a killing blow. Her sword and shield moved in unison, her movements instinctive, moreso than usual in the frenzy of the siege. She felt alive.
Death!
The northern gate broke. Then one of the western. The orcs came flooding in, like water released from a dam. The defenders retreated to protect the mead hall. If they could protect that successfully, they could still win. She still had hope.
Death!
Some soldiers fled, giving up. The commander called them cowards. He was right. Gæded was not a coward and neither was the rest of the company, all still standing and fighting - Lieta, Kemendil, Phaewyn and Athlenah. She'd seen Fiontann somewhere, but she could not recall when or where, as time and place came almost insignificant in a battle such as this. She was sure that all her friends would survive this.
Death!
Eaworth was lost. The Thane and the last of his men were fleeing. Gæded ran, sheathing her sword, though shield still in hand. She was the last standing there, in shock of the command, and only ran as the orcs leapt towards her. With the orcs close behind her, she had no time to stop. She jumped off the cliff by the beacon into the river. She had escaped.
Death!
Her armour was heavy and she was pulled down under the water almost instantly. She dropped her shield, trying to swim back up to the surface. She held her breath tight and was pulled along by the strong current. She hit a rocky wall - the cliff. She tried to reach out, grab it and pull herself up. She could not hold her breath much longer.
Death!
She was drowning.
Death!
Something pulled her up and she coughed and gasped for breath. She clung onto the rock, her mind set on survival. She heard Athlenah call her name. She was too in shock to respond.
Death!
She managed to get to the bank. Eaworth was gone, Athlenah was now gone too - Gæded had the dreaded thought that she'd let her drown. She sobbed, the raw emotion letting itself out.
Death!
