Chapter 6: The Cost of Trust

"Elementals are one of the most mysterious aspects of magic," Darren read aloud from a book in the library. "Some Masters have dedicated themselves to studying the phenomenon and have been unable to determine with any degree of confidence what they truly are. The primary theory is that Elementals are pieces of a magic-user's soul given solid form. Another popular theory holds that the magic itself is given consciousness. There is also the possibility Elementals are spirits separate from ourselves who use the magic of people to enter our world, but this raises the question of why any sentient creature would obey one who gave it a body for a limited time, therefore this theory is the least likely, especially considering the three classes. Depending on the magic-user's strength, an Elemental can be wild and unmanageable, completely obedient puppets, or act in a way that resembles cognizance."

"You don't even know what 'cognizzy' means," Kaze yawned across the table from him. "How much longer are you going to read that thing? I promised Sapphire I would meet her. Are you coming or not?"

Darren glanced at his brother, noting the way he slouched in his chair and stared at an open book he was supposed to be reading. "You don't find this interesting at all?"

"Nah," he said with a careless shrug. He set his chin on the table and blew one page up slightly so that it hung there for a few seconds, then as it drifted down again he blew it back up.

"Do you think Father can summon first-class Elementals?"

"I don't know. Does he need to?"

The little ebony hedgehog paused. "…I guess not. I was just wondering. If he can, that might mean we can too. Aren't you curious whether it's possible?"

"Meh. I'm going to be a good swordsman. Magic is more of a side-hobby for soldiers. Only people who make it their life's work really care about that kind of thing. You can go study at the Academy and tell me all about it when I need to know."

Annoyance flashed across Darren's face. "You're going to be king someday. Don't you think it's a good idea to be as well-educated about important things as you can?"

The words hardly made an impression on him and Kaze stood up. "I'll educate myself later. Right now I have a merhog to see. Sapphire and her mother got back from Seastone the other day and she wants me to tell her what the city is like since she could only see the docks. Bye!"

The nearest window opened, letting in a stiff seabreeze, then Kaze flew out. But Darren continued to stare after him, caught up in a memory…

*Flashback*

Seastone was a coastal city, full of trade and therefore also full of merchants, all competing for attention. Athena had brought her sons there to see what it was like, and at one point decided to show them the slums so that they would not overlook how poverty affected commoners.

Benonic had taken Kaze to look at an old shop, leaving Darren with his mother and their two bodyguards. They were passing by a dark alley when a filthy, pink-furred hedgehog threw herself at Athena, holding tightly to her skirts and crying. The banded style of her ragged clothes immediately identified her as a gypsy and the soldiers started to drag her away.

But the queen snapped out an order for them to release the child. The little hedgehog begged for help, saying her mother suffered from a progressive illness, now at the point where she could hardly move. No one would help and she was willing to offer herself in exchange for healing.

Darren had stood there, staring. Despite the streaks of dirt on her fur and the frayed edges of her clothing and the way her straggly hair hung loose about her shoulders, the young prince was captured by the pure blue of her eyes. Nothing else mattered compared to that.

She was the most lovely girl he'd ever seen. Not like the children of nobles and royals he had to deal with. She was…real.

*End Flashback*

Darren gulped. She was never going to talk to him on her own…which meant it was up to him. Closing the book softly, he then left the library and went into the hallway. The first servant he saw knew exactly who he meant when he asked about the pink hedgehog.

"She is in the kitchen courtyard," a red and gray mongoose said, balancing the tray of dishes easily with one hand. She had probably brought an early lunch to his father and the royal advisors in the study. Well…war-room now.

"Are you sure?" Darren asked her.

The servant cast him a look that implied his question was a foolish one. "The girl was assigned laundry duties for breaking a vase."

"Oh. Thank you."

Darren hurried downstairs. Ever since he'd first seen her in the gardens, Eliza seemed to be more like a ghost than a servant. Sometimes he thought he saw her, but she disappeared so quickly that he couldn't be certain it really was her. It felt almost as though she was going out of her way to avoid him, but he had no idea why. They had never actually spoken, so it must be something about him she didn't like. Maybe there was a way to change her mind…

The pink hedgehog stood on a stool over a boiling cauldron, stirring the clothes with a long paddle. Sweat dripped down the side of her face as steam billowed up and her arms felt sore. But she had to keep going.

If only she hadn't been in such a rush… The carpet slipped beneath her feet as she ran through the castle corridors, making her slide directly into a table. It was just unlucky that a porcelain vase happened to be there. The beautiful vessel shattered on stone, splintering into a thousand pieces. Not even an Earth-wielder would ever be able to fix it. If she hadn't been trying so hard to keep from being seen by Prince Darren maybe it wouldn't have happened.

