Here we go part two of Yedda and Cyrena’s adventures. Again I apologise for the length of time taken to get it out, but you have to admit I tend to give you decent size hunks. Anyway I am honestly trying to concentrate on this one and Kingdom of the Blind, the other four I have on the go just keep distracting me from them occasionally. Thanks should go out to Lynn from all who read this and enjoy it, for it is her efforts that translates ‘Hypatia English’ into a language the rest of the world recognises as English (She also thinks up some of the better bits, so much more than a proof-reader…more my surrogate brain).

Hypatia pboauk@yahoo.com

 

A Fistful of Dragons
by: Hypatia

Part 2

 

My father use to say, ‘The fate of the kingdom depends on the strength of the king’. The time that my kingdom had been without a king had been disastrous. While I had been distracted by my personal problems, the forces of Silvinas did not stand idle. They were sweeping away all but the heaviest defended cities. Berlin now stood alone, an island in a sea of destruction. The enemy’s forces were so great and the pillage so terrible that the western lords were refusing to release troops to aid the besieged eastern provinces due to their fear for their own homes and families. At the moment the only thing that stopped the masses from being at my door was the fact that Berlin still held. For two weeks after the battle it had been quiet. Then the dark forces returned. Now they were camped outside the cities defensive wall. Why they were waiting was unknown, but I was grateful that so far they had made no effort to attack again.

"What sort of forces are massed against us Henri?" I asked as I stood there looking at the bleak picture displayed by the map.

"At best guess we are facing over two million. It will be weeks before they all converge on Berlin though. That is just a guess and the situation amongst their forces is dynamic. There is no love between the races and fear is the one thing that binds them together" Henri answered

"And the source of that fear that holds them is Silvinas" I said and Henri nodded.

"Can we fight them and win?" I asked.

"Hold them for a while, possibly, win…I can see no way to defeat them," Henri answered.

"Then we need help and we need to take out Silvinas. With Silvinas out of the picture we can win, with help we may survive," I said thinking about it for a while.

"Is it known where Silvinas is?" I asked Henri.

"No, we have heard nothing of him," Henri said.

"So for the moment we must defend until we know where he is holed up," I said thinking about how we could defend against such a force.

"We need to call all the forces in the west. We need to stop them somewhere between here and Berlin," I said looking at the map carefully.

"The lords of the west have not responded to the call. The Archdukes have tried to raise the troops but each of the beholden lords is worried about what will happens when this force reaches their lands," Henri answered.

"Well, we are going to have to change their minds," I said firmly. "They have had the pleasure of their lands and position for many generations, Now is the time for them to pay for that pleasure and easy life."

"How Your Highness?" Henri said.

"I am going to have to go and have a few words with some people," I said quietly as I thought about it. "What about the Dwarves and the Elves?"

"The Dwarves will probably come, as we are a market for them to trade. The Elves are another matter, I have heard of no dealings with them for at least five hundred years. Their borders remain closed," Henri said as he pointed to the areas outside my kingdom.

"Do we know why the Elves have been silent?" I asked him.

"No, the events are too long ago for us to be able to be sure," Henri reluctantly admitted.

"Well let us go and ask the one creature here that knows those times," I said heading out of what was now known as the war room.

Malick was still with Yedda as we returned and Yedda appeared to be teaching Dean Malick one of her songs.

"Ah, your highness, Yedda here has been teaching me about the old times," Malick said happily. "One of their greatest tales is that of a ship, The Venus, which had a rather strange design for a mast. Though as yet I have not been able to ascertain why this Good Ship Venus is so famous, as the crew seems to have spent most of the time in the rigging, because there was nothing else to do."

"Maybe that was the wrong one to start you with," Yedda said to the man. "You seemed to have missed the point of the song totally. I do know one about a young woman from Glamorgan who was rather hairy and very large in some areas.."

"Must be some goblin or ogre in the family," I said helpfully eliciting a deep rumble from Yedda.

"Don’t you start that again," she said.

"Start what?" I said confused.

"Never mind, give me time and I will corrupt you," she said. "What can I do for you?"

"What do you know of the elves’ self-imposed isolation?" I asked.

"Weird fuckers, you don’t want to play with those kiddies," Yedda said with a shudder.

"I have no choice in the matter. I need the help of the Dwarves and the Elves if I hope to save my people," I explained to her.

"The Dwarves yes, they are good people. No sense of humour though, but they will help you. The Elves you don’t want to have anything to do with. Have you thought about contacting the Drow?" Yedda suggested.

"The last treaty we have with the Elfin Elfinnation is that we will not have contact with or offer sanctuary for any Drow" Henri said.

"The Dark Elves were seen in The Kingdom before the first attack on Berlin," I said wondering why Yedda would suggest an alliance with the Drow.

"Of course they were seen in The Kingdom, they were running for their lives. Would you like to have your families directly in the path of those forces?" Yedda said firmly.

"No," I admitted, "but the treaty we have is with the Elves. I need to speak to them first before I break a treaty that has been in effect for five hundred years. But no action is to be taken against The Drow and assistance is to be provided for these refugees immediately"

"Are you sure that is wise Your Highness?" Henri asked.

"If they are here to escape the army that has come sweeping down across the east then I have no quarrel with them. If they prove to be hostile then we can soon change our policy, but if they are here with children and families they are not looking for battle, they are looking for help," I told him and he nodded and went to make arrangements.

"Good for you," Yedda said. "You have made the right decision. Now lets try this one Malick. It is an old drinking song from my time and use to be very popular amongst those who played rugby."

"Rugby, a game involving hitting people with a sheep’s bladder?" Malick asked.

"Yes, that’s sort of the game," Yedda said and I walked off leaving them to their songs.

"There was a young woman from Glamorgan, with tits like a barrel organ and the hairs on her dickey dido went down to her knee," Yedda sang.

"What exactly is a dickey dido?" interrupted Malick at this point and there was a deep rumble, a whoosh and a shout of panic from one of the guards on the wall.

I walked to the stable office and found Michael in there sitting down with some food.

"Sorry Ma’am," he said standing up with a guilty look on his face.

"Michael sit down an relax. One thing that no one will ever say about you is that you neglected your duties for your own needs," I told him and he uncomfortably sat down again.

"What can I do for you Ma’am?" he asked.

"First thing is you can drop this Ma’am stuff and don’t even think about saying Your Highness," I said firmly "Cyrena will do for the moment."

"But Ma’am," he protested.

"Look even with father you used his name in private, I am still the person who shovelled shit with you," I said and he smiled.

"Good, It is just a little difficult to associate you with that boy," he answered.

"I know I look different…" he interrupted me before I could finish.

"No, it is not the change in how you look that I am talking about," he said. "The change started the day you bested The Marquis of Scunthorpe. By the time we rode to Berlin you were a warrior and by the end of the day a Great King. That is why I call you Ma’am and Your Highness. You have earned my respect."

"Thank you, but for now I need your expertise and advice," I told him. "I need to get to the Dwarves and the Elves as fast as possible. I also need to call on as many minor fiefdoms on the way to start to raise an army."

"I can send men out tonight," Michael said.

"No, I need to go," I said firmly and a frown appeared on his face.

"I do not think that is wise, Cyrena" he said.

"I have to be the one to contact the Elves, even the old stories say that it was only royalty that the elves would talk to. If we are to stand any chance of enlisting their help it needs to be me," I told him.

"Then I go too," he said firmly.

"I was hoping you would," I said with a smile.

"I could not let you ride into danger without me," he said gently, "though I wish you would stay here."

"I cannot, my presence is needed. Can you make the arrangements and work out our route. We need to visit the key points for getting the most men after we have the Dwarves and the Elves" I said.

"A fast run to the border, then a meandering path back here. I will arrange it," he said. "When do we leave?"

"Tomorrow," I answered.

"Fine, though before you go, I want you outfitted with plate and Jimmy to approve of your sword work. I will not be going and neither will you without his approval," Michael said firmly.

"Yes Michael," I said meekly.

"That didn’t work on me when Clifford tried it and I do not intend to let it influence me now," he said with a stern look that melted. "Though it is more difficult now. Go and see James and I will sort it out."

The office of Sword Master James was not a place I ever enjoyed visiting. Michael’s world was strict and disciplined, but beneath that discipline was always room for enjoyment and light heartedness. James considered his profession to be death, which left little room for jollity.

He had very little time for people who hadn’t faced battle, unless it was in making them ready for battle. He did have his lighter moments but never while on duty. I had been terrified of him for many years and I was still uneasy with him when he was on duty. I did not relish telling him my plans.

Outside his office a man was waiting at attention, the door was closed and from inside could be heard the sound of James shouting. I knocked on the door and waited, out of habit.

"Yes what?" came a voice angry at the interruption and I entered.

"I need some of your time I am afraid James," I said looking around the room to see the guard from the night before rigidly at attention.

"Go now and I will continue this later," James told him and even before the man left James had his attention on me.

"Your Highness, what can I do for you?" he asked.

"A few things, but just for my own information, not to try and usurp your authority, why was that man in here?" I asked.

James smiled at this and paused for a moment.

"Last night that man was on guard when you left. That itself was no fault of his, you left at night under a decent cover story. But when I went to ask him, ‘had he seen you leave?" He and his friend were discussing the girl they were still waiting to come back. Then, they tried to fob me off with the fact that it was you who was interested in him and the fact that you had not saddled your mount properly," James said still smiling.

"Yes, well it wasn’t quite like that," I admitted.

"Yes, well I have just been explaining that gate duty is not an excuse to force your attentions on the ladies of the city. That is not acceptable with any men under my command," James said.

"Fair enough," I said as I was not willing to see the man punished for my escape, this though was a different matter.

"What can I do for you then?" He asked.

"Well, I need some sword work in this body to accustom myself to the changes and I need armour," I said to him.

"We can do both of those things without any real problems," he said.

"For tomorrow," I said and a look of surprise washed across his face.

"Why?" he asked bluntly.

"Because tomorrow, when I go and leave my city and kingdom in your hands, I want to be ready. We need the Dwarves, the Elves and our men here. With those we may survive long enough to figure out a way to win."

"Ma’am, are you ready for this?" James asked.

"That is what I need to know. Come on let’s practice for a while," I said.

Near where Yedda was now in conversation with a number of people, I drew my sword and faced off against James. The initial moves were simple parrying of James’s weapon and after a few blows my arm was sore.

"No Cyrena," James said stopping mid swing, "You do not have the muscle to just trade blows. You cannot hope to win a slogging match against a bigger opponent. What are your assets now?"

"Get your tits out," shouted Yedda, "that should give you an advantage"

I turned and glared at her for a while.

"Sorry. I’ve never had any boobs and the feminine touch in a dragon isn’t exactly what is expected as a human," she apologised.

"Size, speed and manoeuvrability," I said turning back to James.

"Exactly, use them. But most importantly use your brain," he raised his sword again and this time I didn’t accept the offer to trade blows and hung back, a lunge and I was on my rear looking up at him.

"Come on think what you are doing," he said angrily as he helped me up. The next exchange I got close.

An hour of this had me dead on my feet. James called a halt.

"Look you still have the skills there and you are using your brain," he said as he helped me up again, "But until you get use to using that body with your old skills you are vulnerable."

My face fell at this and he was suddenly at my side a hand on my shoulder.

"Look, what I am saying is that on the battlefield now, you would probably survive if you were careful. If you tried any of the things that you did last time, you’re dead," he said.

"Run when I can and only fight when I have to," I suggested.

"That is it for the moment but as time passes you will get better," he assured me.

"But I am so bloody small," I said thrusting my blade back into it’s scabbard.

"No. Never equate size with ability. If you make that mistake you will be dead," James shouted at me.

"Yes, Sword Master," I said.

"With whom are you heading out?" James asked.

"Michael and some of his picked men," I said.

"You should be safe then," James said.

"Wait a moment, Just wait a moment," Yedda said approaching us. "You just said you were going on a trip and you haven’t invited me?"

"I didn’t want to drag you along," I told to her. "We are going to try to raise the Dwarves and the Elves before getting our own men off their bums."

"I have three reasons to come with you," Yedda said. "Firstly your good fun, secondly the Dwarves are even more fun. Finally and most importantly, if you think I am letting you anywhere near those sick fucks of the Elves without me, then you have another think coming!"

"What have you against the Elves?" I asked.

"A lot!" she answered and couldn’t be made to say more.

"What do I do about armour?" I asked James.

"Kevin can modify some plate for you in a short time," James said.

"What about the composite plate," Yedda asked.

"We do not have the skills to work it," I said.

"It’s easy to work if you have a hot enough flame," Yedda answered.

"We don’t have anything hotter than a forge," James said.

"You do now," Yedda said happily.

Within moments a discussion had sprung up between James, Michael and Kevin about the best way to modify the plate. Gwinn, Malick and the men and women he had brought in were soon involved also. Yedda and I just stood there watching the discussions get more and more heated as Gwinn did not like the designs that were being proposed.

"She is a queen!" she shouted loudly. "If you think I am letting her go anywhere looking like that, you are mistaken James. What size do you think she is going to be?"

"Well she needs room to grow into the armour," James said

"Look if she gets bigger, you modify it again. But with those stuck out before her she will look stupid. She is a small girl and will likely stay the same sort proportions she is now," Gwinn said.

"How do you know?" James asked.

"How do I know? You ask me how do I know Jimmy?" How long have you had breasts? We all know you have something big, that’s how you got the name Jimmy The Lance, not for your fighting skills. But breasts I think are something beyond your understanding!" Gwinn shouted at him.

"Oooh, they are getting all worked up aren’t they," Yedda whispered to me.

"Just look at her! What are you expecting her to grow overnight?" Gwinn said and suddenly all eyes were on me. I just wanted to hide.

"First we need some measurements as the old ones I have will not work." Kevin said.

"Fine, come on, Cyrena, lets get you measured," Gwinn said and looked around at the people standing there expectantly.

"If you think I am doing this to the poor girl with an audience then you have another think coming!" Gwinn said glaring at all of them. "You there with the pen and book, I don’t know your name girl, you come with us."

The three of us headed into my quarters and once in there I stood there wondering what was going on.

"Strip." Gwinn said and I looked at the woman who was with us, she was a few years older than me.

"Come on get undressed, what is your name?" Gwinn asked the woman.

"Tara," She answered.

"Tara here isn’t going to be shocked by your underwear," Gwinn said firmly.

Standing there, I was subjected to Gwinn’s ministrations with a measuring tape while Tara recorded the various measurements.

"When do you leave on this little expedition?" Gwinn asked.

"Tomorrow at dawn," I told her.

"Haven’t you even the time to wait to see what happens with Lizzie?" Gwinn asked.

"No, one day delay could cost us everything. Time is of the essence and I have wasted too much," I said, feeling the guilt for my delay and the situation with Lizzie.

"She will understand," Gwinn said, "and with you out of the depression that gripped you, she will be happy and proud that you are back."

"What brought you out of your depression?" Tara asked.

"Yedda, I think," I answered.

"Yes, she is a strong personality, isn’t she," Tara said.

"No, it wasn’t her personality, it was her story" I corrected her.

"What about her story was it that made you think?" she asked.

"You wouldn’t be the person Malick was trying to get me to talk to?" I asked.

"Well, yes," she said blushing.

"You have his manner," I told her.

"Thank you," she said, "though it shouldn’t be strange. He is my father."

"I didn’t know he had a family," I said surprised.

"Most of the time he doesn’t realise. He is an obsessive personality, ill equipped to deal with the realities of life outside his own interests," she replied bitterly.

"Men are very rarely able to deal with anything other than dressing themselves," Gwinn said, "sometimes even that is beyond them"

"Father I think is in the latter. If it was not dying or ready for dissection then his interest is limited," Tara replied. I was unsure how to respond to this and kept quiet.

"We need to get you someone to go with you on this trip," Gwinn said looking at Tara, "you haven’t the skills or the abilities to be able to represent the kingdom as a woman before other races."

"What do you mean?" I said suddenly worried.

