Chapter 4: A Traitor saves the Day
18 April 1001, Thrake
Ashot was not on the front lines, but he still felt the smash as shields crushed into one another, spears and swords found open flesh, or when an overextended thrust returned neither hand or weapon. These were his men and they were now fighting one of the greatest armies in all the land. As much as he wanted to be on the front lines to show his support and rally his men, he knew at his age he would only be in the way.
Instead Ashot rode behind his men keeping troops morale up. Though most of the time he seemed to be directing his second and third line of reinforcements to fill gaps. The battle had only begun a few moments ago and already he had lost hundreds of men. Their superior number of troops did not make up for their inequal experience.
That did not mean they were completely beaten. A couple of times he saw in one or two places the Byzantine line crumble and his men nearly broke through. Each time at what seemed the last possible moment the Byzantines would push back and reform their lines. It gave him hope. His men died but they held the line. There were no breaks by his men. They were holding and if only one of those times the Byzantines did not refill their position then they may just win this battle.
At least that was possible up until now. Hearing a commotion on his left Ashot raced over to find the Varangian Guard had entered the battle. In his excitement he had forgotten about them. A mistake he should not have made. A mistake which would now likely cost him his army, this battle, and his life.
He had decided if his men would die here then so would he.
18 April 1001, Thrake
Feeling the wind on his face the Tsar raced across the open fields before him. He and his horse were a single entity as they moved across the open lands. There was nothing else out there. There was simply himself, his horse, the sun, and the open fields.
Then in a single moment the open fields were full of life. The Byzantine Cataphracts had shifted their movement and were now pressing on towards him. Five hundred angry men all looking to take his life were moving towards him. The Tsar knew this but did not care. Today he would not die. Today he would live and find glorious victory.
He and the five hundred were coming closer and closer. The Tsar could now see the horses' eyes, the foam which began forming at the edges of their mouth, and the slow reaction the horses made to their riders' commands. It was then that he realized that these men were not truly as great a threat as he had feared. The Emperor in his haste to meet on the field of battle had spent his cavalry.
The time it took for his mind to register these things he was now only ten strides from coming into contact with these men. In these finally steps the men around and behind him suddenly acted. The deeper ranks fired arrows at ten strides. At seven the middle ranks threw their javelins in hand before unsheathing their swords. Then at last with only three more strides the front ranks spurred forwards with lances out. They formed into a wedge which struck into the enemy ranks. A few died in that first charge, but the majority of those men in front were pushing into the Byzantine formation. This was thanks to the much longer lances the Tsar had crafted for a few of his men. They worked perfectly as they moved deep into the Byzantine lines.
Those who were in the middle ranks with the Tsar cut down any men still living from the attack. It was a truly impressive strike that finally faltered and died after nearly two hundred of the Cataphracts had died. At that time every last man who had a lance was either dead or was now using his sword. The Bulgarian cavalry had once again proven its amazing skill against the Byzantine Cataphract. Now all that remained was to finish up with the last few stragglers before turning to assist the Duke and the rest of his men.
Turning to give his orders the Tsar was surprised when men began to fall all about him. The Emperor had realized his cavalry was lost and so ordered his archers to begin firing into the cavalry engagement. With so few Cataphracts left the majority of the missiles struck Bulgarian flesh.
As the Tsar went to give the orders to wheel about and strike the archers he suddenly felt a tightening in his chest. Looking down he saw three arrow shafts sticking out of him. This was wrong. He wasn't supposed to die today. That was the last thing he thought before falling from his steed.
18 April 1001, Thrake
Back and back his men went. The Varangian Guard was proving today the effectiveness of a highly trained military unit. With each second they advanced a little further and forced his men to fold in on themselves a little bit more.
Even worse there was now momentary breaks in his line. His units were not as skilled or as lucky as he thought. Instead it seemed the Byzantines simply had orders not to press an attack until the Guard had entered the battle. Now that they had Ashot's men were being hard pressed. They were losing but they weren't routed. Slowly his men retreated back towards the Thrake Keep. He knew there was no salvation at the castle, but there might be some found from the Bulgarian Cavalry.
