Peacebringer

Chapter Nineteen - Talking Strategy

The five of them arrived at the strategy meeting warm and sweaty, having run all the way there. Their faces were smiling and flushed. This only made everyone around them painfully aware of how young they were. Asha was still a few months shy of her sixteenth birthday, and she and Finn were definitely the youngest ones there.

They took seats near the back. Their meeting was actually outside, in an area that had been designed exactly for that purpose. There was a podium surrounded by benches going out like ripples from a stone in a pond. Surrounded by trees, it was actually a pretty peaceful place to be, strongly contrasting what they were about to discuss.

Havi's father, Wan, came in and sat beside them, smiling as he put a hand on his son's shoulder in a gesture of welcome and pride. Asha could tell from the way Havi smiled at his father that he really valued his father's approval. It reminded her strongly of the way she felt about her mother. She also suddenly realized that it had been Havi's father who originally escorted her to the guest house after the ranger attack.

Suddenly the area became hushed as Tana stepped up to the podium. Despite her warm and friendly personality, she could command attention with nothing more than a wave of her hand. It was clear that her troops had great respect for her.

"Welcome," She said warmly. There was a wind spinner near her who was wind-speaking her voice so that it projected farther into the crowd. Her voice rang over the clearing.

"I have called you all here today to discuss a very important mission. We have known for a while now that our position is known to the rangers, and that there is little point in attacking them directly. Today we are pushing for a more positive goal, to free the prisoners at the secondary prison, Valley Rock, just north of here. While I know there are also prisoners held in Gairadon's castle, some of them family members and dear friends of those here, I want to start closer to base to see if this is a mission we can handle.

"I know that some of you have expressed ideas to me regarding this goal, but I would first like to let Rone, our chief strategist, speak. We will of course hear any additions or alterations to his plan so that we can make this the safest and most successful mission we can."

"Rone is an earth spinner," Natalya whispered to Asha and Valda. "He and my dad sometimes play cards together and talk. His daughter was taken when she was young and accidentally used her spinning in the town square. He and his wife barely escaped with their other children. That was about five years ago, right before he joined us. It was actually the second time they escaped. Rone has told stories about when he and his wife lived on a farm near the river in a house they built. He knew the neighbors knew they were spinners, so they left."

"Near the river, I wonder if they lived near Stone Creek!" Asha whispered.

"Maybe, Rone talks about this tree house he built before his children were born. They never got to see it."

Asha swallowed hard. That must be the house she and her mother lived in.

Rone was certainly an intimidating figure, with huge brawny shoulders and brown skin that had definitely seen plenty of sunlight. His long, thick, dark hair was tied into a long braid.

"Hello everyone, and thank you for being here for our cause." Rone spoke in a deep, rich voice that reminded Asha of dark chocolate, a treat she and her mother occasionally bought in town. He was so loud and clear that he did not require a wind spinner to help him project. There were murmurs of greeting and agreement from the crowd. "I know that most of you know that I have a particular interest in this mission, but I will not let that affect my judgement. I know that many of you are in the same position.