The Hidden Lands

Chapter 9- Game Plan

Jayde

I woke up three days ago with a gaping head wound and an even worse headache. A few of the party guests had burned but Wilbur and Mom were fine. I was relieved that my hasty actions hadn't caused more damage than the bombs did. The rest of the time since the bombing had been filled with talk of war.

The Gravelinian Queen Saharai sent a runner declaring war, "Due to unfair, one-sided trade," It was a shock because Trade with Gravlin was always minor, we'd buy metal supplies from them sure but they never requested more than grain and produce according to the king. It wasn't like we were keeping resources from them; it was just what they requested.

This afternoon I was sitting in my room, reading over the 'Hidden lands trade agreements." "The Ulecide War Treatise," along with every other war treaty Faellen had ever made. I was trying to find a way to get the other lands to ally with us. So far it seemed like all five places had agreed unanimously that outside of alliances through marriage none of our neighboring counties had any agreements to side with us.

I heard a knock from my door and went to open it. Father was standing outside with his fist clenched around a penny.

"How can I help you?" I invited him in. He glanced at the piles of parchment books on my table and smiled.

"I take it you already understand our issues with Gravlin?" He asked me

With a nod I said "I understand about the war though their motives seem suspicious to me." I said because surely there had been better opportunities to settle this dispute, when Faellen was recovering from a war with Bronz or before the last Gravlin revolution when it had been stronger.

"Well, I don't pretend to understand Queen Saharai's motives but we can still make preparations. "You probably know what this is?" He said, setting the copper coin on top of the pile of documents.

"Is that a penny?" I asked, it obviously was.

"Yes, this is a penny" He began as if starting a speech "And I'll assume you know about interdimensional travel to Middle earth? Since you grew up there that is." I nodded and he continued "I have sent letters to Deltora and Bronz. Deltora will help in the war because of your mothers return but Bronz wants to remain neutral for a change." This surprised me, Bronz never sat out a war according to my books, they practically trained soldiers that still wore diapers. Dad continued explaining his plan. "However, I sent a second to a retired Euathale soldier that I met when he was young. Deltora is also sending a Terran for this plan, one of your mother's friends' children. I didn't expect it but Bronz in sending the Empress's daughter Lyla, they will all meet you at this address," he slid a scrap of paper next to the coin "and it will be your job to lead them as the only Euathale other than Kollin, your mother and myself, and therefore the only other person that can visit Middle earth, in this family. They should be getting there by tomorrow with only basic knowledge of their mission."

He continued to brief me on the plan. He and Kollin needed to stay in Faellen to lead the war effort and mom was still too weak so I would help these other Euathales train and together we would help the Faellen cause more than three battalions if all went well. Kai was a Terran from Deltora, Lyla was a Median from Bronz and Archer was a Primordial from Bronz, though apparently, they only had meager control of their abilities so I would be training them almost from scratch. They also need to learn to wield a weapon for close combat, though Archer would most likely already have that skill. I was told to take them to my home in Middle Earth to train. I would have to acquire horses for them too.

I would need to bring four draughts to get back because he was uncertain if the others had brought any with them.

I went down to dinner soon after, not entirely sure what to do, but the meal seemed like my new definition of normal. Nobody mentioned my impending disappearance, so I doubted the king had told them. I sat in the parlor and waited for the grandfather clock to reach a decent time; it was 5 minutes to nine now. I wished Mom, the king, and Wilbur a goodnight, giving them each a hug. Even if I didn't know my father well, I wasn't sure if I'd ever be coming back.

I scrambled back to my room and locked the door. I pulled out a leather sack I'd brought with me and packed it with several sets of clothing. I grabbed a few days' worth of food and, after strapping on my boots, threw the copper coin to the floor. It was beautiful as it swirled out into a copper portal. I closed my eyes and stepped through falling straight down.

The Hidden Lands shimmered as I flew past them, and then I was plummeting through layers of clouds and fog, the air tasted different here. I saw the ground fast approaching now, I had slowed but out of instinct I shifted. I let the tremors run wild, the familiar stinging filling my limbs. I felt myself warm with animal blood, and I shifted from human to wild cat. I stretched out my body, falling like a kite. Three feet from the ground I stopped, suspended in midair, I positioned my legs under me, not wanting to belly flop when it wasn't needed. I took an experimental step and incredibly walked down onto the earth.

Middle earth was loud with war in this city but it was familiar. I started forwards before remembering that humans here were unaware of Euathale powers. I shimmered back into myself and continued.

It only took a few moments to find a sign, I'd landed in a city in Colorado apparently.

It only took a few hours to reach the countryside. Glancing around me I started to change. I let the stinging tremor start and before I knew it, I'd landed as a cheetah, my abilities seemed to pick up on what I needed so I didn't have to think much about it. I stepped off the road and broke into a run.

I wasn't sure why I was a cat and not something else, no one had any idea why nymphs took a specific form, but I loved it and was grateful I wasn't a rodent. Being an animal was often my favorite thing in the world. I was so much stronger and faster in feline form, I could go for days without food and didn't get cold at night, it was simply more convenient to be a feline sometimes.

I saw the house after only a few minutes of running. I shimmered back to my human form as I walked, not even breaking my stride, I had to admit I was proud of that entrance, even if no one had seen it.

I wasn't the first one there, I soon found out. I threw open the house's door and startled someone awake. He'd been lying on the couch, snoring loudly, but now he was on his feet with a knife in his hand.

I smiled even though I wanted to shift before he could attack, after all I was expecting someone exactly like him. He had the same white hair and blue eyes that all storm Primordials did so it wasn't like he was some middle earth serial killer, my father had warned me about those.

"Can you use that knife?" I asked my eyes on his weapon ready to shift if needed.

"Of course, so you'd better get out." He said his eyes were searching me, looking for a weapon I didn't have or need. I was about to ask what I looked like to him; a savage that'd come to rob him blind? But then I realized he had a point; my hair was knotted and wild and I didn't doubt that my eyes were narrowed and catlike still.

"Sorry, let me introduce myself. Jayde of Faellen daughter of King Rowan and Queen Beatrix." I could've just said princess, but that obviously didn't fit me now and I wasn't the heir so I left it off. The man eyed me suspiciously and unbelieving.

"You? The Princess of Faellen? Ha!" He laughed, "Let me guess, you are going to teach me how to fight?" He choked with a laugh. I was past annoyed now, this stranger had nerve, ugh!

A painful tremor I knew well shook my body, angrier than before. I could feel my eyes turning into catlike slits, I snarled and launched myself at him, shifting in midair. I pinned him to the ground, making sure to trap his knife arm. I didn't hurt him though, even when he struggled, clawing at my thick skin and fur. Eventually he stopped, when he realized, I wasn't going to kill him now, though I wanted to. He didn't relax, how could he while pinned under a 200-hundred-pound lioness? Eventually, satisfied by the scare I'd given him, I backed up, straightening as I shifted. I stood a few feet away now, even my pupils reverted to human. It took a moment but he gathered his composure and stood.

"Now what were you saying? Something about me being an inadequate teacher for a soldier of your skill level?" I teased. He brushed himself off and sheathed his knife.

"Whatever," he said, stepping towards the couch and muttering under his breath, something about being murdered in his sleep by a feral tiger. I ignored him, turning out the door and heading to the stables.

I saw them right away, three new beautiful horses, all large and muscular, bred for war like Myth was. There was a mare and two stallions. Myth stood in his normal stall, pressing his soft muzzle to the bars for attention.