Chapter Three
Now, Red Boar wrote letters to all The Warlocks of the cities. "The time has come," he said, "to stand against The First Speaker. His disobedience to The Law has gone too far. Forsake The First Speaker. Rally to me, rally to The Lords!"
2 Most of The Warlocks and The Speakers in every city and village except those around Northern answered his call. Only certain rich families spoke against him. The First Speaker found himself on the verge of civil war.
3 He gathered his forces and boldly marched south, rallying as much support as he could.
4 He made camp near The Southern City and sent emissaries to parlay with Red Boar and Swift Deer.
5 But while all this had been going on, things had also been going on in Fr. The Prince had returned and sent the leader of his guard to his father. "I am no longer a man," he said, "only an empty shell. My glory has been denied me. Through me, there will be no heirs to your throne.
6 I ask only that you give me the army that has been prepared, that I may march north and punish those who have so bitterly offended me. If you do not give me this permission, then I ask you to send an executioner, and take my life."
7 The King was enraged. "How dare you appear before me?" he told the guard. "You were sworn to protect your master. I ought to cut your throat, those of all your men, and your wives and children. You should not even be alive!"
8 "Your Majesty," pleaded the guard, "we were taken completely by surprise, outnumbered, we had no chance. The Prince was taken before we even knew. If we had fought, they would have simply killed him."
9 "It would've been better if they had," screamed The King, "That would have been more merciful than what they did!"
10 "Your Majesty," begged the guard, falling to his knees and kissing the ground, "Please, Your Majesty, we beg only the chance to redeem ourselves. Let us march north, with your son. Let us do battle with those who defile him. I beg Your Majesty, spare our honor!"
11 The King rose and kicked the man in the belly "You'll go north, all right," he screamed, "but not as an officer. You will go as the most common soldier.
12 You and all of your men are stripped of your rank. They are to get out of their houses, and move their families to the poor district, all your property is seized, including your clothing.
13 Your women shall strip naked before my palace guards, your children, also. They shall be escorded through the city wearing nothing but one undergarment."
14 He turned to a palace guard. "Carry out those orders," he screamed, "and tell my son he has his army. . It marches whenever he is ready."
15 The Prince wasted no time. He marched the next day. But even before he was half-way into the desert, the scouts Red Boar had sent into the desert were rushing back with the news.
16 Red Boar swiftly sent a letter to The First Speaker. "First Speaker," it said, "a vast army marches on us from the south, led by The Prince Of Fr. Both you and I know that he could not have raised an army so large this fast. It had to have been ready and waiting. It must have been their plan to attack us all along.
17 We cannot quarrel among ourselves, now. We must join forces, go south, build earthworks and prepare to meet the enemy. We are willing to have you lead us in battle, and settle our differences; when the land is safe."
18 The First Speaker's answer was this..."Red Boar, I call all the land to arms. Whatever I have said against you is lifted, whatever you said against me is forgotten. It appears I have been deceived. I march south to meet the enemy. I will be proud to have you join me."
19 So beyond the swamps where the passage was narrow, The Children of Spirit dug their earthworks. They barely had time to finish, when the enemy appeared.
20 Under the cover of flight after flight of smoke arrows, the Frns rushed their earthworks, threw their bridges across and breached the center and the flanks.
21 The Children of Spirit fought bravely, but they were bitterly outnumbered. A vast number of the enemy rushed The First Speaker and his guards. A spearman broke through and drove home his weapon before he was cut down.
22 "Withdraw!" cried The First Speaker, "Withdraw! Save all the wounded you can! Break free!"
23 As the order was passed down the line, his people followed the command with valiant effort. If the Frns had pursued them, they could have finished it, then and there, but they were bone weary, and had many dead and wounded. They let The Children of Spirit flee.
24 "Let us not," ordered The Prince, "slaughter the whole herd at once! We have plenty to feast on tonight. We will kill the rest tomorrow."
25 The First Speaker was carried to a village and laid by a well. As he was put down, he looked to a wall across from him, but there was no one there. "Bring my sons," he ordered, "upon one of them I must put the leadership of the army."
26 One of his guards knelt beside him. "Lord," he announced, "all of your sons are dead, your brothers also, and all of your nephews. Not one of the Warlocks among your kin survived."
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