18 Chapter 18 Attack in the Forest

Next morning the first step preparation for defense battle was ready, even though not all the wall was supported by the Scorpion Ballista yet, this should be enough for now. Also, thanks to the north gate were facing a lake, if the bridge has raised the defender could now focus to defend on three locations.

Even though Scorpion Ballista was small, it was easy to mass produces, and the time to build it was also not too complicated. Berthold believes when all the preparation was completed the enemy would meet a rain of heavy arrows and stopped them in their track. Feeling a bit confident, he started to approach Natasha.

Looking at this situation from the top of the wall, Natasha clenched her hands with a nervous expression, "We should have known from where the enemy would come… If only Cain is here…" Natasha word trailed as she remembered a Knight that could understand birds would by then does scouting the enemy from the sky. However, as his domain were far to the west and deep above the mountain area there would be taking too much time to reach there.

Seeing Natasha sighing Berthold stopped beside her, "What is it? Is there something that bothered you?"

Natasha turned at Berthold in mild surprise before turning back to stare below the wall again, "You know, this whole incident is so strange…"

Berthold decides to silent as he leaned his back to the wall and waiting for Natasha.

"Why did the king's little brother started this unreasonable war? To even killing his blood brother and assassinating his niece… This… Everything is wrong." Natasha then feels her body trembled and she grasped her arm.

Berthold trying to say something but unable to confidently reply to her, so he stared to the sky. There was only silence between them except the sound of working people below them. The people nearby started to avoid the two of them as they feel the heavy atmosphere. Some of them glanced at knight Berthold as if telling him to do something. Not like Berthold would notice their meaningful glance.

However, just a moment later, Berthold opened his mouth, "You know this is not your fault."

Natasha turned her head in surprise, "What do you mean?"

Berthold grasped his hand as he leaned to the battlements wall and staring outside, "I think you are taking this too much-"

"What do you mean taking this too much!? Does the Princess safety must be taken lightly!? What do you know happened when the Capital was attacked!?" Natasha's sudden shout cuts Berthold's words. Her glaring red eyes were pointed at him at such point-blank which make other shudders in fear.

Berthold holds his silence as he hears her keep telling questions or accusations towards him. He closed his eyes as if to take every blame from Natasha. He suddenly has a feeling to let her unleash all her unease.

Just when he hears a small sob, he turned his head to see the back of his Knight Commander. His gaze was dazed for a moment. The knight that was the same age as him doesn't want to be sexism or anything, but it was hard to be a female knight. Be it in training or noble society.

For a knight Marcus the previous commander and her mentor to decides that she should take his seat, of course, was full of trouble. He was feeling amazed and respected her. And now, there is this incident that shakes the whole kingdom.

Berthold sighed, "What I mean was you taking all of this by yourself."

Natasha's shoulder jumped for a moment, Berthold glanced at her, "Knight Commander Natasha, this is my personal opinion from me. But, please believe more in us."

When Berthold now has her attention, he smiled at her, "I know that it may be sound like boasting or something like that. But I, Berthold Hearcila, am here with you. Not only me, but they're also Paul, Mary and everyone here. To see you so down and worried would make us sad."

Berthold then faced her and saluted at her with a smile, "Unless you think we are useless?"

Natasha was dazed for a moment before she averted her gaze. "I- I don't mean anything bad."

"Pfft" this sudden sound made Natasha raised her head and saw that Berthold holding his laugh. Her face turned red in shame

"Humph! Making fun of your commander, now huh? You looking for capital punishment huh?"

Seeing her pouting expression, Berthold sighed in relief to see that she doesn't look that nervous, "Ah, for the least please don't hang me?"

Both of them then laughed for a moment. Natasha's expression started to get better, her gaze trailed at the laughing knight beside her. Her heart jumped for a moment to see his loose expression.

She clenched her hand over her chest, and started to open her mouth, but at that moment-

"Report! We found that the unit leads by knight Paul was attacked in the forest!"

A rider galloped to the gate and decided to yell at both of them, he doesn't even dismount which was bad enough that the one who receives the report was the Knight Commander. But seeing the pale expression of him, Natasha and Berthold exchanged glances before started to shout orders.

"Call the first Cavalry unit to prepare! I will lead the reinforcements!" Berthold rushed down to his stead as he shouted orders.

