Henry looked up as Gwen arrived and he rose to his feet as she threw her arms around him. The young knight caught her easily, a rare and genuine smile spreading across his features.

"Gwen? When Princess Elaeria returned without you I..." He tailed off, unsure of how to express himself. He fell back on all he knew: formality. "I'm glad you're safe. You should get some rest after what you've been through." After she had given him the news of spies Henry nodded, thinking for a moment. "In that case can you join the Queen's party along with Fenrir? They might attempt a kidnapping or assassination and it will be much easier on Lady McArthur if she's able to identify any potential assailants."

Henry turned to Caroline and placed the ball Belaria had given him in her hand.

"Lady Caroline, if you would take command of the barricade group; I seem to remember that you're skilled with both the sword and the bow. Use the golems to support the group there; if my party is delayed at all you'll need them to hold the line." He turned to Revaz and motioned towards the stairs leading down to the ground.

"Normally I wouldn't mind about the presence of spies; it's a given in war for there to be some but we have none on their side and the spies so far have been... well established members of the court." He led them towards the armour and picked up his hand-and-a-half sword, a giant newly sharpened beast of a weapon usually wielded two handed while Henry had the rare strength to use it effectively in one hand, and a steel-plated kite shield. Normally it would be emblazoned with his insignia of a lion head, a reference to both his House and the nickname he had been given as the 'Young Lion' by Helgland troops but this was on loan from the Academy. As he turned, taking an experimental swing with his weapon he caught sight of a small cluster of men by the gates.

"What's going on there?" He mused out loud. When he caught sight of the barrels a few of the men were standing by his brow furrowed. The guardsmen were already armed and he had commanded that no alcohol be handed out; it dulled the senses and made many a man clumsy and useless in battle. As he watched one of those speaking to the Academy guardsmen stabbed his hand upwards, a knife appearing in his grasp and shearing through the man's chin and into the back of his skull; the guard died instantly. Before he could shout any commands one of the group by the gate struck flint and tinder above what looked like a bundle of ropes another held, one rope trailing into a barrel each. As sparks from the flint showered onto the 'ropes' they caught fire quickly and the flames shot up across the ropes; the men scattering the moment they saw this.

There was sinking feeling in Henry's stomach and he grabbed Revaz and unceremoniously yanked her towards him, dropping his weapon and instead wrapping one huge arm around the smaller woman, dragging his thick shield in front of them and crouching behind it. Barely had he done so than an earth-shattering explosion shook the ground and he could feel bits of mortar and splinters of wood striking his shield with still-flaming shards landing all around the pair of them. Once the shower had ended he stood up, letting go of Revaz and stared towards the remnants of the gatehouse; now a burnt out shell with its portcullis and reinforced wooden doors lying in pieces all around them. A few unlucky students nearer the gates had been caught in the blast and the first screams could be heard as recognition of injury dawned.

"Get your men together and I'll get mine. We need to move, now. They're coming. Let's go with your plan." Henry spoke to Revaz before yelling orders for the injured to be carried away immediately. He could hear the roaring of flames from the other side of the wall more clearly now that the gate was gone but below it there was a repetitive thump drawing closer; the marching of several thousand boots on the ground.

Men joined Henry, regrouping around him as he yelled orders and tried to bring order to the chaos that had erupted around them. Out of the smoky gatehouse Henry heard a new sound; metal striking stone and he swore as he looked for nearby mounts but saw few. He pointed towards a near group of picketed horses and the men who had joined him headed over and began to mount up while he made his way towards the stairs. Before he reached them, however, the first of the approaching enemies shot out of the black mist on horseback. Sighting Henry the man steered towards the lone knight with a sabre held above his head. Acting quickly Henry twisted away from the horse and brought his shield up to slam it in the side of the head causing it to veer sideways and the man tumbled from the horse's back. Before he could rise Henry had plunged his sword through the man's eye and out the back of his head. Standing on the corpse's chest he yanked his weapon free and continued towards the wall to find the two girls.