"Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear."
~Mark Twain
All's Fair in Love and War
Chapter 20: Preparations
~Road to the South (Inuyasha's POV)~
My army marches along the road behind and in front of Sango and I. They march in neat file of six and long rows of uncountable numbers. I know the exact numbers-four thousand soldiers: one thousand cavalry and three thousand infantry-but I wouldn't be able to tell if not for the reports.
It is not all of our standing army-it would be stupid to leave Hikari unprotected-but it still outnumbers Kagome's army. I doubt she had more then two thousand ill trained peasants and greedy mercenaries. My army is double the size of hers. I am confident we can win with minimal bloodshed. Perhaps I can force Kagome into surrendering before the battle begins. I doubt it. Kagome is too proud to surrender to anyone.
We eventually come to a large open field. It is the traditional battle field from hundreds of years ago. It is symbolic I suppose, in a strange way to fight here.
I dismount my horse near the northern end of the field. The soldiers stay at attention waiting for orders to be at ease. I feel a twinge of guilt for all the young men and women who will die and be wounded in this battle. They care only to make Shi Wase safe for themselves and their children. They cannot see beyond their small worlds.
I give the orders for camp to be set up and immediately the near rows and files split up into a kid of ordered confusion.
Within half of an hour all the tents are set up and small fires burn all over the camp adding light and warmth to the cool dusk. The smell of soup and herbs in the air where I sit on a battered stool near the cooks' tent. All we can do is wait for my scouts to return with news of the progress of the enemies' movements.
My stomach growls loudly, interrupting my planning. I'm starving. I quickly walk to join the circle of men and women sitting around the closest fire. I ladle some of the thick soup into a bowl and grab a piece of bread. I sit in an empty spot and quickly eat my dinner. It's delicious. One thing every good commander knows is that happy-loyal-soldiers have full stomachs.
I am just soaking up the last of the broth with the bread when guards strides over holding a small struggling boy. He continues to hold the boy as he bows quickly.
"Your Majesty. I fond this boy sneaking suspiciously around the perimeter of the camp."
I stare at the boy, he is young, only about twelve of thirteen.
"Good work. Leave him here. I'll talk to him."
The soldier releases the boy and turns to return to his post. The boy stand defiantly, staring me in the eyes.
"What's your name?" I ask kindly.
He spits at me in response, his eyes flaring with hate. I grow angry at this show of disrespect.
"Answer me! What is you name?"
He continues to glare at me in defiance. Rage fills me and I raise my hand to strike him.
"INUYASHA!"
I turn to see a horrified Sango behind me. I lower my hand guiltily. I don't know if I really would have it him. He continues to stand unflinchingly through this all.
"He's just boy. He's probably lost," She scolds me adding to my guilt.
She knees in front of the boy and puts a hand on his shoulder.
"What's your name?" she asks gently.
"It's Shippo." he answers softly, casting nervous glances at me.
"Well Shippo. How about some soup? Are you hungry?"
Shippo nods and Sango hands him a bowl of soup which he eats quickly.
"Why are you here?" Sango asks after Shippo had finished eating.
"My father died a year ago and only my mother and I were left to run the farm. We couldn't pay the taxes on time so the King took the land from us. My mother died a few months ago from cold."
Sango looks at the small boy in pity and I know she will not stop until she has helped him.
"It was all the fault of the King! He raised the taxes too much! No one could pay them and still have food to eat and money to buy seeds!"
From the way he keeps glancing at me I know he understands that I am King. He makes a point I know is true.
"And now the new King is fighting a war with the rebels and we have to give even more food to feed his army!"
I am starting to grow angry once more.
"We are fighting this war for you as well! It is not just some sport of me!"
"You are not fighting for me. i think this country would be better off if the 'rebels' took control of the throne."
This stuns me. It is always a thought I have not let myself consider. Better off? I want to be a good King. I do not want to be hated like my father.
"Perhaps, perhaps." I say quietly shocking everyone, "But I am King and I will fight for my country and try to end this War. Once everything is peaceful we can be prosperous."
Shippo snorts.
Sango senses that I am at the end of my good will, she drags Shippo off to find some clean clothes.
Another guard runs up to me not bothering to bow.
"word had come Your Majesty. The rebels' army is a few hours ride away. They have set up camp for the night."
