Chapter 38 Strategy

We live by the river, in the long grasses and brush between the woods and the water. We have protection for our families there and can defend our young from attack. — Prince Eater, undocumented

“Rumors? I don’t run my campaigns on rumors,” Gil snarled. “Keep your gossip to yourself.”

“No, please do not keep it to yourself. We need all the information we can get,” Jon asserted. “As it happens, that particular piece of news has been known for several years. Our father formally removed Prince Gunnar from the line of succession the day Gunnar was presented to him as a newborn.”

Gil leaned back in shock. His eyes swept Jon up and down before he said, “Harry wouldn’t do that. I don’t believe you.”

“You don’t believe me?” Jon said with a laugh. “You’ve been hiding your true identity for years, Gilbert Raedwald. Holy King Harrison formally removed you from the line of succession at the same time that he removed Gunnar. He also had his daughter’s remains moved from under the willow to the family cemetery. She’s there among the infants that were stillborn or died so soon after birth that they were never named. I can show you her grave when there’s time.”

Gil’s face paled and he sank back in his chair. His glass tipped sharply but before it slipped from his hand, he tightened his grip and mumbled, “I prayed all those years over empty ground.”

Jon didn’t pause to gloat over Gil’s grief, but continued, “Don’t get me wrong, he raised Gunnar and all of us thought of him as a sibling, but we knew he was not. That is probably why he acted against Seán – it was the only hope he had of getting the Crown.” Gil’s shoulders dropped as he tried to process what Jon revealed. “Your fealty to Holy King Harrison has never been in question. Your loyalty to the princes is something you still have to prove. There is no such thing as confidential information that you withhold from the Crown. In this case, me. It is your sworn duty to share any information you have.”

Gil pressed his hands into fists of frustration, violently bashed them against the map covering the table, and said, “We’ll do it my way. That’s an order.”

“We will not,” Declan countered. “As commander, the recommendation is mine to make to Prince Jon. I propose that one party of us will go in first, and then the others come through in small groups using several entrances. That will draw less attention than all fifty of us marching in fully armed at once. And there’s no reason for us to do that since the Grays are well-known and accepted. We’ll rendezvous at the Courtyard.”

Gil glared furiously at Commander Connolly, opened his mouth to object, but closed it with a hard swallow, and continued, “The Grays will leave before First Sun. We’ll split up and go in following Commander Connolly’s instructions. Our goal, first and foremost, will be to scour the city to search for Prince Seán. Annie’s Rebels from SnakeIn need to disperse around the perimeter of the city, ready to charge in at a moment’s notice. An old, inconspicuous pub I know about will serve well as headquarters.”

The members of Annie’s Envoy nodded.

“We’ll send word when it’s time to attack.” Gil turned to Alec and said, “You’re the best archer we have. I want you to be ready early and keep flexible about where you’ll be. We may have to change the plan once we’re on the ground.”

Jon looked at Alec, hesitant to interfere, but finally asked, “Is that necessary? I don’t like being separated from Alec during the battle.”

“I’ll watch out for him,” Declan Connolly vouched. “And assign someone else to do so also.”

“Alec?” Jon asked his husband.

Alec shrugged. “It’s a war. I have to go where my skills will be the most useful.”

“I suppose,” Jon agreed.

“For his own safety, we’ll try to find Prince Seán with as little bloodshed as possible,” Gil expounded. “The prince is most likely imprisoned in the Tara Citadel, in which case, we will be unable to gain access. No men are allowed beyond the meeting hall on the ground floor. The magi have priests specifically trained to prevent that type of intrusion. The rare breach of the ground floor has always resulted in the death of the intruder and whoever caused them to enter the private residences.”

“Are you suggesting that we simply ignore the Tara Citadel?” Jon asked. “That’s ridiculous. If there’s a chance Seán is being held there, we’re going in.”

“And we must secure the Citadel if we’re to take down the magi,” the Senior Envoy added. Everyone in the room nodded in agreement except Gil.

“I can get in,” Colleen offered. She had been standing back against one of the walls listening to them formulate a plan but walked forward when she saw a purpose she could fulfill.

