"Oh my head hurts." I winced at the pain, holding my head, trying desperately to soothe my aching brain.

"Lady Ephemia, thank the gods your awake." An excited voice said beside me, it sounded like a little girl.

My eyes opened groggily, the world around me was terribly hazy. But I could make a small petite figure. The sounds of shuffling feet and fussing people indicated the presence of others.

"Someone get Senior Gerald." The girl said.

Her profile came into focus and her identity became known. It was Emily, the peasant girl that made her way from the destroyed village of Tormal. Her father was informed about the fate of his home, but likely she remained ignorant.

I could hear one of the footmen scurry away. It was funny that I could identify them based on the sounds of their footsteps. I chuckled at that and then clutched my head. I had a terrible headache but it wasn't as bad as before.

"Do you need anything my lady." The girl asked, her voice breaking a bit.

"Water." I said in a raspy voice, gods I sounded awful.

"Yes my lady." The girl excitedly replied.

She poured a cup of water from the side table pitcher and handed it to me. I took it carefully, taking a few sips, my thirst then compelled me to greedily drink it down. I drained the cup in only a few gulps, it was unladylike but I was so thirsty, I didn't care about such things right now.

"What happened?" I asked, but then realised I was demanding a report from a child.

"Right." She hopped from her seat and bowed to me. "My lady, you bravely destroyed the bad peoples war machines and defeated them. But hurt yourself in the process." She explained timidly.

I poured over her words, they were not as refined as the reports I got from Sir Felmun, but not bad for a child. It did fit with what I recalled. Foolishly launching consecutive fireballs with that impressive wand. But I must have overdid it and it backfired, literally.

"How long was I out?" I wondered.

"Only a day my lady. You recovered quickly with Senior Gerald's magic."

I smiled when she said that, I knew it was not a mistake to hire him. His personality aside, he was an excellent healer and wizard. If only he was a bit more tactful, he could have become a master in no time.

"I will have to thank him." I said.

Unsteadily I rose to a seated position, the aches and pains kept me from ascending and leaving this place. Perhaps I should wait for Gerald, before walking around without thought. It took a while, but he finally arrived, trailing behind a very exhausted footman.

I think he ran to the wall at high speed. It was impressive how my footmen were capable of maintaining posture and dignity, while covered in sweat and grime. The healer I chose for my future school approached. He arrived at my bedside, grinned down at me and spoke.

"So you're not dead, that's good." He commented in that, I was not sure he was joking tone.

"Oh I love your dry wit." I replied, sarcastically.

"It is one of my better qualities."

With the pleasantries aside, the healer went to work. He inspected me thoroughly, checking my temperature, waving his finger in front of my eyes and chanting a few spells.

"You seem to be fully healed, damn I am good." He praised himself.

"Yes you are the greatest healer in all the lands." I added, matching his praise, albeit sarcastically.

"Can I go now?" I asked, wanting to be free of this bed.

"Sure, just don't go blowing yourself up again."

I sighed, wanting to challenge that statement, then remembering I did just that. It was such a rookie mistake, some master wizard I am. "I will endeavour to be less combustible in future."

"That's good, since we kind of need you, desperately." He spoke without an ounce of sarcasm.

I straightened, preparing for the worst. "What happened?"

Gerald cast a wandering gaze around us and then nodded to another bed. I turned to look and found an unconscious Wilhelm. "What happened to him? Is he alright?" I spoke frantically but managed to maintain some calm.

"He is healing, we are taking good care of him." Everybody in sight was directing their attention to our conversation. "It is best we discuss this elsewhere." He explained and I agreed.

Assisting me to my feet, we left triage with a few protestations from a footman and Emily. I think the young girl wanted to spend more time tending to me. She was adorable, but I had things to do.

We left the room and made our way down the hallway, entering one of the many empty rooms. The place was luxurious and if we were at court, many noble ladies would gossip about my lack of a chaperone. The gossip would fly with tales of me bedding a peasant, which was pretty normal for the baronial court.

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"So what is it? What happened to Wilhelm?" I went straight to the point and he began his explanation.

"Well I am happy to say that we repelled the enemies second attack. But they used catapults and Wilhelm got caught in collapsing building." Gerald explained, dipping his head.

I shuddered, it was good that he survived, but anyone taken out of commission is a major setback. But I couldn't let myself fall into despair and chose to focus on the positive. "Well done, I was worried that a second attack would mean the end of us." I brightened at the news and then noticed his expression. "Wait, how did you repel them?" I asked, suspiciously.

"Well, I had help." He said, far more sheepish than I had ever seen him.

"Help, from Belus and Felmun?"

He paused on his next words, I could see I was not going to like the next ones. I braced myself for the explanation, hoping the situation was salvageable.

"I got some help from your demon and his minions." And the moment he said that I wondered if I heard that right.

"Come again?" That was all I could say.

"I know it was a risk, but the enemy was far larger and they had this crazy powerful vampire, he just leapt atop the wall and started hacking people apart." He scrambled to explain, in a very un-Gerald-like manner.

"Slow down, we will get to the vampire in a moment. What did you mean by got help from my demon?" I pressed that very important point.

