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Spoiler[youtube]9YEyuRlSieg[/youtube]
The echo of drums reverberated throughout the valley. The sounding of horns followed. The wind beat steadily against the exposed hilltop.Â
The crow banner flew triumphantly from the natural rampart.  Beneath it stood the steely-eyed shield maiden. Statuesque and powerful, long blonde locks fell over her shoulders, some in tight intricate braids. Her eyes were intense, ready, and passionate.Â
"Ready Men!" shouted the hail voice of a man from further down the hill. He moved back and forth behind the ranks of armed men with a steady, confident pace. "Remember. We have not yet been defeated." He was the consummate Highland warrior. Rugged and tall. His blonde beard fell thick, long braids strands were wrapped with banded reminders of past victory, and death. Girded with steel armor, a helmet firm upon his head. His voice carried the confidence of a victor, and the grit of a veteran. He was young, but grizzled for his age. He had been raised for this, bred for this: the scion of generations of warriors. He would not be the one to fall.
"Your father, faced worse!" came the cry of a veteran in the ranks.
"Far worse!" bellowed the commander. "He faced the worst Garlemald had to offer. And he won! What now do we have to fear? Some of you were with him! The Conquerors of Garlemald!" he raised his sword arm, a rallying cheer filled the air.Â
"Conquerors of Garlemald!" came the repeated cry, "Hold steady. Fear not. Courage will carry the day!"
Further up the hill, beneath the billowing banner a truly massive highlander spoke to the shield maiden. "Do you think Kael's right?" he asked.
"Of course." came the confident reply, followed soon by a wry smile. "Besides, dearest Osvald. What do we have to lose?"
"We ride upon the wings of Valkyrie!" Exclaimed Kael to yet more cheers. "And yet what's more, one joins us here today! Do not forget who is at your side, conquerors of Garlemald! And we shall be victorious!"
The sound of drums drew closer--and ever more ominous. "Stand your ground! Men of Tharin. Stand. Your. Ground."
The opposing army advanced up the hill step by step. Their drums beat loud. Their horns blared.Â
The crow would answer.
The shield-maiden raised her sword-arm, flashing the steel blade against the dull morning sky. She directed her eyes upward over her shoulder. The long victorious banner flew vigorously in the wind.
"No fear." she said, just loudly enough for her brother. "Show no fear. We will have them this day."
Her sword arm lowered part-way, directed toward the oncoming army. Her voice sung high and clear, a paean breaking through the beat of drums.
"Over hills, and over meadows: see the crow fly, fear her shadow."
Kael's men rose, shields readied, blade and spear drawn.
"Over woods, and over mountains, searching for a war."
The drums slowed.
"Her wings embrace each strife and battle,
where swords they clash, and chariots rattle."
Replaced by the sound of arms beating against shields, House Tharin would not be outdone.
"Seeking out the one whose time has come to take the blade."
Her sword arm fell, the mass of men rushed forward downward with the force of gravity fully at their backs. The cry of war went out. Shield walls collided. Blades rent flesh, spilled blood, ended life. Rhalgar supped.
The shield maiden advanced with a slow determination down the hill, following the advancing forces and accompanied by her body-guard brother.
As the center's clashed, the opposing line gave way then sturdied. The flanks did vicious battle, neither slipping.
The weight of men recoiled, spear and blade chopped and slashed. Kael pushed. The line drove hard and merciless.Â
The shield maiden advanced with watchful eye. She spied for weakness. She scanned the line left to right, and again, watching with patience until she had identified her spot. Two taps upon Osvald's shoulder. She readied her shield, checked her sword. Osvald moved without hesitation, and she followed. They pierced the melee, sliding effortlessly through their own soldiers. They pushed, eyes set upon the prize. Osvald barreled low, the Shield Maiden's blade stung true again and again. The line rent. The halves recoiled. Kael's men spilled through the breach, the flanks gave.
