“Right right, that stupid thing is off. Now tell me why do you want a contraceptive charm in the first place?” Helias asked.
“What…” Sara slowly walked over, not to her separate bedroll, but to her husband’s, staring at him all the while. “You can’t possibly not get it. Is this a joke, Helias, or do you really need me to ask you?”
“You know I’m not a joking man, Sara and I know you’re dumb enough to go sleep with someone in this camp. So that leaves…” Helias blinked. Sara was taking off her heavy outer dress. She now sat down on his bedroll only dressed in a white linen underdress. The tauroll suddenly straightened. “Oh. I thought you weren’t interested.”
“You know for a veteran general you can be surprisingly dumb at times. You have needs. I have needs.” Sara closed her eyes and undid the ribbon tying her hair up, letting the black locks fall loose. “And even though I don’t love you, I trust you. Do you trust me?”
The general’s head dropped a little as he smiled. Shaking his head to himself, he pulled off his jacket, walked over to the bedroll and sat down beside his wife. “More than anyone in my life.”
“There. Then that’s settled.” Sara allowed herself a smirk. “If it helps, there’s literally noone else who can help me with this in Thorgoth’s camp and you are infuriatingly handsome.”
“Well, you’re also no slouch.” The tauroll pursed his lips and placed his hand on his wife’s. Their fingers slowly intertwined with one another. Her soft skin and manicured nails against his callused fingertips. “Before we get further, we do need to talk about that debriefing.”
Sara sighed and made a face. “Ah, yes, but no more delays.”
Helias chuckled. “Of course, but you have to admit, that was a rather interesting meeting.”
The harpy-orc shuddered, reflexively running her hands through her long black hair. “General Glowron standing up to Thorgoth is not what I’d call interesting. It was downright terrifying.”
Pulling his wand out, Helias pointed to his chest. “I didn’t think the old bat had it in him. Wine?”
“You had some left?” Sara drawled.
Helias rolled his eyes and spat out a Word of Power. “Ha ha. Yes, we have some left and I have an order coming in for tomorrow.” A bottle of wine floated from across the tent to the couple, along with two cups.
“I suppose being a general has its perks.” Sara took both floating cups and bottle from her husband’s magical grasp. Unstoppering the bottle, she poured them both glasses. “Why did Glowron argue with Thorgoth, though? The plan to ambush the Lapanterion Legion seems to have been very successful.”
“Thank you. So as you heard, we took some pretty severe losses ourselves. Erisdalian cavalry almost wiped out the battalions we sent to attack the city today. With how we need to subjugate Erisdale after we defeat them, we really cannot afford to lose troops.” Helias took a sip of his cup. “The second is what Glowron said. He wasn’t consulted despite being the army’s chief. That’s quite the personal insult.”
Sara winced, once again lacing her fingers with Helias’s. “Ah, sorry, I did understand that part, but what I don’t get is why did Glowron choose to argue with Thorgoth here and now. He’s been in agreement with the king for years. He’s helped Thorgoth design and execute the strategy that’s brought the war to this point, including things like the surprise attack at Delbarria.”
The general blinked. “Now that you mention it, that is a bit strange. It’s not like the king hasn’t consulted with Glowron before. Erlenberg was very much the king’s plan.” Helias grimaced. “Of course, we have no idea how bad this argument was. Maybe they’ve argued before about this behind closed doors. Thorgoth didn’t seem to mind his outburst.”
“The king has a very good court mask, but I could tell that Queen Berengaria definitely didn’t expect it. I saw her just kinda stare at Glowron for a moment, not with the “you’re dead” look she sometimes sends my way, but one of surprise,” said Sara.
Helias frowned. “Would Berengaria be privy to all of the king’s plans? She wasn’t married to him until only a few years ago, and I’ve never seen them so…attached.”
Sara rolled her cup for a moment before taking another sip through pursed lips. “I don’t know for sure. I must admit until the last few years, Thorgoth didn’t seem to be particularly close to anybody. Yet, despite how she practically seems to constantly lie on his arm, he never seems to be bothered. I’d dare say that he actually likes it.” Sara shrugged. “Of course, I might be completely wrong. After all, we all know Thorgoth’s one true love was Queen Ulania.”
