Al-Uzza shivered as she rode the pony along the steep trail upwards. She pointedly refused to look backwards because she knew that she'd be looking down if that were the case. The snow that fell the night before strangely did not reach the part of the road they were traveling. Al-Uzza questioned if it could rightly be called a road. Before her, Iona rode with a keen eye out for any bandits. Both Iona and Althos insisted that she shouldn't be riding at the head of the party but Al-Uzza refused to listen to them.
Just before Iona was their guide walking on the uneven ground. The rocky ground shifted and threatened to give way at times but the ponies were untroubled by it. As they came over the shoulder of the mountain, the guide stopped and looked back at Al-Uzza. "My Lady," he said, "If you look across the valley to the mountain just beyond, you will see Acidavia halfway up the slope, provided your eyes are sharp." Al-Uzza ignored the guide's barb and moved to dismount. The guide was there in a few moments and helped the priestess down.
Al-Uzza walked to the place where the guide had been standing. He reached out to point the way when Al-Uzza glared at him. She turned her attention to looking at the walled city perched on the mountainside. Along the southern wall of the city, she saw what she presumed was the army laying siege with their vast array of tents. A faint thrum echoed off the valley's walls and then came a crash. "Acidavia has great catapults and a goodly supply of material to throw, but they've been like this for weeks. I suspect that the city will fall soon," said a voice behind Al-Uzza.
The large woman turned to look at one of the mercenary commanders who had come forward from the company behind her. "Then we haven't time to waste talking. Gather your men and begin your way toward the city. Iona stay with me. Althos, you are their war-leader. All shall follow your command as you come upon the enemy. If you with to consult with these people for a plan of attack, I will allow it," Al-Uzza said.
"What about you?" Althos asked. Al-Uzza turned to look at the city she was to become mistress of.
"I do not need your tongue distracting me," she said tartly, "All of you go. When the last of the party has gone forward, I will begin." Althos gave a half bow, glancing over at Iona. The Silent Sister shrugged, not entirely sure what Al-Uzza was going to do from across the valley. The priestess and the nun waited side by side as the entire company marched past them. As they passed, some of the mercenaries gave the two women lecherous looks. Al-Uzza glowered as Iona put a hand on the pommel of her long knife. And then, the jangling of tack and gear mingled with the noise of marching feet was disappearing into the distance.
"Give me your knife," Al-Uzza said, doing her best to ignore the way her stomach ached and growled. She had not eaten in two days. She was cold and had a headache. Al-Uzza knew that her discomfort would be enough to bring down a storm but she felt that greater sacrifice was needed. Iona handed her knife over to Al-Uzza. For a moment, Iona looked at the hard expression on Al-Uzza's face. "In ancient days, one was sacrificed to Julara to bring rain. If our Lady demanded it of you, would you lay down your life?" Al-Uzza asked Iona.
Iona straightened and looked towards Acidavia. She took off her glove and pushed back her sleeve, bearing her right wrist. "Cut upwards, along the vein, and deep," Iona said. Al-Uzza turned her attention back to the city.
"Today is not the day you shall die," Al-Uzza said, "Bring that pony over." Iona looked at the two ponies and selected the one that she had been riding. Iona took the riding gear off of the beast and lead it to Al-Uzza. Al-Uzza looked the creature over and nodded. She began to sing in an ancient tongue that had been all but forgotten except by the priestesses and librarians of Julara. Iona held the pony's head still as Al-Uzza cut across the doomed animal's throat. Blood fountained out as the pony tried to shy away. Al-Uzza dropped the knife and took handfuls of blood. She threw them into the sky in the direction of Acidavia. As the pony dropped to the ground, Al-Uzza did her best to catch as much blood and throw as she could with her bare hands. She sang the eerie song the whole time that both was familiar and unfamiliar to Iona.
Clouds gathered over Acidavia. At first, a gentle rain began to fall. Then the rain fell harder and began to freeze. The people Acidavia cowered in their homes. They knew that rain in the dead of winter was unheard of. The Governor of Acidavia shouted to his soldiers to leave their posts and ensure the gates of the city were barred before taking shelter. Outside of the city, the army gave a cheer as they saw soldiers leaving their posts along the battlements. That cheer turned to cries of alarm as the ice began to settle and form over all out exposed in it, building, beast, and person alike. Where regular rain would have soaked them to the bone, this enchanted rain froze as it fell on them and restricted their movements.
The rain poured until the army was driven into their shelters. Those who had no shelter froze to death upon their feet. Ice encased the tents and the city. As this happened, Althos and the fighting force were hastening their way across the valley. It was dusk when they reached the rearguard of the army and the rain had stopped. Some of the mercenaries swore at the sight about them.
"Take them tent by tent," Althos commanded. And the fighting men did just that. There were screams and some died. Most of the mercenaries and the warriors that Decebal sent came out of the tents alive. The enemies that tried to hide in them were slaughtered. Away on the other mountain, Al-Uzza and Iona made their way down. Althos sent Decebal's men to meet them in the valley. The siege had been broken.
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