A/N: First off, as always, thanks to LyricalKris and theladyingrey42. The next few chapters are a big first for me, and they have been super helpful in making it work. Thank you to all the people who put me on alert (and to JadaPattinson for the pimpage). Would love to know what you think.
On another note, I am leaving tomorrow for 2 weeks vacation. I hope to post at least once while I'm there, but you know how these things go. I hope this chapter leaves you on a hopeful, not too cliff-like note. Enjoy!
..
24
The stunned silence around the table lasts only a few moments before everyone begins talking at once, asking questions and voicing fears and analyzing strategies. Edward frowns at the general chaos and attempts futilely but politely to get everyone's attention.
Finally, when Emmett stands on his chair and bellows, the vampires all turn to him and quiet immediately. He slowly steps down and sits, pulling the chair up to the table once more. "That's better. Edward?"
"Thank you, General." Edward turns to the scout and tries to keep his voice as even as possible. "Now, you say the Others are here? How many and where?"
"More than I could count and about a two day's easy run from here."
Edward nods. They still have time. "Tell us everything."
The newly arrived vampire takes a look around the table once more before beginning. "I was running my patrol in the South over the Lesser Mountains, and I saw a unnatural dark mass of clouds building over one of the passes. I remembered the warning that the Others were known to control the weather, so I approached for a closer look."
There are a few whispers from the vampires, and Jasper shuffles through the appropriate maps, but they are careful not to interrupt the story.
"Go on," Edward prods, nodding at the scout.
"I came upon a deep valley from the east, and below was a mass of black things that writhed and slithered along the ground, although they were seemingly not made of anything substantial. I knew I had found the Others. Scattered throughout the groups were many four-legged, white creatures twice the size of the largest bulls with broad heads, long, thin spikes along their backs, and blunt-ended tails, and some sort of leather armor over their bellies and necks. They were tethered with long lengths of rope, but paced slowly in circles with restless energy. I have never seen anything like them before."
"Scirrhgogs," Edward whispers and receives several questioning looks that he shakes his head at. He concentrates on the images in the vampire's mind, watching these creatures' pale white skin almost glowing in the background of the swarming black Others around them. As he watches the memories, the view suddenly shifts as a piercing screech fills the air.
"What in the living world was that?" Edward asks.
The scout shudders and closes his eyes briefly. "A winged beast out of legend with silver-grey scales, razor-sharp claws and a long, serpent neck. I have heard of dragons before, but I never thought I would see one."
Many of the seated vampires gasp, and Carlisle stands, running a hand through his hair.
Only Jasper seems to take the news in stride, grabbing another large book and a stack of parchment. "How many did you see?"
"A dozen dragons, no more, perhaps three score of the other creatures."
Jasper nods his head, scribbling furiously across some parchment as Emmett looks over his shoulder.
"They have gained enough energy to bring their army here," Carlisle says, sitting back in his chair heavily.
"So, it seems." Jasper gestures for the scout to approach the table and pulls a large map in front of them. "Where did you say you saw them exactly?"
The scout bends over the map and points to the precise locations, and Jasper continues to question him as Carlisle and Siobhan join the conversation. From what the vampire reports, the Others still seem to be gathering their forces and are not yet moving toward Winterswijk. Edward has heard enough. He knows they will have to meet them on the field, keeping the people safe for as long as possible. The end is here, the battle that will decide all of their fates.
Esme leaves quickly to prepare her clinic and her nurses, making sure all is in readiness for the injured that will soon arrive. Emmett excuses himself to prepare the army, Liam accompanying him.
"We'll need to march as soon as possible," Jasper calls after him.
Emmett nods and reaches for the door. "Could someone find Rosalie and send her to me?"
"I will see it done," Edward says, receiving a grateful smile in return before the General races to his waiting men. "Jasper, do you need to set things right with your mate as well?"
The Chancellor pauses in his strategies and runs his long fingers through his blond hair, giving Edward a weak smile. "Actually, Alis must have seen something. When she insisted that I leave this morning, she said that we would be separated soon, but it would not be for forever."
Edward nods, assuming Jasper would let him know if he needed anything. He decides to actually find Rosalie himself rather than sending a servant. A few moments to settle himself is all he needs before rejoining the discussions. He leaves the other vampires to strategize and searches the castle for Rosalie, eventually finding her with two of her Questioners in a small room in the dungeons.
"Rosalie," he calls from the doorway, and her head whips in his direction.
"Is it time?" Her calm voice belies the tension he sees in her posture.
He nods once. "They are not far away. Just south of the Lesser Mountains."
