Wrath Of The Beast

Deficiency

"You know, I usually expect better results when I call you around Arry." Lady Tumble crossed her arms as the sun shined off her dark hair.

"I know, and the fault is mine m'lady." Aaron bowed

"Don't 'my lady' me. I've hired you for a job, and as it seems from what you're telling me, that job is not done." 
Lady Tumble glanced down at the cadaver of the creature which lay in her courtyard. 
"Arry, how long do we have?" 

"It won't belong. Maybe a few hours at best." Aaron replied, with a sigh Lady Tumbled turned to Myra and with a grim gaze to her beautiful complexion.

"Young lady, do indulge me, how brave are you?" She asked. Myra thought for a moment. She hadn't considered if she was brave. When she swung her hammer, she was just doing that swinging a hammer, bravery wasn't in the equation in her mind. 

"My Lady," she bowed. "In my experience, bravery has nothing to do with completing work. It's a matter of focus." 

An ecstatic smile crept across Lady Tumble's exterior, revealing her sharpened teeth. "Call me Syn, and that is the proper answer, sweet summer knight. As the leader of your team, getting the job done should be your priority. I anticipate this second phase is in decent hands then." 

Those words echoed in Myra's mind as she stood with Aeron in the guard tower. The quiet of watch duty was unbearable, here and there all that was to her comfort was the faint sound of her own heartbeat and the thoughts about her squad mates. Dragomir was in the opposite tower with Iskander. Why the commander paired them up she wouldn't know. Jethro was manning the wall with Lady Syn's archers, he was made captain of the bowmen, a position which seemed to fit him. She wondered if her hands were decent enough to handle a threat like a dragon. She wasn't able to handle an overgrown shellfish, let alone a true apex predator, how

"You're shaking." Aaron broke in.

"What? Not true." Myra barked, glancing at him.

"My eyes may be old, but I know fear when I see it you're shaking in your boots."

She looked about the castle walls seeing Lady Tumble's men ready with their bows and javelins, and without hesitation she spoke freely.

"My lord, how often do you find yourself fearing death?" Myra hadn't even known what she was asking, but she was filling the calm with conversation, something she needed.

Aeron gave her a stern look before gazing down at the polypus corpse. "As often as the sun rises and sets, quite frankly, but death isn't what paralyzes a leader, nor what makes our bones rattle."

She looked down at her trembling hand, then took a deep breath attempting to settle herself. "If not death my Lord, then what does paralyze a leader?" She asked not out of curiosity but out of the want for her nerves to settle.

"Our own deficiency, or rather deficiency in itself I suppose. When our fixation is not where it is most efficient, and we look too hard at ourselves, we see only the flaws on our side of things, Rather than the portrait as a whole."

Myra paused and absorbed his words. "What would you say is the most efficient fixation during a time of battle?"

Aaron gestured around the walls of the castle. "Do you see these men here? Where do you think their focus is? On us? The plan? Or the enemy?"

Myra peeked over the battlement, using her enhanced sight, she focused on their faces, seeing some men comfort one another, others staring at her and Aeron, and finally others inspecting their gear. 
"My Lord they seem to be focused on all which you mentioned." 

"Precisely, the men focus on what they need to in order to get through their fear. How can you apply this lesson?" He smiled

She hesitated, gave another look and with determination she replied. "If I remove my fixation on myself, I shall remove my paralysis as a leader." She declared.

He nodded in approval. "For me, it is enough to put confidence in my men. That is where my focus lies." He turned and peered out to the north, towards the faraway mountains. "And it seems my confidence shall be tested soon. Sound the horn."

She looked and coming towards them on great wings, came the test. Though miles away, it's flaps were booms, and it's magnitude was enormous. Myra quickly grabbed her horn and blew, so that all the men would know. The Dragon Approached.