War of 704

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The War of 704 is a fictional war in Melanie Rawn's novel, Dragon Prince, which is the first book in the Dragon Prince trilogy.

The War of 704 was mainly between Prince Rohan of the Desert and High Prince Roelstra. The seeds of this war had been planted at the Rialla of 698, Rohan's first as ruling Prince. The Desert and Princemarch, the seat of the High Prince, had always been at odds, but Roelstra's vast dislike of Prince Zehava, Rohan's father, turned to hatred for Rohan and his Sunrunner Princess, Sioned.

[edit] Origin

At the Rialla of 698 Roelstra hoped to marry one of his daughters to Rohan, thus securing the future of the Desert for his own line and rule - Rohan would not have lived out the year his son was born. Rohan, however, had guessed the High Prince's plan and laid some of his own: he would pretend to be the naive, young Prince the other Princes wanted and thought him to be. As he played the fool, Rohan faked an interest in Roelstra's daughter, Ianthe, in order to gain treaties and agreements from Roelstra that the High Prince normally would not have bestowed. Throughout all of this, Rohan was actually in love with Sioned. Roelstra himself had grown interested in Sioned, both as a powerful Sunrunner and a woman, and so he captured her and drugged her with dranath. Rohan rescued Sioned, defeating and injuring Roelstra in the process. That night the Prince of the Desert and the High Prince became true enemies. When Ianthe discovered that Rohan had been misleading her, she hated him and Sioned with a passion and craving for revenge to match her father's.

As for the treaties Roelstra had signed, they were all legally binding, including Roelstra's own idea that should any princedom be attacked, the he, as High Prince, would march his army to its defense along with forces from the other princedoms.

[edit] Feruche

After the 698 Rialla Roelstra gave Feruche Castle to Ianthe. She ruled there for six years, formulating the downfall of Rohan and Sioned with her father. The Plague struck in 701, rendering Sioned barren and killing hundreds of dragons. These losses became the foundation for Ianthe and Roelstra's plan of revenge.

In 704 Ianthe made it known that there were dragons near Feruche, knowing that Rohan would be drawn to investigate. She had her Merida allies lie in wait for Rohan; he came. He was captured. During the brief battle, Lord Farid of Skybowl was killed and Rohan injured. Rohan grew feverish and disoriented, a condition that was augmented by the drug, dranath. In this state Ianthe went to him and seduced him; she became pregnant with his son.

Sioned had gone to Feruche in hopes of rescuing Rohan, but got captured herself. She was thrown in a lightless cell and raped multiple times by multiple men. When Ianthe had confirmed her pregnancy, she released Rohan and Sioned to the Desert.

[edit] Military Maneuvers

While Prince Rohan was imprisoned in Feruche, Roelstra offered to teach the young Prince Jastri of Syr 'military maneuvers.' The sixteen winters old Prince was excited by the offer and quickly accepted; Roelstra took his entire army to Syr. The armies of Princemarch and Syr were camped near the Faolain River, which was the border between Syr and the Desert.

Lord Davvi of River Run gathered his soldiers as his Prince had ordered, but instead of gathering for the maneuvers he went to Faolain Lowland, the Desert Keep Sioned - Davvi's sister - was inspecting. He told Sioned about the maneuvers and that they signified Roelstra was readying to attack the Desert. He told her he sttod with her and the Desert. Sioned, who had just received word of Rohan's capture, sent word to Tobin at Radzyn Keep. Chaynal, the Battle Commander of the Desert, summoned his forces and joined Davvi's troops at the Faolain.

[edit] The War

[edit] Across the Faolain

This was the first real battle and actual start of the war. Pandsala had just joined Roelstra and had proven her worth as an apprentice Sunrunner, Prince Jasti had been anxious to begin a real battle, and Ianthe had just released Rohan and Sioned.

Jastri's troops crossed the Faolain River to the south, then came north in a flanking maneuver, while Roelstra's main force pushed forward. Davvi's troops were sent to fend off their Prince's attack. They pushed Jastri back across the river. Thirty-nine of Jastri's one hundred horse died from their arrows and spears.

Roelstra's force faired better. They were able to secure a foothold on the Desert side of the river by late afternoon. Chay led the defense and was able to hault Roelstra's advance further into the Desert. He withdrew.

Chay determined that the Desert would have to defeat the High Prince in two battles; they couldn't afford any more.

