A Crowned King (Complete)

Chapter 20

Darius sat in the office he'd been provided, looking over the supplies, rations, and amounts of soldiers they had at Three Towers. To be honest the whole thing was a logistical nightmare, but he was bound and determined to make it work. He had to if it meant defending his Nation and ingratiating himself to his future King. If he didn't do well, as soon as he was made King, Mako Starcrown could replace him as Lord General with someone he thought more favorable. He couldn't allow that to happen. He'd fought and clawed his way to the top. He wasn't about to have his position threatened by a single failure.

He wouldn't fail.

The General had already received two reports from scouting parties he'd sent out behind enemy lines. They'd infiltrated Galtea, sneaking into both Snowreach in the east and Snowcore far to the north. Both reports had told him the same: the Gaals were conscripting every man and woman that they could, fortifying their cities against attack. They were drilling their new recruits hard, hammering the ideals of war into their heads and preparing them for war against Star.

However he had to wait. He had to wait until his third scouting party into Snowmarch to return. Once they returned, depending on what the scouts had to say, he would make a decision. If all three cities were fortifying, he could convince the Prince that they were gearing up for war. If he could do that, perhaps he could convince the future King to launch a preemptive strike against Galtea before they attacked Star first.

That would be the only way to maybe keep themselves from having thousands of their own killed. The last thing anyone wanted was for the Star Legions to shed blood, especially in the thousands.

Suddenly there was a knock at his door. He looked up at the door and called out to person on the other side. "Enter." he bid the person and sat back in his chair to wait. He left the book open, sure that he would be going back to work after this impromptu meeting. Maybe its the last scouting patrol he thought with hope.

That hope ended when the door opened and the Commander of Three Towers, Cale Locke, entered the office. The General sat back further in his chair, slightly annoyed by the man's presence. He'd hoped for the scouting patrol, but instead he got this infuriating man. What he wouldn't give to be able to send the man out of the office without a word from the man, but he had to be courteous. This was his office regularly after all and he was being amiable enough to not bother the General with an overwhelming sense of pride with who he was. He was no pompous prick that was for sure. He was quite subservient in fact.

"What can I do for you, commander?" Darius asked, doing his best to keep his voice level and block the anticipation from his words. He was waiting eagerly for the scouting patrol and Dana Proof's report on what they'd encountered at Snowmarch. He waved a hand over the reports in front of him. "I'm a very busy man and I don't have time for tedium as you can see. I hope that this is important and that you can make it quick."

The Commander gulped and nodded his head. "Actually, I was wanting to speak to you about a matter of great importance." he replied as he closed the door and moved towards the desk. His eyes were like lasers, hard and direct as he looked upon the Lord General. "I've heard that your two scouting parties have returned with news that the Gaals are fortifying their cities, thirty thousand and sixty thousand in Snowcore. It's obvious what they're doing. Their massing for war; a war with us."

"Thank you for telling me what I already knew." Darius replied drolly. "Is there anything else you would like to say or is that all?"

"I don't understand. Why aren't we doing anything?" Cale asked with frustration written across his face. "The Prince has sent you and your Legions here, but nothing else. Now that we know the Gaals intend to invade should we not be the ones to strike first, before they can be ready? Take them by surprise?"

The Lord General wasn't used to being questioned, especially not by subordinates and officers of lower ranks. Not only that, but he didn't tolerate it. Slowly, ever so slowly, he rose to his feet and pinned the young officer with a hard stare. "Commander, I know what I'm doing. I did not rise to the rank of Lord General by being a fool.  With that being said, I have never tolerated being questioned by subordinates and lower ranking officers. The next time you do so, I will have my men drag you to the dungeons in irons kicking and screaming, strip you of your command and leave you there to rot for the rest of your natural born days. Have I made myself clear?" he asked in a voice dripoing with malice and emanating danger for the other man if he spoke out in any way against him.

Cale had gone pale in the face by the time he had finished speaking, but he was able to manage a jerky nod. "Yes sir." he stammered out and bowed his head low to the other man. Then he turned and left the office with a soft bang of the door. He sat back in his chair, shaking his head. What a fool to really suggest they betray the Prince and strike without the official backing of the Prince. Locke would have them start a war with Galtea before the Prince was ready.

There came yet another knock at his door and he growled out in aggravation. Was this man really coming back to discuss this more? If he was, he would summon the Order and have the man dragged to the dungeons before a word could leave his mouth. He opened his mouth to do just that when the door opened and he stopped as he saw it wasn't the Commander.

It was Dana Proof.

The Lord General almost let a smile cross his face. Almost. Instead, he schooled his features into one if cool disregard as he faced her. She walked with purpose in her stride, her heavy boots thinking hard on the floor. She stopped in front of the desk and bowed low to him at the waist before saluting.

"Lord General."

"Captain." Darius replied and waved a hand at her, telling her to relax. She did so and as soon as she did her features seemed to crumble into one of worry and concern. Just from her expression he knew what she was going to tell him, but he had to ask anyway. "Did your party find anything?"

She looked away, her gray eyes searching the darkness of the office. Then she looked back to him with determination. "Yes we found something in Snowmarch and it wasn't at all what I had hoped for." she told him quietly, swallowing heavily.

"Tell me." Darius told her sternly, preparing himself.

"The surrounding villages have emptied themselves. Every man, woman, boy, and girl of fighting age have been conscripted into their army." Dana paused there and ran a hand over her face, showing hear weariness. "I sent in a scout to get the count and he came back with some twenty thousand."

The Lord General didn't widen his eyes in surprise or act shocked at all. After the first two reports he'd been expecting the same from the third. With this confirmation this meant that he could take what they had found to the Prince and they could begin to defend themselves. They would need more soldiers at Three Towers, footmen, cavalry, archers, even battlemages. They werw the first line of defense and they had to hold the line against the Gaals. More than that though, they had to strike. They couldn't allow the Gaals to simply gather their forces and march in strength. They had to do something, but he would have to wait on word from Prince Mako. Only he could make such a decision as whether Star would go to war or not. Such was the job of the monarchs.

"I need to write a message to the Prince. Wait here and you can send the raven yourself." Darius told her as he closed the book of supplies and pulled out a piece of parchment. Pulling out an inkpot and dipping his quill, he began to write his message for the Prince. Once done, he blew on the paper to help dry the ink, rolled up the paper, and sealed it with wax. That done, he held out the paper to her. "I need you to send this by raven to Prince Mako."

The Scout took the paper and held it in her hand for a moment, looking it over. Then she nodded her head and saluted sharply. "It will be done Lord General." she told him in a booming voice. She turned and marched from the room immediately, closing the door behind her.

The General sat back in his chair, stroking his chin. He was very interested with how the young Prince would react to the message. Would he stall the inevitable and order them to hold in place at Three Towers? Or would he give them the permission they needed to march into Galtea in full strength and take the war to the Gaals.

Only time would tell.