Chapter 71. Benefit of Surprise
Emily’s point of view:
“Hello chosen one. I’m sorry that I couldn’t inform you any earlier, that danger is coming.”
A soft, but a strong male voice, spoke in my mind.
“Who is this? And what kind of danger?” I asked the voice.
“My name is Ayinthur, but it is of no importance who I am right now. All you should know, is to prepare for war. We will arrive at the northern borders of the castle’s surrounding forest, by nightfall. In the morning they plan to attack the castle.”
“Shit! With how many are you?” I asked the voice desperately.
“Over five thousand… and we have a dragon.”
“Fuck! But how can I trust you? How do I know, that you won’t arrive on the other side, or earlier than what you said?”
“You don’t. You can do whatever you want, with this information. But I do know, that you are the chosen one, and I’d like to see your destiny fulfilled. So, please arrange for the necessary preparations, and make sure that those babies of yours, stay safe.”
“Two?” Did I say that out loud?
I woke up half, as Anna and Brock were shaking me, and telling me to wake up.
“Emily? Say something, please!” Brock yelled.
I was still in shock, as the knowledge of multiple babies, were occupying my mind. Unconsciously I pulled my arms around my belly.
“Emily, what happened? Please tell me.”
I looked around me, and noticed that I was sitting in the grass, with my back against the castle’s wall. Apparently Brock transferred me here, maybe to not scare the people. I looked up towards the arena, and the people were continuing the games as if nothing happened.
Around me sat my dad, Anna and Cirilya, and in front of me sat Brock.
“Emily, are you hurt?” Brock said to me, and I whimpered.
“No, I’m fine, just a bit in shock.”
Then, the information about the upcoming army, suddenly crawled back into my mind.
“They are coming! Shit! We need to prepare!”
“For what love? Who is coming?” Brock asked me confused.
“The rebels are! Oh, what did he say?” I crunched the hairs on my head, in my fists. Trying to remember the details that the person just said to me.
“They are with more than five thousand, and will approach the northern borders of the castle’s surrounding forest by nightfall. They will attack at dawn.” I blurted out.
Brock and my dad talked with each other, and spoke about that five thousand was a lot, but not unbeatable. And besides that, we would have the advantage of having people safe in the castle.
“They have brought the dragon with them too.” I said to them.
“What? Are you sure? Who did you get the information from anyway?” Brock asked me.
“A guy named Ayinthur, I guess he is a mage, otherwise he couldn’t have contacted me. I know, that what he has been telling me, was the truth. Since he knew some information about me.”
I could see Cirilya her eyes glaring at me, trying to find out what this person knew.
“It wasn’t a mage Emily, but I don’t know what it was instead.” Cirilya said and the others looked at her.
She told me, that instead of my eyes turning silvery-grey, as they should when a mage contacted you, they turned purple. I was shocked by this information, and wondered what it could be, that made my eyes turn that colour.
So, there is glowing blue for the hunter, red for the mage, and the colour for the warrior is still unknown. The colour of the druid’s eyes are unknown too, although I got the feeling that that should be green. Since Cirilya’s hair is green and the glow she emanated, when she healed the cub, was green too.
“Could it be, that there is another speciality? One that we still don’t know off?” I asked Cirilya.
“No one can tell, I haven’t heard of another speciality ever. But the things that you can do, are beyond anyone’s comprehension, so I’m not sure about anything.” Cirilya said.
“Why don’t we figure that out later, we have to start making preparations.” My dad said, and we all nodded.
****
The next few hours went by in crazy stress.
Of course, the competition has been cut off. Archeops was disappointed at first, but when he heard about the information that I got, he instantly became this serious military man. He began ordering the servants, to guide all the citizens back to their houses. Then, towards all the contestants, and other people from the army, who were on and around the benches, he told them to prepare for battle.
He did that, with such a calm but controlling voice, that everyone listened, to what he had to say. No one argued a single command, and the crowd began to disperse to their designated places. I smiled to him, knowing that he would become a great general, when Brock would become the King.
Of course, amongst the citizens, there was fear. So, I walked over to them and helped the children and elderly people to gather, and guide them to their families.
Then, all the high ranked people, together with Anna, Cirilya, Natalya and some of the servants, were gathered at the war room in the castle.
Soon after the conversation started, a lot of preparations were made and commands were ordered around, towards each and everyone in the room.
Anna got the job, to organize the machines to be prepared, and placed on the training fields behind the castle. I wondered what kind of machines we had, but there was no time for curiosity right now.
Of course, the arena with the benches still stood on the training fields. So, Natalya together with her servants, had to gather some of the builders and went on, to deconstruct the arena. Tom went with her as well, to help her guide the builders.
Cirilya and Nicolai, were asked and ordered to join in with the mages. Cirilya glanced her look in my direction, and when she had left the room, I mind-linked her that we would find each other before the battle started. Cirilya had to stay by my side, but I couldn’t interrupt my dad, when he asked for her to join the mages. Otherwise I would have to explain to them, why she should stay with me.
The orders continued, and Dennis was sent of to join in with the royal guard. He had to make sure that no one could enter the castle, not like last time a war raged on. Not that it was Dennis his fault, back then, but still the fear of invasion was there. I could see my dad lost in his thoughts for a moment, and I saw an image of my mother, smiling to him. I knew exactly what he clearly didn’t want to happen again, as my mother got killed by Orc assassins, which entered the castle unseen, more than twenty years ago.
It is going to be a tough job, to defend now though, as a new door was made on the eastern side of the castle too. This is the door that leads to the servants house, for them to enter and leave the castle easier. So, there is yet another entrance to be accounted for.
But I’m sure, that Dennis is the right man for the job.
Some other servants were ordered, to arrange for food for the complete army. Normally, they would arrange for food themselves, but now they were too busy with last-minute trainings and preparing their gear for battle. Also all the gryphons and other animals, were going to be fed and prepared.
Archeops went, to go to his hunters for now, to also prepare them and appoint them to their designated places. They had to be placed on the castle walls, in the air on gryphons and on the front line as well.
The King’s counsellors were all appointed to other jobs, like Financial Counsellor Mick, he had to arrange the budget for repairs that probably had to be made after the battle. Another counsellor was ordered to arrange for the life-stock and food supplies to be in order, as we don’t know how long the battle would commence. And there was also a counsellor for the injured soldiers, so he had to arrange for a medic-post.
Then, when everyone was settled to do their jobs, only Brock, my dad, and I were left in the room.
“So, are you going to tell us what it is, that this person who talked to you, knows about you?” My dad said.