George, Captain and Commander of the Royal Guard for fifteen years now, had five maps of the countryside including the three cities they desired as allies.
“Your Majesties,” he said, spreading out the first map, “this is the city of Bonula. It’s two weeks journey from here and on the way to Crider. It is ruled by a Lord and Lady by the names of Gildric and Fillow. They will most likely see things our way, for they are an open-minded, compassionate people.” He spread out a second map on top of the one already sprawled out. “This here is the city of Rovonia, which is about ten days into the east from here. It’s ruled by Sir Sanfres and he is a mean man at heart. I honestly doubt, Your Highnesses, that he will heed a word any of us say to him.”
“Ten days journey from here and they were trading with Lordale?” Quentin questioned. “Why not us, or some other city that’s closer?”
“Because Sir Sanfres’ grandfather was a court official of some sort for King Rordar’s father in Lordale,” George answered.
“Then by the gods, why isn’t he in the war?” Prince Dalton of Wexford asked. “I mean, if his grandfather was loyal to Lordale, it would only make sense.”
“Unless he was advised not to enter the war,” said Frero.
“Threatened?” Zander suggested.
“Some say that he doesn’t believe in the cause of the war and thinks it is childish,” said George with a shrug. “We really cannot say for sure.”
“We must send word there anyway on the off chance that he may join us,” Silvia said.
“What is the name of the other city?” asked Keelan. He spoke more clearly now than he had earlier that day, for Zander had mixed him a concoction to take the edge off of the pain, and he was now able to keep liquids down without hurting.
“Nillias,” replied the Captain, unfolding the third map and pointing it out. “This city, although nowhere the size of ours, is powerful. It lies three weeks to the northwest and is nine days from Lordale. The rulers are Duchess Tinaya and her husband, Duke Byarne.”
“Any chance they will side with us and go to war?” asked Frero.
“I don’t know. They’re a pretty peaceful people, but perhaps with some persuasion they would side with us and go to fight. Now, this fourth map here shows nearly the whole countryside, and the fifth map is the most detailed version we have of Rohedon’s Realm.”
Everyone had their turn gazing at the massive country the evil doers had long ago claimed. It was apparent that, even by looking at the sheer size of the realm, Lystia’s army would be greatly outnumbered. This thought struck a chord in everybody’s minds. Silence reigned for a long moment, broken only by the soft breathing of the people in the large library.
Finally, Silvia asked what the approximate population of Lystia was.
“Damn near forty thousand, especially because the extension of the city is about six to seven days journey in every direction. It is steadily growing bigger by the year though.”
“How many are in the Royal Guard and the army?” Keelan inquired.
“There are about two hundred Royal Guards, but some will most definitely stay here to protect your person. As for an army, well, I’m afraid we don’t have one.” George looked rather embarrassed. “Gregorich never saw fit for us to form one, though I tried many times to convince him otherwise. You never know what will happen these days.”
“We don’t have one person who is trained to be in an army?” Keelan yelled incredulously. The intensity of his voice hurt him a lot, but he tried to ignore the pain. When they had taken the small troupe of Lystians to battle the other day, he had not even thought to ask about an army. How could he send his wife to war with people who didn’t know the business end of a battle ax? “What do you mean, exactly? My bride will not go to war with thousands of people who don’t know how to fight, much less defend them-selves!”
“But King Keelan, it would take months to properly train an army!” George said. “We simply don’t have the time!”
“You’re both right,” Silvia said. “However, it can’t hurt to start training today, and we can continue to train the men and women on the way to Lordale. Surely that will be enough time to at least learn the most basic sword and bow skills.”
“Women, milady?” said Prince Dalton, who had been silently listening to the bickering. “Women never go to war. They always stay at home to watch over the lands and the children and the livestock. They do not fight!”
A stern look overcame the Queen’s face, hardening it. “They do now,” she stated. “Why leave hundreds of women who have no children, or children that have grown up already when we could greatly use them? What is so wrong with a woman wanting to fight for her country as a man does?”
“But…the men of the city will see it as ludicrous,” Hans pointed out.
“It would be ludicrous to cut down the size of our potential army because men want to be prejudice,” said Silvia without hesitation.
“She’s right,” Keelan said, although he wasn’t really sure if she was or not. “Besides, Rohedon used women in battle.”
Maura sighed. “So what do we do now?”
The King and Queen stared at each other for a moment. Then the King said, “Rally up the city. Let every able-bodied person in Lystia come to the castle grounds. All two hundred Royal Guards will be assigned large groups and will start training in designated areas just outside the city. The training will begin this evening and at dawn tomorrow, and from every day forth until the army departs. We need dozens of people who make arrows, bows, sheaths, quivers, daggers, and swords, and we need them now. Much armor and weaponry has to be made as soon as possible, and the most skilled at this will have to work with us as we travel as well. Surely we’ll need arrows and such made every spare minute of the journey.”
