Lords of Freedom 2 - Chapter 11

Introduction

Lords of Freedom is an exciting trilogy that includes adventure, realistic action, surprising insights, and a touch of romance.

The serialization of Lords of Freedom book one is complete, with all 33 chapters published in the Gene Van Shaar Substack. Here is the link to all the chapters: Lords 1

The serialization of Lords of Freedom 2 (book 2 of the trilogy) is in progress. Lords of Freedom 2 includes many intriguing parallels with Joan of Arc, George Washington, Francis Marion (The Swamp Fox), Henry Knox, and the American Revolutionary War.

Lords Of Freedom 2 - Chapter 11 - Jayn the Beloved

Farland's army was grouped up and hunkered down, awaiting Jayn’s return, aware of the rescue mission underway. It was only a matter of time before Vlad attacked again though, so they remained on alert, ready to move out at a moment’s notice.

When Jayn, astride Elihu, crested a distant rise, shouts of triumph erupted and the company moved as one to greet her. Though not in battle gear and with her hair plaited rather than streaming behind her, she was faith and hope personified.

She had her staff in hand which bore the light blue banner with the symbols of truth, freedom, and love in the form of three interlocked gold rings. The banner roiled in the breeze above Elihu’s flowing white tail as the stallion’s hooves pounded like drumbeats in the air.

Johann, astride Leif, crested the rise next, along with the three surviving guards, Maynard, Quillan, and Trahern. Courier Eva had briefed the troops on Jayn’s ambush as well as how she’d found Johann and the surviving guards wandering and wounded. What was unexpected was the mysterious stranger with a staff of his own, the huge black tiger loping alongside him, and a falcon soaring low, flanking them from above.

There were others with them as well: one other woman, the Vlad soldiers who’d bent the knee at the last battle, and one man in irons. The man with a staff introduced himself as Xan; the woman at his side was his wife, Hon. The black tiger was Sheba and the falcon, the Vlad defector, Calla. Another defector stood with them as well, a young soldier named Caden who’d been instrumental in Jayn’s rescue.

The reunion was heartfelt; then General Beauregard called his men to order. There was much catching up to do, and a structured debriefing was paramount. First Johann described the ambush; then Jayn recounted her capture, introducing Caden and describing her captivity in Vlad, the faux trial, and her miraculous rescue.

Xan stepped up next, explaining why Barak the supply cook was now a prisoner. Thanks to the courier Eva, the gathered men already knew of his status as a spy, and on General Beauregard’s order, two Farland soldiers took custody and led him off.

Beauregard then retired to his tent with Xan and Sheba, to strategize for the coming days. Ending the war with quick efficiency was the chief goal, but a bit of specialized training was in order, along with detailed battle plans.

Through the milling ranks, Eva burst forth, and Jayn dashed to meet her. They hugged briefly, then Jayn introduced Hon and Caden. Calla, perched on a low-hanging tree branch, gave a little chirrup and then flapped down to land on Jayn’s shoulder.

Only then did Eva notice the piece of leather set across Jayn’s shoulders. Fitted to circle her neck, it was laced in front to stay in place. Hon had designed it while sailing on Guardian, for protection from the falcon’s talons.

“Let’s help settle the horses in, Caden,” Hon said. “It will give Jayn and Eva some time to catch up.”

“Thank you Hon; I’d like that,” Jayn said. “As soon as you’re done, come find us. I’d like both of you to get acquainted with Eva.”

*****

Enhanced military training was set to commence in two days. During that interval, Jayn’s appreciation for Calla and Caden increased. She also developed intense respect and reverence for Xan, Hon, and Sheba.

Hon and Caden got to know Eva and were soon fast friends. Both were held spellbound by Eva’s tales of adventure as a courier, and even Jayn found herself on the edge of her seat.

Eva also talked to Jayn privately about Caden, encouraging her to let down her guard and trust him. She’d developed a sixth sense about men, and knew Caden was a man of courage and honor.

The second night, Jayn and Eva broke off after supper to circle the camp’s perimeter. They were discussing the training and implementation of battle strategy that Xan and General Beauregard had outlined prior to the evening meal. Then, out of the blue, Eva switched the conversation to Caden.

