The Stand at Dun Ailinne

[Monk]

Whoops! this little baby just about fell into the dark oblivion, the new board is a bit tricky when it comes to older posts. Anyhow... the final part is now ready for the reading. I apologize for the long delay.


The Stand at Dun Ailinne (part II)


The sun rose slowly from the far eastern hills, its light poured into the sky clashing with the darkness already there. The dark shadow melted away before the onrushing light as the moon disappeared over the western horizon, the night was slowly leaving Ireland and morning was coming. A cold breeze skirted across the ground swirling up and then heading west, seeming to flee from the sun the wind died away and all became silent. There came a slight chirp, and moments later an answering call could be heard, the birds began singing in the early morning light and indeed not only was the night leaving the isle, but so too was winter. The sun climbed above the hills and stood proudly, it had been blocked so many times in the last months by the clouds some had forgotten what it looked like. The great light shown brightly, putting his warmth into the land. Trees rose up high as they took in the warmth, and the grass seemed to come alive in a way that had not been so in many days. Spring had finally come to this war torn land, and it was welcomed with open arms.

The village of Dun Ailinne was still standing, and its warriors still standing ready. It had been two weeks since Aedh had been crowned king, and many men began to rush to Dun Ailinne to meet the Saxons in battle, yet so far there was neither sight nor sound of them. Reports of their forces from scouts sent out from the village put the army four miles south; they seemed to be waiting, taking their time in getting to the village. In fact they were under constant raid from the warriors of Laigin, those who had not gathered at Dun Ailinne chose to make trouble for the Saxons at every turn by raiding their supplies. So far the Saxons had put their strength into dealing with them, this gave time for the Irish to gather forces, and the more time they had the better. The Saxon army headed by King Wulfhid III numbered at four or five thousand, and he was astonished that small bands of raiders could hold him up this long. The Irish in Dun Ailinne had assembled three thousand, yet they knew that more would come in time, but time was short.

Conall awoke; his sleep had been dreamless and peaceful. A kind of sleep he hadn't had in many days. Somehow he found himself at peace, even though the Saxons were only a short distance away. He smiled as he rose from his bed and laughed "Maybe I’ll be dead the next time I fall!" Conall said that every morning when he awoke after Aedh came to power again, in his heart he fully expected to die in the coming battle, but he knew that if he didn't fight now, there'd be no use in living. The Saxons would surely destroy the land and use it as a strategic base for invasions against the Vikings in northern Britain. Suddenly there was a crash from outside, he swung his head around to look where it had come from, though he quickly realized it came from outside. Conall threw open the door to his house and looked out, by him raced a rider who was shouting aloud as he went. Conall had been completely shaded in confusion until he heard what this man was saying, as the rider went by he looked at conall, and the rider's face was terrified. He shouted "To Arms! The Saxons Come!" before dashing down a side street. it would not take long for him to inform the entire village.

Conall smiled, though his insides were ruled by fear and it took all of his strength to keep from shaking, he was also at the same time over come with a strange sense of joy. He threw his brown hair back and laughed, his eyes opened wide as he shouted "Now is the time...Battle now awaits me..." Conall dashed inside, putting on his chain mail and grabbing his helm and sword he dashed out the door again. Horns were raised from all parts of the village, church bells were rung and soon all manners of men were coming from houses and streets rushing to the center of Dun Ailinne. When Conall came upon the village square, he spotted Aedh gathering the men and placing them under commanders. Aedh was shouting commands, giving men a place to stand once they had formed up for battle. Conall stepped through the crowd and grabbed the reigns to his horse that stood beside the king of the Irish. The proud animal looked him in the eyes as he stepped forward, and Conall moved his hand over his head and said in a low and equally proud voice "today my friend we ride to war" The horse shook his head, if Conall could read anything of his actions it appeared he was eager to ride.

The guard climbed into the saddle and placed his helm onto his head. Aedh got onto his horse beside Conall; Aedh turned and teased "I wonder if we'll all die today." Conall just laughed, from the king's tone it was clear he was joking. They both told their mounts to walk forward, and a path was cleared for the king and his 12 guards, Conall among them, to march forward. Behind them began marching the entire Irish force, as soon as the king had passed men followed.

Aedh led the Irish out from Dun Ailinne and south a bit, as they exited the village the bell in the church was rung. It rang clear, sending echoes across the land and then screaming back. The Irish marching out were filled with pride, though fear settled in their hearts, they marched forth putting their emotion aside to face their enemy. Men who had at one time fought one another, killed each other's friends and family members, now forgot all past transgressions. They were for the first time in a century a united people, and that made fulfilled them more than anything else. More than any currency could, more than any title of king or duke could. They were Irish, no longer separated by war, and together they marched against the Saxons.

Their march was short however, not even getting a half mile from the city before encountering the Saxons which had been on the march. The Irish knew that they were close, but this surprised them. Aedh quickly drew up his battle lines, as did the Saxons. The field on which they met was flat, aside from a few hills and trees, there was no tactical advantage in the area. The grass was very tall here, coming up to a man's knee, and as the two armies began to form up, a furious wind picked up from the north. The grass swayed in the wind as it screamed loudly. The Irish formed up ready to battle, with a spear line in the center and swordsmen units on the flanks, with a number of javelin throwers and dart men were out in front arrayed in a skirmish line. Missing from their line of battle was horses, aside from Aedh and his guard there was no cavalry force at this field. The Saxons had little horsemen as well, and the Irish were lucky of that fact. Saxon forces had assembled a line of spearmen, similar to those of the Irish only better trained. Behind them were the dreaded huscarls, who had spilled much blood since arriving in Ireland.

