Getting back to sleep was nearly impossible as he laid next to the young woman. Between his passions which she had fueled, the smell of sex still heavy in the room, the day that was to come, everything. His mind just could not turn off and find that restful slumber for such a long time. Still he made no moves to wake her, just laying there holding her in his arms. There was so much he wanted to tell her, to ask her about and yet he couldn't do that to her. There was still the possibility that he would not survive the coming battle or even if this battle, what of the next one and each other battle until this war ended. When would it end, even the Black Death could not stop this war, merely interrupt it.
Eventually he found slumber, though having Ivy so close he found his dreams and his body kept reacting, shifting to include her. Yet sleeping beside someone having been so foreign for so long felt incredibly right.
Waking up in time for his units watch shift he leaned in to kiss Ivy upon her earlobe, then chin, along her jaw, to her neck, collarbone, shoulder and then down the length of her upper arm. As she began to flutter awake he knew what she would try for, to seduce him to avoid their guard duty, to bed him through the battle as if such were possible. Everyone knew where he was sleeping now so he danced away from her arms. He smiled admiring her body as he finished tugging on his clothes. "We need to get out there, hon." His voice soft as he knew she was still waking up. "I let you sleep in a little." A reference to them not having enough time to roll around in the bed again.
Watch duty was miserable, the air was thick with cool humidity, making everyone feel like they had been standing out in the rain. Then as the sun threatened to come out it changed to fog. This led to a fury of activity as it was decided to use the fog to obscure the armies movement. Caval was busy going off having last minute meetings, discussions with other leaders, planning sessions, equipment checks and more. Finally he found a moment where he grabbed Ivy just after she had a morning snack and led her behind a small outbuilding where he said nothing. He just crushed her against him as he kissed her deeply, wishing that this one act would show how much joy she had brought to him before he goes off to battle. That he was doing this not just for her or him but for the both of them as a unit.
Breaking off the kiss he smiled at her once more and put his finger to her lips. He didn't want to hear her pleas for him to return, he didn't need to know she was worrying for him while he was out there, he just needed her to know how he felt. Silently he shook his head at her attempt to speak before he turned and left.
Ivy didn't see him again as her unit was sent out into the field quickly, disappearing into the mist along with other forces. Then the waiting started. A torturous hour went by of nothing, then another. Finally it started, the clashing of swords the swearing of souls that wanted the death of others, the unholy screams of men dying. In fact there was nothing holy going on this day. It was men killing, calling for their mothers as they bled and died, the whiny of horses being dragged down under the weight of infantry, the horrific whistle and whine of arrows and crossbow bolts cutting through the air before meeting armor and flesh.
Eventually the fog lifted, leaving behind a ghastly image of twisted bodies, broken hopes and dreams, lost brothers, fathers, sons, husbands scattered about on the battlefield and yet so many souls had been sent out that day that the fighting continued. Finally the remaining heavy cavalry was committed to the battle. Nobleman and lords in their fine heavy armor, with their armor gleaming, the crests proclaiming their nobility proudly displayed and yet what they also signified was that this battle was not yet over.
The battle seemed like it would never end as the wounded started to trickle their way back to camp. The buzz of activity never died but when those who had wounds from dislocated shoulders and serious cuts to missing limbs and intense bodily trauma started to come in the life around the camp picked up to a frenzied pace. And yet the battle kept going. A mess of soldiers stepping over the broken bodies of others to continue swinging and clashing against others. At times portions of the field would die in activity just due to exhaustion before one side or the other would rally for another hurrah.
The vicious conflict finally died down with no clear winner as supper was being handed out to the wounded and rear guard in the town. Men came back dragging themselves and what comrades they could. Horses were loaded down no less so with armored nobleman and more with the broken bodies of wounded. There was no sign of Caval returning. Then Stephan a burly man part of Ivy's unit spotted her. He had a bloody bandage over his left eye and was clearly had two less teeth then he did earlier in the day. "Oi... 'e's at the east end of camp. In'a command medical tent." The young man offered her a weak grin. "Our command'rs okay... jus' some cuts 'n bruises."
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