By now they were only a few miles outside of Rakleld. A small village north of Eykanua, perfect to regroup and prepare for the charge. It was Kaori’s hope that Therek was already there with his unit, waiting for her to arrive with the others. She’d chosen to depart Avesian two days after Therek set off to attack the Imperial base, leaving enough distance to divert their course if reason arose, while keeping relatively close once Therek’s men returned to the road. If her calculations were correct, Therek would have arrived in Rakleld the previous morning and would already be determining the best angle of attack on Eykanua. The uncertainty, however, was enough to drive her mad. She wanted to know he was safe. Her heart wouldn’t rest until she saw him in the village, unharmed.
Left to her own thoughts for too long, she began to think about everything that happened since she escaped the Imperial Prison. So much had changed over the past few months. She didn’t feel like the same lost, naïve girl she’d been when news of her parents’ arrest first reached her ears. Time had a way of changing a person. Even her relationship with those around her had drastically shifted from the innocent friendship they shared in the beginning. Davian. Therek. Liurn. Stealing a glance over her shoulder she could see Liurn not far behind, eyes locked straight ahead to avoid looking at Kaori directly. Things had been different between them since their talk on the ship from Namorea. She found herself wondering if Therek’s change in behavior toward her had been because of him. Liurn mentioned speaking with Therek. Had Liurn told Therek what was discussed between them? It didn’t seem like Therek would have been so willing to have her if he knew she exposed his secret about Lady Orith.
Curiosity was getting the better of her. She wanted to know what Liurn said to Therek but she knew it was insensitive to bring the subject up at a time like this. His heart had been broken enough already. There was no reason to rub his face in it again. Unless she was able to convince him to mention it. She wouldn’t have to feel guilty about asking questions if Liurn spoke of it first.
Hanging back, she let her friend cover the remaining ground until he was nearly at her side. She gave him the most charming smile she could manage, hoping to get his attention from whatever thoughts had kept his lips so tightly shut since leaving Avesian. “I hope you are well, Captain. It will not be long now before we reach Rakleld.”
Distracted, Liurn lifted his eyes from the ground in front of him, shifting his gaze to stare at Kaori as if only just realizing she addressed him. “I am as well as one can be, given the circumstances. You seem in high spirits for a woman only a few hours from war.”
“I have my reasons for being cheerful,” she teased with a hint of the truth, not wanting to be obvious in her implications. Her intent was to draw Liurn’s curiosity toward her previous dilemma with Therek, not announce that she had allowed Therek into her bed. “War may be frightening, but the outcome will make history. Win or lose, our people will speak our names long after our souls have left this world.”
“They will speak more fondly of our names if we win,” Liurn quipped. “I wish I could share your enthusiasm. Not to shun your optimism, but there is not so much fortune in my future if we win as there is in yours.”
“There is plenty of fortune in your future if we win. I intend to make your position as Captain a permanent assignment, if you will accept it. Such a position brings more wealth and comfort than you possessed as Count of Tialore.”
“Wealth, perhaps. I am less sure about comfort. Military life is not easy. It will require much dedication and hard work that would not have been required of me as a mere courtier.”
“Then I will restore your title as Count and find another to take your place as Captain.”
“Let us not be so hasty,” Liurn chuckled under his breath. His shoulders lifted slightly, the invisible weight upon them seeming to ease. “You will need a captain and I do not trust anyone else to perform the duties to the extent that I intend. Although I am not thrilled at the idea of serving under Therek for the rest of my life, it is the one thing I can do to offer you my continued support and friendship.”
Kaori’s smile brightened to hear Liurn’s concession. For a moment she feared he would separate himself from her entirely after the war. While she didn’t desire him as a husband, she would always cherish his friendship. The last thing she wanted was to lose his company. “You have done so much already. A woman could not ask for a better friend.”
