“Well?” I asked Dove. “What’s your decision? You coming?” I looked over at her, that flaxen-blond hair of hers, light and weightless, seemed to float about her as she sat heavily on one of the couches.
“So soon?” she whispered. “I… don’t know.” Those blue eyes, so much like the prince’s in depths and clarity, but not quite as jewel-toned. “I want to be where you are, but the more I practice with you, the more I realize, I never want to have to fight. I… don’t think I’d do well in a war zone.”
I smiled. “Don’t worry, you don’t have to come. Fin will be back often enough, and I’ll visit.” I closed up my bag and went over to sit with her. Putting an arm around her, I pulled her close and gave her a tight, side-long hug. “You’ll be safe here.”
It was ever-so-slight, but I felt a tremor pulse through her. “I don’t know if I’ll feel truly safe ever again.” She gave me a tight smile, and I could see the pain in those blue eyes. “I don’t know how you do it. You’re so strong…”
I pulled her closer, both arms around her. I couldn’t bear to leave her like this. Sometimes she seemed her old self, and others she seemed so delicate and fragile, like the softest touch would shatter her. “I love you, Dove,” I said softly. “Don’t worry about anything. Ant and the others will take care of you. Take the time you need to…” I didn’t know how to end that sentence:get back to your old self? I was beginning to wonder if that was even possible. “You’ll be well, I know it.” I hugged her tighter and she returned the embrace.
I only knew she was crying when she sniffed and spoke, voice tremulous and valiantly trying to overcome her emotions. “You go be amazing out there. I know you’ll change the world,” she whispered.
Perhaps I was stronger than her, but I wouldn’t have gone that far.
“I’ll do my best,” I said.
When I didn’t move for a while, she pulled back and looked up. There were indeed tears on her cheeks, though they seemed all shed now, eyes clear. “Don’t you need to go?”
“Fin said he was going to bathe and eat, and he doesn’t eat quickly. I’ve got time.”
She smiled and leaned back into me.
We held each other until it began to grow dark out. Then I finally released her.
She came down to the great hall with me and indeed Fin was only halfway through a large meal. The others who were going to Vauphan were already there, ready, waiting.
Maverick, Amber, Jack, and I would go. The rest of the House would remain here.
I went to where I’d left my spear and grabbed it. I also put on the sword-belt I’d removed while practicing. I felt comfortable with the spear now, as well a dual short-swords. For ranged weapons I’d been practicing with throwing knives. I was better with a bow, but carrying a longbow and quiver with everything else had weighed me down and been awkward to fight in. The dozen or so small throwing knives were easier to keep on me and move around with. I’d not turn down a bow, but we’d see what the fighting was like.
As for my squeamishness about blades… that was still an uncertainty. We’d see how my first foray went.
My heart was racing for so many reasons as Fin rose from his meal. I’d soon see Alvere again. I’d soon see battle for the first time. I was still a bit worried for Dove. And finally, I’d never been that far from home before.
I kissed Dove good-bye, joined hands with the others, then the world spun and we were in a small clearing at the edge of a forest. Through the sparse trees I could see a large camp in the fields beyond.
“Remember,” Fin said. “The prince isn’t a prince here. He’s a minor noble in command of a small group of men. His name is Alain of Beauval.”
We all nodded to this, and Fin led us out of the woods into the camp. We got a few interesting looks as we passed other men sitting around fires and eating in the growing dark of the evening, but no comments. They had no reason to suspect we were Elistan. Also, I suspected Fin had become well known to many of these men as a retainer to the young “Alain of Beauval.”
Fin took us to a large pavilion and entered. No men guarded the tent. The prince was on his own here, trusting to secrecy to keep him safe.
There was a large front room to the tent with carpeting covering the grasses in several places creating areas for sitting and dining. Alvere was leaning over the long dining table, studying some papers. He looked and a wide grin spread on his face as his gaze met mine. I saw his eyes go wide, his chest fill with a heavy breath.
“Welcome!” he said to us and motioned to several flaps leading to areas in the back of the tent. “Feel free to put your things in the rooms at the back. The one in the middle is mine.” He was looking directly at me for that last bit. The suggestion was clear, if I wished to share his room, I was welcome to.
I didn’t hesitate in taking my things through the central flap, ignoring some of the looks of the others. There were four other rooms, two on either side of Alvere’s, so one for each of the others.
Once inside the “bedroom” I felt myself grow warm. I was really doing this. Committing to sharing a bed with him. It wasn’t a large bed, but certainly large for a camp far from civilization. I put my stuff down and went to run my hand over the thick canvas wall. We’d have to be quiet so as not to disturb the others. I hoped I could manage that.
I returned to the living area as the others were coming from their rooms. The prince had a pot of tea ready and poured some into five small metal cups.
“Now,” he said sitting, as we all did the same. “Let me update you on the situation here at the front.” He sighed. “At the moment, Vauphan has the advantage. We have six thousand warriors plus another roughly two hundred Fey, each of which is worth a dozen men.” This was news. I’d known the Fey were to be helping in the war effort, but I hadn’t been aware of their effectiveness. I wasn’t sure if his comment was hyperbole or not. If not, that small group would be significant indeed. “On the Elistan side, nearly the full complement of Panther House is here, with their five thousand men. On that side, it is the Lumani which are the unknown factor for us. Panther House has upwards of fifty members, all with the ability to become hunting cats or other predators. That is not insignificant.” He didn’t really need to tell us that. “Both sides are expecting reinforcements in the next few days. Vauphan will have two thousand more men by the end of the week and Elista roughly the same… part of the Pterolycus army has been diverted from what we’ve heard.”
How he knew all of this was a mystery to me.
“And the more time passes, the more forces will arrive. I don’t know how many more from Elista, but I’d suspect at least another five thousand or so army men and perhaps another fifty to a hundred Nobles?” He shrugged. “The Vauphan army is larger, but we have more terrain to cross to get them here. Another two thousand are expected next week, and after that, it may be a while before more arrive. Our eastern border with Fiore is… tentative right now. The Giulea River Valley has always been contested lands between our nations. Right now, we’re ceding territory to them.” He sighed heavily. “Some in my lands are very upset about this. They want us to strike at Elista now, and retake the lands they’ve claimed, then build forts to hold them, so we can regroup to the east and retake Giulea once more.”
Things sounded complicated for the prince. I felt for him. He was in an impossible situation. He had to defend and maintain his lands, but with Elista pushing, that meant losing lands in the east.
