Voyage of War

Chapter 21

Princess Sybil saw the army of dwarfs approaching from a distance, with a huge skeletal looking bird hovering over them.
Whilst below in the castle grounds men snuck in through the gap in gates, all new additions to her secret army. She did not care whether they came because they believed her or because they wanted an adventure and excitement, either way they all knew what they were getting into.
"You sure do work fast." Prince Cayman came to stand next to her and put am arm around her shoulder.
Princess Sybil startled from his sudden appearance and could not help shying away from his touch. After having a seated discussion, with Zack present of cource, Prince Cayman had agreed not to tell his father anything or get in the way. In return Princess Sybil would deny that he knew about her plans.
"All these men came freely knowing the risks?" Prince Cayman asks after getting no response after his a first comment.
"Yes, they know what they are getting into." Princess Sybil says still keeping watch over the enemy on the horizon.
"I wish I would have gotten such a warning." Prince Cayman scoffs, "you know you're fighting a lost cause, these people are fools for coming."
Princess Sybil turns to look Prince Cayman in the eye.
"No cause is lost I there is but one FOOL left to fight for it."
"And with such conviction these men will fight 'till the very end."
Captain steps out of the shadows startling both Princess Sybil and Prince Cayman.
"How can you be so sure these men won't flee as soon as the battle begins?"
"That woman beside you will accomplish with these men a feet even your King won't be able to accomplish even though she is an outsider."
"How can you be so sure?" Princess Sybil asks letting her worry and doubt shine through, not even acknowledging Captain's extreme talkativeness.
"Word travels faster than you think. Why do you think all these men have agreed to come? It all goes back to your arrival."
"What do you mean? "
"You arrived here a warrior, with two swords strapped to your back and their Prince as one of your obviously loyal companions. Everybody could see they weren't servants or escorts but equals despite their lack of status..."
"How is this relevant?" Prince Cayman interrupts.
"All these men are of a lower class, you won't find one nobleman among them. They saw in Princess Sybil what you King lacked, they saw Ccompassion and equality. She has not been corrupted by status or class"
"This is absurd!" Prince Cayman roars.
"On the contrary, it's because of this quality that Princess Sybil is standing here today. If ,the day she had to ally with me to reach her destination, she had insisted to be treated better than others below her status or refused to obey my rules she would have been left to die on that pirate island."
Prince Cayman opens his mouth to comment but closes it, then repeats the action making him look like a fish.
"Who are you?" Princess Sybil asks not able to keep her curiosity under check anymore.
"You'll  find out soon enough."

"I hope it isn't a habit of yours to befriend shady people." Prince Cayman comments as soon as Captain is out of ear shot.
"I do not befriend them, I merely find the good in them and exploit their presence."
Princess Sybil turns back to watch the sun raising on the horizon. The only thing wrong with the view of hues of orange pink and yellow decorating the horizon is the added black patch of the flying creature and the enemy now approaching with new vigour.

Princess Sybil marches into the soldiers mess hall where all the new recruits stood fully geared with armour and weapons as well as Ced, Resa, Zack, Drakar, Captain and surprisingly Prince Cayman. Princess Sybil almost chuckled at the man cowering away from Zack. This reminded her of her special introductions.
"Before I begin tactical arrangements let me first thank you all. You all know that the King doesn't have knowledge of this gathering nor will he approve. You are taking a great but brave risk." Princess Sybil pauses to scan the room and make sure she had everyone's attention.
"Secondly I have a few necessary introductions to make. It may seem odd but I ask of you not to be alarmed or frightened of the people I present to you. This introduction will serve that you won't be caught off guard or attack one of our people on the battlefield." Princess Sybil waited for the soft murmuring to die down before continuing.
"Zack," Princess Sybil calls and waist for him to step up beside her, "he is what we call a Wolfman, born from a human mother and a father who had commited crimes to earn his form as a monster, yet Zack keeps his mind when shifting. He will not harm any of you."
Zack transforms slowly and purposely. Men shy away from him some even stumble and fall in their haste to get away.
"Next, Drakar. He's known as the fire-tamer able to command them and wield them to his will."
Princess Sybil's explanation is accompanied by a demonstration, although Drakar deems Princess Sybil's explanation as inaccurate.
"Those of you not willing to fight beside these two may leave without ill judgement."
Not a soul made a move to suggest they wanted to leave, quite to Prince Cayman's surprise.
"Now without further delay, tactics. I am open to suggestions as I know little on the subject or on our enemy."
 