I nod and order him to return to his post. her army is hear, the battle is close. Hopefully tomorrow will be the end of this War.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THANK YOU: hyperchica11, SwtAngl53, Kitten Kisses, Anonymous, YaHi, ShadowSpinner, carlene, The Weasley, bonessasan and Queen of Shadows FOR REVIEWING LAST CHAPTER
~Mark Twain
All's Fair in Love and War
Chapter 20: Preparations
~Road to the South (Inuyasha's POV)~
My army marches along the road behind and in front of Sango and I. They march in neat file of six and long rows of uncountable numbers. I know the exact numbers-four thousand soldiers: one thousand cavalry and three thousand infantry-but I wouldn't be able to tell if not for the reports.
It is not all of our standing army-it would be stupid to leave Hikari unprotected-but it still outnumbers Kagome's army. I doubt she had more then two thousand ill trained peasants and greedy mercenaries. My army is double the size of hers. I am confident we can win with minimal bloodshed. Perhaps I can force Kagome into surrendering before the battle begins. I doubt it. Kagome is too proud to surrender to anyone.
We eventually come to a large open field. It is the traditional battle field from hundreds of years ago. It is symbolic I suppose, in a strange way to fight here.
I dismount my horse near the northern end of the field. The soldiers stay at attention waiting for orders to be at ease. I feel a twinge of guilt for all the young men and women who will die and be wounded in this battle. They care only to make Shi Wase safe for themselves and their children. They cannot see beyond their small worlds.
I give the orders for camp to be set up and immediately the near rows and files split up into a kid of ordered confusion.
Within half of an hour all the tents are set up and small fires burn all over the camp adding light and warmth to the cool dusk. The smell of soup and herbs in the air where I sit on a battered stool near the cooks' tent. All we can do is wait for my scouts to return with news of the progress of the enemies' movements.
My stomach growls loudly, interrupting my planning. I'm starving. I quickly walk to join the circle of men and women sitting around the closest fire. I ladle some of the thick soup into a bowl and grab a piece of bread. I sit in an empty spot and quickly eat my dinner. It's delicious. One thing every good commander knows is that happy-loyal-soldiers have full stomachs.
I am just soaking up the last of the broth with the bread when guards strides over holding a small struggling boy. He continues to hold the boy as he bows quickly.
"Your Majesty. I fond this boy sneaking suspiciously around the perimeter of the camp."
I stare at the boy, he is young, only about twelve of thirteen.
"Good work. Leave him here. I'll talk to him."
The soldier releases the boy and turns to return to his post. The boy stand defiantly, staring me in the eyes.
"What's your name?" I ask kindly.
He spits at me in response, his eyes flaring with hate. I grow angry at this show of disrespect.
"Answer me! What is you name?"
He continues to glare at me in defiance. Rage fills me and I raise my hand to strike him.
"INUYASHA!"
I turn to see a horrified Sango behind me. I lower my hand guiltily. I don't know if I really would have it him. He continues to stand unflinchingly through this all.
"He's just boy. He's probably lost," She scolds me adding to my guilt.
She knees in front of the boy and puts a hand on his shoulder.
"What's your name?" she asks gently.
"It's Shippo." he answers softly, casting nervous glances at me.
"Well Shippo. How about some soup? Are you hungry?"
Shippo nods and Sango hands him a bowl of soup which he eats quickly.
"Why are you here?" Sango asks after Shippo had finished eating.
"My father died a year ago and only my mother and I were left to run the farm. We couldn't pay the taxes on time so the King took the land from us. My mother died a few months ago from cold."
Sango looks at the small boy in pity and I know she will not stop until she has helped him.
"It was all the fault of the King! He raised the taxes too much! No one could pay them and still have food to eat and money to buy seeds!"
From the way he keeps glancing at me I know he understands that I am King. He makes a point I know is true.
"And now the new King is fighting a war with the rebels and we have to give even more food to feed his army!"
I am starting to grow angry once more.
"We are fighting this war for you as well! It is not just some sport of me!"
"You are not fighting for me. i think this country would be better off if the 'rebels' took control of the throne."
This stuns me. It is always a thought I have not let myself consider. Better off? I want to be a good King. I do not want to be hated like my father.
"Perhaps, perhaps." I say quietly shocking everyone, "But I am King and I will fight for my country and try to end this War. Once everything is peaceful we can be prosperous."
Shippo snorts.
Sango senses that I am at the end of my good will, she drags Shippo off to find some clean clothes.
Another guard runs up to me not bothering to bow.
"word had come Your Majesty. The rebels' army is a few hours ride away. They have set up camp for the night."
I nod and order him to return to his post. her army is hear, the battle is close. Hopefully tomorrow will be the end of this War.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THANK YOU: hyperchica11, SwtAngl53, Kitten Kisses, Anonymous, YaHi, ShadowSpinner, carlene, The Weasley, bonessasan and Queen of Shadows FOR REVIEWING LAST CHAPTER