Rising Moon

~Chapter Fifteen~

Hector woke from his sleep with a groan. The sun wasn't even up outside the window of his chambers, and it didn't look like it would be for a while. Luna, Lady, and Thanatos slept soundly on top of him. Somehow, they always ended up there.

Today was the day when General Ulysses would return to his position and take over the Loyalist fortress once again. It would also be the day when Hector was supposed to return to his normal training schedule with the refugees. He had been easing them and the new arrivals back into the order of things for the past three days, but now the regular training was going to commence once more. They needed to be more prepared next time they fought against the Insurrectionist. The casualties on the Loyalist side of the recent battle had been immense, and it was Hector's job to make sure that those numbers went down next time that the two sides of the civil war came into conflict. And possibly most importantly, today things would inevitably pick up, and a formal plan against the Insurrectionists would be formulated.

Hector's duties for the day was supposed to consist of morning drills with his soldiers, a check up on Tekakwitha that would include a bath and a walk around the fortress (she had been very lonely and scared these past few weeks), lunch with his squires, and afternoon of combat training with the refugees, an evening of paperwork and planning, and a sleepless night of training himself. Also, that night was the night of the full moon, and he would have to make preparations for that. All in all, the packed schedule was long, and Hector was exhausted just thinking about it. But still, this was his job, and it was his greatest honor to serve his people and his king. No matter how much he complained, Hector wouldn't give up this life for anything. He just wished that he could live it in the palace and in relative peace instead of in the middle of a civil war.

Hector tried to calm his racing thoughts so that he could go back to sleep. He wasn't supposed to start drilling with his soldiers for at least an hour and a half. This gave him some more time to sleep. The warrior wasn't sure what had woken him, and he needed all the rest he could get, so he was prepared to just close his eyes again. Then there was a second knock at the front door of his chambers.

Hector immediately knew that the knocking must have been what had woken him up in the first place. Hector grabbed the pillow beside him and tightly covered his face with it. Then, he screamed into it. His muffled hollering startled his animals who instantly woke up and stared at their master in confusion. Hector was well aware of how childish his actions were, but he really hated being woken up. It was probably no later than four or five in the morning! Who the hell was trying to wake him up?

The knock sounded again, louder and longer this time. Hector threw the pillow to the side and shot up into a sitting position.

"I'm trying to sleep in here!" Hector yelled.

"I don't care, Hector. Get up," Prince Eugene's voice sounded. Hector could hear the commanding tone through the two doors.

Hector groaned again, flopping back down on the mattress. What could the prince possibly want this early in the morning?

"Hector." It was a warning, though not a cruel one. It was just expectant.

"Yes, your majesty," Hector responded obediently. He wasn't at all happy.

"Good. I expect you to be outside this door in ten minutes."

Hector grumbled under his breath as he got out from under the covers and swung his legs over the side of the bed. Hector walked across the cold stone floor to the small wardrobe and pulled out the first thing he found. He quickly pulled on his boots and a thigh garter to hold a simple dagger. He washed his face and brushed his hair before putting it back in a messy bun. He didn't have time for his regular braids today. Hector also decided against putting on any kind of face powder or kohl. It would take too long, and he was not about to keep Eugene waiting.