Chapter Four
A/N on pronunciation:
"Mykonos" is pronounced "MEE-kun-ose".
"Bormanos" is pronounced "Bore-MAHN-ose".
"Slepik" is pronounced "SLEP-ick."
"Beria" is pronounced "BEAR-ee-ah."
"Belchik" is pronounced "BELL-chick."
"Berylla" is pronounced "BER-ill-ah"
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Lysia's base camp -- such as it was -- amounted to nothing more than some tents nestled among a stand of trees. Several horses stood off in the distance. A roaring campfire and a lone sentry greeted Lysia's return to camp.
"Who goes there?" the sentry cried. Recognizing Lysia, he snapped to attention and saluted her. "Lysia!"
Lysia reined the horse to a stop and dismounted. "At ease, soldier," she commanded. "Where's Atrius?"
"He's asleep, ma'am."
"Wake him," Lysia commanded. "Wake him and bring him to me." With that, the sentry ran off to find Atrius.
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Zoar sat silently on her concealed perch above the camp, counting the horses in the distance. Fifteen … twenty horses, she thought. Almost enough for a scouting party.
Why bring twenty men to kill He-Man … and a PARALYZED He-Man at that? she wondered. ONE could easily do the job.
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"You wished to see me?" said Atrius as he yawned and rubbed the sleep from his eyes.
"Yes," said Lysia. "I'm sorry to wake you … but I need to go over the plan for tomorrow."
"Of course, Lysia," said Atrius, squeezing the bridge of his nose.
"We're gonna take out He-Man at dawn," said Lysia. "I want you and four swordsmen to meet me at the campsite." Lysia paused. "I want this to look like a botched robbery."
"Of course, Lysia." Atrius paused. "What about that … tiger … he usually rides?"
"KILL IT!" Lysia snapped. "Shoot it and slit its throat!" Lysia paused for reflection. "That reminds me…" she added, stroking her chin. "Better take the heavy blaster rifle."
"Yes, Lysia."
"I want that overgrown housecat killed, skinned, and cut to stew meat!" barked Lysia. "HAVE I MADE MYSELF CLEAR?"
"Yes, Lysia."
Just then, a messenger on horseback galloped into camp. He reined the horse to a stop, dismounted, stood at attention before Lysia, and saluted.
"At ease," said Lysia to the messenger. "What is it, soldier?" she asked.
"I bring news from the front," said the messenger. "Mykonos and Slepik have fallen … but we've encountered heavy resistance at Bormanos."
"I want two brigades of cavalry from Beria and two brigades of cavalry from Belchik sent to Bormanos," commanded Lysia. "I also want you to burn the city's grain stores." Lysia paused. "If all else fails, we can STARVE Bormanos into submission."
The messenger blinked his eyes in confusion. "Are you sure?" The messenger paused. "There's women and children in there!"
"ARE YOU QUESTIONING MY ORDERS?" Lysia snapped.
The messenger snapped to attention once more. "No, ma'am," he replied.
"Do it," Lysia said icily. "That's an order, soldier."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Dismissed," said Lysia curtly. With that, the messenger saluted, mounted his horse once more, turned around, and galloped away into the night.
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Mykonos, Slepik, and Bormanos are good-sized towns, thought Zoar from her perch. This woman is a warlord, she concluded. I'm beginning to wonder what she has in store for Hamaneel.
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"He-Man will PAY for what he did to Berylla!" said Lysia angrily.
Atrius blinked his eyes in confusion. "Berylla?"
Lysia shot Atrus an icy glare. "Oh … BERYLLA," he said finally.
"I'd better go," said Lysia as she mounted her horse. "It'll be dawn soon." She paused. "Just a few more hours … 'til the big lug is out of my hair FOREVER."
"We'll be there," said Atrius.
"I'm counting on it," said Lysia as she turned around and galloped into the night.
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What's the significance of Berylla? Zoar wondered as she left her perch and flew back towards the campsite. What's her interest in such a small village? I swear, this case has more twists and turns than the Jorvellian Labyrinth.