War of the Races

Chapter 46- Considerations for War

Four days passed from Hayden, Gunngrul, and Rweble's leading House Faline into rebellion and desertion. It was also four days since Sinaan's disappearance. Aalyn knew he was a competent assassin and scout. She had no fear whatsoever that he could track the army, especially an army this large, and catch up by now if he were still alive.

When last she saw him he was going on a mission to shadow Hayden, Gunngrul, and Rweble. Then, in the predawn hours of the next morning, Hayden had appeared with his private guard and assaulted her, Thurdain, and Illglan with the intention of killing them afterward. Gunngrul and Rweble were still missing. No doubt one or both were still leading the rebel Faline troops. Most devastating of all was that there was no sign of Sinaan. They must have discovered him and he was most certainly dead.

Aalyn wiped tears from her cheeks. It still felt weird to touch the eyepatch where her left eye used to be. Healing was powerful magic indeed. It could repair almost any injury, but it couldn't replace what was missing.

She fought hard to stave off the depression, guilt, and grief she was feeling. So much had been taken from her and her sisters as of late. She would make House Faline pay dearly for Sinaan's death and their injuries, and then she would submit herself to her mother's punishment. She had promised her life for Sinaan's if she didn't bring him home and, indeed, she would pay that debt.

She wiped her tears away and tried to focus on more important matters. There was one more day before they were out of the mountain pass. The fog was following them now like a great gray cloak covering the land in their wake. It matched her mood perfectly.

Once out of the mountains, her army would sweep over Valeheim and the Valelands like a dark cloud. She would kill all those that fought against her and take as slaves everyone and everything. There would be much glory and great booty to claim. So, she wondered, why wasn't she more excited about it?

"Really," She mumbled quietly to herself, "Of what gain is any of this to me?"

It didn't matter now. Thurdain and Illglan were irreparably injured, and Sinaan was most probably dead. House Faline rebelled and deserted. Even if she took all of the Valelands captive, could it really replace what she had lost? Would it really make up for her failure?

Whatever trophies, accolades, or honors she achieved, they just didn't matter anymore. Her sisters were horribly disabled, she was injured, and her brother was dead. She would return home in failure and die for her sins. She would kneel before her mother and perform Skamidaudr. Death by disgrace and shame. Then, her mother would behead her.

Thurdain and Illglan sat a few feet away. The both of them had taken to residing with Aalyn these past few days. They had already paid a very heavy price in service to this campaign, and the real battle hadn't even taken place yet. They signed back and forth now as their only means of communication. They were mutes now, their tongues having been removed by Hayden's guards. They were the two most powerful priestesses in the camp. A fact clearly illustrated by Thurdain's position as the sole leader of nine-hundred and ninety-nine priestesses of Arachne, and Illglan was one of her lieutenants. But now, they were little more than common wenches.

They were still priestesses. That much could not be taken from them. However, without the ability to call on their goddess in holy rites and rituals, or cast spells, it was impossible for them to heal, give blessings, or go into battle. The result was that their authority amongst their peers was all but gone. Aalyn didn't know much about the Temple's politics and hierarchies. They liked to cloak themselves in mystery far too much for her taste. However, she did discern some facts about their hierarchy from Thurdain and Illglan's conversations in the days following their assault by Hayden. Still, she had to take what she heard and orient it with what she already knew of military structure. As far as she could tell the priestesses' camp was organized thusly: