XVI. Battle Plans

The army marched.

It was not a short road. Though Botha pleaded that they move at a double time, the sooner to arrive in Ethilir, Holland had persuaded the leaders to refuse. Even Botha understood why, though he still wasn't pleased. They couldn't afford to weaken their forces before the battle. It was a brutal truth, but they would not be able to save his kingdom. Even Losena might fall, if they were not fortunate. If it did and Saraqael found the shard, however, it would be the end of their attempt to turn back the Imperium. The dust of the road covered every soldier as they marched for miles and miles. It was not a swift progress, as the whole army was not mounted. Holland made certain they had scouts in every direction, hunting for danger. They were fortunate, though. The Imperium had not yet pushed into Leus, even with their Immortals, a sign that gave her a little bit of hope.

When they reached the border, she felt an even greater relief. Not only were Talin's forces waiting, but they had brought the orcs with them. Murdak was the same imposing figure that she remembered, wearing his demon's hide armor. His whole body was crisscrossed with scars. The line of his square, jutting jaw was uneven, as someone had struck him in the face with a mace somewhere along the line, crushing the bone. The tusk on that side was gone, but a healer had done a game job of piecing the jawbone itself back together. Imperfect and lumpy, potentially because pieces of the mace were still embedded in his face, but certainly better than an open wound. Claw marks scored the top of his head, creating furrows in his short hair.

Khagra slid off Zajar's back and greeted her brother with a tight hug. "You lot took your sweet time," Murdak grunted. "We've been sitting on our hands for two weeks now. I was about to start picking fights with these Talinese pretty boys." The moment he released his sister, he yanked Holland into a crushing bear hug too. "Good to see you, Holland."

Seva looked amused. "I did not know thou art so well-loved by the orcs, Holland," she said when Murdak released her lover.

"Hah!" Murdak slapped Holland on the back hard enough to almost stagger her. He didn't even seem terribly concerned with whether or not he might have hurt her despite her wince. He'd seen what Holland could shrug off, after all. "This one brought us the biggest fight in history. Hard not to love her for it. Vladan, you're looking well."

"We're almost to battle," Vladan said, his grin showing his many sharp, white teeth. "What's not to like?"

Holland laughed and shook her head slightly. "You two are going to be a heap of trouble. Is Thadash here?"

"Yes, with the shamans," Murdak said. "It's time for a council of war, I think. Losena is less than a week away even moving at an army's pace. From what we heard from the last messenger, it's under siege. I don't know how long they can hold out, but likely not long."

The penitent sobered quickly at the news. "What kind of engines are they using to assault the walls?" she asked as they followed Murdak towards where the others were waiting. The High King and the ambassadors were in conference already, though it sounded like voices were beginning to be raised.

"Trebuchets. Big ones. The Eth have good archers and a lot of stones. That keeps the battering rams at a distance," Murdak said. He ran a hand over his scarred head, ruffling his short hair. "Hell of a thing, Holland. It's a big army. Bigger than I've ever heard of. It's gonna be a real fight when the Princes take the field."

If she didn't know better, she would have thought that Murdak was worried.

Lieren and their dwarven representative, Daag, were waiting outside the tent, neither of them particularly interested in being a part of the bickering.

"What's the problem now?" Holland asked with a sigh.

Lieren looked like she was trying her hardest not to roll her eyes. "Who is in charge, of course. It's the nature of powerful humans to hoard control, from what I understand. You will have your work cut out for you. I personally would prefer that none of them end up leading the army, lest the resentment of the others turn into something stupid. Such obstinate, myopic little creatures. Dwarves have better vision and certainly more sense."

"Agreed," Daag said. He seemed nervous around the elf, rubbing at his blind white eyes. Holland liked the dwarf. He was a burly creature even for his kind, his long arms and short legs thick with muscle. His mail hauberk was a little tight on his barrel chest, but he didn't seem to notice. The axe stuck through a loop on his belt was angular in design and a wicked weapon to face. Holland had no doubt it could cleave through just about anything. The dwarven weapons their troops had would go some way towards dampening the effectiveness of Imperial armor.

Holland took a deep breath and pushed the tent flap open. Her arrival cut short the argument. "My lords," she greeted, giving them a little bow. Seva followed her in, mimicking the greeting before taking a seat on the ground around the low table. There were cushions on the floor that made it tolerable. Lieren and Daag joined her, as did Murdak. Khagra and Ardashir split off to take care of her dragon and his horse. The penitent envied them the chance to do something so relaxing. She'd had to hand Maël's care off to a page. "I understand we have a leadership problem."

"I refuse to take orders from the master of blood mages," Lord Azenari said hotly. He had been given command of Genev's forces since their King was preoccupied at home, in case the worst came to pass. "You may be able to throw your weight around in Zaeylael without challenge, but it is not acceptable here."

