Clash of Steel - A Skyrim Snippet

• Posted by Batman April 19, 2012 - 1,164 views

  For Samuel

  (Written 1/11/11)

  “Forward!!” the commanding officer shouted to his troops that lined the ridge. As one the line surged forward, the pounding of their horses’ hooves upon the ground sounded across the plain like a low rumbling thunder gaining momentum and sound as they beared down on their target.

  From the road on the plain, the lead carriage rider looked up excepting to see the dark ominous clouds that signalled the rains but the sky was spotless, the twinkling stars shone brightly out here in the country side. Still the thundering would not cease, and then carried along behind it was the barely perceptible sound of a war cry. Startled the man swung around to face the now recognisable sound of horses and the small battalion of men on their backs. “Stormcloak incoming!!!” quickly reaching behind him he grabbed the cord for the bell attached to the back post of the carriage and rung it as hard as he could. Like a brushfire the alarm swept down the convoy line, the trained warriors reacting to the bell swiftly began to form ranks on the attacking side.  “Steady on! Prepare for contact!!” the commander shouted from his own horse at the front of the defenders as the Stormcloaks continued their deathly charge.

  Time seemed to slow down just seconds before the two groups collided, and then like the breaking of a wave against the rocks they converged into a hellish swarm of terrified horses screaming men and painful groans. The Imperials held their own against the initial assault, it was one of the many reasons they were a leading fighting force in all of Tamriel. But despite their courage and training it could not withhold against the might and numbers of their rivals. The battle did not last long, with the majority of Imperials on foot they were eventually struck down. “Leave no prisoners!” the commander shouted down to his troops as they began systematically killing off the entire surrendering and wounded enemy. “Search the carriages, burn anything you can’t carry.”

  Soon the whole convoy was one long streak of flames down the deserted road. With victory high in their heads none of the warriors noticed a small shadow slip out from under one of the burning frames and scamper off into the woods a small bundle clutched in their arms.