Losses

• The Desert: 18 horse, 37 foot, 14 archers

• Princemarch: 39 Syrene horse, (~double the Desert's)

[edit] Battle of Stronghold

Sioned and Maeta, Stronghold's guard commander, emptied Stronghold in an attempt to draw Merida from Tiglath. Ostvel took most of the Stronghold soldiers to Remagev, so the Merida would be trapped between the two Keeps. Tobin had taken her sons to Stronghold for safety, but once she heard Maeta's plan for the Merida she was ready to do battle.

One hundred Merida rode to Stronghold; they didn't try to hide their numbers, sure of victory. Near dawn a Merida rode down the caynon to Stronghold's gates and ordered their surrender; he was met with an arrow. The Merida marched into the caynon, six horses wide and six deep. A dragonbone horn was blown once the last row of riders was in range - the idea being that the fallen horses in back would block a hasty retreat - the Stronghold archers and Tobin with Radzyn's red and white arrows attacked.

The Merida were not the fools Maeta had taken them for, however. Merida were on a ledge above the caynon, firing into the Keep; Tobin's leg was wounded. Maeta ordered the archers to fire on this new threat. The Merida riders made it through the first gate as the arrows let up. Stronghold's forces regrouped to defend the inner courtyard. As the Merida charged through two young Lords, Andry and Sorin, rushed forward to defend the castle.

By this time Rohan and Sioned had crossed the Desert and entered Stronghold through a secret passage in the grotto. They heard sounds of battle. Rohan charged into battle, grabbing the nearest fallen sword as if he had not walked for days with precious little food and water. Sioned, who had gone a little mad during her captivity, called rings of Sunrunner's Fire around knots of Merida. Her Fire seared flesh, but did not actually kill - Rohan ordered her to stop before that.

Tobin reached her five winter old sons; they were safe.

The Merida were driven from Stronghold, where they ran into Ostvel's forces from Remagev, who had travelled all night to reach Stronghold. Rohan jumped on a Merida horse and rode to join them. The battle was over by noon. Only ten Merida were left in their saddles. Rohan took their horses and studded armor. He then ordered that they cut off the right hand of each of their comrades, dead and alive. The hands were to be delivered to the Merida Blood in the north and to Roelstra in the south with the message that Rohan would sever his head.

After resting, Rohan rode to join the Desert army in the south. Desert soldiers went to Skybowl to evict the Merida there, then would go to Tiglath to aid Walvis. Not long after the battle Pandsala contacted Sioned on sunlight; she relayed information to help The Desert - and Rohan - defeat her father.

Losses

• The Desert: unknown

• Merida: almost ninety

[edit] Battle One

Prince Rohan, Chay, and Davvi ordered their men to retreat chaoticly. The plan was to draw the impatient Prince Jasti into battle and the Long Sand. Jastri took the bait. Three hundred and thirty Syrene troops marched forward, shadowed by Chay's men. Jastri turned east, which was supposed to be the weakest point in Rohan's army; he was met with three hundred Desert soldiers. Rohan's army pushed Jastri's back toward the river, but the Syrene army backed into Davvi's one hundred soldiers. This time Jastri turned south, only to be met by Chay's army; he was enclosed.

Rohan sent his battle flag to Jastri in an offer to accept surrender; Jastri did not accept. He fought onward. Rohan could have given the order to spare Jastri, but did not as he remembered what Sioned had been through. The Syrene force was nearly slaughtered. Some surrendered, but others fought on against incredible odds beside their Prince. These last earned Rohan's admiration and he tried to fight to Jastri's side to offer the treatment befitting a Prince, but he didn't make it to the young Prince's side in time.

Davvi's troops had secured the Faolain bank; Roelstra's men had retreated across the river. Chay had Jastri taken from the field as was proper for a Prince and gave Rohan Jastri's garnet rings. Rohan gave the order to fire the bridges, but before a single arrow was shot, Sunrunner's Fire erupted, consuming the bridges. Maarken had called Fire, acting as the Sunrunner Lord he was, the first of his kind. Rohan awarded him one of the garnet rings; it was Maarken's first faradhi ring.

By the blaze of Fire, both Princemarch and Desert troops saw more than a hundred dragons soar overhead. It was then that the Desert soldiers gave Rohan the title Azhrei. Dragon Prince.

Losses

• The Desert: more than 25%

• Syr: 330 men, Prince Jastri

[edit] Battle of Tiglath

Walvis was ordered to defend Tiglath from the impending Merida attack rather than to rescue Prince Rohan. Still torn about what to do, the decision was made for him, when Feylin of Skybowl rode off to Tiglath to fight Merida - as any northern Desert woman would do.

