NationStates Jolt Archive

Castile-Navarra Border, 1090

Don Sancho Guero de Zamora looked silently out from the precipice upon which he stood. The sea foamed violently to his left, and below him in the valley stood thirty five hundred men, milling about as bees do, performing their duties as quickly as possible, so as to earn their rest.

As the clouds grew thick over the shore and cast the dark shadows of late noon over the ground, Zamora sighed. Many of these men would soon surely die, but it was his job to ensure that as few as possible of them met that end. They would fight a war, and it would be on their terms. On his terms.

"My lord, the runners have been sent to inform King Alphonso and his court of our position. They expect a full success."

"Thank you, I know," came the thoughtful reply.

As the aid once again rushed down the rocky hill side, Zamora saw the men at arms working quickly on two behemoths. The trebuchets would be ready soon. This war would be a war of attrition.

[OoC:I will need someone to play as the Navarrans please, as their real player hasn't posted recently, according to Philanchez.


500 Knights of Burgos
2,000 Men at Arms
1,000 Bowmen
2 Trebuchets
]

The King of Aragon was shocked. A fellow Christian kingdom was attacking him, when the Moors were at their gates. He summoned his armies to defend against these upstart Knights of Burgos.

Reinforcements from Saragossa
500 Longbowmen
1,000 Spearmen

Alfonso sends his regards to the Lord Captain Commander and wishes the Knights of Burgos well in their first campaign.

Castile-Navarra Border, 1091

For almost three months now Zamora and his army had waited for winter to pass. That time was now here.

The men had weathered much, a cough that had afflicted all but the most constituted of men, the arrival of fifteen hundred more men from Castile, and the harbinger that had been so awaited, and yet so feared.

The enemy was here.

Only mere weeks before, the armies of Aragon had begun arriving, and now scouts had been sent. The knights would not fight blind.

A mighty Aragon army of 5,000 men under the King himself had arrived at the passes, his knights ready for battle.

Somewhere in Navarra, 1091

All five hundred of the Knights of Burgos, and as many men, were now on a special mission. They were to flank the enemy while the main force of battle attacked on the front. There was only one problem.

They were lost.

For nearly three nights and four days the force had wandered here and there in the deep passes and valleys of the Navarran country side, attempting to once again find the enemy that they had lost only eight hours out of camp. Scouts had been working since the beginning, but now, they were working on a deadline. The flanking force was to attack in only ten hours, and as of now, they could be miles from their target. And then they found the peasent.

Sancho attempted to run. However, he was on foot, and the knights were on horseback. He was soon caught, and after being threatened, babbled out everything he knew about the area. Were they near the Aragon army? Yes, it was just over that mountain. Could they get there? Yes, there was a goat path nearby. Did the Aragons know about the path? No, he didn't think so. Would he lead them there? After many threats, yes, he would. He set off, a sword pressed to his back.

Navarra, 1091

As the Knights of Burgos crested the final rise in the pass, the sun glistening off their armor and weapons like fire off the sea, the sight before them was startling. Before them lay thousands of men fighting. The attack had begun. Obviously, the detachment of warriors that had remained behind had taken no heed of the Knights absence and attacked with full force. The swoosh of the twin trebuchets filled the valley where the battle was fought, and the stench of blood curdled the noses of the men even this far aloof.

"You," one of the knights turned to the peasent. "Your services are no longer needed. Leave now, this will get messy soon."

And then the Knights of Burgos charged into the fray.

The King of Aragon put himself with some of his force in reserve, sending in 4,000 men against the foe.

At first, the battle was in his favor. His men were defending their mountain pass well, with no chance of an enemy flanking attack.

Then the impossible happened. Out of an obscure goat trail came hundreds of enemy knights, crashing into the rear of his forces. They quickly destroyed his siege engines and his missile troops fled, leaving his knights and footmen tightly packed between two enemy forces.

It was a massacre. Though the King sent in the bulk of his reserves, by that time most of his army was destroyed or fled, and the full might of the enemy turned on his men. He finally had to accept the battle as lost, and left with only his closest guards. Though he vowed the fight for Aragon was not over, he only had 3,000 men left under his control, even with the strictest conscription. Some of the border Lords were defecting to the Castillians' side, wanting to keep their lands and holdings.

King Alfonso IV once again accepts the loyalty oaths of the defecting lords but to ensure their loyalty he requests that one family member be sent as a hostage. Alfonso also urges Don Sancho onward to victory and greatness!

One lord refused, but the others submitted and sent nobles to Castille in bondage.

OOC: its not bondage! they are there as representatives for their fief...and to ensure their fiefs loyalty or else theyll die! :)