The Rape of the Reach, or the Myth of Red-Eagle, Chapter VI: The Combat of Héstram and Faolan

Héstram travelled to Faolan in the remainder of the Reach. There she met Faolan, who had already gathered his men on the hills. Every time her army tried to get near, they were pelted with rocks and arrows. Héstram lost a battalion in this way. They tried circling around Faolan's position, but found the mountains to be otherwise unscalable.
Héstram said: "bring me Orcí, for he might know a way to get us past this position."
Orcí was called for and brought before her.
He spoke: "I am sorry to disappoint you, queen, but there is but one passage towards their position, and Faolan holds it."
Héstram replied: "How can we proceed? What might be a possible way to pass his ranks, and submit the remainder of the Reach, which are almost mine?"
Orcí replied: "Let me ride to them. Eventhough I do not have a beard like they do, they will still recognise me as one of them. I will ride in and find a way to disrupt their armies. They will not recognise me anymore, as it has been nine years already."
This was done. Orcí rode towards the armies of Faolan. Recognising him as a Reachman, the ranks parted, to let Orcí through to Faolan. Hoping that Faolan was preparing himself in private, he rode towards the fort.
One man that saw all this was Andoe, who was scouting the enemy ranks, and the fort, and the cliffs surrounding them, for he was the fastest man in the Reach. Andoe rushed into Faolan's fort, and found Faolan in his quarters, putting on his armour and arms.
Andoe said: "excuse me, king Faolan, but I have important news. The army is still holding Héstram at bay, but they have just now opened their ranks to let a Snake pass."
Faolan followed Andoe, to meet Orcí in front of the fort. Orcí saw Faolan, and spurred his horse to run back to Héstram's army. Faolan threw a stone after him, shattering the bones in Orcís left leg, forcing him to remain on his horse, for he could walk no longer.
While quick in scaring away the Snake, Andoe and Faolan were too late, for he had already poisoned the archers. With the archers gone, Héstram advanced, climbing the rocks that would lead to Faolan. Hírti cried out: "This was a dirty trick. I will not stand here waiting for the enemy to climb up."
He stormed down, and started a onslaught in the enemy ranks. Some even said that he routed them with nothing more than Song and Voice. Hírti slew nine hundred men, before Héstram took his head.
The armies of Faolan and Héstram fought from dawn till dusk. When the sun had set, Héstram and Faolan both lost half their men, and both were fought to a standstill.
Faolan said: "I will not let my men die and sit idly in my fort. Tomorrow morning I will meet with you, queen of the South, so that we may settle this once and for all."
Héstram replied: "There is wisdom in your words, king Faolan of the remainder of the Reach. It is not fair to have lesser men die in what is a royal affair. I will meet you tomorrow morning at yonder ford, so that everyone might memorise our battle."
It was decided. Faolan and Héstram went back to their camps, to spend the night in the company of their men. When the sun was about to rise, both set out to ford, to meet each other.
Faolan wore a suit which was made entirely of bone, which he made from the tigers he slew when he was not yet nine. On his back were countless javelins, which were all two pronged and twice his size. In his hands he had a shield of solid iron, which was said to be impenetrable by magic or arrow or javelin, and a sword which held his name, or which named Faolan, which was made of the bones of a wolf he slew when he was not yet five, and crafted to look like iron. He wore a helmet with the beak of an Eagle, showing his face in its mouth. Héstram wore her armour from earlier, but the Gold was still covered in Léech's blood. On her back were solid Gold javelins, and she wore her White Gold shield, which had eight circles on it, each with a different depiction, and she wore her White Gold sword, with a Ruby hilt. On her breasts was the Cim Aedáibh Baím.
They met each other at the ford, both on the other side of the water.
Héstram was the first to speak: "This will be it, Red-Eagle. Let this battle decide if I shall rule here and conquer this, and call the Reach my own."
Faolan replied: "It is strange that you speak first, queen of the South, for these are still my lands. I will not go down, and I will not let you claim these lands while I am still alive. Choose your type of combat for today."
"These are still your lands, and Orcí mentioned your customs. I believe it is your choice, since you were here first."
"Fine then. Let us use our javelins to see if we can come to the final blow that way," said Faolan.