Eliza still felt terrible, but she was grateful they had only punished her instead of throwing her out of the castle. It would have been much more difficult to fulfil her pledge otherwise.

"Good," one of the other laundresses said, coming to check on her work. "I'll start taking these out. You go over and hang the sheets Momo is putting through the wringer."

Rubbing her sore muscles, Eliza stepped down and silently walked over to Momo. She'd barely picked up the first sheet when she felt eyes on her. Spinning around, she spotted Prince Darren in the courtyard entrance. Staring directly at her.

She wanted to dart away as usual, but she couldn't leave. And besides, he'd already seen her. He was beginning to walk forward. Momo shoved a sheet into her hands with a growl and Eliza hurried to pin it up on the line. When she turned around, he was right there. Darren awkwardly picked up the next sheet and shook it out. After a hesitation she accepted it. They had hung up four by the time he managed to speak.

"How is your mother?"

She glanced at him as though surprised he remembered. "...Much better. The royal physicians took great care of her over the winter. The pains no longer ail her."

"I'm glad. I was afraid they wouldn't be able to do much since they didn't understand her illness." He offered her another sheet. "How long will you be working at the castle?"

"Aside from the times I must accompany my caravan, I will be released from my vow in ten years."

Darren gaped. "Ten years?! But I thought— But aren't you— It's so—" He tried to settle down, but still looked flustered a minute later. "How could my mother demand you work here that long just for the use of the royal physicians?"

Eliza sighed. People really didn't understand the honor of gypsies. There was a certain equality they weren't able to grasp unless they lived among her kind for a time. Most thought they had no sense of honor at all because they refused to pay for the promise of help—only for the deliverance—which was why healers usually refused to treat them. They wanted to be paid for their failure as well as their success.

She tried to explain even though it seemed so simple to her. "My mother's illness has been tormenting her for five years. In a few months' time all that pain melted away. I offered myself since it is all I have, and I give twice what she suffered."

Darren blinked. "Maybe I can talk to Mother and see if she'll shorten your time to one year—"

"Your people never understand even when it is clearly explained, do you?" she muttered crossly, snatching the next sheet from his hands. "Prince, your mother already tried to convince me a short time was enough, but it is not. I have my pride, my honor. Trying to take that from me is an insult a gypsy can never forgive. If I was sent back to the caravan, unable to repay my debt, I would be shamed. I would never be able to raise eyes to look at my mother's face again. Now do you see?"

The ebony hedgehog wasn't sure, but he did know she wanted to be there. And he did want her to stay. "I'd like you to call me Darren. 'Prince' sounds too formal."

Eliza had just finished hanging up the last sheet, her hands freezing as he said the words. Non-gypsies were always so proud of their titles, whether it was a family name or their species…but for him to dispense with them was unusual for someone who ranked so high in his circle. It was almost as though he wanted to be…on her level…

"I am one of the Aishe—what you call gypsies. I have no wealth or position…nothing that would tempt a prince to spend time with me. People will look down on you. Are you sure that's what you want?"

She turned to look at him, realizing for the first time that he was smiling at her. Shyly she started to smile back. Momo rolled her eyes behind them and started wringing tablecloths.

"More laundry, less friendship chats," she growled.

They continued smiling at one another.

Alexei stared at several reports, not sure what to do. A scouting party had gone down to investigate a small detachment of Rofakians who were skulking about near one of the hills west of their encampment. They ought to have been back by now and he wanted to send another group to check, but was afraid of ordering them straight into what could possibly be a trap.

If only all the Rorais hadn't been summoned to Benden Weir to prepare for the oncoming army… But holding the city against Gardford was important, so he had no right to complain.

He didn't know what to do. How could he keep his men safe and lead them into battle at the same time? Alexei had dropped back into his chair, teeth clenched tight.

"Captain, there is someone to see you," Lieutenant Guinevere said from the doorway.

"Whoever it is, tell him I'm busy," the skunk growled, covering his eyes. "I don't have the patience for another lieutenant who has nothing better to do with his time than ask how he can kill off his men the quickest. Tell him to keep doing maneuvers and send him away."

"Captain Stripeback."

"I heard you the first time. Just—"

"Sir, I was referring to First Captain Theodore Stripeback."

Alexei leaped to his feet, nearly upsetting the desk. Every muscle stretching tight, he stared at Guinevere in astonishment. "You can't be serious!"

She remained silent, feeling he would not respond favorably to the rather sarcastic words on the tip of her tongue. He looked divided. After half a minute he gave a hesitant nod.

"Escort him here, please."

The next time he looked up at a shadow blocking the entrance to his tent, Alexei snapped to attention, offering his most respectful salute. Theodore did not smile at his son, but he didn't look angry either. If anything, the older skunk looked disappointed…which was worse.

