“We must take advantages where we can find them,” Bryn replied quickly, his mouth twisting into a smirk, “but dae ye want tae talk or dae ye want tae fight?” His words were met with swift action as he struck powerfully, trying to thrust through Malcolm’s defenses while the man was not on guard. The blade gleamed as it struck through the air and it would have pierced Malcolm in the middle of his stomach had he not stepped to the side, narrowly avoiding the blade. Bryn cursed and scowled as Malcolm retaliated. Instead of swinging his hammer, he thrust it forward like a battering ram. Bryn hopped back as Malcolm charged. If there wasn’t so much hostility and fury in the air it would have been quite a comedic sight to see these two warriors chasing each other. Bryn was on the back foot and kept twisting his neck back to glance behind him, making sure that he wasn’t going to lose his footing. An arrow sailed through the air and landed by the two men. Malcolm’s eyes blazed with anger. Bryn was shocked by the arrow and his attention was stolen. He failed to see the trailing leg of a dead man, and stumbled, falling to the soft ground. He yelped as Malcolm roared and lifted the hammer above his head. One strike and it would all be over. Bryn could almost feel the weight of the hammer coming down upon his chest.
Summoning what strength he had left, Bryn twisted and rolled out of the way as the hammer came crashing down. Mud flew up as he scrambled to his feet and struck out with his blade, slicing Malcolm across the back. Malcolm screamed in pain and swung his hammer around. The end of it caught Bryn’s sword. The terrible vibrations almost made Bryn drop the sword. It took all of his stamina to brace himself against the painful sensations that ran all the way up his arm. He gritted his teeth and brought his mind to focus as he braced himself for the next attack.
Again and again, the two men had fought, and none could prevail over the other. And none would prevail today either.
Their vigor and their physical strength were in balance as was the strength of their clans. Deep down both men respected each other. It took a real warrior to recognize one and that was what led them to halt the fight. Whoever won would have no men left to rule over...
“Enough for the day?” Malcolm said, out of breath.
Bryn tilted his head, wondering if this brief interlude was a trap. Perhaps he had wounded Malcolm more heavily than he had first suspected.
He looked around and realized as well that they would both lose all their men and strength if this went on. He raised his sword and a few men that were close to them came to an halt without letting their guard down.
“Let us meet tomorrow! To negotiate. Enough for the day!” he shouted.
Malcolm nodded.
As the warriors around them slowly stopped, the order spread like a wave until it reached the furthest ends of the battlefield. None of the warriors showed sighs of relief seeing their leaders coming to a halt. But most—if not all—of the men were indeed relieved. Not because they lacked courage, but because they all realized that this battle was leading nowhere.
Malcolm and Bryn met the next morning and nothing indicated that the two men were close to killing each other the previous day. Their conversation began with no introductions as soon as Bryn entered Malcolm’s tent.
“Here we go again.” Bryn sighed. He did not expect much to change. But Malcom had other plans.
“Dae ye remember when we used tae duel as wee ones?” Malcolm asked.
“Hah! Neither one of us could get the upper hand,” Bryn replied, surprised by the words that came out of Malcom’s mouth.
When they had grown up there had been peace between the two clans and the boys had spent quite a lot of time together as they were both of noble blood. They had tested their strength and often fought to a draw. In another life, they may have been friends, but their fathers had reignited the conflict and the heirs had continued the sins of generations. But as they stood there in that tent, they looked at each other and remembered the times they had spent together as children.
“I’m nae sure anything hae changed. We could fight here for forty days and forty nights and still, there would be nae victor,” Malcolm said. “We would lose all our men.”
Bryn was surprised. The mention of childhood had brought to mind nostalgic memories from a time when things were so innocent and simple. Back then there had not been a thought of war or that they would ever fight because they hated each other. In truth, neither man could claim that they hated each other now. They were just fighting because that’s what their families did.
“Dae ye ever wonder what we are fighting for?” Malcolm asked.
“It hae crossed my mind more than once,” Bryn said. “I’m nae sure if anyone knows why this all began in the first place. What dae ye actually hae on ye mind Malcolm?”
“I dinnae ken really, it’s just when we were fighting my mind was taken back tae our childhoods and I just thought…why are we daeing this? Dae I really hate ye? Is this gaeing tae happen tae our children tae? I dinnae ken if I want Rhys tae follow in these footsteps. Is there nae a better way?”
Bryn arched an eyebrow. “I’m surprised tae hear that from ye. I hae never known ye tae turn away from a battle.”
“Aye, I know ye may think this is some trick, but look at this. I enjoy a fight as much as the next, but only
