Don't Forget

#38 War Council

     Dan isn't a coward, despite his less then agreeable attitude. There's a reason why Adam's father trusted him so much.
Dan stayed and fought with the soldiers as the squids attacked the camp. His second in command of the GoldenWings would have been just fine on his own. At least, that's how Dan sees it.
     The rest of the night passed all too quickly into the next day. By then, the rumors were already flying around camp. Everyone was talking about the man who threw himself over the wall to kill the squid Captain, and of the amulet he wore; of the amulet that Dan had given to Mitch.
     Dan woke up early, walking through camp until he found the right tent. It didn't surprise him that the General scheduled a secret meeting this early. It shouldn't be a surprise that Dan found out about it, either. His people are everywhere.
He walks right into the tent without announcing himself. Everyone standing at the table inside immediately looks up at him. General Lachlan glares, but doesn't kick him out.
"So I assume Mitch told you who I was? That's good. Saves me the trouble", Dan's tone is flat.
"I didn't expect you to be joining us, Lord Cart", Mitch's respectful words are replaced by his guarded tone.
Dan's attention is taken by the half stranger at the end of the table. The man has brown hair and eyes, dressed plainly with two swords at his waist. The amulet on their neck says enough to grab Dan's curiosity.
"Would you mind introducing yourself?", the Lord asks, but he's already crossing the room. Adam is clearly startled by seeing Dan, and stutters for a reply. He's even more caught off guard when Dan grabs his chin and tilts his head. Adam's assassin instincts instantly want to snap the Lord's neck. He balls up his hands and bites his tongue to stop himself. Dan parts the hair around Adam's left ear, and lets go just when the prince was going to pull away.
"I had a feeling that scar would never really fade", Dan steps back with a small smile, "You were playing on the king's throne, and you fell and hit your head. Your father terrified that poor doctor while he was putting in a few stitches. I hope you're a little less clumsy now, my King". He does a small bow, turning and leaving the tent.
Adam has forgotten about that scar for the longest time. His hair covers it up, and he hasn't exactly been himself lately. The prince didn't even know that Dan, his father's trusted friend and advisor, was here.
"He kinda weirds me out. Is that how all Lords act?", Ty doesn't have any sort of rank at the moment, but Adam insisted that he be at this meeting.
"Dan is a little........ unique, but his heart is in the right place", Lachlan shrugs. He used to see Dan wandering the palace all the time back in the day. Vikk and Jerome are both here as his and Adam's 'guards'.
"I don't like that one. Any idea what blood type he's got? I want a new hoodie", Red laughs a little while picking at the loose strings on his sleeve. Sub is standing next to him, not at all bothered by the insane assassin. It took a lot for him to leave Jason with Quinten in the medical building.
"Intrusions aside, we still need to figure out what comes next", Captain Mitch reins the conversation back in, "The squids know where we are now. It's only a matter of time until they come back with a larger force".
"Not to mention that rumors of Prince Adam's survival is starting to spread. You just had to show off, didn't you?", Lachlan's tone is more teasing then angry.
"I wasn't exactly thinking straight", Adam mumbles. Even now, there's a war going on in his head. He's inherited a decade long war. Adam doesn't know what to do how to act. All the new responsibilities are overwhelming after so long without shackles.
"I sent out more messengers to the other camps. They'll know that we're ok, and survived the attack with only a few casualties", Mitch nods his head.
"Dan will probably have half the continent believing in Prince Adam's reserection by nightfall. Doesn't know when to speak and when to shut up", Red's expression darkens while talking about Dan.
      "Has anyone seen Max or his little brother? It's not like him to disappear", Ty interrupts.
     "I haven't seen them since we got here, but I'm sure they're alright", Jerome says. Their bodies weren't found, but it's worrisome that they haven't shown up.
Adam zones off a bit. Soon, everyone will know who and where he is. He's been of age for three years now. They'll all know how he hid like a coward. Adam left them all to protect himself. He disregarded his heritage. Still...... that might be exactly what they need.
"Do you have a map in here?", the prince speaks up.
"Umm, yeah. Why do you need one?", Mitch unfolds a map and lays it out on the table.
Adam pulls it closer to himself. He grabs a pencil from the table and looks down to the map. He doesn't know exactly where the camp is, but he has a ruff guess. The prince draws a line right through GoldenEye. It separates the southern third from the other two thirds of the continent.
     "Could..... could you call all the troops from the other camps? Have them all come here?", Adam looks up at the people around him. It's been a long time since he's had any training in military strategies. "If the squids are going to start sending everything they have at us, which they might because of me, we should retake part of the continent and set the enemy lines".
     "Are there enough troops for that? I've never heard of the army being so upfront since the castle fell", Vikk bites his lips and looks to Lachlan.
      Sub, still and silent throughout the exchange, suddenly moves and taps Adam on the shoulder. He signs out a quick message and takes out a letter from his pocket. None of the others understand what's being said. The mute unfolds the letter. All the sentences are backwards, and most words are switched with others, but Sub continues to sign its meaning to Adam.
