Naryssa's Choice (The Fate and Destiny Chronicles Vol. 3)

The Turning Point

I remember this day as well as I do my sixteenth birthday, because of everything it was a reminder of and what would come to pass that day.

I found a secluded spot just outside the camp where I began to watch the sunrise feeling a fresh sense of loss. I had spent every birthday with my father for as long as I can remember but that past year, our last year, I had taken off. Now he was no longer there. How had it already been a year? Only a year. Suddenly I heard someone approaching behind me causing me to swiftly get up and spin around with my weapon readied for a fight only I quickly realized who it was and managed to stop myself before I injured Caspian who looked both impressed and scared as he raised his hands in a joking surrender. "Caspian?" I asked as I lowered my weapon, "You scared the shit out of me!" I whispered loudly at him to which he simply laughed in response. "I see that" He said softly, "You weren't in your tent so I thought I would find you here" He explained to me. "Has something happened?" I asked him as I sheathed my sword as anxiety flooded me making my heart race but he shook his head and said "Just wanted to wish you happy birthday" he told me. Relief flooded me as I accepted his answer. "It's hard to believe it's been a year" I said as I turned away from him as the churning grief took me over once more, "So much has happened since then..." I said trailing off. We sat in silence watching the sun rise slowly and then we spent the day strategizing for what was to come.

"According to new intel, they've sustained more loss and damages than we previously thought" Caspian explained, "We can make a bold move, which at this point is all we have left". I considered his words carefully as Darren seemed to also contemplate his words, the few other captains and war leaders in the tent listened carefully as well. "What is your proposal, Caspian?" I asked him as I readied myself to listen to his plan, trying to ignore the sickening feeling churning inside of me as I recalled how our last bold move ended. "Their attacking swiftly and repetitively in a show of force to hide their weaknesses in hopes of weakening our strong holds" He explained, "But if we call all our forces to the front lines, split into groups along this line..." He said as he pointed to and drew on the maps on the table in front of us. "We can push their forces backward, they'll be forced to retreat inward until we have them surrounded in their central base, where we can siege them and bring it to an end" He finished allowing us a moment to let his plan sink in. "You realize if this fails, we've left all our cities and towns, as well as the palace, defenseless if they get past our offensive line" I asked him and I could see the grim look in his eye as he spoke, "It's one hell of a risk but if we don't make a power move now, we've already lost" He explained to me.

I knew he was right but if we failed, we would only expedite our loss and I would have sent countless soldiers to a death sentence as well as handed Chandler my throne. It would lead us to a battle that could only once more be described as another Hail Mary, only this one would not be to prevent a war but to end a war. "If I may, I think Caspian is right" Darren said softly to me, "It's a risk but I don't see any other way" he said only to be backed up by the others. "It would seem I have no choice" I said slowly as I sighed, "Consider the orders effective immediately, I want to get moving on this now" I told them all hoping I hadn't just made a mistake. With that we began to prepare to launch the plan into action, if successful this could shift the entire war but if we failed, we would have lost everything. I kept Darren and Caspian in my group, we would be the main group of offense from the head on position, while the rest of my leaders were sent to lead the other groupings. In just a month we were all in position and set to begin our maneuver at sunset, as the time grew closer, I could feel the panic threatening to consume me and I found a place to step away alone for a moment. I could feel the fear like ice in my veins as I sobbed and gasped for air as I tried to pull myself together, I had to get it together, only I couldn't quite do it. Only Darren had found me like he usually did.