Chapter 38 - Bel

The fighting's done for the day and we return to camp ready to turn in for the night. Another day of fighting though and we're no closer to finding Rhistel which will end this war, each battle feels pointless as it's not getting us anywhere. We're no closer now to returning to Hadlau than we were three months ago when we first got to the border.

As we enter our tent Kor and I start removing our armour to get comfortable for the night. I jump in surprise though when I hear crashing, turning to find the source I find Kor tossing his armour to the ground clearly not caring about removing and putting it away properly. Both of us are frustrated with the lack of progress we've been making recently particularly as Emmy is due to give birth any day now. She might even have given birth by now; we won't know until we get back to base where any letter might be waiting for us.

We haven't even managed to capture any of high-ranking officers who could potentially lead us to Rhistel. It seems that troops receive their orders from a command centre but none of them know where the orders come from so we can't follow it back to the source. There's not really anything we can do differently though we just need them to slip up somewhere so we can capture officers and extract information from them. We have been making plans to start re-taking Nerkise from Rhistel's control though, we'll start slow in taking it back though trying not to spook Rhistel into doing anything risky.

"Breathe Kor, breathe." I mutter wrapping my arms around him trying to calm him down. He's breathing heavily at first as though he wants to fight against me but after a few minutes I can feel him calming down.

"Just fed up with this." He grunts in frustration, "Want Rhistel's head." I can agree with that so I place my hands on his cheeks getting him to look at me.

"We will. Soon enough we will and then we can get home to our family." I tell him, we've been telling ourselves this every night for months. But we can't wish it into existence instead we need to fight for it.

"Any day now." He mutters pulling me back into a hug as we both start imagining what our baby might look like. I think about it often lately my dreams filled with the four of us together in Hadlau, or the castle, with our baby.

"Yeah just think there could be a letter waiting for us when we get back to the border. Just one more day out here then we can get back to base where Gods willing there will be a letter for us. And maybe our first look at our baby." I remind him as our last letter from Emmy and Lilas had promised a drawing of the baby as soon as they're born. We've been writing name suggestions to them as well focusing on names typically given to half-dragons due to their suspicions of the baby biologically being Kor's. Eventually we settled on Nazeph for a boy and Mirvonna for a girl along with some half-elf names in case they're wrong about Kor being the biological father, Sarrainne for a girl and Mardyr for a boy.

It's just a matter of us waiting for news now and I hate not being able to do more. Our last few letters have mentioned how difficult the pregnancy has been for Emmy over the last few months and with Lilas having to attend Council meetings everyday she's been mainly on her own without one of us being there for her. Now for the past month she's been on bed rest under the strict guidelines of Healer Fayeth and the team of midwives that she's assembled to help with the birth.

Having calmed down Kor releases me and goes to pick up his armour up checking it over quickly for any damage but he's got lucky and other than a few scuffs the armour is fine. Sighing he carries it outside handing it over to a passing squire to polish it and get rid of the scuffs before we head back out in the morning.

While he's out looking for a squire to sort out his armour I kick off my boots and throw myself down onto our cot. It's not the most comfortable thing I've ever slept on but it's not the worst either, at least in a few days we'll be getting back to the border where a proper bed is waiting for us. There'll be proper food there as well which I'm looking forward to. Stored blood doesn't compare at all to the fresh blood on offer at base.

Kor returns soon enough and kicks off his own boots to join me on the bed stretching out next to me as well as he can manage in such a small space. Another reason to look forward to a proper bed, my mate actually fitting on the bed we're sleeping in. He opens up his arms for me to settle in which I do easily resting my head against his shoulder as we let our minds and bodies relax after fighting all day. We'll need to be rested to do the same again in the morning.

After a semi-restful night's sleep we're back out fighting or least looking for a fight. It's several hours before we find any enemy soldiers to fight and even then we only manage to locate a few small troops that don't put up much fight. Today is our last day out beyond the border though so after a brief lunch we start our march back to the border where we'll have a week of rest before we're allowed to come back out.

It's the strategy that Kor has developed with the other generals after we realised how spread out Rhistel's troops were. We divided up our own troops into smaller groups that can move easily to eliminate the enemy but each group will only be out for two weeks before needing to return to base for a week. It puts our superior numbers to good use as it keeps our soldiers fresh and ready for battle at all times as well as leaving the necessary troops at the border to protect it.

