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  Before Hargon sat down, he let his eyes linger from Marik to Queen Elissa, and then finally on Lord Martin.

  “That is a fine speech,” Lord Martin croaked out. “But you are Taran. Not Karmon. How could you know how we feel?”

  “You’re right,” Hargon snapped back sharply. “I am not Karmon. I am Taran, but I no longer have an empire to call my own. The Deceiver has already brought Taran to its knees, and it will soon do so with your puny kingdom if you don’t stand up like a man and fight.”

  Lord Martin’s face turned bright red. “You insult me!”

  Elissa stood up and said, “This is neither the time nor the place for such discussions. The war council will convene soon enough, and representatives of all of us will discuss how we will defend the kingdom.” She turned to Hargon and said, “Hargon, what you said was powerful. I hope you share your words with the war council as well. They trust and respect your thoughts.”

  Hargon gave a sharp nod. “Of course, Your Majesty.”

  She turned to Lord Martin and said, “Lord Martin, your point is well taken, but ultimately, the decision will fall on my shoulders. Now, if you will excuse us, I think we have food to finish.”

  Elissa sat down unceremoniously and grabbed a piece of fresh bread. Forcing herself to keep her eyes off of Lord Martin, she stuffed the bread into her mouth and began chewing.

  Before Lord Martin could say another word, Marik said, “Lord Martin, you have been dismissed.”

  With a huff and an angry grunt, he spun on his heels and marched out of the room.

  ***

  Lord Martin, seething with anger and embarrassment rushed out of the hall and marched swiftly down the corridor. His long strides faltered when he saw a familiar face leaning against the wall, an apple in hand. As Lord Martin approached, the man, Rufus, ripped a large chunk from the apple and smiled.

  “Are you still here?” Lord Martin growled.

  Still chewing, Rufus replied, “Didn’t go quite as well as expected, huh?”

  Lord Martin glanced back into the hall and let out an angry sigh.

  “You want that information, now?”

  “Fine. What is it?”

  “Seems that no one knows this lady that you call Marila. I mean, they’ve seen her around for the past few days, but no one knows her.”

  Lord Martin returned a blank stare. “What does that mean?”

  “Everyone knows someone,” Rufus said. “These survivors, they all came from South Karmon, then to Tyre, then fled here with a goblin horde nipping at their heels. Strangers became companions. Companions became friends. Death and destruction have brought our people together like they’ve never been before. Everyone knows everyone, except no one knows Marila. I find that…”

  “Interesting,” Lord Martin finished, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

  “If I didn’t know better, I’d think she’s a spy or something.”

  “Of course she is!” Lord Martin growled. “She convinced the queen that we have to stay in the castle, which means that the safest place to be is outside the castle and on the way north to the safety of the Great Mountains!”

  It was Rufus’ turn to rub his chin. “These walls are pretty strong, and we have a pretty large army. I don’t think I’d want to be caught out in the open where all those goblins are.”

  Lord Martin let out a stream of curses under his breath. “Don’t you get it? I’ve been right all along. This spy wants us to stay here because she knows that the Deceiver can breach these walls. But, if we can get our people out quickly, then we can save the kingdom, and I can be its savior! The army will stay behind as a diversion, and I will lead the people away.”

  “What about this spy, should we not tell Queen Elissa?”

  Lord Martin grabbed the front of Rufus’ tunic. “No! You will speak of this to no one. I will reveal Marila as a spy, but it must be done at the right time. It must be done in a way that gets me to be the one who leads our people north. Sir Marik, the Elves, the Dwarves, all of them will stay behind to defend our escape. They will die in a blaze of glory, and their names will be the legends of our children and our children’s children.”

  Rufus nodded his head. “While you lead our kingdom to safety? How honorable of you.”

  Lord Martin squeezed Rufus’ tunic. “Which side of the walls do you want to be on when this happens? You can be at my side, or you can be standing atop the walls facing an insurmountable army.”

  Rufus looked down at the shorter man. He didn’t like being told what to do, but he also knew the power that Lord Martin had, and would have, once they made it out of the castle and to safety.

  “When do we leave?” Rufus replied.

  Lord Martin released Rufus’ tunic and took a step back. “Good answer. We will leave the moment that the Queen makes her declaration to head to the Great Mountains, which will be in the morning just after I reveal this woman as a spy. The first step, though, is for you to return to the caverns and start spreading a few little rumors.”

  Lord Martin continued to explain for several more minutes, and as each minute passed, Rufus’ smile grew wider.

  Chapter Five

  Nikki stood next to General Aeneas at the top of the long, sloping hill that overlooked the muddy field that would be the site of the next battle. A stiff, biting wind blew into her face, flowing her long, black hair behind her. When it came time to draw her swords for battle, the hair would be wound into a single braid. She glanced over at the general, seeing him for the first time. He stood straight and tall, as a soldier should. With a firm jaw and chiseled cheeks, he was handsome enough for a second glance. His face was weathered from many years in the northern cold and sun, making it difficult to tell how old he was. With dark eyes, thoughts and emotions were easily hidden. Yet, there was a softness about him that transcended his soldiering nature. It intrigued her.