"What she means is that after a week on the road, you have to appear as the perfect lady for the dignitaries," Tara said. "I don’t mind the job if you will have me."

"I don’t like the way this is going," I said.

"Exactly, on the road with that lot and before you know it you will be acting like one of the men," Gwinn said. "Turn up before the Elves acting like that and you will get nothing. How are you with a sword Tara?"

"I can cope, I’m not brilliant but I can make most people think twice about attacking me," Tara said.

"Well, then we need more armour. Get stripped and lets get you measured, too." Gwinn said as if all had been decided. I meekly took the measurements down while trying not to look at the woman.

Four days later we were making camp over halfway to the Dwarve’s border. Yedda had been flying backwards and forwards to Des Moines with messages and information. Lizzie was alive, though Yedda wouldn’t tell me anymore than that. To my utmost horror my ‘Time of the month’ as Gwinn called it, had started. Leather armour, with cloth shoved in my underwear was not the most comfortable way to ride. My stomach was also feeling very strange with everything that was going on. I have to admit I was glad of Tara’s help and company. I couldn’t have talked to Michael about this and Tara was more than willing to help. The only problem being her habit of writing down everything that happened.

I was lying there in the tent that Gwinn had insisted was packed on the two horses carrying my things, talking to Tara, when the sound of Yedda returning disturbed us.

"Cyrena, I need you to come with me for a while," Yedda said from outside the tent.

"Where are you taking her, is there problems at home?" Michael asked.

"No, nothing like that" Yedda said her voice sounding strange, "I just need her to come with me, we may be meeting some friends."

"What friends? Who are they?" Michael demanded.

"Look," Yedda said losing patience with Michael’s attitude. "She will be safe with me. If we go marching in with fifty men armed to the teeth then accidents may happen and people will get the wrong idea. This is a sensitive situation and the two of us might just be able to secure help. I promise the two of us will be safe!"

"Three of us," Tara said next to me struggling to get dressed as was I.

"Fine three of us," Yedda said, "but can you hurry?"

Outside, dressed in armour again, we climbed on Yedda, to my surprise and she launched herself into the air. Even through the armour I could feel Tara’s fingers bruising me. After a short flight through the dark, giving me no idea of distance some lights of a camp came into view. Yedda landed well away from them.

"Who are they?" I asked.

"Keep your noise down. If we scare them off, they will just melt into the woods. Then it could be weeks before we find them again," Yedda whispered.

"Who are they?" I asked again.

"I wasn’t sure at first," Yedda said, "but then I heard them singing. They remembered after eight hundred years. That’s how I knew who they were from the songs I taught them"

"But who are they?" I asked again.

"My children, shh now, they are starting again," she said urgently.

In the distance could be heard the sound of music, guitar, drum and possibly a lap harp. Not a large number of instruments but in the silence of the woods at night, they could be clearly heard. Then voices started to sing, male and female old and young.

"You ask me where to begin,

Am I so lost in my sin?" they sang.

"It had to be this one," Yedda said her voice full of emotion.

"You ask me where did I fall?

I’ll say I can’t tell you when," the voices continued.

"Who are they?" I asked as the song continued.

"They are those few who I saved, those who were nearly lost," she said. "Now quiet for a while."

The song continued into a second verse and I listened to the words of the song so unlike what Yedda normally sang.

"My sun shall rise in the east,

So shall my heart be at peace,

And if your asking me when,

I’ll say it starts at the end.

You know your will to be free,

Is matched with love secretly," they continued.

I was distracted at this point by Yedda rearing up on her back legs. I had to hold on tight, as did Tara behind me.

"Your friend is close by your side," Yedda sang, "and speaks in far ancient tongues."

The music and the voices ceased but Yedda continued alone.

"A seasons wish will come true,

All seasons begin with you.

One world we all come from.

One world we melt into one.

Just hold my hand and we’re there.

Somehow we’re going somewhere," she sang

"Somehow we’re going somewhere," a solo female voice echoed back the last line. Yedda dropped down and started moving forward slowly as the music started again and the song continued with just Yedda and the solo voice singing. The lights got closer as the song continued.

"But if my spirit is strong," the woman sang.

"I know it can’t be long," Yedda replied.

"No questions, I’m not alone," the solo sang.

"Somehow I’ll find my way home," Yedda replied and both of them kept repeating as we entered the clearing.

The clearing was obviously a makeshift camp for a few hundred people, but only four could be seen. As I looked around I could see no sign of the people who were singing here just a short while ago. Just makeshift tents and cooking fires now left unattended.

The song finished and the three musicians backed off into the woods. From the moment they entered they were lost to my sight, leaving just the woman. She was tall and willowy. She had to be as tall as Michael or James. Her features were beautiful but strangely angled. Her eyes were dark beneath the sharp black slashes of her eyebrows and her hair was jet black. Her ears though gave away her heritage. This was a Drow.

"You may kill me if you wish but I will tell you nothing of my people. Now tell me how do you know the ancient songs?" she asked stood there alone yet proud before the huge form of Yedda.

"I would never harm you, Daughter Of The Forests. Like any mother, I would never harm my children, especially when after this time you still remember the songs," Yedda said gently.

"You are The Singer?" The woman asked.

"I am Yedda who helped the first escape to exile," she said and the woman looked at her, for a long time.

"That asks for a lot of faith for me to risk the people I am sworn to care for," she said.

"Yet you do not run Daughter Of The Forests," Yedda said.

"That choice as all choices since the start of our exile is for each of us alone to make. Though I do not feel threatened by you," she answered.

"Well what do we do now?" Yedda asked.

"Perhaps you should introduce your companions. For I believed that dragons no longer carried humans," she said and Yedda allowed the two of us to climb down.

"I am Queen Cyrena of Des Moines," I said, "and this is my companion Tara of The University."

"So what brings a King’s woman out here dressed like that in the company of a dragon," she said scornfully.

"Whom am I addressing?" I asked trying to keep my temper.

"I am Millandra and I speak for my people," she said, simply.

"Well Millandra, I am Cyrena Queen of Des Moines. I am no man’s woman and I wear this as I did on the battlefield, now on my search for allies against the forces from the east," I told her firmly.

"So the Kingdom has lost its king and the queen now runs around in desperation trying to save her kingdom," she answered.

"No, I’ll find troops to hold till Silvinas reveals himself and Shakwell and I can destroy him. With Silvinas, dead victory is assured," I said.

"What make you think that you would survive a second against The Bastard and his forces?" She asked.

"I have seen him as close as we are now," I said to her. "I have fought by Shakwell’s side killing ogres to protect him and I have taken a blade in my belly defending a good man who fought for me. What have you done besides run and hide?"

"With one word, fifty arrows would pierce you where you stand" she said.

"Come on then say the word and end this dialogue now. Then you can go back to hiding in the woods singing your songs. Right up till the point when the Ogres, Goblins and Orcs come marching through here and end all the merriment forever. I won’t care, as I will be dead here or dead on the field of battle knowing that I did everything I could. What will you be doing?" I asked her.

"Now children, play nicely," Yedda said behind me.

"Yedda as much as I like you and value your company, never forget who and what I am," I said turning to her.

"OK, look, I apologise," Yedda said, "but the two of you are just being bloody stupid."

"I am a Daughter Of The Forest and representative of my people I am not being stupid," Millandra said firmly.

"Yes you are," came a voice from the forest and an ancient woman came into view.

"Mother this is not the time or the place for this," Millandra said.

"Yes it is," her mother said walking with the aid of a staff. "They have shown no violence and have been polite. You on the other hand threaten them with violence. This is not our way."

She stopped in front of her daughter and looked at her as Gwinn had with me on many occasions. I pitied Millandra at this point.

"We will meet violence with violence, daughter. But where only song and polite greetings have been offered by Yedda here and tempered responses to your jabs from Cyrena, there is no reason to threaten violence," she said and turned to face Yedda.

"If you are The Singer returned to us in our need, I welcome you. If you are not I still welcome you, as that is our way. You and your companions are welcome to enjoy our hospitality," she said forcing a bow from her ancient body.

"Lady Of The Forests the first thing I said to your people was they should not bow to me," Yedda said. "I am not a great lord or a king come to order you around. I am a friend who has come to help someone in need."

"You are The Singer," Millandra said a shocked expression on her face.

"Forgive my daughter," the old woman said to all three of us. "She is young, still only one hundred and fifty. She still looks on the world with suspicion, rather than enjoying and experiencing it."

"There is nothing to forgive My Lady," I said to her. "We have intruded on you of a night. These are troubled times and suspicion is natural."

"Come child. Help me sit down. Please enjoy our company," the old lady said and I offered her my arm. We sat down together and figures appeared from the forest, young and old women and children. No men at all appeared.

"My Lady where are your men folk? Do they still distrust us?" I asked.

"No child, the men of all our villages are gathering. The dark forces have swept through our sanctuary taking our homes. Homes that have been ours for so long are now ripped away from us. Now they will pay for their deeds," she answered.

"No, they can’t!" I protested standing up agitated. "If they attack they will be wiped out and it will achieve nothing. We need to gather forces from all directions, pick our ground and stop them dead. Then we can force Silvinas to show himself. Once he shows himself, we kill him and the war is over."

"You make it sound so easy child," she said.

"No she is right," Yedda said. "The time of reckoning is coming. Forces beyond our knowledge are guiding things along. Shakwell has returned and now after many fortuitous meetings in recent weeks, we meet. This I think is the time we have to make our stand and possibly win. For if we do not win than all is lost, your people, Cyrena’s people everything"

"Why should we join with her? She has done nothing for us," Millandra said.

"She has given orders that if no action is taken against her people, then all assistance will be given to all of the Drow within her kingdom," Yedda said.

"You have done this child?" My elderly companion asked.

"Yes, My Lady," I answered.

"Well Cyrena of The Kingdom your hospitality was offered without question of our motives and I thank you. Our forces shall be pleased to assist you as you see fit. Where would you like them to gather?" she asked.

"Des Moines has to be the rallying point for all, My Lady" I said.

"Call me Mellina, please child, as you are more a lady than me," she said with a smile. Yedda laughed a deep rumble and started twitching causing all eyes to turn to her.

"Is she well?" Mellina asked.

"Yes, it is just that before the last battle, I was a man. Shakwell’s magic made me like this," I explained. Then I added bitterly, "she thinks the fact that you think me a lady amusing."

"That is but a minor concern, you were a man?" she asked.

"Yes," I admitted.

"We have a prophecy from before the time of our exile," she said looking at me carefully.

"Not the mumbles of soothsayers," I said.

"This was not a mumble, but had been discounted due to inaccuracies in the first part of it. It was only as we fled from the hoards that I was reminded of it by a child," she said.

"The people so nearly lost shall escape from their home and return because of the men who are not," she said. "We discounted it because The Singer led us to our exile and sanctuary."

"I wasn’t always like this," Yedda said, "and we are being fucked around again Cyrena."

"Do we have any free will?" I asked scared at the implications that all this had been planned long before I was born.

"Listen," Mellina said to me, "free will is something that we all have, otherwise whatever force that is guiding us wouldn’t need to leave all these clues, to remind us which way they would like us to go"

"True," I said not exactly feeling better about it.

"The distrust of youth again," Yedda said with a rumble.

"Yes, now what brings you here and now?" Mellina asked.

"We are facing a foe which is beyond us. I need all the help I can to hold them before they take Des Moines. If we can cause enough trouble then Silvinas will come," I told her, "but troops are needed. Otherwise they will walk over us without noticing us."

"So you are asking the Dwarves," Mellina said.

"Yes and also the Elves," I said cautiously. There was a lot of muttering around me from the other Drow now arranging food and drink.

"Quiet." Mellina said firmly. "It has been eight hundred years since we had anything to do with our kin. Now at this point when we are without a land again, think about what you were singing when these guests came. I believe the time has come to see if we can go home."

"Mother, we were nearly wiped out. Only a few escaped last time," Millandra said.

"Two hundred and fifty seven escaped, most I had to leave behind," Yedda said sadly, "and I do not believe they will ever change. But I think they need to be warned about the peril that approaches. Cyrena needs to visit them, I do not think any of your people should."

"Singer I listen to your advice and I will send none of my people into peril," Mellina said.

"Good," Yedda answered.

"I will go with Cyrena if she will accept my company," Mellina announced causing a lot of commotion.

"Mother I can not let you go alone," Millandra protested. "If you go so do I."

"So be it., That choice is yours," Mellina announced. "Cyrena, Queen of The Kingdom, may we have passage with you to the lands of the Elves?"

"I go to the Dwarves first and I worry about your safety if Yedda is concerned. But your presence will be welcome even if I am concerned for your safety," I told them. Again more protests came and a young man came up before us.

"We can not let our honoured elder travel without an escort," he said directly to me.

"I have fifty men who will be proud to escort your people," I told him.

"No child, you may not come. This is not your time for battle," Millandra said kindly. "Live a little first you will have plenty of battles over the years."

"But…" he protested.

"No," Mellina said firmly ending the discussion. He walked off.

"He is but a child not yet forty years old," she whispered to me. "He is keen but not yet skilled."

"I am but seventeen," I said to her.

"Yes, but our lives are lived differently. My grandmother knew The Singer, I have seen over three hundred summers," she said gently. "Age is but a number, many who are old act like children, others who are young are wise beyond their years."

I nodded in agreement as Yedda played with some of the children, pretending to swipe at them as they ran towards her occasionally puffing out a little smoke making them shriek.

"Never confuse enjoying life with lack of wisdom," Mellina said reading my thoughts as I watched her. "She is wise and good. She saved my people from slavery and when she was roused, The Elves trembled because of ‘The Red Death’. She is a unique personality, but never forget that she is deadly."

"It is hard to think of her like that," I admitted.

"Remember it when you need it most," She said and we carried on eating, drinking and laughing at the antics.

"Your companion is quiet and keeps writing in her little book," Millandra said quietly from my other side.

"Yes," I said loudly, "Tara is part of The University and spends most of her time seeking knowledge. The little book often comes out from her pocket and she scribbles in it for hours."

Tara didn’t respond lost in her thoughts and observations.

"Don’t disturb her, she is welcome to study that which is new. Through study comes understanding," Millandra said.

As the sky lightened in the east I decided we had to make a move before Michael sent out search parties. Yedda was reluctant to move but grudgingly said goodbye to the children.

"How are we going to do this?" I asked Yedda.

"I’ll get you and Tara back first then Millandra and her mother. They will want to bring their own kit with them. As with women of whatever species, it will be three or four times more than is possible and about ten times more than is needed," Yedda said.

"I’m not like that," I said quickly thinking about the horses loaded with what Gwinn said I needed.

"Not yet," Yedda said. "Come on climb on board and we will get you back before Michael has kittens."

"Why? Is there magic at work," I asked suddenly very concerned as I climbed onto her neck.

"Just stop it, not when I am about to fly," Yedda said rumbling again.

"Stop what?" I said getting more confused.

"It is time to go," Yedda shouted the gathering. "See you all again soon. I promise."

With shouts and squeals from the children, we launched into the ever lightening sky. We flew over the trees for about ten minutes and we were back to our camp dropping down to a rather bumpy landing.

"Sorry, side winds," Yedda said as we got down.

"No damage done, don’t worry," I assured her and Michael came running to us.

"I was getting concerned about you," he said obviously he hadn’t slept. "Another hour and I was coming to look for you."

"We have allies Michael," I said happily. "Good people willing to fight because their homes are lost to this army that threatens us."

"Who?" he said stunned by the news.

"The Drow have come to our aid. Their men were massing to fight Silvinas forces, but we have an agreement that they are going to Des Moines and will fight with us," I told him.

"That is good news, but The Drow. Are they not evil?" he asked.

"Not as far as I could see," I told him. "They are people like us loving, laughing and crying. They just live a lot longer. We have two coming with us to The Elves. They are to be treated as visiting dignitaries," I warned him.

"Yes Ma’am, when do we expect them?" he asked.

"As soon as I get back," Yedda said launching herself into the air again.

"You have been quiet, Tara," I said to the girl as we approached our tent.

