Disclaim: I disclaim solitaire if there's anybody in the world who claims it.
Okay people. It's the fourth slash third chapter. I've actually gotten a quite a few reviews for solitaire. Four reviews for three chapters? Pretty good, I think.
chp. "4"
Ace stood among her troops, a mere soldier now, as they listened to their new general, Jack. He spoke as if he had ten thousand already inspired soldiers taking up the field, not ten sleepy citizens examining their swords. Ace was the only one who stood at attention. "People!" Jack cried, then in a bit softer voice, "Soldiers. We stand here today on the first day of a great war! We are off to obliterate the Territory of Cards! We will make them ours!" Ace heard yawning in the background. If she was up there giving the speech, she'd be sure to inspire her troops. "We are first off to Clubs, our nearest neighbor. They are not expecting us! We will take them by surprise, and defeat them, and add them to our army!"
You know you won't take them by surprise if you shout loud enough to hear them.
"So, troops. Are you ready for this?"
Ace, to try to inspire her troops herself, clicked her heels together, snapped her spine straight, and thrust a salute. "Sir, yes, sir!" She only heard Two help with it, with a little "Sir...yes...sir..." She snapped her hand down back to her waist.
Jack nodded, oblivious to the lack of enthusiasm. Or perhaps he was choosing to ignore it. "Very good. I'm off to the castle to suit up. Ace, help your soldiers here do the same."
Ace did the same salute. "Sir, yes, sir!" As Jack left, the other soldiers started to head to their tents to get into battle gear. "Wait a minute, soldiers," Ace said, without turning around to greet them. "Stay here." She walked up to the box that Jack had stood on. "I'm going to give you a better speech." She watched her soldiers stand and kick the grass.
"We are about to begin a great war. I don't know what this war will be like. Perhaps it will be straight-forward, and we will fight with swords. Perhaps Clubs is rich enough to have arrows, slingshots, and catapults. Or worse. Or perhaps they are poor. And can fight only with clubs and their own fists. Either way, we must fight to our best ability. Win or lose, we must battle as if we are defending our homeland, and they are the invaders. Because, win or lose, Clubs will become our homeland. Whether the people of Spades or the people of Clubs are the rulers is what we're deciding today. I don't know what Jack will do, but hear this, soldiers. I will do the best I can. No! The best we all can! To spare each and every one of you. I will not let myself rest until each of you are safe home, or safe in the enemy's home, alive. If you die, I will never rest until you are safely buried with a plaque of honor, to put your soul to rest. Because I will not rest until each and every one of you have. Now. Soldiers. Citizens of Spades. Are you ready?"
All nine soldiers clicked their heels, straightened their spines, saluted, and yelled, "Ma'am, yes, ma'am!"
Ace lifted her sword into the air. "Are you ready?!"
All nine soldiers lifted their swords in the air. They gave a thunerous roar for such a small group. "Ma'am! Yes! Ma'am!!" And they cheered. The few people who owned hats threw them in the air.
"Then let's suit up, people. Girls come with me. Two, you take the men and help them get their outfits." Two saluted and led the majority of the army off to his tent. Ace went off to her tent, where she had set up a kind of barrier with laundry all around for the girls to change behind.
The uniform was pretty basic. There were black pants. Over the pants leather armor was to be bound around, like soccer shin pands kind of, on the thighs as well. A leather corset was worn across the torso. Men wore the same, only the corset wasn't made to fit a girl's figure. Over the corset was a black long-sleeved shirt. Over the shirt went a chain metal jersey, with the emblem of a Spade on it. On the arms, under the shirt, went similar armor as that on the legs. A shoulder plate went over the head to fit on the shoulders and neck, preventing loss of arms and decapitation. It was then fitted to wrap around the whole neck, still allowing room to turn the head. On the head was a silver helmet, no visor. Women were also required to wear a black skirt over the pants and armor. It only went to the knees, so nobody complained to badly.
Ace helped the women soldiers into the uniforms. Five complained of the helmet wrecking her hair. Ace paid no mind, and stuffed Five's short, blonde, curly hair into the helmet. Six complained that the corset made it hard to breathe. Ace explained that it wouldn't matter too much, as they'd be fighting other women, perhaps also in corsets, who would sympathize and maybe go easy on them. Ten had to be given a man's corset, as she had no figure, and she complained of this. Ace explained that as soon as she grew some boobs, she'd give her a woman's. Ten took offense, but said nothing of it.
Ace got into her uniform, exactly the same, only with a plume on the helmet for her soldiers to better identify her in battle. They came out, about the same time the men, who hadn't bothered with a barrier to change behind, were finished. They stood before Jack, in a beautiful, full metal suit of medieval armor. He rode the only horse in the kingdom, a white male whom was the King's pride and joy.
He gave some speech about how he would not be battling with them. He would be giving orders to make efficient the battle.
As Jack trotted off to the battlefield, with Ace and her soldiers marching far enough behind, Ace said, "Don't follow his orders in battle, troops. He is only good for ordering his dinner. Listen to me. For this is not dinner. This is war."
To be continued...
Okay, that's it folks. Next chapter will be the actual war. I don't know how good a writer I am to do this, but I'm going to try to make it as descriptive and violent as possible. So be warned. It'll probably be something cheesy, though. I've never written a war scene.