Jeyne VI
The soldiers of Open Hearth were the last to arrive. Hailing all the way from the far coast, Joseph brought a small army of four hundred with him. From the comfort of her mountain castle, Jeyne watched them pitch their tents and light their campfires against the setting dusk. The whole entire valley was swarming with activity. Hundreds of men and women were gathered inside and around the Hotspring Hold. At first they had tried to accommodate the troops inside the castle, but quickly ran out of room after just Daven's forces alone. After that they had begun moving new arrivals to the plateau at the base of the mountain but once again, it filled up quickly. Finally, the rest of the soldiers were told to set up their camps in the surrounding valleys and mountain sides.
The sight of hundreds of torches and campfires in the rapidly darkening valley reminded Jeyne of swarms of fireflies that she had seen during her travels. She leaned against the castle balcony, drinking the sight in. There's so many of them. . . I had never expected this many humans to gather in one place. But will it be enough? The massacre at the Wolf's Den had been devastating to the whole Northern Coalition. But whereas the news incited fear, it also stirred up anger. Hundreds of recruits had enlisted into the army after learning about the tragedy at the Wolf's Den, eager for revenge against the perpetrators. The whole North had practically been set ablaze by the news. Now, slightly over seventeen-hundred men and women were carpeting about the valley like a swarm of insects.
They had come from everywhere; Ice Harbour by the sea, Lookout Keep, Open Hearth, and many small villages in the mountains, tundra, and forests. Some lords, like Daven, Joseph and Hadrian, had brought hundreds of soldiers with them. Others like Bertholdt were only able to muster together a few dozen warriors from their small populations. Regardless of the amount, Jeyne was grateful for everyone that had answered Otto's call to arms. She could rest a little easier knowing that her husband would not march south alone. It seemed like every single village in the north had sent at least a few soldiers to support their cause, though Jeyne would need to check her records to confirm that. She was sure that at least a few had ignored the summons, but there was nothing she could really do about that.
The only members of the Northern Coalition that had explicitly failed to show up were the southern lords. But then again, Jeyne knew had a good enough reason to excuse their absence: they were already guarding the borders. It seemed like an unnecessary hassle to draw away all troops from the borders and relocate them here, only to then march south again. Over the past few months, the Northern Coalition had painstakingly strengthened its borders to try and prevent enemies from ever crossing onto friendly soil. . . Unfortunately that plan had failed and a small group of about fifty Protectorate soldiers had somehow been able to sneak past the sentinels and destroy the Wolf's Den. It still baffled Jeyne how that was possible. There were roughly a thousand Northern Coalition soldiers watching the border, and, by all rights, they should have been able to spot the enemy warband. It was a serious defense flaw that she would need to probe into further. But regardless, for the moment being, all troops that had been sent to the border would stay there. Otto was bound to eventually march past, which would allow many of them to reunite with his army and swell his numbers. Of course, some would need to stay behind to protect the north. But Otto could easily gain another five hundred soldiers from the already assembled border defense army.
As Jeyne stared down at the flickering orange constellation of campfires, she wondered yet again whether it would be enough. After picking up the reinforcements from the border, Otto could reasonably muster an army of twenty-two-hundred. According to Jeyne's most recent reports, the Protectors of Man had an army of about fourteen-hundred, meaning the Northern Coalition had the numbers advantage by a wide margin. However, she knew very well that the Protectorate's army was more professional, disciplined, and better equipped. Although the north might have more manpower, the Protectors of Man had higher quality soldiers and mounts. They had proven their skill and valor at the Wolf's Den, when fifty of their soldiers had killed over a hundred-forty defenders. Then again, it was hardly a fair comparison when Willam's people had been completely unprepared for such a devastating attack.
Jeyne felt pity for all the poor souls who had been butchered mercilessly that night. She couldn't imagine the pain and suffering they must have gone through during their last moments as they were slaughtered in droves. And to think. . . not a single living thing survived that onslaught. We were only able to recover corpses from the rubble. No wonder everyone else has taken to calling it the Ghost's Den. Jeyne had only received the full details of Otto's search efforts much later. She still remembered how her heart had pounded after seeing that distress signal in the middle of the night, her mounting dread and anxiety as Otto mounted up and led a group of reinforcements toward the chaos. Jeyne had not been able to sleep the rest of that night, thinking of all the horrible possibilities that might be occurring just hours away. She had been worried about Willam and all the people under his care, but also about Otto, Alys, and the others who had gone straight toward the battlefield.