"Really? That's all it took for him to agree?", Adam stares in shock.
"What's he saying?", Lachlan leans forward a little. He's now annoyed that he never took those Zemrlt sign classes.
"The Prince of Liblicen is Jason' cousin. Sub was his bodyguard, apparently. They got in contact through Barney's ships. There's nearly two hundred Liblicen troops on their way here now; that's Zemrlt, hybrids, and sorcerers", Adam is still trying to figure out how Sub did it. Liblicen wouldn't help nine years ago. Why now?
      "That many?", Jerome stands up straight. He doesn't remember ever meeting another hybrid.
      "Why now?", Mitch echos Adam's earlier thoughts, "Liblicen chose to stay neutral the last time that we asked for their help". The question is directed at Sub. He signs back with a 'duh' expression.
"Zemrlt family ties are really strong? And Prince Don wanted to help from the beginning?", Adam guesses, watching the messy sign language. Sub nods.
      "Ok, even if we do cut apart the country, what are you gonna do about all the soldiers and civilians? They're starting to realize that you're not so dead", Red let's his head fall to the side, closing his eyes. Some chocolate cake sounds really good to him. With red sprinkles. Red splatters. The assassin shakes his head in a vein attempt to ward off his own mind.
     "There were already people asking about you last night", Lachlan hesitantly agrees with the assassin, "I know it's difficult, but you're going to have to face them all".
     Adam doesn't feel remotely ready for that. He's starting to panic from just this one meeting. Won't everyone hate him for what he's done? Adam ran away. He's killed so many innocent people. Where's the punishment for all of it?
     "How....... W-We should ask Dan how many GoldenWings he has in this town", Adam tries to steady his voice as he taps a spot on the map, "It's a large farming community, I think. We'll want to draw the line so it's the farthest North". He's brushing off Lachlan's question.
     "Taking that town would at least solve our supply problem. All the civilians from the underground shelter could also stay their for protection", Jerome shifts a little at his spot leaning against the wall.
     "So we're really doing this? The squids won't let an attack like this go unnoticed. The war will turn as bad as it was before the castle fell", Lachlan runs a hand through his hair. He's a little scared to go full out.
     The room goes silent, thick with tension. No one wants to speak first. Prince Adam knows that it has to be him. He doesn't have any authority over anyone in this room. Yet...... Preston believed in what he could do.
"I'm gonna go talk to find Dan again. We're gonna need all the help we can get if we're gonna win this thing", Adam hesitantly smiles.
"I'll go with you. A tour would be nice. You're all boring, anyways", Red shrugs. He walks out on the meeting, expecting Adam to follow. The Prince shrugs does as the assassin King expects. Sub also leaves, but goes on the opposite direction to check on Jason and Quinten.
     The camp is still really busy with all the clean up. There are giant ice spikes slowly melting in the middle of camp........ and a small hoard of assassins running around. Lachlan plans to set a few ground rules with all of them later in the day.
      A few soldiers stop what they're doing to watch the two pass. It's easy to recognize Red, and most cringe away from him. He waves and smiles in return. It's all teeth.
     Prince Adam is the one that they pay attention to. He tries not to shrivel under their gaze. At this point, a few have figured out that he was the assassin who trained Ty for the last month. Even more have heard about his claim when fighting the squid Captain outside the wall.
Adam doesn't mean to walk faster, but he's soon speed walking to where Dan has his wagon. Red quietly follows. He's probably imaging something gory in his head. They're finally stopped by a unit leader who steps into their path.
"Prince Adam?", they hesitantly ask. Adam grabs into his amulet instinctively. It's quickly becoming a nervous habit.
     "U-Umm, Yeah? Nice to meet you?", Adam cringes at his own awkwardness. Red giggles a little bit. The unit leader seems at a loss for what to say. Adam tries to give a small smile before slowly, stiffly, and fearfully hacking away.
     "So smooth", Red elbows him right in the ribs. Hard.
     "Shut up", Adam grumbles, pushing Red away by his face.
     Dan seems to be waiting for them when they find the Lord. He's leaning against his wagon, arms crossed with a few blank letters in his hand.
      "So who am I sending these out to, Prince? I figured that you'd want to spread some sort of awareness message", Dan doesn't seem too animated, but Adam can tell that he approves.
     "There's definitely a reason that you were my Dad's advisor", he smiles.
     Adam doesn't see it when Red and Dan make eye contact. The two have a lot of history together, and none of it good. The Assassin King lets one hand rest on his knife. Dan would be dead if they were ever alone, the rebellion be damed.
     Red watches in silence as Adam and Dan work. Dan has GoldenWings in every town on the continent. When Adam asked, a few of Mitch's messengers instantly volunteered to take them.
The chess board has been set. The first pawns are being played. Which King will find himself in checkmate first?