The general stiffened quite suddenly, his tail standing almost like a flagpole. “Maybe not. You see, I’ve been around a little longer than you. Ulania was close to Berengaria. They always went out for private tea parties in the gardens and I remember…a long long time ago, Thorgoth attended a number of these.”
“How close?” Sara whispered.
Helias slowly turned to his wife. “Close enough that I now wonder if they didn’t just share a bed but a husband.”
“A great many things would be explained by that.” Sara shook her head. “We have no proof, though and we’re getting off topic. What does Glowron and Thorgoth’s argument mean and what are our chances now?”
She was met by the sight of her husband scratching his goatee. “I…I don’t know. I do know that the situation is better for us, but it hasn’t actually changed that much.”
“It hasn’t? I thought we were on a time limit with the reinforcements of the Lightning Battalion coming,” said Sara.
“Well we do have reinforcements of our own now and we didn’t lose any dragons in this attack,” said Helias. The tauroll filled his cup again. “Problem is that we didn’t gain much today. The attack was important, but we don’t have time to risk attacking their reinforcements with the dragons again, and it’s likely they’ll take steps against that.”
“So we’re going to launch an all out assault tomorrow then? Or very soon?” Sara asked.
Helias hesitated, his hand gently squeezing his wife’s before he took another sip. “In two days, yes. With all our forces together, we should be able to punch through the second terrace. This is especially since we just got another new regiment from Minairen.”
Sara pursed her lips. Very softly, she said, “Helias, you don’t sound entirely convinced about this. Something’s bothering you.”
The general sighed. “Very astute. Well, for one, Thorgoth or Berengaria still haven’t clarified their strategy, especially since the losses we’ve taken are higher than expected. Glowron and I pressed them but they didn’t say a word, or kept deflecting.”
“And the other?” Sara asked.
“It’s silly.” Helias met Sara’s gaze. The pair were so close that their noses briefly touched. With nothing to hide, and too close to obfuscate, the tauroll swallowed. “I have this feeling that something’s very wrong with this whole situation.”
“Is it a sense of danger? Of dread?” Sara asked.
Helias nodded. “Yes. Do you feel it too?”
“A little. I thought it was just me being nervous about your safety,” Sara whispered, squeezing her husband’s hand.
The general grimaced, but his voice remained soft and almost without thinking, he drew his wife into an embrace. “It may be that, but to be honest, ever since we have gotten here, I feel like we’ve been dancing to someone else’s song. Yes, the humans are in the perfect place for us to crush them, yes we’ve had to respond to their positioning near Minairen, but I feel like we’re missing a piece.”
“Well, the humans are funnelling every last one of their armies at us, but we know that,” said Sara, fingers loosening the topmost ties of her shift.
His arms suddenly stiffening, Helias suddenly muttered, “Should we withdraw?”
The harpy-orc squawked. “Withdraw?”
“Even if we break the enemy armies here, it will be difficult to conquer the rest of Erisdale. Why don’t we just pull back, regroup, and hit them in a different place where they haven’t prepared defences?” Helias asked.
Blinking, Sara opened her mouth, revealing the rather large canines in her jaw, before closing her mouth and frowning deeply.
“That makes a lot of sense. It’s not like the humans have set up the logistics for an invasion of Alavaria. However, I don’t think Thorgoth would agree to this.”
“Why not, it’s the logical thing. If victory is uncertain, then we must take whatever action necessary to pursue it,” said Helias.
Sara poked Helias’s collarbone with a firm, manicured finger. “It would look horrible for him and the crown. The King of Alavaria, the Demon King, led the pride of Alavaria and seven dragons out to defeat the last great human and traitor armies and had to fall back after losing a dragon. Forget the nobles, the public and ordinary citizens would want to surrender and hand Thorgoth over to the Otherworlders.”
“Right, that’s a good point.” The general twirled one finger through his wife’s hair, marvelling at how soft the strands were. “But isn’t that the same with the humans? If they lose here, and they are likely to lose with our numbers and our dragons and with Thorgoth being here, then their people will likely lose heart.”