That afternoon the crows feast once more beneath victorious banner.Â
The echo of drums reverberated throughout the valley. The sounding of horns followed. The wind beat steadily against the exposed hilltop.Â
The crow banner flew triumphantly from the natural rampart.  Beneath it stood the steely-eyed shield maiden. Statuesque and powerful, long blonde locks fell over her shoulders, some in tight intricate braids. Her eyes were intense, ready, and passionate.Â
"Ready Men!" shouted the hail voice of a man from further down the hill. He moved back and forth behind the ranks of armed men with a steady, confident pace. "Remember. We have not yet been defeated." He was the consummate Highland warrior. Rugged and tall. His blonde beard fell thick, long braids strands were wrapped with banded reminders of past victory, and death. Girded with steel armor, a helmet firm upon his head. His voice carried the confidence of a victor, and the grit of a veteran. He was young, but grizzled for his age. He had been raised for this, bred for this: the scion of generations of warriors. He would not be the one to fall.
"Your father, faced worse!" came the cry of a veteran in the ranks.
"Far worse!" bellowed the commander. "He faced the worst Garlemald had to offer. And he won! What now do we have to fear? Some of you were with him! The Conquerors of Garlemald!" he raised his sword arm, a rallying cheer filled the air.Â
"Conquerors of Garlemald!" came the repeated cry, "Hold steady. Fear not. Courage will carry the day!"
Further up the hill, beneath the billowing banner a truly massive highlander spoke to the shield maiden. "Do you think Kael's right?" he asked.
"Of course." came the confident reply, followed soon by a wry smile. "Besides, dearest Osvald. What do we have to lose?"
"We ride upon the wings of Valkyrie!" Exclaimed Kael to yet more cheers. "And yet what's more, one joins us here today! Do not forget who is at your side, conquerors of Garlemald! And we shall be victorious!"
The sound of drums drew closer--and ever more ominous. "Stand your ground! Men of Tharin. Stand. Your. Ground."
The opposing army advanced up the hill step by step. Their drums beat loud. Their horns blared.Â
The crow would answer.
The shield-maiden raised her sword-arm, flashing the steel blade against the dull morning sky. She directed her eyes upward over her shoulder. The long victorious banner flew vigorously in the wind.
"No fear." she said, just loudly enough for her brother. "Show no fear. We will have them this day."
Her sword arm lowered part-way, directed toward the oncoming army. Her voice sung high and clear, a paean breaking through the beat of drums.
"Over hills, and over meadows: see the crow fly, fear her shadow."
Kael's men rose, shields readied, blade and spear drawn.
"Over woods, and over mountains, searching for a war."
The drums slowed.
"Her wings embrace each strife and battle,
where swords they clash, and chariots rattle."
Replaced by the sound of arms beating against shields, House Tharin would not be outdone.
"Seeking out the one whose time has come to take the blade."
Her sword arm fell, the mass of men rushed forward downward with the force of gravity fully at their backs. The cry of war went out. Shield walls collided. Blades rent flesh, spilled blood, ended life. Rhalgar supped.
The shield maiden advanced with a slow determination down the hill, following the advancing forces and accompanied by her body-guard brother.
As the center's clashed, the opposing line gave way then sturdied. The flanks did vicious battle, neither slipping.
The weight of men recoiled, spear and blade chopped and slashed. Kael pushed. The line drove hard and merciless.Â
The shield maiden advanced with watchful eye. She spied for weakness. She scanned the line left to right, and again, watching with patience until she had identified her spot. Two taps upon Osvald's shoulder. She readied her shield, checked her sword. Osvald moved without hesitation, and she followed. They pierced the melee, sliding effortlessly through their own soldiers. They pushed, eyes set upon the prize. Osvald barreled low, the Shield Maiden's blade stung true again and again. The line rent. The halves recoiled. Kael's men spilled through the breach, the flanks gave.
That afternoon the crows feast once more beneath victorious banner.Â
![[Image: 21282370099_a814a08664_o.png]](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/590/21282370099_a814a08664_o.png)
