Chapter Four

Debriefing

Neyra hummed in concentration as she scribbled into her notebook. She wanted to record everything while it was still fresh in her mind. She still couldn’t believe that they had really done all that.

She hoped they would never see those dark riders ever again, much less fight them! But fight them they had, and they survived. And, much more importantly, they saved a town from befalling the same fate as theirs once had.

Neyra blinked out a sneaky tear at the thought of her home…Piria. It landed on the page with a small tap and made a smudge in the ink. Home. Ma…Da…she thought, reaching up to touch her cheek, Gone. It’s still gone. She shook her head and tried to focus once more on her work, but it was hopeless. She closed the book and secured the straps, making sure to store everything properly. Would they even recognize us? Her head was swimming as she leaned back on the small camp stool.

The accommodations at the main camp were better than those on the road, but not by much. And Neyra didn’t look forward to their first long distance assignment. She wouldn’t have her own tent, a luxury she coveted even though it was tiny. Absent-mindedly, she wondered if she couldn’t alter the Howdah to provide some sort of extra shelter when off of Arv’s back?

She sighed and was about to get up when a familiar face peeked through the tent flap.

“Knock knock,” said Elivera, her lips spreading into a smile as she stepped in, “Enjoying the army camp experience, Ney?”

“I can’t believe you all lived like this for a whole year.”

“Well, we couldn’t all go off to live in some cushy library for our training now, could we?”

She nudged Neyra with a cheeky grin.

“Very very funny, Elle,” Neyra rolled her eyes, giving Elle an equal shove back.

“Might I also mention that this is a specialist tent. The basic recruit ones were smaller, and we had to share.”

Neyra glared playfully at her words as she stood to embrace her little sister.

“To what do I owe the pleasure, Ensign Tallfellow?”

She ruffled Elle’s hair, and then frowned as she looked into her face. Gone was the mirth and instead, Elivera looked at her with serious eyes.

“We’re needed.”

***

Elivera polished her sword, her mind abuzz with frantic thoughts. If anyone was looking, they’d see only a cool and measured exterior. But those who knew her would see right through that flimsy facade. She tried to tune out the hustle and bustle of the surrounding street, but it was difficult. The road in front of Irene’s shop was more crowded than ever. Soft bells announced Neyra’s exit from the bookshop. Elivera never looked up, but she could feel her sister’s discerning gaze on her as sure as anything.

“And how is Master Irene?” Elle asked, trying to distract herself.

“She is well. Though I don’t suppose I’ll be seeing her again. She’s gone off to train more recruits in the other war camp,”

Elle could hear the strain in her sister’s voice. Neyra had spent the better part of an hour inside the library with her Master. Elivera was grateful that she had stayed outside to wait. Her mind was frazzled enough without having to see her sister cry. That might have sent her over the edge. Her cloth continued its work, driving the polish into her blade.

Elle heard the swish of Neyra’s clothing as she knelt down in front of her face. She wore tailored cloth robes instead of the armor favored by the rest of the squad. Neyra had said it was all about proper mobility for somatic spell components or somethin’ ridiculous like that. Elle thought it was a good way to get killed. But what did she know? She was out of her realm here. And every day she feared she would let them all down.

Both of Neyra’s hands reached up to cup her face. Her nimble fingers swiped an escaped tear that Elivera hadn’t noticed.

“Oh, Elle…” she smiled softly as she pressed her forehead to hers, “There’s no challenge too great for a Tallfellow,” she whispered, her nose scrunching up just like Ma's used to. Elle shook with repressed sobs, her hands leaving her sword to touch Neyra instead. She felt a warmth in her chest, spreading to that seashell necklace she still wore around her neck. Her only token of home. Gods, she missed it. She missed home; Ma, Da, their simple way of life, everything. It still felt so cruel to have had everything ripped from her, even all these years later.

Actually…not everything. She tightened her hold on her sister. They still had each other.

“What have we gotten into, Ney?” she managed, her voice shaking.

She heard Neyra take a deep breath. Elle braced herself for a chiding. Something along the lines of I told you so! But it never came. Instead, Neyra took her hands and helped her to her feet. She bent down and picked up the sword, carefully placing it back into Elivera’s trembling hands.

