They finally have figured out how to get the sizes they want. That’s much sooner than you believed.

Kaen smiled as he patted Pammon’s neck, using his friend's eyes to watch the two men working on rocks and the dragons doing their best to move the stones.

It’s been two days, and they only have fifteen rocks to show for it. They still have to transfer all those stones at least ten more miles before getting to the walls. Don’t forget, the dragons have to swap every quarter mile. That means forty-plus exchanges.

Pammon started thrumming as he watched Foros and Tazorath struggle with a stone.

You really are evil. I’m glad Hess never made us do anything like this. How in the world did you come up with this?

The capital needs stone. People need jobs. They need to get stronger and work together. The other day, it came to me in that mine. They can have all that while helping out the city.

Well, at least you are letting Amaranth and Glynnis bring them food every other day. I can’t imagine them being able to keep going without it.

They would be fine hunting their food if the forest was in better shape. There is another perk as well. All that dragon crap will help where they are at.

Which is near Minoosh… two dragons with a lot of stones…

Kaen groaned and gave one of Pammon’s scales a gentle thump.

That isn’t how it goes, but yes. Now, let’s go home. I need to meet with Aldric and Herb.

The three men looked at the map, and occasionally, one moved some tokens around, yet they had not spoken for almost ten minutes since they had started.

“I think that is the best option based on current intel,” Herb stated after no one touched anything for almost a minute. We know where their allies and troops are. The one thing we aren’t sure of is whether the orcs and goblins will come or are already present.”

“This depends on many factors, though,” Aldric said as he tapped the northwest part of the map. We don’t know how many warriors from Pensworth will answer Stioks’s call. If they come out in force, their warriors would be formidable for our people to fight.”

“But what if we wait till Foros and Tazorath are old enough to help?” Kaen said, pointing at the five tokens he had sitting on the edge of the map. “If we send a pair with each army, Pammon and I can draw Stioks out alone. Then our armies would have dragons to help with whatever resistance is there.”

Grunting, Herb slid a piece of paper on the edge of the table closer. “Based on the last report, the armies are growing each month. How many months are you planning?”

Both men stared at Kaen, who frowned as he considered what he and Pammon had discussed.

“At least four months would be best. That gives us time to try building our armies and prepare with the dwarves and the wood elves. Foros and Tazorath should be a decent size by then. If correct, that would give them twenty seconds or so of their breath.”

Taking the two tokens representing Glynnis and Tazorath, Kaen set them over by the army from Ebonmount.

“If both of them are here, it would give our troops a massive boost in damage and also help against the potential of orcs and goblins.”

“Why does everyone always talk about orcs and goblins?” Aldric asked. The ogres are the real problems. I mean, yes, the ten thousand or more troops cause a problem, but those ogres, especially the one you mentioned fighting in the cave, can decimate most armies on their own.”

“That is why I want us to wait until the dragons are old enough to help,” replied Kaen. “Just having Amaranth and Glynnis isn’t enough. Especially since Amaranth doesn’t have a breath weapon.”

Herb nodded as Aldric grunted. The king picked up the other two tokens, representing the silver and green dragon, and put them next to the dwarven and wood elf armies.

“So we wait four months?”

“At least,” Kaen replied. “I would prefer seven, but you know why I want to wait that long.”

Chuckling, Aldric nodded. “I’m assuming you're actually planning on having Ava on the battlefield even though she just gave birth to your twin children?”

“It was her request. She and Amaranth both want to be together. They have a… weird bond. Sometimes, I’m unsure what it is, but it differs from what Pammon and I share. It’s not a true bond, or I don’t believe it can be.”

“Didn’t Stioks and Juthom have a bond?” Herb asked, his eyes staring up at the ceiling as he wracked his brain about what they knew.

“Juthom said they had something but not like ours. Stioks wasn’t resistant to the cold or heat from their bond, and he couldn’t fly as high as Pammon or I could. He also didn’t get the bonus to his stats from the bond. Still, they could communicate, and there was something about it.”

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

“Ava is a strong mage. Having her above the armies would be very helpful,” Herb chimed in. “I do miss having her within the adventurers guild, especially with the skirmishes that have been taking place north of the mountain pass.”

“Show me where you are having problems,” Kaen said as he took a pencil and handed it to Herb. I have plans next week to take Foros and Tazorath out with Phillip and Frederick to train in those forests while also bringing back some wood for the kingdom.”

Snorting, Herb shook his head and put a few marks along the woods north of the kingdom pass. “Unless you plan on going way up here, out where that quest you first took was, you should be fine. We are running into packs of goblins, orcs, and the occasional ogre in the area east of there. I would venture to say they are not as organized as the ones we faced south of us.”

