Chapter Two:
Bleda bustled about, making sure that the company was ready to move as soon as the last person was ready. He issued out orders to scouts and runners, insuring that the path would be clear and that word got out to any freelance fighters who would take up arms with them at the keep. Though it was unknown to many why Farpoint was so revered, it was due more to the fact of its symbolic nature. Farpoint Keep represented a location where the troubles of the Legion were taken, where minor or major disputes were finally settled. To control such a structure would bring great influence to whoever obtained it. In the case of General Ardonius, it would be the pinnacle of his conquest. Bleda was hellbent on insuring that he would never lay claim of Farpoint. At one point, Kilian approached him, a short sword strapped to either hip and a spear on his back.
"Captain, the last legionnaire is ready to go. We can move out on your orders."
Bleda gave the signal to move out. "Onward to Farpoint Keep. We'll travel down the road towards Bosmora, where we'll stop and gather supplies and any mercenaries who wish to join us. From there, it's straight southwest to Farpoint Keep."
Kilian nodded and gave the signal to his aide, who sounded the horn, initiating the march southwards. The company was a force of one hundred and fifty soldiers. They marched in ranks three across. Bleda walked to the side and to the front of the force so that any messengers or officers could contact him readily. It wasn't long before a female soldier, several inches shorter than Bleda, hustled over to his side. "What in the Nine is going on, Bleda?" The red-haired officer asked rather sharply.
Bleda looked over at her while he strode. "What's wrong, Aurora?"
Aurora narrowed her eyes. "The fact that no one will tell me why we are marching to Farpoint! What, are you and Kilian the only ones qualified to know?" He grimaced as she kept pace beside him.
Bleda groaned. "Look, Aurora, I was going to tell you, but I also had to muster our forces for the march."
Aurora scoffed. "I can see that, Koradis."
Bleda shot her a glare. "That's Captain Koradis, Lieutenant Northwind."
The red-haired woman laughed sarcastically. "Whoa, what's wrong with you? Normally you hate titles... and this is me we are talking about, 'Captain'."
"Exactly."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
Bleda sighed irritably. "It means that you are a pain in the ass sometimes."
Aurora Northwind scoffed again. "Okay, I'll come back when you aren't so grumpy... Captain." She said as she stormed off back to her squad.
Bleda hadn't even time to process what had happened before another woman approached him. Her long black hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail. Her green eyes portrayed a bewildered look. "What's wrong with Aurora, Bleda?"
The young captain shook his head. "I don't know, Estara." Estara sighed. "I'm sorry, Bleda. She's normally not like that."
Bleda let out a real laugh. "Sergeant, she's my fiance. I would know."
As strange as Bleda thought it at times, he was engaged to Aurora Northwind. Their personalities clashed on many occasions, but they had a strong love for each other. Bleda was the calmer of the two by far, but yet she possessed a strong passion for life and victory that the young Imperial legionnaire could not help but admire. It was that passion that attracted Bleda to her in the first place. "Of course he would know." A large, dark skinned man of Redguard heritage proclaimed. A large iron claymore was strapped across his back. "Bleda has always fallen for the short and feisty."
Estara chuckled. "I'll give you that, Jex. Yeah, short and supportive was never his thing."
The broad shouldered Jex roared with laughter as he marched on by to his own squad. "That's why he never found you attractive!"
Bleda and Estara both rolled their eyes in unison. Neither had any feelings for the other, but they were constantly teased by both Jex and another friend, Marconius, when they had spent much of their free time training together when they were young teens.
"That Jex," Estara said, a smile on her bright and innocent face, "What would we do without him?"
Bleda laughed. "I don't have an answer, Sergeant Locke."
Estara brushed a strand of hair out of her eye. "Well, I'll be getting back to my unit. You'll let me know the details of what's happening once we get to Farpoint, right?" Bleda nodded. "Great!" She offered a whole-hearted salute. "Until then, Captain." She promptly declared, a smile on her face before she left.
The march toward Bosmora was not difficult at all. Only once did the legendary Mountain Wolves stop to rest and eat a light meal before proceeding on down to the city. Upon their arrival, they slept in makeshift cots and tents a few miles outside of the town. Bleda set up his command tent in the middle of the camp, and while many soldiers were fast asleep, he was wide awake, studying over map of the terrain of the region of Farpoint. Before sending them off to respective squads, Bleda fully informed his officers of the situation regarding their mission. Sighs and grumbles flowed over his lips that night, as he decided the best courses of action for fortifying the keep.
"Hey." A quiet voice said, interrupting his deliberations.