"So. What did you do wrong?"

Alexei barely kept from dropping his eyes or swallowing uncomfortably. "I didn't double-check the scouting reports, I didn't expect our enemies to be magic-capable, I didn't prepare a reserve force in case the army was cut off, and the lieutenants were given no contingency plan if things went badly."

His father gave a slow nod. "All mistakes you can avoid in the future. What about after the battle?"

Alexei knew what he was referring to—mainly because it always seemed to be on his mind these past few days since the incident. Knowing his own men spoke so disrespectfully behind his back made a pool of acid form in his belly, but the fact that they were saying it loud enough for an officer to hear was worse than disgracing.

"Who told you?"

"Word travels fast."

"Perfect. Now everyone knows I'm a hotheaded failure of a captain!" he said with an exasperated noise.

Captain Theodore pursed his lips, clearly dissatisfied. "How many times have I told you to ignore that kind of talk?"

"More than I can count…" Alexei muttered back crossly. "But they said it to you too! How could you not get upset?"

His father had put up with the taunts for years after entering the military, especially since he'd been the only skunk in the entire castle garrison. As a matter of pride Alexei did his best to stand up to the ones who found it funny to ridicule a mild-mannered soldier that simply wanted to do his job and be left alone, but his father had rebuked him.

"They did so because they thought it shamed me. It took time, but eventually they realized it made no impression, so they had little reason to continue. When people know what riles someone, they have a tendency to see just how far they can go." Captain Theodore stared at his son who would not meet his eyes. The words still meant nothing to him. He sighed. "What about Eoduin?"

"I don't want to talk about her." There was a cutting note to the younger skunk's voice.

"Why?"

"Because I'll never see her again!" Alexei nearly shouted, rounding on him with a fiery glare. "She was part of my family! She was supposed to be there for me—to help me understand where I went wrong—to have her pups—to play with the children—to grow old while I took care of her the way she took care of me… She's gone because I was a fool and I couldn't even give her a proper burial…"

There was a silent moment, then his father said, "You are relieved of your post."

The words were so unexpected that Alexei didn't even register them at first. He stood staring, unable to accept the harshness in the older skunk's face.

"You'll answer to me for the time being."

He finally found his tongue. "But—why? Because I made a few mistakes?"

"You do not have the rank to challenge this decision or the right to question me," the first captain said in a tone that made his son bolt to attention. He walked over to the desk full of maps and reports. "Now, I want you to lead a scouting party and investigate the nearest group of enemy soldiers."

"I sent one out this morning, Sir. They should have been back at least an hour ago. I was debating what to do when you arriv—"

"Good. Then you have your assignment. Collect a fist of soldiers to accompany you and find out what is delaying those scouts. Report back before sundown if possible."

"Yes, Captain," he saluted.

"Fasten this below your vambrace," his father said, holding out a small mirror with a strap. "Look in that and you'll be able to detect anyone wearing an illusion. I'll distribute the rest to the lieutenants while you're gone."

Alexei accepted it, tying the strap around his wrist so that the mirror was on the underside. The sting of shame he felt at having his authority stripped away was quickly replaced by the confidence of having a job he knew how to do. Scouting was easy. He was good at it. If he lost his rank…well, that hurt, but at least the men wouldn't keep looking to him for leadership he couldn't provide.

He called to several soldiers he knew, commanding them to fall in behind him. They followed the trail of the other scouts, hardly having to track since the first group had gone in a direct line without being concerned with hiding their passage. They traveled at a fast pace.

Nearly an hour later they slunk around bushes at the entrance to a dead-ended ravine. Rofakians were camped inside, but they had been in and out so many times that it was difficult to say how many there were by the tracks. Alexei ordered his men to a position farther back and keep out of sight, then he began painstakingly climbing to the top of the ravine for a better vantage point. The entrance was a long, narrow gooseneck that ended in a larger, well-sheltered basin. What he found was discouraging.

The Rofakian camp was small, but against the wall of the ravine was a long chain. Six soldiers from the first scouting party were shackled to it, looking angry and muttering among themselves. Alexei crawled forward on his stomach to get a closer look. There were eight enemy soldiers and he could see their bedrolls piled off to one side as they focused their attention on cooking dinner. They had set a sentry, but he didn't seem interested in his job and appeared to be dozing.

The skunk crawled backward slowly, then once he felt safer he hurried back to the place where he'd left his men. But they were gone. Alexei dropped to the ground, reading their footprints as fast as he could. That way! Sprinting along the trail, he seethed. They should have obeyed him! Whether they respected him or not, if he gave an order in the field, it was not to be ignored!

The scouts came into view not far from the ravine entrance. He grabbed the nearest one, shouting in a whisper, "What are all of you doing here?!"