After an entire day of anxiously waiting, not being able to do anything productive with her time, Jeyne had been relieved to see Otto return late that night. However, she could immediately tell something had changed about him. He looked haunted. Dark bags had ringed his eyes, and he had been stained from head to toe in old crusted blood. Jeyne had tried to talk to him, but Otto had harshly insisted on being alone. He shut himself into a war meeting room for the rest of that night and refused to come out. Only afterwards did Jeyne find out about his letters to the rest of the Northern Coalition, summoning every single member to the Hotspring Hold.
At first Jeyne had been angry, then scared. But after sitting down and talking it out with Otto, she understood his actions. She didn't necessarily approve of them. . . but after reliving the story of what he found at the Ghost's Den, she was able to understand. Jeyne had also felt rage boil up inside her at the thought of sweet old Willam's death, and all the other poor creatures like Argentum who had suffered during that tragic night. She comforted Otto and helped set his mind straight. Or at least she tried. Now, after two weeks had passed, she could tell that Otto was beginning to return to his old self. But there was still a burning hatred inside his eyes that shone whenever they were attending a war meeting or receiving scouting reports about the Protectors of Man.
Everybody who had perished at the Ghost's Den had been buried in the graveyard on the neighbouring hill. It had taken days and days for teams of mammoths to drag Argentum's corpse, but Jeyne felt it was necessary to show respect to the dead. All the remaining bodies — those belonging to the Protectors of Man and their warbeasts — had been looted and burned in massive piles. Lots of good equipment had been salvaged from the Ghost's Den, including two tyrannosaurus saddles and their respective armour pieces, but naturally the other Northern Coalition soldiers were a bit hesitant. Nobody really wanted to don the armour and weapons of the enemy, especially knowing all the blood that had been spilled at the Ghost's Den. So far most of the salvaged gear was stored on supply wagons that would accompany Otto's army and be used as needed. As for the Ghost's Den, the castle remained completely empty. After burying the corpses and salvaging all the supplies, nobody had been willing to resettle the castle, believing it to be haunted. Jeyne would not forcibly relocate soldiers to that garrison if they did not want to. Besides, with all the equipment gone and the gates broken, the castle was uninhabitable unless major renovations were completed. And something told Jeyne that she would be hard pressed to find workers willing to do such a job, so she left the matter untouched. Let the dead rest undisturbed. It's the least we could do for them.
After the sun had gone down and left the mountains in darkness, Jeyne could no longer see much besides the glowing orange campfires and some shifting shadows. She faintly heard singing down below. The army was scheduled to move out tomorrow. For many soldiers, this would be the last night they could rest and relax. Afterwards, they would march forward into enemy territory with no sign of returning anytime soon.
Jeyne turned and went back inside the castle, to her chambers with Otto. Her husband was already there, sitting at a desk and staring at the wall emptily. Jeyne walked up behind him and planted a soft kiss on his temple. The ghost of a smile tugged at Otto's lips, but his face was still ashen.
"Everything alright?" Jeyne asked.
"Considering the circumstances, I don't think anybody could rest well tonight," Otto sighed.
"You don't have to go," Jeyne tried. She had already talked this over with Otto countless times. She doubted anything would change, but it was still worth a try. "Keep the army at home behind the border. You'll still be able to fight the enemy if they attack, but you'll be on familiar territory."
Otto shook his head. "I can't. You saw what happened the first time we tried to fight defensively. Willam died as a result of my decisions. . . I won't let that happen again. If we stay in the north, then we surrender all our agency to the Protectors. They can attack wherever they want, kill whoever they want, and we won't be able to do anything because we'll always be one step behind."
"So you're really going through with it then?' Jeyne pulled up a chair and sat down, resting her chin on her hand.
"I have to. I won't sit back and wait for them to kill more of my friends. If we meet them on their own territory, or even on neutral ground, we'll be able to minimize civilian casualties. It'll just be our two armies, fighting the way that mankind has always fought. The strongest will survive."
Jeyne stared down at the table silently for a while. "Promise me you'll stay safe."