"I had nothing to say in such company. Legends and myths are coming to life before my eyes and you are at the centre of them all," she said quietly.

"What were you writing down?" I asked.

"Everything, these are momentous events and need to be documented accurately. I just wish someone with more skill was able to be here doing it," she said as she took out her notebook and started writing again.

"Studies of the mind forgotten all of a sudden," I said.

"Look, Cyrena, much more of this and I will decide I am living in a fantasy somewhere with people looking after me!" she exclaimed. "I have ridden a dragon, listened to the songs of an earlier age and now we go to visit the Dwarves. I thought my life was to be spent in my fathers shadow, always trying to attain his greatness."

"But suddenly you step out of his shadow and realise he is just a man however brave, great or heroic he seems," I said thinking of my own feelings as prince.

"Yes, that is it," she said thoughtfully and started writing again.

I decided to get washed and dressed inside the tent, as there was not enough room for both of us and Tara was lost to the world for the moment. She was still writing when I came out half an hour later.

"The tent is yours if you want to get washed and sorted out," I said.

"Oh thanks," she said and continued writing.

"How did that song go that Yedda joined in?" She asked.

"Ask her to teach you it. She won’t mind, she likes singing," I said with a smile then told her, firmly, "Now get washed and dressed so you can eat."

"Oh sorry, I just get carried away," she said as she entered the tent. Just like her father I thought.

As I stood there waiting for her, Yedda arrived with her passengers. I welcomed them.

"Have you got enough horses?" Mellina asked as Michael helped her down. "We seem to have brought too much"

"What did I say?" Yedda said and I tried not to laugh.

"Ma’am, we have enough horses for the trip to the Dwarves. I am sure we can purchase some more there. I have two even tempered beasts waiting for you, my men will see to your equipment and baggage," Michael said

"I thank you," Mellina replied and Michael bowed.

"No, please do not bow, I have no position or title that requires that," Mellina said quickly.

"Ma’am, as Her Highness knows, I bestow honours where I see fit, very rarely for a persons rank. If it makes you uncomfortable then I will try not to bow," Michael said to her.

"So you bestow honours on me because of my age?" Mellina asked him.

"Yes Ma’am. I intend to try and live as long as you. If I am nice you might give me some tips," Michael responded.

Mellina laughed for a long time. "I thank you, but with a tongue and wit like that, if you haven’t been hung yet, I think you will outlive me!"

"I intend to try Ma’am. May I introduce you to your mount?" he said offering his arm, which she took. I noticed Millandra frowning.

"He is a good man, but his manner is a little strange to some" I said to her.

"Yes, we have had little contact with humans over the years. You are not exactly what I expected," she said.

"I know what you mean, Drow were always associated with the creatures to the east," I admitted.

"There is lots both of you need to learn about the other," Yedda added, "but with some patience and tolerance, I think that a friendship is possible between The Kingdom and The Drow."

"That I think is assured, but with some patience and understanding, friendship may be possible between Millandra and me," I said with a smile.

"It is assured also," she said with an honest smile.

"Come on lets get you sorted with a mount," I said and we headed over to the horses.

The day’s journey was fun, despite my tiredness. Millandra and Mellina put me to shame, they didn’t look like they had been up all night. As she walked, Yedda taught the men songs, which despite the crudeness of some of them, I enjoyed. I found out what a ‘Dickey Dido’ was, but what ‘Three German Officers’ were doing in something called a ‘Tiger Tank’ was inexplicable.

"We will, we will, rock you," I sang with all the men when suddenly Yedda stopped, looked around and launched herself into the air. We waited in silence, after a few minutes she returned.

"We have company," she said quietly. "We are being shadowed by a large number of Dwarves, four or five hundred at least"

"What are they doing this far from the border?" I asked. "Could they be invading?"

"Dwarves invading, no," Yedda said firmly. "They like a fight, but an invasion is not their style. They have strict protocol rules, an invasion would be rude."

"So you are saying they wouldn’t invade us because it would be rude," Michael said.

"Yes that’s it," Yedda said nodding.

"Well, what do we do?" I asked Yedda. "I don’t want to start an armed conflict, which is likely to happen with lots of armed men running around the woods."

"Why ask me? I’m no diplomat," Yedda said.

"We will send a small party in to greet them," I said after a moment. "Michael, come with me."

"In this matter, I wish to represent my people," Mellina said riding up to me.

"Is that wise Ma’am? This might be a dangerous situation, we do not know their motives," Michael said to the old woman.

"Michael, I have been in worse situations most of my life, though I thank you for your concern," Mellina said firmly, then added "and you will be there to look after me."

"As will I mother," Millandra said.

"Four of us, I don’t think that will be too much of a threat," I said.

"We will use your standard though," Michael said leaving me confused.

"I haven’t had time to sort out a standard," I said

"Gwinn did though, the night before we left," he said dismounting and walking across to one of the horses being used as pack animals. He pulled out a package and started making up a staff from assembled parts. Lastly was a brilliant white flag. In its centre was the black silhouette of a dragon that I had on my shield. Above in one corner was a crown in the other was a silhouette of Des Moines castle.

"Do you approve?" Michael asked.

"Well, I don’t know whose symbol the dragon is," I said slightly concerned over raising another’s standard.

"You made that your standard on the field of battle," Michael said firmly, "through your actions. But Henri had a look and doesn’t recognise it so no one alive in the last two hundred and fifty years has used it."

"Yes, I approve," I said.

"As do I," Yedda announced after looking at it for a while, "though possibly the dragon could be slightly larger and in red."

"Well, you will approve of ours," Millandra said after a moment with her baggage. Another standard was assembled and this time a flag of green with a large red dragon and a tree either side of it.

"Yes, that is more like it," Yedda nodded.

With Michael and Millandra leading the way into the forest carrying the two flags high we worked our way through the forest growth. Yedda walked behind directing us. As we moved deeper and deeper into the woods I began to think we were being watched, I mentioned it to Yedda.

"Of course you are," she said happily. "These woods are alive with many things that you do not know. But the Dwarves are the ones that you sense. They will not harm you and as you are going in the right direction, they will stay hidden."

"Why do they stay hidden then?" I asked.

"Why give away a secure position?" Yedda said. "These little buggers know how to fight. But they don’t fight like you lot do."

"What do you mean, how do they fight?" I asked her.

"They fight to kill the enemy and make sure as many of their people as possible survive. They won’t meet the enemy head on, on an open field if they can slaughter them by surprise," Yedda replied.

"But isn’t that rather a underhanded way of doing it?" I said confused.

"WAKE UP!" Yedda shouted loudly to me. "This is not a game. This will not end with your surrender till next time. This is for the survival of your Kingdom and your species, Silvinas will not fight fair."

I was quiet for a while as we continued thinking about this as it was against most of the principles of warfare I understood A battle was a planned thing armies met at a certain point and fought till one left the field. . After my experience on the battlefield and with my changes, though, I could now understand the wisdom of that. Being changed into a woman was not the badge of a heroic struggle. But I would do my duty, no matter what the odds.

"She is right," Michael said from in front of me. "The battles are what everyone talks about as they are the big events. But there is plenty to do that can cause the enemy problems on the way."

"I know nothing of these things. How can I hope to win when I don’t know the basics?" I asked him.

"A king or a queen is not expected to know everything. But you have to be able to assess a situation and make rapid decisions with advice from people who know their own specialities," he replied. "If you want to know about the best method to use cavalry you talk to me. For infantry, see James and Henri knows the politics of war."

"Yes, I understand what you are saying. I just realised how little I really know," I explained.

"But with that statement you have just shown the greatest wisdom," Mellina said from my side. "You know that others may know more than you and will let them as they’re needed. When a leader believes they know everything, they are a fool and whoever follows them is dead."

Up ahead, we started to get our first views of the Dwarves as we approached a clearing. A large tent had been hastily erected and outside a standard flew of a hammer crossed with a sword. They were being formal over this meeting in the woods.

The figures of the dwarves were silent, little men in height no more than four and a half foot, but built such that they were nearly as broad across the shoulders as they were high. These were a people to who you wouldn’t mention their lack of stature, as I was sure they would bring you down to their level in a moment. Michael dismounted and thrust my standard he bore into the ground next to the Dwarven one so it stood high. Millandra did the same.

"Though the Dwarves are ever welcome in The Kingdom, by what right do you lead a force within our borders?" I asked loudly.

A dwarf came out of the tent, dressed in full plate with mail beneath. He carried a small shield and a large axe.

"I lead this force and will answer to no one," he said.

"I am Queen Cyrena of The Kingdom," I said dismounting and standing before him. "All who travel in the kingdom answer to me."

"I am Thurn, and I answer to no man," he said taking a stance ready for battle.

"I will fight with you if I have to Thurn, but friendship can achieve more. My blade is yours," I drew my blade and offered it to him reversed so I held the blade.

"As is my axe," Thurn answered, placing it down between us before accepting my blade. I retrieved his axe and he walked up to me with his hand outstretched.

"It is good to see the old ways are still taught," he said with a big grin. "So few follow our old ways."

"The formality has a beauty of its own," I said smiling back. "It echoes the events of history."

"One so young talks of history, I would have more expected it off your reptilian companion," he said indicating Yedda.

"My family has had much history with the Dwarves. My mother learnt Geology from your people and my grandmother, whose name I carry, forged the friendship between The University and your people," I told him.

"This is wrong. Clifford is the prince of The Kingdom, I saw him when he was a child. You cannot be of that family. Is there deception here?" Dwarves around us tensed as he said this.

"I am Clifford. My father died at Berlin taken in battle by an axe. I too should have died there and, but for the actions of Shakwell, I would have. But his magic changed me to as I am now," I said.

"Then Shakwell has returned also," he said nodding, apparently accepting my story.

"Yes, he is at Des Moines, the time is coming to end this struggle," I told him.

"Yes, come, introduce your companions," he said.

I introduced him to Mellina and Millandra first and he didn’t seem surprised by the presence of The Drow. Then I introduced Yedda.

"This is Yedda, known to The Drow as Singer and the Elves as The Red Death," I said.

"Yes, she is known to our people in our history as the dragon who laughs," he said with a bow to Yedda, "though they say she was a friend. She has not always been a welcome guest."

"It’s you lot. No sense of humour at all," Yedda protested.

"We do have a sense of humour," Thurn retorted.

"Hi-Ho," Yedda sang loudly for some reason.

"Lots of interesting things you can do with dragon skin. Keep that up and I will have a few years supply," Thurn said quietly.

"See no sense of humour," Yedda said.

"We have a sense of humour but few understand it when they are disembowelled and hanging from a tree by their intestines," Thurn said to her.

"Its amazing how much heat can build up in all that armour," Yedda said to him. "Have you lot discovered the tin opener yet?"

"Come on please," I admonished both of them before it came to blows, "we are all here as friends."

"Yes we are," Thurn said. "Come and sit down. We need to talk."

"Sorry, did I stand on you? I didn’t see you there," Yedda said as we moved.

"Yedda…" I said threateningly.

"Sorry," she said with a rumble.

"I am sorry to hear about your father," Thurn said, "though I didn’t know him well, he was a good man. I knew your mother better."

"Yes she had many friends amongst the Dwarven people. Now how come you are here, now, just as we come seeking you?" I asked.

"Thomas sent word that war was brewing and Silvinas had returned. The job wasn’t finished last time, but this time it will be different," Thurn said.

"What troops can we expect from you?" I asked.

"One hundred thousand will march," he said proudly, "though it will be a month before they all arrive."

"With one hundred thousand Dwarves, I think we can leave it all to you," I said with a smile.

"Well you know how it goes. All it takes is the rumour of a fight and suddenly the place is swarming with Dwarves," he said with the grin visible through his long beard.

"We will need all the help we can get. At best guess we are talking about a foe who numbers two million and Silvinas as well," I said.

"Ssss," Thurn let the air escape through his teeth at this news and others started talking.

"We will have to pick our ground carefully and if we can get Silvinas out of the battle, then we may win," I said

"Kill The Bastard and the army will fall to shit," Thurn said.

"That’s the idea," Yedda said. "We have to be all here for some reason"

"True," Thurn said thoughtfully. "What are your plans now?"

"I was getting the Dwarves, Elves and rousing our men as well," I told him.

"Elves? Do you agree with this Elder One?" he asked Mellina.

"The time has come to find out what is happening," she answered. "We have been gone too long."

"Then we will accompany you," he said standing up and shouting orders. "If we meet hostility, then you shall be prepared."

"What of the troops that are coming? We need them at Des Moines," I said

"Well that’s where they are going," he answered with a smile. "It is a strange thing," he emphasized.

"Lets guess soothsayers, dreams or visions," Yedda asked.

"No, it is a strange thing, but we thought if we were going to fight in The Kingdom, we had better invite you along. So we planed to stop off there to get everyone together and tell you what we were up to," he said, his grin getting bigger. "Only polite you know, to invite you along."

"Have you met my Uncle Fredrick?" I asked.

"Big bastard with lots of hair?"

"That’s him," I admitted.

"Yes, he’s got the size and the balls to make two decent dwarves," he said nodding. "A good man to fight with, just too bloody tall to talk to."

"Enough balls?" I said confused by this comment. "Do dwarves only have one ball?"

Yedda exploded into the air spewing flame in all directions dwarves scattered and I dived to the ground. She climbed, arched over onto her back and came crashing down amongst the trees, flame could be seen and the rumbles and roars were deafening.

"She often does that," I said as I stood up.

"Yes she is a strange creature," Thurn said looking in her direction, "and balls is a term for courage with our people."

"Oh" I said wondering when Yedda would return.

"How long does she stay like this?" Millandra asked.

"It varies" I said "and sometimes it happens often."

"Maybe it is a sickness," Thurn offered helpfully.

"No, she just finds the whole world amusing," I told them.

"Can you think of a better way to spend a thousand years?" Mellina said as a Dwarf helped her up.

"No, but…" I said trying to think of an argument.

"There is no ‘but’, it is just the way she survives and what makes her so special," Mellina replied. "She does care and notice things. Because of the fact she finds life so amusing she notices things more and cares more."

"Yes," I said, "but like here with the Dwarves there seems to be a situation bordering on hostility."

"She had a joke with a number of our elders a long time ago," Thurn said solemnly.

"What did she do?" I asked.

"A bad thing," he said not giving much away.

"I laughed at them," Yedda said coming back our way through the trees.

"What’s so bad about that?" I asked.

"Well there was a lot of heat and flame, dwarves in their mail and plate aren’t exactly comfortable in flaming situations," Yedda said and paused.

"Yes and what?" I asked.

"Well a number of prominent Dwarves ended up with minor burns in sensitive areas and…" She mumbled something barely heard.

"What was that?" I asked.

"Some of the Dwarves including the local chief lost their beards," she said loudly. Dwarves around us started reaching for their weapons and a few were clutching their beards protectively.

"You stripped a number of notable Dwarves of their symbol of manhood," I said shocked.

"It was an accident," she said glumly, "but they decided I wasn’t safe to have around."

"I have no quarrel with you then, Yedda," Thurn said. "If it was an accident and my beard stays in its present condition."

"Your beard is safe with me," Yedda replied. "I have more control than I did then. Ask Cyrena, I have been very careful."

"She has," I admitted.

"You have never been an enemy to our people, Yedda, and I can see no reason for any animosity to remain," Thurn told her.

"I am glad," she answered. "I have missed your people."

With the peace made, we arranged to join with Thurn’s forces. After a long night and as bad a day, we decided to camp for the night. It was a pleasant night. As I sat there listening to the songs and laughter, the threat of war seemed so far away. Only the impossibility of our meeting cast a shadow on my mood. As I lay there in my tent I talked to Tara about it, She wasn’t convinced we were not talking about random events. In the early hours I crawled out of the tent to talk to Yedda. I found her in the company of Thurn and Michael.

"Another one who cannot sleep," Michael said.

"I am concerned. Everything we do seems so planned. I dislike this predetermination of events," I said to the three of them.

