To Save a Kingdom

Chapter 20

I watched from the edge of the field at the massive amount of warriors. Even with as many as we had there wouldn't be enough. With all the kingdoms that Theo had conquered he would have thousands of men at his control.

The odds were not in our favor.

"Aren't they wonderful?" Liddy chirped at my side. Her family was overwhelmed with joy to discover that she was alive. They had arrived alongside their troops. It was a sight to see Liddy cling to her mother and father.

"Yes they are." I answered her but I didn't share her enthusiasm. They were wonderful but would they be enough?

I didn't see a good outcome for the approaching battle. It would be a miracle if Theo and his troops didn't slaughter us all then collect our lands as his own.

I was full of dread but I wouldn't tell her that. She needed to believe that we had a chance.

She nudged my arm to get my attention.

"Joseph proposed." She said her excitement evident in her eyes. She was trying to see if I approved. "He hasn't spoken to my parents yet."

"Don't worry." I said. "They wouldn't say no to the man who rescued their daughter." I was happy for them. Ever since Liddy and Joseph had left king Theo's castle they had been inseparable.it was obvious that they had feelings for each other. I knew that her parents wouldn't deny him. Ever since they had learned that Joseph helped save her they had practically worshiped the ground he walked on.

She giggled. "Maybe we could have a double wedding! For Joseph and I and you and Jared all together!" she gushed as she watched Joseph walk across the field. He looked in our direction and gave a wave. Liddy was practically bouncing up and down when she waved back.

I didn't know what to tell her a double wedding wasn't something I wanted. I wasn't even sure if Jared and I would get married. It would be difficult to get married if one or both of us were dead. I was regretting agreeing to marry him. All I had given him was a false hope. Liddy anxiously waited for me to answer her.

"Alright!" I said trying to force some enthusiasm into my voice. She clapped her hands together once. Her mind was obviously instantly racing with how to throw together an elegant double wedding.

"It will be beautiful" she cheered. "Of course you will have to wear a dress." She said looking my attire up and down with a dissatisfied look. My men's clothing were absolutely appalling in her fashion driven mind. "Oh there's just so much to plan!" she said then flounced off holding her skirt up so it didn't get dirty on the hem.

I watched her head back to the castle. She looked like she was skipping. Liddy was happy with her task of planning a beautiful double wedding. I doubted that those plans would ever come true. We were two very different people I decided while watching her skip away.

Two arms snaked around my waist from behind my back. While I regretted the false hope I had given when I agreed to the wedding I would never regret the feeling of his arms around me. I leaned back into his embrace and he rested his chin on my shoulder. I wouldn't tell him about Liddy's plans for the wedding. Not when I was thinking about calling it off. It wasn't that I didn't want to marry Jared. There wasn't anyone else in the world that I would rather be with. I just didn't want our happiness to be ended by a well placed sword, knife, or arrow.

"They look good don't they." he said looking at the troops drawing me out of my thoughts.

"Yes they do." I agreed yet again wondering if we would have enough.

"What's bothering you?" He asked sensing my worry.

"Will we have enough?"

"We have the advantage." He said confidently.

"How so?" I wondered. How could fewer men ever be an advantage?

"Theo doesn't have anything worth fighting for other than his own greed. We have family, friends, land, our way of life. We have the advantage."

I wondered if he was right. Could the things we loved really give us the advantage? Would actually have a chance at survival? But my thoughts were interrupted at the pounding of hooves.

An out of breath messenger had arrived his poor horse looked as if it were about to topple over from exhaustion.

"They're coming!" He gasped trying to suck in air so he could talk. "Theo's are on the way."

Suddenly the wedding was pushed from my mind and I forgot about our odds. We were at war.