The Union 283 The Message

Lucia grimaced. Her hair was drenched as she slumped on a piece of the hull. She coughed water, her lungs still full with it. She struggled to breathe, to live.

She clung on the wood as it drifted slowly with the current. Soon she found herself on the muddy bank.

Strong arms pulled her, a familiar warmth. She was being embraced.

"Thank the Omniscient." It was Timothy's voice. "I thought...Oh I am so relieved. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

Lucia opened her eyes. Timothy was still in his armor, clutching her. He was kneeling, embracing her tightly.

Shadow was just a few paces away. He was lying on the mud. His hat was gone and his odd attire was drenched. Lucia felt relieved seeing some breaths from him. Royal Guards who survived also found themselves in the bank.

"Tim" She forced some words, turning to Timothy "I was so scared."

She struggled to rise. Her knees were soft. Her stand wobbled.

Abraham and several other royal guards arrived in their horses. Abraham supported her and Timothy seized Abraham's cape, tearing it and wrapping the cloth on her.

"The men need you sire. They must be worried."

"They are grown men!"

"Grown men facing a huge host of Wismarines. And they saw what happened to the Queen's galley."

Timothy looked at her. "You need to..."

Timothy paused and looked toward the hill. He was frowning. Lucia soon discovered that the Rooster were abandoning their position and coming toward them.

"Signal them to go back to position" Timothy said to Abraham.

The large Royal Guard grabbed the horn from another. He put the hole against his lips when Lucia patted his arm.

"No, wait." She said, still exhausted but well enough to think straight.

"Why?" Timothy asked.

"I saw the assassins. They are Ninevans Tim. One of them could break things just by touching it. Is that right Shadow?"

Shadow limped up to them. His cane was gone. "Quake we call him. The other one I didn't recognize. I should have known. I'm sorry. I should have truly known they are siding with the Wismarines."

"They are not siding with the Wismarines" She said. Her statement drew surprised faces from the others. "If they were, they would have targeted Timothy. Why try to kill me and not the one leading the armies? No.." He turned to Tim. "I think they want you to be enraged. By killing me they would doom Wismar with your rage. You would have flatten this entire nation. They want you to powder Wismar so that the cull in this nation would be an easy one."

Shadow's jaw was dropping now but Lucia wasn't finished. "And so the Ninevans are not working with the Wismarines. And Sarah of course saw the fall of one of our ships. If you were Sarah, what would your thoughts be about it?"

"Hellfire" Timothy said, nodding. "Common knowledge dictates Hellfire was the only thing that could have caused a galley to split in half. She would think that most of the Hellfire was still in the galleys, that we are not yet prepared and there was some sort of accident."

"Let the Rooster come here Tim, as if they are panicking. We will embark them in the galleys. The plan was for the Rooster to hold the Wismarines and Erik would flank them. We should reverse that. Sarah would think that the Rooster has fled and she would turn to face Erik. We could disembark and flank her instead."

"Not here" Timothy said. "I saw some forest downstream about a few leagues. We will disembark there. You are a genius!"

Lucia felt good with that praise. Her still wet cheek reddened.

"Order the entire Rooster to embark! You and Bear will ride to Erik and tell him the change of plans" Timothy said to Abraham. He looked at the floating debris. "And burn the wood, make it look miserable for Sarah to glee."

***

Bear's heavy steps put creases on the soft forest ground. Small branches and twigs snapped as Abraham and a few dozen royal guards galloped to the south, bearing a message that split victory and defeat.

"We got chasers sir."

"How many?" Abraham looked back. Falconheads on horseback were chasing them. There were at least a hundred. He didn't wait for the guard's answer and patted Bear's back for haste. "Full speed."

Bear was charging now. Abraham just hoped that he would reach Marquis Erik before falling to the Falconheads. A few of the royal guards turned their mounts around, facing the Falconheads. Clang of steel ensued and some screams echoed.

Abraham looked back and saw royal guards fall to the falconheads one by one. His stomach clenched seeing the slaughter of his men. He looked to the front, clamping his teeth.

Some Falconheads eventually caught up to them. One rode beside Abraham. The thing leapt to him like how a frog would leap to a pond. Abraham tilted his body and punched the Falconhead in the face. The ugly helm broke to his fist, splitting in half. The Falconhead fell rolling on the leaves.

Abraham met another with a stab, his trained hand found a gap on the thing's armor. The Falconhead didn't make a sound, not even a hint of pain. Abraham punched the thing's face while holding it high through the dagger on its belly. He seized the helm and what met him was the face of a young man with brown eyes. Some symbol was etched on its forehead, a brand of sorts. It opened its mouth, showing rotten teeth. Abraham headbutted it and drew blood. He wrenched his dagger out, finding another opponent.

Only half a dozen remained of the royal guards now. Those that fell were being butchered.

Abraham caught another Falconhead by the neck. It stabbed its dagger but Abraham's armor accepted the hits. He tightened his grip, slowly squeezing the thing's throat. The plates around its neck bent to Abraham's force and soon he snapped its neck. Abraham threw the Falconhead behind, not turning to see what happened to it.

Soon they emerged from the forest. Bear roared and Abraham grunted upon seeing the mass if soldiers bearing flags of the allied nations. He made it.

***

"You are bleeding!" Erik shouted to Abraham as the royal guard slid off Bear.

Abraham looked down and there was a surprise in his eyes when he finally saw the dagger sticking out from his side.

"I hope it's not one of those poisoned ones." Abraham said.

Erik squinted. Yes, he thought. This is Abraham, alright. Burly, strong and a liar when it comes to admitting fear.

"Send for a medic" Erik ordered his squire. He eyed Abraham's wound. The dagger was buried to its hilt. "You should rest."

"I have a message from the King. The plan has changed."
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"Changed?"

Abraham revealed everything to him- what happened to the Queen, the involvement of the Ninevans and the change of plans.

Dammit Lucia, he thought. You are one scary woman.

But it was brilliant. Deducing deep truths and turning a surprising event into an advantage were things she could and would do.

"Dammit" Erik smiled and shook his head. "The Rooster's going to snag all the glory eh?"

Chapter end