While the celebration continued below,
The sage climbed his private tower.
He burned his incense, cast his dice,
And studied the stars by the hour.
And when at last there could be no doubt
He sought out the King with regret,
And said, "Though the northern king is dead,
The war isn't over yet."
The next morning in the council room,
With the barons and lords gathered 'round,
King Ironstone opened the floor to debate,
To see what plan could be found.
At length, they decided to carry the war
To the north, and all agreed.
So plans were made, and orders given,
To secure the provisions they'd need.
Kree-Lah watched from the sage's tower
As her father's army rode forth.
She had wanted to ride out with them
Against the Army from the north.
"But I'm leaving you behind
To hold the city," her father said.
And no matter how she pleaded and argued
He firmly shook his head.
He left behind a company
For Kree-Lah to command.
Fifty archers and swordsman;
fifty pikers and lance.
"Not many men," he apologized,
"But I need the rest with me."
"They'll be enough to hold the city,"
She said reassuringly.
So she watched the serpentine column cross
The valley and disappear.
"Don't look so sad," the sage spoke up,
"The battle will be here."
She turned from the window and asked the sage,
"Did you tell my father so?"
"Yes," he replied, "But the stars can't be changed.
It was written that he should go."
"Then let us plan what we shall do
When the enemy arrives,"
She said with determination
And fire in her eyes.
"We must train my little company
To be ready for the fight."
And the sage and Kree-Lah made their plans
Talking late into the night.
A lookout was placed in the tallest tower,
Ready to sound the call.
Boulders, and kettles of oil were hauled
To the top of the city wall.
Old men, women and children were shown
Their places on the wall
From whence to throw rocks, and pour the oil
When the enemy came to call.
"We'll show them a surprise or two,"
Kree-Lah said when the traps were laid.
"Indeed we will," the sage replied,
"When one more preparation is made."
"And what would that be?" Kree-Lah inquired.
"Rider coming!" shouted the tower.
"My brother comes," the sage remarked,
"Punctual to the hour."
They greeted his brother at the gate
And after they said hello,
He asked them, "So, how go the plans?"
Kree-Lah asked, "How does he Know?"
"The stars tell many things," said the sage,
"To those of us who can see."
"Teach me, someday," she said, "but right now,
What has he brought for me?"
Potash, sulphur, and charcoal he brought.
Three large barrels of each.
And in the courtyard, he mixed them together,
Measuring them carefully.
And when he was done, he poured the mix
In the barrels and sealed them tight.
No sooner had he finished this,
Than the enemy came in sight.
And the call went out from the tower
And the workers ran in from the fields
The city gate was closed and barred
The men grabbed their swords and shields.
Then the old sage gave Kree-Lah a flask,
Saying,"Drink this in time of need."
"What is it?" she asked, and the sage replied,
"A potion to give you speed.
"It's mandrake root, and nightshade leaf,
And oil of ginseng seed.
It increases speed, strength, and stamina,
But drink only what you need.
For too much of it can kill a man,
So take only a swallow or two.
When the battle is hot, it will give you the strength
To do what you'll need to do."
Kree-Lah raced to the top of the wall,
Tucked the flask in her belt as she ran,
And took her place at the highest point,
Her forces to command.
And she saw a massive siege tower
Rolling forward at a crawl,
Pushed from behind by the northern troops
Right up to the city wall.
At Kree-Lah's command, a volley of rocks
And arrows was launched at the tower.
An answering rain of arrows
Was returned in a deadly shower.
Then Kree-Lah turned to see
The sage's brother at her side.
"Let me show you what my barrels do,"
He said with a gleam in his eye.
Two warriors held the barrel ready
While he lit a small cord that stuck out.
It sputtered and burned most curiously,
The men hurled it up and out.
The enemy warriors paid it no heed
When it landed on their tower.
Then it flashed like lightning! and roared like thunder!
With hitherto unknown power.
The deck of the tower was shattered to bits,
Men and armor fell through the air.
Those of the northern men who yet lived,
Did naught but stand and stare.
At Kree-Lah's command, a hail of stones
And arrows sent their way.
The enemy hastily ran out of range,
Having had enough for one day.
From Kree-Lah's men, there arose a cheer,
And they hoisted her on high.
They paraded her 'round the parapet
Shouting the battle-cry.
And when at last, they quieted down,
Kree-Lah spoke to her men,
"Well done, but the war isn't over yet.