“You should find Caden and walk with him before we retire. He’s on first watch.”

“Maybe I will,” Jayn murmured.

Sheba was with them, as was Calla in the darkened sky above. A tree branch rustled ahead—Calla had landed. At the same time, Sheba quickened her pace, moving out ahead of them.

“I saw you two hugging this morning at dawn. I didn’t mean to, I just stumbled onto you both,” Eva said, giving her a friendly nudge.

Jayn sighed. “We didn’t see you at all or hear a sound.”

“Tricks of the trade; as a courier, I rely on invisible silence at times. Besides, both of you were distracted, which is why you need to find him now, before he takes his guard shift,” Eva joked.

Jayn shoulder-butted her with a snort.

Lowering her voice, Eva whispered, “He’s waiting just ahead, in that copse of trees.”

Jayn focused then nodded with a smile. “I see him now, and look: there’s Sheba, and Calla is in the tree above them.”

“Ah yes,” Eva breathed. “Sheba is as dark as the night, besides her golden eyes, and Calla blends in like a shadow. I’ll head back and let you get to work letting your guard down.”

With that, she turned on her heel and Jayn watched her go through narrowed eyes. Eva was sure to demand a full report later on, in their tent.

“Jayn?”

She spun back around, seeing Caden moving toward her with Sheba at his side. Smiling, she reached to join hands with him. They set off, moving onto a branching trail underneath a canopy of leafy vines.

“There’s a place I want to show you,” he said, looking up at the sky. “If the clouds will just roll back.”

Soon enough, they reached a clearing with a pond in its center. Bullfrogs were croaking and crickets were chirping as a slight breeze rustled the leaves of the surrounding trees.

“This is a quaint little spot,” Jayn said, moving closer to the pond.

Then the clouds did stir above, revealing the full moon. Shining down, its light turned the pond into a mirror and Jayn gasped in wonder. The moon and tree branches were reflected clearly on the surface of the water like a painting.

“Amazing, huh?” he said, putting an arm around her.

She nodded, laughing when one of the larger bullfrogs hopped from a rock into the pond with a hefty splash. Ripples distorted the smooth surface but quickly settled, bringing the reflected image back into focus.

Tilting her chin up with a finger he kissed her tenderly then said, “I’ve been thinking…”

“About?” she prompted when he felt quiet.

“I know we just met and in the worst of circumstances but…”

“But what?” she prompted again, feeling her heartbeat quicken.

“I want you by my side,” he blurted. “Now and forevermore.”

For a moment she couldn’t breathe; then she whispered, “Do you mean what I think you do?”

With both her hands in his, he sank to one knee. “Marry me, Jayn.”

*****

Jayn continued as the moral and battle leader throughout the training exercises. Astride Elihu, she would be the one to lead the charge into battle, bearing the banner of liberty, clad in her battle gear. As well, Hon had bleached the leather shoulder pad to match the white armor.

All agreed that the falcon’s presence, with the Farland army, and especially perched on Jayn’s shoulder, would raise questions in the Vlad soldiers’ minds. Calla was well known as the prince and general’s prodigy, but she’d forsaken them and their crusade to dominate the land.

Xan implemented some important changes, which all agreed were genius. Jayn’s avant-garde cavalry corps was increased from 30 to 300 men trained to function as a flying wedge around her. The entire army was drilled over and over, using various formations and flanking maneuvers.

Calla would scout from the air above, relaying the enemy’s progress, position, and formation to Sheba, who would pass it on to Xan and General Beauregard. There were two more angles to be implemented, however: Sheba neutralizing enemy archers prior to the battle and the use of the flying wedge to break through enemy lines and eliminate enemy leaders marching at the rear.

*****

Meanwhile, Prince Nigel, in his rage over Jayn's escape, executed everyone he could possibly blame. He commanded General Vicor to mobilize not only the army, but every last guard and soldier to attack and defeat Farland. This left the kingdom of Vlad unprotected, but that wasn’t all—the prince raised the already exorbitant taxes and diverted nearly all food and supplies in the kingdom to the army.