“Do we tell them when we’re leaving yet?” asked Sir Grant. “And by the way, when are we leaving? I’m positive it will be later than Quentin here has suggested, what with all the preparations that need to be made.”
Keelan looked to Silvia to answer the question, as it was her destiny, her choice.
She breathed in deeply and said, “We must have all supplies, carts, horses, and everything else ready in less than a week. That is the most time we can spare.” She shook her head in dismay. “And yes, tell the men and women so that they may spend time with their families these last few days and to say good-bye to them.”
Everyone began to move towards the doors. “One more thing,” Silvia called out. “After this war, we will always have a trained army in reserve for times such as these. We will never be caught this off-guard again.”
A hearty lunch was brought into the library a while later and the Queen and her beloved King ate as she told him of the tomb. Keelan didn’t eat much or talk much either, and soon fell asleep in his reclining chair. Silvia, having seated herself on one of the couches near him, also fell asleep.
When she awoke, Keelan had long since been moved to their bedroom, and Silvia’s neck was sore from the couch. She wasn’t bitter about the servants moving her husband and not her, for he was in a most delicate condition and needed great comfort. Rising from her position, she walked down to the main level of the palace. She felt a yearning for fresh air and the smell of flowers, and so made her way to the large courtyard in the center of the palace.
Here thrived dozens upon dozens of exotic plants and flowers, and the aromas that abounded were invigorating and soothing. Silvia floated among them wistfully, thinking how lucky plants were for never having to go to war. It was some time before her ears were finally drawn to the eerie, yet curious sounds of murmuring coming from beyond the palace. When she heard it she closed her eyes, shivered, and changed her entire body.
Sun-warmed scales as tough as armor covered her body, and her nose and mouth elongated into a snout capable of crunching bones. A whip-like tail lay on the ground behind her and enormous wings unfolded at her sides. The Dragon Queen, as she was now referred to as, flapped her wings and ascended to one
of the towers that faced the city. What she saw took her breath away.
Thousands of men and women of all ages in adulthood crowded the palace, signing up at one of fifty desks to join the Queen’s army. In the distance, Silvia’s dragon eyes perceived many, many more coming their way, clogging the streets of the city. Her heart leapt with joy and hope to see so many already willing to travel to distant lands…and fight or die for their new King and Queen.
Later on that evening Silvia, Sir Grant of Crider, and Prince Dalton of Wexford decided to go for a horseback ride about the city to see how the citizens were holding up. They also wished to see how the early stages of training were going, what with so few experienced Guards and so many willing participants.
The stables were run by Willis, who had been at the palace for years, and young Jonathan, who had been the stable boy at the Queen’s former residence. (Silvia had enlisted Jonathan to help the stable master the day after she had gained her crown.) He immediately saddled her favorite horse, while Willis saddled Taman for the Prince and Windfall for Sir Grant.
“Milady,” said Willis, “it appears we’ll only have one stable hand here shortly.”
“Oh, are you leaving us?” she asked with regret. She had only met the short, portly man a few times but thought he was very friendly, especially when he smiled behind his long red beard.
“No, no. Jonathan here will be joining your ranks tomorrow, though,” he replied. “I’d go myself, but I’m getting on up in my years and my bones get real stiff at times. Also, I love these horses too much to part with them; it would break my heart.”
“You do know that most of the horses will be going to war with us, don’t you?” Prince Dalton pointed out.
The man sighed. A wistful look entered his eyes as he rubbed Windfall’s nose. “I know this, and it pains me.” His words were full of sadness and everyone knew that he meant what he said. “But I will ensure the safety and care of the remaining horses and make everything ready to receive the others when they return. I don’t want to be a coward by not going…I really don’t.” His shoulders slumped.
“I personally think your status is far above that of a coward,” Sir Grant stated from atop his horse. “One can see that you love these beasts dearly, as those who are joining the Queen’s army are doing it out of love for her and for their beautiful country. Do not feel ashamed…feel honorable.”
The small speech seemed to make Willis feel considerably better and they left him in good spirits.
The city hummed quietly, everybody going about their own business amiably. Many people smiled and bowed to Queen Silvia of Lystia and she offered a polite ‘good evening’ in return. There were, however, some who were not yet accustomed to the new Queen and these looked at her with wariness in their eyes.
The lady and her companions chatted about different aspects of the war and the long trip ahead. At last they came upon the outskirts of Lystia and in doing so came upon the first of several large training areas. The chattering amongst them ceased as they watched a Royal Guard by the name of Stefan try to teach several dozen men to block an enemy’s sword with a duck, parry, and a roll. Silvia thought he explained it very simply for all to hear and thought he did well trying to assist them as they practiced in pairs.
The Prince and Sir Grant didn’t seem to share in her optimism. Instead their faces were grim and stayed this way throughout the entire trip around the training fields. As the three finally started towards the palace, Silvia felt she could bear their stoic faces no longer.
