The Wishing Princess - Chapter 20

20. The Cavalry Attacks

The Queen was watching the battle from the rear. She thought that the line would end up encircling her troops. She had planned to fight the last point, keeping it open and overwhelm the rebellion troops. There was some concern about the cavalry, but she's confident that her personal guards, armed with musket would make short work of them.

However, the expected closure never happened. The line kept retreating, yet still form a line. It never broke nor turned into a circle. The Queen thought that it was unwise, keeping only a small section of soldiers to fight her whole army. What she didn't know was that the Princess had arranged the most skillful and battle hardened soldiers to fight the raw recruits. There was no contest. The veterans decisively beat the Queen's inexperienced soldiers.

Further and further, the Queen's army kept pushing, while the line kept retreating. Finally, the Queen decided that the line will not change, and will keep retreating to the encampent. She halted the advance of her guards and reserve troops, in a desperate effort to bait the enemy to close the circle.

The Princess and her cavalry was waiting on the wing of the battle formation. She was explaining to the Captain that she had suspected that the Queen would have kept a reserve of soldiers, which would make encirclement problematic had they been unable to overcome the reserve units. Seeing the muskets that the honor guards carrying, the Captain agreed that delaying tactics would work better. It was clear that the muskets stayed behind and posed no threat to the current battle.

Still, the battle rages on, and it was getting close to their position.

"Oh, no. There's too many deaths." said the Princess.

"There's hardly any casualties that I can see." said the Captain.

"I meant on the Queen's army." explained the Princess. "Why won't they turn back?" asked the Princess. "They must have had to walk over their dead and wounded!"

The Captain cannot say anything. There's nothing to explain. You can't predict nor understand the act of raw recruits. The line got closer to them still. At last, the line of battle approaches them.

"Princess," the Captain said, "We should go elsewhere. The battle is closing."

The Princess did not move, but she began to sing. Her voice is clear throughout the battlefield. She sang songs of homeland. Vision of home floods the soldiers, fighting on the battlefield.

The visions hardens the old soldiers to fight even stronger, defending their home and loved ones, while the same visions caused the Queen's young soldiers heartache as they miss their warm home and hearthy cooked meal. More casualties on the Queen side.

Still, the line advanced. Soldiers now penetrated the cavalry. Still, the Princess sang loud and clear.

"Princess," begged the Captain.

In response, the Princess drew her sword. Every horsemen did likewise. Still, the Princess sang.

The line of soldiers finally gave way to the line of enemy. They attacked the standing cavalry. An enemy soldier attacked the Princess, only to be brought to stand still by a downward stroke of a sword. The weapon fell from the enemy's hand into the ground. The Princess sword then moved quickly to the enemy's neck, but there it stayed, and moved away. The enemy soldier was confused. The Captain said, "Go home. Our princess has touched you."

One more attack. One more strike. "Go home. Our princess has touched you."

One more attack. One more strike. "Go home. Our princess has touched you."

One more attack. One more strike. "Go home. Our princess has touched you."

Then the Princess turned her horse sideways and trotted the horse along the battle line. The enemy's advance was halted as the cavalry swept through the line. Still, the Princess sang.

One more attack. One more strike. "Go home. Our princess has touched you."

One more attack. One more strike. "Go home. Our princess has touched you."

One more attack. One more strike. "Go home. Our princess has touched you."

The enemy was confused. The cavalry merely cut down their hands to disarm them of weapon, but not kill them. They could have, but they didn't. After the cavalry passed by, they had expected the resistance soldiers to attack and kill them. They had become defenseless.

But the resistance soldiers did not do so. All they did was to say "Go home. Our princess has touched you." As the Queen soldiers were disarmed and can no longer fight. That is what they did. They picked up the wounded and went home. Still, the Princess sang.

The Old Sarge, finally realized that the cavalry was invincible, signaled the troops to stand still. The cavalry passed by unmolested, and at the same time, no longer attacked his troops. Still, the Princess sang.

Finally, the Princess cleared the enemy soldiers and reached Sarge's position. She stopped and faced Sarge. She finished her song. She looked at Sarge, expectantly.

The Old Sarge was impressed. He was mesmerized. "Why didn't you kill us?" he asked.

"Because there is no need to do so." replied the Princess. "The prophesied child will be born today, and peace will rule throughout the land."

And tears formed in The Old Sarge eyes. Here was a kind and gentle leader. One he always dreamed of, but he can't serve her because she was the enemy of the Queen. There was nothing he could do to be her servant. There is only one thing he could do, and that is to go back to the Queen, who would certainly punish him severely for his failure.

"Good bye." Sarge said to the Princess.

"Be well." said the Princess.

Sarge shook his head sadly. The Princess did not know the Queen like he did. Sarge gave a signal, and the whole Queen's army turned back and withdrew.

The battle of the kingdom of Red Sand has ended.