The Merida were not supposed to attack until the Tigalthi troops had gone to rescue Rohan, but they were eager to reclaim the Desert. They laid siege to Tiglath.

Prince Llyen of Dorval sent aid to Rohan's troops, but the ships arrived too late. He then sent the ships to Tiglath filled with supplies and troops. The Merida tried to ambush them, but lost the skirmish.

Walvis sent Kleve on a special mission. The Cunaxan supplies to the Merida suddenly disappeared. The lack of food goaded the Merida into attacking Tiglath itself. The battle reaged for two days. The Merida undermined the wall between the Sea Gate and the Sand Gate, causing it to collapse. They swarmed in, but they had been strung out around the city. Walvis lead the defensive push, which succeeded in taking the battle to the plains. Walvis himself killed the Merida leader and at least fifty others.

Losses

• The Desert: unknown

• Merida: 3 days worth of Burnings

[edit] Conflicts

• Goddess Keep: Lord Lyell of Waes surrounded Goddess Keep with his troops, ostensibly for the Sunrunners' protection. He did this without the sanction of his Prince and because he had married Roelstra's daughter, Kiele. Andrade, Urival, Pandsala, and Chiana escaped from the Keep; Pandsala claiming that she had escaped the Sunrunners' clutches and that she wanted to go to her father, Roelstra. After they were free Pandsala actually did join her father, leaving Andrade and Urival to care for Chiana and seek shelter at River Run.

• Halendat: Roelstra's army retreated farther into Syr, leaving a flooded and salted field in their place. Nothing would grow there again.

• Burning of Feruche: Sioned, Tobin, and Ostvel went to Feruche once Ianthe bore Rohan's child. Sioned ignited the castle with Sunrunner's Fire, not caring if she or anyone else was burned; in fact she expected to be burned as she had been in her vision. Sioned went to Ianthe's chamber and claimed Rohan's baby for her own. She also took back the emerald ring Rohan had given to her before they were married. Sioned wanted to kill Iathe herself with Sunrunner's Fire, forsaking the Sunrunner oath she had taken never to kill with her gifts, but Ostvel stepped forward and plunged his sword into Ianthe's chest before Sioned could even call Fire. Enraged, Sioned rounded on him, swearing never to forgive him, but Ostvel reminded her of the baby and it was as if he didn't exist. Sioned, Tobin, and Ostvel escaped Feruche - as did Ianthe's three other sons. Ostvel led the Princesses to Skybowl, where Sioned named the baby Pol for the stars. Wanting to see Rohan, she wove the forbidden starlight.

• River Run: Andrade and Urival were once again besieged. Princemarch soldiers made sure they were trapped within the Keep, again for 'protection.' Nothing could block the sunlight from the faradh'im, however. Andrade was able to get word to Kleve in Tiglath, where Dorval's ships were docked. The Dorvali sailors infiltrated River Run, trussed up the Princemarch soldiers, dressed in their violet uniforms, and pretended to guard Andrade. When Andrade at last decreed that they should march, little Chiana had escaped to her father. Andrade, Urival, and the Dorvali went to join Rohan's army.

• High Kirat: After most of Roelstra's force had been destroyed, Davvi led the remaining River Run troops on High Kirat. He wanted to claim the city on his own, so that he could be Prince of Syr in his own right and unbehiolden to any. Davvi secured the Syrene royal seat and made Princess Gemma his ward.

[edit] Battle Two

Under Pandsala's direction, Roelstra sent his best horsemen south. Little did he know in that direction lay a hatchling feeding ground, which was exactly where his men set up camp. Hatchling dragons, who could still breathe fire, ransacked the army, killing all but twenty-five of two hundred. After Roelstra received this news and his youngest daughter, Chiana, a wounded scout announced that the Desert was attacking.

Prince Rohan's Desert troops had crossed the Faolain River on Dorval's ships, which had sailed down from Tiglath. Rohan, Chaynal, and Davvi were dressed in their full battle gear and their Princely/Lordly colors. The plan was for this to be a pitched battle, following all the rules of war. That meant that if all went well the Princes and Lord would not actually fight, only command.

Seventy Desert riders attacked the right, while foot soldiers marched on the left. Fifty archers covered both sides. Eighty horse, one hundred foot, and one hundred archers ranged around Rohan, ready to close around Roelstra.

