[b]Chapter 26: Outside Monarch's Rise[/b]

Leofric pulled in the reins and his armoured destrier obediently stopped. Behind him the order to halt resounded down the massive column and the marching cacophony of the army soon stopped. The king had brought the army up to a range of rolling hills near five miles away from Monarch's Rise, and from here he had an excellent overview of the nightmare in the distance. The once mighty capital had been defiled by wicked sorcery - its high walls had turned to sheer ice and increased two-fold in size. The snowy fields and trees outside the city were afflicted by some otherwordly purple taint, and they were infested by hundreds of shambling corpses. Leofric twitched a frown at the sight, he presumed the undead horde is what remained of the city garrison.

[i]"Riders approaching!"[/i] a voice bellowed behind him. Leofric looked over his shoulder and saw a line of riders carrying the king's banner nearing. The horseman at the front held in a helmet of sorts by his side and his horse eventually stopped next to Leofric's own. The rider stared ahead at the twisted scenery and turned the ghastly helmet around in his hands.
"Well... I don't know what to say about that." Arthur said with some delay. He then glanced to Leofric and held up the helmet to show. "It was a successful hunt, anyhow. Now there's a few less of their patrols out there to terrorize the good people of this country." Arthur grinned and subsequently swung the helmet down the hills. It bounced lightly a few times before stopping.

Leofric nodded and shifted around in the saddle. "Their leader said he would release the captives. Did you see any sign of them?"
Arthur hummed in reponse. "I did. Two-thousand of them, further west. Seems our uninvited friend stayed true to his word. I sent the majority of my men to escort them to safety."
"Good."
"So, what happens now? Are we going to kick out this crook? Those ice walls look tough."
"We'll establish a solid frontline to keep them contained inside the city. As soon that is done I will send men north to summon reinforcements and our siege weapons."

Leofric exhaled irritably and turned his gaze from the city to the knight at his side. "Give the order. The sooner we're set up the better, this weather could turn to their favour at any moment."
Arthur bowed his head and turned around to shout out a series of orders down the column of footsoldiers and horsemen. The orders were in turn carried on by the officers and soon the massive formation begun to dissipate as the soldiers moved off to establish their siege lines. Leofric remained on the same spot and tightened his grasp around the reins. Deep down he felt a tingling fear, but not over the inevitable battle. His daughter had been in the capital. The fleet he dispatched had been ordered to blockade the city by sea, but in addition to that he also commanded Admiral Aversbury to safely get the princess out from the city.

He muttered a prayer to the Lady, hoping that Josephine's guardian had been successful in leading her out through the secret tunnels.