“I have not done as much as you think.” The pleasant expression on Liurn’s face slowly faded into a look of shame, shaking his head, disappointed by something Kaori couldn’t begin to guess. His mind was a mystery. After his profession of love in Namorea, she quickly became aware of the fact that she didn’t know her friends as well as she once thought.
“You have done plenty. There is no reason to look so solemn.”
“But there is,” he argued, exhaling a long, thoughtful breath. “Kaori, I have broken the promise I made to you on our way from Namorea.”
Brow raised, Kaori peered at Liurn, curious and concerned, unsure which promise he referred to. She had no recollection of a direct promise being made during their conversation on the ship’s deck. Whatever he had done – or not done – couldn’t be as bad as he made it appear. “Much has been said between us throughout this journey. I do not hold anything against you, nor did I expect you to do anything beyond offering your support in this fight, which you have given fully.”
“My support in this, you will always have. The war we fight is not only about us. It is for our people. The wrong I have done is in regards to a more personal matter which I thought would be easier for me to accept. As it turns out, I was not strong enough to be the man I thought I could be.”
“I do not understand…”
“I could not bring myself to urge Therek into accepting you.”
Their pace slowed, eyes locked on one another, a silent, desperate plea for forgiveness visible in Liurn’s gaze. Kaori’s heart went out to him for the pain it must have caused to admit his weakness. She couldn’t blame him for having the difficulty he did. If Therek had asked her blessing to be with another woman, she knew without doubt she wouldn’t have the strength or the will to do it. “You do not have to apologize, Liurn. I would be a heartless wretch if I held your feelings against you. Never did I expect you to argue in my defense to Therek.”
“I tried,” Liurn’s frown deepened as he continued his confession. “I had a chance to tell him everything. To give him a piece of my mind for hurting you. Instead, I could do nothing but lie and claim I no longer held an interest in you.”
“Oh,” Kaori blinked, not expecting to hear that Liurn had spoken with Therek at all. His initial statement led her to believe he avoided the conversation altogether. “I did not realize the two of you had a chance to speak.”
“Briefly,” he nodded. “I found him before the command meeting, with every intent of making him see what a fool he was in turning you away. I just… I cannot in good conscience set him upon you, Kaori. You say he is not the scoundrel everyone claims, but I have no proof with which to ease my heart at the thought of him laying a hand on you. He is… manipulative. The gods only know what he would do to an innocent woman like yourself. You are like an angel, Kaori. Willful and defiant, but an angel nonetheless.”
Warmth rose to her cheeks, embarrassed. It was a strange compliment. She wasn’t sure if she should be offended or humbled to hear Liurn speak so highly of her. For all the pain she caused him, he still placed her on a pedestal above every other woman on Myatheira. Whatever she’d done to steal his heart, she wished she could go back and stop it from happening and spare him the misery. But she couldn’t. The past was done and all they could do was try to move on. “Do not worry yourself on it,” she said quietly, her hand coming to rest on Liurn’s shoulder in hopes of easing the guilt he so clearly felt. “If it is the will of the gods for Therek and I to be together, they will find a way to make it so. There is no need to torture yourself this way.”
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br /> Forgetting the watchful eyes of the men and women around her, Kaori leaned in to lightly kiss Liurn on the cheek. Short and innocent. In her mind it was obvious the gesture was meant as a symbol of friendship, not thinking how it could be misconstrued until after her lips had already withdrawn from their mark upon Liurn’s skin. Immediately she regretted the decision, looking around to find that she had carelessly drawn the attention of everyone within range to observe the display. At the time it seemed the right thing to do given his low spirits. Now she wasn’t so sure.
Liurn gave a grateful smile, oblivious to the attention they drew to themselves. “If he hurts you, I reserve the right to point out that I told you so.”
“I will gladly admit I am wrong if your warnings come to fruition.” Hesitant to remain so close, Kaori allowed her steps to gradually shift away from Liurn, increasing the distance between them to avoid further speculation from the soldiers. She couldn’t wait to be in Rakleld so the others would have something to focus on other than her personal life. Maybe Therek was right; she pondered, thinking over his cautionary advice before leaving her in Avesian. As Queen, everything she did would be under constant scrutiny. If she wanted to keep their respect, she would have to exercise discretion in all matters of life.
