UNSHEATHED

Chapter Fifty Three

The first of the long line of soldiers were positioned along the road, ready to march on her signal. Elena would speak to each section in turn and let them march after, and then speak to the one behind them. There were far too many to address at once.

This first group was the lead section of the Castillonian army, her picked soldiers. She rode up and down the column trying to look directly at each man and woman for a moment, and then she spoke, pitching her voice to carry over the wind and across the field.

"You all may have doubts and concerns, soldiers of Castillon, which are understandable. You are embarking on a war in a foreign land with a strange enemy. For many of you, this is the first time you have taken up arms in defence of your land." She scanned the faces of the soldiers for their reactions. So far they were with her. "I will not lie to you. You have a right to know what you are facing. I have learned that this enemy, who looks and walks like a Trillas born man by the name of Gaheris Titanus, Lord of Argentia, is not a man at all. What has become of the real Lord of Argentia, I don't know, but this man is but a shell for a powerful Guardian named Korr."

The crowd of soldiers gasped as one. A murmur of chatter began. After allowing some time for them to process this news, Elena continued, speaking louder.

"Courage! You are not without defences, good soldiers! You are well trained, I have seen to it, and you are well equipped. We will also be joined by the Imperial Legion. If you find it daunting that our enemy is one of the Guardians, know that he is fallen--cast out by the other Guardians, and that their leader has bade me personally to see the world made right." She paused, feeling the silence of the crowd as they digested her words. Her heart pounded with the echoes of that silence and the weight of this burden.

"Maylani, Queen of the Guardians is a great far seer. Her ability has shown her that we can triumph. Moreover, she has seen that if we fail, the world--Castillon, Kalad, Estallium, everything you hold dear--shall be destroyed."

Again, Elena left time for the echoes of her words to ring out in the soldiers' ears. She had decided not to tell them what she was, feeling that their belief in the Guardians predictions would be an even greater encouragement, and the threat of failure a greater pressure to try to succeed. They must, each and every one of them, find whatever courage they had that would allow them go on, despite the odds, and despite their fears.

Go on anyways, as her father had said, and find a way.

As the groups of soldiers packed up camp and set out once more on the road, Elena addressed each group. The telling became easier, but she took care to bring the same levity to it every time, reaching deep in order to inspire others.

By the time the last soldiers, marching on foot, had set out, it was nearly noon, and Elena was drained more than she could account for.

But there was more to be done.

She kicked her horse into a full gallop to return to the front of the column where she would begin the second part of her job for the day, bringing the children around to every soldier.

She organized it so that each child rode with an officer she knew well and trusted to handle the delicate task. A security detail of six was assigned to each officer and child. Their task was to detain the identified individuals in their section of the column. Officers with horses would be relieved of their duties and required to ride together with the detail, their horses roped to the security officers' saddles. Foot soldiers were to be brought to an empty cart in the middle of the column which had been previously outfitted with bars to hold any captives they might catch. It all had to be done simultaneously and quickly, before their targets were alerted to their actions.

Elena watched as First Commander Alkema rode along with the small girl in front of him. After no more than a few paces, the child raised her arm. Alkema slowed so that he could determine which soldier she had tagged from the thick mass of riders.

The labelled man looked surprised for a moment, but then his expression changed to scared and determined as he brought his horse around and bolted from the column. Elena watched breathlessly from a distance as he dashed toward Alkema, hoping, most likely, to rush past him and out into the open field, although where after that he could run, Elena couldn't imagine.

In a breath, Alkema whipped out his rapier and slashed the soldier as he swept past, cutting through his uniform, and deep into the man's side. The soldier slid off his horse, which continued to run, and landed in the muddy ruts between the paving stones. Alkema leaped off his own mount and rushed to the man's side. He lifted the soldier by his torso, one of his own from Kalad, up off the ground. The fallen soldier breathed with difficulty.

"Thank you, First Commander." Alkema looked puzzled. "I would have killed you and my other comrades." Blood rushed from his wound in tempo with his pulse. A moment later, he died.

Elena looked away. It wasn't going to be a good day.

____________________________________________

I hope you enjoyed this instalment of Unsheathed. If you did, please consider voting so that it has a chance to receive some more attention by rising up the ranks in the Fantasy category. I also enjoy comments, so please feel free to let me know what you thought.

Cheers!

Rebecca