Chapter Thirty Eight
Square One
ANNA
The last of the Molcorran infantry crossed over to safety about two hours before sundown. The Vjormans were safe - at least, the ones who'd survived. Anna couldn't really tell just by looking at them, but she could've sworn there were a lot more of them. When they left the Coalition to establish new lines of communications in the liberated city of Korynes, there had been a full division of Vjormans. And now, it looked like there were considerably less.
Sitting on a large rock on the crest of the hill, Anna watched Field Marshal Frederick converse in low tones with the generals while Kristoff gave orders to some of his own staff. Whatever symptoms that'd plagued her was now gone, vanished without a trace. Anna decided to chalk it up to stress.
What with all the hard riding for days on end and finding out at the end of the journey that her plan to save the Coalition had failed, it sounded more and more like the only viable explanation. The city of Korynes had fallen back into enemy hands, meaning that she had to figure out another way to save the Coalition before the Imperial Horde caught up to them. Which left her with a couple of days or perhaps even less. She groaned.
"I still think we should've pushed the attack. My cavalry turned the tide of the battle back there." Horatio grumbled, and not for the first time since the battle had ended.
Quelling her irritation, Anna turned to the marquess. "You know we can't win. You've seen the state of our men. Do you really think they're ready to lay siege to the city of Korynes?"
A dark look crossed Horatio's face and he deflated, though still scowling deeply. "I suppose not. But we should've still given the bastards hell."
"I'm sure we did." Anna glanced over at the other side of the river. She obviously couldn't see them from this distance, but she imagined that many of the Exonians lay broken or dead on the riverbank. The enemy artillery had also sustained losses, and were now silent. And obviously, the Exonians weren't stupid enough to cross the river in pursuit of them. They only needed to occupy the opposite riverbank to trap the Coalition in one half of a pincer movement.
"Oh, look who's back." Horatio said in a half mocking tone.
Anna looked up to see the familiar well built figure of the Vjorman Prince arriving at the top of the hill on horseback.. He dismounted and began walking towards Anna and Horatio. His sandy brown hair was covered in gunpowder and soot, as was the rest of his white uniform. The silver epaulettes on his shoulders were no longer as shiny as Anna remembered and he looked rather haggard.
"Your Majesty," Prince August greeted with a tired bow. He gave Horatio a half nod. "My Lord."
"It's good to see you again," Anna smiled. She always liked August. He'd been a valuable, neutral ally during the campaign, rational and level-headed during all the arguments with the rest of the Confederation.
"Though it would've been a hell of a lot better to meet you back in the city, Your Highness," Horatio said bluntly. "How'd you lose the city to those bastards anyway?"
"Horatio," Anna glared at him.
"No, no. He's right." August admitted, his shoulders slumped and posture sagging.
"Sit down." Anna gestured at the chair placed before them. She'd instructed her staff to provide chairs for the makeshift Confederation reunion.
Gratefully, August sat across from both Anna and Horatio. Shaking his head, he grimaced. "I thought no one would dare touch us since we'd secured the city. We dug in and had peace for a while, but then two days ago, the Imperial Horde jumped us."
"Or at least part of them," Horatio said. "Those lobsters have been chasing us across their territory for more than a week, damn it."
"I estimated an entire division of them," August went on, his jaw going tight. "They appeared out of nowhere and immediately set to work investing the city. Half of them started attacking the walls and the other half constructed lines of circumvallation around the city. By the time we managed to get our guns up on the walls, they'd already hunkered down beneath their fortifications. They continued to attack us day and night, till they eventually exploited a hole in our defences. That was the beginning of the end for us. Before the next morning, we'd been forced to retreat out of the city by a rear force that had managed to breach the wall on the other side of the city. We were routed."
Horatio folded his arms unsympathetically. "And how did you hold your position on the riverbank?"
"We used their lines of circumvallation." August replied. "But they continued to whittle away at our forces. I think they were just toying with us."
"Damn savages," Anna muttered.
"Thank you for coming to our rescue," August inclined his head with genuine gratitude in his eyes. "If you weren't there, we wouldn't have held out for much longer."
