It's supposed to be a wonderful day…
The cry of dawn bleeding in a mix of crimson and orange stood witness of this violent scenery where thousands of people swing their swords, slashing one throat after another for a cause not so vivid. My tears had already run dry with the bathe of sweat and blood. The hillside has been watered with fresh human blood, and the place has been defeated by the fishy smell of it.
I can't think straight. I haven't heard a reply from the other side until now, and all sorts of thoughts has been lingering in my head.
"Tilus!" I shouted after I pulled my blade away from someone's stomach. "Ullinen!"
It's getting harder to breathe with exhaustion, but I cannot be at peace without knowing what was happening behind these boulders. Still, no one made a reply despite my constant call, and even knowing that my brother isn't someone you could easily kill, fear started welling up in me. Tilus is my only family left.
The boulders are approximately thirteen meters far from where I am and is about three meters high. I've been thinking about going over it, but with this much enemy in my way, I don't think I can make it past them without dying.
Regardless, I pulled the reigns and led my horse towards the boulders. I used all of the strength I have left in my arms to take down all enemies that comes in the way. I was able to make it across about four meters, and then my horse fell limping with an arrow stuck in one of its front legs. I fell rolling down and slammed my body against a fresh corpse. I felt the sharp pain in my left shoulder as my body made an abrupt halt.
"Lady Mira!"
I heard Di-at calling with a gasp of air. He, too, is exhausted.
"I'm fine!" I shouted at him. "Stay alive, all of you!"
I still hasn't recovered from the fall but I had to act with my quick reflexes when I saw an enemy charging through my peripheral vision, holding his sword above his head with both hands, ready to end me right there on the ground. With the strength of my legs, I kicked the corpse and made my self spin with my back still against the ground to avoid his blade, and use the other leg to kick him on the calf. He fell on his knees with his sword hitting the dirt, then I rolled to my right, again, using the strength of my legs to help myself and get up. I held my left shoulder with my arm dangling helplessly on my side.
This is not good.
I can't fight well with fatigue, let alone with only one functional arm. The only chance of survival are my strong legs. So, with it, while he's still on his knees, recovering from the fall, I throw a kick that send me spinning in the air, landing the instep of my right foot on the side of his face, twisting his neck from the impact. Then he fell, lifeless on the ground.
"Mira!"
I turned around to my brother's voice. It was coming from the top of the boulders. My eyes search for his figure among all the clumsy-moving silhouettes created by the sunrise. There were tens of people there, and one body kept falling after another.
"Tilus!" I shouted back. "I'm here!"
Hearing my brother's voice, I couldn't contain the relief it had brought to my soul that I left my guard down. I didn't even realize I was already crying. I stood there, like a lost kid, desperately searching for my brother through the moving shadows. And if it weren't for the hiss of an arrow that was cut short by a clinking sound it made as its head met with the blade of Di-at's sword, in the nick of time before it hits me, I won't come back to my senses.
"I'm with her, chief!" he shouted as he kept a protective stance before me, holding his sword tight between the palm of his hands, giving me full cover. "That looks pretty bad, my lady." He still managed to mockingly comment.
"Thanks, Di-at. I guess it is. It's painful," I said then carefully let go of my shoulder to grab the sword at my feet. "But I still got one functioning arm and two legs. Don't think I'd be dead around this hour."
"Hah! Yeah, right. That's not very like you," he laughed and then take one enemy down effortlessly with a single trust of his sword in the flank.
I swung my sword as I swayed from one side to another, avoiding attacks from all sides. The dangling hand made it harder to move but I endured the sharp pain that made me wince in every step. I was able to make it past the sixth meter, and I was almost on the foot of the huge mountain of rocks when my strength lasted. I fell on my knees and threw my sword on the ground to clutch my dislocated arm on my chest. I tore my skirt and tied it around my arm and neck to provide temporary support. I was groaning in pain as I do it, Di-at giving me cover and someone from the top of the boulder with precise arrow shots that had all approaching enemies falling one by one.