Conall looked about him as the wind was howling ceaselessly. His eyes were consumed with rage, remembering his slain father. He drew his sword and it shined in the sunlight. he then spoke to himself, and none heard him. His voice ravaged by both anger and fear he said "Give me the strength to stand here, to stand here at Dun Ailinne." almost if reacting to him the wind quieted and slowly fell away. The Irish in the line of battle were beginning to become anxious for battle, and rightfully so, for the Saxons began to advance. The Saxons army moved slowly, yet it covered a great amount of land easily. Closer they came, and the men of Ireland began to shout at them, taunting them and daring them to charge. The Saxons came into range of the javelin throwers out in front, and they needed no order to discharge their weapons at the Saxons. The darts and javelins slammed into the massed ranks of the spearmen, a few men fell, but none in great numbers. Again they released a volley, yet it met with much the same results as the first. The raised spears of the warriors of the spear wall helped to deflect incoming weapons, and after their second volley the men of the skirmish line fell back behind the main Irish force. By now the Saxons had enough of walking, and angered by the javelins charged ahead. The Irish readied their weapons and charged forth. Both lines of spearmen hit one another with devastating results on both sides, men were impaled and shields were broken on the spot. The huscalrs came out from behind the spear line with their axes swinging, they moved around the flanks of the spearmen ready to hit the Irish with all their fury, yet to meet them was some of the fiercest swordsmen the isle of Ireland had to offer.

Screaming promises of revenge for the war and devastation wrought on their land, the Irish charge ahead at the huscarls, and the axmen collided with them as a bloody battle began on both sides of the spearmen battle in the center. Each side was now deadlocked, as men were cut down and slain on all points of the field, be they of Saxon or Irish of birth, it mattered not, for death took them without care. Despite the superior skills of the huscarls they were unable to break through the Irish line, for the men of Ireland were motivated by the same cause, to drive the Saxons from the isle no matter what the cost, and they fought like men possessed by demons, their ferocity in battle was unmatched even by the finest axmen in the Saxon army.

Aedh raised his spear and shouted to his guards "Come! Let us find the King of all Saxons and slay him!" his guards needed no more instruction and followed him around the battle that raged on. Conall was ridding hard right beside Aedh, he sword was shinning as they charged forth. He was overcome by his anger, unable to see past his own hate for the them. The thought of killing Wulfhid was like a token for a thousand free drinks at the mead hall of Dun Ailinne. Aedh led his men behind the Saxons, and soon enough came upon Wulfhid and his guards. Aedh cried aloud holding high his spear, and shouted the order to attack. Conall and the rest of the guards went forth with their king and hit the Saxon horsemen, Conall drove his sword down upon the helm of a Saxon guard, and as his blood flowed from beneath, Conall's anger built. He turned and drove his sword into another, and as he drew his weapon from his body blood fell onto the ground below as the Saxon’s lifeless body dropped from his horse.

Aedh was battling the King of the Saxons himself, and as Conall's attention was drawn away, a guard of the Saxon king came at him. He turned his head in time to see the spear driving toward him. Conall struck the spear with his sword and deflected it away from his face, but it drove into his shoulder all the same, and as the Saxon removed his spear Conall grabbed his right shoulder as blood began to run free from his body, his sword fell from his hand as his arm was covered in scarlet. Knowing that his death could be imminent, and with free coming to the forefront of his mind he dug his heels into his horse and tried to get away from the Saxon, but even as he did another came close and cut into his horse, the beast went down throwing Conall into the air. He flew some distance before landing, and as the battle raged on around him he couldn't help but hold fear in the place of his anger now. The pain in his shoulder was mounting, it seemed that nothing he did could stop it. soon, as he lay on the ground, his eyes shut and all he saw was blackness. The sounds of battle slowly faded into nothing, and he neither saw nor heard.

Conall awoke sometime later, the feeling of water upon his face. His eyes opened slowly to find the sky grey and his throat very dry. He tried to move his arms, but they refused as did his legs. The roar of battle that had filled his ears was gone; a quiet rainstorm was all that remained. Conall forced his head to move and he looked to his left to see many dead Saxon guards around. He struggled as he drew his head to look to his right, and there he saw beside him the broken crown of the Saxon king lying near him. There was blood upon the crown, and when the image sunk into his brain he laughed, but as he laughed he could feel strength fading in him. Even now his legs refused to move, and as he lay motionless tears began to form in his eyes.

Yet a sound filled the air that made him smile even though he was dying, it was the sound of the church bell of Dun Ailinne ringing, sounding the victory that the Irish had just won. Conall could feel his body going numb and now nothing moved, not even his head. as darkness covered his eyes, he summoned the power to make one last call, and with his last breath he cried "Victory!" tears rolled from his eyes as his voice echoed crossed the body littered field. His voice was filled no longer with anger, no longer filled with fear; all that was left was his pride. And as he let out his final shout, he closed his eyes, and passed out of the living world.

The Irish had indeed won a victory, for after conall had lost consciousness, the swordsmen were able to scatter the huscarls and surround the spearmen in the center. Aedh had slain Wulfhid, and those of the Saxons who refused to leave the field were slain to the very last man. Sources say that the Saxons lost four thousand men to the Irish's two thousand. After the battle, Aedh continued the campaign against the Saxons, and won ultimate victory two years later. The Saxon armies were expelled from Ireland just as St. Patrick had driven out all the snakes. Their power was broken by the Irish and the Saxon empire fractured into Civil war, much like Ireland had once been.

Dun Ailinne was abandoned one year after the battle mostly because many of it's warriors had died in the battle, and none have ever been there since. Yet some say that at times, you can still hear the bell ringing. People have their tales, some say that the descendants of survivors of the battle go to the ruined city and ring the bell honoring the past sacrifices. Yet others claim that the bell rings itself, giving one last hail to the men who died, standing together at Dun Ailinne.