Greza couldn’t
believe how many tents filled the moors around the fortress. She had thought Lord Decaron’s army was an
impressive sight. Three more mercenary
armies had joined them. It was the
largest army she had ever seen.
Their camp fires
spread out in all directions and she stood atop the wall looking over the
sight.
She couldn’t sleep
so she didn’t want to waste her time lying in bed. The guards knew who she was and left her in
peace.
Her hood was up to
keep the wind off her face. The days
were getting warmer and soon they’d be on the march, muddy roads or not.
“Couldn’t
sleep?” Verin’s voice said from behind
her.
She startled and
spun around. He stood there with his
giant fur coat looking out over the numberless camp fires. He had a slight smile on his mouth.
“My Duke? My I ask a question?”
“My Duke. You’re the only one that says that.”
“Would you like me
to stop?”
“Not at all. What’s your question?”
“Do you hate the
empire?”
He rested his
elbows on the battlements and his eyes seemed to lose focus.
“I hate what it
does. Greza, I’m not out to destroy the
Empire, I just want to force it to change.”
“Ending slavery.”
“And more. Equality.”
“Equality?”
“I want a land
where everyone is equal under the law and no one is superior to another.”
“Is that
possible?”
“It’s happened
before.”
She hadn’t read
anything about a place like that.
“When?” She asked.
“Early in the
First Empire.”
The First Empire
was nothing more that legends. She
hadn’t paid much attention to it because it wasn’t true history.
“You believe those
stories about a freedom loving Republic, then,” she asked.
“I do.”
“It sounds
nice.”
“It will be.”
She adjusted her
coat’s hood and straightened her gloves.
Some cold air was getting through somewhere.
“Are we going to
win?” She asked.
“I don’t know,
Greza.”
He was always so
confident about it and it was kind of shocking to hear him voice his
doubt.
“What if we lose?”
“Then I’ll lose
everything and hopefully you can find better employment.”
“I don’t think
this is something to joke about.”
He sighed.
“Of course it
isn’t,” he said. “I just don’t know what else to do. Greza, if I was wrong, would you tell me?”
“I would.”
“You’re honest,
Greza. I don’t want you to guard me in
silence. I picked you to guard more than
my physical body.”
“What more then,
my Duke?”
“My soul.”
She nodded in
understanding. He needed someone to keep
him honest and on the right path and to tell him when he was being
foolish.
“You trust a
religious fanatic to tell you when you’re wrong?”
“Sure, you’re a
little crazy, but aren’t we all?”
He said it with
that half smile that was particular to him when he was joking.
She couldn’t help
but smile back.
“I suppose we are,
my Duke.”
“Then I can count
on you for brutal honesty?”
“Always. Though you might come to regret this.”
“Most likely, but
if I fail then I won’t live long enough to suffer it.”
“Please don’t
speak like that, my Duke.”
“Tempest accuses
me of being a fatalistic.”
“Then don’t be.”
He fell into
silence and she could tell that he was thinking. She didn’t want to disturb his thoughts so
she fell silent as well.
“Does this Victor
prophecy mention anything about a war against the Empire?”
“No, just that
you’ll save the world from the gravest threat since the Gods War of
legend.”
“Does that mean
I’ll win?”
“If anyone can,
it’s you.”
He looked out over
the armies one more time and then turned around.
“We march in a
week’s time, Greza. After years of
planning it seems like such an impossibly short amount of time. One week and then I head out to meet my
destiny. If it was just me, I wouldn’t
be worried, but I’m dragging thousands of people with me.”
“They all march
for their own reasons. It’s their
choice, my Duke.”
He nodded and then
began walking away.
“Walk with me,
Greza. If you can’t sleep, you might as
well keep me company.”
She hurried to
catch up.
“My Duke, may I
ask another question?”
“You don’t have to
ask to ask, just ask.”
“Why do you
believe in me?”
“Why not?”
“That’s not an
answer.”
“I see myself in
you.”
She fell silent in
order to think about his answer.
Verin led her to
his study where the war maps were laid out.
Charts with numbers marking their supplies, weapons and men were hanging
on the walls in a seemingly chaotic manner.
He sat down in the
chair in front of the map table and stared at it.
“I’ve been
studying these maps for years. I have
them burned into my memory yet I can’t help but look at them. It’s like I expect to see some flash of
insight that will direct me to a miraculous victory.”
“No miracles, my
Duke, just careful application of the basic tactics and strategies you already
know.”
“Basic tactics and
strategies,” he repeated. “Nothing too
crazy. Focus on the essentials.”
He spoke in a
distant voice as if he was talking to someone while in a trance.
“You can win this
war, my Duke. I have faith in you.”
He smiled and
picked up a bottle of wine.
“That’s at least
one of us.”
He passed her a
plate of cheese and she sliced her off a piece.
“One thing I like
about being free, the food is much better,” Greza said.
“You like
that? It’s particular to Ekonia.”
“As a gladiator I
got more meat than the worker slaves, but none of it was what you could call
good.”
“Now I have to ask
you: do you hate the Empire? We’re going
there in a few weeks. You might see
places you know.”
“I don’t hate
them. I just want to see it all
end. Hatred only serves to cause more
suffering.”
“Is that from your
Path of Light?”
“It is, but I also
believe it.”
“Do you ever
doubt?”
She immediately
thought of the Princess and how there was no part in the prophecy for her. She was the last true believer it would seem,
yet she wasn’t to be remembered or rewarded.
The only thing she’d earn was to see the man she loved fall into the
arms of a more worthy woman.
“I do,” she
said.
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