"Agreed," King Philippe of Talin said. He was a delicate looking man, slender and impeccably neat. His manicured hands barely looked suited for a sword, but then again, he wore gloves most of the time to hide the unsightly burn scars that no amount of makeup could conceal. At the moment, he had ripped his gloves off, probably prepared to slap one of his fellow commanders with them.

"We are all on the same side," Seva reminded them in her best reasonable tone.

"Aye," the High King said. "And 'tis mine mages that thou dost speak of which such distaste who will make the difference. Thine contributions are mercenaries and former pirates, Azenari. 'Tis not as though thine men will do much against an army like this."

The former queen sighed. She'd been afraid of this.

Murdak cleared his throat, drawing the attention of everyone. An orc who stood nearly seven feet tall and wielded a greatsword he took off a demon's corpse was hard to ignore. "We have a Goth, who is under the banner of no kingdom," he pointed out. "Holland."

Holland felt the words she'd been preparing, an argument for Seva to take control, die on her tongue. She hoped beyond hope that Murdak's point would be refused.

"I agree." Lieren sounded serious for once, amusement no longer foremost in her expression or tone. "The alliances we created in the north were secured by Holland. It was her will that has carried us this far. None of us would have even known of the threat until it was too late without her. I'm certain that Yssa is prepared to follow her. Daag?"

The dwarf was quiet for a moment before saying, "The Heartforge called you the fire that lights the way, Lady Penitent. That can only mean that we are meant to follow you."

"THE NĂLUCI WILL FOLLOW THE DAUGHTER OF THE VOID AS WELL," Orobas said from behind Holland. He had to duck and the crouch to fit into the tent with his height.

"Ethilir will too," Lord Botha said. His dark eyes were tired, almost utterly hopeless, but sincere. "Bring us to victory, Lady Penitent. I would not see the world burn as my home has burned."

Lieren smiled in her feline way. "It seems we have a majority, my lords," she said. "Five to three." She could almost hear the men grinding their teeth, and she was enjoying every minute of their annoyance. On the more practical side, of course, she was pleased to have Holland in this position. For all her faults, and they were many, Lieren understood that whatever happened next, they needed the penitent.

"Very well," Azenari said grudgingly. "We follow the Lady Penitent's command."

Both the High King and King Philippe nodded reluctantly. Neither of them were happy with the situation, but they would take it.

Holland wasn't exactly thrilled with the outcome either, but she couldn't do much about it now. "I won't be able to command on the battlefield, but I can help make a plan now. When the fighting starts, I will have to pursue the Desolate Throne."

Daag padded forward and unrolled a map. "Between Lord Botha and the mages scrying, we have a map of the field," he said. "Their artillery is here, hitting the city with hellfire. It's at the rear, with the formations ahead waiting for the wall to be breached. These are siege engines like nothing I've ever seen. Massive things. The hellfire that they're flinging is no small thing either. But the beauty of trebuchets is that their arc can be altered. If we could capture them, we could use them to fling that same hellfire into the formations."

Murdak grinned. "I like the way you think, dwarf. My warriors can break the defenses around the trebuchets if your engineers work quickly enough. Then it's merely a matter of holding them until the real battle starts."

"WE WILL HAVE HIGH GROUND THERE. THE NĂLUCI ARCHERS SHOULD BE SUITABLE FOR KEEPING FIRE ON THE LEGIONS, THOUGH THE CROSSBOWMEN THAT LORD AZENARI COMMANDS WOULD BE A WELCOME ADDITION," Orobas said. "I WILL CONTRIBUTE MY SORCERY TO THE DEFENSE OF SUCH A POSITION AS WELL."

"We have enough mages with our elven compatriots to have at least one battlemage and a half dozen spellguards with every major unit," the High King said. "They can help break up the ranks of the enemy."

"Once those formations shatter, the heavy cavalry of the Yssans will be able to make a real impact." Holland stared hard at the map. There was a ridge where the trebuchets were, but it smoothed out into an open plain before Losena's walls. If it didn't rain and turn into mud, it would be perfect for the eastern knights. "But after that initial charge, they'll be bogged down. The levies will have to support. Tell your men that if they see a centurion or legate on the field, go for them. They're the ones with painted armor. It may not immediately stop the army, but it will break communications between the different legions."

"Talin has enough pike-men to hold the line against retaliation by their cavalry, at least for a time," Philippe said. "If we are wary, we should be able to sustain the battle for quite some time. But they outnumber us handily and they will grind us down. You will have to move quite quickly to reach the Throne, Lady Penitent."

"What do we do if the Princes take the field?" Seva said softly. It was a question that had been troubling all of them.

"We die," Lieren said with an airy amusement.

