**Author's note: Again, I apologize if you read the same names for my characters over and over. I'm sure I've already said them in previous writings. I'll try to vary the names on the next round. Many thanks and enjoy!**

Bran could hear the sounds battle even in the meadow. She straightened from her bent position and cocked her head listening to the far away clinks of swords and metal armor. Dropping the handful of herbs she had been harvesting into her basket, she gathered up her skirt in one hand, picked up the basket in the other, and sprinted off in the direction of the noise.

She gasped when she got to the top of the hill, and not only from the run. Two full armies were fighting in the valley beneath her feet! One bore a menacing black banner depicting a red boar with enormous tusks. She remembered a haunting story a traveler who came to her village to seek shelter for the night told her. The reason the traveler left was to flee the oncoming army of Coruz. This red-and-black army was so bloodthirsty, said she, that even women and children were not spared. What the army didn't plunder, it burned: fields, houses, whole towns were smashed under Coruz's merciless mercenaries.

The other side held aloft a brilliant blue standard showing a golden falcon with its wings spread. The red army seemed to be winning, its soldiers slowly pushing the other army into a corner. From her point on the hilltop, Bran could see that if the blue army were completely surrounded, they would have no chance of escaping with their lives. The red army seemed intent on the destruction of the blue, slaughtering instantly any enemy soldier they caught unarmed, ignoring their pleas for mercy and laughing cruelly as they ran the other through.

Hatred for these murderous villains boiled inside of Bran until she thought she would burst. The forgotten basket dropped from her fingers as she clenched and unclenched her itching fists. Tearing her eyes from the battlefield, she swiftly searched the area for any weapon a passing soldier may have dropped, her anger momentarily taking the place of fear of being killed. She stumbled on a piece of rock and cursed under her breath as she kicked the boulder she fell on. It moved. She walked around to the other side, and saw it was delicately perched on a few small stones. A few strangled shouts from below reminded her of the limited time she had to act; Coruz's army had pushed the blue soldiers far across the battlefield. Most of the red army had swarmed forward to defeat their enemies, they were tightly packed in the valley in their over-eagerness to get to the fight. Bran judged the boulder again. It was not the only rock on the hill that was unstable; many more large rocks were just as unsteady. The girl gave one more glance at the red fighters below; they were in a direct line with the boulders. Bran got behind the biggest boulder and heaved with all her might. The giant rock swayed and fell, toppling several other boulders as it hurdled toward the enemy. The chain reaction grew in force until an entire rock avalanche was plummeting down on Coruz's men below. Most died abruptly, smashed by tons of stone. The few that did escape ran for their lives, too shaken up by their dead comrades to continue fighting. The blue army was spared completely, the rocks missing them because they were so far away.

Bran stared at what she had done, telling herself that if she hadn't stopped them, they would have gone on and raided the next available village: her own. But even this thought didn't make the sounds of the dying more bearable. As she gazed at the ruined army of Coruz, she suddenly remembered the blue army. A group of them was running up the hill toward her. They yelled something to her and waved their arms. They didn't know she had saved them, how could they? Soldiers were soldiers, no matter what army and there was no telling to what they may do to a lone, unarmed girl.

Bran turned and began to run back toward the meadow, her pursuers yelping in frustration as she sped away. She had not gone far when she realized the men were still following her. Not only following but gaining! Her excitement over the battle turned to fear as the soldiers got closer and closer. She was slowing down, most of her energy already drained from her first run and from pushing the boulder. Just when she thought she would faint from exhaustion, a strong hand grabbed her shoulder and pulled her off balance. Vainly trying to get away, she twisted in the man's iron grip. He had his arms wrapped tightly around her from behind, pinning her struggling hands to her side.

"Easy there lass," he cooed in her ear. "We're not going to hurt you."

"There's a fast little one," panted a dark haired man that came up in front of Bran to look at her. "Nearly lost her we did." He eyed her curiously. "Why did you run?" he asked.

Well, thought Bran, if I'm caught, I'm caught. I remember seeing this man on the field, leading the blue army. What interest does he have in me?

"I was running from you, sir," said Bran shakily. "An unprotected girl would be wise to run from a group of men chasing her up a hill, don't you think?" she said a bit mockingly.

