Blue

A meeting

The next morning, everyone was clearly exhausted from lack of sleep. Tallulah felt more drained than usual and her shoulder hurt immensely. She had to brush it off. Mykel could tell she was in pain, but she wasn't admitting it aloud.

They rode hard, stopping only once to water the horses. Her legs hurt, her whole body hurt and she'd be thankful when they could get some proper rest again.

"This is the first time I've been to the front. I've been close to it before, but never actually there. When I came south before I had been stopping in neighboring cities following leads," Atlas said from beside her. She jerked in surprise, too caught up in her own thoughts to notice he had brought Ronan up to speed with her horse.

They slowed a little, as she responded, "up until we had met for the first time I had never been out of Idris,"

"I couldn't imagine not knowing what the entire world had to offer," he said.

"It would only breed ignorance, as it has for my family and that city," she replied.

"Did you visit your family? I noticed there were times you weren't in the keep," she stiffened. Did he know something? Or was it simply a question?

Her heart began to race as she weighed her options. She decided it was better not to lie.

"I did, and they reminded why I had left," she said in a clipped tone. She wanted to rub her shoulder, which was continuing to bother her.

"Ah," he replied, backing off. She felt bad for being like that, but she remained with her stance before that if she revealed too much about herself someone would be hurt, whether it was her or Atlas. She would prefer herself over him. He could live without her because he didn't know who she was to him.

She should have asked her mother about Talon-the real Talon. She hoped he was faring well and also wondered where his station was.

The rhythmic pounding of her horse's hooves was lulling and made it easy to forget how tired her legs were. During the ride, the scenery was never changing but still beautiful and she relished in it. All to soon, midday arrived. The encampment was in sight and it spanned an entire city if not two or three from sheer size alone. How had they not made any progress? She wondered. What limitations were present here?

The tents, as they entered, were smushed together, offering no privacy and she worried. But she didn't have time to worry too much for they were met by a currier. Already the stares were present as they were led to the Officer tent. Atlas held a grimm expression and Latimer was biting his lip anxiously. Everyone else seemed indifferent about the situation, but she knew better.

Men lined the pathways as they rode towards the giant red tent in the center of the soldier city.

She hated being a spectacle and avoided eye contact with anyone. They arrived at the generals tent, it was grand in comparison to the white tents surrounding it with red cloth and gold embroidery lining the entrance flaps.

Such luxury at the end of the world she remarked to herself. All weapons were placed on a table at the entrance. This she thought was weird, but didn't question it. These were men that had been so far out of reach from the monarchy that they'd created their own system.

When they entered, five men sat in a semi circle in front of them. They were all older, all dragon kin too. She couldn't say an exact age because dragons lived an extended life in comparison to humans. She would have an extended life. That thought dawned on her. How would she hide who she was then? She couldn't think about it now, she was only twenty years old.

None of them got up or acknowledged their entry. She narrowed her eyes at them. They were in the presence of their prince.

"My kin," Atlas was the first to speak in the tense atmosphere.

"We aren't your anything, boy," the man who sat center spoke. Tallulah felt Latimer flinch next to her. Was this his father? She could see the resemblance for certain. They had the same facial structure, though Latimer must have his mother's eyes because Lord Faustus had bright green and Latimer had brown.

"Lord, General, Faustus. I come with the intent to offer my aid and perhaps change the tide of this tireless war," Atlas was all diplomacy today.

"The last time a royal offered their help he died, along with many of his people. Your words mean nothing," another general piped up, and it went like this for the rest of the day.

Food was brought to them, but hardly anyone ate with the conversation that was going on.

By the time night had fallen her head hurt from the continuous talking in circles. Her head already ached, but it was probably the exhaustion before the speaking in neverending circles.

Latimer looked unnerved.

"Talon, from listening in passing I know you're not on the best terms with your family, but I need help to make my father see reason in what Atlas, the prince, is asking,"

"From my experience, if he has such a hard set belief, there will be no helping him. I'm sure Atlas will have a backup plan for aid in this war," she replied.

"I worry there's much more at play here than their reluctance to take Atlas' advice," she worried the same.

"Hopefully that isn't the case," she tried to be positive but her doubt seeped through her words.

They all headed to the tent they'd been given. There were no separate tents for them each and she worried about it, but it is what it is. She was the first to sleep, removing only her boots and outer coat. She couldn't remove her bindings, not here. Her chest would hurt tomorrow. At least when they were in Idris she was able to unwrap and wind down. But on the road and here, unless she snuck away and that would be impossible, she had to live through that annoyance.

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