"Damn right you wouldn't," Horatio puffed out his chest. "Did you see the way my cavalry broke through the enemy ranks?"
"We're allies after all," Anna ignored the marquess. "You would've done the same for us."
"Aye," August let out a tired grin. After a long moment, he looked around. "Where's the Duke?"
"Oh, Helmsley?" Horatio's face tightened and a muscle jumped in his jaw. "That sly, son of a-"
"It's a long story," Anna interrupted. "But suffice to say, he committed treason and tried to have me and the Field Marshal assassinated. He failed…of course…and now he's in our custody, guarded by the Xerflorians at all times throughout the day."
The look of disbelief on the Vjorman Prince's face said it all, though he didn't speak till a good few seconds later. "Hell. I never would've thought he was capable of something like that."
"Me neither. And neither did any of us." She glanced at Horatio, who nodded with pursed lips. "But he still did."
"And what about Princess Melody?" August asked, making an effort to conceal his anxiousness.
Anna knew that the two of them had shared a tiny bit of chemistry together but nothing more. It wasn't her place to question it. Not now anyway. "She…left on a separate mission a while back," This time it was Anna's turn to purse her lips. "But she hasn't returned since."
The prince cursed under his breath in his own language, then looked at both Anna and Horatio. "You mean to say we three are the only Confederation members left?"
"Yeah." Anna clenched her jaw.
"Oh, and uh..." Horatio's features grew tight, and it looked like he was having trouble saying the words. "…we agreed to suspend Confederation laws for the time being and let her lead us out of this mess."
"Sounds fine to me," August said. "But we'll still be here to support you when you need us."
Anna smiled. "Thank you." She turned back to the city of Korynes and sighed. "So, we're back to square one. Anyone have any suggestions what to do next?"
Following her gaze, August glared at Korynes. "Well there's no way we're going to get the city back."
"What if we can?" Horatio perked up and rounded on August. "How many men do you have left?"
"About three quarters of my division survived." He said dryly.
"Look, we can still pull it off. If we commit to a siege, we can-"
"We don't have that kind of time," Anna said exasperatedly. "The Exonians behind those walls knew we were coming. That's why they took the city from the Vjormans. They're trying to sandwich us between the city and the enemy behind us. Kane and the emperor have been playing a long game and now they're going to try and crush us in a pincer movement."
Horatio scoffed and shook his head. "Then what do you propose?"
Anna pursed her lips. In truth, she didn't know what to do next. Her entire plan had been banking on the fact that they could get to the safety of the city and hunker down with the Vjormans over the winter, and repel the Imperial Horde from the walls if necessary. She'd never considered the possibility of the city being taken from them. And now they were stuck in Empire territory with nowhere to go. We're running out of time.
"Beg your pardons, but might I offer a suggestion?" Field Marshal Frederick was walking over to them, with Kristoff by his side.
"Go ahead." August said.
"Call it a day. Return to your tents and get a good rest."
Anna stared at him. "Fred, you can't be serious."
"There's nothing else we can do today," Frederick's face was blank, his voice calm as always. "We saved the Vjormans and made it out alive. Our men are exhausted from the day's march and the battle."
"Get some rest." Kristoff added, glancing round at the three Confederation members. "The Field Marshal and I will study the maps and chart our next course."
"We will have a solution ready by morning," Frederick clasped his hands behind his back. "You have my word."
From the peripheral of her eye, Anna saw August nod in relief while Horatio tensed. "Alright. Let's call it a day," She agreed, glancing at Horatio in particular. "Yes?"
Horatio grunted and adjusted his fur coat with a scowl. Grudgingly, he returned to his cavalry horse and mounted up, spurring his horse into a canter down the hill.
Anna watched as he left, wondering if he would be a problem moving forward. She'd already made amends with him and he'd agreed to work with her to save the Coalition, but she couldn't help but still be wary. The headstrong, fiery tempered marquess' thirst for battle could get in her way. Especially at such a critical juncture like the one they were at now.
"I'm sorry," August's words brought Anna out of her own headspace.
"What for?"
