Chapter 8: Regrouping

“I’ll never make fun of our little sister again for learning their language,” Caitlyn said.

“Agreed,” Lysia replied, as they watched Elara examine a wounded man. “Who would have ever thought it would come in handy?”

“Apparently, Elara did,” Cassandra stated, surprising the other women. “However, we have little time to waste.”

“What do you want us to do, Cassandra?” Caitlyn asked.

“The Empire isn’t going to wait long to regroup. We need to get a count of what forces we have left and reformulate our battle plans.”

“We’ll get started on the headcount,” Lysia said, rising to her feet.

“Take Iphigenia with you. You’re going to need a translator.”

Lysia glanced over her shoulder at the Guardian. The other woman was somber, her troubled eyes ringed with dark circles. What was wrong with Cassandra?

“I will find the prince and princess,” Cassandra continued. “We’ll meet back here. Don’t take too long.”

“We won’t,” Caitlyn answered. “Let’s get moving, Lysia.”

* * * * *

“Paul, are you okay?”

He turned from the window and accepted the steaming mug from his wife with a half-smile. “It’s usually me asking you that.”

“True, but I’m trying to be better.”

“It was an observation, love, not a criticism.”

She let the comment pass. “What were you thinking about?”

“Elara. I don’t think she should be in the next battle. Too much has been asked of her in such little time. It’s a marvel that her strength has held out this long.”

“We’ve just needed her so much and she won’t turn away from what she sees as her duty. I don’t know if we could keep her from the fight.”

“We have before.”

“Yes, we did, but I don’t know we can do it again.”

“Could be just borrowing trouble,” Paul said, shrugging.

A knock interrupted what Leda was about to say. She opened the door and stepped back to let Cassandra enter the room. “Is everything all right, Cassandra?”

The Guardian nodded. “The Resistance leaders are already gathering. We should start the meeting soon.”

“We’ll be there shortly,” Leda replied. She frowned as the Guardian closed door as she left the room. “I think we have someone else to worry about, Paul.”

* * * * *

“There are several people here that definitely can’t fight,” Elara said, then repeating the words again in the language of Cignus. “There are a handful more I’m reserving judgment on.”

“Are you sure?” a man demanded.

“I’m already letting you have people return to battle I wouldn’t let out of a hospital under normal circumstances,” the healer retorted. “I realize what we are facing. But I can’t let you use people who are unable to fight at all.”

She waited to let the one of the Guardians translate her words to the Resistance leaders. In her flare of emotion, she couldn’t even think in the language. With a sigh, she noticed her hands were shaking. Hoping no one would notice, she pressed them flat against the table.

“I have family in this battle,” she continued. “If you believe nothing else about me, believe that I would do nothing to increase the danger they are facing.”

“I meant no offense,” the man said.

“We have bigger issues,” Cassandra stated. She unrolled a diagram of the village and the surrounding area. “We now must plan how we are going to use what forces we do have let.”

Rami took a rod and pointed to a ridge on the northern side of the settlement. “The archers here limited the number of fighters the Empire could get into that area. The eastern ridge forms a natural bottleneck and would require fewer archers for the same effect.”

“Thank the gods we have several of them left,” Brenan commented. “Lancers are another story.”

“That will alter plans,” Paul said.

Iphigenia nodded. “I think a lot of things are going to do that.”

“How many swordsmen do we have?” Monea asked, shifting the discussion back to business. “Where do we use them and the lancers?”

* * * * *

“Feel up for some soup?”

Arios slowly opened his eyes, wincing at the light of the lanterns. He was surprised to see Edoru standing there with the promised bowl of soup. “Where’s Brenan?”

“Planning meeting.” He watched Arios struggle sit up, faced etched in pain. However, Edoru made no move to help him. The young swordsman knew that the other boy would not accept nor appreciate his help.

“So, not being important for the meeting, you’ve been demoted to nurse duty?”

Chuckling, Edoru placed the bowl in front of him. “I volunteered actually. Now eat your soup, Ari. Hopefully, it will keep you quiet for a while.”

Ari saluted the other boy with the spoon before beginning to eat. Edoru sat down at the foot of the pallet. After a moment, he pulled out a short sword and began sharpening it.

They were quite for a while. Each was busy with his own task and his own thoughts. Finally, Arios finished the soup and set the bowl aside.

“How was it?”

Ari snorted. “Tasted like broth.”

“Good, it was broth. Healers didn’t think you were ready for anything more.”

“What do healers know?”

“You’ve had a pretty hard knock to the head. You’re not ready to fight, Ari, not just yet.”

“I need to be out there. It’s going to end soon, Edoru.”

“Yes, it probably will.”

“I can feel it.” Arios paused but quietly saying, “Do you think we will win?”

“I don’t know. The Guardians and the others help, but things could go either way.”

“The Guardians wouldn’t return to Cignus just to lose.”

“Not even the Guardians are invincible, Ari.”

“But we have more than the Guardians now. The others have their own powers, and one of the healers was saying that one of the strangers is the daughter of Prince Adonis, the Child of Light. If that’s true, there’s no way we can lose.”

“If she’s the foretold warrior, why isn’t it over? Why hasn’t she ended it? Why keep fighting?”

“I don’t know.”

“Neither do I.”

“But it’s going to be over soon, one way or another, Edoru. And I think we’re going to win.”

Edoru looked around the room, noticing how many fighters were injured. They had barely held off the Empire in the first battle. Now they would be facing an even larger force with fewer men. “I hope you are right, Ari.”