"It's war. I can't guarantee an—" Jeyne kicked him under the table.
Otto sighed. "I— I'll try. For your sake. Really."
Jeyne smiled sadly. "Return to me in a single piece, do you understand? No matter what you have to do. Come back."
"That's asking for a lot," Otto murmured. "There's some things I can't do."
Jeyne pursed her lips, understanding what he meant. "War brings out the worst in everyone. I know it'll be hard. . . but if the Northern Coalition is to have a safe future then you need to be willing to make sacrifices."
"I don't want to sacrifice my humanity," Otto blurted out. "Jeyne. . . When I was telling you about what happened at the Wolf's Den, I left some things out."
Jeyne met his eyes, raising her eyebrows in concern. Otto's eyes darted away and he suddenly found interest in the table. He took a shaky breath, his voice barely audible. "When we were hunting the Protectors down. . . I lost count of how many I killed. I can't even remember their faces. It felt no different from slaughtering animals. I. . . I convinced myself that they were demons wearing human skin. It never felt wrong to me. . ." Otto laughed bitterly. "I took pleasure in killing others. What sort of monster does that make me?"
Jeyne was a little shaken but she grabbed his hand and squeezed reassuringly. "It only makes you human. They killed one of your closest friends. Almost anybody would have acted the same way."
He sighed and turned away slightly. "I never thought I'd be able to take lives so easily, but in that moment I never hesitated. Not once during that whole fight did I ever stop and realize what I was doing. I. . . I just hope this war doesn't change me."
"You did what was necessary. That doesn't make you some heartless killer. From the very moment we met, I always knew you were a kind-hearted and selfless leader. I have faith that you'll stick to your virtues." Jeyne kissed him lightly. "Get some rest. You have lots to do tomorrow."
They retreated inside their shared bed and spent what might possibly have been their last night together.
The next morning saw the departure of the entire army. After two weeks of amassing all the Northern Coalition's available forces in one location, it was finally time for the soldiers to move out. Time was of the essence, both with the looming winter and the uncertain status of the Protectorate army. Not to mention the vast amounts of resources it took to feed such a large mob. The Hotspring Hold's food reserves had been seriously depleted by the encamped army and it would take months to fully restock. Jeyne once again found herself wishing that Kevan were still here to oversee the logistics, but she was only reminded of the Protectorate's cruelty. Anger helped steel her resolve, yet even still Jeyne found herself worrying about the future.
She was seated on a megaloceros doe beside the river, surrounded by a small escort who would remain at the Hotspring Hold. With many of the other leaders heading south to fight in the war, Jeyne knew she would have to take on more responsibilities at home. She was determined to rise to the challenge and rule the Northern Coalition as its rightful queen. Now, more than ever, the Coalition needed a strong leader to hold it together in the void that so many able-bodied workers left behind. She could foresee many problems in the future caused by the departure of nearly half their population; everything from home defenses, to raising livestock and growing food would become that much harder. These issues would also be compounded by the fact that the vast majority of their tamed animals would be heading off to the war. In the upcoming months, Jeyne was certain that she would need to work harder than ever to keep the Coalition together.
Watching the procession beside Jeyne were Lori and Maron, both of whom were also taking on large roles. Lori would be made Head Steward of the Hotspring Hold and tasked with managing all its logistics. Jeyne had been uncertain of assigning her best friend that position. After all, Lori had never really been one for sitting still and managing records. However, Jeyne did appreciate the fact that Lori was an extremely creative and resourceful woman. She was the artist behind the Northern Coalition's banners, which Jeyne now saw fluttering in the wind by the dozens. In her time at the Hotspring Hold, Lori had also greatly improved agriculture by designing irrigation channels to collect rainwater and snowmelt. In troubling times such as these, Jeyne hoped that the new Head Steward would be able to put her creativity to good use. Lori assured everyone that she was up for the challenge, to which Jeyne remained optimistically hopeful.
Maron the blacksmith had been made into the castellan of Hotspring Hold. His job would be to oversee most daily aspects of the base, things that Otto or Jeyne herself would normally have handled. However, with Otto leading the army south and Jeyne overseeing the Northern Coalition as a whole, both would be unable to fulfill these duties. Jeyne was glad that the blacksmith would be taking some of the weight off her shoulders. She had always known Maron to be a steadfast and reliant worker, and trusted that he would do a good job of keeping the Hotspring Hold in order. Jeyne would also be readily available to correct his errors and give him advice, though of course most of her time would be spent overseeing other members of the Coalition.
