The torches were doused and the fires were as well as the camp waited quietly for the approaching Arridans.

"Wouldn't it have been smarter to pack up camp and get out when we still could have?" Willy asked his grandfather as he waited, with his sword at his hip, ready for the oncoming battle.

"Probably." Will's reply was short and simple.

"We would never had made it. It's better to fight." Halt explained.

"We're horribly out numbered." Emmy murmered.

"Yes, but we have weapons the Arridans don't." Halt said with a grin.

"And what would that be?" Willy asked curiously. A flash of delight came through Halt's eyes and he chuckled.

"A brood of angery Skandians."

***

Aarah sat next to Lynn as she listened carefully to what was occurring outside. Willy refused to let then fight, not that Aarah put up an argument about it. She just found out her baby was alive, there was no way she would risk it's life again.

"What if they come in here?" Aarah asked MJ, who was concentrated on the sounds coming from outside. Fighting could be heard and the clashing of metal and the occasional screams were admitted from the men.

"Then we'll have to fight." MJ said calmly.

"But both of you can't stand, and I can't fight, I don't know how." She said questioningly.

"We'll figure something out, Aarah." Lynn said comforting her. Aarah still was on edge. Emmy and Bente slipped through the door and glanced at the three of them.

"They've surrounded us." Bente said out of breath. Surprisingly, her dirk was stained with blood, as was Emmy's.

"But not for long. Jackson is sending the army out in platoons. This was simply his first hit." Emmy explained.

"Then why was he at the helm?" MJ asked the two girls.

"Oh he ran off the second he saw Uncle Erak and Thorn charging towards him." Emmy giggled.

"Is everything going alright out there?" Lynn asked. Bente nodded.

"Arridans have never faced such a large enemy. Uncle Ingvar is bowling them over. He looks like a demon with his spectacles." Bente smiled.

"So it's going good." Lynn nodded thoughtfully. She wasn't sure why she doubted herself.

"So if they're sending the army out in platoons, how long till they can't come any more?" MJ asked.

"Three." Aarah piped. "Jackson wasn't exactly quiet about his plans."

"How can we have such a dim witted enemy?" MJ scoffed. The others laughed but stopped when there was another cry of pain coming from outside.

***

Willy felt better about the battle knowing that His friends would be safe. He sent Emmy and Bente into the cabin to guard the wounded when he noticed the Arridans army was getting heavier and harder to fight. Willy, Tristan, and Quint fought along side each other, making sure to look out for one another. Willy had never seen Tristan fight so hard, and concluded that he must have been taking the anger from his mothers death out on the platoon. It was effective, so Willy wouldn't question it later on if they both survived.

    Willy cut down another solider as he lashed out on him. The numbers were slowly diminishing, and the thought of it being iver made his muscles ache. He couldn't rest yet though, his friends and family were still in trouble. Since Jackson had fled the moment he realized the mistake of challenging the Skandians, the soliders became easy to fight since they lost their confidence. The sight of their battle leader fleeing seemed to take its toll on them, and they became nervous, as they should have been. Most of them followed in their masters pursuit, so Willy, Quint and Tristan fell back and entered the cabin.

"It's over. But I have the feeling the next will be worse." Willy said.

"Well we can't just wait for them to strike us again." Emmy said coldly. Just then Maddie walked in with a pigeon on her shoulder and a slip of paper in her hand.

"We don't have to." She said smiling. Willy took the slip and read through it a few times before reading it out loud.

"Maddie, I'm just off the coast of Hallasholm, we have a few hundred men ready to fight. We'll pull around the coast, meet us there at six. -Horace."

"Your dad sent reinforcements?" Lynn asked bewildered. Maddie shrugged.

"I had no idea." She said grinning happily.

"Do you think he'll be among them?" Bente asked.

"Well he was the one who sent the pigeon. I sure hope he is." Maddie said.

"Let's go tell Oberjarl. We'll prepare to meet them at the coast at

six." Willy said. Emmy and Maddie followed his out to go alert the Oberjarl of the good news.

***

Sorry it took so long. I have had a writers block, so this is basically a filler. I think if I bring in Araluen reinforcements things might get exciting, especially if Horace is among them! Please comment and vote! Love you!

~Avis