16 Rebel Bridge

Pavitra spent the rest of the day in her room. Not doing much but preparing for her journey. Then someone knocked onto her door, opening it. She slowly peeked around the edge, the king was just standing there!

She quickly flung the door open floor and bowed down. Though as she started to bend down to bow, Ranveer caught her and pushed her back up so that she was standing. He then held his daughter's shoulders as he stared into her eyes. Pavitra just stood there and stared back, not quite sure what she should be doing, or what he was even doing!

After a few minutes of staying just like this, he then smiled. "You are ready my child. I have been keeping track of your arrangements and I am satisfied. You have done well my child and even kept your arrangements secret from well you know. I wish you the best of luck and always remember, the throne will go to who is worthy of it. So if you want it, you have to prove it." Then he looked into her eyes for a few more seconds. Then he quickly ruffled her hair and walked out of the room, disappearing around a corner.

Pavitra slowly closed her door after he had left and sat back on her bed, thinking about what he had said. Then she looked out of the window and saw that night had fallen. Sighing, she went to sleep as she had to be up early tomorrow as they were finally leaving!

The next day, she rose with the sun alongside every other person who was going on the journey. Some maids came through and helped her strap on her armor. Once done, she attached the sword and walked out of the room. As she walked down the hallways, first the three captains joined her, falling in behind her. Then the officials all fell in with them as they passed by the rooms of the other important desks. The merchant brothers and the representative of the adventures as well as the leader of the mages all joined her. Soon enough there was a large group of them walking down the hallway. It made up, the full government of her soon to be duchy.

Then they walked through the large doors, into the courtyard. What greeted them was the three regiments in marching formation. The mercenaries and adventures as well, also all of the people who had joined as well as hundreds of wagons and carriages. It was a sight to behold. Pavitra herself walked down the steps and mounted onto her horse. She then rode up next to the gate, the royal guards which had been assigned to her were now gone. She was alone. No more protection from her father. It was time to decide her fate.

She didn't say anything and just pushed the horse into a slow trot and rode out of the gates, behind her horns blasted out signifying the start of the march. Then the drums began to be pounded, allowing the soldiers to keep the pace of their march. With that, everyone began to move off following the Princess on their long journey.

****

Shourya, was in the marching formation within the ninth regiment as Pavitra came out and mounted her horse. His eyes never left her for a moment. Though his new comrade's eyes never left him. They all remembered last night.

Shourya had left that room a few minutes after Pallavi herself left. He then had walked straight up to the military barracks, heading into the area for the ninth regiment. He was stopped by a group of soldiers and when he told them why he was there, they all just laughed in his face. That was until a few seconds later when Pallavi herself calm through and confirmed what he had said, she made them look like fools and although Shourya himself had done nothing, they all blamed him for making them look like fools and rude people.

It wasn't just that, none of them trusted him. He had come out of nowhere and been given a rank, he was like a ghost. More than anything the soldiers wanted to find out exactly who he was and if the rumors coming from the commoners were anything to go by, he knew the Princess personally. Though what exactly the personally was, is still up to debate by most of the camp.

****

They had been marching for two weeks when the scouts came back and reported that the fort, which defended the bridge had been taken over by some rebel forces. After hearing this, Pavitra had the camp be set and called for a military meeting. They all met in a large tent, which had a table in the center of the room on which was a map of the nearby region. In attendance at the meeting was Pavitra herself as well as the three captains and their second in commands. Aside from them, the commander of the rangers and engineers was in attendance, and the mercenary company leaders as well as the representative of the adventures. The entire military command.

The meeting was started by Pavitra nodding at the ranger commander. He nodded to everyone and then took a step forward to be closer to the table. "Well, as you all by now know, the path which we had chosen means we have to cross the river. This bridge is the closest to us and the fort which we have to pass through to gain access to it has been occupied by a rebel force. The closest other bridge is at least another three weeks march from here." As he finished talking, he took a step back to let everyone in the room think about what they should do.

It was the adventure he asked the first question, "How many rebels are there?" He got no response. No one simply knew the answer, Pavitra looked around at the others to see if there were any more questions. Seeing that there was none, she asked the ranger. "What do the defences look like? Status of the gates and walls?"

The ranger, looked down for a minute, seemingly trying to remember the details. When looked back up, he screamed out confidence as he replied. "The walls and games are undamaged. Though the gate has been replaced, it is not the metal one like it should be and is instead made of wood. Meaning that it can be burned down if you so wish."

Pavitra furrowed her brows for a second in thought. "Can we make any ladders or any kind of siege equipment? The engineer in the room, looked up as he was finally brought into the conversation. "Aye, your highness. If you give me enough helpers I can have some ladders done up for you. Just means I need to go get some logs cut down and all. Five days I would say, to get them all built."

Hearing his reply, Pavitra nodded to herself. It was at this moment, one of the mercenary captains spoke up. "Why are we all for attacking the fort, why not just go round?"

Everyone looked at him, with a little annoyance. He had asked such a stupid question. But never the less, Pavitra still smiled and replied. "Well if we go around, we will one have to waste a lot of time and supplies which could add a few months onto our journey. This we can not do and also what if the other fort is occupied? If we attack now, we have a better chance of getting through."

Her words seemed to enlighten the man, who then sat back down and stayed quiet.

Pavitra then carried on speaking, but this time with a much more authoritative tone than before. "The plan is simple. I want as many of the laborers given over to the engineers as soon as we can. The rangers will do more furrow reconnaissance of the fort tomorrow. I also want every fire mage within the camp gathered for tomorrow. Not only that, I want every combatant ready for battle. The moment we can, I want to take this fort and slaughter those rebels! Do you understand me?"

Everyone then stood up and replied as one. "Yes, your highness!"

Then they all left not long after. Pavitra had a slightly pained expression on her face. It seemed like that they had all forgotten her words on calling her by her first name. Seeing as they all meant well though, she decided to leave it be and instead looked back at the map, trying to think of a better battle plan for the actual battle.

Just as the ranger was about to leave, she called out to him. "Try and get a map as well. It could come in handy for the planning. He smiled a little and replied. "Yes, Pavitra." Then he walked out. Hearing the reply Pavitra herself smiled broadly. Happy that he had done that.

Then she went back to looking over the map.