“Come and dance,” Layla said with a hand extended.

After an hour of feasting, many of the younger Estans had cleared an opening near the dais and begun to form lines in preparation for a dance.

“It will do you good,” Layla said. “The dances are not too difficult.”

“I’m not sure I know how,” Adan said, truthfully. He hadn’t danced since his father’s death, and he had forgotten many of the steps.

“It will come back to you,” Layla insisted, still holding her hand out.

“I don’t think she’s going to give up, my friend,” Kian said with a small smile. “You’d better go.”

“That’s right,” Layla said. “I won’t. Now come along.”

“Very well,” Adan said, rising from the table and taking Layla’s hand. “Since you insist.”

He followed her around the table to join the others as they stood in their places, with the men on one side and the women on the other, facing each other.

“Just watch the others and I’ll help you walk through it,” Layla instructed.

“Very good,” Adan said, “but I’m sure I shall muck it up.”

Why did Layla think this would do him good?

The music started and Layla said, “Now walk around me this way, and then take his hand . . .” she gestured to one of the other dancers. “Now, take mine and make a bridge with our hands for them to go under . . .”

She continued to instruct him as they weaved in and out. The other dancers gave him instructions as well, saying, “Now this way!” and “Now turn and take her hand!”

The dance was complex and moved in a strange pattern, but as they continued to weave in and among one another, Andrew began to see the pattern. Some older part of himself seemed to recognize the way the dance flowed, and he grew more confident, needing less instruction.

The musicians, seeing this, quickened the tempo of their lively song, and they were forced to dance even faster as they moved together. Every time Adan said Layla smile or laugh he felt something leap inside him, something that made him want to keep dancing with her all night. He cherished the feel of her hand in his and watching her dance and weave among the others.

At the same time, the joy of dancing with her was tainted by the piercing truth that he knew he would be leaving. Kian had made up his mind, and if they rode to war, Adan and Layla would likely never meet again.

“You’re a natural,” shouted Layla over the music. “I thought you would remember.”

Adan smiled in response.

Oh too soon, the dance ended, much to Adan’s disappointment. The music ceased and dancers stopped and bowed to their partners. Adan’s heart pounded, sweat dripped from his forehead, and his leg throbbed, but he barely noticed. All he saw was Layla, beaming at him.

Adan wanted to freeze the moment in time, to hold onto it and not let it end.

He glanced aside and caught sight of Kian standing against the far wall. Adan thought he could see tears in Kian’s eyes. He remembered the times that Kian and Vallessa had danced together, while Adan sat to the side and watched.

Kian glanced at the entrance to the main hall and stiffened. Something had drawn his attention away from Adan and Layla.

Adan looked and saw Corthenu standing in the empty archway, dripping with sweat and breathing heavily from his mouth. Those closest to the doorway had grown silent when they saw the grim look on the village leader’s face.

Kian gave Adan a meaningful look before walking toward the entrance.

“I’m sorry, please excuse me,” Adan said, bowing to Layla and following after Kian.

The crowd parted for Corthenu as he stepped into the hall, walking toward the dais.

“What is it?” Kian said when he reached him.

“You’ll find out in a moment,” Corthenu replied, continuing forward.

The hall grew quieter as they saw the village leader making his way toward the dais. By the time he reached the platform, everyone in the room stood listening expectantly.

Corthenu mounted the steps and turned to face the assembly.

“I have come from Cellion,” he said, his deep voice echoing through the great room. “One of the riders we sent to Allgor has returned.”

Corthenu paused and everyone held their breath.

“Allgor was taken by the Undelmans two days ago, and the city is now in the possession of Hugo and his men.”

Exclamations of dismay filled the hall, and Adan gritted his teeth. The news had not been a surprise, but his anger flared at the thought of Hugo’s victory.

Corthenu held up a hand for silence. “That is not the only news that I came to bring.”

Another pregnant pause.

“On his return journey, the rider was delayed and forced to take a detour. He had to find a way around the approaching army.”

Adan felt fear settling in his gut, an all too familiar feeling.

“By his estimation,” Corthenu continued. “Nearly five-thousand Undelman warriors are marching this way as we speak, following the footsteps of the same force that we defeated last night. They will arrive in less than two days.”

