"I will fight my own battles," Queen Aerona declared as she stood before the advisers. Anguished she knew her back was against the wall. Yr Castell yn y Cae was about to fall to Bedo's forces yet the young ruler refused to accept her advisers' possible solution to the problem.

"There is no further opinion, M'lady," Oswallt opposed the queen's statement. "The siege cannot continue much longer. The people are starving. The only way to repel Bedo's forces is to summon Prince Rhisiart from Cwyllth to mount an attack from the rear. As you know, he would gladly ride to your aid should you decide to call on him."

"Nay, Good Oswallt, I shall not call Prince Rhisiart," Aerona determinedly countered. "For, if I were to call him, he would expect me to agree to marriage and that I cannot stomach."

"Alas, my queen, what other choice do we have? Prince Rhisiart is a powerful and wealthy warrior; he would gladly come to your aid," Oswallt blindly continued unaware of the anger brewing behind the pacific queen's sapphire eyes. "Call him and ask him to relieve the people of Walhaz."

"No!" Queen Aerona asserted as she rose from her throne and stormed from the counsel chamber. Once behind the solid oaken door of her bedchamber, she dismissed her ladies in waiting. The solitude of her chamber gave her the opportunity to catch her breath. Her counsel had been advocating marriage with Rhisiart of Cwyllth for several weeks.

A distant cousin from the northern reaches of the Branff Island where the Walhaz and Cwyllth people dwelt, Rhisiart had spent several summers at Yr Castell yn y Cae to train for knighthood along with Bedo. Aerona had liked him as she had liked her other cousin; she just couldn't imagine herself wed to him. The idea of calling in his assistance then refusing his expectations were not her desire. It may be a way to end the siege, but it would amount to a lifetime of unhappiness for the little queen.

The beleaguered castle in the field hung on for two more weeks. Queen Aerona's heart bled for the people who suffered within its walls yet still she refused to summon Prince Rhisiart. Despite the desperate urgings of her counsel, she held off as long as she could. Finally, when she called her forces in; it looked like surrender. Oswallt feared she would capitulate to Bedo's demands. What happened next took everyone by surprise.

"Aerona is missing," announced Maud, the queen's childhood nurse, as she rushed into the counsel chamber. All aflutter with distress, the woman fell to her knees at the feet of Oswallt.

Fear struck the hearts of the wise counsellors as they thought the worst. Had Bedo managed to breech the castle walls to abduct the Queen? In anguish, they dreaded what would happen to the Fair Aerona at the hands of her cruel cousin.

Before they had an opportunity to discuss the new situation, a call came down from the castle walls to announce the Queen's Army was taking the field. The sound of horse's hooves pounding upon the lowered drawbridge brought a throng of onlookers onto the parapet, including Oswallt and Abu al Khayr.

Hour after hours, the battle raged upon the field surrounding the castle. One lone warrior stood out amongst the all the rest; a small but powerful force determined to win at all cost. No one recognized the armor; no one knew who amongst the Queen's army the combatant could be. It wasn't long before a cheer was raised from the onlookers as the knight continued to forge a path through the fray to meet face to face with Bedo the Magnificent.

A mythical circle suddenly spread in the midst of the battle as Bedo and the Stranger Knight met in one on one combat. The metal clash of sword upon sword rang out above the sound of warfare as the mighty steeds each were mounted upon came together as the human participants fought in mighty battle.

On and on the contest continued. The onlookers understood the end result would determine whether Aerona would continue as Queen of all the Walhaz or if they would have to bend to the will of King Bedo. Cheers and sighs sounded from the parapet as first the Stranger Knight seemed to take the advantage then Bedo the Magnificent. Finally Bedo failed in his ultimate thrust allowing his opposition weapon to find it's home in his heart.

With the death of Prince Bedo, the Crown of Walhaz belonged to Aerona but where was the young Queen? While the crowds upon the parapet exclaimed their victorious joy, the wise counsel were in consternation in regards to the whereabouts of their ruler.

Upon the field, the Queen's Army encircled the Stranger Knight in celebration. Boldly the army jostled forward to claim their hero. Grabbing the steel helmet and yanking it upwards, one young warrior was surprised by a sudden cascade of fair hair. After only a moment's hesitation as realization dawned upon him, he shouted: "LONG LIVE THE QUEEN. LONG LIVE AERONA!"

And so peace fell upon the Kingdom of the Walhaz as the Queen settled into her task as the benign and pacific ruler within the sturdy walls of Yr Castell yn y Cae. No other force would dare come against the mighty little monarch who was said to fight her own battles.

* Yr Castell yn y Cae translates from the Welsh as Castle in the Field.