As his men fought he saw them begin their engagement and knew that the Cataphracts would lose. Now he had to simply wait for them to be routed and his aid would come. Or at least that is what he thought would happen. Instead after a few volleys of arrows the cavalry fell back. Where were these men going? He needed aid!
And aid came.
18 April 1001, Thrake
Moving up the banks of the Black Sea, Gavril could not help but feel shame when he at last saw the battlefield before him. This was the plan his father had made months ago and from what he could tell it was ruined because of him. Duke Ashot's men were furthest to the north and falling back fast by the onslaught of Byzantine troops. Both armies cavalries had met in the center where afterwards their men had fled from the field. Lastly his father's men were pinned between the Emperor's Legions and the tide of Greek troops who were flowing out of the woods on the hilltop. It was a slaughter that was up to him to save.
He was one of the reasons this slaughter was happening, but he was the only one in a position to do anything about it. Giving out the signals the fleet landed along the coast and quickly formed into two separate fighting units. They were of equal size and each moved to relieve the forces of the Duke and the Tsar. Gavril had taken command of the northern unit as even though the Tsar's troops were trapped between two separate armies they were holding out better then Ashot. It was here that additional leadership was needed.
His soldiers marched in perfect ranks that were not noticed by the Byzantines until they were only a few yards away. His attack caught them by surprise which was only one of the reasons for this victory. The other was the present which Ivan had brought him. Fourteen hundred mercenaries to bolster his numbers. This meant his two units were made up of nine hundred men instead of a pathetic two hundred and fifty.
Gavril had taken a position at the very center of his unit and with a thrust of his spear scored the first kill. Having focused so much on the troops in front of them it was difficult for the Byzantine Legion to turn and face this new threat. Hundreds of men were dead or dying without a chance to even attempt to defend themselves. But now was not the time for honor. Now was the time for victory.
And so Gavril and Ashot's men slowly began to smash the Byzantines who were trapped between them.
18 April 1001, Thrake
Ashot could not believe what he was seeing. Bulgarian ships had landed on the coast and suddenly the tides of battle were turned. The Byzantines were pinned between his, the Tsars, and now Gavril's men. They were slaughtered to the man. Including the Varangian Guard.
He still could not believe it. They had won. They had suffered many losses, but the important thing was that they had achieved victory. The survivors of his unit was now all face first in the river. The battle rage had left them and with it came a great thirst. While his men drank their fill Ashot did the same with the wine skin at his side. It was pierced but thankfully the arrow had only made a small hole at the cap of the skin. The holes were easily covered as he took a long sip.
When he at last felt himself again he looked over at the two men he had called to a meeting. "We have won the battle. Do we have any idea on our estimated losses?"
To this question it was their savior who replied. "I lost close to two hundred of my men. Another thousand men fell in my father's army. It was your own men who took the brunt of the damage. I fear of your original three thousand only a thousand of them will likely leave this place. That puts our losses at roughly thirty-two hundred men. And leaves us with only a fighting force a little more then seventy-five hundred men still in fighting shape." After a moments pause he added, "I fear we have no word yet of my father's condition at this moment."
Nobody spoke again for a few moments. Each of these men were praying to their God as each of them held a different belief. Gavril was Catholic like his father. The Duke found his religion in the Orthodox church. While the final man still held onto the old beliefs of their ancestors. It took a while, but finally the Duke asked, "And the enemy losses?"
"The Emperor's Legion was slaughtered to the last man. However, the Greeks were far luckier. We were unable to pin them between our forces and so roughly half of them were able to escape. I shoe not to pursue these men as they were no longer a great threat to us."
"You did well Kresimir. Do you know of what happened to the Emperor?"
"I fear he was able to escape to the south and the safety of Constantinople."
Closing his eyes Ashot could not believe it. They had succeeded in their plan but some how the Emperor was still able to escape. They would now be forced to face of against the legions of Asia Minor. This was their chance to gain victory and it was now lost to them. Before he completely broke down though Gavril gave a wicked smile and said, "I wouldn't be so sure of that."
. And congratulations to be the first one to lead the fray 