"Look, I have seen these sort of games before," Yedda said to me firmly. "The guiding forces that piss on our lives do everything they can to get all the players together. Then the rules seem to say that just as we could do with their guidance they leave us on our own."

"What my reptilian friend here is trying to say is that though we may get moved around by the gods we have our own part to play," Thurn said. "Like your injury that may have been accidental and the gods just made sure you stayed alive now, looking like that."

"Do your people believe in gods?" I asked.

"Yes we do, though I doubt you would understand the relationship between us and our gods," he said. "When you work down a mine or with heavy machines or even just live in inhospitable mountains, someone watching over you is nice."

"That is not what we have here though," I said to him.

"No, however the balance that has survived since the War Of The Magicians has been lost. Someone doesn’t like the situation that Silvinas is causing and we have to sort out the problem," Yedda said. "All things must be in balance for all to coexist here. If the balance is swung too far one way or the other then someone up there gets pissed."

"So our goals are the same. Sleep easy and don’t worry about it, just think of it as another person on our side," Thurn added happily.

"Yes, I will," I told them.

I sat there for a while with them, but eventually I left them to sleep for a few hours.

The arrival of the Dwarves meant that our route changed. We now headed south towards the great city of Warrington. This was Thomas’s city, founded on trade with the Dwarven Peoples and through the Dwarves many others that are only mentioned in stories. As we approached the city I wondered what would happen if Silvinas and his army made it this far. The large sprawling city was extended far beyond the defensive walls and I could see no practical way of defending it. The three standards were raised as we approached the city and we entered, almost six hundred of us now.

Outside the defensive walls were large residences, apparently trying to outdo each other in extravagance. As we approached the city wall we were stopped by a number of guards at the gate.

"As you are a visitor to our city, I have to ask you if you’re here for business or pleasure?" one of them asked.

"Not pleasure," I said to him.

"So business it is then. As a non-resident entering the city for business purposes there is a one gold piece levy for entry to the city. This tax is to allow our merchants of our city to remain competitive against those who do not pay taxes here. It also allows the money to be spent on the cities needs." he said firmly despite the force which stood before him.

One of the other guards whispered something to him and pointed towards the back to Yedda.

"If you have brought that beast for entertainment purposes there is a two gold piece tax which goes towards cleaning up after it. If it is a pet, a licence is required yearly," he added.

"Yedda, are you entertainment or a pet?" Thurn shouted back to her.

"I thought it was obvious, I’m a fucking big dragon," Yedda shouted back stretching up to appear even more impressive than she did.

"I am Cyrena, Queen of Des Moines, and I demand entry to this city now," I said to the man demanding the money.

"We are an independent city state with our own leader, Archduke Thomas," the man said.

"No, you are a province of my kingdom, left to run independently under the leadership of my Uncle. Surely as one of his men you know this," I said surprised at the man’s lack of knowledge.

"We are employed by the merchants of the city to keep order and ensure the smooth running of the city. Our commander reports to Thomas but otherwise we are independent," he said proudly.

"Well if you wish to keep order you shall move out of our way now," Michael said losing patience with the man "I don’t think you are paid enough to argue with five hundred Dwarves."

"You haven’t got five or ten years to try and get the money out of them either," Yedda shouted. "Trying to get money out of a Dwarf is like trying to seduce an eighty year old virgin. It’s almost impossible and even if you do get something it probably wasn’t worth the effort."

"How much do you think I would be able to charge for dragon hide boots, in a nice shade of red?" Thurn asked me.

"By the charter, which granted the City of Warrington self-governing status one hundred and fifty seven years ago," Tara shouted from behind me. I glanced around to see her flipping through her notebook. "Ah here it is. Section one clause three. The kingdoms official representatives may never be hindered from entering the city or the charter is void. Which means all goods within the city become property of the crown and the people of the city serfs wherever her majesty decides to place them. This at the moment is a clear violation of that charter and therefore the city is forfeit. Just at the time when you need men to fight in the East Your Highness."

"Yes, and they look strong too," I said as the men moved swiftly to open the gates.

"Why did you have that in your book?" I asked when we passed through the gate.

"I made it up," she whispered back. "It just sounded good." Her reply amazed me and I realized that I had much more to learn if I was going to lead this coalition. I rode on, lost in thought.

We rode up to the large fortified mansion that served as a castle for Thomas. We had lots of attention from the local population. Yedda refused to fly, due to the risk of archers, and I received more than one enquiry over how much for the dragon.

Thurn, I had to pull away from one trader, though he looked to be getting a good price for her.

"Why did you do that? I wanted to see her face," he said with a grin.

"And she said your people didn’t have a sense of humour," I chuckled with him.

"We do, but very few people understand it," he said. "Don’t make it known though."

At the entrance to the house, we were met by Thomas and a number of his men.

"Who are you to enter Warrington without permission?" My Uncle demanded. Obviously, a runner had preceded us. One that hadn’t brought all the information my uncle would need.

"Well a lot has happened since we last met Uncle," I said.

"Clifford?" he asked.

"Queen Cyrena, now and war comes this way," I told him.

I had found the first good thing about Warrington within half an hour of entering Thomas’s home: Hot water for a bath. "This was something I had to bring home," I thought as I stripped off the armour and underclothes that were nearly sticking to me after being on horseback so long. I scratched under my breasts, which I was now getting use to, and slid into the water. It was nice and I soaked there for a while.

"Come on you can’t stay there all day," Tara said entering my quarters.

"Why not?" I asked. "This is nice."

"Because you are needed in an official role tonight and I have to get you ready," Tara said.

"What exactly is this official role and what am I expected to wear?" I demanded.

"Relax. For tonight you can be presentable in trousers, but soon you are going to have to dress," she reassured me.

"I can’t see why. I can do the job in trousers now just as well as I used to," I said to her.

"I am sure you can, but the minor royalty will see it as a sign that you can’t cope with the situation. You live in a new world now. One where if you look too good you will make enemies for life, if you don’t look good you will be disregarded. This is a world where Henri would be lost amongst the political intrigues," Tara said firmly.

"You are being a little melodramatic aren’t you," I said.

"No, and don’t consider this lightly. You are now not only a prospective wife for every mother’s son and competition for every daughter, you will also be considered a prize plum to pick. The men may be the representation of the power of their lands, but the women often make the decisions. Many good and bad decisions are made thanks to a wife’s whisperings in the bedroom," Tara said.

Dressed in trousers and a shirt again and with my sword around my waist, Tara did some things to my face that involved me closing my eyes and making strange shapes with my mouth as she worked on me. My long hair was then braided tightly into a long ponytail down my back. I protested at the pain from her pulling and twisting at my hair and was told to stop being a baby. Like her father, Tara had little respect for rank. I was eventually pronounced ready to be seen.

"Cyrena, I have some of the local nobles, including a few who were here on business, when you unexpectedly arrived. These are the men you have to convince, if you want your troops," Thomas said as I left my quarters.

"This is not a case of convince and tread tenderly, this is a case that they will or all is lost, including them," I told him.

"What do we face?" he asked his face serious.

"The whole of the dark lands," I said grimly.

In an open courtyard area, were waiting a number of men, possibly twenty. They all stared as I entered the courtyard and I looked at the faces. A few I recognised, most I did not. I then saw Thurn, Mellina and Millandra off to one side. Thurn had his usual big grin on his face and large axe in his hand.

Thomas’s man introduced me and a few gasps were evident from the nobles as I was introduced as Queen Cyrena.

"Yes, I can hear your surprise," I said standing proud, though not very tall before them.

"Shakwell and Silvinas have returned to the land. To all of you here now, war is coming whether you like it or not. An army waits at Berlin besieging my Uncle’s city and it is a force the like that hasn’t been seen in the kingdom since the war of the magicians. The time has come for all that you hold dear to be defended with your lives if necessary," I said to them looking around at the faces.

"Why should we leave our defended homes to die in the east?" One noble shouted.

"Who are you sir that addresses me so?" I demanded walking up to the man.

"I am Duke Simon of Toulouse," he said arrogantly, "and I have no idea who you are."

"I was properly introduced. Were you not paying attention?" I waited patiently, staring at him as he was trying to decide upon a retort. Before he could reply, I continued in a loud voice that would carry over any murmuring, "Gentlemen, this is not a game that can be stood out. Have you not heard of Marysville and the fifty-four smaller hamlets that have been swept off the face of the earth! Are any of you so naïve that you even suppose that you could stand individually against the hoard that has invaded our lands? I was Prince Clifford of Des Moines till my father fell in battle and then became King Clifford. After I fell Shakwell’s magic saved me, though changed me at the same time. In this form I have been gathering allies so that we may have a chance to defeat this enemy, for without them we all would be as lost your individual fiefs." I said to the whole group.

"We have no proof that you are Clifford, he fought bravely against Ogres. You may just be something created through magic," Duke Simon finally retorted.

"Quite possibly, but do you wish to debate the point?" I asked, "or possibly, should I teach you manners?"

"I do not fight women," He said a smile on his face.

"But as you point out I am a creature made of magic not a woman," I said to him, "Now defend those words or stand down!"

"If you insist girl," he said drawing his blade. I drew mine getting a few gasps from some of those assembled, I wasn’t sure if it was for the fact I dared to draw against this Duke or the blade I carried.

With a quick salute with the blade, I launched straight in just catching his sleeve with the tip of the blade, not intending to hurt him. He responded with a couple of clumsy swings. I was right. These Western Nobles were soft. A little flick and I slapped his hand with the back of the blade causing him to drop his own blade.

"Pick it up. You can’t do much without it," I said to him without looking at him. I turned to face the rest of the Nobility watching the spectacle.

"The thing is, you are so secure of your own abilities and the fact that you are far away from the border that you have forgotten how perilous our position is," I turned to face Duke Simon again and he waited for me to move. Again I dived in and caught his clothing, this time on his chest a rapid exchange of moves and his blade was on the floor again.

"On the field at Berlin my skills were good. Now they are adequate. I know that you do not have the abilities to defend yourselves from this threat that will come this way, but there is a way we can succeed against Silvinas and all he brings to bare on us. Together we can stop him," I said to them receiving little response.

"Yedda," I shouted and the sound of wings could be heard as Yedda hovered above the courtyard until enough room was made for her to land.

"We have allies," I said looking around at them. "We have one hundred thousand dwarves, we have The Drow and a dragon."

"What good is that against the force that comes?" a lord asked.

"We just need to stop the forces to bring ourselves to Silvinas notice. Then, when he appears, we must remove The Bastard as all coherence in that army is centred on him," I said to them.

"So you will walk up and kill Silvinas will you," someone said.

"Much better me than Duke Simon of Toulouse!" I exclaimed to a scattering of chuckles. "Besides, I feel that fate has cast some part yet to play in this. Consider the legends. Am I not the Formidable Queen!"

"You, a girl?" came the tentative response from the same man.

"Yes, a girl!" Yedda said turning to bring her nose up to the man, "with me at her side."

"With me at her side and James The Lance," Michael said walking up along side me.

"With one hundred thousand Dwarves and my axe at her disposal," Thurn said strolling over to my other side.

"And with the bows of The Drow," Millandra announced, as she and Mellina walked up to join our group.

"Look at what you see before you," Yedda shouted at them. "These are people who will die to protect you if you come or not. But without you, they will die in vain, as you will shortly afterwards. You want your fancy houses and your titles, then you must fight for them as when Silvinas gets here they won’t be worth shit. Who here is willing to fight alongside a warrior who fought five ogres alone? Who here is willing to fight alongside the king that fell defending Shakwell and who will fight alongside the Queen who dares take on a dragon alone?"

"I will," shouted one followed by another and another till they all seemed to be shouting.

"Rouse your neighbours bring them and your men to Des Moines for from there we ride to war, and to glory or death," I shouted. "Tell the people, tell all The Kingdom that war is coming and we that will not hide dishonourably at home waiting for the end. We will not shame our families, but we will fight with honour and glory and we will win!"

"What now?" I asked Michael as the cheering eased up a bit.

"Copious amounts of food and alcohol followed by vomiting and falling over on their part. You have to hit them with your demands for troops while they are drunk and make notes of the numbers they say. Then remind them of what they have agreed to tomorrow, even if they actually didn’t commit their troops." Michael explained. He continued, "In fact you need to remind them tomorrow in front of the whole group of the commitment that was noted, especially if they didn’t commit any troops and only the number of available troops were discussed."

"It doesn’t exactly sound sporting," I protested.

"Its not fair, but it works," Thurn said from my other side. "They will be too drunk to know what they have agreed to and too proud and embarrassed to back out."

"Songs as well." Yedda said. "Lots of songs about past glories and the women waiting at home."

Thomas must have predicted all this as suddenly beer and food was available, brought by members of his household.

"Who will drink to the Kingdom’s Warrior Queen Cyrena?" Thomas shouted loudly.

"I will," shouted Duke Simon shouted first, followed by many other voices joining him.

The night progressed well. It was a fine evening and we stayed in the courtyard mingling with the nobles. As more and more alcohol was consumed emotions got released and more than once I had a noble crying telling me how much I reminded him of his daughter, wife or even son. Yedda had an audience for her songs, which she loved, and played it to the full. Thurn seemed unaffected by alcohol and was drinking with all ensuring they had enough drink. Michael at this point was re-enacting the battle outside Berlin.

"So you killed six Ogres at Berlin" One man said.

"No only four. Michael and another man killed the other two," I said quickly.

"Only four she says. She only killed four Ogres," he said sloshing his drink.

"Yes Michael," shouted loudly. "I rode with a King against Silvinas, a king who took on five Ogres alone and was mortally wounded saving a good man. Now I ride alongside a Great Queen who will deliver us from Silvinas. Will you be willing to lay down your lives, if necessary, as I saw her do?"

A round of cheers and ayes came from the nobles.

"Will you give me all you have so we can finally rid ourselves of Silvinas?" I shouted.

"Yes" they shouted back.

"Who will drink to Queen Cyrena of Des Moines?" Thomas shouted.

Again a roar came from the men and a cheer.

"You’ve got them," Thomas whispered to me, "and now the others will follow."

We left the nobles to their drunken revelry, with Michael and Yedda thoroughly enjoying themselves amidst all the singing, shouting and swearing and headed inside. Mellina, Millandra and Thurn joined us.

"Cyrena, you know my wife, Kimberly." Thomas said.

"Uncle Thomas, despite all the changes, it is still me in here," I said to him. I turned to her and said, "hello Aunty."

"Well you have changed more than a little since I last saw you. Tara has been telling me of your adventures," Kimberly said. She was a black haired, dark skinned woman who always sported a smile. I admit that as a boy, I was entranced by her beauty, as were many men.

"Yes a lot has happened," I admitted.

"How are they taking it, Thomas?" she asked.

"They have accepted it. The drink and the boasting will just reinforce that," Thomas said to her.

"Good! Because on their own, they couldn’t stop a sneeze," Kim said firmly.

"They have forgotten what war is," I told them. "A few days with Jimmy and his men and they will soon remember."

"A few days with Jimmy and his men and they will be glad it is to war they ride," Kimberly said laughing.

"I don’t think George could have worked them any better than you did," Thomas said. "He taught you well and to that extent me and all my men are at your service."

"Thank you Uncle for they are all going to be needed if we hope to survive. What of the other Archdukes? Do you know if I have their support, also?" I asked him.

"Look, you are family no matter what has been done to you. You are like this because of your valour on the field of battle and they will understand. They might have a few problems at first as I admit I did but that will be a fleeting thing," Thomas said firmly.

"May I ask you to head to Uncle Henry to tell him what is happening, then to head to Des Moines with your men?" I asked him.

"Yes, Your Majesty," he said.

"Kimberly, I am sorry about taking Thomas from you," I said feeling guilty about taking her husband to war.

"Look, Cyrena, I was waiting for him before you were born and when I married him I knew what his and my responsibilities would be. But no matter what we fulfil those responsibilities," she said grasping my Uncles arm.

"The other thing she isn’t saying is that my beloved here doesn’t believe in letting a man lose the skills of battle. She is almost as skilled as I am and practice is still an important part of every day," Thomas said.

