The Book of Terrus: A Land of Sunlight

Chapter 7 - Beneath the Blue

OoOoO

The leaders of Undor gathered under an awning on the roof of The Skinny Dipper, Utunma's most popular inn and tavern. A span of blue and purple striped cloth stretched on poles cut the worst of the midday sun, filtering it through the weave and casting a long, tinted shadow across those beneath. The sound of construction and general bustle reached them easily from the street, but they had faith that their voices would not carry likewise above the hubbub. Even so, members of the Moaanese Guard had been posted around the inn, the formidable gleam of their bronze breastplates enough to deter any potential eavesdroppers.

            Those gathered formed a loose semi-circle, with Lord Xolani and Lady Oesu at their head. The Lord of Undor, still recovering from the loss of his arm during the Uprising, sat reclined on a whicker chair laden with cushions. Lady Oesu sat next to him, somber yet regal in charcoal grays with matching headdress.

            "If a retaliatory attack is to come, it will strike at Moaan undoubtedly," Oesu was saying. "It only makes sense; the city is a major port onto the Bay of Torbos, a hub of commerce, and the first point of civilization south after Falerik."

            "Not to mention the home of the State Hall, our new seat of power in the south," added Kiiss.

            "When, not if. When Mahir re-gathers himself and recalls the rest of his royal army companies to Amenthere, he'll be heading straight for us." Vinie may have been the General of Undor now, but she still looked to Reyson, Kiiss' hireling and formerly a soldier in the Gorian army. "How many companies does he still have, Reyson?"

            "Four, and all are larger than the Third with the exception of the Knights of Amenthis. The king will not bring the First Company out of Amenthere though unless he's truly desperate."

            "And why is that? I'd say he's probably plenty desperate already, given what's happened here," said Bakko. He sat next to Vinie, his knobby black hands stacked in front of him on the handle of his cane.

            Gideo, standing behind Vinie and Bakko like a looming sentinel, answered. "Because the Knights of Amenthis are the royal guard, first and foremost. Those men are some of the finest fighters in all of Goran. Even before we started making trouble for the capital, the Knights were treating warfare like an art. So long as Prince Hithon is in Amenthere, Mahir will keep the bulk of the First Company there to ensure his safety, and to protect the city."

            "You're sure of that?" Lord Xolani leaned forward in his seat, thick brows pursed with interest. Even now his right shoulder still twitched as if trying to rest his absent elbow on the arm of the chair.

            "Yas. From what I saw while undercover in the capital, Mahir will take every measure to see his son safe, even if it costs him deeply."

            Xolani's lips twitched. "Well, that's something perhaps. And what of the other three companies, Reyson?"

            "The Second was stationed in Blue Stone last I heard, although it may have been recalled to Amenthere by now. Likewise, the Fourth Company is posted to Geristan and the Fifth to Vaelona."

            "What is Mahir doing, peppering the edge of the Night Forest with army companies and leaving the jungle's edge largely open?" asked Vinie, incredulous. "When last I looked, we were the ones in open rebellion, not the north."

            "Cities and towns like Blue Stone and Vaelona have the size and means to support a barracks full of hundreds of hungry men in need of armor and weapons...Falerik does not," replied Reyson.