“Whatever it is…we’ve gotten into it together. Don’t you forget that.” Neyra locked eyes with her, and Elle saw a determination in her that was usually only reserved for arithmetic, or maybe indecipherable handwriting. But now those intense brown eyes locked onto hers, their irises reflecting the same shade of warmth back to each other. Elle found herself standing a bit straighter, and her spent tears made way for her strength to resume. She nodded, and together they walked back to their camp. There was still work to be done.

***

Arv gripped the straps of his harness, testing their tightness. The howdah had performed perfectly in their last assignment and he felt nothing but overwhelming gratitude at the thought that he could carry his sisters through any danger. He wasn’t wearing the main chassis right now, but he would be as soon as Neyra and Elle got back.

The straps that criss-crossed across his broad chest made something similar to the first version of the howdah design. It was the same contraption that let him carry his sisters and Shamil away from Piria. These straps, of course, were quite a bit stronger. They had countless bits of buckles and latches hanging from the back that would allow him to hook up to the actual box that protected his family. He still needed Neyra and Shamil’s help for that part. Something that little Ney lamented. Evidently, she was working on a better mechanism for attaching and detaching. He couldn’t wait to see what she came up with next.

His tent, although sized ‘properly’ for an orc, still felt cramped. And he breathed a deep sigh of relief upon exiting it. He carried everything he owned out of the tent in just one bundle under his arm.

Arv was a simple fellow. He didn’t have a compulsive need to collect books and trinkets like Neyra, and his collection of clothing paled in comparison to Elle’s wardrobe. Usually, he liked to travel even lighter, but Valdora had informed them that this would be an arduous journey. He also said that their section of the camp was being decommissioned, and they were being set on full-time field duty. There would be no tent of his to even come back to.

He supposed maybe he should feel a bit sentimental ‘bout that fact, but Arv made it a habit to not get too attached to anywhere he lived. Time had taken too many homes from him. His sisters were his home now.

He took a deep breath of the warm afternoon air and wondered when those sisters of his would be back. They left in enough of a hurry, and he would’ve bet his next breakfast portion that they were makin’ a trip to check on that master of Neyra’s. Gods only knew when they’d return to the city. He knew that she’d want to say goodbye.

Greybeard already said his own goodbyes to Arv and the girls at the tavern the night before, congratulating them on a successful first mission. Arv was thankful that the night didn’t involve rescuing his inebriated sisters from goblin advances this time. Where was that runty little fellow, anyway? Arv spared a glance around their little circle of tents.

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Their squad was afforded their own small section of the war camp, their accommodations nestled within other smaller groups of what he assumed were other specialty units. Valdora and Kaida shared a command tent at the head of their camp formation, and the rest of the squad had their own neat cluster of tents off to the side. The area of the squad’s camp normally reserved for the cookfire had a wagon parked there instead, and Cretin and Riza were working to load it up with their supplies. Hilda waved to him from her perch on top of a barrel.

“Oi! Arv! Help a lass out here, would ya?”

Arv smiled as he walked over, bending down to help. Hilda was strong, yes, but quite short. With a smile, he gave her that little extra boost that got the barrel in the wagon. Arv liked Hilda. She reminded him of the nice things that could happen in life, like good ale and plentiful curse words.

“What, Hilda? You can’t ask the lizard woman or the beast man for help… but the orcling lad is fine?” Cretin bellowed jovially from off to the side. His words were mirthful, and Arv felt himself smile. Cretin and Riza lifted the last trunk together and then made their way over.

They must’ve painted quite the odd picture, the four of them. Arv wondered if the other squads were quite this diverse. The entire army was populated with all manner of diverse folk, of course. But in basic training he noticed how they split and camped among others of their own kind. In this squad, however, they had no real choice but to intermingle. It was welcome. As an orc raised by halflings, he knew damn well that the world could use a little more interminglin’.

“Bah!” Hilda said, “You had yer claws full over there with all that winter nonsense. Besides, the lad needed to be put to work!”

Riza chuckled and looked Arv up and down appraisingly while nudging Cretin in the arm. Her tail swished around, kicking up dirt behind her.