These heavy-handed tactics fueled resentment throughout the kingdom, but he turned a blind eye and deaf ear. All this was necessary, he told the troubled citizens, in a blustering speech from his balcony. Once Farland was defeated and Jayn dead, there would be resources aplenty for everyone. Further, any who disputed his decree would be jailed or executed, depending on the severity of their words and actions.

Calla flew frequently between the Farland battle camp and the kingdom of Vlad, gathering intel as intended. After the first few sightings of the royal falcon, Prince Nigel and General Vicor sought to kill her, realizing she would no longer respond to their commands.

She evaded their arrows time and again though, and would not eat anything she hadn’t killed. After their first few attempts to shoot her out of the sky or poison her, Calla took a more stealthy approach in her spying.

In the open she stayed well out of range, perching in leafy trees, the stable loft, or in the belfry. Most times neither man saw her, but when they did, usually when she was flying in the open, their arrows went wide or fell short...due to Mercedes’ meddling.

Inside the castle, Calla had many hiding places as well as entry and exit points. She’d enter unseen and position herself out of sight in whatever room Nigel and Vicor met with the Council Righteous members or military leaders, taking note of their plans and intent.

Thus, when Prince Nigel and General Vicor marched with their army toward Farland, Jayn's troops were ready for them. Conferring with General Beauregard, they had chosen, prepared, and occupied a large field with copses of trees here and there. Instead of trying for high ground, they opted for terrain which allowed for rapid troop adjustments and calvary charges.

Calla reported every Vlad movement as the Vlad army advanced, and Sheba made sure no scouts returned to General Vicor with intel on the Farland troops. Despite the general’s warnings, Prince Nigel insisted on rushing the Vlad army onward, assuming their size and might assured their victory.

When the two armies met, it was midday and overcast, with winter’s chill on the breeze. There had been frost at dawn and though it had melted, the men and horses’ breaths still plumed in the air.

Both armies marched in broad, straight lines, fifty men deep, with archers and leaders in the rear. Nigel and Vicor, overconfident in their superior numbers, ordered an all-out, unrelenting attack.

When Sheba charged onto the field, there was uproar among the Vlad soldiers and much confusion. Their axes, spears, and arrows stopped in mid-air, raining down all around as the black nightmare on paws mowed down line after line of Vlad soldiers.

In her wake, a volley of Farland arrows took Vlad soldiers out by the dozen. Simultaneously, the middle third of Jayn’s army surged forward while the left and right thirds broke to each side, attacking the Vlad troops on both flanks.

With the armies thus occupied, the flying wedge formation broke from the trees, charging a quarter mile outside and past the Farland troops. Before the Vlad troops could respond, the flying wedge crushed Prince Nigel’s bodyguards.

Nigel and Vicor spurred their horses off in a desperate attempt to flee, but a well-aimed arrow from Hon sent Vicor sprawling to the ground straight away. Moments later, a blow from Xan's staff flattened Nigel's nose, flipping him backward from his horse.

General Beauregard moved in to behead the prince and then impale his head on a spear. He lost no time joining the charge on the Vlad troops’ rear flank, holding the grizzly trophy high.

The frigid wind gusted as Jayn rode Elihu onto a cresting mound. Reining the stallion in, she surveyed the battlefield as the stallion pawed the earth with his hoof. Then the clouds rolled back, revealing the sun shining brightly above.

The remaining Vlad soldiers gaped at Jayn; she looked more like an angel than ever before, clad in white astride Elihu, blond hair flowing in the breeze with sunlight glinting all around. Then Calla swooped down, landing on Jayn’s shoulder and bobbing her head as she surveyed the scene.

General Beauregard sat astride his horse nearby, still holding the spear with Prince Nigel's impaled head, staring the Vlad soldiers down. They muttered amongst themselves, looking back and forth between Jayn and the general.

Then, and at last, one by one at first, and then all together, the Vlad soldiers threw down their arms. That done, one after the next dropped to one knee and bowed their heads.

Urging Elihu forward, Jayn led the wedge into their midst, promising peace, freedom, and love. At last, the war was over, and tyranny was at an end.

© Copyright 2025 Gene Van Shaar