"It was my fault, Captain," another soldier said, stepping forward. He was a yellow and orange raccoon, not among those he brought along. "I've been waiting for reinforcements. We were ambushed this morning during a routine survey of the area. Cray and Dannil sacrificed themselves so I could get away. I knew you'd need someone to keep an eye on the Rofakians, so I've been watching until someone arrived."

"And? What can you tell me?"

"There are eight soldiers in that ravine. We can lure a few out and ambush them ourselves, like this." The raccoon picked up a stick and drew a map in the dirt, adding arrows to outline the positions they could take. "Then once we have them, we can capture the rest easily."

Alexei nodded slowly. "It might work. There's just one problem. See this?"

He held up his arm so that the mirror caught the raccoon's reflection—showing a black panther. The spy barely had time to widen his eyes when Alexei's fist met his jaw. Two of the soldiers tied his hands and feet, then gagged him. They all exchanged looks.

"Captain, how did you know?"

"He said there were eight Rofakians down there. I counted fifteen bedrolls. If he'd really been here all day, he would have known there were more. I have no doubt he fooled the other scouts into the very same trap he tried to catch us in."

"What are we going to do? They outnumber us almost three to one."

The skunk looked down at the panther/raccoon again. "What Elements do you have?"

They listed off, citing their strengths too. He mentally slapped himself for not thinking to check that before beginning his assignment. He might have made a different choice if he'd known. It was simply second nature to pick soldiers based on their trained skills.

Alexei went over a quick plan, nervous because it relied primarily on their skills in magic instead of with weapons. He'd never considered any attack like this before, but it was the only advantage they had. Hopefully the Rofakians didn't have any magic-users along on this trip, otherwise things could easily turn ugly.

A short time later Alexei gave the signal. On one side of the narrow ravine tree roots squirmed and broke free while on the other, an Earth-wielder sent every scrap of energy he had into the ground, commanding it to weaken. Soldiers cleverly hidden in alcoves there fled before they were buried, running back toward their camp. At the same time, another Coizard sent a volley of fireballs down onto the tents. Everything was in chaos, the Rofakians darting from one place to another as they panicked.

Alexei stood tall at the lip of the ravine, looking down and bellowing, "Sorry for not walking in the front way, but I don't like cramped spaces that look perfect for an ambush." He waited until their eyes turned up to find him. "I strongly suggest all of you surrender."

A dark crimson jackal approached the long chain of prisoners, holding a knife to one's neck. Before he could vocalize the threat, Alexei cut him off.

"I am giving you this one chance. Try to kill my men or use them as hostages and all of you will die. Release them and you will only be captives until the war is over."

The other five Coizards stepped into view, holding their magic. Lighting sparked around Alexei and two others, flames traveled up another's arms, and the Nature- and Earth-wielders simply allowed the glow to cover their hands (they were too drained to fight, but they could still pretend they would). This display cowed the soldiers and one slapped the jackal's knife from his hand.

Once the prisoners were free, they used their own shackles to secure Rofakians to the chain. Alexei ordered the men to bring them out of the ravine and they added the panther spy to the line, the scouts going out of their way to trip or cuff him as they marched. They couldn't get the strange collars off his men because there was no key, so they had no choice but wait to find a way to break them back at camp. Some soldiers murmured to each other in low voices.

The skunk turned to them, raising one eyebrow. "Not bad for a polecat, hmm?"

The tension eased at once and most of the scouts started laughing. Finally they reached the Coizard camp, dirty and tired but still elated. The recovered soldiers were immediately brought to one of the women's cooking fires to fill their empty bellies. Alexei and his five scouts returned to their tents and he was still mentally preparing his report when Captain Theodore met him right outside.

"It seems it's time for me to go," he said before Alexei could open his mouth.

"Wh-What?"

His father offered a clever smile. "When I first saw you today, there was a cloud of shame and defeat surrounding you. I know you've been trying to lead these men the way everyone seems to expect a captain to, but you've never had much skill directing large groups. I wanted you to remember your real talents. I was sent here was to deliver the mirrors, but I thought it was important to help you."

Alexei stared, not fully comprehending. It felt even more unbelievable than when his father had taken over his army a few hours earlier. "…What if I hadn't?"

"It might have taken longer, but I have no doubt you would have rediscovered it."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because you're my son," he said, placing hands on Alexei's shoulders. "It doesn't matter to me that I risked my rank with this deception. All that mattered was helping you find your backbone once more. Maybe now you'll be willing to accept help with things you cannot do well on your own and focus on the ones you can."

They stood there considering one another. His father's pride turned to empathy.

"I know Eoduin meant much to you. I've seen others who lost their Mysticals and I know there are no words for the pain you've been suffering…but you have two choices now. You can be bitter about a future you will never have with her, or you can be grateful for the time you did have with her."