Bleda looked up and noticed Aurora standing at the front of the tent, a flap half folded up as her head was poked in. "Come in." He said, no real emotion behind the statement.
Aurora slowly crept in, walking up behind Bleda. She put her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder. "I'm sorry about earlier."
Bleda slightly smiled and put his free hand on one of her arms. "Don't worry about it, sweetheart."
Aurora shook her head. "I shouldn't have been so rude to you, though. You had orders and you were just carrying them out. I guess I'm too damn impatient sometimes."
Bleda turned around, fully facing her and put his hands on her shoulders. "Yes, my dear Aurora, you can truly be that." His blue eyes sparkled as he gazed into her blue-green eyes. "But, I still love you despite that." He leaned forward and kissed her softly on her forehead.
Aurora beamed. "You are too good to me, Koradis." She said softly, brushing his cheek.
Bleda shrugged. "Hey, it's nothing."
Aurora shook her head. "Not to me... for me, it's everything." She pulled his head down and kissed him warmly on the lips. She held him in that deep kiss for a moment before letting go and staring up into his eyes again. "That's why I love you."
Bleda wrapped his arms around her, pulling Aurora into a strong hug. No words were spoken for several minutes as the two were lost in the moment. After the moment had passed, Bleda pulled away from the embrace and motioned over to his planning table. "I could use some of your insight, sweetheart." He said as he sat in his chair.
Lieutenant Northwind gently massaged his shoulders as she peered at the map. "Well, I assume you've taken into account that the opposing force can only come up the natural ramp on the eastern slope of the cliff face."
Bleda nodded. "Indeed, I have." Farpoint keep was easily defendable. There was only one direct route up to the keep, only wide enough for a force to march four abreast. However, at the end of the ramp, the slope opened up and the defenders would be hard pressed to defend an entire section of wall. Still, that was entirely better odds than an attack on all four side of the keep. Farpoint's defenders had won many battles due to the fact that it was placed in such a strategically useful and defendable location.
Aurora titled her head and pointed at the ramp. "Have you considered placing boulders above the path? They could be hurled down at the right moment to hold back any advance from the besiegers." He raised an eyebrow at Bleda, curiously.
Bleda grinned. "Capital thinking, Aurora." He placed small markers to indicate rocks along the ramps path. Another smile escaped his lips. "I can't believe I didn't think of that."
Aurora stopped massaging his shoulders and wrapped her arms around his neck again. "That's why you have me." She said before she kissed him on the cheek. Captain Koradis smiled again. He felt so fortunate to have someone like Aurora by his side. Her keen insight was always a blessing that he never took for granted.
"Well," He began, "This is going to be quite the mission, Aurora. I can't say I like the prospect nor the odds. There's only a small company of soldiers from the respectable Crimson Spears company defending the keep currently. Even with our numbers, we will not break three hundred men. Surely it will be thousands assailing our walls." He sighed deeply and somewhat sadly.
Aurora kept her tight embrace about Bleda's shoulders. "But you'll be there, so we can't lose." He chuckled as she said those last words. "You're the finest soldier in all of the Legion."
Bleda shrugged. "I don't know, sweetheart." He gazed at the map on the table. "It's all general hype and hysteria anyways. I'm no hero."
Aurora sighed. "Bleda, I'm actually trying to be supportive here. You spend most of your time off duty training, becoming extremely proficient at anything to drill at or with. You are unmatched with the blade and spear, your physical prowess is second to none, and you are the most brilliant man I have ever known."
Bleda smirked, both at her statements and the fact that she was, surprisingly, being supportive. "You really believe all that?"
She turned his head towards her and lightly kissed him. "You better believe I do." She squeezed his arm lightly. "You have saved many of us in this company a hundred times over on the front lines, impressed even the greatest of warriors from all over Tamriel with your abilities. If anyone will be our salvation at this battle, it'll be you, Bleda."
Bleda smiled at her and returned her kiss. "I really appreciate your words, Aurora. They do mean so much to me."
Aurora rolled her eyes, her typical personality returning. "Yeah, yeah, just don't let it get to your head." She ruffled up his hair playfully. "I don't need a hothead as a future husband."
Bleda raised his hands in defense playfully. "Wouldn't even dream of it.
"
Aurora smiled and kissed him again. "Good." She then stood and moved to the flap of the tent. "Meet for me breakfast before we move out?"
Bleda nodded. "Of course."
Aurora smiled. "Good night, my Bleda."
Bleda grinned. "Sleep well."
Aurora nodded before departing his tent. Bleda took a deep breath, a renewed vigor flowing through him. He took up a few more maps, those of specific castle layouts, and began to revise his defensive strategies.