"What’s this? Almost as good as you?" Kim said elbowing him in the ribs. "He began to get fat with inactivity and the exercise did him good. I must admit I enjoyed it too."

"Well those skills will be needed," I told them both.

"They are, I have to have some way of keeping him in order," Kim said pulling him closer to him.

"Yes my love," Thomas answered with a smile.

"I never associated with human royalty who like this." Millandra said.

"Oh, I am sorry," Kim said quickly. "We didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable"

"No, my daughter is saying it is like being at home. You are people like us, living and loving each other," Mellina replied. "Your love makes this place a welcoming place."

"I thank you," Thomas said.

We talked for a long time, intentionally avoiding talk of war and battle. I hadn’t associated my Uncle and Aunt as real people. They just were Royalty and family. Here in their home where they worked so hard to make us all welcome, I saw a different side of them. They worked as a team making sure every guest was attended to and taking time with each one to make sure none was neglected. I also saw the bond and the love between these two people and the grief within me welled up for what I had lost.

"Do you need anything?" Kim asked quietly seeing something was up.

"No," I assured her and she left me to my musing.

That night, alone in my room, I cried for a long time. Though I have heard many women say a good cry makes you feel better, I didn’t. I felt worse and fell into a sleep tortured by dreams.

"I’m afraid it’s time to wake up," came Tara’s voice to rouse me from a sleep that only seemed like a moment.

"OK, I’m awake," I told her without opening my eyes.

"You aren’t sleeping well are you?" she asked bluntly.

"How ever did you guess? Was it sharing a tent with me or the fact that most of our nights seem to have had some interruption?" I asked her sarcastically.

"Look, I am going to be honest with you, Cyrena. I like you. You’re a good person despite the fact your royalty. We are talking at least seven or eight weeks till we meet Silvinas’s forces. Then we have to wait for The Bastard to show. The rate you are going downhill I don’t think you will make a month," Tara said to me.

"Why not?" I asked her sitting up.

"Because you are tearing yourself up inside over Elizabeth. You are wallowing in your guilt and self-pity. Everything you see reminds you of what has happened to you," Tara replied.

"But nothing can be done about it, so I have to live with it," I told her.

"You are not living with it. You are existing that’s all and you don’t have to live with it alone," she said sitting on the side of the bed.

"Talk to me about it. I won’t let it go any further, just let it out so you can do the job that you need to," She said

"I am a king. That is not how a king does things," I protested.

"You are a young woman taking on the role of a king against opposition and prejudice. You were mortally wounded but a short time ago and the one thing you cared for more than anything else, Lizzie, was taken from you. You have had to leave her behind not knowing what has happened to her and you need to talk. It may not be the way of a king but it is the way that we women do it." she indicated me as she said this and I flinched.

"Yes, a woman and a Queen. That is what you are and I am afraid you are going to have to accept that," She said glaring at me, she had obviously taken a few lessons off Gwinn.

"What use is talking about it?" I asked her.

"Possibly none at all," she conceded, "but possibly it might just pull things together in your mind and allow you to cope with it."

"Let me think about it," I told her and saw disbelief on her face. "I mean it. Let me think about it."

"Please do," she said gently.

We bid Thomas and Kimberly goodbye after eating. New mounts had been supplied and a few extra ones for the equipment of Thurn and his men. I do not believe I have ever seen a Dwarf ride, but with their method of battle it would be a disadvantage. After a day’s march, though, the Dwarves could keep up with us without any trouble. It did make conversation a little difficult.

Now our path was southeast, towards the border of the Elfin Kingdom. This was a border that remained inviolate no matter what. Thomas had said a few brave men had crossed it in the past and never returned. The Elves were strict about their privacy and the last time that open dialog had occurred between our two races was generations ago. The journey was going to take four days and after the unusual meetings of our trip to the Dwarves I was wondering what we would encounter.

The journey continued uneventful, which was more disconcerting that the predetermination that we had encountered on the way to the dwarves. The night before we reached the border, as the men relaxed, we had a conference to plan our approach.

"If they see me here, then we are going to have lots of problems," Yedda said to us.

"Well you can stay here then," I told her.

"I don’t like it though," she said. "What happens if it falls to shit there?"

"Yedda, though, you are the largest of the force we have here, I think that we might just be able to cope." Thurn said to her without sarcasm in his voice.

"Yes, but, you are children heading off on your own," she said wistfully.

"Singer though you try, you cannot be mother to the whole world" Mellina told her.

"I know, but I can keep trying," she replied.

"Look, we go in have a talk to them and if we don’t like it we get away quickly. With the size of our force, retreating should not be much of a problem," Michael said to her. She was silent.

"Mellina, Millandra, Yedda seems concerned that the two of you are in danger during this encounter are you sure you want to come?" I asked them.

"Now is the time that we have to know about our kin," Mellina said and Millandra was nodding in agreement.

"Well in that case both of you stay close to Michael. Michael can you make sure they are safe?" I asked.

"Yes, Your Highness" Michael said.

"The men are not to touch their weapons unless ordered. We are going to make sure this is a peaceful meeting," I told them.

"Look, no one has spoken about this, but it is time. The Elves are not to be trusted," Yedda said looking at Mellina.

"Singer this is not to speak. Despite their faults, they are kin," Mellina said.

"I know and I promised I wouldn’t speak of it. You fear the reprisals that could happen to any of your people that are still there. But at the end of the day their whole philosophy and outlook on life is perverted by their hate," Yedda said to her.

"It has been a long time. They may have changed, so this should not be spoken of," Mellina replied.

"Always worried about others, you Drow. Think of yourselves for once," Yedda said with angst in her voice.

"You know our ways, Singer," Millandra said deferentially. "We do not hate others and violence will only be used against violence."

"What did that get you?" Yedda demanded. "I’ll tell you, fuck all, except a death sentence and a life time of exile."

Yedda walked off turning her back on us and disappearing into the forest.

"Should we go after her?" Tara asked.

"No, leave her. She probably needs some time on her own," I said. "But every one is to be on their toes tomorrow."

With agreement from all, we made our way to our respective tents. As I lay there in the dark, I was irritated by what wasn’t said about the elves. The silence was putting us at risk, though, I could respect Mellina’s decision.

"The silence about things is putting us at risk. People are worried how things will be taken if they speak about it, so I am going to talk to you as you wanted. If you want to put it in your book please do, but it is for you only at the moment" I said to Tara.

"Where do you want to start?" she asked.

"Probably the day when I first met Lizzie," I told her.

We left the camp standing the next morning with a minimal guard, just taking essential equipment. Yedda was still nowhere to be seen and didn’t respond when I shouted. We continued moving southeast towards the heavily wooded rolling hills in the distance. Knowledge of what lay inside the Elfin lands was sketchy, but apparently they lived in small villages and towns within their lands. Not needing the large cities, as the population remained small. On the edge of the woods we stopped and raised all three standards.

The woods were not a pleasant place as the woods I had known as a child. This was a dark oppressive place, causing all of us to feel uncomfortable. No one seemed willing to break the silence of the woods for a long time. I think it must have been a good two hours into the woods before Thurn broke the silence.

"I know what’s up with this place," he said loudly shocking us all. "No birdsongs."

"You’re right," I said. "Nothing at all alive to be seen except us and the trees."

"This forest wasn’t always like this. Our stories speak of it as a place of wonders," Mellina said.

"It seems more a place of death," Thurn replied. "Trees are not things I take much interest in, but these are unlike anything else I have ever seen and I don’t like them."

"Neither do I," I admitted. "We must have someone spot us soon. The Elves supposedly are fanatical about their borders and with over five hundred of us we must have been seen."

"Might it be that we scare them?" Michael asked.

"No, we just wonder who enters our lands unbidden," A voice said. A man stepped out of the forest ahead of us. Many others joined him till we were facing a force of possibly two hundred men.

"I am Cyrena, Queen of Des Moines, and I seek your leader," I said to the man. I looked at him carefully. Like Mellina his features were angular and the ears told of his Elfin blood. He had blond hair and blue eyes like all of the elves who stood there, but I couldn’t see any obvious difference between Mellina’s race and this race.

"I speak for my people, what brings a Queen of the humans here?" he demanded.

"We need to talk," I said. "Is there somewhere we may speak?"

"Here is as good as anywhere," He replied. I dismounted and walked towards him, Thurn accompanied me and I could hear Michael helping Mellina dismount.

"War is coming to the kingdom," I said standing in front of him.

"What do we care of the petty bickering of lesser races. These are not our problem they are yours," He answered and I could see that I was not his focus of interest. Mellina and Millandra were.

"Shakwell and Silvinas have returned. The Dark Lands to the east have rose as one under the leadership of Silvinas. They come this way with two million men, if The Kingdom falls, you will be next," I said to him.

"No," he said loudly walking past me to look closer at the two Drow. "When the kingdom falls, if they dare breach our borders, then they shall die. They are not worth our attention before then, because they are a perversion created by the magic that made us all. Only the Elves are a pure people."

"Pardon?" I said confused at this response.

"Only the elves are a pure race, a higher race than all others created by Silvinas. Some races like the humans are acceptable, as they have their functions. Others like the Orcs, Goblins and the Dwarves are too far from god’s plan to allow to exist," he said moving in closer to Mellina, staring at her from just a few inches away.

"So Dwarves shouldn’t be allowed to exist?" Thurn asked. The elf made no indication he had heard him.

"Why are humans acceptable while others are not?" I asked indicating to Thurn not to get irritated at the treatment.

"Humans are different from the other races. They have an instinctive hate of that which is different. They are the most willing of creatures to kill others, if it is in their interests. But that does not mean we will help you, only that we will not kill you. There will be a use for humans when our people are ready" he said turning to face me again.

"What use would that be?" I asked

"You will serve a higher race much as the others serve you if you are a queen" he replied. "You are a strong adaptable people and looking like you do we will have no problems about our blood being polluted by your race."

"Polluted?" I asked.

"You as royalty must know what a problem the half-bloods and bastards are. We have had the same problems with half-breeds" He looked at Mellina again. "It has taken us a long time to rid ourselves of the Drow from our blood and even now, occasionally a woman will give birth to one showing that their blood is not pure."

"What is the difference?" I asked.

"It is obvious. The skin, hair and the eyes, an elf has blond hair, blue eyes and a light skin. These creatures are but animals who inhabit bodies similar to ours." he said. "They are also slow witted and not to be trusted under any circumstances."

"I will remember that," I said to him. "We have warned you about the threat that comes, so now we shall leave you."

"But what of the gifts you have brought?" He asked indicating Mellina and Millandra.

"These are not gifts," I said to him. "They wished to accompany me here to find if they would be welcomed back. I do not think they will be though."

"Oh yes, they will be welcomed!" He said as he walked back up to Mellina. "I will welcome them properly."

With a swift movement a dagger was thrust deep in Mellina’s stomach.

"That is what we do with filth," He shouted. "Touch me and you all die."

"NO!" Michael screamed and with one movement slashed deep into the elf’s chest with the great sword. I was pushed to the ground by Thurn behind me, just as arrows flew through the air where I had been a moment before.

"Give them no quarter. Kill them all" Thurn screamed and an echoing roar came from the dwarves.

I stood up as the dwarves rushed towards the Elves. I looked around as my men were hanging back unsure of what to do. My orders about not touching their weapons holding them back.

"Get the bastards," I shouted and they rushed. Within moments, I realised we were in trouble. Men and dwarves were falling, arrows were coming from all directions a couple hit the plate I was wearing. They hadn’t brought out all their forces to greet us. The numbers that the men were battling had increased as well. The hundred that we had faced now had to be two or three thousand. This was why we hadn’t been approached when we first entered the woods they were putting a large enough force together.

"Thurn, we need to retreat to a better position," I said as I fought my way to his side. "The numbers are just too great we must have lost a third of our men already."

"Aye, the fault is mine. I’m sorry about this Cyrena. I should have held my temper for a while," he said as he paused for a moment.

"There is no fault," I said as I slid my long blade deep in the belly of an Elf that appeared before us. "You were just a second quicker than I."

"And I was about five seconds behind Michael. Start falling back to the horses," Thurn shouted. "Lets see if we can give Cyrena some cover to get out of here."

"I am not going anywhere," I said firmly.

"Look, me and my men have a chance getting out of these woods without you. With you we’re as fucked, as are you," he said bluntly.

"Fall back to the horses," I shouted I looked over and saw Tara working on Mellina, Michael and Millandra were guarding them.

"Michael, we need to get her to the horses," I shouted and he nodded and began arguing with Tara. I ran across avoiding the bodies of the dead and wounded to find what the problem was.

"If we move her she will die" Tara protested blood on her hands and tears in her eyes.

"She is dead if we don’t move her, as we all will be," I said looking down at the pale face of the old lady.

"Listen child, go save your people and mine. I am dying and not before time some might say," Mellina said weakly. "Now go, please!"

"Farewell, mother," Millandra said weeping. Mellina nodded and with that her daughter turned and started towards the horses without a look back, dragging Tara with her.

"I failed you," Michael said also weeping. "I can’t leave you here to them."

"Michael, you have a long life to try and live, I am old and my time is here. Go now," she said gently.

"NO," Michael screamed, the swing of his sword removing the arm of an opponent before burying itself deeply in the elf’s side.

"Make him leave me, please," she implored me.

"I will, Lady of The Forest," I told her. "Michael to your horse now."

"But…" he said.

"To your horse now, Horse Master," I shouted. He paused a second and turned to Mellina.

"Goodbye, My Lady," he said with a salute of his sword.

"I will see you in a hundred and fifty years, Michael of the horses. Any sooner and you will disappoint me," Mellina said and closed her eyes.

"Come on now," I urged him. "When we are clear, the Dwarves will retreat to the forest."

We ran to our mounts. I could only see about twenty of my men mounted some of them injured. Tara and Millandra were there and with a last look towards Thurn who waved us off we were gone.

Galloping through the trees was a dangerous business added to by the fact that arrows seemed to be coming from nowhere.

"They have got behind us," Michael shouted.

"We have to try and get around them," I shouted. "If we head left for a while, then turn back on track we might get around them."

We headed to the left and the arrows ceased, up ahead the trees were thinning. We broke into the clearing and suddenly we were faced by a large group of elves, possibly four or five hundred. We pulled up the horses.

"Drop your weapons or die now." one of them shouted.

I looked around others were coming out of the forest around the edges of the clearing. We were surrounded in the open.

"What do we do? " Michael asked.

"We fight," I said drawing my sword again.

"Good," Michael replied "Lets take a few of the bastards with us."

"Lets take out that loud mouthed one first," I said pointing at the Elf who had spoken.

Suddenly there was a whoosh of air and for a moment a shadow passed over us. Then Yedda’s huge form landed between the elves and us.

"You remember me don’t you? Your parents must have told you the stories of the Red Death to scare you at night. Well guess what, you sick fucks, I’m back." She shouted and a blast of flame left her striking the thickest mass of the Elfin force.

"Protect her rear," I shouted as they started to attack her from the side. I saw Millandra and Tara ride in, blades drawn and I followed Michael.

"You just never learn do you?" Yedda screamed at them. I saw her pick up an elf approaching her with a sword and squeeze. The limp bloody corpse was thrown at a group of them hanging back followed by another blast of flame. I have never seen anything like it, as the heat hit the group of armed elves I could see their skin blacken, crisp and burn away. When it stopped there was no twitching or screaming just blackened corpses with the bone visible where the flesh had been burned away.

She turned her attention to the few we were attacking either side of her and they fled into the forest.

"Thurn was defending our retreat," I shouted. "Go and help him."

"I will, you run for the border. They won’t bother you, its me they seek now," Yedda said rising on her rear legs.

"The Red Death is back and I am coming for all of you," she shouted in a deafening roar causing my mount to back away.

"Go on," she shouted to us. "Move it!"

We turned right and headed to the border again. Behind us, the roar of Yedda flaming again could be heard.

"Where are you? Aren’t you the cheeky little twat?" she shouted and there was an agonising scream of pain, which was suddenly cut short.

