Firefly Light

Chapter 6

Joseph's furrowed brow and narrowed black eyes were a clear indication that he was not happy to anyone who passed him as he strode down the hallway. In fact, the king was furious. The raids on his easternmost towns had happened again despite the increase of the army patrols in the area. Colonel Pierce had just brought him news from Hinton that both Sommerset and Edgars Peak had been hit again two days ago. Those towns had sworn allegiance to the Otani kingdom nearly ten years in the past in order to gain its protection. It was true that the attacks on them had ceased for almost seven years, but the brigands had returned, in larger numbers. He had promised those people his protection and Joseph Otani was a man of his word.

The Royal Otani Army had established a fort manned by three companies of the 21st Regiment, 2nd Legion in the area between the villages and did regular patrols along the established roads. The nearly five thousand men and women of the main body of the 2nd Legion were bivouacked at the road junction to the southeast of Hinton in support of the fort and the patrols it sent out. Although the previous raid had been almost a year ago, this was the third attack in three years. The town residents were understandably not satisfied with only one incursion a year. They wanted the attacks to end entirely and he was determined to deliver on their very reasonable expectation of him. Both towns were protected by stout, well built wooden walls, which were manned by Otani garrison troops and the volunteer town auxiliaries. Those forces had managed to repel the invaders attempting to capture the towns themselves, but the farms and fields of their people outside of those walls had been plundered and put to the torch. Troops from the fort had sortied in response to the signal fire smoke, but had arrived too late to engage the raiders. The towns would be compensated and their damage repaired, but this must end.... immediately.

Steaming into the staff room he noted that his brother, Duke Silas, all of his generals and staff, except for General Samuel Kondo, were present and waiting on him.... this put him deeper into trouble with the king. A low toned discussion between the officers ceased when Joseph entered the room and they all came to attention. With a wave of his hand and a word, the king put them back at ease. Kondo had been a hero at one time, a great soldier and officer, one of his father's finest, but that was in the past. He had grown old and much too accustomed to the softness of life in the city. The 2nd Legion was under his command and Kondo was the man to whom Joseph had entrusted the security of his eastern border.

On the staff room table in the middle of the room a large map of Otania and the area around it lay spread out. It was illustrated with the location of roads, farms, communities, the old abandoned towns and rumored communities or nations outside of Otanian borders. Markers showed the position of the kingdoms forces and known enemy or bandit forces. Flame markers had been placed on top of the two towns in question. They had little information about the lands east of those towns, except for some old pre-plague maps, and that was one of the things that were going to have to change.

"Please," he told them, "continue with your discussion. We will proceed with our meeting as soon as General Kondo is able to join us." With that, Joseph walked up to the table and joined Field Marshall Mitchell, who was already deep in thought studying the map. Leaning over he placed his hands on the table to study it with her. The others also gathered around the table, waiting on Kondo. After a few seconds, the previous conversation started up again. For several minutes Diana and Joseph remained silent as the others talked. As the sound of the conversation murmured about them and while still looking at the map, Mitchell quietly said, "I apologize for the absence of General Kondo, sire. He was given word of this meeting in plenty of time to make it here. I will speak with him later about this." "No...no you won't Diana." countered Joseph. "This matter will be settled as soon as General Kondo has condescended to join the rest of us."