“What is with you two?” She was slightly frustrated with the men. “Why do you not make an effort to be a little more open-minded? You act as if the only thing you see around you is death!”
“If only you knew what a real battle was like,” said Dalton, trailing off into silence.
“I agree.” Grant rode up on Silvia’s other side to talk more quietly. “These men and women are not anything remotely resembling an army.”
“I have been in battle, in case you have already forgotten. And that doesn’t mean these people cannot fight worth a flip of a coin!” Silvia defended her people.
“Some may fight well, and with much heart put into it,” said Grant. “But most won’t fight well, my Queen. Think about it for a moment: The majority of these people have never been in any sort of battle. When they see one for the first time, a lot will freeze with fear, panic from the suddenness of it all, and many will forget even the simplest of defense skills because their minds are so overwhelmed. So I do see death when I look at them because I fear what actions they will or will not take when fighting. And as we’ve said before, the skills for what they will need to do are not yet acquired. They are merely farmers with sharp toys.”
She brooded on this in thick silence the rest of the way to her home and found no peace from thoughts of death when she arrived.
Chapter Two: Departure
The next four days were very hectic and stress-filled. Tension hung thick in the air and tempers were short, easily flared. Eagles had been sent out; their destinations were the neutral cities they had talked over. Several Guards were sent on horseback to Bonula and Rovonia to add emphasis to what the letters said. The Guards would arrive well after the birds, but their presence would prove that Silvia meant business when it came to the war.
Nearly a hundred and fifty men and women had been gathered to make weapons and either armor or heavy leather outfits for the troops. In this short period of time an amazing four thousand arrows, three hundred bows and quivers, a thousand daggers, and two hundred swords were made. The hard working individuals making them had dozens of apprentices, but nevertheless worked night and day with hardly a break, some collapsing in exhaustion. They were, however, well compensated for their tremendous efforts.
The difficult training of the army seemed to be vastly improving their simple skills, and many of the ones who were doing well were sent to help with other things. Horses, mules, and oxen were brought in from all over the city and soon overran the pastures by the thousands. Wagons and carts of all sorts were also brought in, with gifts of chickens and pigs by the hundreds given by the Lystians who were staying behind. They all knew the long journey would make food for the army very scarce and wanted to help as much as they could. In the grand kitchen inside the palace all sorts of foods were being prepared: enough bread was baked or brought in to load a dozen wagons; ears of corn, shucked and silked, were loaded into woven baskets beside hordes of apples, potatoes, and many other fruits and vegetables. Already many wagons had been completely hunkered down with food and lined up outside, ready to leave. Dozens of extra wagon wheels covered the ground beneath the wagon as everyone readied for all sorts of everyday troubles which came with extensive travel. These extra wheels were fastened to the underside of the wagons in doubles. Extraordinary amounts of time were put into every detail of the long journey.
Silvia, meanwhile, was having quite a time with Keelan. He insisted upon everyone going with her to protect his Queen, but she was adamant that he not be left alone.
They both knew that Sir Grant and the Prince of Wexford were going, as well as Silvia’s maid servant, Maura. After a lot of debate and several full-scale arguments, it was finally decided who would and would not go: Dessica and Geremy would stay in the palace; the King’s brother, Quentin, was to leave; the Queen’s manservant, Hans, was to stay; Zander, Silvia’s tutor in magic, would be leaving; Frero the gardener was to leave also, on the account that he could help heal people with his knowledge of all types of vegetation; Vera and Cornelius, the King’s parents, would be staying.
And according to Silvia, three of the best healers in the city would take care of her husband in her absence. Plenty of servants would remain to attend his wants and needs, and several Guards were to watch over him in his delicate state.
He was doing a bit better physically, but could not walk without assistance. He was barely able to sit up on his own and could still only eat small amounts of food. His arm remaine
d swollen and extremely tender and his wounds had to be cleaned and checked at least several times daily. He slept a lot, but tried to be interactive with people when he was awake. Sometimes he would turn a part of his body the wrong way and would nearly pass out from the pain. Everyone pitied his condition, though he wanted no sympathy from anyone.
In truth, the part of him that hurt the most was his heart, for his wife would be long in returning. This pained him so deeply that even thinking of it resolved him to tears. And as the departure day edged nearer he bore this sorrow in quietness, not knowing that his Queen felt exactly the same.
A great feast was held the next day, and the entire city ate to its fill. Although there was much singing and dancing Silvia only allowed two mugs of wine for each person, even going so far as to shut down all the pubs in the city after dark. As much as this may have aggravated the business she felt it was for her army’s own good. She wanted no one to be drunk or hung over on their first day of the journey; they would make better speed with everyone sober. Everyone was sent home at nightfall to say good-bye to their families and friends…many for the last time. They would be starting their travels at dawn and ride until after nightfall each day with few breaks. The journey would be hard, dangerous, and back-breaking. The worst part was not knowing what would happen along the way, or what awful deaths they might all face at the end.
Of Gods and Dragons Page 2