Alexei reached up, clasping his father's arms. "I'll try. Thank you…for everything."

Benden Weir was situated where the River Rush joined the Anduin River, and the small city spanned across three different banks. The buildings on the north, west and east shores were residential, but it was the wooden platforms over the river itself that held the city's spirit. Because of its position at the crux of two rivers, Benden Weir was a trading port of sorts, though its fame was tied more closely to its name as 'the entertainment capital of Cosium'.

Very little entertainment to be had at present, though.

A pale brown beaver by the name of Lieutenant Tristan stood by one of the outer gates in eastern Benden, eyes fastened on a mirror as he watched soldiers stream back inside from repulsing the latest attack. His hand stretched out, pointing to a thin bear. Two of his men grabbed the one he indicated, yanking him out of the crowd. In the mirror his figure was that of a green ferret surrounded by a hazy, swirling pattern that signified a magical disguise.

The ferret tried to protest, but gave up when he was chained with his fellow Gardfordians. They all looked disagreeable, understandably. No spy enjoys getting caught.

"That makes seven at this entrance today," Tristan announced as the door was shut and bolted securely. "Their queen must be getting desperate."

Some of the others chuckled and the lieutenant waved toward the prisoners. "Let's get the new ones stored with the rest. It's almost time for the night shift to take over."

Tristan was relieved that they could leave the entire night to the Rorais. They were the best nocturnal soldiers and could both see and hear better than anyone else in the Coizard army. Only cats came close, but the bats were still superior.

They brought all their prisoners to a large house converted into a jail. Over forty spies had been caught trying to sneak in since the siege began a week earlier. If it weren't for the mirrors, they would have fallen for the trick and the city would have been overrun within the first day or two. Such dishonorable deception. They had tried sneaking in without the potion too, but since King Mortesen had ordered all squirrels, ferrets and other natives similar to those in Gardford to fight in the west against Rofaki (and vice versa), it was always easy to catch them.

As they walked, Tristan couldn't keep his eyes from straying to the houses. Recent rains had cleaned off most of their designs, but some were still visible. He caught glimpses of a flowering tree here, a table set with a feast there…

Benden Weir was famous for its art. The people practically competed with their neighbors, using paints that would easily wash away. They celebrated the rains not only because it helped crops, but because it meant their houses were blank canvases once more.

Once the spies had been shoved into makeshift cells, the beaver lieutenant sent his men across the the stone bridge that spanned the river from east to west sides, popularly called the Queen's Bridge (the King's Bridge passed from the west to north), then told them to eat and get some rest while he delivered the report to their general. West Benden had been made into a safe set of barracks ever since the townspeople had been sent away.

They were defending the city with only four thousand men against twelve thousand. Thankfully Benden Weir had been designed with a high wall and solid defenses. It was meant to be a place of refuge from tribes of marauding mountain-folk two hundred years earlier. All they had to do was keep the city long enough for more soldiers to arrive, then they could begin circling troops around to cut off the Gardfordians' supply lines. They could hold this place for another week at most.

Sunset washed a red glow over the rooftops, making Tristan jerk with surprise as he saw it. The color looked so much like blood…

No. He couldn't think like that. They were still alive. Cosium would win. These invaders didn't know what they'd gotten themselves into.

Queen Martharine scowled at her generals. They didn't cower, but they certainly looked uncomfortable. Most of them were staring at a map on the cherrywood table in her tent, following the path they'd taken. Traveling along the shoreline had made them vulnerable to King Mortesen's forces who were sent by ship, so they were forced inland through hills and heavily forested areas. If not for the Coizard nobles' knowledge of the area, they would have been flanked several times and lost more than just the three thousand troops they had.

It had been simple to ensure the defeated soldiers were no longer a threat. Whenever they won a battle, the queen of Gardford would show them a village and promise to slaughter every man, woman and child there if even one of the soldiers did not vow to abandon their part in this war. So far she had not been forced to go through with it. Coizards, like her own countrymen, were people of honor. Once they gave their word, they kept it.

"We have been stalled here a full week…why?" she asked, long tail bristling.

"My Queen," a black stoat started, "our success before was dependent on the transformation potions. For some reason it isn't working anymore. The Coizards must have a way to find our people, otherwise they would have opened the gates and signaled for us to attack."

"Thank you for that insightful information," she growled with annoyed sarcasm. "We should have been able to defeat these soldiers days ago with or without the potion. Are the boats ready?"

"Yes, my Queen," the stoat said, remembering the boats she had ordered them to make shortly after they began the siege, "but you know we can't send our men across during the day or under cover of darkness. We may be forced to abandon this position if the Coizards receive reinforcements soon."

"We're not leaving. Benden Weir is known throughout the world as a symbol of music, art and culture. I want that symbol to be mine."