"Well, since you were out of commission, I convinced everyone that my ring could control the demon and then made a deal with him so he could defend the castle, no big deal." His rapid-fire delivery did nothing to placate me.

"You did what!?" I yelled, even though I wanted to keep my voice down.

"I know it sounds bad, but an even larger undead horde is coming, so we really should get to the defence."

"Larger? The gods must really hate us." I complained.

"We summon demons, I'm sure we are persona non grata in the heavens."

I left my many questions for later and followed him out of the room and down the hallway again. Eventually, we reached the courtyard and ascended to the wall. I was greeted by my demon, perched on the battlements, his gaze fixed on the mass of figures in the distance.

I bit back my words, wanting to ask what the demon was doing here. But then I recalled, that he was off the leash because of my foolishness. The illusion that he was under control was only maintained by Gerald's lie.

"Mistress, glad you came." The demon's booming voice resounded. "The situation is dire and calls for my mistress supreme wisdom." The demon added, turning a horrifying grin upon me.

I didn't wince from that power move and strut forward proudly. Settling just beside him, I showed my people that I was in control and they had nothing to fear. Forgetting for a moment my previous blunder with the wand.

Inspecting the vast expanse before us, I could spot large clumps of figures shambling about. "That is a lot of undead." I muttered just loud enough to be heard.

"Agreed, luckily they are not heading directly towards us. Unluckily, they seem to have no direction at all and appear to be scattering." The demon observed or explained.

"How do you know this, demon?" I asked, before appending the proper power dynamic.

"I have Jelmak observing them from the sky. He sends me reports through our link, I think I might call the spell Infernal Communication? What do you think?" The demon leaned towards me, expectantly.

I was slightly flustered but was able to calm myself. "That sounds like a good name." I managed to get out and he nodded.

"Where is Belus?" I asked, looking around for the elderly necromancer.

His undead were still stationed and ready for action. The rest of my men at arms seemed haggard and worn. The second attack likely wore them down and now this. Sir Felmun arrived beside me, scowling at the demon, but putting up with it.

"He has not returned yet from his mission. I am growing concerned."

I sighed, wondering what I would do if he got killed or worse abandoned us. He did provide an arcane device to control his undead, in the worst-case scenario that he was incapacitated. Thinking over it, I should have made a demon control ring, but I am no good at such things.

"I don't think we can spare the men to go looking for him. Ready the device he gave us, just in case his link to his undead breaks." I commanded and my loyal knight obeyed.

"Demon, I want a full report of the enemy." I turned that commanding voice up a notch.

The demon grinned, jumped down from the wall and theatrically bowed before me. "As you wish, oh mighty mistress." He laid it on pretty thick.

"My minions have reported a calamity is occurring in the enemy camp. It is uncertain what specifically happened, but undead are pouring out in all directions. Either a commanded to scatter or perhaps acting on instinct." He explained, raising his head.

I could hear gasps from the nearby men, that was not a good sign. I turned to the crowd of soldiers and undead. Civilians had turned from their work of sifting rumble. I saw the damage as we ascended the wall, it is amazing that we had so few casualties.

"Is it possible this is the work of the necromancer?" Gerald interjected.

"Possibly, but it would be wildly out of scope from the original plan. Either he went of on his own or something went horribly wrong." I answered.

Turning to my demon, I glanced at my people. Their morale was low, anyone could see that. Based on what Gerald said and the state of the castle, we barely survived the second wave. Another wave could destroy us, it was time to pull out all the stops and really commit.

"My demon, I command you to obey me. You will defend this castle, you will destroy any enemy that dares attack my domain. This I command you as your mistress, you are bound to obey!" I announced this so everyone could hear.

The demon known as Asmin, calling himself Lord Asmordis, knelt before me. "Yes mistress, your will shall be done." He smiled and I felt no resistance.

With that little performance done, I turned to my people. I stood upon the wall, everyone's eyes attracted to me. Hopeful, pleading eyes I had never expected to witness. As a noble in the barony, I had always expected to simply be ornamental, to never truly rule anything.

But now, I was their leader, their ruler and defender. I may have stumbled, but I have not fallen, not yet. With a resounding voice, I began speaking, hoping that my meagre training as an orator would aid me this day.

"People of Wildhold, I admire your bravery. You have all stood proudly in defence of our home, against an enemy that cares not for the lives of the people. I know this battle has been harsh, but know this, I shall bring all my power to bear upon them. Nothing at my disposal will be spared in support and defence of this castle." I paused for effect

"This castle is the final barrier between our right to live, the vanguard against total annihilation. We stand here and now, on this wall and in support of the many brave soldiers that man it. We declare that we will not be idle nor complacent, in our duty to keep this land safe from all enemies, be they living or dead." Raising my arms theatrically I continued.

"Will you help me defend this land, defend this castle? Will you stand forward and lend me the strength of your arm, the wisdom of your mind and the courage of your hearts. If so, then we have nothing to fear, together we are formidable and so Wildhold stands strong, stands proud and will never, fall!"

The people before me were silent and then suddenly they erupted in a booming cheer. "Wildhold!" They repeated over and over, cheering on even the peasants below.

I was surrounded by a cacophony of brave men and women that would follow me. Pride threatened to swell, but I didn't let it. We had work to do and whatever may come, I knew I would not stand alone.