The Touch of Astoroth

Chapter Nine

They set out early the next morning.

Lemric and Fyn wouldn't meet Coyra's eyes. It was clear that Slay knew something had happened, but he didn't mention it, and they rode in relative silence.

After fifteen minutes of walking, Coyra felt she had to say something. She at least had to tell them about her plan for stopping the fighting, and maybe it would be so outrageous that her friends would stop cold shouldering her. She had to admit, if one of them had told her that they were Kermerranian, even now, she probably would have had a similar reaction. That didn't keep it from being painful though.

She hurried, so she was in the midst of the ponies and cleared her throat.

Slay looked at her quizzically, Lem and Fyn stared on ahead, but Coyra knew they were listening.

"I've been thinking," she began, trying to ignore their cold expressions, "Even if we make it out of Izmeel, where do we go? There are countries that aren't part of the war, but there would still be fighting, and right now, we have the thing that they're fighting over. It makes me feel responsible, in a way, and I don't like that." She scowled, "But I can't really think what to do with the charm. If we gave it to the Izmeelans, then it would just make the war more heated, because then Kermerran would have a justifiable cause. I think if we gave it back to Kermerran, nothing would change, because even when they had it, they still fought under false pretenses. I sort of want to just burry it and be done with the demon cursed thing, but then there would be no proof on either side, and the war would go on indefinitely."

"Are you saying we help one side win, just to stop the fighting?" asked Slay, "Because we're just four people, two of whom seem to be harboring some kind of grudge," he glanced pointedly at Fyn and Lemric. "I don't know the power of the charm, but I doubt it could turn the tides in a war. If what you said is true, then the Nakumnay girl had it, and it didn't help that much."

"No!" Coyra rolled her eyes, "we couldn't change the course of the war by fighting it! But we might be able to by telling the truth –''

"Like you did last night?" Fyn asked darkly.

Coyra looked at him, but she couldn't read his expression, "Well yes, sort of. If we could get into a Kermerranian camp, without being spotted, maybe we could convince the soldiers that my story is true, and that Izmeel never stole the luck charm."

Slay cocked his head as though it was a possibility, but Fyn snorted derisively, "Why would they listen to you?"

"Well –'' Coyra began but Slay answered for her.

"The luck charm. If Coyra's trying to convince people something, she'll be extra charismatic if she's wearing it."

It crossed Coyra's mind that if she was lucky every moment that she wore the charm, she was very glad she didn't have to confess her heritage to Fyn and Lem without it. She wondered what their reactions would have been then.

"That means I'll have to do it on my own," Coyra told them, "but that's fine."

When neither Lemric nor Fyn answered, Slay nodded conclusively, "It's a plan."

They didn't reach the war camp until nightfall. It was huge. Far larger than the one to the north, closer to the AA. A huge sprawling, mass of tents, turrets, and guard towers. The Kermerranian flag fluttered from several places, depicting a slivery white snow leopard on a deep purple background. Coyra couldn't remember the last time she had looked on that flag without a twinge of loathing. The whole camp was lit up by many bonfires, and many of the tents glowed from within showing that they were inhabited.

The plan was simple. Coyra would sneak inside, find a small group of soldiers, preferably no more than five, and tell them her story; she hoped she would not have to use the "related to Kermerranian nobles" identity, but it was a solid backup. Once she had convinced the soldiers, which, Slay assured her, she would have no trouble with, she would tell them to tell everyone they knew. Slay said she should tell them that she told them her story only for the sake of everyone knowing the truth, and that she shouldn't mention stopping fighting; hopefully, the soldiers would come to that conclusion on their own. He also said that she shouldn't mention that she had been murdering Sarahfim Nakumnay when she found the luck charm.