Voyage of War

Chapter 9

Queen Adira stepped through the huge front doors and stopped at the top of the steps leading to the front courtyard. Before her the courtyard was packed with soldiers, yet her heart sank into her shoes. Her entire army could fit into her front courtyard, however big it may be. She did not have enough troops to even hold off Balthazars army.

"Is this it?" Queen Adira dissapointedly asks to her head of guard.
"I'm affraid so Your Highness."
"It will not suffice. Immediately send a messenger to the Seonric mountains to ask the Giants for their assistance." Queen Adira instructed.
"Might as well risk the Gentle Gaints killing them with kindness than taking our chances of waiting for Casimir's army and having Balthazar's army terrorizing the city during the fight." Queen Adira mumbled under her breath and re-entered the castle.

The chances that the Gaints will assist is slim. Queen Adira just hopes that the prospect of this war also affecting them would suffice. She leaned with her back against a pillar, closing her eyes and took deep breaths, stress clenched her insides. She wished Rowen was still alive, he would know better of what to do, he would be strong ,would help her be strong. The thought made her realize that she must be strong, because Rowen never really left and she must not disappoint him. Queen Adira pushed herself away from the pillar and absent-mindedly wiped away a few stray tears, whilst squaring her sholders and tilting her chin upwards. She will not show weakness! She will be remembered throughout the history of Pelgrima as a strong, independent leader. This threat will not strike her or her kingdom down and she will go into battle alongside her soldiers if she must. They will see that a determined woman is a force to be reckoned with.

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Resa had calmed Zack enough so that he turned back. He exited the room she would be sharing with the children and strode through the corridor only to be stopped by Captain halfway to the stairs. Captain gestured for him to follow. They entered a heavily furnished cabin and Captain took a seat on the corner of a big desk covered in maps, Zack stood awkwardly in the middle of the room. Captain was silent while his steel grey eyes scanned Zack. Zack wanted to break the awkward silence but did not dare say a word.
"How do you manage to change back so quickly?" Captain finally broke the silence.
"Resa calms me, she has gotten really good at it...Comes almost effortlessly if you ask me."
"Uhm..." An unknown emotion flicks across Captain's steel grey eyes." Learn to control yourself. Learn to harness the strengths of your 'wolf side' without turning. It proves to be much more efficient. Turn only when wanting to scare rather than hurt. A big bark is often enough."
Zack stared at Captain with confusion as if he only now saw him for the first time. He struggled to comprehend what he was being told.
"What...?"
"Work on concentration first. Whenever you can close your eyes and concentrate on hearing the faintest sounds. Repeat it until you permanently hear that way without closing your eyes or concentrating to hard. Repeat this process with sight and smell. Then come back for more instructions."
Zack nodded still dumbstruck by Captain's bizzare orders, he turned to leave but was stopped by Captain speaking again." O... and don't be to worried if at first your ears or nose turn. It will cease to do so after a while of practising."
Zack stood waiting for more and Captain gave a flick of his wrist to show him that he is excused.

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Drakar lay on his hammock, staring at the flaming figure of Catherine he conjured. They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, but he couldn't stop worrying that this stretch of absence will make her realize that he only puts her in danger.
"If she's worth it she'll wait fer ye." Drakar rolls onto his back to see Keiden watching Catherine's figure from the hammock above.
The flame flickers and dies out leaving them in the dark. During his time in Deimos's eluminated room Drakar has come to appreciate the dark.

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Zack lay on his hammock, eyes closed and concentrated on the sounds around him. The shallow uneven breathing of the pirates around him. Rats scuttling across the wooden floor. Footsteps on the deck above. Water lapping against the hull of the ship. Zack felt a dull pain in his ears as his concentration increased. Soon he could hear the sails gently swishing in the wind and a soft humming coming from the main deck. As he felt his eyes droop from the peacefull sound, he noticed that the dull pain had subsided yet he could still hear the humming and he drifted off into a dreamless sleep.