31: Two worlds, Two Wars.
"Your Majesty, wake up!" Amaris felt someone shake her awake. She opened her eyes, still slightly hazy from last night and the many slaps on the back from so many drunk patrons.
"Good morning to you too, Lilly." She mumbled, turning over in the small cot that she had slept in.
"Wake up, you don't want to be late for your own war, do you?" Jasper came and pulled the sheets off Amaris.
"Alright you two, I'm up!" She bolted upright with the sudden lack of warmth. "How many are coming with us?"
"The front room is already filled to bursting, and there are even more on the front porch." Jasper responded, turning his back as Lilly helped Amaris out of her night gown and into the cotton dress Kenia had packed.
"Werewolves or Vampires?"
"A little bit of both." Lilly said, fastening the back of the dress. "There, now for the armor."
"Kenia managed to pack me some armor?" Amaris asked, surprised.
"No, but I managed to acquire a mail shirt that should fit." Jasper explained. "You were very powerful last night, well done."
"Thank you. I just hope that I can be even more powerful today."
It was as if an entire ocean of soldiers came streaming out of Valdedo, completely blindsided by the unleashing of arrows and in such a disarray that one might have mistaken them for civilians. Honestly, Ivailo thought, are all of the soldiers in Thoasia trained to only be half dressed for war?
"Charge!" He screamed, drawing his sword and sprinting towards the oncoming tsunami of blue-skinned, half dressed nitwits that appeared to be the soldiers of the Oblivion Kappa.
The roar of battle cries on both sides were quickly drowned out by the clang of metal on metal as the two armies met in the middle of the battlefield. So much slashing and twirling, it was hard to determine whether or not he was heading towards the citadel. Ivailo darted towards where he thought the gates of Valdedo were.
It wasn't long before the stone arches of the gate of Valdedo were looming above him. Finally, he thought as he caught his breath. Finally, my vengeance will be had.
He pulled himself through the city gate only to be confronted with the piles and piles of victims of his soldiers arrows. Thousands of men, women and children, all different shades of blue.
Is this what it looked like, twenty odd years ago? He asked himself as he made his way through the mountains of bodies his soldiers had created. Is this the sight that welcomed my mother? What would Amaris think of she was here?
The front room of The Bitterhead Inn erupted in cheers as Lilly, Jasper and Amaris entered. Amaris stood on a nearby chair, and the room went silent.
"Today is the day you earn your glory for the good of your fellow Werewolf and Vampire!" She shouted, adrenaline pounding through her veins. "Are you ready?!" She asked. The cheers filled the room once again, causing Amaris to wince at the volume. "Then let's go!" She got off the chair that had been her makeshift stage and marched to the door, Jasper and Lilly right behind her as the patrons of The Bitterhead Inn that had decided to support her followed.
It was a surprisingly cool morning for the middle of summer, but that didn't bother Amaris as she leapt onto the back of Golden Child, the black mare that had carried her between The Bitterhead Inn and their destination, Craester Castle, twice before.
"Let's go and win our home back." She whispered into the mare's ear. Gently, she nudged Golden Child into a canter and the pair left the premises of The Bitterhead Inn, leading nothing short of a small army to battle.
Ivailo heaved an enormous sigh of relief when he spotted Rinomve, Falael and Kafei near the bottom of the steps of an impressive fortress of a castle.
"How do you suppose we are going to get in there?" Kafei asked, looking around. "Without being spotted, I mean."
"I have no idea." Falael admitted sadly, as of nothing was going to plan.
"We could just barge in." Rinomve pointed out. "I mean, why keep our presence a secret when they already know we are here."
"Wasn't that the plan?" Ivailo asked, feeling certain that they had planned on barging through the front door.
"It was." Kafei realized. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's do it!" She yelled as she shoved her shoulder at the large wooden gate that separated the Palace from the rest of the city.
"Kafei stop!" Ivailo pulled her away from the door. "You will hurt yourself. We need to go over the wall to get in." He pulled out the climbing rope that Cyran had made him bring onto the battlefield, spun the grapple and let it fly. It sailed over the wall and caught on something solid. Ivailo tested the rope. "I will go over first, then Rinomve, Falael and Kafei can bring up the rear."
"Of course I have to pick up after you boys." Kafei rolled her eyes. Ivailo laughed. "Ah well, just survive this. Off you go." She started shooing Ivailo up the rope.