Anxious to separate from Liurn’s company, she hastened her pace to find her way to Ramis’s side, hoping her friend wouldn’t take offense at her abrupt dismissal. They were nearing the village. It would be easy enough to blame it on her responsibilities as Queen. She would need to be informed of any plans Ramis and Captain Ugaro might have upon their arrival. Before nightfall they would march on Eykanua and there was still much to be done before they could consider themselves ready.
Up ahead in the distance the outline of cottages and shops began to come into view. Horses and carriages could be seen throughout the streets, the village of Rakleld boasting a largely human population. Most of the citizens there had chosen to remain neutral in the battle, as could be expected. Sulel posed no immediate threat to them, nor did they care one way or another if the Vor’shai were granted their freedom. As long as they didn’t interfere with Kaori’s passage to Eykanua, she was content to leave them to their farms and cattle.
In a field to the east Kaori caught sight of what looked to be several small tents erected a distance from the main streets of the village, her heart leaping excitedly to see a group of men standing in front of the makeshift camp, proudly wearing the familiar fabric of the Vor’shai military doublets. Therek… She had to see him. Even if they couldn’t speak, it would quell the fear in her heart to know he was with these men and not lying dead in the remains of some Imperial base to the north. But she had to be careful. Showing too much enthusiasm at his presence would spark further whispers among the soldiers than she already caused in her behavior with Liurn.
“Your Majesty.”
Her heart leapt in pleasant surprise to hear Therek’s voice, turning her head to find his lithe figure moving toward her from one of the tents. Satisfied that her approach wouldn’t look suspicious she lengthened her stride to meet him, the muscles in her lips twitching uncomfortably as she tried to force herself not to smile at the sight of him. “I am pleased to see you arrived safely,” she nodded, waving her hand toward Ramis to beckon him forward. It was best there be someone else in their company at all times to deter unwanted gossip.
“I am pleased to see you are not injured as well,” he bowed his head, his struggle to maintain a professional tone obvious to Kaori, though less noticeable to anyone unaware of his reasons for appearing so relieved in seeing her. “We encountered more guards along the road than anticipated. Upon our arrival to Rakleld, I sent a scout ahead to Eykanua to verify if word has reached the city of our approach. My concerns regrettably were confirmed. Deliao has already stationed men along the border and increased watch over the palace gates.”
“We expected this to be the case…”
“That is not the worst,” Therek continued, the strain in his eyes becoming more noticeable than it had been at first. The uncertainty Kaori saw there left an empty pit in her stomach, nerves tingling in fear of what he learned throughout his journey.
“There is something worse?”
Nodding his head, Therek kept his attention focused on Kaori, paying little mind to Ramis’s arrival, inhaling a deep breath before responding. “We intercepted a courier from Deliao to the base in Estsia calling for them to abandon their post and return to Eykanua in anticipation of our impending attack. If similar couriers have been sent to the other bases throughout Carpaen, we will have to move quickly. His reinforcements will begin to arrive at any time.”
Before Kaori could say anything, Ramis stepped forward, a look of determination upon his stern features. Back straight, he motioned toward the village, showing no sign of concern at the news Therek presented. “From here, we can have our units in place within the hour. Those who will approach from the south should make their way around the city borders carefully to avoid notice and move quickly.”
“We cannot risk it,” Kaori turned to Ramis, afraid that she would anger him with her argument yet she couldn’t allow their original plan to continue given the change in events. It would be foolish to let an entire unit attempt to bypass the city when Deliao was already prepared for their arrival. He was an intelligent man. They could expect him to have traps set for them along the way.
