i just might love you (a hosie royalty au)

Part 13 "A letter for her highness."

A/n: thanks for all the comments :)
***

Hope pulled the reins back ever so slightly. Daisy slowed to a walk as she servayed the valley below. There were small circles of warm orange light flickering in and out between the trees covering the floor of the valley. From this ridge she could make out fifteen or so campfires, but there were surely more hidden away all throughout.

"Our scouts have counted at least three-hundred." The rider beside her said. "There's more camps around the walls, but we're sure this one is where they're controlling the whole siege."

"Thank you, Wade." Hope replied, her thoughts overclouding her eyes for a moment as she ran different scenarios. "Has Park arrived with the units from Uthlocke?"

"They made it to Bald Ridge at dusk, so they should arrive when we get back."

"Very good." The auburn haired girl mumbled to herself. With a gentle tug she stopped her horse and dismounted. Wade did the same behind her, tying his horse to a low hanging branch.

For the next thirty minutes she described the plan, using her hands to point out specific locations to visualize everything. Wade nodded every so often to show he was listening, though he had long since memorized everything Hope was saying. The princess just needed to run everything through one more time, with the terrain in view as she would see it instead of the map.

Wade's prediction was right, as Penelope was waiting in the designated 'war room' tent when the two returned. Her hair was slightly ruffled, and she was eating some bread and slicing an apple with a sharp knife.

"Don't you use that blade to kill people?" Hope chuckled as she removed her warm overcoat, laying it over a chair near the back of the tent.

"This is a new one, lost my other one at Bald Ridge."

"Tell me all about it." Hope laughed at what was to come, knowing Penelope would never lose a weapon accidentally.

The raven haired girl smirked as she told the tale about a small party of bold Malivore soldiers that had wandered too far East. They had been harassing workers from a nearby lumber mill. The Mikaelson troops had happened to pass by at the right time, vastly outnumbering the Malivore soldiers.

"We did what we do best." Penelope boasted.

"Improvise?" Hope joked as she leaned against the big wooden table in the middle of the room.

Penelope sent her a dirty look. "I'll have you know I'm very meticulous in my planning."

"Ah yes, you're schemes."

"Speaking of schemes," The raven haired girl started, setting aside the bread and remains of her apple. "What's yours?"

Hope leaned her palms against the table, nodding towards the center of the map which showed a large city surrounded by walls.

"Malivore's men are stationed around the walls here and here," She indicated to the spots with her pinky. "Clusters of soldiers are gathered at the three gates mainly, but there's been a flurry of activity reported at this camp."

Penelope followed where Hope's pinky was pointing to and nodded. It was near where they were, tucked away in a wooded valley.

"The terrain is steep along the ridges, but the pine trees dont give them much cover."

"It also means they can spot us."

"Right, which is where the Knights of Uthlocke come in."

"So, you want to use magic."