The battle did not go exactly to plan; the Princes and Lord had to dirty their armor - which was actually something they had wanted. During the battle Rohan was injured, which caused his wound from Feruche's ambush to reopen. He was taken from the field against his protests. His wounds did allow a meeting between Prince and Battle Commander, during which Chay told him that Davvi was regrouping his troops and that he, Chay, would order the southern line to fall back as he planned to swing around and attack Roelstra from behind.

By nightfall Roelstra's army crmbled. Maarken called Fire to light the field, allowing the battle to continue. A new force of fity rider approached; it was Lady Andrade with Urival and the Dorvali sailors. Rohan, Chay, Andrade, and Urival set off after Roelstra, who had retreated from the thick of battle. Davvi marched on High Kirat.

[edit] Dragonfield

That night Rohan and Roelstra duelled on an open field later named 'Dragonfield.'. As the knife fight began one of Roelstra's men made ready to throw a knife at Rohan's back. A dome of starfire suddenly formed around the two combatants - Sioned was protecting Rohan. She wove forbidden starlight, pulled Tobin, Pol, Pandsala, Andrade, and Urival into the light, and spun the dome in order to block the thrown knife.

Both Roelstra and Rohan were tired, but Rohan was also wounded in body, mind, and soul. The High Prince was able to knock the knife from Rohan's hand and kick him to the ground. Roelstra continued to kick the younger man, taunting him all the while. He taunted Rohan about his failure, about Sioned, and then Roelstra taunted Rohan about his son. He said that he would make the boy kneel to him. A fire reignited within Rohan. He would not let his son kneel to the High Prince. He would not let his son live in a world of Roelstra's making, a world of war. As Roelstra stood above him, sword in hand, and taunted him, he grabbed a knife hidden in his boot and lunged upward, driving the knife into Roelstra's throat. The High Prince died with a mocking smile on his face, not realizing his defeat. Knowing Roelstra defeated, Rohan succombed to unconsciousness.

Losses

• Dragons: unknown

• The Desert: unknown

• Princemarch: 175 elite horsemen, High Prince Roelstra, others

[edit] Aftermath

Prince and Lords gathered at Stronghold to discuss new treaties, declare official borders of princedoms and holdings, confirm Princes and Lords in their positions, and to see what Rohan had planned.

• The Desert: Walvis, Rohan's first squire, was made Lord of Remagev and was given a necklet of gray pearls, which were strongly hinted to be a wedding necklet for Feylin. Ostvel, who had finally been forgiven for taking Ianthe's death from Sioned - who in turn asked for his forgivenss - was made Lord of Skybowl. Lord Eltanin of Tiglath's wall had been destroyed during the war; he left the wall destroyed because, "...the walls built by his Prince will be better defense than mere stone ever could be" (Dragon Prince 507).

• Princemarch: Rohan won Princemarch through the right of war, but he did not keep it for himself; he gave it to his son, Pol, who had a secret bloodclaim to the princedom as well. For her aid during the war, Rohan made Pandsala Regent of Princemarch until such a time as Pol was ready to rule. This decision widened the rift between Andrade and Rohan and Sioned. The rest of Roelstra's daughters were promised doweries as befitted their station as the late High Prince's daughters.

• Syr: Due to the death of Prince Jastri, Lord Davvi of River Run was confirmed as Prince of Syr. Davvi had been declared Prince during the war, but a confirmation by Princes was necessary to make it official. Davvi became Prince not only because he aided Rohan, but because the Lords of River Run were cousins of the royal Syrene line. Princess Gemma, Jastri's ten winter old sister and heir, was passed over because of the war; had she been declared Princess of Syr, then Roelstra would have controlled Syr through her. Gemma became Davvi's ward. Kostas, Davvi's eldest son became a Prince of Syr, and Tilal, Davvi's younger son and Rohan's squire, became Lord of River Run.

• Kierst and Isel: Prince Saumer of Isel aided Roelstra during the war. Thus it was strongly suggested that his heir marry one of Prince Volog of Kierst's daughters, while Volog's heir married one of Saumer's daughters.

Rohan himself became the High Prince, Sioned his High Princess. In front of the assembled Princes and Lords and the Lady of Goddess Keep, they were confirmed. During the coronation, Sioned deviated from tradition: she used the elements to conjure a golden dragon with an emerald ring. The dragon lept skyward and blended into the giant tapestry of the same design. Rohan wasn't only the High Prince, he was the azhrei, the Dragon Prince.