A stillness fell over the hall as the meaning of Corthenu’s words sank in. Shocked faces stared at each other with wide eyes.

They are coming, Adan thought.

Then the hall erupted in panic. A cacophony of shouting and crying filled the room as everyone responded in frantic confusion.

How can this be? Adan thought. How do the Undelmans know where we are?

Adan saw Kian dash forward, leaping onto the dais and raising his hands in the air.

“Silence!” he shouted, and everyone obeyed.

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The desperate clamor subsided as everyone saw the son of Lord Hathian about to address them all.

“We must not descend into mad terror,” Kian said for all to hear. “We must decide on a plan of action.”

Kian lowered his hands and looked from side to side, eyeing the gathered throng.

“You once offered to make me Lord of this City,” he continued. “And although I refused you at first, I now see that it is my duty to accept this honor, if you will still accept me. In fact, I intended to announce my acceptance later tonight.”

Kian glanced at Adan for a brief instant before looking down. “But the time has come, sooner than we hoped, for us to unite against the enemy bearing down upon us. Will you accept me as your lord?”

Kian’s question hung in the air for a brief moment. Then Corthenu, who had been standing beside Kian, turned and knelt as he had knelt earlier that day.

“Aye,” he said.

“Aye!” roared the rest of the assembled Estans, and one by one, they knelt before Kian and saluted by placing a fist on their chest. Not one man or woman stood in protest. Adan knelt as well, just as he had knelt before Kian’s father when he had sworn the bodyguard's oath.

When everyone in the hall had returned to their feet, Hurst made his way to the dais and stood beside Kian, looking from the crowd to him.

“The people of New Esta have chosen their lord,” Hurst said, taking his role as bard. “Kian, kneel and speak the pledge of a leader.”

Kian drew the curved scimitar from his sheath and knelt before those who had pledged themselves to him. He placed his fist against his chest in salute and spoke the Rulers Pledge:

“Mine life will now be lived for thee. Mine blade to defend thee, mine body to serve thee, until mine last breath is spent, and the Creator taketh me home. The Maker will judge between us. May it be so.”

“May it be so!” the crowd repeated.

“Now rise!” Hurst said, raising his hands in the air.

When Kian rose to his feet, he rose as Lord of New Esta.

“Leaders and governors,” Hurst declared in his strong voice. “Come and give the oath due to him you have chosen.”

Then, one by one, the village leaders and governors made their way to the dais, knelt before Kian with a salute, and pledged their faith as Corthenu had done.

“Mine blade is thine to command and those in mine charge shall hear and obey, for as long as thou art faithful to those in yours. The Maker will judge between us. May it be so.”

“It is done,” Hurst said once the last village leader had pledged his faith in Kian. “What is your first command my lord?”

“Return to your homes now,” Kian said for all to hear. “Return and await further instruction. Your leaders will give you our decision once we have reached one.”

The hall began to empty as the Estans obeyed, filing through the doorway and returning to their hovels.

Adan saw Layla escorting her aunt through the hall and their eyes met.

Adan pushed through the crowd until he reached her.

“I’ll come find you as soon as I can,” he said, putting a hand on her shoulder.

She nodded and put her hand on his cheek. Then she kissed him quickly before turning away.

Adan pushed his way to the dais, and mounted the steps to stand beside Kian.

The village leaders had remained behind, as well as every bard in the city. Hurst, Samo, Laxander, and eight others. Adan recognized Ansel, the bard of Enys Island, standing with the rest of his brethren. Adan also saw Hammund standing near the four tables at the foot of the dais, no doubt sensing that he would be needed.

“You are certain of this news?” Kian whispered to Corthenu, loud enough for Adan to hear.

“As certain as we can trust our riders,” Corthenu said.

“Where is the army coming from?”

“From what he said, they are coming from the west, as if from the remains of Farel, following the path you and Adan took here.”

Kian’s brow furrowed as he tried to make sense of the situation.

“First we were followed by a small troop of riders, then five hundred men a day later, and now five thousand the day after that. It makes no sense. If they knew we were out here, then why not send the larger force first? They can’t know that we killed the smaller forces already. There hasn’t been enough time. What is Hugo playing at?”