"They likely won't take the field unless they think they might lose. I honestly doubt they'll get that impression no matter how successful our initial assault is. They'll know we can't sustain it forever, not without a fortress to pull back into. Losena is out of the question, considering it's all the way on the opposite side of the battlefield," Holland said. "And when the Throne is called across, that will draw their whole attention away from all of you. I can guarantee you that all seven will head my way."

Seva's expression was grim. "I do not like thy odds if that is the case," she said.

"THE BLACK CITY WILL COME ACROSS WITH THE THRONE." Their demon tilted his head slightly. "IT IS MORE PROBABLE THAN NOT THAT THE CITY HAS DEFENSES. THEY MAY BE INACTIVE, BUT IF YOU WERE TO AWAKEN ITS DEFENDERS, YOU MIGHT SLOW THE PRINCES DOWN AND KEEP THEM FROM ENGAGING THE ARMIES ON THE FIELD. I WOULD SUGGEST TAKING KHAGRA, ARDASHIR, AND VLADAN WITH YOU. WHILE YOU PURSUE THE THRONE, THEY CAN ACTIVATE WHATEVER PROTECTIONS SURROUND THE PLACE."

Holland nodded, feeling a little bit relieved. It would be a very dangerous task for her friends, but if they could keep the Princes occupied, it would be well worth the risk. "I'll discuss it with them," Holland said. "It sounds like we have the rough outline of a plan. I'll leave it to you to hammer out the details. Seva and I need to see about how we're going to call the Throne across."

"Good luck," Murdak said. "That part's not gonna be easy."

The penitent flashed him a smile. "Thanks," she said before retreating out of the tent with her lover.

Seva caught hold of her hand once they were outside and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I am not ready for this," the blonde admitted.

"Neither am I. We'll do it together." Holland lead the way back to the tent that they were sharing. Orobas had returned the shard to her, which she had left wrapped up and hidden in her armor. She pulled it out and unwrapped the cloth, feeling a rush of warmth through her body in answer as the fragment of Deus pulsed with energy, syncing with the beat of her own heart. The grooves of First World script carved into the obsidian-like stone felt hot underneath her fingers. "I'm ready to talk, Deus."

Finally, my Ilex, you understand that I am your only answer. The tones of the voice were soft and honeyed, echoing in Seva's thoughts as well as Holland's. The penitent's lover shivered, feeling cold dread creep into her blood.

"When we face the Princes, I want you to bring the Throne across."

I see. And why should I render my assistance so? They fulfill my wish even as we speak.

"Because I can use the Throne to restore you to wholeness," Holland said. She didn't dare look over at Seva to gauge a reaction. "Isn't that what you want more than anything?"

Trading one evil for another, are we? You have my interest, my Ilex.

"You're a less immediate threat. I'll take the delay."

I have one more demand before I consent to aid you, my Ilex. When it is done and I am whole, you will serve me as you once served Saraqael. If you refuse me, I will simply tighten that little collar of yours until you know nothing else. The boons of a prince pale in comparison to the sorcery that I command in my entirety.

Holland couldn't help the chill she felt. She felt Seva's hand tighten on her own until it was almost painful. "If that is the cost of the protection of the world, I will pay it," Holland said quietly.

She heard a soft chuckle from the shard, a sound she hadn't realized it could make. It was enough to send a shiver down her spine as if she'd been dunked into ice. Holland had no intention of honoring her bargain, but she knew that Deus might be able to force her compliance using the boons inside of her. Whatever happened, however, the Princes of Iron would be denied what they sought. Provided she could actually beat them to the Throne, anyway. A bargain has been struck, my Ilex. When you take the field, I will do as you have beseeched me to. It will be most amusing to see if you can succeed.

Holland set the piece down as it fell silent and pulled Seva into her arms, holding her tightly. She knew that the blonde was fighting her fear down so she would give no sign of it. Holland rested her cheek against Seva's temple. She wished she could just say in this moment with her lover forever. "It's almost over," she said softly. "We'll be alright. It will all be over soon."

"I want to go with thee," Seva said softly. "Cadeyrn can command Yssa's forces."

The penitent sighed. "They'll want their queen, Seva. It's your banner they're flying, not Cadeyrn's."

"I will speak to him," Seva said. "I would not part with thee now. Not for this. I will follow thee into hell itself if it means seeing thee even a moment longer."

Holland shifted so she could press a kiss to Seva's temple. "Only if you promise to stay away from the Throne," she said softly.

Blue eyes looked at her, reluctance and sincerity both in evidence. "Aye, I will." A soft, featherlight hand touched Holland's cheek. "We will see it through. Just a few more days."

It will all be over soon, Holland thought again in agreement. It was a strange combination of relief and dread, almost as if she could feel the weight of Fate hanging over her and her lover.