She returns to her Questioners and sends them on their way. As soon as they have left, she closes the large book she had been reading and places it in a safe in the wall. As she turns back to him, he sees a glimmer of fear on her face. "Where is Emmett?"
"Preparing the army to march. He's asked for you."
She nods again and motions for him to exit the room as she locks the door behind them. They ascend the stairs together to the ground floor in relative silence, and it's only as they are about to part that she grabs his arm, surprising him.
"It has been a pleasure to be part of your coven, Edward," she says calmly, still gripping his forearm.
He grasps her forearm in return and places his other hand on her shoulder. "It has been an honor having you as my Questioner."
She nods and turns stiffly away from him, and he watches as she walks out of sight. He takes a deep, unnecessary breath, then releases it slowly before returning to the throne room. The room is empty save for Jasper and Carlisle still bent over the maps and parchments. A heavy silence covers the room, broken only by the occasional rustle of paper.
"Gentlemen," Edward says as he approaches them. "Are we ready?"
Carlisle selects several maps and begins to roll them up as Jasper gathers a few into a large leather bag. "As ready as we can be," the Chancellor answers. "We've made preparations to gather all the men, and they should be ready to march soon. The weapons for the Truth Seekers were ready this morning. We can finalize our attack strategy on the way."
"Good. Make sure you have what we need and then get yourself fitted for weapons by Emmett. We are all riding at dusk."
The both nod and continue collecting the papers as Edward follows his own orders and hurries to the armory to find Emmett. When he enters the training grounds, he finds himself in the bustle and hurry of soldiers preparing to march. Gone are the tents and the ordered lines, although there is still an air of discipline amongst the chaos. He follows Emmett's bellowing voice to find him near the armory already, making sure all of the vampires and Sam's group have gathered their weapons.
"Emmett!" Edward calls as he approaches the mass of soldiers, and the giant vampire's head swings in his direction.
"Edward! Make way for the Protector!" Emmett yells at the crowd, and Edward flinches slightly at the title. But the vampires quickly form a clear path that Edward uses to get to the front, and once he sees Emmett's grinning face, things seem to right themselves again. The General hands him a long sword that gleams brightly even in the fading light and a belt with a scabbard. "I know you haven't been training as much as the rest, but I'm hoping you haven't forgotten all I've taught you."
Emmett and Edward used to spend hours a day fighting with human weapons, knowing they were more complicated than just normal hand-to-hand combat - more variables, more chances for things to go wrong. Edward smiles at his old friend. "Not all," he says as he steps back and takes a few practice swings, feeling the weight of the weapon.
Emmett nods once and turns back to the armory and the weapons detail. "Tell Carlisle and Jasper their weapons are ready as well."
"They should be here shortly," Edward replies as he finishes his form and sheaths his sword. Eying the setting sun, he looks around the field, assessing how close they are to being ready.
"We'll be ready in time, Edward." Jasper's voice comes from behind him as a soothing calm washes over him.
"Did Alis tell you that?" Edward is unable to keep the hopeful note from his voice as he turns to find Jasper and Carlisle standing there, each of them with a leather pack slung over his shoulder.
"No, she didn't. I just know that we've been preparing, that we are ready, and that we will be marching as per our plan. Thanks to you and your journey, we are not completely surprised by this, and we actually have a fighting chance."
Edward gives him a small smile in acknowledgement, but quickly walks away when Emmett calls them over. How can they think that he has given them any sort of fighting chance? Yes, they have weapons, but he did not bring the Ainmhithe, he did not restore the ancient treaty, and he has failed his people and his kingdom. The weapons may buy them time, but they do not have the strength or numbers to battle thousands of the Others and their beasts.
He continues walking, following the battlements away from the bustling training field. He wonders how it has come to this, to this battle for life as he knows it. He wonders why he has so many regrets, particularly involving a certain brunette who never backed down from him and helped him even though it went against almost every instinct she had.
"I'sabel," he whispers. "Please be safe."
He's broken from his reverie by the long, clear notes from the horns.
The army is on the move.
Edward hurries back to the field, where he finds his coven at the fore of the moving mass of vampires and humans, all with long swords or knives strapped to their waists. He joins them and receives curt nods before their attention is drawn to the twisting road before them, heading through the town to the front gates. Along the streets, the humans gather quietly, throwing peonies and ivies, the flowers of courage and endurance, in their path.
Throughout the city, there is an air of finality, a doom hanging over everyone. As the sun's final rays touch upon the tallest point of the city, the Oracle's temple, the gates open to let the army pass. Edward turns his head to look upon his city and fortress one more time, uncertain if this may be his last moment to see it. At the top of the tower, he spies a lone figure in white, her hand stretched out in front of her, and next to him Jasper shudders without turning around.
