The Savage

Part 3: Chapter Twenty: Battle of Beal

Dawn crested the ridge with its pink fingers spreading across the eastern sky. Brenn's destrier danced impatiently from side to side as she surveyed the valley below. War paint smeared across her face and her hair braided back away from her face. It was quiet. The Olc army had yet to wake, their night fires still glowing in the twilight. Beyond that, at the water's edge the town was dark and still as well.

Bringing the sky glass to her eye she could see Ronan just beyond the tree line on the opposite ridge, waiting.

"Do the twins know what they what they're doing?" Fia asked with doubt in her voice.

"If Ronan says they do, then they do." Brenn replied firmly.

"Every minute lost can tip the odds, your Majesty."

"We wait." Brenn snapped.

She watched the shallow rise and fall of her sister's chest as she slept. Another hour and she'd have to wake her, but for now she let Sinead sleep. Sinead swore she was fine, that she wasn't influencing the Olc but the toll that the magic had taken on her was obvious. She was thinner, more drawn and her attention often wandered. After being inside the Olc, Meave would find her sitting in a trance staring at the wall or floor. No matter how she blustered, Sinead wouldn't be deterred from her mission, whatever it was.

Sighing, Meave turned back to the night sky. She couldn't sleep, not on a night like this. Fire would soon consume this home of hers. The plan made her nervous. Everything would light quickly leaving little space for error. She would light the houses from east to west allowing her to escape the burning city through the tunnel below her house where Sinead would be waiting. Time was tricky, but her plan was simple. Burn food stores. She shuddered. Beal would burn down, of that there was no doubt.

The fire magic was still difficult for her. It drained so much of her energy, threatening her ability to run. Would she expelled too much energy for the spell to escape the rampet fires?

The first birds began to chirp and from somewhere in town a rooster crowed. It was time.

"Shiny." Meave whispered shaking her shoulder.

Sinead squinted up at her sister, "Now?"

"Now." Meave replied with a nod.

Sitting up, Sinead tossed the thin quilt aside and swung her legs of the edge of the bed. "I'm coming to help." She announced.

Meave frowned, she didn't need to worry about her sister being able to keep up, "You are not."

"I am." Sinead insisted. "You can't do it by yourself."

"I can and I will."

Sinead stood, "I said I'm coming."

"And I said you're not." Meave shouted shoving her sister back down. "You're not strong enough. Maybe if you hadn't been influencing the Olc you could."

"I haven't-."

"Stop it." Meave interrupted angrily, "Just stop lying. You have."

Sinead's mouth pinched into a grimace but she offered no excuse and sat silent.

Meave sighed, "Just meet me in the tunnel, alright?"

Sinead nodded, "Be careful."

Meave gave her sister a rueful smile, pulling her cap over her head, "Always am."

Nimble and smooth, Meave shimmied down the balcony to the street. Even though curfew was still in effect the Olc watchmen were lax at this hour. Instead of patrolling the streets he was probably in the corner of an ally somewhere sleeping. Meave stayed to the side, darting from shadow to shadow, past the houses and shops dark and devoid of light or movement. Light and agile she leapt from an abandon cart up onto a fence blocking an ally way. Perching like a cat on top, Meave paused to listen. She was close to the Olc barracks, closer than she preferred to get, even in the dark. Meave strained for any sound, any insignificant pang of metal or crunch of a step. Nothing. The city still slept.