He found Ramsey in the midst of conversation with a group of men keeping warm by a fire. A few soldiers still slept in nearby tents, but many were waking with the change of the guard, unable to find restful sleep. Ramsey handed Eucádus a cup of hot cider and a beef biscuit, inviting him to join the discussion. The two of them would be leading one of the armies south with Captain Silas.
“Some of the men were wondering where we might expect to encounter Drogin’s troops,” Ramsey said. He warmed his hands over the flames as wisps of fog evaporated in the gush of heat.
“And will King Justin get here in time to aid us?” a voice asked among the crowd.
Eucádus heard the apprehension in that voice which matched the uncertainty reflected in many of the soldiers’ faces. He wished he had the right words to bolster their spirits and calm any lingering fears, but commanding an army was a new experience for him. Though he and others in the Clearings had prepared for this moment for years, now that it was upon him, he wondered if he could live up to others’ expectations.
“I will not pretend that I know fully what to expect in combat, nor can I foresee the time of King Justin’s arrival,” he said in a calm, steady voice. “But after meeting and talking with so many of you these last few days, I’m confident that we can face and defeat any challenge Drogin sends our way. We fight for freedom, both for your people in Rhiál and for my countrymen in the Northern Mountains. And because we know this cause is just, and because we know this fight was brought to us by tyrants, we shall seize unwavering strength from that knowledge to use in battle against even the most determined foe.” Eucádus scanned the brave faces gathered around him. “I believe such strength is inside each and every one of you gathered on this field, and it will allow our forces to hold their ground when the time comes. And mark my words–when the enemy senses your resolve, they will realize only too late that we fight from a position of power and with a sense of honor that they will never experience nor understand. So in the end, they will never defeat us. It will be you who shall stand atop the hill of victory when the day is finally done, and all of Laparia will know of your triumph.”
In the still of a gray morning shrouded in mist, the small group of men gathered around the crackling fire spoke not a word after Eucádus had finished, as if the faint echo of his words still lingering in their minds was too precious to dispel with a boisterous cheer or some clumsy remarks. Several men gathered around the other bonfires nearby also looked on, having heard his stirring address. By their appreciative expressions, Eucádus guessed he had found the right words to provide them at least a bit of hope and courage to face the long march ahead. He gently slapped Ramsey on the shoulder as he walked past, disappearing through the fog to seek out a moment of solitude as the men whispered among themselves.
Eucádus stopped at several other fires over the next hour to speak with more soldiers as the sun climbed above the lake behind a veil of iron gray clouds. But as the early morning wore on and the landscape grew lighter, the fog began to burn off, revealing the faded greens and browns of a dying autumn landscape. All across the south and west fields near King Basil’s estate, the gathered troops were acutely aware that the march to the great battle was about to begin. On a strengthening breeze, tiny patches of blue peeked out from the cloud masses above. The billowing fog upon Lake LaShear and blanketing the adjacent lands began to disperse like a frosty breath in wintertime air.
When most first heard the chorus of voices rippling across the field, they assumed that the gathered companies were eager to begin their marches north and south as this had been a moment long waited for. But when a forest of tall ship masts was suddenly revealed upon the lake in the fading mist, each one boldly flying the flag of Maranac, a temporary, leaden hush gripped the gathered armies. And to the south upon a distant ridge and across the grassy field before it, a horde of stony faces awaited silent and still, thousands upon thousands of the enemy clearly revealed as the last wisps of fog were swept away by the awakening breeze or melted in the morning light. It was as if King Drogin’s vast army had sprung up from the ground during the night like a field of mushrooms after a pounding rain. Upon cooling lake waters and across the hardened land, the opposition had arrived at King Basil’s doorstep. The enemy was prepared to end this bitter conflict and reabsorb the kingdom of Rhiál, whether by force or by surrender, into its turbulent dominion beyond the distant shore.
END OF PART FOUR
NICHOLAS RAVEN
AND THE
WIZARDS’ WEB
is continued in
VOLUME 2
~ CHAPTERS 40 - 85 ~
and is concluded in
VOLUME 3
~ CHAPTERS 86 - 120 ~
~ Books by Thomas J. Prestopnik ~
Nicholas Raven and the Wizards’ Web
an epic fantasy in three volumes
A Christmas Castle
a novella
The Endora Trilogy
a fantasy-adventure series for pre-teens & adults
The Timedoor - Book I
The Sword and the Crown - Book II
The Saving Light - Book III
Gabriel’s Journey
an adventure novel for pre-teens & adults
Visit Thomas J. Prestopnik’s official website
www.TomPresto.com
Nicholas Raven and the Wizards' Web - Volume 1 Page 65