Chapter Twenty six

The troops started at dawn, marching none stop towards the battle line. The air was tense but only from the thought of battle. No one was in any way worried though and some whistling could be heard among the clippity clop of hooves and the jingling of saddles. The journey was a short one as the waking willows had already took its stand on the vast expanse of the crop fields. Alia soon found herself leading her horse to a halt.

"My Queen?" The cankey who had refused to part from her side, looked up at her, the light of the rising sun reflecting from his great grandfather's suit of armor. He stood proudly holding the reins of the white horse upon which she sat. She was likewise suited, though more fashionably in a dress of soft armor to allow for agility. Moving a few feet forwards, she gripped the scepter tightly, taking her stand at the head of the army.

They stood there in a mild sense of anxiety, watching the forest stand still.

"They are coming".

There was a sudden rumbling, like the tremors of an earthquake, quickly gaining strength and her heart quivered within her. But she had come this far, and the scepter had agreed to help and there were the people behind her, hoping, trusting.

Suddenly the trees roots exploded from the center of the field tearing up the crops in their wake and the trees too came like a charging stampede. She could not have been prepared for this! The horse neighed flaring his ears and kneading the earth sensing her unease. And she knew she shouldn't stand still any longer.

"Yah!" The horse sprang forward racing to close the gap between them and at the moment when the roots loomed above here, preparing for the crushing blow, she held the scepter up. High above her head. Time was frozen for a split second as a blinding light bursted from the scepter. Searing away at the outstretched roots. The trees tried to press against it but they were no match. In a chorus of ear splitting shrieks, the forest was blasted far beyond sight.

Alia sighed in relief wiping her brow.

Well that was easy! She thought to herself turning to face the cheering army.

"That was quite spectacular my Queen". Silverus was at her side as she dismounted clapping his paws together. "Just like how my Grandfather described it all those years ago!"

She smiled remembering that this was Silverus's first battle to witness.

Crunch! she had stepped on a branch and looking down at it, she felt a sudden wave of nausea, stooping, she picked it up to examine it. It was a branch of a willow, still young.

"Take back what belongs to us!" The voice of the Willow rang in her ears and she felt a sudden feeling of regret. The willows, what was she missing. "What makes you think you are worthy?" The scepter! she held it up to examine both closely. Strange, the willows and the scepter were very much alike, could it be what they wanted?

"Come your highness, the celebration of victory awaits!" Lord Oldin's shadow fell across her and she looked up to see his sparkling eyes, his tail tapering. She searched his eyes, wishing she could turn and follow but something was urging her towards the willows.

"Oh no, go ahead of me, there is something I must see to".

"The weeping willows wouldn't dare to linger even a centimeter beyond their boundaries after such a defeat! But I know you will not be deterred once you've made up your mind!"

She nodded firmly.

"May I accompany you my Queen?" Just like Silverus to want to tag along.

"No no, run along and enjoy the feast of victory, you deserve it ". Alia could not help sounding like a mother there but she was Queen after all. Mounting the horse whose name was Butler, she rode for the forest of the waking willows.