29 Day by day the enemy grew closer until finally he was two day's march away. If he kept to his present rate, he would arrive at nightfall, and if The Dove knew The Frns they would attack at dawn the next day.
30 Another day went by, and The Dove was making a final inspection of the earthworks when he heard a great commotion at the edge of the camp. He hurried to see what the problem was, and to his astonishment found a great number of people with The Creeping Death marching into the camp.
31 As they marched they were silent, the only sound was the ringing of the tiny bells that hung from their clothes. They stopped, and a man in the lead came forward.
32 "Greetings, First Speaker!" he announced, "I am Gray Serpent, a Warlock from The Western City. I have brought my people here because we desire to stand with our brothers in battle.
33 When we heard of of the defeat in the desert, I said to those in The House of Misery with me.
34 'The young and strong go to die, but we who have no hope of life, who must always be separate from the ones we love as if we were dead, we must stay here, and do nothing, while those we love perish.
35 Why should it be? There are many of us that can still hold a weapon, that can still swing a sword. Why should we sit here and suffer while our loved ones perish? Let us take up our weapons. Let us follow after our loved ones, and let us join in the battle.'
36 Now many of my brothers and sisters heard my words and were moved, but they said 'Speaker, we have no weapons. And who will tend for those who can no longer care for themselves, those who could not go with us?'
37 And an old woman spoke from her sleeping cushions saying, 'We will tend for ourselves. The ones that annot go will take care of those who are to bed. Our families will leave food for us at the gate like they always do. We will survive, but if you do not go, our children may not. Do not think of us, but think of our children.' And all in my house agreed.
38 'But sir,' said another, 'we still have no weapons.'
39 'Then we will go from house to house,' I answered, 'and beg weapons. There are always a few left behind...an old sword, a shield; tell the people you will take anything.'
40 So it was, the people of my house went out and I went to the other Houses of Sorrow in the city. Soon we filled the streets, and the people came to us with all they had.
41 This man was given a sword by a young woman. It is the last remembrance she has of her father. These bows and arrows a dying father made for his sons, but they gave them to us! They gave gave us food and blankets, and we marched from the city.
42 As we journeyed towards Northern from every village, our brothers and sisters came. The people lined the roads to feed us and bring us water.
43 At Northern our numbers swelled. And as we approached you here, they grew more.
44 We ask only, Lord, a place in your lines, a place where we can fight. And if you have them, some more weapons. For though the people have been generous, there are many of us who are unarmed."
45 "By The Blessed Ones!" answered The Dove, "You shall have your place - in the very CENTER of the lines! And I send out the order now...let every spare weapon be brought...a chipped sword, a spear with a broken handle - anything, and you shall be given tents for the nights, and food. It will not be long before the enemy comes."
46 So the fighting people came forward, and every spare weapon was brought out of the camp. The people with The Creeping Death came forward and selected among them, until all were gone. But there were still some that had no weapons. 47 "It is alright," announced Gray Serpent, "the rest will wait in the rear ranks and take a weapon from a fallen enemy or from one of us."
48 The Dove nodded, and saw to their housing. He was now able to stand, some, to walk about, though The Healer disapproved.
49 The following evening the enemy came. His scouts surveyed the area then quickly fell back. The enemy built their camp and surrounded it with fires, but The Children Of Spirit would not harass them. They preferred to get a good night's sleep.
50 The following morning the enemy simply formed ranks, marched within bow distance of the earthworks, launched flight after flight of smoke arrows, and charged.
51 Coming over the center of the earthworks they got a nasty surprise! Those with The Creeping Death met them, and the fighting was so fierce that the enemy broke and ran. But they regrouped and attacked again.
52 All day the fighting continued. By high sun the lower earthworks had fallen. By afternoon the second was gone, and the defenders waited behind the third.
53 The Frns crowded behind their shields before them, as weary as they were, and the battlefield was littered with the dead of both sides. Though there were far more Frns than there were Children of The Lords, The Dove sat in the middle of the circle, wondering what to do. Even the weather seemed to be turning against them. In the morning it had been a fair day, but now the clouds hung low. There was an early darkness that seemed to oppress everyone. The Dove looked out over the battlefield and mourned his dead.
54 Suddenly, cries from further down the line caught his attention, and he looked that way to see an old man making his way through the ranks, in clear sight of the enemy. Men were shouting for him to get down, and arrows whizzed by him, but the old man simply marched on. Finally, The Frns gave up. The Old Man came up and stood
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