"The other shall prepare atop the wall! Open your eyes open for a sudden movement or anyone who want to slip inside!" Meanwhile, Natasha still standing atop the wall and also shouted.

As the nearby soldier saluted, they dispersed to their position. The group of carpenters and engineers also helped to prepare the heavy weapons. Preparing for the worse.

A moment later, a group of cavalries was seen rushing through the gate toward the west. The unlucky rider that reporting then was forced to lead the way by Berthold, as he needs to hear the situation.

Natasha stared at Berthold's back which was started to get smaller and hopes that nothing went wrong.

****

Galloping along with his unit, Berthold glanced at scout beside him, "So you said that the enemy this time was a group of wolves?

The scout shakes his head as he gripped the reins of his horse, "Sir this group of wolves was different than normal."

Berthold frowned, what was the difference? This area was known for the wolves' den, we all know pack wolves live here. As if knowing what the knight thinking, the scout shakes his head.

"Forgive me my lord, but 'they' are different."

"What's the difference then? Don't keep it for yourself! Explain it!"

Unfortunately, the scout couldn't explain much as Berthold start to know about their enemy was.

By facing them in combat.

The attack was so sudden, a shadow jumped over the trees and hit the scout first as if targeting him in the first place. Before Berthold could understand, his rear unit formation was assaulted.

They were galloping at fast speed and attacked by the enemy from their side. Clenched his spear, Berthold shouted to his man, "Everyone, on me! Raise your spear!"

They started to push through, thanks for their initial speed to their advantage, the group of cavalries manage to trample the wolves standing in from of them. Between this space, Berthold now can take a time to look at his pursuer and found that the wolves have so many injuries on their body.

"What, how could they move with such injury?" a cavalry shouted in surprise.

Berthold started to frown. 'How could I be such a moron. I should have extracted all the information from the scout before rushing here!' he thought as his eyes darted from the trees around him in anxiety.

"What was this abomination!" one of them shouted as his spear pierced a wolf that jumped at him.

"Calm down! We cannot let them to Knight Paul location, we must kill them all here!" Berthold then turned his stead and lead his unit to the northwest, "We lead them to a high cliff. Spread into two and flank them."

He glanced at the one beside him to lead the others to start flanking. When the group of cavalries split, Berthold decides to slow down to take the wolves' attention also as he wants to observe them.

This decision was faced with much more trouble than he anticipated. Normally, a quick stab to their chest or legs was enough to make the wolves slow down. But now it was like his common sense was thrown out of the windows.

"How could they endure so much blow?" When the situation almost getting worse, he remembered the story of Paul and Natasha.

'We never face something like this before, hence we never have war in the first place. But it's not like we cannot win, if we cannot kill it by stabbed their heart we can crush their head or cut their neck completely.'

His sudden realization made him defenseless for a moment and he could hear a growl right beside him.

When he turned around, he saw a jaw opened wide to snap his face. Surprised, he was pushed down from his stead and fall to the ground.

"My lord!"

Rolling on the ground, Berthold manages to kick the wolf away from him. But the fall was hurt enough for his back in started to ache. Another wolf then started to rush at him before he could even sit.

Clenched his teeth, he saw that the wolf's jaw was already near his face. He was dismounted and lose his spear. In his agitation, his hand found something in his belt and in at that moment pushed anything in his hand forward.

He hears a small sound of something pierced, but his face paled as the wolf didn't stop as the jaw getting nearer. In fear, he swipes his hand to the side, makes the wolf's head roll to the ground. This was when he was supposed to be drenched in blood, but there was no blood even when they lose the head.

"My lord, are you all right?"

His daze was snapped when he hears his unit arrived at his side, he swiped the little blood on his cheek and found that the blood was black. What was going on here?

He observed his surroundings and found that he lost 13 men and his stead was also lays dead on the ground.

"My lord, we cannot save your stead." One of them approached as he tagging along with a lone horse while hanging his head in shame.

Berthold shakes his head as he raised himself to mount the horse, "This is the worse situation. We must meet up with the others and found Paul!"

"Yes sir!"

Meanwhile, not far from them a pair of red eyes were staring at them. The glow on its eyes was stronger and full of bloodlust. It then disappeared among the group of trees, as if a ghost.

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