282 Kings Legion (1/2)

Damn Timothy. Damn him. Damn!

Erik was cursing with his jaw clenched tight. Dust filled his vision. Thumps of iron filled his ears. The entire Union's force was moving as one- eighty-six thousand men if he wasn't mistaken.

There were a diverse bunch- Castonians, Vanadians, Tulosans, Borondians, Cantonese, Inkish and some were Wismarines. The artillery pieces were abandoned. It was a sprint.

Well not really a sprint. 'Make haste to save me but move as one. Don't send the cavalry ahead.' That was Timothy's order to him written in some rolled paper he crumpled after receiving.

It was insane. Timothy was insane. Taking the Rooster and his royal guards to serve as bait was insane. Well it wasn't really a bait. Sarah must have known that Timothy was a bait. She of course knew. Now this had become a race. If the Wismarines kill Timothy before the bulk of the Union arrives then they have lost. If Erik arrives before the Rooster was slaughtered, then the Wismarines were trapped.

So damn Timothy. Damn him for giving Erik this huge responsibility.

Erik looked forward, toward Timothy's direction several dozen leagues away.

Damn you, he thought. Don't you dare fall before we arrive. Don't you dare.

***

”Everything is ready, Your Majesty.” Abraham informed him.

Timothy could very well see that though. The Rooster legion was entrenched on top of a hill. Spikes three men long protruded outward, designed to scare elephants. Caltrops were scattered. A moat with another set of spikes was dug as welcome. But the greatest defense were the men of the Rooster themselves. They were veterans of dozens of battles. Undefeated. Unbroken. They were his personal men.

The Wismarine host was approaching from the south. He couldn't see them yet but the disturbance in the dust and sand was apparent.

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Timothy squinted and turned to Lucia. What do you think? He was about to ask but remembered that she was not here. He had become used to her presence and advises that not seeing her was jarring.

He turned to the north. Lucia was watching him in one of those galleys in the river. If things go awry, he and what was left of the Rooster would scramble to the galleys. But first he and the Rooster would have to hold.

”They are near sire” Abraham again said. Bear roared to the direction of the Wismarines.

”Let them come.” Timothy said. ”We will welcome them with steel in our hands.”

***

Lucia was staring at the mass of Castonians on top of the hill.

They are just a league from the river bank, she thought. It would only take Timothy a few breaths to reach safety. There is nothing to worry about.

Her racing heart contradicted her thoughts. She bit her lips. How she wanted this to be over.

”He will be fine, You Majesty.” Shadow said. ”This is but a bump in your journey. You will triumph, the two of you.”

”I know. I have trust in him and the Rooster. I just don't trust fate. Fate is a simperer, you see. A treacherous thing.”

”Yes, my father also used to say that. Even how hard we try, some things are just inevitable.”

Lucia turned to Shadow. He still looked strange with his attire. She hadn't gotten used to his look. ”Are you talking about my inability to bear a child?”