“I told you to stay out of this,” Gil declared. “Harrison went to great effort to get you out of the magi dungeon and spirited to safety. He has already prepared the proclamation saying that you are Reggie’s widow and your child is a new Prince of the Realm. You will not dishonor or insult that by endangering your unborn son.”

“I can’t stand by and not help,” she responded. “Not after what they did to Reggie.”

“What Reggie saw in you is beyond me,” Gil said in frustration. “You don’t listen. You don’t cooperate. The other reason I don’t want you involved is that if someone in the Citadel recognizes you, that will betray all of us. I married you because Harrison demanded that Reggie’s baby be saved and be kept safe. Until Fitzreginald is born whole and healthy, caring for him is your main role. After that, you can leave the baby with me and do whatever you want. But not until then.”

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“My suggestion makes sense, Gil. I’m female and I’m already familiar with the interior of the Citadel.” She leaned over the map, traced her finger along undrawn paths, and said, “For one thing, Reggie showed me several tunnels that link the Citadel and the Castle which most people don’t know about. For another, the source of Ava Most Revered’s power – the Holy Lightning – is at the top of Tara Citadel. I’ve had to feed her bracelets for her, so I know how to get there.”

“What do you mean, feed her bracelets?” Jon asked.

“She has two identical sets and there’s a place where she puts them to keep them functioning. She wears one set while the other is being replenished by the Glow Nest on the roof,” Colleen answered. “Otherwise, the second set is in the jewelry box by her bed. The Glow Nest isn’t really for her bracelets, although they do use its power. It’s mostly for the equipment used in the Insubstantiation Process, you know, the Ritual. It’s terrible what happens to the princes. I’ve had to feed and care for them. It’s sad. They were so handsome. I wish they would have let me see Reggie afterward, no matter what he looked like.”

“Reggie died in the Ritual,” Jon said. “He and Ethan both.”

“Ethan did,” Colleen said but shook her head. “Reggie went through the entire process. I was told that he’s the first one who has since King Tiernan. They needed to streamline Holy King Harrison’s Ritual, so he didn’t go through the entire process. He may not even know the truth about it.”

Before she could explain further, the Senior Envoy said, “Let’s stay on topic so that we get our strategy worked out. You make good points, Colleen. We won’t truly succeed unless we take down the magi, and eliminate their power. We need to attack this Glow Nest if you can get us into the Citadel.”

“I can, yes,” she replied.

“I told you no. I will not allow you to risk Prince Reginald’s unborn child. If you are caught, they will kill you, and not easily. Who knows, they may even keep you alive until the child is born so they can inflict the Ritual on the baby. I’m tired of you always arguing. I pledged to Harrison that I would protect Reggie’s child. Once the child is born and in my custody, you’re done. Until then I’ll do whatever I must to save Reggie’s child,” Gil rose to his feet, leaned across the map, and slapped the table with the flat of his hands so hard that Colleen jumped in fright and dropped the glass in her hand. As it shattered on the finely made carpet in the study, Alec, Rory, and the envoys ran across the room from where they had stood listening. Some drew their weapons, but all of them placed themselves between Gil and his wife.

The Senior Envoy put his hand on the hilt of his sword and said, his voice level, “Unfortunately, we need you for the battle ahead of us. Otherwise, Mr. Braeford, you would be in chains at this very moment.”

The Junior Envoy placed her hand over the hilt of her short sword and shifted her feet as if readying herself to fight. Commander Declan Connolly glanced at the other Grays standing in the room and joined the Junior Envoy facing Gil down.

“Stop!” Jon called out above the din. When the room quieted and everyone had turned to listen, he continued, “Gil is right. Not in threatening you, Colleen, but birth is difficult enough, without you deliberately going into danger and risking an unborn prince. As the most senior ranking member of royalty present, I forbid you. Your idea has merit, and we do need to incorporate it into the overall plan. Rory, Liam, please assist Mrs. Raedwald upstairs so that she can rest and collect herself where she’s safe from Gil’s intimidation. In an hour, Colleen, one of us will come up and talk with you about your ideas and suggestions.”

