The War Begins

Chapter 9 - A Dream

Caine ran a cold wash cloth over his face to wipe off as much dirt as possible. Realizing he had coated himself more than he had originally thought, he dropped the cloth and walked over to the small side room. Inside, stone covered the wall and floor and a pipe came out of the stones above head height. With a slight tug of magic, water from the wells below the castle spurted through the pipes which ran behind the kitchen stoves, heating as it went.

Leaving the water to heat up, Caine stepped out and stripped off his plebeian clothes. Walking back to the small chamber, he let the water run over him, taking the dirt with it. After the few short minutes he could spare, he stopped the water forcing it off his skin with a minor expense of magic and stepped into court clothes, thankful it would be the last time he would have to wear them.

Hearing a bell ring out, Caine grabbed his cloak and rushed out the door. As he raced down the hall, he whirled his cloak around him and pinned it closed with the clasp his mother had given him the day he left home.

Caine took the stairs three at a time and raced through the serpentine hallways to the dining area. The Lords sat at large tables facing the High Table where the King and his advisors ate. Both Greylin and the woman from the Goddess suite sat with the courtiers at the high table. Caine walked in to mingle with the lords and captains, but the bell to be seated rang out before he could make any acquaintances. Caine found some of the men he had sat with the previous night and followed them to a table near the center of the room.

They welcomed him, and he found partners for the evening. Many of the men he sat with were older than he, but he was comfortable with them. Most of the people involved in this war were older, but all had earned the trust of the elves and that was all that mattered. As he talked with his new companions, plates of wild boar were set before everyone. The war had officially started last night, and so had the soldiers' rations, but the elves had sent out a large hunting party that day so it was a larger portion than any in the field could expect.

While in the palace, everyone ate well, even the soldiers, but once on the battle field everyone ate from the same supply wagons. The elves believed in fairness, and that carried over to their treatment of their people in war. As people tore into the meat before them, the King asked questions of his advisors and the men seated before him. If anyone had an opinion they would call out with suggestions. It wasn't the most organized or tidy way to have input from everyone, but it meant one less meeting in the day.

As the meal continued Caine let his gaze wander. Men in royal and captain's dress were everywhere, dark blue and crimson red settled in a sea of magicians' colors. He was surprised that so many different orders were represented.

He looked for the woman who was starting to insinuate her way into his thoughts at every moment of the day when he noticed she was no longer at the front table and cursed himself. There were a few women among the crowd, and not just magicians and elves. In the elven army women of any race could work their way up the ranks. Caine let his eyelids sink to half-mast and his breathing relax. She had touched his mind, and now he let his mind search for hers.

He noticed the smooth feeling of her mind immediately. It was as if she projected a calm energy around herself and her mind, soothing everything near her. Caine was drawn to that peace; it was something he hadn't felt in some time. Drawing a deep breath, he relaxed as he expelled the lungful of air. He was surrounded by others and eating a good meal: perhaps it was time to let his guard down and invite those around him in. It would be good to have an ally or two in this fight.

Withdrawing his mind from the contact with hers, he opened the eyes he hadn't realized he had closed. With a polite smile at his mental wanderings, he entered back into the conversation.