Less than a hundred people would remain at the Hotspring Hold, out of the current population of slightly over four hundred. Everyone else — including most of their tamed creatures — were heading off to war alongside the rest of the army. Jeyne watched their long procession wearily.
The first in the column was Joseph and his three hundred soldiers from Open Hearth, who, having done reconnaissance into Protectorate territory, knew the land better than most other lords. Joseph had a quiver of arrows slung across his back and a bow in his saddlebags. He was seated on a dark green parasaur; a rare sight in the north. However, there were about ten more of the duck-billed giants marching with Joseph's portion of the army, along with a small host of other animals native to the south. Open Hearth had brought four massive triceratops with wooden archer nests on their backs, one stegosaurus, seven iguanodons, six gallimimus, a baryonyx, two carnotaurus, twelve dilophosaurus, and a pack of five raptors. The southern creatures were a strange sight to behold, but since Open Hearth was well situated down south, it was only natural that Joseph's army would have incorporated some of the local fauna. Otherwise, the rest of Joseph's animals were endemic to the north. Many of his soldiers were mounted on the standard affair; megaloceros, wooly rhinoceros, equus, and the like. Jeyne did not pay much attention but she saw about fifty northern creatures from Open Hearth.
The next group to pass was a bit more interesting. The dozen or so mountain clans who had joined the Northern Coalition all travelled together. Jeyne recognized Bertholdt, along with some other tribe chieftains that she had negotiated with, riding together at the head of their combined forces. Jeyne's eyes were immediately drawn to the unique mountain creatures that the clansmen had brought from their villages. Bertholdt was mounted on a fearsome white yutyrannus who strutted about with the confidence of an apex predator in its prime. A second mountain chieftain named Dirk was mounted on a grey yutyrannus of his own, though it was smaller than Bertholdt's. The other chieftains rode megaloceros or mountain rams. Behind them followed a wild assortment of two hundred clansmen. Jeyne could roughly tell them apart based on how each group dressed, with each having a unique look about them. At least seventy of them rode megaloceros and ovis, while the rest walked on foot. Six or seven different clans of hyaenodons travelled alongside their respective mountain tribes, totalling somewhere around fifty hyaenodons altogether. There were also four or five direwolf packs, with a total of twenty wolves. Jeyne also recognized a dozen purlovia shuffling about in between all the other humans and beasts. More impressively, Jeyne spotted a few sabertooth tigers stalking alongside the column. It looked like there were seven of them, but it was hard to tell from the way they kept slipping in and out of the crowds. She was certain, however, that she saw two direbears. The furred giants were impossible to miss; with their creamy white fur, they looked like icebergs as they bobbed up and down in the sea of other creatures.
As Jeyne was watching, a few shadows fell across the mountain clansmen. She craned her head upward in time to see the Angels fly overhead. Alysanne was leading a group of thirty argentavis riders in a V formation. Jeyne was unable to get a good long look at them, for they quickly faded into specks in the distance. She shifted her attention to the next group to pass by the column; the waycastle commanders and all the various other villages scattered around the north. All of the diverse groups put together only accounted for a hundred fifty soldiers. Similarly to Open Hearth, they had a mix of northern and southern creatures. Bryan, Selyse, and Vance, who commanded Forts Orchard, Pine, and Northgate, all brought southern creatures such as parasaurs, iguanodons, and gallimimus with them. There were also plenty of megaloceros and equus travelling with the motley group. In total, a hundred creatures; half from the north, half from the south.
Next came Otto and three hundred soldiers from the Hotspring Hold. Winter's huge direwolf pack travelled at the head of the group, followed by forty riders on giant elk, twenty on equus, and a dozen on wooly rhinoceros. All the other archers and spearmen came afterwards on foot. Among their ranks were three direbears, a dozen chalicotherium, four daeodon, fourteen hyaenodons, and two megatherium. When the Wolf King caught sight of Jeyne, he handed off his lead position to Leo, then rode over to her. Winter and Ryker the sabertooth followed after him eagerly.