"Come on who’s next?" she shouted. "Thurn where are you?"

The sounds from her grew more indistinct as the distance between us grew and eventually after half an hour hard riding we came to the edge of the trees. We stopped a couple of hundred yards from the trees. I looked around I had nineteen men, Michael, Tara and Millandra left. About a third of these men were hurt.

"What do we do now?" Tara asked.

"We wait here until the dwarves get here. Can you see what you can do for the injured?" I asked her.

"Yes." she said dismounting. Michael was trotting back up towards the edge of the trees.

"Michael back here, please," I shouted and he looked at me for a moment then reluctantly wheeled his horse around and came back.

"I should have stayed with her," He said bitterly as he returned.

"She was dying, your death would achieve nothing," Millandra said, her grief hidden for the moment.

"But I was to protect her, I failed. You can see in a man’s eyes when he is going to kill, they can’t hide it. With that bastard there was nothing at all, his eyes were cold and expressionless as he stabbed her. He had no emotions about it," he said.

"Michael, you could have done no more," I told him. "The odds were just too great. More important is the fact that you have to pull yourself together, because you have a lot more you need to get ready to do! We have twenty-two souls that need to be protected until we return to Des Moines. Now, buck up!"

The words offered him little, if any, comfort, but he composed himself and started to establish a perimeter. Occasionally a roar from Yedda could be heard and smoke was drifting over the trees, we waited. It must have been an hour before the first of the dwarves appeared. Some were helping our wounded, dwarf and man. Others were physically carrying the injured. As they appeared Tara and Millandra between them organised treatment for the wounded.

Finally after an hour of the Dwarves trickling out of the forest a large group appeared with Thurn leading them.

"That is everyone who was still alive," he said looking angry. "Only Yedda’s intervention allowed us to get out the wounded."

"What of Mellina?" Michael demanded.

"She was dead by the time we could move." Thurn said to him.

"No," Michael said. "She was still alive when we left. The wound was bad but she shouldn’t have died so quickly."

"She was gone, Michael, and looked peaceful," Thurn said to him.

"How many did you lose?" I asked.

"One hundred and twenty seven" Thurn said "and you?"

"Seventeen, it would have been twenty three, but for the wounded you brought." I told him.

"That is due to, Yedda, I would have left them if it meant saving the greater number. But she gave us the time," he explained. "I hope she is OK."

We waited for another hour before we caught sight of Yedda flying low over the trees. She carried something in her forelegs. As she got closer I could see it was a body and when she landed we all saw it was Mellina.

"I buried your fallen within the forest," she said to Thurn and me. "I know you have very little ceremony as to where a fallen comrade is placed. With Millandra here it is up to the family where and how they are buried."

"It is fitting that she is buried here so near the forests that she wished to return to," Millandra said.

"What if we bury her within those forests," I said looking at the trees only a few hundred yards away.

"It would not be safe, the risks to all would be too great" Millandra said.

"The Lady will be buried in the woods she longed to see," Michael said firmly.

"Yes," Thurn said. "Let the bastards try again and she will have an honour guard to see her through to the next life."

"She is the Lady of The Forest and will be buried in the forest if that would be her wish," Yedda said, "but I will check the area first."

She gently laid Mellina’s body on the ground and then took off sweeping low over the trees. After a few minutes she returned.

"It is safe there for the moment, but that will not be so for long," Yedda admitted.

Michael carried the form of Millandra into the trees, Thurn detailed some of his men to keep watch deeper in the woods and under the trees about fifty yards from the forest edge we gathered. Yedda easily dug a hole deep enough for the body and with no words she was laid in the hole. Michael and I saluted with our swords. Thurn bowed his head and for some reason removed his helm.

"Till we meet again in a happier place," Millandra said, and it was done. Yedda covered up the body and we left the forest.

That night, back at the camp was a subdued atmosphere. We lost another four Dwarves and three men due to their wounds on the way back and another two were unlikely to make it through the night.

"Have we just started a war?" I asked Thurn, Millandra and Yedda.

"No, they don’t have the population to successfully pursue a war. But if you cross their borders again, they will not have much mercy," Yedda said. "We have made a rather large dent in their population today."

"No, you did," Thurn said, "and I thank you for my men’s lives."

"And I, mine," I added.

"Look you were too trusting of them that’s all. Trust is never a crime even when misplaced, I just wish the lives hadn’t been lost." Yedda replied sadly. "Those bastards are too sick for civilised treatment, they need to be confined to their woods and never allowed out."

"What was it about?" I asked. "I couldn’t understand the hatred they had for the Drow."

"For minor differences they sentenced a portion of their population to slavery and death. I hope you never do understand why they have that hatred," Yedda said to us.

"What do we do now?" Thurn asked me.

"Would you mind waiting here for a day or possibly two?" Yedda asked.

"After we owe you our lives, anything," I said and Thurn nodded. "Why?"

"I need to see if there are any more to be saved," Yedda replied. "The border here is open now, if there are any to save, I can get them out. Last time I could only save a few, none should be left behind this time."

"You are going to save more of my kin?" Millandra asked.

"If there are any to save, I will Daughter Of The Forest," Yedda answered.

"May I come with you?" Millandra asked.

"The choice is yours, but I will not allow you to dismount. If you come with me you are my responsibility and will obey me," Yedda said putting her nose a few inches from Millandra.

"Singer, to save my kin I will do whatever you ask," she said and with Yedda’s help she mounted.

"If we are not back in two days, leave, but never forget us and what happened today," Yedda shouted.

"How could we forget a dragon who sings and is a friend to magician, Drow, Dwarf and Man," I said to her. "Be careful my friend."

She rose on her haunches and launched herself into the night.

The next morning we buried another man, the last one likely to die was holding on despite his wounds and we waited. We waited in vain.

The second night after Yedda left Thurn, Michael and I sat near the fire a decision had to be made.

"We can’t go in and find her," Thurn said firmly.

"No, but I am not leaving yet, another full day, then the next morning we leave," I said after a few moments thought.

"Yes, she deserves at least one more day," Michael said. It was one of the few things he had said since we buried Mellina.

"That is all we can give her," I said.

The next afternoon a small group of Drow appeared. They were thin, unkempt people with children and a few belongings with them.

"Are you the ones that the dragon said to seek?" a black haired male Drow asked fearfully.

"She is safe?" I asked urgently.

"I know not, Ma’am. She released us and others from the camp, then said no one must be left behind this time" he said with a bow.

"Don’t bow, please," I said. "Michael mount up the men, we are going to the border."

"Come on you bastards, this queen and her men might beat us to a fight," Thurn shouted with a grin.

As we rode with the Dwarves running alongside, more and more Drow could be seen. Men women and children, some of them were blond haired others dark, some bore the marks of battle. As we saw them, we gave them the directions to the camp, the women and children headed towards the camp while the men joined us. We must have had a force of three or four thousand by the time the forest came into view. A few hundred yards from the edge our force gathered, some of the Drow had bows and a few had knives. Those with nothing fashioned staffs and pikes with the help of the Dwarven axes.

More and more Drow emerged and joined us. None knew anything of Yedda except she was behind them. They all spoke of troops following them.

"Michael do you think you can organise these Drow into some sort of force?" I asked as I looked at the determined faces that just a short time ago had been running for their lives.

"Yes, I can do something with them, they are willing to fight at least," Michael said nodding. "Yes these will make a force to be reckoned."

A large mass of Drow broke through the forest edge, elderly, children and the injured formed the majority. Behind them came the sounds of battle and a small group of armed Drow emerged in hand to hand combat with Elves.

"STOP!" I shouted at the top of my voice. To my surprise the fighting stopped almost immediately.

"By what right do you enter my lands?" I demanded.

"We are chasing the filth who dared rebel against us," an elf in finer clothing than most of the others said.

"This is not Elfin land, this is the Kingdom of Des Moines and none may come here without my leave," I said riding closer to them. The refugees seeing their kin ran to join them. The armed Drow took position either side of Michael, Thurn and I.

"I do not ask a human woman for permission to reclaim property," he said arrogantly walking towards us.

"You do not ask me as a human woman, you ask me as Queen of Des Moines" I said.

"How am I to ask you while you are up there on a horse and I am down here?" He asked.

"You just speak a little louder," Thurn suggested.

"You come with rat men, who live in holes in the earth, to our borders and you stop us reclaiming that which is ours. Do you tear up the old treaties?" he asked.

"The old treaties were torn up when we were attacked by your men, while on a diplomatic mission," I said to him. "There will be no more treaties between the Elves and Des Moines. From now on all who care to leave your lands are welcome, all who hunt them on my land will die."

"This is a declaration of war between us girl," he said glairing at me. I drew my sword and placed the tip under his chin. He stood there arrogantly unconcerned.

"If you want war you shall have war and I guarantee that you shall fall first by my hand. We will now show you more honour than you showed us, and allow you to slither back to your lands with your life. Should any of your men return, they will be killed," I told him. Yedda’s form flew overhead and landed nearby. The elf looked at her anxiously, a concern he hadn’t shown with me.

"There are others in the woods, Millandra is with them helping them get out," she said panic in her voice.

"They are to be given safe passage" I said to the Elf.

"Never," he replied glaring at me.

"So be it," I said and slid the blade deep into his neck, he gurgled as his life was cut short. "There are more Drow coming. Help them!"

My force and the Dwarves rushed forward with a roar and Yedda cleared the edge of the forest with flame. She then charged in ahead of the troops leaving me standing there.

"No," Michael blocked me as I started to ride towards the forest.

"Why?" I demanded of him.

"Because you are not needed and in there and you are a prime target, a target that we must not lose!" He said.

"GET THEM OUT, THEN FALL BACK," he shouted loudly while turning around and dashing towards the fray.

The sounds of battle could be heard and a huge group of Drow came out. I could see Millandra with them, my troops then emerged and more Elves came into view. Yedda emerged again and a blast of flame sent the Elves running.

"If anyone of you decides to come out I will kill you slowly," Yedda roared.

"Start moving them back to the camp," I shouted to Millandra and she nodded.

"What now, Your Highness?" Thurn asked.

"Are they still there, Yedda?" I asked.

"Yes they are there. Possibly two or three thousand" she said.

"The border between us is now closed. Any violation of our borders and your homes and families will find out how the Red Death got her name," I shouted at the woods.

"This isn’t over human," came a shout back. "We will make you and all you love pay for this."

We waited on the border for two hours while the women and children were moved to safety. With no further action on the part of the Elves, we moved out.

Back at the camp I found we had almost seventeen thousand refugees on our hands and all of them hungry.

"Yedda, head back to Warrington. Tell Thomas we need supplies, lots of them and bring what you can back," I said to her.

"I will be back soon," she promised.

Our food supplies were split amongst the children and sick. We went without. When Yedda returned these new supplies were split between the Drow again. Three times she made the trip to Warrington and only exhaustion stopped her making a fourth trip.

We all started moving the next morning. All were hungry and all were tired, but all as friends sharing the hardship. On the third day of the march towards Warrington we met the first of the wagons bringing supplies and we all ate.

That night, as Yedda taught a new people her songs, Millandra came up to me.

"You have eight thousand men willing to fight for you," she said. "But what will my people do then?"

"There are many forests in my kingdom that have no use except for lumber," I told her. "I can not give them a kingdom of their own, but I can at least give them somewhere to live."

"You would do that?" she said shocked.

"They will come under the authority of an Archduke, but that will be minimal interference. They will have the same freedoms as all others in the Kingdom. The freedom to travel, trade and live happy lives," I explained.

"For this, Your Highness, my people will be forever in your debt," she said bowing.

"There is no need for all that," I told her.

"I bestow honours where I choose because the choice is mine alone, as have been all choices since The Singer rescued us. You though have just offered us a home," she replied.

"How did you get so many out?" I asked her.

"They were keeping them in camps where they were allowed out to work under guard. With them being kept together we managed to break them out in large numbers," Millandra explained.

"Some good has come out of Mellina’s loss," Michael said.

"Oh yes, these people are now free and if nothing else they can die free" I said as we walked towards the singing.

We joined the revelry. These were a people who had just fled their homes, been chased by troops and marched without food for days. With all that they had been through they were still grateful, singing and joyful. They were above all proud. As I walked through them they parted for me and I could see Man, Dwarf and Drow, laughing and enjoying each other’s company and Yedda at the centre of all. The most disconcerting thing I was finding was the insistence of all the Drow to bow. This was something that I had never really encountered; even my father had only received such treatment on official occasions. Now I was receiving this treatment from Men and Dwarves as well.

"What’s going on?" I asked Thurn who seemed to be enjoying my discomfort.

"Well you made all the difference as to how many escaped. I believe that there would not be more than five thousand here without your intervention. You also put your men and your kingdom on the line for these people," He said to me.

"So what?" I asked still confused.

"You have shown yourself to be a leader as well as the warrior. You have the Dwarves and myself at your command." He stood up bowed and offered me his axe.

"I receive your men and your axe with pleasure, Thurn. May you always advise me as you see fit," I said to him. This was a serious business for a dwarf. The formality of the actions showed how serious Thurn took it, a Dwarf takes tradition very serious.

"I will, Cyrena," Thurn said sitting down again after receiving his axe back.

"What the hell is this, Thurn? All I did was what needed to be done, nothing special," I said to him.

"Exactly, you did it, no pissing around or negotiating while people died. You made your choice as a leader of your people," he told me.

"I did nothing valiant, Michael wouldn’t let me go into the trees to fight," I protested.

"Look, you showed your skill and valour on the field at Berlin. It is all your men have been talking about since we met. Many men are brave on the field of battle, but are not leaders, you have now shown you are a Queen as well as a warrior," he replied. "I will give you one piece of advice, though. In battle, with the number of men we are talking about, do not get involved in the fighting. Stay back and watch the battle, analyse what is going on. If you get too close to the action you will not see what is happening."

"I understand, though the thought of letting my men fight while I stand back seems wrong," I admitted.

"And while it feels wrong, you will never risk your men needlessly," he said happily. "Now eat, drink and sing."

I did, though I worried that these people were elevating me to something I was not. I wanted someone to talk to and I had no one. Even Tara was busy helping with the injured, something I would not take her away from. I wandered off from the merriment towards the tents and I could hear someone following me. I turned around and found Michael there behind me.

"Following me are you Michael?" I asked.

"Yes I don’t intend to let anything happen to you, Ma’am," he said firmly.

"Please don’t you start," I said to him. "Everyone is busy bowing to me, giving me their men and their axes. I did nothing."

"But you did! You took control of the situation when no one else did. More than that, Men, Dwarves and Drow listened to you. As I said, a lifetime ago it seems, you have your fathers way with people. Though the fates have stopped you being the King, I said you would be, you are a Queen like no other has been before you," Michael replied.

"I am scared, this is an awesome responsibility," I said to him.

"Good! You should be scared, not for your own safety, but for all that you are responsible for. That fear should make you careful about the decisions you make; the fear will make you consider every action. But Cyrena," he said and I looked up at him.

"Yes," I said.

"Never ever fear asking for advice, you need not take it, but it is always useful," he said to me.

"My father said to always listen to Michael’s advice on a battlefield. I think he was right and wrong," I said to Michael taking his hands with mine. "I think he was wrong to limit your advice to the battle. I miss him now most of all, when he is needed most."

Tears were running down my face, it was the first time I had let myself grieve for his death. I found Michael putting his huge arms around me and rather than being repulsed by this action I found it comforting.

"Your father was needed most with his son, through those years he loved and taught you, he has made you ready for this. With this the best part of him is still here, that which made you who you are. Though I miss my friend too," He admitted and held me for a long time as I cried. Eventually I stopped crying and looked up at Michael I could see tears in his eyes too.

"I cry for a friend who I knew as a child, who I have lost, and for a new friend I knew for but a short time. There is no shame in it," he said, wiping his eyes.

"No, I just wanted to say, ‘Thank you’ for sharing my tears," I told him and hugged him tightly for a moment, a pretty pointless action with both of us wearing armour, but the sentiment was understood.