"Even with the boats there is no simple way to get across, especially with those bats guarding at night. The flying squirrels we have left are too few to mount another attack. We can't risk using that strategy anymore. This war was dangerous enough at the beginning when we had all fifteen thousand troops, and day after day we lose more…"

But Martharine was no longer listening because her mind was occupied. The battalion of flying squirrels had helped take one garrison and eight smaller military outposts since the invasion began. Unfortunately the queen's insistence on relying so much on them resulted in the loss of nearly ninety percent. Her generals had tried to dissuade her, especially since she was no tactician, but she saw them as useful tools since the Coizards had no aerial force besides the Rorais. And up to now the bats had only been seen singly or in pairs as scouts. They were much more formidable in larger numbers. If only…

The long-tailed ground squirrel paused, eyes glinting in the lamplight. "Gentlemen, I believe I have an interesting plan that may win us this fair city before daybreak."

The generals exchanged looks, but as she began to outline what she had in mind, they grew thoughtful. One by one they agreed it could work, though it depended entirely on one factor: whether Cosium's allies could be swayed or not. Queen Martharine allowed herself a small smile, moving to her bed and pulling a chest from beneath. Its glittering contents made them fall silent.

"Believe me, everyone has a price. Now, send for one of the flying squirrels. I wish to arrange a meeting."

Lieutenant Tristan knew he should sleep, but he'd been given an opportunity to rest the day before and now his body seemed to think it didn't need more. Strapping on his armor and with the stars overhead his only light, the beaver passed through camp and toward the river. The wooden platforms and their interconnected rope bridges came into view, though because of the darkness he could only see the nearest ones. There were dozens of them out there above the river, built on wooden pillars, each one a center of amusement during better times.

His father had been here long ago and described Benden Weir at night… He said lanterns floated on the water and hung between platforms, then one girl would begin to sing, joined by others so that music swelled and filled the air with an ancient lament so beautiful and overflowing with such longing that those who heard it could not keep their eyes dry. The girls would sing cheerful things too, but they always began with what they called a "threnody" for the dead. There was nothing like it in all the world.

If a threnody was ever needed, it was during wartime. The beaver thought of his friends and comrades lost during this foolish battle.

Lieutenant Tristan decided to check on the soldiers manning the walls in East Benden. Sometimes they dozed off when nothing was happening. He started across the Queen's Bridge, intent on his goal, but halfway there he stopped cold. Shadows moved over the water and he could hear the hushed whisper of voices as boats came up to the bridge. His eyes went large and Tristan started to sound the alarm, but a hand clamped over his mouth.

"You shouldn't have come here," someone whispered in his ear with a distinct accent. "Sorry about this, soldier."

An instant later a knife slid between his ribs with vicious force, making his body go rigid as every wisp of breath was driven out. The one silencing him shoved and Tristan felt himself falling, then he struck water and went under.

A current dragged him along, slamming him into wooden pillars or boulders—he didn't know which. Though he couldn't see it, blood leaked into the water around him. His lungs screamed and his side throbbed with slicing, burning pain. Tristan desperately groped for his magic.

'Please! Just this once—let me do something!'

Milky blue light swam over his hands. The river continued to suffocate and press from every side as he begged it to help him up, up, up. A slight eddy caught his body—just a little one—and he broke the surface.

'Shore, shore! Take me to the shore!' he mentally urged as he took in greedy gulps of air.

It was impossible to swim and he couldn't even use his wide, flat tail to steer because his armor was too heavy, but the beaver somehow knew it was working. He felt too dazed to comprehend the fact that he was actually using his Element to direct some part of the current even though he'd never been able to do anything more than purify filthy water in the past.

Mud and silt were beneath him suddenly. Tristan lay in the shallows, both hands pressed against the deep wound. He didn't know enough about healing to fix his innards, but maybe he could at least close it to keep from bleeding to death…

"I have to warn them… the boats…"

Mortesen shuddered, rubbing his arms to get the feeling of being crushed out of his skin. "Now I understand what they mean about teleporting being horrible. No wonder people don't use it casually. Does it always feel that way?"

"As far as I know. …Are you sure about this, Brother?" Rakar asked in an uneasy tone, looking around at West Benden.

"I need to be here. It's important to see what my men have to face. I can't keep staring at maps all day and expect to understand what they're really going through. Besides, they'll never know who we are unless we tell them. We're practically invisible," he said, touching the uniform of an ordinary soldier he wore as a disguise.

The red-brown hedgehog suppressed a sigh of irritation. He didn't mind being on the front lines, but Mortesen was in danger anywhere but the castle. This made him nervous.

"I don't see why you wanted to come in the middle of the night. What's the point?"