At the authority in Kaori’s tone, Ramis stared at her, his eyes shifting between Kaori and Therek as if in wait of some explanation. “You no longer wish to surround the city? If we do not, we give up the advantage…”
“Deliao is the one with the advantage now, not us,” she jutted her chin out in defiance. If she was going to make a decision of this magnitude, she needed to do it with the confidence of a queen. “If the Imperial Army is already taking defensive measures, they will have scouts along the road. To send a single unit that far, without reinforcement, is a death sentence. A single ambush from a trained group of Imperial guards would kill our men and leave us short an entire unit and still without the southern border covered. I much prefer to keep our numbers strong.”
“She has a point, Ambassador,” Therek agreed, apologetic as he moved closer to Kaori’s side. “We may be able to chance spreading our men outward toward the east and west, but we must exercise caution. I expected Deliao to hear of our plans. Never did I think he would take them seriously.”
Kaori watched Ramis, breath held, anxious to hear what he would say. Eventually, his hardened gaze softened, chuckling quietly to himself. “I am a diplomat, not a solider. If you both feel this modification to the plan is the best course of action, it is your army. I am nothing more than an extra sword.”
“We will begin preparations, then,” Therek took a step back, looking out over the men and women who accompanied Kaori on her journey. Searching the faces, he seemed to spot who he was looking for, raising his arm to direct their attention toward him. “Commander Irvela!” he shouted. At the sound of his voice the entire population of the army turned their eyes on Therek and Kaori, curious as to what was going on. Calynne appeared from the crowd in response to the call, hurrying over to where her commanding officer stood.
“Yes, General?”
“Find Commander Henrald and ready your units. I want you to take the western road toward Eykanua and Henrald the east. Do not venture too far south. We will approach from a northward angle to avoid possible ambushes along the way. Do you understand your directions?”
“I do, Sir.”
“Good,” Therek drew his shoulders back in a display of authority. “Gather your soldiers and head out. We will march on Eykanua within the hour.”
Sword clutched tightly in her hand, Kaori moved alongside Davian and Liurn, eyes locked on Therek where he walked in the lead with Captain Ugaro. Everything finally came down to this moment. War was upon them. Frightening and surreal. The border of Eykanua was within view and still she couldn’t quite believe it was actually hap
pening. Questions ran rampant in her mind, heart racing with uncertainty. Was she ready? A few skirmishes with the soldiers in the past hardly seemed enough to prepare her for war. Had Therek taught her well enough to stand up to these men? She had little experience in fighting more than one opponent at a time. Numbers were against her in the fact that she wouldn’t be granted the luxury of focusing on a single target. Deliao’s men would come from every angle. Then you better be good, she thought nervously. If you are not skilled enough to defend yourself, you will not live long enough to experience the disappointment.
Everyone was quiet. Not a word had been spoken among their troops since they set off from Rakleld, lost in their own thoughts of what they were marching into. For many of them, it would be the last thing they did. Kaori was under no delusion that they would all survive the day. The Vor’shai army was far from trained for something of this scale. But they fought for something bigger than anything they could have dreamed. Freedom. The right to worship their gods and observe the rites passed down through their people over generations. To not be forced to live as if they were the same as the humans in fear of being tortured and executed. Their persecution ended today, one way or another.
One foot in front of the other. She had to keep walking no matter how much fear made her want to turn and run. It wasn’t in her nature to shy away from a challenge. From the day she was born she had been tenacious. Unwilling to bend. This would be no different. Although she tried to convince herself that her reasons for fighting weren’t guided by revenge, she knew in her heart this battle was personal. The man responsible for the deaths of her family was somewhere inside the palace. Sulel may not have held the blade which took their lives, but it was his order which led to their demise. And Deliao… He was equally to blame for the misery of her people. He took pleasure in watching them suffer. Enjoying the screams and blood as it poured from his victims to seep into the ground at his feet. He was a monster. One that would die by her hand if she was given a chance to cross his blade.
The Myatheira Chronicles: Volume Four: In the Beginning Page 82