                      *   *   *

Resa felt a knot in her stomach as they watched the enemy approaching. They were small but still sent chills down her spine. She thought back to the twins safely barricaded in their nursery. She had slipped a powerful sleeping drought into their parents and the King's morning tee, to ensure no interference. She had to admitt that she felt no guilt doing it.

They had no horses and Princess Sybil stood as tall and intimidating as she could in front of the army. Waiting to greet their enemy.

The massive ,flying ,skeletal lizard landed making the ground shake and Lady Alphira slid off of it's back with ease.
"Brave enough to fight for a kingdom that isn't yours yet?!" Alphira mocked."Willing to die before it can ever become yours!?"
"It was mine the day I left my kingdom's shore!" Princess Sybil shouts and is answered by men roaring their agreement.
"Well, guess what! Soon all of Pelgrima will be mine!"
Alphira cackles, signalling to the flying lizard.
It flaps it's huge wings stirring up a wind that almost whisks Resa off her feet and circles the army of sacred but brave men, blowing flames from it's mouth trapping them in a tight circle.
Enemy men ran through the flames unharmed. They were going to be slaughtered trapped by a wall of fire.
Fire!
Resa scrambles to find Drakar.
"You have to clear a path in the wall!" Resa yells over the sounds of battle.
"I can't it's not my flames!"
"You can do it." Resa encourages and throughs a knife to stop a dwarf from attacking Drakar from behind.
"At least try." Resa yells and is whisked away by the battle, leaving Drakar to deal with the flames.

Read flings knives left and right trusting them to find their mark. She makes a grab for another but realizes there is none left. They were all she had. Resa feels herself panic. Searching for one of her knives, when she saw it. A dwarf dragging Cassy closer by her hair, kicking and screaming. Although Cassy is bigger than the dwarf he seems to be a lot stronger. Abandoning her search for a knive Resa makes a dash for Cassy feeling her heart race.
Resa runs with all her might but feels like she isn't getting closer. The dwarf pulls one of Resa's knives out of one of his dead comrads where it had previously found it's mark. Lifting it high and plunging it into Cassy's heart. Resa increases her pace, picking up a sword from a fallen soldier on her way. Resa reaches Cassy and with all her might swings the sword decapitating the dwarf. Some of his comrades charge to avenge him but are brought to a quick death by Resa's blade.

Once clear of any immediate threat Resa drops to her knees and pulls Cassy to her chest gently swaying her back and forth. Feeling her heart beat getting weaker. Resa risks one glance at her surroundings and finds a fimiliar white figure hovering above the carnage.
"No! You can't take her! She's to young!" Resa screams with sobs raking her body. She lets out a scream until her throat is sore and her voice is gone.
"You can't take my pup!" Resa whispers defeated.
Clinging onto Cassy's now  lifeless body, rocking it back and forth.
"Sleep little one
Don't you fear...
I'll be here..." Resa sings the last verse of Captain's lullaby, through her sobs, the battle around her forgotten, drowned out by them battle within her.

                      *   *   *

Drakar fights with the flames. Trying to get them to obey, when he hears a scream that fills his entire body with sorrow and dread. Making pain course through his veins even though he doesn't know the origin of the scream. This powerful blast of emotion gives him enough strength to overthrow the will of the flames. Drakar restrains himself from dancing a victory dance. He removes the barrier surrounding the battle and takes the flames of the beast.

Dakar turns around smiling wanting to shout his victory to Resa. His heart drops at seeing her kneeling over the body of a small girl. Drakar sinks to his knees and the beast erupts into flames, with a screech of pain to match that of Drakar and Resa's. Every man reaches to cover their ears and apron seeing the flaming beast, the dwarfs scatter some lighting up as well.

Alphira is left yelling after her traitorous and cowardice army. Abandoned again.