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“So, why would they risk fighting here, unless they knew they were going to win?” Sara murmured.
“Well, do they know they’re going to win?” Helias asked.
“Whoever came up with the strategy and picked this battlefield does,” said Sara, resting her forehead against Helias’s cheek.
“Perhaps that’s why Glowron argued with Thorgoth, he realised something’s wrong.” Helias smiled and gently kissed Sara’s cheek. “In any case, I think we’re both exhausted and quite eager to get down to business. Unless there’s anything you want to add?”
Guiding her husband’s hands to her hips, Sara smirked. “Nope. Let’s get busy—”
“General Helias!” bellowed a voice.
The pair pulled apart, scrambling to put clothing on. “Fucking…” Helias stormed to the tent flap, pulling his jacket on. “This better be important, soldier!”
A tall troll, his age suggesting he was one of the veterans, met Helias’s eye with an unflinching gaze. “Sir, the dragons are fighting amongst themselves.”
“Oh shit. Sara!”
“Coming. Let’s go!” The harpy-orc squawked as she squeezed past Helias and pressed his swordbelt into his hand. Running the leather belt around his waist the general chased after his wife as they ran from their tent, not noticing how the centaur guard they ran past looked away from them.
Despite how far they were, the pair could hear the hissing and growls from the great beasts. As they neared and they could see the necks of the dragons rearing up, they could hear more of what they were saying. They could also see the furious snarls twisting their scaly lips.
“How dare you!” Fennokra hissed.
The wings of the eldest and largest dragon, Velkandra slowly extended, not to their full wingspan, but enough to make Fennokra step back. “Do you deny that you doubt our cause’s righteousness?”
Yolandra, the smallest of the siblings, didn’t. Instead she stood on her hind legs so she could match Velkandra’s height. “She just was hearing me out sister.”
“And you were saying the same things that Lakadara did before she betrayed us!” screeched Makentra, the youngest dragon. The last male of Telkandra’s brood stalked toward Yolandra, smoke puffing from between his clenched teeth. “Did she not break your claw? Did she not nearly kill you?”
“Oh that’s hilarious, especially coming from you, Makentra. You and Velkandra planned to send us to die today whilst you two attacked the prey!” Yolandra growled.
Fennokra narrowed her eyes, turning to glance at her sister. “Yolandra, you go too far…” she froze as she saw Makentra’s eyes look away. “You—Velkandra?”
The eldest dragon didn’t even had the decency to look abashed. She glared right back at her younger sibling.
“We did not intend for you to get hurt.”
“But you didn’t mind putting us in greater danger, didn’t you?” growled Fennokra.
Pushing through the mass of soldiers running from the dragon, Helias and Sara finally reached them.
“Everybody calm down!” Helias bellowed, striding toward the dragons. Despite how her claws and wings trembled, Sara followed, though she kept behind her husband.
“General Helias, were you aware that today’s attack on Athelda-Aoun was doomed?” hissed Yolandra, fixing the general with her golden eyes.
The tauroll swallowed. “No. King Thorgoth did not involve me in all the details of the plan. I was not aware. I thought that all you dragons were attacking, not just two.”
“See! We did no such thing,” hissed Makentra with a sneer.
Yolandra gritted her jaw, only for Fennokra to narrow her eyes. “Velkandra, I saw King Thorgoth speak to you in confidence two nights ago.”
“We were not discussing anything of consequence,” said Velkandra, but the elder dragons tone was curt and her words were clipped.
“Enlighten us then,” said Yolandra.
Helias swallowed. The claws of all the dragons were digging into the ground. He could see sinew and muscle bunching together, whilst wings now unfurled to their full wingspan. Throats were tightening, nostrils flared. He’d spent enough time with the dragon siblings to read what that meant.
“Please, this may just be a misunderstanding,” said Helias. He was lying through his teeth, but frankly he had no idea what to do.
A booming voice, magically boosted, echoed over the crowd and the snarls of the dragons.
