Sly as a Siren

No more waiting

First story on here folks, trying out the wattpad platform to see how it goes. Please let me know what you think. Plan to update this every 7-10 days. This hasn't been edited, if it ever gets edited properly it will probably be published on amazon, so feedback would be really appreciated.

     She shivered under the oppressive shadow of the cliffs. The sun was warmer than it had been in months, speaking of the spring that would soon break over the frozen valley. She longed desperately for warmer weather, as did the rest of the battalion.

They had been camped in this frozen death trap for the whole of this long hard winter, starvation, and scurvy nipping at their heals all the while. Orders had been to lay siege to this pass, to gain entrance to the guard towers that were perched atop the cliffs, and by extension gain an advantageous position against the battlements of the city that lay directly beyond.

She harrumphed under her breath. Those were their official orders; the reality was that they were battle fodder. There were hardly enough of them to defend their current position, just beyond the reach of arrows. They were sitting ducks, and they it knew. They had known this would be their treatment before they signed up. The rest of them had signed up to get rid of criminal marks, escape gang life, or seeking fame.

She had come to find her brother.

She stamped her feet and rubbed her hands together, willing the warmth back into them. Looking back to the cold cliffs, scanning them for signs of life as she always did on this side of the watch. Mulling over strategy and plans, how they could possibly take the impregnable fortress without sustaining heavy casualties. Mostly she did it to distract herself from an empty stomach than any real desire to rush into battle.

Rations had been cut back again just the other day. She had thought there might be a mutiny among the men, the oaths sworn by soldiers when they joined the army would prevent officers from being killed but an overthrow of leadership was still possible. She had no doubt it was the reason the officers had retreated to their tents under heavy loyal guard. Wary of the 'street trash', and keeping the crown's pet mages close.

She wasn't too worried about the officers, if the soldiers starved they did too, but she wasn't too keen on sticking around until her stomach adhered to her backbone. She was here to find her brother, not die for their foolish notions of grandeur. She had sworn oaths that wouldn't allow her to desert. Running wouldn't get her closer to her brother, so she would go forward, through the pass.

She had an inkling as to how they could manage it. To say she wasn't terrified would have been a lie, but after two years with the army you learn to hide terror pretty good. Loosing your head got you dead faster than anything else.

Examining the cliffs again in the sunlight, analyzing every angle with the glass she had been given to keep track of movements during her watch. A certainty rose up in her as she surveyed the silent siege, hardening her resolve and bringing conviction to what she felt she had to do.

Her replacement came shortly after the sun disappeared behind the mountain peeks. She relinquished the glass to the grim-faced man, starting down the icy trail to look for some warm water, the one thing they had in abundance.

Cira one of the other few females in their unit, a friend, sat huddled by the fire. Army life hadn't been good to her, her face was pale, pinched and drawn. Kasi sidled up to her after snagging her tin mug from their tent. Cira wordlessly poured her some of the tea that had been steeping on the fire, it was so weak calling it tea was a bit of a stretch. 

"They say we have been totally cut off from supplies now." Cira was morose, thoughts looping on the same thing as everyone else. Food. "Just another week or so before rations are totally gone."