The Kings Son

Chapter 10

Robert wound a bandage tightly to the forearm of the soldier standing in front of him. "How's that, that better?"

The soldier squeezed his hand closed, testing it. "Hurts but I can still fight my Prince."

Robert sighed as he looked around, canyon walls several hundred feet high were to his left and right, picking up the shield he had dropped, the young prince grimaced. "Take a head count see how many men we lost."

Saluting the man with the bandaged forearm walked away, moving over to the canyon wall on his right Robert slowly worked his way up to a large boulder that Scott was using to keep a lookout. Sitting on the boulder, Scott had his bow resting across his knees several arrows lying on the rock next to him.

Inspecting the path down the canyon Robert quietly spoke to keep his voice from reverberating off the high walls. "See anything yet?"

Shaking his head Scott continued to watch. "They've retreated down past that bend in the canyon I can neither see nor hear them anymore."

Robert set his shield down and pulled out both of his swords inspecting the blades. "What do we do? Do you think they've turned around?"

Scott was grim as he spoke. "We stay here and hope that the rider we sent makes it back with reinforcements, I think we can hold them until then, the canyon walls are too steep to climb and it's too narrow for them to use their full forces against us. Another good thing is this canyon runs for perhaps fifty miles back behind them so we don't have to worry about them going back, this is the only way through. They've only got one option, to march this way and to do that they have to get through us."

Robert slid one of his swords back into its sheath. "Five hundred against thousands, possibly tens of thousands I kind of like those odds?"

Scott glanced at his twin before rolling his eyes, shrugging at Robert's lack of concern he grabbed an arrow and placed it to his bow. "This is the narrowest point in the canyon also it curves like an s, I know we can hold them" Pointing with his bow Scott stood up. "Looks like they have something new up their sleeve here comes a small force now about half the size of ours."

Robert sheathed his other sword and picked up his shield, "Maybe they want to surrender?" Ignoring Scott's millionth eye roll of the day Robert brimming with confidence added, "I think I'll go have a little chat with them."

Scott grew a little concerned about his crazy younger brother, "They may just be a distraction to get us unprepared for another attack."

With a big grin, spreading across his face Robert started his decent down the very large boulder, "I know so why not keep them busy with an even bigger distraction....Cover me."

Scott looked over his shoulder, "Are you out of your mind." He rolled his eyes for the millionth and one time that day when he saw that Robert was already gone.

Quickly as he could, Robert worked his way back down to the path of the canyon, the man he had sent to count the dead and critically wounded stood waiting for him. "My Prince we have ninety seven dead and twenty three critically wounded, I'd estimate that for everyone we lose they have lost ten times that."

"Tell everyone no more reckless fighting, they have people to spare we don't." The sound of stomping boots could be heard throughout the canyon. "Move our dead and wounded out of the way I want our shield wall to be right up where their dead lie piled, that way they can't get sure footing, it'll be easier to kill'em if they have to concentrate on where they place their feet." Another thought occurred to him as he handed the man his shield, "Make sure everyone knows not to follow me no matter what."

Walking forward and speaking words of encouragement Robert came to stand at a point where the bodies of friends and foes were only separated by a couple of yards. The rock beneath his boots was stained red with blood as the bodies of his comrades were removed, whistling merrily to himself without a care in the world he strode happily towards their enemies like he would a field of wild flowers.

Just as he had hoped, Robert watched the small procession of heavily armed men stop as he drew near, he sang quietly under his breath, "This is how you distract some idiots do dah....Or quite possibly get yourself killed oh hey, hey...yeah." To hide the nervousness he felt he looked at the swords and spears pointing his way and smiled even bigger.

Stopping only twenty feet away, he set his hands on his hips, looked from his left to his right inspecting them. "I dare say gentlemen there is a far easier way to say hi to your neighboring country than just marching in slaughtering, burning and pillaging." Seeing that they were completely taken aback by his friendly tone Robert continued, hoping that he was buying his men enough time to prepare themselves, taking several steps back and forth he did as much as he could to grab their attention. "Now I know since you've invaded we've all gotten off on the wrong foot, but I have come here today to hopefully put our hostilities aside and I have come  prepared to make you all an offer that you can't," Lifting his finger in the air he nearly chuckled. "Nay I say shan't refuse!"

Impossibly fast one of the men leapt forward an axe in one hand a shield in the other, the man's weapon passed through the space where Roberts head was to find nothing but air. He started to look around puzzled when he realized his body no longer listened to his head as it fell from his shoulders to land at his feet, his comrades stared in awe as they tried to figure out what happened.

"I dare say brutishly dead sir that was quite rude of you." Robert said as his hand moved from his sword hilt back to his hip. "To interrupt a man in the middle of making a dea...ahhh a flying spear, while he's talki...ahhh another spear."

Robert knowing the game was up brought both of his weapons to bear; he jumped, and dodged, while cutting and slashing anyone who got to close as he retreated for safety making sure to keep the enemy concentrated on him. He zigged one way and zagged another, like a rabbit being chased by hounds Robert taunted them, making sure to stop and tell them about their failings when they stumbled or got to close and took a deadly hit from one of his blades.

Seeing them grow increasingly angry and careless Robert worked them all into such a frenzy, as he jumped behind the safety of his men he saw the look of anger on the closets men's faces turn to one of dread as they charged head long into a wall of ready spears.

Taking a moment to catch his breath Robert let his eyes look to the sky as he closed his ears to sounds of dying and screaming men. Scott's angry expression looked down at Robert as his face  entered his winded twin's vision. "That was very stupid."

Robert replied between gasps. "At least...it...worked...if nothing else...we...figured...out...they're not the...smartest bunch."

Shaking his head Scott reached down and helped Robert to his feet. "You're lucky I'm as good a shot as I am because there was several times where they almost had you."

Placing his hands on his knees Robert shook his head. "That was all skill big brother they'd have never laid a finger on me."

Letting out a burst of air Scott snapped back. "Is that why your armor has cuts and dents in it and your clothes are ripped not to mention your bleeding in a couple of places?"

Robert gave himself a quick look over. "If I didn't let them think they could get me then my plan wouldn't have worked, you got to live dangerously." Stepping past Scott, Robert slapped him on the shoulder, "You shouldn't waste your breath in big huffs like that you'll use up all the air I need to catch my breath."

Grinding his teeth together, Scott rolled his eyes for the millionth and two times that day as he growled to no one in particular. "I cannot believe I have to put up with this until the day I die, if we weren't bound together all it would take is an arrow just one and I'd be free of him."