Rory and Liam bowed to Prince Jon and then helped Colleen toward the main staircase. She fearfully clutched her face with both her hands, while Rory gripped her elbow gently to steady her. They had walked halfway to the study door, when she paused, took one hand from her face, and cradled Rory’s chin. She moved his face right, moved it left, and then turned back to the others and remarked, “He would make a pretty novitiate.”

“I’ll do it,” Rory said at once.

“Thank you, Prince Rory, Sir, but we can’t risk you,” the Senior Envoy said without waiting for anyone else’s reaction.

“You hypocrite,” Gil snarled. “You threatened to throw me in chains for protecting Prince Reginald’s direct descendant, but won’t let him take a risk because he’s at the very bottom of the line of succession. Reggie’s son will be at the top of it. By the Survivor, you’re all…”

“I’ll do it,” Liam McCreesh interjected forcefully before Gil could complete the insult. “I’m not a prince.”

The strategy meeting lasted until almost midnight, but despite the hour, the envoys sent by Annie’s Rebels chose to begin their return journey immediately. A detachment of the Grays, assigned to guard Callen Docherty, rode out with them. By the time they left, Jon felt he had a good handle on the plans for the next day’s campaign but was at a loss as to how to fall asleep. He lay awake next to Alec, listening to the soft sounds of footsteps outside the chamber door, and wondered if it was Liam or Declan pacing back and forth.

A soft scratch on the door woke Alec and brought Jon to his feet. Declan Connolly let himself into the room, waved behind him to ensure Liam continued to stand guard and moved silently into the room.

“Forgive me,” he said. “I need to discuss tomorrow’s events with the two of you privately.”

“Please, sit,” Jon said as he opened a palm toward the chair at the bedside.

“I’m not comfortable with all that transpired in today’s meeting but don’t have enough to act on any of it, and I don’t think we could act on it in this environment,” Declan began. “The idea of separating the two of you is troublesome. On the surface, Alec being with the rest of us makes sense, but something isn’t right.”

“I don’t like Jon being trapped on that roof,” Alec agreed. “At one time or another, I’ve been stationed all over the castle roof, and that area only has one exit, a stairway that runs up from the kitchen. If that door gets blocked, the only other escape for Jon is to jump.”

“Several years ago, I visited friends who lived in the northern mountains over in New East Anglia,” Declan said. “They often traveled from the top of a mountain to the base by sliding along a rope. They’d use a metal contraption over the rope to protect their hands.”

“I’ve heard of those,” Jon commented. “I’ve never seen one.”

“Do you think we could create something like that for Jon and the two boys to retreat from the rooftop?” Alec asked. “Some of us, maybe a detail from Annie’s Rebels who are already in Hilltown, could be hiding in that stand of trees right there, and be ready to assist them from the rope, and then cut the line so that no one can follow them down.”

“My thoughts exactly,” Declan agreed. “There’s a groom in the stables who is good at putting together things like that. He’s my partner. We plan on marrying after this round of battles. I’ll see if he can come up with something.”

“Thank you,” Jon said. “Thank you.”

“Will you be awake for a few minutes, Alec?” Declan asked. “I don’t want young Liam on his own if trouble presents itself, but if you’ll be awake, I’ll run to the stables right now. It shouldn’t take long.”

“Absolutely,” Alec assured him. “I’ll stay up until you let us know you’ve returned.”

Declan nodded and hurried from the room. When the door closed, Jon snuggled closer to Alec and rested his head on Alec’s shoulder. Their embrace lasted until Declan opened the door slightly and called, “All set.”

When the door clicked shut, Alec nestled Jon closer, running his hands across Jon’s chest, and licking tiny kisses along his shoulder. In response, Jon nipped amorously at Alec’s neck.

Afterward, with the habit of a soldier able to sleep whenever the opportunity to do so presented itself, Alec fell asleep quickly. Jon lay next to him counting Alec’s soft snores. Too soon, First Sun rose, and Alec left his side. Jon listened to him move around the chamber, washing, dressing, and readying himself for the battle ahead. When Alec leaned across the bed to kiss Jon goodbye, Jon caught him in an embrace and only let go with reluctance. After he left, Jon simply stared at the ceiling.

©2022 Vera S. Scott