  “When will they come?” Nikki asked. She had been given a fur-lined cloak to help keep her body warm, but she let it hang open in front of her, just as General Aeneas did with his. She was a warrior and did not care about the elements in which she fought. Hot. Cold. Rain. Sun. It did not matter. Her training and discipline allowed her to ignore pain. Plus, she did not want to show any weakness to the Taran General.

  “In their own time, when they are ready,” he replied. “They do not fight conventionally and do not fight with honor. They fight to the death and give no quarter to their enemies, either.”

  “Have you not tried to parlay with them and come to some sort of treaty?” Nikki was not only a warrior, but she was also royalty and had been raised to consider more than just warfare. As her father continually preached, war was sometimes a necessity, but there was also a practical aspect of peace. Only in times of peace could a nation grow and prosper. Even an empire such as the Taran Empire could not sustain a war forever, even if they had a seemingly limitless supply of men and resources.

  General Aeneas let out a sigh, and his voice betrayed his weariness. “Many times we have tried to resolve the conflict with a treaty. Last fall we sent a delegation to meet them, and our men were slaughtered before a single word could be said. The barbarians have decided that there would be no more talking. Only war. That is why they now mass for a final battle. In some ways, it will be good for this campaign to be over, one way or another. Either I will be dead, or I’ll be able to go back home. Either way, I’ll be free of this dreadful place.”

  He glanced back behind him to see the mass of Taran soldiers preparing for war. Food had been consumed, and what rest could be managed was had. Legions were being gathered together, which took much time and patience. Maneuvering thousands of men into place was no easy task, even though the Taran Centurions made it look easy.

  He spied General Lucius, who could be seen from a great distance in his gaudy bright red cape and plumed helm. Before he let treacherous thoughts enter his mind, he continued in a low, monotone voice. “They will rush out from the forest in a frenzy, running across the open fie
ld to engage us quickly, before our crossbows can slow them down. That has been their tactic of late, and as we have run low on crossbow bolts, it has been a way that has worked. General Lucius has been out here for too long, and he has been outwitted by them, yet he will not admit to it. No Taran would admit to being outsmarted by a barbarian.”

  “Outwitted?” Nikki asked. “How so?”

  “After they slaughtered our delegation, we attacked them, and we had several victorious battles in a row, which emboldened General Lucius. Putting the entire army of the move, we chased them across the wilderness, over hills and mountains, until we reached this spot. We took the hill to gain the high ground and made them come to us. They attacked us several times but retreated after taking heavy losses. The valley behind us is perfect for winter camping as it is sheltered from the bitterest of winds and there is plenty of water for drinking, wood for fires, and game for hunting. We had the high ground, which is always something that General Lucius looks for. It wasn’t until a couple weeks ago that we discovered that we were trapped, and we realized they had led us to this location. As the snows melted and the river rose, General Lucius ignored his advisors and stayed in our sheltered valley rather than retreating across the river when it was still passable. Now, the river runs swift and deep, and there is no place to cross so that we could retreat to safety and regroup. We have our backs against the wall and a vicious enemy at our doorstep. Like I said, there will be no more battles after this one. If we do not win this battle, we have nowhere to escape to, and we will be slaughtered.”

  “This might be your last battle here,” Nikki said. “But, there are still more battles to be fought. To the east, in the Kingdom of Karmon, there is another war going on, one that is more important than what you are fighting here. It is why we must escape this trap and get moving east before we are too late. My friends are waiting for us. I just hope we are not too late.”

  General Aeneas looked over at Nikki and studied her face. “You truly believe that the Deceiver has an army, and he has invaded this world?”

  “I have no doubt.”

  “But, you have not seen the army?”

  “The One God has spoken to me and told me that it is true.”

  General Aeneas laughed. “The One God speaks to you, now?”

  Nikki returned a slight smile. “Not in words. If you believed, you would understand.”

  “I do believe,” General Aeneas replied with his own friendly smile. He looked up at the sky and then around him. “Being out here for so long wears on the soul and causes questions to be asked. But, I still believe.”

  The silence of the cold day was broken by the swift beating of drums.

  General Aeneas pulled his cloak tightly around his body. “I hope our God does more than talk to you, for we will need His help to get through the day. Our armies are backed up against a river that cannot be crossed, and the barbarians have closed any path of retreat. They are not as skilled as we are, but they fight with a brutal rage. Those drums tell me their warriors are all in place, and it is time for them to gather for their initial charge. It will take some time for their attack to begin, though. They may be vicious, but they are patient. I’ve had them wait a week to begin a battle before. It drove our Centurions nearly insane, and by the time the battle started, we were mentally weak and physically drained.”

  “We have not talked about how my Sak’Hurai will fight with your Centurions.”

  “No, we have not. General Lucius has a plan. We must consult with him.”

  “He does not care for my soldiers or me.”

  “No, he does not.” General Aeneas let his lips slip into a smile again. “He cares little for anything other than victory. If there were another way for you to escape, I would let you go. Our fate is tied to this battle, but yours is not. You should head east as quickly as you can.”