“What is the matter?” Thorgoth bellowed, the king of Alavaria striding without hesitation toward the dragons, his royal purple cloak trailing behind him. Despite the cold fear that clawed his heart, and his wife’s tightening grip around his arm, Helias couldn’t help but feel relieved that the king was here.
“Thorgoth. What did you discuss with Velkandra and Makendra?” hissed Fennokra
“And why did you send us against Athelda-Aoun almost by ourselves?” Yolandra demanded.
The king crossed his arms, one eyebrow arched up. Helias glanced at Sara, wondering if he was going crazy, but she mirrored his confusion. Thorgoth seemed to be pretending, or was really looking at the dragons as if he was encountering a particularly interesting fly.
“Ah, is that what this is about? My apologies for not telling you about the details of the plan and for putting you in danger. However, the enemy would have become suspicious if there were no dragons that attacked Athelda-Aoun. We needed a force to fix them in place.”
Fennokra narrowed her eyes and furled her wings. Yolandra however, was not so easily satisfied, she stalked toward Thorgoth, putting one massive clawed foot over the other. “Then you weren’t trying to get us killed?”
Thorgoth smiled. Helias and Sara froze as they saw the humour in the slightly toothy grin.
“Why would I be interested in endangering my allies? After all, you have pledged to support us in this battle, just like I have pledged to help you fulfil your revenge against the Stormcaller and her allies.”
You could hear a mouse squeak after the sheer calm charm to which the king replied to the dragon. And despite how Yolandra towered over Thorgoth, the onlookers did not miss how she seemed to freeze.
“In any case, if you are still unsure, Yolandra, you perhaps should spend some time ruminating. General Helias, if you could arrange an area of the camp for our ally to rest?”
“Two allies.” Fennokra, a barely hidden scowl making her lips twitch, stepped in beside her sister. “I will go with my sibling. Perhaps I can talk some sense into her.”
“Fennokra—”
“Quiet Yolandra. General?” Fennokra hissed, flashing Helias a meaningful look.
Helias coughed. “Of course, right this way.”
***
It took some time, but Helias found what used to be a collapsed passageway leading off the Greenway. It now formed a massive alcove fit for the two sister dragons to now stay in.
Two oxen, freshly slaughtered, had been delivered to the entrance. Fennokra now ate one of these animals as Yolandra paced.
Sara bowed low as Helias leaned against the entrance to the alcove “Is this to your liking, Fennokra, Yolandra?”
Yolandra snorted. “You can stop grovelling Sara. We are both aware that you and the general are more or less partners in your marriage.”
Sara flinched, glancing at Helias, who was looking over his shoulder. He couldn’t see anybody and they were far enough from the camp that he doubted any sound would travel.
“I’m not sure what you are talking about,” Sara stammered. “I am but my husband’s obedient and devoted wife.”
An audible crunch of the dragon snapping her meal’s thighbone echoed in the alcove, whipping the pair’s heads to Fennokra. “Our hearing can be quite sensitive when we focus it, say on someone’s heartbeat. You act like you’re scared of Helias. You cringe when he hits you but there is no true fear or frustration when he does.” The dragon tilted her head back, swallowing the last remnants of the cow before licking her claws. “So, are we wrong?”
The general sighed. “How long have you known?” Helias asked.
“Long enough to know that you both are not friends of Thorgoth, even if he has your allegiance,” said Yolandra. The dragon’s head, larger than a cart, moved toward Sara, who took several steps back. “Sara, you spoke to my sister Lakadara. What did you tell her that made her leave?”
The harpy-orc swallowed. “I don’t know.”
“As you Alavari call it, bullshit,” growled Fennokra.
Sara tried to calm her rapid, quickening breaths. A gentle touch of Helias against her elbow made her catch herself. She forced in a deeper breath and exhaled. “I don’t know. I really don’t. I just… she asked why I was married to Helias and why I acted the way I did. I told her that my mother betrayed the king and this was my punishment.”
The dragon sisters exchanged a look. Fennokra still frowned. Yolandra scowled, not at the much smaller Alavari, though.
“Yes, so the king demanded you partner with the good general. Why would she be so alarmed? You get along with him don’t you?” muttered Yolandra..