They'll rebuild, and come back again."
Under cover of night, the northern men came,
And dragged away the remains of their tower.
Working diligently through the night,
They repaired it by dawn's first hour.
Then their catapults launched a barrage of stone
That battered the city gate,
While the siege tower started forward again
At its ponderous lumbering gait.
Kree-Lah left her sage in charge
Of the archers on the wall,
And took her swordsmen, pikers and lance
Below, lest the gate should fall.
For the catapult stones were falling like hail
And the gate would not hold long.
The city would then be overrun
By the vengeful northern throng.
With each stone that struck, the huge gate shook,
Till at last, it finally gave.
As it fell, the enemy yelled,
And rushed forward in a wave.
Kree-Lah raised her sword on high,
As she leaped into the breach;
Her silvery blade a flicker of death
To all within her reach.
Her men gave the battle-cry, "Kree-Lah!"
And fought bravely at her side,
But a sea of enemy troops rushed in
Like the ocean at high tide.
All around her lay the lifeless forms
Of those who had met their fate
Narrowing down to a single file
The opening at the gate.
Now the northern warriors recognized
The woman who held the gate
As the one who'd killed their leader,
And their hearts were filled with hate.
Each one raced his comrades
To try and be the one
That would kill this brazen female
For the thing that she had done,
While she fought, Kree-Lah could hear
Two more barrels roar.
The roaring stopped, she heard a cheer,
The siege tower was no more.
Now the only avenue of approach
Was through this narrow hole
Which Kree-Lah stood defending
As the stars and dice foretold,
And the men from the north came steadily on
In a never-ending stream.
Exhausted, Kree-Lah still fought on,
Feeling sluggish, as if in a dream.
Quickly her left hand darted down
To the flask belted at her hips.
In a flash she pulled the stopper;
Poured a swallow between her lips.
Like fire, strength coursed through her veins.
She thrust the flask in her belt,
And grabbed a sword in each of her hands
Bringing death with each blow she dealt.
To her, all things moved incredibly slow,
While she moved effortlessly.
To those who watched, she moved like a dart,
Her weapons too fast to see.
A northern archer sighted in
On the spot where Kree-Lah stood.
He loosed his shaft with perfect aim,
But it did him little good.
For to Kree-Lah, The shaft seemed to hang in the air,
Moving at a turtle's crawl.
She knocked it out of the air with her sword
As if it were nothing at all.
The fight dragged on, and Kree-Lah soon
Grew tired a second time.
As she raised the bottle to her lips,
The sage's words came to mind.
"Drink only a swallow or two," he'd said,
But she needed to keep her speed.
And as long as the enemy still fought on
She would drink as much as she'd need.
Her blades seemed to have a life of their own.
They moved with unerring aim,
Finding the flaws in her opponents' guards
As quickly as each one came.
As she looked in the eyes of each new foe,
She saw the same look of hate,
Replaced by a look of amazement
As she sent him to his fate.
One more time she raised the flask.
This drink could be her last.
But she was determined that while she lived
Not one enemy would pass.
Her swords seemed to whistle her name in the air,
There was a rushing sound in her head.
She felt on the very verge of collapse,
But she'd fight till she was dead.
Then a cheer arose from the top of the wall
For across the plain could be seen.
King Ironstone and his army
Riding home victoriously.
They galloped across the open field
Hoof-beats thundering in the air.
While Kree-Lah, unaware of this,
Fought on with growing despair.
Then came a buzzing in her ears.
She found it hard to see.
She swung at a shadow in front of her,
And a voice said, "Daughter, it's me."
"Father?" she asked, and collapsed at his feet.
The last of the fighting was done.
The enemy lay on the ground all about.
The war was finally won.
She didn't stir as they carried her up
And put her to bed in her room.
She still hadn't woke when a week had passed.
The castle lay deep in gloom.
The King and Queen and sage gathered 'round.
They had done all they could do.
They waited and watched unceasingly
Till at last she spoke, "Sage, is that you?"
With a tear in his eye, he said, "Yes, it is I.
You drank too much of my brew."
"I'd do it again if the need should arise,"
She replied, and he knew it was true.
"Will she live?" asked the King and Queen of the sage.
He said, "Soon she'll be hearty and hale.
I'll give her a smaller bottle next time . . . "
But wait . . .
That's another tale.
copyright 1989 Randolph J. Sadewater
On to the Next Adventure! Kree-Lah's Quest
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