The Forgotten War Read Online Free

and west lay great fertile plains on which it cast envious eyes but these lands were already occupied. The Wych folk, Aelva or elves had been there for thousands of years, their light cavalry and
skills with the bow making them perfect inhabitants of the plains, hunters of elk and herders of cattle. They were clannish folk, though, divided into many tribes all of whom held ancient enmities
for each other; it was an odd thing but many of the Aelven tribes coexisted on far better terms with the humans of Chira and Anmir than they did with their own people. It was partly because of this
mistrust that, when one day the Aelven Lutelia tribe immediately north of Chira was attacked by fellow elves of the Baetal tribe, the Lutelians approached Chira for help. It was the worst thing
they could have done. This started the first war of the Aelva. It lasted twenty-four long years but by the end of it Chira held the lands of the Lutelia and the Baetal, both tribes ceasing to exist
as separate entities as they were absorbed into human society.
    ‘The retaliation wasn’t long in coming. Just a few years later the Wych general Gellethon launched a stunning attack on Chira. Two great battles on the lakes wrested these lands from
Chiran control and then, at the Battle of Lebethra, two-thirds of a Chiran army was destroyed in a day. The Aelven tribes, united for once, encamped outside the capital itself – it was
Chira’s darkest hour, one of humanity’s darkest hours. But they resisted, refused to surrender and the tide slowly turned. Gellethon’s great army started to dissipate and be riven
by infighting. Then the Chiran general Kathan drew them into petty skirmishing which sapped their will and resolve even further. The Wych folk were not equipped for long sieges and so withdrew from
Chira city itself back to the lakes where Kathan continued to harass them. And then...’ Cedric made a flamboyant gesture with his arms ‘...came the decisive stroke. A young Chiran
general named Tolmareon – later Tolmareon Aelvhassen – had a brilliant idea. While the Wych folk were occupied fighting humans in the lake country he struck directly at their homelands.
Tribe after tribe fell to him as he carved through the plains until he reached the sea. It was at this time that his commander, Tanar, moved here and formed our own country of Tanaren.
    ‘Gellethon reacted to this incursion, abandoning the lakes and moving north to meet the Chirans. They met at the plain of Shefom and, despite having a mobile army suited to fighting on
open ground, Gellethon was worsted because Tolmareon had sowed the ground with stakes, ditches and other obstacles designed to hamper the Wych horsemen. It was a conclusive victory.
    ‘The Wych folk hung on in a greatly reduced territory but their time was counting down. Nearly fifty years later Chira declared war on them on a pretext. There was some resistance but it
was all over in two years. The remaining Wych folk fled into the forests or over the sea and Chira held the plains at last. The Wych folk of the Aelthenwood have been there for nearly eight hundred
years.’
    ‘And,’ said Morgan as Cedric finally seemed to have finished speaking, ‘because of all that they hate us and kill us on sight.’
    ‘Not always, no. They fought with us at Hawk Moor in the War of Succession; their hatred of Chira overcame their hatred of us.’
    ‘But Chira is not involved this time.’
    ‘No, but Arshuma is a client kingdom of the Chiran Empire. If pressed, they could ask the White Empire for military aid but they will not do that as they know it will mean an end to what
little sovereignty they have. Despite that, the spectre of the looming empire should be a powerful one for the Wych folk.’
    Morgan still sounded sceptical. ‘Yes, but in that case they have had ten years to join us but haven’t. What by the Gods would suddenly convince them to do so now?’
    ‘Two things, one of which I am not interested in