The Battle for Skandia

Will and Cassandra are still in Skandia, and Halt and Horace arrive to rescue them. Cassandra is captured by scouts of the Temujai, an invading army from the steppes, but the three save her. Halt talks Jarl Erak into letting him advise the Skandians, who get ready to fight the Temujai with ambushes and hit-and-run raids. Will trains enslaved Skandians as archers. The Skandians hold, and the Temujai general pulls back. Oberjarl Ragnak dies of his wounds, and Erak takes over. He signs a treaty with Cassandra barring large raids on Araluen and slips in a pardon for Halt. Horace is knighted, and Will turns down a royal post to keep training as a Ranger.

1. Behind the scenesOne book, two titles

   In Australia it's called Oakleaf Bearers. The U.S. edition became The Battle for Skandia.

   source ↗
2. Behind the scenesAurealis finalist

   The book was a finalist for the 2007 Aurealis Award for Best Children's Novel, Australia's top fantasy prize.

   source ↗
3. ReferenceThe treaty with Erak

   Erak becomes Oberjarl and signs a treaty with Cassandra barring large Skandian raids on Araluen. He also slips in a pardon for Halt.

   source ↗
4. SetupWill says no

   Will turns down a royal lieutenant's post to keep training as a Ranger. That choice matters in the books that follow.

   source ↗