Regrouping “I’ll never make fun of our little sister again for learning their language,” Caitlyn said. “Agreed,” Lysia replied, as they watched Elara examine a wounded man. “Who would have ever thought it would come in handy?” “Apparently, Elara did,” Cassandra stated, surprising the other women. “However, we have little time to waste.” “What do you want us to do, Cassandra?” Caitlyn asked. “The Empire isn’t going to wait long to regroup. We need to get a count of what forces we have left and reformulate our battle plans.” “We’ll get started on the headcount,” Lysia said, rising to her feet. “Take Iphigenia with you. You’re going to need a translator.” Lysia glanced over her shoulder at the Guardian. The other woman was somber, her troubled eyes ringed with dark circles. What was wrong with Cassandra? “I will find the prince and princess,” Cassandra continued. “We’ll meet back here. Don’t take too long.” “We won’t,” Caitlyn answered. “Let’s get moving, Lysia.” * * * * * “Paul, are you okay?” He turned from the window and accepted the steaming mug from his wife with a half-smile. “It’s usually me asking you that.” “True, but I’m trying to be better.” “It was an observation, love, not a criticism.” She let the comment pass. “What were you thinking about?” “Elara. I don’t think she should be in the next battle. Too much has been asked of her in such little time. It’s a marvel that her strength has held out this long.” “We’ve just needed her so much and she won’t turn away from what she sees as her duty. I don’t know if we could keep her from the fight.” “We have before.” “Yes, we did, but I don’t know we can do it again.” “Could be just borrowing trouble,” Paul said, shrugging. A knock interrupted what Leda was about to say. She opened the door and stepped back to let Cassandra enter the room. “Is everything all right, Cassandra?” The Guardian nodded. “The Resistance leaders are already gathering. We should start the meeting soon.” “We’ll be there shortly,” Leda replied. She frowned as the Guardian closed door as she left the room. “I think we have someone else to worry about, Paul.” * * * * * “There are several people here that definitely can’t fight,” Elara said, then repeating the words again in the language of Cignus. “There are a handful more I’m reserving judgment on.” “Are you sure?” a man demanded. “I’m already letting you have people return to battle I wouldn’t let out of a hospital under normal circumstances,” the healer retorted. “I realize what we are facing. But I can’t let you use people who are unable to fight at all.” She waited to let the one of the Guardians translate her words to the Resistance leaders. In her flare of emotion, she couldn’t even think in the language. With a sigh, she noticed her hands were shaking. Hoping no one would notice, she pressed them flat against the table. “I have family in this battle,” she continued. “If you believe nothing else about me, believe that I would do nothing to increase the danger they are facing.” “I meant no offense,” the man said. “We have bigger issues,” Cassandra stated. She unrolled a diagram of the village and the surrounding area. “We now must plan how we are going to use what forces we do have let.” Rami took a rod and pointed to a ridge on the northern side of the settlement. “The archers here limited the number of fighters the Empire could get into that area. The eastern ridge forms a natural bottleneck and would require fewer archers for the same effect.” “Thank the gods we have several of them left,” Brenan commented. “Lancers are another story.” “That will alter plans,” Paul said. Iphigenia nodded. “I think a lot of things are going to do that.” “How many swordsmen do we have?” Monea asked, shifting the discussion back to business. “Where do we use them and the lancers?” * * * * * “Feel up for some soup?” Arios slowly opened his eyes, wincing at the light of the lanterns. He was surprised to see Edoru standing there with the promised bowl of soup. “Where’s Brenan?” “Planning meeting.” He watched Arios struggle sit up, faced etched in pain. However, Edoru made no move to help him. The young swordsman knew that the other boy would not accept nor appreciate his help. “So, not being important for the meeting, you’ve been demoted to nurse duty?” Chuckling, Edoru placed the bowl in front of him. “I volunteered actually. Now eat your soup, Ari. Hopefully, it will keep you quiet for a while.” Ari saluted the other boy with the spoon before beginning to eat. Edoru sat down at the foot of the pallet. After a moment, he pulled out a short sword and began sharpening it. They were quite for a while. Each was busy with his own task and his own thoughts. Finally, Arios finished the soup and set the bowl aside. “How was it?” Ari snorted. “Tasted like broth.” “Good, it was broth. Healers didn’t think you were ready for anything more.” “What do healers know?” “You’ve had a pretty hard knock to the head. You’re not ready to fight, Ari, not just yet.” “I need to be out there. It’s going to end soon, Edoru.” “Yes, it probably will.” “I can feel it.” Arios paused but quietly saying, “Do you think we will win?” “I don’t know. The Guardians and the others help, but things could go either way.” “The Guardians wouldn’t return to Cignus just to lose.” “Not even the Guardians are invincible, Ari.” “But we have more than the Guardians now. The others have their own powers, and one of the healers was saying that one of the strangers is the daughter of Prince Adonis, the Child of Light. If that’s true, there’s no way we can lose.” “If she’s the foretold warrior, why isn’t it over? Why hasn’t she ended it? Why keep fighting?” “I don’t know.” “Neither do I.” “But it’s going to be over soon, one way or another, Edoru. And I think we’re going to win.” Edoru looked around the room, noticing how many fighters were injured. They had barely held off the Empire in the first battle. Now they would be facing an even larger force with fewer men. “I hope you are right, Ari.”


Chapter 9: Facing the End Jupter's Gone