Jeyne straightened up as her husband drew near. Although she felt a horrible dread twisting in her chest, she wanted to be strong for him. It might very well be the last time they saw each other. Jeyne dismounted from her doe, as did Otto from Daciana. She wrapped Otto in a warm embrace for what felt far too short. Suddenly, Jeyne found herself wishing that they had found more time to spend together in the previous weeks. It had been busy and chaotic for both of them, but Jeyne knew she would regret it for the rest of her life if something bad happened to Otto. No. I can't be thinking like that. He will be back. He promised.
"Keep them safe, Jeyne." Otto whispered. "The north is in your hands now."
"Only if you do the same," Jeyne retorted. "You made a promise last night and I expect you to keep it."
He laughed softly. "Anything for you. I'll do whatever it takes to protect you. No matter who I have to kill, no matter how much blood I have to stain my hands with. You'll always be the most important priority for me."
"And I'll stand behind you no matter what you have to do. Even if you make the whole world your enemy, I'll always be with you."
Slowly, tentatively, they pulled apart. The words were unneeded, but Jeyne said them anyway: I love you. Otto smiled and said the same. Then, after one last kiss, they pulled apart. Otto climbed onto Daciana's saddle, cast one last glance over his shoulder, then rode off to rejoin his column. Ryker stalked after him like a shadow.
Winter lingered behind for a few moments longer. Jeyne pat his head, tousling his fur. "Keep him safe," she said to the direwolf. Winter gave her a knowing look, then turned and followed Otto into the distance.
In the time that she had spent saying her goodbyes to Otto, the rest of the army had nearly passed. From a quick glance, she gathered that Daven's portion had already passed through. Jeyne couldn't really pay much attention with all her anxiety and doubts clouding her mind. She vaguely knew that the force from Lookout Keep was composed of three hundred soldiers and a hundred beasts; a mix of spearmen, archers, and some standard creatures like megaloceros, wooly rhinos, ovis, and chalicotherium. Hadrian's group had also nearly completely passed through. There were two-hundred-fifty soldiers and about a hundred creatures, though once again, nothing special. The army from Ice Harbour was very similar in composition to Daven's group. However, one thing of note was that many of the soldiers seemed to be carrying tridents and nets instead of spears.
And finally, the last of the army was passing through. All the mammoths had been put in the rearguard. Thirty of the massive wooly creatures ambled along in herds, with wooden platform saddles on most of their backs. Behind them came the supply train; about a hundred wagons, pulled by megaloceros, wooly rhinoceros, and some of the mammoths. The carts held most of the army's supplies, including food, weapons, and equipment for setting up camp. Although each soldier carried a pack of the essentials, including their own spear, enough food and water for two days, and sleeping bags, it was only the most basic equipment. The bulk of the army's provisions came in the supply train, so naturally it was well guarded by two hundred of the best soldiers, hand-picked by each lord or chieftain from their respective group.
After the supply train passed, Jeyne could only watch as the army faded further and further into the distance. She waited until they were fully out of sight before she followed the others back up to the Hotspring Hold. The base suddenly seemed so much smaller than before.
Author's Note:
Girlbook, Very sad indeed!
Nateman364, I'll keep my lips zipped about the speculation ;) You're on the right track though! And yep it was a bit of a hasty decision to kill them all instead of torturing one for information but he wasn't thinking straight at the time.
Bladerunner24k, Haha well not quite. Theres still quite a few more theropods :)
DinoNerd89, I'm glad you enjoyed the recent turn of events! And yep, now there's finally closure after the megalosaurus pack is gone.
1211, Well here's half of the numbers. You'll get the other side next chapter and then you'll have the info needed to make a judgement about the balance of power.
Death korps boi, Love the WW2 reference, definitely similar tactics though the whole Protectorate army wasn't shoved through thankfully. Also I'm very honoured to have Ned Starked you :)
Thunder, Thanks! I thought it might have been you lol. Definitely a little cruel but I sure know I would've done the same in his shoes.
Thanks for taking the time to check out my work, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Feel free to comment, ask questions, or criticize my story, review is always welcome! If you liked what you saw, make sure to check out the other ARK stories on this site! Have a great day!
- DaRumpyBurr