"For losing the city," August scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. "And our lines of communications. I had our men try to salvage as many supplies as we could from the city before we were forced out."
"No, no. That's…at least a piece of good news." A smile formed on Anna's face. "We're low on food and supplies. On the bright side, we didn't lose everything."
He returned a small smile, though he was evidently still displeased.
"Hey. You did what you could." Anna tried to sound hopeful and reassuring. "You didn't know the Exonians would attack the city again."
"Guess not."
"What's done is done. All we can do is the next right thing." She patted him on the shoulder. "Don't give up hope. We'll get through this."
He nodded and stood up. "I suppose I should get back to my division. Check on how they're holding up." He bowed. "Your Majesty."
"And get some rest." Anna called after him as he mounted up and started his descent.
"You really are a beacon of hope, Your Majesty." Frederick said in a quiet voice. "And we're all better for it."
"Just doing the best I can." Anna deflated. "I can't afford to crumble. If I do, what happens to the Coalition?"
"You're putting too much pressure on yourself." Kristoff kissed her on the cheek. "After what you've been through, you need to rest too."
"Is there anything I can do to help?" She asked.
Kristoff smiled and kissed her again. "Go find our tent. I'll join you when I'm done here."
###
By the time Anna got to the foot of the hill, the sun had begun to dip below the horizon and the Coalition's tents had mostly already been pitched. The rows and columns of tents were no longer as neat and orderly as the start of the campaign, that was for sure, but the soldiers still held to their discipline. Though worn out from the march and the rescue operation, they rose swiftly and saluted as Anna passed them by on horseback.
Entering the Vjormans' side of camp, tired cheers erupted as she rode through. The soldiers in white lifted their rifles, while others clapped. They all snapped salutes as best as they could in spite of their fatigue, showing their appreciation for Anna who'd acted quickly on their behalf.
Lifting a weary hand, she waved to them and nodded in gratitude. All these men and women, fighting for the end of the Empire's regime. She couldn't help but feel sorry for them all. After everything she'd tried to do so far, after all she'd sacrificed, they were no better off. Sure, everyone had a little more food and supplies, but how long would that last? And with Kane leading the Imperial Horde and closing the distance, how much longer would they all survive?
The Coalition was weary from battle, while Kane held innumerable forces at his command, many of which were still fresh. They weren't General Hydrech's battle-worn soldiers who'd faced the Coalition for much of the campaign. This was the full might of the Imperial Horde, hell bent on crushing the Coalition on orders from the emperor himself.
Still, she kept the smile on her face as she rode past them and went in search of the Arendellians' side of camp. She found it between where the Molcorrans had pitched their tents and where the League of Sorcerers had pitched their own. The fact that the League of Sorcerers were so close by made her feel a little better. They had always come through for the Coalition thus far, even though they hadn't had the best of relationships with most of the Confederation to begin with. However, things had changed. The world faced a much larger threat now, and no one else from among the Confederation had the time of effort to protest against the sorcerers' presence. The CAST had been abolished and the sorcerers were legally free anyway.
Her tent had been constructed by her royal staff long in advance, and two Arendellian sentries were stationed outside it. They straightened and saluted as she dismounted. Thanking them, Anna pushed aside the tent flaps and entered. Inside, she inhaled deeply and blew out a long breath. Everything had been set up for her; the writing desk, simple wooden chairs, hers and Kristoff's bedrolls and trunk of items were all exactly how she wanted them. She made a mental note to thank Hayley and the rest of her staff later. For now, she needed a break.
Sinking into the wooden chair behind her desk, she put her feet up on the desk. Snow and grass fell off her boots onto the desk, but she was too drained to care right now. No one was around to lecture her about royal etiquette anyway. A flask and a set of small glasses stood at the corner of her desk - no doubt prepared by her secretary. She poured herself some, the dark orange liquid looking absolutely delicious. It was a fruity brandy, as she soon discovered for herself.
"Not bad," she murmured to herself. The city of Korynes had good drinks, that was for certain. She took another sip and smacked her lips, sighing in content. Finally, a moment of peace and quiet away from everything. And time to clear her head and think about what she was going to do.