By the time I finished securing my arm, I looked up at the person holding his arrow atop the boulders. It was my captain—Ullinen, standing beside my brother.
He sent more arrows, almost showering it down to everyone below, until the enemy became outnumbered and they slowly backed off group by group, disappearing in the early morning mist.
Then after a moment, the sun has fully risen, and the sky has turned into a soft blue glazed with bright yellow rays in the horizon. I can now see my brother and Ullinen's face clearly as they remained standing at the top of the huge pile of rocks.
Our men emerge from the other side one by one, and soon, our separated troop has reunited.
Tilus ran down the slope towards me, kneeling as he worriedly checked on my dislocated shoulder. "Are you alright?"
I nodded. "I'm fine. It just hurts and I think it's starting to swell."
Ullinen then came and halted before us still holding unto his arrow. He knelt down and carefully checked my injury.
"This isn't really that serious. I think I can fix it, but it will hurt a lot," he said with a serious look on his face as if warning me.
"I don't mind," I said with confidence. I have had something more painful and fatal than this before, I am not afraid of the pain. I am a warrior, after all.
"Then allow me…"
He took the fabric off me and held my shoulder with care. It still hurts and it made me bite my lower lip and grimaced as he placed the bone back in position underneath the chunk of swelling flesh. I groaned after the extreme pain, then I felt my blood rushing through my veins.
"God damn it!" I cussed in a hiss.
Ullinen then carefully put the fabric back to immobilize my arm and avoid further injury.
"Head back to Silang so you could receive proper treatment. I'll stay here with the chief to finish our business," Ullinen stated as he rose from the ground and I held by Akung for support.
"It's not safe," I disagreed. "Let's head back together and prepare another plan."
"No." There is firmness in my brother's voice. "We'll proceed with the raid as planned. This ambush is only meant to intimidate us. I don't know how they knew about this raid and it's such a waste of time to think whether it is done by someone inside my domain or merely the result of their powerful intel, but this has to go on until we get what we came here for."
"We're already outnumbered, chief." It's Akung.
"Yes, we are. We're not weak, though. The twin-tribes think that they already destroyed our plan and that the next move we'll make is crawl back to Dagli, seek safety, and make another plan, but we're not. They've lowered their guard by now; I am sure of it—because they believe they got at least one of our legs. That's what we'll use to take advantage. Right now, continuing the raid will be the least they'll expect to happen."
And it is how it made sense to me.
Ullinen tilted his head as he looked at my brother, gesturing towards the direction of the boulders. "The sun has risen. We have to go."
Tilus gave a short nod and then looked at me. "Mira, you'll take an alternative route westward, longer, but safer, towards the capitol. Get yourself cured and stay safe. I'll be with your captain for now."
He held me in a one-arm embrace and kissed me at the temple, the very spot right above my left ear and then let go. But I wasn't the obedient, little sister type. I am not wearing my royal dress right now, but my armor.
"I'm the sixth troop commander, Tilus. Of course I'll be with everyone else."
There's protest in my statement. I picked up my sword and pushed it inside its sheath. If this raid will go on, I have t be there. I took a step forward, towards my brother and smiled. "This is Dagli's call to war and my troop says, 'there's no turning back' so I'll go with you. Like Ullinen said, this is nothing serious." Then I gestured my left shoulder.
Tilus laughed. "I can't help getting worried after seeing you cry in an on-going battle. Don't slow me down like that again, alright?"
I rolled my eyes in that remark. "Stop, Tilus!"
Everyone laughed, including my captain and I can't help but feel embarrassed.
"Let's be on our way, then. Let's make the loudest call to this war," said the chief.
Our troop went over the boulders by foot to reunite with the rest of the company. Tilus took his horse while I rode Ullinen's. He was the one holding the reins as I sat quietly before him, securely between his arms.