But Mortesen stood still, sniffing the air. "That smoke… It's too strong to be cooking fires. What's going on?"

An instant later he took a leap, becoming a rush of wind that materialized on the top of a two-story house. From there he could see across the river. A fire had broken out among the houses nearest the eastern wall of the city.

"Gardfordians!" he roared. "The enemy is inside the walls! To arms!"

Rakar took up the cry below, then soldiers came streaming out of their makeshift barracks all around, shoving on their armor and asking what was happening. Mortesen was already leaping from roof to roof to get to the closest bridge, but he skidded to a halt when he saw the Gardfordian troops were already crossing. There was no way they could retake East Benden.

"Retreat!" he shouted backward. "Fall back before they get outside the walls and trap us in the city!"

Even though no one knew who he was, the call was taken up. Soldiers surged back toward the gates, grabbing any supplies they could lay hands on as they fled. Rakar gestured for his brother to head toward the south gate even though most of the soldiers were headed west. He wanted to get them out of harm's way immediately, and to do that he needed to find a safe place where he could draw a teleportation circle.

They were nearly there when a group of Gardfordians cut them off. Before they knew it, enemy soldiers surrounded them, forcing Rakar apart from his brother. Mortesen started to summon a tornado but immediately realized it was more likely to hinder himself and Rakar than the ones they were fighting in these narrow streets. It died down at once as he focused more on using his sword.

Two people attacked Rakar from different directions, leaving him unable to use his Royal gift or allowing him enough concentration to fade away into his Element. A third joined in and a well-placed thrust sent his sword flying. The red-brown hedgehog felt the hilt of a weapon strike his chest, driving him against the side of a house. He tumbled into a collection of discarded farm tools.

"Rakar!" Mortesen shouted, pinned down too far away to help.

Rakar forced his eyes open, seeing a curved blade of some kind lying directly in front of his face. Without thinking he seized it, barely raising it in time to deflect the sword meant to impale him. On his knees now, he continued to strike out, a purple glow beginning to crawl over the weapon. It whirled fast, slipping past the Gardfordians' defenses and slicing into their bodies before they knew it was there.

All three were dead in seconds and Rakar stood there breathing heavily and staring at the blade he'd found. Vaguely he was aware Mortesen had bested those attacking him and came over to check on his younger brother.

"What happened?" Rakar wondered. "This scythe… it feels…right."

"It must be your true weapon."

But he dropped it, lip curling up in distaste. "My true weapon is a peasant's tool?"

"I've heard Lady Death carries a scythe, and if a 'peasant's tool' is good enough for her, I don't think you have much to complain about. There must be a reason it harmonizes with you."

They looked toward East Benden again. The fire on the far side of the river seemed to be under control. It was impossible to say for certain what was happening, but it was too late for them to do anything for those trapped there.

"...boats… there are boats coming… alarm…"

Mortesen glanced around, trying to pinpoint the source of the croaking voice. A figure came from the open gate, stumbling and holding both hands to his side. The king hurried over, finding a beaver.

"Are you hurt?"

"Knife," he gasped. "Couldn't heal it enough…"

"Rakar, you're a better healer than I am and you can see in the dark," the king said, making the soldier lie flat on the ground. "Do everything you can for him."

Taking a look at the beaver's side, Rakar determined roughly what kind of internal injuries he had and tried to repair them. Seconds later the lieutenant's eyes flashed open.

"The boats! Boats are docking at the Queen's Bridge! Sound the alarm before they get into the city!"

"It's too late," Mortesen told him in a sad voice. "They've already made it across. Benden Weir is lost to us. All the men have been ordered to fall back. I'll find the Rorais and find out how those boats got past their sentries."

"They didn't," the beaver growled. "It was a Rorais who stabbed me to keep the alarm from being raised in time. I have to tell the general!"

The black hedgehog gazed at him in shock for several seconds before saying softly, "No need. You're speaking to the king."

He struggled up, saluting before he'd fully gotten to his feet. "King Mortesen! My name is Lieutenant Tristan. Please believe me, I know what happened."

Mortesen started away and they followed, though Rakar wondered where he planned to go. They caught up with the last Coizard stragglers and joined in. There was a rendezvous where everyone was to retreat if Benden Weir fell to the enemy. The remainder of the army streamed toward safety, carrying them along.

Two hours later a slapdash camp came into view. They made their way through, trying to figure out where to find anyone in charge. A large barn seemed to be where the officers were congregating, so they pushed their way forward. Lieutenant Tristan's rank kept them from having to make a scene and they entered the barn, staying near the back to listen. Someone had used their Element to create floating balls of light above everyone's heads. Things had barely gotten started when they arrived.

"How could this have happened?!"

"Weren't the Rorais on duty?"

"How could your people overlook this, Glut?"