Her friends were still somewhere out there - hopefully alive. Anna still held out the hope that Elsa was free from Hans' grasp, trying to find her way back to the Coalition. And she fervently prayed that Melody, Tracy, Maui and the others were alright too. It'd been more than two weeks since she'd last seen the Warriors, and even longer since she'd last seen her sister. She terribly missed them all, especially Elsa. God knows I need you all by my side right now.
A scratch came at the tent flap, pulling her from her brooding. "What is it?" Anna called out, not making any effort to hide her weariness.
An Arendellian major cautiously entered the tent and saluted. "Your Majesty, Major Kodjar reporting from the Field Marshal's intelligence unit."
"What can I do for you, Major?"
"We have a foreigner at the camp borders. She said she's here to see you. Claims to be a special envoy from the kingdom of Agrabah."
"What?" Anna blinked. That was the last thing she was expecting. "Agrabah?"
"Yes, Ma'am. That's what she told us."
Agrabah was the domain of the renowned King Aladdin. Anna herself had never been there, though she'd heard stories of it from Elsa, who had been there with the Warriors during their very first adventure together. The hot, desert based kingdom stood on the other side of the world from Arendelle, and so far it had no diplomatic ties with her home.
"Well what does she want?" Anna asked, her eyebrows knitted.
"She wouldn't say, Ma'am. Just that it's urgent and that she is here on behalf of Agrabah, extending goodwill to the Coalition."
"Goodwill, huh?" Anna narrowed her eyes. She was acutely aware that a younger, more gullible version of herself would fall hook, line and sinker for something like that. Perhaps she'd grown more wary with experience. Or perhaps it was just prudence. She didn't know. Either way, she wasn't going to just blindly trust her eyes and ears. She'd learnt that many people usually had an ulterior motive for being nice, and she'd learnt that the hard way thanks to Hans.
"I'm guessing you had her searched?" Anna asked.
"Yes, Ma'am. No weapons. She's clean."
"Then you can tell your men to escort her in."
The major hesitated for a long moment, then spoke again. "Not to question your decision, Ma'am, but she is a foreigner with no one to vouch for her."
Anna squared her shoulders. "Then we should find out more about her and why she's here, shouldn't we?"
"Yes, Your Majesty." The major saluted and ducked out of her tent.
Before long, someone scratched at the tent flap again. Placing a hand on her hip where her sheathed rapier rested, Anna checked her pistol again for good measure. The pan was primed, and the powder dry. Good. She snapped it shut and called out in a loud voice. "Yes?"
The major appeared at the entrance. "She's here, Your Majesty."
"Alright. Show her in." Anna stood behind her desk, her hand plainly resting beside her scabbard for anyone to see.
The Major's eyes rested on the sword for a moment, then his eyes met hers. He bowed, then retreated out of the tent and barked an order. Four Arendellian soldiers escorted a woman into the tent, flanking her from the sides and at her front and rear.
"Thank you, gentlemen," Anna nodded politely. "You may leave."
The escorts looked puzzled, and stared at one another. One of them was brave enough to speak up. "Your Majesty, we were asked to-"
"And I'm telling you to excuse us," Anna said firmly. "If I need you, I'll yell for you."
Looking taken aback and confused, the escorts slowly exited the tent to wait outside. Anna waited till she and the woman were alone before sizing her up. Her visitor was younger than she'd expected. A girl, probably in her late teens or early twenties, returned her gaze with wide, awed deep blue eyes. She had luscious red hair in a ponytail, with a light dusting of freckles across her skin. A poncho was draped over her shoulder, and she was swathed in thick winter clothes.
"You wouldn't believe the weather out there." The girl broke the silence with a light chuckle. "A tad bit colder than sunny ol' Agrabah."
"Who are you?" Anna asked, her tone polite but succinct. A younger version of her would've been glad to entertain this seemingly bubbly girl, but she didn't have the energy or time for that.
"Right. Sorry. Where are my manners?" The girl laughed breathlessly, giving off an air of nervousness. She drew herself up and curtseyed. "Your Majesty. Ummn, my name is Talya. Special envoy representing the King's Agrabanian Highlanders."