“Careful who you call orcling, my warm blooded friend. This one will outgrow you, I guarantee it.”

Arv puffed out his chest and tried to stand straighter. He was near eye level to Cretin and he didn’t know what it would be like to be even taller! Bloody amazin’, probably.

“Yes, Arv–” Hilda’s voice changed as she shifted into a growling guttural language he couldn’t understand. She spoke it with enthusiasm, and looked at him expectantly as she finished. Arv just stared blankly back at her.

“Ye speak no orcish, lad?” She finally said after a moment, switching back to common. Arv shrugged,

“Why…why would I speak orcish??” He asked, genuinely curious.

Hilda looked at him and shook her head.

“Boy, you are a bit strange. You know that?”

“Runs in the family.”

At that, Hilda burst into laughter, followed quickly by Cretin and Riza.

“Aye, that it does, lad. That it does. Where did those sisters of yours get off to, anyway?”

“Hmmm, yes. Where are the little ones? Captain wants everything ready by highsun,”

Riza closed her eyes, swiveling her great reptilian head around on her long neck. Her brightly colored frills swayed gently as she moved.

“I cannot smell them,” she said.

Hilda raised her eyebrow, muttering under her breath. It was something like ‘Speaking of strange’. Arv smiled. Yes, they were all quite strange indeed.

***

Shamil and Zarl walked in time with the Captain and his lieutenant. Or rather, Shamil made a feeble attempt to stay in time. She figured if she kept slowing her pace by increments as they made the trip back from the quartermaster, eventually she would be a whole three paces behind. And that would give her an excellent view of the Captain’s backside. She smirked to herself as she readjusted the bundles in her arms. She, Zarl, Kaida, and even Valdora must've looked like beasts of burden as they wound their way through the army encampment. Valdora kept refusing offers of a cart. Stupid, stubborn, beautiful man, she thought to herself.

The goblin huffed slightly at her side. Shamil knew Zarl best out of all their new squad mates. They spent a lot of overlapping time at the range during their basic training. He was obviously meant for more dexterous work. Zarl climbed trees and shot things. He didn’t carry things around. Shamil’s eyes narrowed in mischievous concentration as she let her gaze break away from Valdora. The poor goblin was roped into this, and she could tell he was right annoyed about it too. She had a feelin’ he wanted to be there when Neyra and Elle got back.

“Doin’ alright there, Zarl?” She asked with a grin as their portion of the camp finally came into view.

“I’m fine,” he said with a grunt, “just ready to put these down.”

Shamil hummed in acknowledgment, wondering how best to torture the poor boy. Ah yes, excellent! She had it, the perfect little jab. She kept her voice low enough for the Captain and Kaida to not hear.

“Hey, Neyra! I didn’t think you’d be back yet!” she said jovially, acting as if she were looking at someone ahead of them. In truth, she was studying Zarl for a reaction. It was certain to be hilarious. And sure enough, he stumbled and nearly dropped everything that was in his arms. Beautiful. Simply beautiful.

“What?!” He asked as he struggled to maintain his balance. He was looking around with wide, anxious eyes.

It took everything in Shamil to keep it cool and not to laugh. Zarl figured out pretty quickly that he’d been had, and he scowled at Shamil. She smiled darkly at him.

“That’s not funny,”

The tips of his ears flushed to match his cheeks.

“I think it’s quite hysterical, actually.”

Shamil chuckled as she set her load down next to the wagon.

“I don’t even know what you’re getting at.”

He grumbled as he walked the last few steps to the team’s wagon. He deposited his bags on the ground, hurriedly dusting his hands off on his tabard after he did.

Perhaps she was being a bit cheeky, but she had to do something to fill the time. It had been far too long without shooting something. Their last assignment was nearly two whole days ago. That was two days without sending a bolt through someone’s head. Her practice targets just weren’t the same. She had the itch, and she knew she wouldn’t survive the long journey ahead if she didn’t have a good distraction. So then and there, she decided it would be her mission to mess with Zarl as much as gnomishly possible. She needed to figure out just how deep this little crush of his went.