"Anything you wish to talk to me about please do so at anytime," he said returning the hug and after we wiped our eyes, we returned to the crowd.

I sat there in a place, reserved for me by Millandra, looking at the antics of Yedda in entertaining the crowd. I looked around and saw a large number of other fires sending sparks into the darkness, their glow were lighting up the faces around them. My men and the Dwarves were mingling with all, as was Tara, who was being overwhelmed by the calls on her talents. I kept quiet and in the background not willing to thrust myself into the limelight. Eventually I escaped to my tent and lay there listening to Yedda’s songs. They had dropped in tempo and intensity from the ones she sang earlier and now were more to my taste.

"There’s forty shillings on the drum.

For those who’ll volunteer to come.

Enlist and fight the foe today,

Over the hills and far away.

O’er the hills and o’er the main,

through Flanders, Portugal and Spain,

King George commands and we obey,

Over the hills and far away."

As I lay there I though I would have to ask her how she knew so many songs and how come she had a song about my father, I had never heard of. Where was Portugal? I fell asleep to these musings only waking momentarily as Tara returned.

The journey back to Warrington was a week long event in total, the horses, having been ridden hard on the way out, were in need of the slower pace set by the refugees. I tried to let my mount be used by the Drow in need but Millandra and Thurn had major disagreements with me about it. I had a place to maintain in the scheme of things and me walking didn’t fit that scheme. Michael looked on amused at this, though said nothing. So I rode with a child on the horse with me most of the time alternating with whichever child looked most in need of a rest. Strangely it made a big impact with the Drow, who seemed to get even more deferential with me. Yedda had ferried a large number of the sick, wounded and elderly ahead to Warrington and while she walked with us she had a large number of children on her back.

Yedda’s shouts of, "Not the ears. Please not the ears," were often heard echoing through the land while we walked.

"Why do you do this for us?" One woman with a young child asked, as she walked alongside the horse where I had her other child.

"Because it is the right thing to do," I told her.

"You do not consider us evil, perversions of gods plan or filthy animals?" she asked.

"No I consider you people, like me," I said with a smile.

"But you are of Royal Blood, saved from death by Shakwell and come with Yedda to save us," she replied.

"But beyond all that, I am young even by human years, little more than a child. I am royal by birth, which means that my duty and responsibilities are laid out before me, also my fate. No King in the last seven generations has lived to an old age. But above all I am a person." I explained to her.

"Well then, why don’t you take control of your life? My kin Millandra said they have a saying. The choice is mine alone as have all been since the coming of The Singer and the start of our exile. Why do you not make the choices in your life?" She asked.

"My life seems to be guided by another, my destiny seems to be planned out for me," I told her.

"Your destiny may be fixed for you by another, but how you live your life, what you make of it and how you savour each moment is up to you. If you do not, then what do you get out of life? It is a life wasted wishing things were different… I am sorry I shouldn’t say such things." she apologised quickly.

"Yes, you should say such things, as they are what you think," I told her quickly.

She was unwilling to speak after this and what little conversation we had was monosyllabic with lots of honorific titles. I moved over to walk alongside Yedda, hoping for some conversation from her.

"Yedda how come you know so many songs?" I asked her.

"My job before I was like this, involved the use of song to convince people to buy things they didn’t want and probably didn’t need," she replied.

"What?" I said totally confused by her response.

"Yes it sounds totally ridiculous as we walk here, but I assure you I made lots of money at it. But it meant a lot of listening to music, which I always liked," she told me.

"But how do you remember so many?" I asked her.

"Oh I don’t know. I think it is something to do with how a Dragons brain is designed. I think it was designed for a lot more information and longer use than a human brain. I can remember things that happened hundreds of years ago," she started humming as she walked.

"What of the one the other night with my father mentioned?" I asked.

"Your father, I never knew your father and I don’t think I know any songs about him," Yedda replied sounding slightly amused.

"King George commands and I obey. Over the hills and far away," I sang gently.

"You have a good voice," Yedda nodded in approval. "That song was a song from over two hundred years before the time of Silvinas. It was a soldiers song in a war that involved many countries against one man, Napoleon."

"Was he evil?" I asked.

"Probably not, his beliefs of what was right for the people went against what the ruling families believed at the time and his methods brought too much death. But a lot of his ideas had to be brought into affect after his death. He was finally stopped by bad luck and a multi national force." Yedda said

"What was his bad luck?" I asked.

"The weather was against him and he let the ground dry before beginning the battle. That gave his opponent’s reinforcements time to arrive and all was lost, many men died that day," Yedda replied.

"Can I learn anything from that battle?" I asked her.

"Most of the battle involved the use of cannon and guns, neither of which work here. Silvinas had made this place as his own fantasy world and gunpowder doesn’t work. There are a few weapons that might give you a few advantages, when we get back I will talk to the Dwarves. I also think we need to rearrange your command structure, as you are working with a force a lot larger than anything you have had before."

"Thurn has already said that I should not get involved in the fighting, that I should hang back and observe," I admitted.

"Yes, that is sound advice, but we will be involved at the end I think," she replied wistfully.

"You worry about Silvinas?" I asked her.

"Yes and never underestimate what that man can do. He could wipe us out with a word before we get near to him, if we are not careful." she admitted.

"But when Shakwell faced him, they didn’t notice anything that happened around them," I told her.

"Then we will use that," Yedda said firmly.

Outside Warrington, a large tent city had appeared. As we approached I could see a reception committee waiting for us. I moved to the front of the column of men with Thurn and Millandra and was greeted by Kimberly and a group of important people from the city.

"Welcome all as friends to the City of Warrington," Kimberly shouted. "My husband has left to go to war so he can not be here now, but I offer you all the hospitality of the city. Bring your sick, wounded and elderly into the city and we shall care for them. For the rest of you, all we can offer for the moment, are tents, food and drink."

"On behalf of my people, I thank you, though we will not impose for long as we have been offered a home of our own," Millandra replied.

"Do not leave too soon, gather your strength and rest first," Kim said with a smile. "I was sorry to hear of the loss of your mother."

"My mother made her choice as did I. Her passing will be mourned, but her life celebrated," Millandra said to her. "Our way is that death comes to all and is not an enemy to be fought but a transition in life. The loss of her will be a temporary thing until I, too, join her. The life that she led though, is a thing for rejoicing."

"I will miss her," Michael said from beside Thurn.

"As will she, you, Michael, for she liked you. You have the manner of my father who she has gone to join now," Millandra said with a sad smile. "She will be waiting for you and mother will not be happy if you arrive early."

"I will try not to upset The Lady," Michael replied.

Kim wanted to make sure all of her guests were happy and accommodated for in the tents. The businessmen who were with her made arrangements for food, drink, blankets and clothing. Eventually satisfied with the arrangements and with most of the Dwarves and men electing to stay with the Drow, we made our way into the city. Tara had been convinced to leave her medical duties with the arrival of some of the physicians from Warrington. She needed to leave them for awhile, as she was pale with exhaustion.

In the safety of her home, Kimberly let the emotions break through for a moment.

"What of the Elves? Are we at war? Should I expect an attack?" she asked urgently.

"No, I have talked to Yedda about this," Thurn said quickly. "It is not their way, an open attack. Expect treachery and evil deeds, but that will be against Cyrena here. I will send one of my men back to our lands; some of the elders were upset about being left behind. They will be greybeards, too old to travel across the Kingdom to fight a war, but more than a match for a few elves in a battle in a city, if it comes."

"What of your homes and families," Kim asked concerned.

"I pity the Man, Elf or Dwarf who tries to attack my mother’s home or who faces my wife. We leave them at home for two reasons when we come to war. Firstly, how can we enjoy a battle with a wife complaining about the blood on the clothing and what do we think we are doing out there? Secondly, and more importantly not even we are that cruel as to let our womenfolk loose on an unsuspecting enemy," Thurn said with a smile.

"Are you sure, Thurn," I asked. "I was intending to send some forces here."

"My father and even my grandfather would be most upset if they knew they had a chance for battle and I had not accepted. They may not be as swift on foot as they used to be, but they can still fight," Thurn said looking at Kim.

"I would be honoured to have their help in the defence of the city left in my care," Kim said to him.

"Even with an Elfin hoard to fight it will be a holiday for them," Thurn said with a bow.

We retired to bathe before we ate, which was much needed after the length of time we had been on horseback. Tara accompanied me in silence for a while then she seemed to have decided something.

"You need to dress properly tonight, the Drow have no worries about a female warrior. But if you are to be a leader for them, you will have to show them you can be a woman as well as a warrior," she said suddenly.

"What do you mean?" I demanded suspiciously.

"These people will accept you as a leader, warrior and a Queen, but you need to show them that you are a Queen as well as the warrior," Tara explained.

"What does that mean?" I asked again.

"You are going to have to dress like a Queen and act like a Queen."

"But there has to be another way," I protested.

"No, now is the time for you to be what you now are. It is a necessity at this time. It is also your duty to your people," she sounded very serious as she said this.

"Isn’t there any other way?" I asked with less conviction.

"No, now bathe and then I’ll come and help you," she said then hugged me tight. "Don’t worry you’ll look beautiful."

"Oh thank you," I replied with little enthusiasm.

I stripped off the clothes again and in one respect I was glad to be here; toiletry arrangements in this body, while travelling, were not fun. Most of the time I tried to hold on until we made camp, but that wasn’t always possible. More than once I had been glad of Tara’s help and advice. She seemed able to treat all the problems I faced without embarrassment and was quite willing to talk about things that as a man you wouldn’t discuss with anyone. I lay in the water wondering what plans she had for me.

"Come on hurry up," came a voice not Tara’s and I looked up to find Kimberly there.

"What happened to Tara? Why are you here Aunty?" I asked trying to make my hands and one small cloth cover all.

"Tara needs time for herself She has been running herself ragged with the wounded. So I will be helping you," she said standing there. "Oh, stop it. You have nothing to hide and even before this I have seen you naked many times."

"But, Aunty," I protested.

"Look, call me Kim as you are Queen now. I do not need to remind you of the basics of your position do I? You are responsible for your people and it is your duty to do what is necessary for the people you are responsible for. To that end you may be required to give your life on the field of battle or order a man killed. People expect things of royalty and to that end, appearances and the accoutrements are necessary. Tonight here you have to appear as a leader of your people, but unfortunately for you that now means dressing to your form," She said repeating some of the lectures that I had grown up with off my father.

"I know it’s just…" I couldn’t say any more.

"I know," Kim said gently. "I’ll help you all I can, as will Tara. This isn’t just an exercise in humiliating you. This is necessary. You remember Elizabeth’s mother and father and they were by no means the worst people I have met. Though I must admit they were unpleasant. You have to show all that you are a Queen fit to rule, fit to lead and fit for the social niceties."

"Yes I understand," I replied weakly, my throat suddenly dry and my heart racing.

"Good, now get out of that bath and lets get you looking like a Queen," she announced.

I stood up flushing with embarrassment. Kim wrapped a towel around me as if I was a child and as I stepped out of the bath she placed an arm around me and led me over to the bed. She started rubbing me dry as I sat on the edge of the bed.

"Don’t worry about it, you will be a beautiful young woman," she said hugging me.

"I know. It’s just that it seems too strange," I said to her trying not to cry.

"I know, but this is all part of your responsibilities and duties, as much as the war that we face is. You are asking men, dwarves and drow to die for you this is the least you can do for them," Kim said firmly.

"Yes," I replied. This was just another role I had to play and these were just accessories for the role.

Kim started arranging clothes as I finished drying.; I disliked what I was seeing, but had little choice in the matter.

"Slip on your panties you’ll feel a little less exposed," Kim suggested as I sat there with the towel wrapped around me.

I picked them up. Unlike the all covering things I had been wearing, these were flimsy things in white, made mostly out of lace.

"What are these?" I asked holding them up between a thumb and forefinger.

"That is underwear, dear, unlike what you have been wearing, which I think was picked to offer the most protection for your virtue. Who picked it out for you?" Kim asked.

"Gwinn"

"That explains it then, she was protecting your virginity," she replied laughing.

"Protecting my virginity," I said stunned, "against what?"

"Look, as a married woman for many years, I can tell you enjoyment can be had with that body and I would be surprised if you haven’t found some of that out."

"No I haven’t," I protested.

"Oh, I would have thought that would be one of the first things you’d try," Kim said sounding surprised.

"No, all I wanted was to die," I told her honestly, "then I came out on this search for allies."

"Oh, well get those panties on anyway," Kim said swiftly changing the subject.

I slipped them on as I had little else to cover myself. Even for that task, they were almost inadequate. They concealed little at the front and at the rear they only covered half of my bum. When I tried to pull them up higher I was in danger of doing myself an injury. The last thing was that the lace itched against my skin.

"Right, lets give you some shape," Kim announced.

"What do you mean, shape?" I asked.

"Well dear, you are a very beautiful young woman, but a little help won’t go amiss. You know, give nature a hand," she said with a smile, then seeing I was none the wiser added, "think of it as armour for social occasions. Stand up for me."

I did and she wrapped a garment around my middle. My breasts were cupped by it and were forced up uncomfortably. With everything in position, she started tightening it at the back.

"I don’t think this fits," I protested.

"It will when I get it tight enough," she assured me heaving on the laces.

"I can hardly take a breath," I moaned.

"Listen, you don’t need much help, you should see what I have to go through to get ready. That will do you for now." she announced.

I looked down and saw that the modest breasts I had, now looked at least three times their original size and I had a cleavage. Breathing was possible, but I doubted if I would be able to eat much. Again the lace on the white object was itching, but this time my breasts were at the mercy of the garment. It was quite distracting because my nipples were reacting and it wasn’t totally unpleasant.

"You, my dear, are going to have to do something about this hair before you do this again," Kim said looking at me.

"What do you mean," I asked putting a hand up to my head.

"No silly, your legs and your armpits" she said laughing "I don’t think you are exactly hairy, but it will need doing."

"I don’t know how?" I said, wondering how I could use a straight razor on my legs and under my arms without major blood loss.

"Don’t worry I will get Tara to help you and show you," she said kindly.

She made me sit down and helped me carefully put on some white silk stockings. These were held up by garters on each leg. I must admit they were not as unpleasant as most of the clothing had been so far. An underskirt was placed around my waist as I was told it would give the dress shape. Then the yellow garment was produced that would cover me in public. With it on, my bottom half was hidden almost down to the floor, my top half though was a different matter. My breasts were covered to possibly an inch above my nipples leaving a large expanse of breast and cleavage on display. The same was true at the back; the sleeves were mere ornaments resting just at the edge of my shoulders. Before I had chance to object and say I wasn’t going anywhere like this, Kim started trying to rip my hair out of my head.

"Ow, that hurts," I complained to her as she forced a brush through my wet hair.

"It’s self inflicted," she told me with little sympathy, "have you even brushed this since you left here?"

"Yes…on occasions," I admitted quietly. "We had rather a lot going on at the time."

"That is no excuse. Now keep quiet and let me try to sort this out," I was told firmly.

After my hair done to her satisfaction, she started applying various compounds to my face, much as Tara had last time we were here, but more so. Then came a necklace. Finally, a pair of yellow shoes, little more than cloth slippers, were put on my feet.

"I think that is about it. Just a bit of perfume and you are ready to face the world," Kim announced.

"I feel stupid and I must look ridiculous," I said to her.

"Let me assure you, Cyrena, however you may feel you, don’t look ridiculous. You look stunning," Kim replied gently.

I was led carefully across to a mirror and I gasped. The girl who I had become accustom to being had gone. In her place now stood a woman of stunning beauty.

"What have you done?" I asked her.

"You approve?"

"I think so, I just can’t believe that’s me," I admitted to her.

"It is. I have just enhanced what’s there for you, brought it out more," she said kindly. "You are going to turn a few heads."

After Kim ran off to get ready, I tried to get use to simple things like sitting in the dress I was wearing. I felt vulnerable and exposed despite the fact that all was covered and I have to be honest that the thought of battle scared me less. Tara arrived in a blue dress of a similar design, if anything looking less comfortable than me, as she tried to pull up the front of her dress to cover a little more.

