Disclaimer:
I don't own it. I make no profit off of it. I mean to offend no one's sensibilities. Please God don't sue.
Thank You: MOM: I love you
Tony-o: for courage & the right things to do
Miss Sharp: you put up with me for no reason I know
Stelmarta: more than words can say!
Suki
Suki was having the time of her life. She'd accompanied her Lady Hoshi on many campaigns before. None of this alarming magnitude, but what the hey- more people meant more fun! She was in charge of coordinating communication between the border posts. Every border post was within clear slight of the others. They had little cauldrons of flammable material. If the Karsites were sighted, they lit the fire. The signal was passed down the line. Suki posted a Herald within mind-range of his Companion and at least one other Herald. They had an unobstructed line of communication along the full fifty furlongs of Karsite border. It was lovely. Donni was more than obliging in keeping Suki updated with the various messages, and she in turn kept Hoshi informed.
Hoshi was being a pain in the butt as usual; she always got tense during a campaign. No reason to, really, with her gift there was no way the plan could fail. Suki bounced about with her halberd and her battle armor, spreading good cheer and happiness. She loved the tents, loved the dirt and the dust and the sweaty, nasty training. It was great fun, a good campaign was always great fun.
"Hello!!"
"Hi, Suki. You seen Hoshi around?"
"Hai, she is somewhere up on the parapet. I think she watch the army come."
" Lovely"
Puzzled, she looked back at him, "You no like the war?"
"NO! Of course not, war is so terribly wasteful and horrid"
"Well, yes, but the campaign is great fun!"
"Fun?"
"You a Healer, I guess you see it different."
"You're damn right I see it different."
"Temper, temper, relax and have some fun."
"Whatever, where's Hoshi?"
"I tell you, she on the tower."
"Thanks"
"She may no want to see anyone now, better you come back later."
"Bloody hell, come on! I've not seen hide nor hair of the damn woman for days and now you're telling me she doesn't want to see me?"
"Not you, really, she just no have time for extra people right now. The King comes and he is always demanding time, and Lady Sophia is here and she needs time, and the damn Lord Marshal is here and he is always whining."
"You don't like the Lord Marshal do you?"
"He is bad, very bad for campaign."
"What do you mean?"
"Nosy old coot. He no likes Lady Hoshi running things the way they needs be run. He the one who stopped her from the campaign before and make her come here alone."
"That's not right."
"No. He is bad for campaign."
"Do you know when she can see me?"
"No"
"Thanks, Suki"
"You're Welcome!"
Suki decided to keep an eye on that young man. Cedric was all well and good in Haven when her Lady had time to spend, but he was getting demanding. It was Suki's job to make sure her Lady got enough food and sleep to function properly, that did not include playing 'healer in the hay' with pretty boy Cedric. A moment's pause was all it gave her before she decided that it would be better if she played a stupid as possible with him. It wasn't hard, Suki knew she wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, but if he had problems finding her Lady because Suki couldn't give accurate directions, that was his own stupid fault for losing track of Hoshi in the first place.
:Hey bird brain:
"Hai"
:We've got a sighting of the Karsites. Looks like Lady Luck has run out on us.:
"Good, I go tell Hoshi"
No one really noticed her talking out in mid air. They'd gotten used to the idea of Donni communicating with her and her natural inability to mindspeak back. Suki bounced, a little more energetically, over to the King's tent. If the Karsites were sighted, that meant she and Hoshi would be in battle much more quickly, battle was always something to look forewords to.
Sophia
Sophia was in her brother's good graces for the moment. She'd got word that the army would be here a day sooner than anticipated. It wasn't much given the recent sighting of the Karsites only a half-furlong from the fort. Hoshi's plan would now be tested to the utmost. Sophia walked over to the Quartermaster General of Fort Drell.
"How goes the re-provisioning?"
He gave a short laugh, "Re-provisioning is it Lady Herald? It seems like a damn risky operation if you ask me."
"Do you think it will work?"
"It's so bloody crazy, it may just well"
"How many uniforms do you have left?"
"Not a single stitch. Everything we've got in the re-stock stores has been distributed to the civilians. Tents, uniforms, weapons, and food - Everything."
"Do you think they'll believe it?"
"Lady Hoshi thinks it'll work Herald. That's good enough for me."
"Is it then?" She murmured, out of earshot.
: They have a surprising amount of faith in her abilities:
:Of course they do, twit. She can see the future, tell them things that will happen, see the enemy before they see her:
:Or at least we hope she can:
: Losing faith Sophi ?:
: Maybe, just a bit. It's a terrible gamble:
:It's a terrible situation:
:Is that supposed to make me feel better?:
: You know better than anyone about how you're supposed to feel:
: Screw that:
A mental sigh: Chosen, you need to relax:
: You're sounding like Hardin:
: He knows what's good for you:
: Oh shut up:
She was pulled by her gift towards the makeshift House of Healing. It was like a beacon call on her empathic radar. It was heartbreaking to go in a see the reams of people who had lost everything on their backs but their pride. There was a lot of pride in the house of healing. Sophia wouldn't have expected it, she didn't tend to believe in stereotypes, but the border-bred were proud of their toughness. They were proud to die or loose everything they had for the amorphous conglomerate of people that was Valdemar. It was unreal. Sophia wanted to just wrap them all up in cotton wool and tell them everything would be all right. She tried to actually say that and believe it herself, but things were hard. She didn't know it would be all right. She could only hope and pray that Hoshi knew what she was doing.
Albright
The army was exhausted. Not physically, they were too well trained. They were tired of fighting. He was within striking distance of a fort that he should have overrun days ago. The soldiers weren't the only ones who were exhausted. Albright himself didn't want to keep going into what he suspected was the heart of the Valdemaran defense with tired troops.
Things were going horribly wrong. The Black robe priests, who only days ago promised to wipe the villages off the face of the map were huddled in the tents, afraid to even show their faces. They said it was as if the whole country was watching them every movement, gesture, and action. It got worse as they used their magic. He'd had to take the last few villages un-assisted. It wasn't much more work, but it made the difference with the men. There were rumors flying around that the demon riders could drain a man's life with a glance, that they hurl bolts and call fire and drank blood and did every evil thing under the sun. Things went missing, little bits like luck charms, command whistles, wagon pins, copies of Sunlord Triumphant, all of the little things that made a tent a home away from home.
Wine soured, brandy barrels cracked, horses spooked, bread went stale, weapons went dull, and those damn demon riders knew how this would affect the deeply superstitious army of Karse. Some one in the command structure of Valdemar knew what made an army tick and was now systematically removing the little things that couldn't be quantified, but made all of the difference. His soldiers were rapidly loosing the will to fight. Without even being on the field his army was slowly being defeated.