"Watch your tongue, girl!" snapped a redheaded soldier behind the tall dark haired man. "Be courteous when addressing Prince Jonathan."

The redhaired soldier bit back another angry remark when the prince silenced him with a wave of his hand.

Bran looked at him with more respect. So this was the forgotten prince! Even villagers knew of him, though few had seen him. His father had been killed mysteriously, the prince going into hiding or risk being murdered by his father's assassins.

"Your Highness," said Bran, "I sincerely apologize for my rudeness. I think my common sense was ruled out temporarily by the run and battle."

"Battle? What do you know of a battle?" said the prince sharply.

"Will you let me go if I tell you?"

"It depends."

"On what?"

"On your information, lass." The Prince sighed. He motioned for the man holding her to release her, but Bran didn't even think of escaping now, not with a dozen men in a circle around her and the prince.

The prince continued. "My army was very near defeat by Coruz when a great heap of rocks came falling down the hill to stop them. After the area had cleared, I saw you up on top of the hill, staring down at the mess. I took some soldiers with me to find out who had caused the boulders to fall, and seeing you as the only one there, I thought you must have seen what happened and tell us."

Bran was silent, thinking.

"Lass, I don't want to hurt the men that dropped the stones, I want to thank them. I could use such resourceful young men in my army and-" He stopped when he saw her face. "What's the matter girl?" he asked, confused.

"Men. Sometimes you are so blind. I've already saved your army, what more do you want?"

The prince looked even more confused. "What?"

"I pushed the stones onto the red army."

The dark haired man looked amused, "You pushed the boulders? A mere girl? I don't believe you."

"Believe what you want," snapped Bran. "But you had better believe that Coruz won't leave you in peace. You'll need to move somewhere else to camp, he'll be back before nightfall."

The dark haired man stared at her in disbelief. "How would you know that?" he asked finally.

"Any person with common sense could see that if Coruz has been burning entire villages and towns ruthlessly, he must have an enormous army; enough to be unafraid of the townspeople rising against him as a whole." Bran said shortly. She was so angry about being referred to as a "mere girl" she didn't realize she had yelled at a prince. "And the boulders were not a miracle, just good timing and quick planning. If your Highness will allow it, I will show you how it was done."

He looked hard at her, trying to see if she was lying. Finally he gave his consent and they marched toward the rocks. She instructed the soldiers down below to get out of the way, found an unused boulder, and gave it a good shove. It fell down the slope at a tremendous speed, knocking others with it as it fell, like before. Bran explained that most of the rocks had fallen in the first avalanche, so this was not as impressive as the first.

By the way she spoke, the prince knew she told the truth. Staring speechless at her, he tried to thing of something to say. Finally he asked incredulously, "Why help us at all? You could have very well been killed. For what reason did you save my army?"

She answered truthfully, "The army defeating you were murdering scum. They kill innocent people and torch whole towns. Had they been allowed to live, they would have destroyed the next available town : mine. I did what I thought was right. Dying to save a village is worth one life.

She paused, then said, "You seemed to be fighting them, and my enemy's enemy is my friend."

All the soldiers looked at her strangly. Then the prince asked, "What can we give you as a reward? Gold? Horses? Silks or spices?

She shook her head at his offerings, then softly said, "A place in your army, and perhaps a bow to use on Coruz's men. I know you don't believe I can be useful, but I'm fair at archery, and know how to track and hunt game. I can cook and clean if you wish, but I implore you to take me with you. Please." She knew this was a long shot and the Prince should have no reason to take a girl such as her with him, especially into battle, but still ---

He looked at her thoughtful for a while, then nodded and said, "As you wish. No matter who threw the boulders, man or woman, they deserve recognition. Seeing as you are the one responsible for saving my men, you have my deepest gratitude. Such bravery should not go unrewarded, though. I still haven't heard your name girl."

She smiled as she said, "Branwen Cassidy, Highness, though my friends call me Bran."

"Branwen Cassidy, I name you my squire, to serve in my army until you choose otherwise," he said solemnly, then smiled and said, "Follow me Bran and we'll see if we can find you a suitable bow."