Soon though we'll have to extend the amount of time groups spend in Nerkise as we're close to wiping out all the enemy within a week's march of the border. We've also been developing a plan to re-take the nearest castle which is most likely where we'll find at least one officer but we're still waiting for our spies to report back to us. They should be back by the time Kor and I have returned to the border then we'll know what defences we'll be up against.

We set up camp as the sun begins to set not wanting to march through enemy territory in the dark, not when there might be traps set up. In the morning we'll finish travelling back to the border and we should be back by lunchtime without needing to set too fast a pace. Once we're back we'll have to check in with the other generals to report on what's happened during our time across the border and to be filled in on what's happened there while we've been gone. Chances are very little has happened though.

"Gods I'm ready to sleep in a proper bed again." I comment stretching out on the cot in our tent after helping Kor get our battle reports ready for tomorrow. We want to have everything ready ahead of time so that our meeting with the generals can be as short as possible.

"Mm." He grunts in return focusing on sharpening his sword, he could leave it to a squire but he seems to enjoy the simple repetitive action especially when he's stressed and frustrated. I'd rather work out my stress and frustration in more fun and pleasurable ways but we're too tired lately for that, maybe once we get back to the base I'll get my own way.

Giving the sword a last look Kor puts his sword away clearly pleased with how sharp it is. I'd thought that would be it and he'd come join me in bed even if we don't have sex we could relax together but instead he pulls out his dagger to sharpen it as well. I leave him to it though shutting my eyes for a bit letting the sounds of him working soothe me as well.

"Kor, please come to bed." I ask opening my eyes when the sound of him sharpening his dagger stops only to see him go to pick up one of my daggers, "They can wait for another night. Leave them and come to bed." Looking up properly and seeming to notice how dark it's gotten he puts the dagger down and joins me on the bed stopping only briefly to pull his tunic off.

"No sex tonight." He mutters noticing me eyeing up his well-muscled chest with clear interest. Not that I'm actually in the mood for sex either but my mate is a work of art that I can't help but admire anytime I see him. "Tomorrow. In a bed when we can take our time."

"Sounds perfect." I reply with a small grin giving him a brief kiss as I settle down in his arms tucking my head under his chin. I'm in the perfect position for me to hear his heartbeat which soothing sound soon sends me to sleep.

We make good time to the border the next day walking through the gates not long before lunch. Our men soon disperse ready to wash up and get a properly cooked meal for the first time in a week, the food we cook out there not comparing at all to what the cooks here can make. Eager for news though Kor and I head straight to meet with the other generals and give our report over to them.

"Your Majesties. Welcome back." General Hassan greets looking up from the map that he is looking over with along with Borgan and Halmed. Asaroth should be travelling with his own men around the border at the moment but he is due back in a few days for his own week off.

"It's good to be back. Here are our reports." I greet in return handing over the reports we prepared last night, "We encountered a few small troops while we were gone, nothing much though."

"That tracks with what the other groups have reported." Borgan comments starting to look over our reports for the details. "Once General Asaroth has returned we should seriously start preparing to re-take the nearby castles. Our spies returned with reports of defences and troop numbers for the closest one so we can make a start on that tomorrow if you'd like."

"Yes." Kor grunts looking over the map noting where the nearest castle is located. If we can manage to take that castle we'll have our first outpost in Nerkise which will be a big step in taking it back from Rhistel.

We spend close to an hour with them looking over the map and debating strategies. I usually find such meetings boring, much preferring the actual fight to planning it, but knowing that this fight will bring us closer to getting home makes it easier to get involved. Nothing will happen until Asaroth gets back and goes over the plans though. His men are the most experienced after mine and Kor's so the battle will be a joint effort of our men plus a few hundred more men to give us superior numbers.

"A letter from Hadlau for you, your Majesties. It arrived the day before yesterday." A servant says as the meeting comes to an end and we start to leave. Nodding gratefully I take the letter noticing Lilas's handwriting on the envelope I grab Kor's hand tugging slightly to get him to speed up as we walk to our room. Keeping just short of anything more than a fast walk we still arrive at our room quickly.

"It's from Lilas." I say quickly sitting down on the settee opposite the fireplace ready to read our letter.

"Open it." He says taking a seat next to me. Sitting close enough to be able to read it at the same time he wraps an arm around my shoulders as I tear open the seal of the letter opening the letter up carefully but as I do a piece of paper falls out. Picking it up we stare in shocked joy at the drawing in front of us.

"She did it. Emmy had the baby." I breathe unable to tear my eyes away from the beautiful image of Emmy gazing down at the baby in her arms.