They took position, and flung javelins at each other from across the water. Each was thrown with enough force to shatter rocks. Every shot was true, but every javelin got stuck in the shields both were wearing. When the sun was about to set, the sparks coming from the great force of the Javelins were visible. When the sun had set both laid down there arms, and they met each other at the waterside. Neither had drawn blood from the other.
Faolan said: "It is getting dark, and neither would be able to hit true in the darkness. Let us rest now and continue tomorrow."
Héstram replied: "That is fine. Let us wait for the Dawn."
That night both returned to their camps to spend the night with their men. The mages and healers treated their exhaustion, and gave them potions of strength and wits, in the hope that it might make the deciding difference tomorrow.
When the dawn was about to break, both set out to the ford again. They met each other at the opposing watersides.
Faolan said: "What is your choice of weapons for today?"
Héstram replied: "It was my choice yesterday. Today you do the picking."
"Fine then. Let us take up our spears, so that we might come to the final blow that way," said Faolan.
Both got their messengers to get their spears. Andoe was the fastest to return, and brought Faolan his nine pronged spear. Then Héstram's messenger returned, bearing her eight pronged spear. They took positions at the waterside. They thrusted their spears with enough force to topple forests. Every jab was true, but was stopped by their armour. When the sun was about to set, the sparks coming from their spears were visible. When the sun had set they laid down their arms, and they met each other at the waterside. Both had drawn blood that day, but not enough.
Faolan said: "It is getting dark, and neither would be able to aim right in the darkness. Let us rest now and continue tomorrow."
Héstram replied: "That is fine. Let us wait for the Dawn."
That night neither returned to their camps to spend the night with their men, but remained at the waterside. They were treated for their wounds and scratches, and were given potions of healing and strength, in the hope that it might make the deciding difference tomorrow.
When the dawn was about to break, both were standing at the opposing watersides.
Faolan said: "It was my choice of weapons yesterday, so today you will decide."
Héstram replied: "Fine then. Let us fight in close combat, with swords and shields, so that we might come to the final blow that way."
Both took their positions in the water, with shield and sword in hand. From dawn till dusk they fought, exchanging blows and cuts that they did not have the defence for to match. Their armour got dinted and torn, and their swords chipped and brittled. When the sun was about to set, both had drawn blood, yet both remained standing. When the sun had set, Héstram lunged forward, cutting open Faolan's chest, exposing his heart. Faolan kicked his own shield, bashing Héstram away. She fell down in the water, and dropped her sword and shield, which floated down stream.
Héstram spoke: "Give up now, king Faolan. I am disarmed, and you are in no condition to fight. Resend your Old Gods and worship mine, so that they might heal your heart."
Faolan replied: "I will never forsake my Gods for yours, queen Héstram. I will not bow down to you, or to anyone else, for that matter. I am aware that I am in no condition to fight. It is because of that, that I request you to let me go, so that my wounds may heal, and you may craft new weapons. When I feel well again, I will meet you again at this ford, and we will fight again, to see who will be the true ruler of the Reach."
Orcí had joined the two rulers, and said: "Be wary, queen. Red-Eagle is a hunter, and he likes bloodshed. Still, this is a true warrior's request."
Héstram said: "I see. Thank you, Orcí. Fine then, king Faolan. Go to where you might get the best healing. I will send an escort to make sure you get there. In the mean time, I will leave the remainder of the Reach alone. I swear so by the Gods."
Faolan replied: "You are a true warrior, queen of the South. As you have sworn, I will swear to the Old Gods."
It was decided. Faolan would travel with Andoe and a royal escort to the Karth river, so that the water might heal his wounds. When they were nearly there, far away that they were invisible to the armies, the two men of the royal escort drew their swords, hoping to take Faolan and Andoe by surprise. Andoe heard this and fled. Faolan turned around and punched both men at the same time, driving the front of their skulls through their head.
Faolan said: "Andoe, go to my fort, and see what is happening."
Andoe ran with the speed of the wind towards the fort, and within the hour he was back at Faolan.
Andoe said: "woe is you, great king Faolan. Héstram has burned your fort to the ground, and has proclaimed herself queen of all the Reach."
Faolan sat down, and replied: "This is not what we agreed on. Today Héstram has forsworn the oath. I said that I would swear as she did, and today the oath will be forsworn by me as well."