“We’re getting off track,” Aldric said as he tapped the map where the tokens were placed. “Seven months. You want us to wait seven months and then launch an all-out assault on Stioks and his kingdom. Do you really believe that he will not invade before then?”

Crossing his arms, Kaen ran his tongue over his teeth, waiting for what he knew was coming.

Stioks won’t attack until his dragon is older. Based on the size we saw and the knowledge that he has a lifestone like yours, that puny thing will be about the size of Amaranth or Glynnis in seven or eight months.

That means what? Do you think his dragon will be weak?

Pammon’s mind was filled with different thoughts, and Kaen picked up on the one that bothered him the most.

It’s still Stioks. You’re more concerned with him and what he might be doing right now.

We know that he has been creating wands and harnessing the power that he and Juthom had. With Juthom gone and the last of the female dragons they had, it will slow down, but I don’t want to underestimate the power of those tools.

You three forget that we are not sure how many more he might have, and if he gives those to someone in charge of the armies you face, do you expect to win those battles easily? Even with two dragons leading each of those armies, we are hoping that it will be enough.

Pammon was searching for food on the other side of the mountain, and Kaen could feel the frustration at the unknowns and variables they would face when the armies and kingdoms finally attacked.

What happens if the ogres, orcs, goblins, and whatever other creatures come and attack? Can Tazorath and Glynnis stop them? I would like to think so, but my child won’t be that strong, even with eight months of life coursing through her body. She is also underfed and lacks the experience you and I have.

And Phillip and Frederick will most likely be on the ground when the battle comes.

I believe they can ride earlier since we know how to make the harnesses, so we are pushing Toros and Tazorath to get stronger. Their lack of experience and fighting creatures of that caliber will be our biggest problem, even if that happens.

Kaen saw the other two men watching him, knowing he was conversing with Pammon.

“Another minute, if you don’t mind.”

Both nodded and turned back to the map, studying it some more and whispering amongst themselves while waiting for Kaen to be finished.

What if we go and practice against the kobolds? It would be a better fight for the four of them. The boys could practice a variety of weapons and hopefully gain a few more skills. Their dragons would be able to get some practice in fighting against armies.

Pammon said nothing, but Kaen knew his dragon agreed with that option.

I would instead attempt that than return to the castle of the orcs and goblins.

As would I. So, seven months? Eight at the latest, depending on Ava?

That is the best option. Anything beyond that puts us in a position where we must consider that Stioks might begin to attack randomly.

Nodding to himself, Kaen frowned, knowing that Pammon was right. If Stioks attacked, the biggest issue would be the man’s ability to plan and his experience fighting. Almost dying once was a lesson he didn’t want to have to learn a second time.

“Ok,” Kaen said, getting Aldric and Herb's attention. “Pammon agrees. We need seven or eight months. Anything beyond that is too long. So knowing that what is our plan?”

Herb sighed and rubbed his chin while Aldric moved to a table a few feet away.

“Let me grab something,” Aldric said.

Both men watched as the king dug through a few drawers, finally pulling out a stack of papers and returning to them with his notes.

“I have only two thousand men I would call truly battle-ready. Another thousand, maybe, who would be there for support and minor incursions. I cannot promise more than that with my limited number of mages and healers.”

Aldric paused, putting two of the papers he had brought back down, side by side, on the table. “This is the armor and weapons I have available. The second sheet shows the number of troops we can conscript from those who fought on the walls and are willing to fight. If we pull everyone from the defense of the walls and trust that no orcs or ogres will come, we can have another ten thousand max. Their armor will be limited and their weapons even more.”

“But seven months,” Herb interrupted. “If we have seven months, surely we can–”

“No,” Aldric replied, cutting Herb off. “There is not enough ore coming in. We haven’t had a chance until recently to start mining again. Unless we change that, there is no way I can begin to hope to even get there.”

Kaen started to chuckle, and both men turned to see what was so funny about their predicament.

“You two seem to not realize what my plan with Frederick and Phillip has been this whole time. Didn’t you hear what I asked about those trees to the north?”

Herb’s eyes narrowed at Kaen, and then they widened as realization set in. “You're using those two to help prepare for the coming battle!”

Smiling, Kaen nodded.

“Right now, those two are bringing over fifty rocks from the quarry where Minoosh was. They will have the materials needed to start building forges. Next, we will be headed north to start gathering wood, usable for both weapons and fueling those forges. After that comes the mines where I was just at. They and their dragons will be training non-stop, but if I learned anything from Hess, some of the best training comes from swinging a pickaxe and an axe.”

Aldric started to smile, at first a single corner of his lips rising up and then the other joining it. “That would actually work. If you can help with that, I’m sure I can get others to participate.”

“Consider it done!” exclaimed Kaen as he held out his hand toward his friend.

Both men shook, and the atmosphere in the room finally began to break. Hope was starting to build.