Of course, any mission to mess with Zarl naturally merged into a mission to mess with Neyra and Arv as well. It was funny as all hells to hear Arv get in such a huff about that first night at the tavern. He blabbered on and on to both her and Elle about how Zarl was trying to ‘seduce’ Neyra. That’s definitely not what had happened. She saw that much before she blacked out. The poor lad was a bit smitten, yes that much was obvious. But he was a far cry from ‘trying to seduce’ Neyra. And boy oh boy, was it fun to poke Arv’s buttons about it. And Zarl’s. Neyra had no buttons to press, and that’s because she was beautifully, completely, painfully oblivious to it all.

And just as Shamil was wondering just how she would go about getting Arv to blow his lid she heard Elle and Neyra approaching, for real this time. The two were laughing about something, and they walked with their arms linked. Shamil stretched and leaned back against the wagon. She glanced around. The rest of the team was hard at work, either loading the wagon or packing equipment. Arv had abandoned his task and hurried up to his sisters. Shamil smiled as she watched him scoop them up into a big hug.

“Stop it, you big lug! That’s an order. You put me down!”

Though Elle shouted, her tone was playful. Neyra just giggled. Her melodious laughter drifted through the air and tickled Shamil’s ears. It was good to hear her laugh again. Shamil was well aware that Neyra had her reservations about all of this army business. But Shamil also knew that, above all, Neyra just wanted to be with her family. Their time apart while she was training with Mistress Irene was rough on her, although she didn’t let on about it in her letters. But Shamil knew better than anyone (except perhaps Elle) how to read between Neyra’s lines. Yes, even though they were sure to face untold danger, at least they would face it all together.

“Everyone!” Valdora shouted, signaling the squad to gather in the command tent. Arv set his sisters back down on the ground with a grin, and they hurried to obey. Shamil languidly stretched her arms once more and sauntered over. She ducked through the tent flap just in time to see Zarl’s sorry attempt at standing next to Neyra in the circle. It didn’t exactly pan out for him. Shamil was pretty sure that Arv stepped on the fella’s foot on purpose to get in between them. She snickered to herself.

“Now,” Valdora said, spreading a large map on the round table, “We’ve been given a task of paramount importance. To the north of here,” he pointed to a small mark on the map, “lies the estate of one Lord Nero. General Roth has petitioned the Lords of the land for aid in fighting this threat. This Lord Nero, in particular, possesses a personal militia of considerable strength. However, the missives we’ve sent in request of his aid have proven…ineffective. That’s why the general has instructed our team to bargain in person.”

“Isn’t this a task fit for a more…diplomatic party, sir?” Neyra piped up. Her tone was respectful but curious.

“That’s the other matter.” Valdora lowered his tone, “Lord Nero’s lands include some of the region’s most important iron mines.” Valdora tapped several other small points on the map in quick succession, “We have fears that the enemy will soon discover this fact and make efforts to claim it. The General wants fighters on this mission. Hopefully our own team's diplomatic skills will be enough to convince him. Lord Nero seems to be under the impression that the shadow army is nothing but a valleyfolk threat,”

“Valleyfolk?” Arv asked, his brows furrowing as he pronounced the unfamiliar term.

“He just means non mountain folk,” Elwin muttered, arms crossed stiffly under her chest, “The man thinks all that thin air up there will protect him,”

Shamil studied the woman as she spoke. She seemed even more tense than usual, which was saying something for the already uptight half elf.

“As I said, this is much more than a diplomatic mission. It’s likely that the enemy's forces have already encroached into this territory. The General is counting on our team’s special…talents for this matter.”

The group was quiet as the weight of his words set in.

“We’ll be traveling difficult terrain. The mountain pass is quite cold, even at this time of year. We’ve been provided everything the army can spare to aid us, but it will still prove quite the challenge to get there. We’ve enough supplies to get us to the main Estate. Our journey back may be dependent entirely on the effectiveness of our negotiations, keep that in mind.”

Shamil exhaled softly. This sounded much more difficult than their previous assignment.

“I see the wagon is nearly loaded. Good. We still have a few hours left before noon. The Lieutenant, Ensign, and I will finalize our plans here. I want the rest of you to finish packing. Then I want you to go enjoy a drink. It might be the last we have for a while.”