  “Even if we can help win your battle today?”

  “If what you say is true, that the Deceiver has an army ready to take over the world, then we should risk trying to break through their lines and march east. There would be terrible losses. At least half the Centurions would die, but we would be able to offer a few thousand of our Centurions to add to the Karmon’s army.” He saw the question to begin to form in her eyes, so he quickly shook his head. “As good an idea as it is, General Lucius would never agree to that. He believes we will win this battle with only minimal losses. He is a fool, and he will get all of us killed.”

  General Aeneas turned and began walking down the back side of the hill towards his army. Nikki fell into step beside him.

  “It is what you should do, though. Whatever he has you do, you should do what you need to do to break through the barbarian lines and run for the horizon. Maybe some of the barbarians will chase after you, but the bulk of their army will be trying to slaughter ours. It will be the perfect time for you to escape.”

  “We can help you win this battle.”

  “Our fate is sealed, yours is not. You must do what you can to survive.”

  They walked through the slowly forming echelons of soldiers and headed straight for the center of the army where General Lucius was shouting out orders. What had once been a chaotic mass of soldiers was now forming into large groups of organized ranks. Once the echelons were formed, they moved as one towards the top of the hill. It impressed Nikki to see the discipline of the lowest soldier able to march in step with those around them. Their faces showed stoic determination and bravery. The youngest of eyes showed no fear, nor the hint of cowardice. Most knew that they were going to fight their last fight, but this is what they were trained for. Nikki felt proud to be in their presence, for they were truly great warriors, trained and disciplined just as her Sak’Hurai were.

  “Your warriors will be placed in the middle of the formation,” General Aeneas said. “That will keep your men away from our troops, else you will get in the way of our maneuvers.”

  She turned to the general and asked with a raised eyebrow, “Maneuvers?”

  “Taran warfare is complicated. We do not just run forward into a chaotic melee as the barbarians do. There is order and discipline to the battle. This is what gives us our strength and power.”

  “And it has worked for you?”

  “Some places better than others. Up here, not so much.”

  “Your soldiers are better trained than the barbarians, and yet, you have been fighting to a stalemate for twenty years? Have you not changed your tactics at all?”

  In an unconvincing tone, the general replied, “Our tactics are tried and true for centuries. We have dominated the continent with our fighting style.”

  “Except for the barbarians.”

  “Yes,” General Aeneas agreed. “Except for the barbarians.”

  “Then it is time to change tactics.”

  General Aeneas stopped. He pointed towards General Lucius, who stood a hundred yards away screaming orders to his other generals, commanders, and junior officers. “Battlefield tactics and strategies come from the battlefield commander. If you wish to question him, there he is.”

  Nikki was not sure if the general was being serious or not, but she did not care. She spun on her heels and began striding toward General Lucius. In near disbelief, General Aeneas trotted after her.

  Nikki strode right up to the general of the Taran army and said, “General, we need to talk.”

  General Lucius turned towards her, his eyes blazing with fury. His commanders were not doing exactly as he wanted, and he felt the louder his voice, the better they would hear him.

  His tone did not change when he looked down at Nikki and said, “What? You? I have no time for you. Do you not see that there is a battle about to be fought and my commanders are idiots! General Aeneas, get this woman away from me!”

  Nikki was not used to anyone speaking to her in such a manner. She took a breath and paused for a heartbeat to collect herself and to be sure that she wasn’t going to respond in a rash manner.

  “General,”
she repeated, her voice smooth and calm. “We need to talk about how my warriors are going to fight alongside your Centurions.”

  General Lucius had started to turn away, thinking he had dismissed Nikki, but then he looked at her as if she were a small bug that needed to be squashed. “Alongside? Hardly. Your men will be positioned in the center of the lines out of the way of the echelon legions so that you do not get in our way. You will attack upon our command. Not a moment sooner and certainly not a moment later.”

  “Sak’Hurai are mobile and quicker than your soldiers. If we split into two groups, we can each join up with your forces protecting the flanks. That will allow us to move about where needed without getting caught in the middle.”

  “Are you questioning me?” General Lucius looked at General Aeneas. “Why is she talking to me? I have a battle to prepare for. Your hundred or so warriors are insignificant in this battle. I don’t care where your warriors are, as long as they are in the center of the formation, away from the echelons. I won’t have you interfering with our tactics. Get her out of here, Aeneas.”

  Nikki stepped in front of General Lucius as he started to turn away. “Do you know who I am?” Nikki snapped, dropping her calm and controlled voice. “I am Princess Nikki of the Hurai. Not only am I of royal blood, but I am also Sak’Hurai.”

  “Woman!” General Lucius screamed back, spittle flying from his lips. “I don’t care who you are or who you think you are.” He thrust his hand out, pointing to the north. “Those barbarian infidels are going to be running over that hill at any moment. Your puny force isn’t going to matter. You might think you are something special and your warriors something special, but it will be the overwhelming might of my Centurions that will make a difference. Now step aside.”