Kian sat deep in thought until the last of the laymen of New Esta had left the hall.

“Leaders and governors,” he said, looking from man to man in the dim red light of the dying fires, “we must decide our next move with great care. The lives of our people depend on our decision tonight. A vast force, greatly outnumbering our own, approaches this city, and will undoubtedly arrive here two nights hence. What is your council?”

“To fight,” said Corthenu, without hesitation.

Kian looked at him and nodded before turning to the others. “Are there any who object to fighting?”

After a long silence, Governor Fagus cleared his throat and took a small step forward. “Why not flee instead of fight? We have a two day head start, and as you have said on many occasions Corthenu, this fortress is hardly defensible.”

“Where would you flee to?” Corthenu asked. “We are back against the eastern mountains with enemies to the north, west.

“Why not South then?” Fagus said. “We could try to reach Threcalax.”

“We could not outrun an army of warriors,” Corthenu replied, “not if we bring everyone. It would take over a week to reach the capital and our enemy may get there first. If Allgor has fallen, Threcalax will be next.”

“We have run far enough,” Kian said. “All of us have abandoned our homes and villages and come here. This fortress may not be as secure as it once was, but I would rather meet the enemy here than on the road south.”

Fagus looked at the ground and sighed. “Then I suppose we should decide on some way to fortify this place as best we can.”

Adan wracked his brain, trying to remember every lesson in strategic maneuvers and battle tactics he had received from Master Grimmel.

The walls are crumbling in many places, he thought, easy to scale and gain entrance. We would need some way to deter the enemy away from those places, without wasting all of our men and leaving the gate unguarded…

“Why not do what we did before?” one of the village leaders asked. “Lure them into the city and try to cut off their escape?”

“Because there are ten times as many as before,” Corthenu replied. “We cannot concern ourselves with trying to keep the enemy from escaping this time. It will be all we can do just to survive the upcoming fight.”

A nervous silence fell over the leaders.

“May I speak?” Adan asked.

“Of course,” Kian replied.

“It seems to me we have to find a way to strengthen the outer defenses of the city and make it more difficult for the Undelmans to reach the wall.”

“Do you have any suggestions for doing so?” Corthenu asked.

“I do,” Adan replied. “As Governor Fagus pointed out, we have one advantage.”

“What is that?” asked Kian.

“Time. Much can be done in two days.”

“Like what?”

“Like felling trees and creating a barricade in the worst parts of the wall. We can cut the limbs short and sharpen them into spikes. Then we can dig pits behind the walls of trees and put more spikes at the bottom.”

Adan looked around to see thoughtful faces, as they contemplated his suggestion.

“If we get everyone working,” Corthenu said, “that might help.”

“Also,” Adan continued, “we may be lacking in proper weapons and armor, but we have many skilled hunters, if I am not mistaken. I suggest we create as many bows and arrows as we can and give them to anyone who has ever held a bow. The more skilled hunters can dedicate the next two days to helping the less skilled ones improve their speed and accuracy.”

“And we can place those archers in the weakest places to discourage attacks there,” Corthenu said, nodding.

“And the rest of our men will defend the more defensible parts of the wall,” Kian added.

“What about the gate?” one of the village leaders asked. “Isn’t the gate considered one of the weakest places in an outer wall?”

“Normally, yes,” Adan replied. “But not here. The most recent work has been done at the gate, and it is far stronger than many places in the wall. But we will not abandon the gate. I suggest we put archers in the gatehouse above.”

“Regarding provisions,” Hammund interjected. “The enemy may see fit to wait and starve us out. We should gather every ounce of food we can and bring it into the city, as well as filling casks with water in case they try to dam up the river that flows through the city.”

“Yes,” Adan said. “We should prepare for that as well.”

“Are there any objections to this plan?” Kian asked.

Silence filled the room.

“Then go and tell your people what we have decided. Those who can rest tonight should get what sleep they can, but those who cannot rest must spend what time they have finding every shovel, pick, and spade we have. Let them sharpen every ax, saw, and tool we may need. Tomorrow morning, before the sun rises, we will begin.”