“Well, that’s not all marriage entails. If Helias and I hadn’t worked out an agreement, I would have to obey him,” said Sara slowly.
Fennokra narrowed her eyes. “Obey…wait, in what manner?”
“Um, in every way. Most marriages aren’t supposed to be like that, but in this case, the king ordered me to obey my husband in all things.” Sara’s gaze fell to the floor. “If Helias had ordered me to bear him a child, I would have had to. Thankfully, this was something that we came to a mutual agreement on.”
Yolandra’s head flew up so she could meet Fennokra’s wide eyes. “But that means—”
“That if Thorgoth had his way Sara would essentially be a slave,” said Helias. Arms crossed, the tauroll let out an exasperated sigh. “As it stands, the situation is not ideal either. Were you not aware of this?”
Fennokra shook her head. “Of course not. But…what did your mother do that the punishment was visited on you instead?”
Balling her hands into fists, Sara wiped her eyes, but they still filled with tears.
“She wanted to side with the rightful Queen of Alavaria.”
“Is Thorgoth not the rightful king? His daughter is a mere rebel,” said Yolandra.
“Apparently, Alavaria’s White Crown, a sentient magical artefact that determines the kingship, has sided with Titania, iIf rumours are true.” Voice half-choked, Sara looked over her shoulder, but Helias said nothing. The expression on his face however, was one she hadn’t seen before.
It was sympathy. The harpy-orc stared for a moment, not sure if she was seeing things until her husband nodded.
“I don’t know if it was propaganda but she’s dead now. Killed in an…‘escape attempt,’” Sara croaked. “In short, they murdered her.”
Fennokra now narrowed her golden gaze at the tauroll. “General Helias, you told us that Thorgoth would fulfil our vengeance.”
The tauroll nodded. “Yes. He wants the Stormcaller and her allies dead or worse,” said Helias.
Fennokra growled, “You didn’t tell us that he was capable of this. Were you…”
“No, you were aware he was capable of this. Why did you not tell us?” Yolandra hissed.
Helias, lips pursed, tucked his hands into his pockets. “You didn’t ask and none of you seemed to care.”
Fennokra’s wings unfurled, sending a gust that buffeted the pair’s cloaks, and made them hang onto each other in an embrace.
“Speak carefully, General Helias.”
“Helias, maybe it’s not a good idea to provoke the dragons!” stammered Sara, holding onto Helias’s jacket.
The tauroll squeezed his wife’s hands. “You are correct, Sara, but it is the truth and it is not I who should speak carefully, but they who should listen.”
The harpy-orc winced. “Yes, but they might not care!”
“Well, why should we listen to you?” Fennokra hissed, a puff of smoke rising from her nostrils.
Helias smiled. It wasn’t a cocky one, but it was completely without fear. “Because unlike Thorgoth, I can’t threaten your lives. Yes you are dragons, but he has an army and he already has your siblings on his side through his manipulation.”
Fennokra swallowed, whilst Yolandra lay down, her lips pulling back in a grimace, showing her gritted fangs.
“He used how we wanted revenge for our mother to get us on his side, and he’s using it to keep Velkandra and Makentra on his side,” said Yolandra.
“Yes. He even used that fact to get you to attack Lakadara,” said Sara in a quiet voice.
“Did you even let her explain why she doubted Thorgoth before you attacked her?” Helias asked.
Golden eyes now downcast, wings clinging tightly to their massive frames, the dragons lay down on the ground, shamefaced. It was a somewhat humorous sight, if the situation wasn’t so dire.
“Telkandra was our mother,” stammered Yolandra.
Sara took a deep breath and stepped away from her husband. Hesitantly, she reached out her hand to touch Yolandra’s nose. It was very hot to the touch, the scale feeling a little like burnished steel. “Yes, but the Stormcaller and her allies would probably have treated you better.”
“She…she didn’t want to fight our mother. I recall that now. She was just defending a young welp,” said Fennokra.
“What do we do now?” Yolandra asked.
Sara glanced at Helias, and knew that the solemn, morose expression that pursed his lips was mirrored on her own features.
“Survive. It’s…it’s all we can do,” said Sara simply