"I have spent most of my adult life avoiding getting dressed up like this," she said as she fiddled with the dress at her shoulders.

"I thought all women were supposed to enjoy getting dressed up," I told her.

"Like hell they do. Having your body shoved in a corset to make it a shape it isn’t designed to be and then put on display like a piece of meat isn’t fun. It’s probably why you didn’t realise I was Malick’s daughter; I have never been at any official functions," Tara said raising a skirt to adjust a stocking.

"Well then we shall share our discomfort and embarrassment," I told her with a smile.

"that we will," she said with an answering grin. "Now remember this is a field of battle you enter here. Those who you know, are the only allies you have and beware the mother who is with a son. If you pay her and her son attention, all others will be trying to get the same attention and more. If you don’t pay her and her son attention, then it can get nasty"

"I am not interested in anyone’s son except for his ability on the battlefield," I said honestly.

"I know that, they know that, but if they can, they will push you into conceding things that you don’t want to concede. I will be close no matter what as will Kim and Millandra," she replied.

"What, no Thurn and Michael?" I asked half in jest.

"Yes, Kim has had words with them also," Tara announced standing up and brushing her skirts down. "Time for action."

I walked towards the function room with Tara and I could hear the noise and music behind the closed doors. The man on the door looked at Tara who shook her head.

"Take a deep breath and never forget you are above all their petty bickering and power struggles," Tara said gently. I nodded and the doorman opened the door.

"Her Royal Highness, Queen Cyrena of Des Moines," he announced loudly and I walked into the room.

"Your Highness, you look stunning," Michael said on my entry to the room.

"Thank you," I said though my mouth was having problems working.

"Right now we do the introductions, then you can sit down and eat," Kim whispered from my side. "Don’t worry, you will be fine."

I was introduced to all and sundry, including Thurn and Millandra. Thurn to my embarrassment became all-formal with me and kissed my hand. Millandra was all ‘Your Highness’. It was unnerving but I survived.

The meal was slightly easier, as I had Thurn and Millandra there with Tara and I. Michael and Kim took two of the other tables, but as visiting dignitaries to the Kingdom, Thurn had insisted that he and Millandra were seated next to me. I was grateful.

"How are you coping with womanhood, Your Highness?" one woman asked at my table.

"Very well," I said unsure how to answer this question.

"As you can see Her Highness is a most beautiful woman," Thurn said diverting all attention to him and waving a fork around, "as you can see she is happy in her position as Queen and I can assure all here that on the battlefield she was a warrior that none would wish to face and a decisive leader."

"Really?" The same woman replied. "I believed you lost a number of men."

"I realise that a lady such as you probably does not understand the subtleties of warfare, but when outnumbered many times over, the fact of getting away alive is a success. To then assist in the escape of so many and stop the Elves cold at the border is a great victory," Thurn again replied.

"What I want to know is what use are all these refugees and what will we do with them?" her husband asked.

"Have you ever seen a Drow fight?" I asked.

"No," he admitted.

"Well having seen a supposedly beaten and subdued people cut down staffs to face armed warriors, I would not like to face them when they are organised," I said and looked at Millandra. "Though you might hear stories of my exploits the lady here put me to shame."

"And after the war what then?" he asked

"If there is an after, then they are to be made welcome in my Kingdom," I told him.

The meal continued with me picking at my food as the conversation swung this way and that. Between them, Thurn, Tara and to a lesser extent Millandra answered a lot of the more direct questions. I made my opinions clear when it didn’t involve such things as ‘Where did I get my dress’.

Later in the evening, after the food, I worked my way to the people I needed to see. It was little trouble getting the cooperation I needed promised, though it was strange that not one man I talked to, argued any point with me and most had problems looking me in the eye as they talked. Their eyes, the majority of the times, aimed slightly lower than my face.

Dancing I excused myself from, though I did receive a host of offers, including Michael and Thurn. The majority though seemed to be as Tara had suggested: some mother’s favourite son, often cajoled into coming forward by the mother. I was polite with all of them but I could see the resentment on the faces of some of the mothers. As an eligible woman I was supposed to dance with all, though not particularly lingering with any. I had, through my refusal, breached most of the rules of etiquette that formed the basis of life for most of these minor nobles. But I was something that hadn’t been known before, a queen alone, rather than a wife of a king.

I survived though, as I had been told many times we, as a family and I am including my uncles in this, were above the petty bickering. One thing though I did feel the only way to protect myself from this unwanted attention would be either not to be here or to be already spoken for. Kim was safe from the attentions of the hopeful, but I saw Millandra and Tara being approached many times, partly I assume because they were beautiful women, but partly because they were close to me. I could see the hopeful rejected by me trot back to mother, then a few minutes later they would go and be rejected by Tara, then Millandra. None of us were playing by the rules.

By the end of the evening I was exhausted and uncomfortable. As early as possible I made my excuses and escaped. Kim followed me out.

"You did well in there. They weren’t playing fair seeing it was a call to arms," Kim said as she walked beside me.

"They just kept coming. Every time I tried to speak to someone about what troops and equipment they could send, a son was thrust in front of me for my approval," I complained.

"Yes they were, but you now have assurances that most of those sons will be on the field of battle. There they may be of some use, here they are just so much decoration," Kim replied. "Do you need any help getting out of all that?"

"Probably," I admitted.

"You realise that when this crisis is over, you are going to have to start thinking about entertaining these advances. It is your responsibility to provide The Kingdom with a heir," Kim said bringing a chill to my soul.

"We will see to the current affair and attend to the afterwards, later," I answered knowing that, with luck, for me there would be no after.

Kim helped me off with the dress, released me from the grip of the corset and left me to return to her other guests.

As I lay there in the soft bed, unable to sleep in this comfort after getting use to the floor of the tent, thinking. In the end my responsibilities were with my people. I had to do what I could to ensure their safety and well-being and, in theory, that included a successor for the throne. Before I went into battle, I would have to have agreement on the line of succession. My uncles would argue over who had to do the job, each trying to abdicate in favour of another. But if the minor nobles got involved pushing for a certain brother to elevate their own position, we could be talking a bloodbath. When I returned to Des Moines this would have to be settled no matter how much they protested.

I considered Kim’s other comment about the possibilities of enjoyment to be had from this body I had been cursed with. The idea of gaining pleasure from it seemed like admitting acceptance of it, but the idea was tempting. My hand moved up to my left breast teasing the nipple till it responded. The other one responded in kind without my help. I continued my explorations, surprised again and again at the pleasure that I could get from this body and eventually finding that sleep was possible with exhaustion.

The next morning I woke, feeling guilty and sticky from the explorations of the previous night. I cleaned myself up and dressed before anyone arrived. Afterwards I walked out to the stables. Saddling a horse, I made my way through the city, observing the hustle and bustle of the early morning preparations being made by the traders. I purchased some pastries from a stall and passed through the gates with an acknowledgement from the guard into the tent city outside. I headed towards the huge form of Yedda dominating the centre of the camp and dismounted. An eye opened as I walked towards her and she stretched.

"Morning, you’re up a bit early, aren’t you?" she asked.

"Yes," I admitted. "I’ve been missing your company since we gathered all our new comrades"

"A queen wants to talk to little old me. Aren’t I the lucky one," she replied "Sorry, I am never good company till I wake up properly, what I wouldn’t do for coffee, I don’t know."

"Sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb your sleep," I apologised.

"Look, you don’t have to apologise for anything, I’m just a bad tempered bitch in the morning. Be glad I was having a good day when you first met me. What can I do for you?"

"I’m just after company that doesn’t bow and start all the ‘Your Highness’ stuff. I’m hoping for a friend," I told her.

"Pull up a pew," she said and I sat on the ground and leaned against her body as we talked.

"Tara seems to be concerned that I am going to break before we meet Silvinas," I told her.

"It’s a possibility, kid. I personally think you are coping better than I did. But you have a hell of a lot of other problems as well. I wonder if it is going to be a case that you do what you have to and come to terms with what you are later," Yedda answered

"Do you think we will succeed?" I asked her.

"That I don’t know, but I aim to do everything in my power to ensure we do," she replied firmly.

We carried on talking for a while and, I think to be honest, she understood the fact that I didn’t want to talk about anything in particular. It was just her company I was after. She didn’t object and I was still there talking when Michael came searching for me.

"Sorry," he apologised quickly upon seeing me with Yedda. "I was worried about you."

"Don’t be. Take a seat and have a pastry for breakfast," I said to him.

We sat there enjoying each other’s company, watching the morning preparations of the camp. Drow, Dwarf and Man worked together oblivious to the normal distrust between the races. These people had shared a common experience; they had gone hungry together, fought together and died for each other. The differences between them physically were a minor thing compared to the bond that they shared.

My men who had camped here seemed to be slightly uncomfortable by Michael’s and my presence here. The Dwarves were unconcerned, but the Drow were delighted that I was with them.

"Excuse me," a young child, possibly seven or eight years old in human terms, which meant he was older than me in years.

"Yes, what can I do for you?" I asked without rising.

"Are you a real queen?" he asked.

"Am I a real queen?" I asked Michael sitting next to me with a smile.

"That depends," Michael said looking at him with a serious face, "on what you expect from a real queen."

"Well I didn’t think a queen would sit on the ground out here," the boy admitted.

"If that is what you want from a queen, then no, Cyrena here is not a real queen. But if you are after someone who will lead her men into battle, fight Ogres alone to defend Shakwell and to do the right thing no matter how difficult it is, then Cyrena’s the queen you want. Which would you prefer?" Michael asked him.

"The one who fights Ogres," he admitted.

"Well that’s the one you have got," Michael told him. "Alert, lassie, looks like we have a delegation coming to see you," he added impishly.

I looked around and saw that a group of male Drow were approaching, four of them, and they looked very serious. I stood up brushing the dirt from my trousers, as did Michael.

"Gentlemen, what can we do for you?" Michael asked as I looked at the four of them.

"It has been noticed by many people that Her Majesty is lacking a guard," one of them said speaking to Michael rather than me.

"We offer our services to rectify this situation," another one said.

"Well there isn’t much danger here, is there?" I said.

"No, Your Majesty," the first one said with a bow, "we mean as a personal guard for you permanently. Though I realise you may not wish Drow as a guard, we offer ourselves into your service."

I was stuck, by the phrasing of his request. It would seem that if I refused, then I was refusing because they were Drow. If I accepted, then I was stuck with four people following me around everywhere.

"All who wish to serve with Cyrena must swear allegiance to her and be accepted either into the infantry, cavalry or household. This means that they have to impress myself, James the Lance or Henri," Michael told them.

"Well then, how may we impress you?" the first one who spoke asked.

"Would you be willing to show me your skills with a sword?" Michael asked. The Drow replied by drawing his blade with a smile and Michael drew his blade.

It was a demonstration in excellence on both sides. It may have been a test at first, but after the first few minutes, they began to take long pauses, to show each other tricks that they had used. I quickly became involved, as the Drow didn’t rely on strength and some of these moves I could use.

I paired up with one of the other Drow and after a few minutes of walking through the moves, we faced off and saluted each other. He was fast, very fast as was I. Every move he made I countered, every trick he tried I parried and the movements were like lightening, the flash of his blade, the white streak of mine as each tried to gain an advantage. After almost ten minutes of rapid action, I was panting for breath and paused for a second resting against Yedda as the Drow bent over trying to catch his breath. I looked around we had a huge audience and Michael’s demonstration had been forgotten as he and the first Drow stood there watching.

"Ready?" I asked and the Drow straightened up and took a stance. Again we began trying to gain the slightest advantage as the mock combat continued. I didn’t know how much longer I could continue. I noticed though that he was having problems with the heavier blade, his movements not quite as fast and the blade was not quite being held so high. I began a rapid exchange of blows forcing him to defend different areas as far apart as possible. Then as he just got into the rhythm, I switched and pressed an attack to his chest, his tired arm was unable to respond and I had him. As the cheers came from all around I squatted down trying to force breath into my tortured lungs. Eventually I was able to stand again and saluted him with my blade and he replied and with a quick bow. The two of us then leant on Yedda for support.

"Well, Your Highness, it is nice to see you are getting back on form with your swordsmanship," Michael said with a smile. "Another month and you may be back up to your skills you had on the field at Berlin."

He had me at a distinct disadvantage and he knew it. I couldn’t speak. All I could do was make strange gasping noises and gesture with my blade.

"Your Highness, though it is obvious you do not need our skills against any one foe, will you accept our service for the time when you might face many?" The first Drow asked solemnly.

I gasped out a meaningless string of syllables with too many H sounds in it and gestured with my blade towards Michael.

"I gather Her Highness would like to say that she accepts your offer with pleasure and will say that when she can speak again," he answered for me laughing and I nodded.

"Why are the Drow being offered this offer and not the dwarves?" came a voice from the crowd. "They are skilled warriors but then so are we."

"Yes, we demand the right to protect the Warrior Queen also," came another voice and I put my blade away. While I was still recovering, I patted Michael on the back to indicate this was his to sort out and sat on the ground leaning against Yedda again.

"Choose four amongst you who wish to undertake this task and we will choose four men as well on our return to Des Moines," Michael said, looking around at the crowd. "All here fight for Cyrena, be they Drow Dwarf or Man so all shall be charged with her safety. They shall not be known as, the Dwarves who defend the queen or the Drow or the men. They shall be known as the Queen’s guard and that shall be their only duty."

The Drow in their usual quiet manner had decided I needed protection and chose four of their best warriors and they had come to me with agreement from all. The Dwarves though saw this as an honour that they all wanted. The possibilities for violence were brewing as dwarf began to push dwarf in arguments over who was the more skilled. Thurn’s arrival stopped the threat of violence but over three hundred dwarves clamoured for his attention to plead their case.

"Listen! Shut up now or I start cracking skulls," he shouted getting silence.

"Dwarven diplomacy in action," Yedda muttered. "Nearly as tactful as their love play."

"That goes for the mobile furnace as well," Thurn said fixing his gaze on her. "If I can find something big enough to block up your mouth, yes I know it would be difficult, but imagine, would the flames come out the other end?"

"Probably," Yedda replied, "but I guarantee which ever end is flaming you will be close enough to toast."

"Look!" Thurn shouted ignoring Yedda’s reply. "At the end of the day the guard will have to come out of those here, as no other unit is a match for anyone here. But we are going to have to have some form of contest, that doesn’t involve bloodshed. We need everyone in one piece for the war to come"

Suspicious agreement came from the assembled dwarves and discussions began over the best way of deciding who should be offered the honour.

"Well, if you hoped to start moving today then you can forget it" Yedda said to me. "They will spend all day formalising the rules of the competition, all evening at the games and then all night with the losers getting drunk. You should see the fun and games that go with taking the throne, everything stops for weeks."

"I didn’t actually want a guard," I told Yedda.

"Mmm, well in some ways it might crowd your style, but on the whole it is a pretty sensible idea. You pissed off the elves and they are not going to forget it."

"My life is at risk?" I asked her.

"Yes, does it worry you?" she asked.

"No," I said after a moment or two’s thought. "At the end of the day it needed to be done."

"Good," Yedda said firmly, "or you wouldn’t be half the person I think you are."

I watched with interest as the Dwarves decided on the rules for the competition and arguments swung backwards and forwards from how they should be decided through to what competitions and back to who would judge them. When the arguments started about what qualities were most important for those sworn to defend me I turned to Yedda.

"Do you think we will be done by tomorrow?" I asked her.

"Who knows? The only things to drag a dwarf away from a good argument are money, war, death or his wife."

"Maybe we should have invited the wives along?" I suggested.

"Careful there, that’s comes under cruel and unusual punishment," Yedda said firmly. "You would ruin this whole war for them."

"Well, I think we’re in for a long day," I told her as the argument started to get louder again.

 

To be continued…(Only if you're enjoying it, no point carrying on if you don’t like it is there?)

Hypatia

 

 

 

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