The bat toward whom these questions were directed stood in the center with three of his wing-captains. There was obvious strain in his face and he appeared ashamed.

"My soldiers are organized into three shifts—one patrols upriver, one downriver, and the last watches over the city itself. During the switch when the upriver patrol trades posts with the city patrol, there is about half an hour when only a few bats keep watch so that the ones who were flying for three hours straight can rest their wings and eat. The Gardfordians chose such perfect timing to slip in that they must have been tracking our movements and habits closely. It was a dire mistake that cost us the whole city and I take full responsibility for it."

All the officers were quiet, but it was a forgiving silence. Mortesen listened, hands clenching so tightly that his knuckles stood out beneath the gloves. The general started to move on, trying to decide what they should do now, but the black hedgehog strode forward without bothering to apologize to those he bumped along the way. Everyone saluted once he'd reached the front and they realized who he was.

Glut Whitewing's expression changed quickly from surprise to heartfelt apology. His wings spread wide above his head as he bowed. "Your Highness, I cannot tell you how sorry I am for this. The fault is entirely mine."

"No. I want you to say it clearly. Was this an accident?"

"Of course. I would not have left our Coizard allies open to an attack on purpose."

The hedgehog's jaw visibly tightened as he closed his eyes and appeared to be trying to hold back his anger. Glut didn't know about his Royal gift, and his truth-telling made it abundantly clear he could not trust a thing this bat said. After a few seconds he looked back at his brother.

"Rakar, hold them still for me."

The bats found themselves trapped by tendrils of black shadows. Glut was shocked at first, then began to shout. "How dare you lay a thread of magic on me! I'm the Mouth of Rorais! Cosium will pay dearly for this insult! I—"

"Search his captains," he ordered the nearest officers.

They obeyed as he stepped up to Glut. The Rorais began to show a whisper of worry that quickly turned to terror when Mortesen reached into his vest's inner pocket and pulled out a small bag. The other wing-captains each had bags too, though not as heavy as their leader's. Every one bore a handful of jewels.

Mortesen loosened the drawstring of Glut's bag and four large, bright rubies spilled into his palm, each one carved into the shape of a falling droplet of water.

"The famed Firedrop Rubies. How odd that gemstones which ought to be in the treasury of Gardford are in the possession of the very one who failed to defend my troops against the Gardfordian army." The king's face transformed with rage. He fisted the rubies so tightly that they scraped against each other with a noise that made the bats shudder. "This was no accident, you flying maggot! This was betrayal!"

Glut's breaths came so quickly that he could hardly speak. "King Mortesen— L-Let me explain!"

Mortesen turned on him, the rubies flashing between his clenched fingers as he held the fist an inch from the bat's nose. "From this day forward, we, Cosium, forsake the alliance with Rorais. Anything that happens to it shall not be started with us, nor shall we come to its defense."

Glut's pupils shrank to pinpoints and his face was bloodless. The treaty itself might as well been shredded and thrown in his face.

"No! You can't—"

"I know how much your people love jewels, and I can think of nothing more painful to you than to see something beautiful gone to waste." He shoved the rubies back into the pouch and handed it to Rakar. "Have those thrown into the sea."

"NO!" he protested, straining against his bonds of darkness. "Please don't! They're priceless!"

"Congratulations, Glut," Mortesen's voice was contemptuous. "Not only did you singlehandedly destroy your country's treaty with Cosium, but you got nothing for it. I hope you're on good terms with your king. From what I recall, he doesn't take such failures well." He stepped forward, leaning so close that he could have bitten the bat. "You and your people have until sunrise to leave Cosium. After that I'm sending a message to my soldiers to kill every bat on sight. Your kind will never be welcome in my country again."

Rakar released them and the bats scurried from the barn. He set a hand on his brother's shoulder. "It's the price we pay for trusting those who are so unlike ourselves. Rorais are scum."

The other hedgehog didn't answer. He was too distressed. Rakar could hardly keep his anger in check either. This was not part of his plan. Benden Weir was one of the most beautiful places in Cosium. For the Gardfordians to overrun it was a great blow to the country, and morale was already so low.

It was nearly time to start striking back.

A/N: On the off-chance anyone would like to see the map I drew of the country, google "janikacheetah map". Follow the river that empties into the largest bay until it splits. Benden Weir is right at the junction with part of the city on three different shores, the King's Bridge connecting the north side to the west, and the Queen's Bridge connecting the east side to the west.

There was originally going to be an actual battle in the chapter, but it was too complex and didn't really add anything necessary to the story (plus battles are tough to design and write), so I simplified it by just having the tail end.

Looks like Darren isn't as bad at talking to girls as he thought, and maybe Alexei can finally get over his pride issues, but we now know why Coizards hate Rorais.