"You will see her again," Edward whispers.
"I know." Jasper raises his eyes to look at Edward's face, a faint golden tinge to the normally bright burgundy irises. "And so will you."
Edward doesn't even bother to feign surprise at the comment and turns his gaze forward to the road ahead. He wishes he could be so sure.
Leading south from Winterswijk is a wide road that winds and climbs through the Lesser Mountains and on the far side enters into the Southern fiefdoms. Setting a course on this road will lead them close to where the scout saw the Others' army gathering, and the Aeland forces will approach the Others from the north. Normally, Edward and the vampires could make the trip in hours at their top running speed, but the humans and the supplies, although necessary for the coming fight, slow them down.
At the insistence of the human guards, they plan to march through the night. At one point, Sam's voice is heard over all the other noise, loudly claiming that the humans, including his men, will arrive too tired to fight if this pace is kept up, but the guard officers argue that the men couldn't rest if they wanted. The battle is too close for anyone to relax.
Edward and Emmett step in, and the General makes the final decision. "We rest here for a few hours. Get some sleep and eat while the vampires hunt the best we can in this god forsaken forest. Everyone needs to keep their strength up."
As the humans settle, eating simple, cold meals and sharing flasks of water, the vampires run into the neighboring forests and fields. The hope is that they can scrounge game large enough to satisfy their thirsts and, hopefully, increase their energy and strength for the coming battle.
"Take what you must," Edward says. "But no humans tonight."
The vampires nod solemnly and steal into the night, spreading out so as to have the most success. Jasper and Edward stay together, finding a small herd of deer that they slaughter quickly. They return to the road to find the humans sitting in small clusters and talking in low voices. They stop when the vampires pass, their eyes tracking Edward and Jasper's path.
Edward catches a few of their thoughts, memories of his face, a more frightening image than the one he projects now. Some notice the change even in the current situation, but aren't sure what to make of it, if what they feel is for the better or not.
Soon, the other vampires have returned, their thirsts slaked if not completely satisfied. The men begin to stand, stretching and packing their things to begin the final part of the journey.
The next time they stop, it will be to fight.
They approach the Lesser Mountains by the northern pass but soon veer to the east to approach the Others from the highest point and to hopefully have advantage of position.
Although those dragons are going to be a problem, Edward thinks as they begin the climb over the pass in the near dawn light. His position at the front of the army means that he sees the signs first: the gathering of dark clouds over the next mountain, a distant rumble and screech, and the oppressive heaviness in the air.
"We are getting close," he whispers. Next to him, Jasper nods, and Emmett calls over a messenger to send word through the rest of the ranks. As they crest the hill, the Others finally come into view, a black swarming mass congregating in the valley below, writhing over the landscape. Dotted amongst the black are large grey beasts bellowing lowly in the early morning light.
Watching the massive gathering of death below him, he is struck with how fragile his life, and all life, is. He recalls the Oracle's last prophecy, wondering what light he could find in such darkness, how could he even think of hope.
He kneels, knowing that no further answers will come, but hoping that someone, somewhere is listening. He should be praying for victory, for the survival of his coven and his people, but for the first time in his existence, his thoughts are not of himself or his realm. His thoughts focus on her.
Please. I just want to see her face one more time.
Jasper's hand is heavy on his shoulder, and Edward looks up at his old friend. "It is time, Edward. We will win."
"How can we possibly defeat that?" Edward asks, looking down at the countless numbers of Others, a single beam of light breaking over the mountains to shine over the vast expanse of black army below.
"I don't know," Jasper answers honestly, his gaze suddenly drawn up to the writhing clouds above. "I really don't know."
Edward stands and faces his coven, the closest thing he has to family. "It is time."
Emmett nods and turns to his guards, who put up the call. The General raises a large silver staff over his head and waves it forward.
The first wave has begun.
The vampires cast long shadows down the slope as they run into the valley, shoulder to shoulder facing their death. Edward hears muffled yells from atop the pass and the screech of some kind of large bird. He turns sharply, stopping to avoid rolling down the hill. Above him, high on the peak, there is movement as if a hundred creatures were descending upon them.
"It's a trap!"
"No!" Edward shouts above the din and confusion. In a flash of memory, he recalls the eagle gliding high in the sky, and he urgently scans the mountain, hoping against hope.
There.
He immediately recognizes the great, black panther leading the charge, hundreds of other creatures following in her wake.
"They are our allies!" Edward yells, his voice strained as his chest painfully contracts at the sight of I'sabel. Her powerful muscles flex, bringing her closer to him every second. Trying to prevent an attack on the welcome help, he yells again.
"The Ainmhithe have come!"