Chapter 16

Year 163 – Summer – Quartus Mensis – 41st day

Avem, Town of House Valmai, land of the Vale

It was still early when the cold breeze of the morning dew woke her up. Vatra was inside the barrack’s living room when she decided to walk outside to heat up under the sunlight. The soldier’s meal hadn’t been prepared yet, so she left for the inn to see Morgan. But he was sleeping and smelled of alcohol. As she walked outside, she noticed Ethen passing the gate to the main castle.

Is he going to the council?

Out of curiosity, she followed him. Passing the gate unnoticed, she saw him join the war general of House Krain at the top of the castle wall.

Ethen – “General Thorkel.”

Thorkel – “General Ethen.”

Ethen – “How’s the morale of your troops?”

Thorkel – “Quite low. They want to retreat to Rock Eden.”

Ethen – “And what do you think of it?”

Thorkel – “We cannot go there. They don’t have the supplies for more than a thousand refugees. Even if we bring our food, they don’t have the room, and the snow will soon cover the road.”

Ethen – “Are you including us in your numbers?”

Thorkel – “Ah, come on, Ethen! We both know that all it takes to lose a harvest is one bad apple.”

Ethen didn’t respond.

Thorkel – “Can we truly do it?”

Ethen – “We need to hold until the snow comes, then the winter will win the rest of it for us.”

Thorkel – “They might be on us in a few days”

Ethen – “Then we will hold!”

Thorkel – “We won’t hold for two months. They are not those whom we fought in the East. They are the strongest army of the entire Union, and they have an ally we cannot deal with.”

Ethen – “I’m not afraid of some witch.”

A witch?

Thorkel – “He’s not some second-rate trickster. He turned our castle gate into dust.”

No way.

Ethen – “Why didn’t he destroy the wall and the castle on the same occasion?”

Thorkel – “Why does it even matter?”

Ethen – “It means he can’t use his ability at will. It means that he might have a harder time turning a wall into dust than a door because it’s larger and heavier. If we barricade our gates enough, it might hold. Besides, your people are digging a moat next to the northern wall. We have a chance.”

Thorkel – “Even if we manage to deal with their sorcerer, which is unlikely, we won’t hold for two months against their conventional siege engines.”

Ethen – “We could turn the town into a war zone and hide inside the main castle. We have an underground mine in the south where we could hide our supplies and the people would hide in the town hall and the temple. They cannot use siege engines inside the town.”

Thorkel – “We can’t fit 2,000 civilians in those buildings. We need another solution.”

Vatra – “Why don’t you burn the forest?”

The two of them turned around as the girl realized she said her thoughts out loud. The generals looked down and noticed the far eastern girl leaning next to the wall, right under their feet.

Thorkel – “How long have you been listening?”

The girl’s face was slowly turning red as she tried to answer.

Vatra – “Eh . . . well, hum . . . since . . . Ethen arrived. I didn’t have much to do, so I thought I might as well listen . . .”

Ethen – “You do realize that you’re not helping your case by doing this?”

Thorkel – “It’s not like it was a secret talk to begin with. Besides, it’s not such a bad idea to burn down the forest.”

Ethen – “Ain’t happening.”

Thorkel – “Why?”

Ethen – “It’s two-thirds of our economy.”

Thorkel – “Just think of how many lives it would save. No wood means no siege engines, and it would mean no housing for the winter. They will need to give up before the winter, or they will freeze to death in the first snow.”

Ethen – “I can’t deny the strategic value, but it’s not up to me to decide. I’ll ask the council about it.”

Thorkel – “Well then, I’ll be taking my leave. I’ll see you at the council later today.”

The Krain’s general walked down the stairs and looked at the girl.

Thorkel – “What’s your name?”

Vatra – “Vatra!”

Thorkel – “If I want to find you, where can I search?”

Vatra – “At the barrack.”

Thorkel – “You seem quite smart. You shouldn’t waste your life dying on the battlefield. It’s no place for a girl.”

Vatra – “It’s a place for no one, and that’s why we fight.”

The man took his leave while Ethen descended the stairs.

Ethen – “Soldier, you’re not supposed to answer back to a superior like that.”

Vatra – “Sorry, my Eagle.”

Ethen – “Anyway, you should return to the barrack. The meals should be ready soon.”

Vatra – “What about you?”

Ethen – “I’ve already eaten. I’ll see you at training today. Try your best this time.”

Vatra – “I will.”