The Regal Rogue

12. For Grimshaw

I awoke naturally in a dreamy state.
I lay still looking around me at the light, foggy sky from the ground.

I then notice Callum laying on my chest, his arm protectively wrapped around my waist.
I wiggled a bit, trying to get free, but this made him jolt awake.
He was now on his hands as if ready to strike, not even noticing how closely he was hovering over me.

He glanced down at me and as quick as a flash of lightning, put distance between us.

I propped myself on my elbows to look at him, now across from me.
His once worried eyes turned dull after seeing my face.
"I just didn't want you to think I was trying something." He said in his wily way the first time we'd met.

I furrowed my brows. Why was he acting like this? I got up and let out a soft, dark sigh.
"I get it if you don't want others to see you in your vulnerable state like last night. But don't do this to me." I told him, trying to keep an understanding tone.

"This is a day we plan for battle. There is no room for sentiment. Don't take it personally though. For Grimshaw." He reminded.

"For Grimshaw." I agreed nodding.

There I left him and went to speak about more pressing matters with Donella.
"All the male faeries will handle Desmond. The rest of us will hold off any of the queen's soldiers. We'll be counting on you to do what is necessary for the salvation of Grimshaw." She discussed her ideas.

"Grand. It's perfect." I praise her.

She seemed prideful of my answer and went off to get her army in order in preparation.

I went back to my spot near the tent where my satchel was hidden in a shrub. My sword was leaning in it and I retrieved it. I sat and cleaned it with a rag I had made from one of my ruined dresses. It still had a coat of slime on it from the Hallowgoons and was difficult to get off.
When it was spotless, I sheathed it and went to Roselyn and Serenity.

"We have the plan. You will both help the pixies as an army. As for Callum, he is stationed with the faerie men. And I............I will do the dirty work." I told them, as if I was a commanding officer.

"Serenity. Train with me." I tossed her spear to her. She caught it easily and slowly made her way to the clear, burnt patch.
She stood, leaning against her spear as if she were careless.

I held my sword over my head, stretching my arm muscles. Serenity just yawned.
I made the first move, trying to strike at her ribs.
She leisurely tilts her spear a little ways and blocks it.
I spin around to surprise her other side, but she twirls her spear behind her back, taking it with her other hand and blocking again.

I stepped back, giving her a daring look, just goading her to make her move. She comes at me with it pointed, spinning it over her head as a distraction, and bringing it down to jerk. She had used the dull end to knock me off my feet.

"You know." I grunted, standing.
"Why don't we take a rest?"

She gave a mocking nod and gave a smirk towards Roselyn who had her fingertips covering her mouth to hide her chuckles.

When I glanced at her, she stood up straight and her face dropped.
"Come Crimson. Why don't we assist the faeries." She tried to cover it by taking my elbow and pulling me to the centre of camp.

I gave Serenity an exaggerated look as Roselyn tugged me away. As I left, I saw Callum stand right beside her and they both stared after me.

She must not have noticed him when I had left because her expression was indifferent.

I followed Roselyn to the faeries and was amazed watching them flutter about. All around us they were using magical golden bits to make small weapons and armor for themselves.

"We have something for you." Donella whispered in the slight breeze that whooshed behind me.

I was strangely nervous as I approached the green glowing crowd of pixies around a seared stump.
As if on que, they parted to let me through.
There displayed on the stump was a shield of pure silver. I hesitantly picked it up and turned it over to look at it from all sides.
I noticed it was silver, but also that it had an emerald sparkle when it hit the grey light from the clouded sky.

"It's not much, but it's practically indestructible and we see it as a talisman of our new found alliance." The head constructor pixie said in a swift blow of the wind.

"Many thanks." I almost whispered myself, a bit stunned still looking at the gleaming armor.

I had been in the Grimshaw armory thousands of times, but never had I seen anything even related to this.

At the end of the day, everyone was tired from all the war preparations so we sat around the fire together, the pixies and us.

Being the grand speaker she was, Donella took it upon herself to say the speech of encouragement for tomorrow.
It became a fierce wind storm as the faeries cheered, raising their needle swords and other weapons.

I was one of the first to go to bed, but stayed awake thinking to myself.
Secretly, I had been anxious and a little fearful of tomorrow. I lay on my side and turned on my back to look at the sky.
As if to give me hope, I could see the deep blue stars trying to burn through the fog.

My mind wandered as I stared at the sky until I felt a warm figure right beside me.

It was Callum.

I heard his breathing and could see his profile in the shadow of the distant fire.

"Now is not the time to be sentimental." I said in a sigh, using his own words against him.

I heard his slight chuckle. "Agreed. But that's not why I'm here."
The words made me shiver.

I kept silent and stiff. I could tell he was looking at me in the dark.

"The blackbird has discovered old, unmentioned news. The heir of Grimshaw has been born. He is now already a month old." He told me, his voice deep and gruff, I could tell he was tired.

"Then he will be proudly known as a war child." I commented, coldly.

"Gods. You're not saying you won't take precautions for your innocent nephew, are you?" He asked, I heard the surprise in his voice.

"What happened to no sentiment?" I asked, teasingly. Then I got serious.
"But no I'd never do that. Anyway, I know my sister well enough to expect that she'll have the boy protected somewhere safe. If I'm right, she'll plan on using him as a weapon, such as a warlock and keep the generation of magic alive." I explained to him, my voice turning dark with the words.

"I see. I would suggest you to rest for tomorrow, but I know how you are about sleeping before events. Good night, Crims." He said, rolling over so he could stand on his feet and left me.

I felt something after that. I thought it was pointless how scared I was today.
Something clicked.
I was not the gentle princess I once was.
I was going to fight and I was going to do it honorably and fearlessly.
My mind went dark and sleep consumed me, giving me dreams of my sister's bleak fate.
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