“Alright, that's nifty,” Rykar admitted.
“Wait for it and look at me,” Kaidia said, staring directly at Rykar.
“If you say so,” he said as he fixed his eyes on Kaidia's own.
They two stared at one another for several long moments before a blinding light illuminated them both. A lightning bolt had struck the top of the dome and was pulsing against it, likely drawn in by Kaidia. Sorcerous forces, when manifested physically, were known to draw lightning down from storms and even pull fire and water to them. Rykar seemed to recall from his studies at a young age, that mages had initially discovered how to manipulate, imitate, and eventually emulate the elements and incorporate them into their magic, which had taken the simpler form of pure energy beforehand. Many mages of the First Age of Valen were credited with the study and expansion of magic into what it had become. Many more were unknown but had no less influence.
Rykar snapped out of his thoughts when he noticed the electricity arcing down over the dome to the stone of the wall's walkway, blackening it with intense heat. He felt none of the heat within Kaidia's shield. He was enjoying the spectacle and felt at home with his chosen element all around him. After a few moments longer, the bolt subsided, leaving steam to rise up around them and off of Kaidia's shield.
“Ready?” Kai asked with a grin on her face.
“Um... for what?” Rykar asked in response.
“The shield to drop and a foot race to the inn, of course,” Kaidia answered like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Rykar raised a brow, then jumped up as the shield dropped. Both he and Kaidia ran for the guardhouse nearest to them and took the stairs down to the ground several at a time before running back out into the rain and toward the inn, holding their swords still against their hips as they went.
When the two got to the inn, they were soaking wet and out of breath. They shoved into the inn side-by-side and bent over, hands on their knees to catch said breath. Two pairs of booted feet stepped up to them. Looking at the floor as they were, the boots were all Kaidia and Rykar could see. Rykar nudged Kaidia and pointed to those boots.
“Hey... boots,” he said, breath coming easier now.
“I see 'em,” Kai replied, also breathing a bit easier.
“Want to guess who they belong to?” Rykar asked.
“I'm going to say one is Echo. The other might be that blue-haired girl you have inexplicably attracted,” Kaidia answered.
“Inexplicably? Have you seen me? I'm handsome,” Rykar replied with mock indignation.
“I'm not a particularly good judge of male attractiveness. I like girls, remember?” Kaidia responded, glancing over to Rykar as she did.
“You make a valid point, my General. Shall we see if your guesses about the identities of those attached to these pairs of feet are correct?” Rykar asked.
“Might as well,” Kai returned. With that, the two looked up. Kaidia had, indeed, been correct. Echo and Sage were looking down at the soaking wet god and king with raised eyebrows, eyes questioning. Kaidia and Rykar looked back to the floor, then to each other.
“Together, then?” Rykar asked.
“Aye,” Kai answered. Before Echo or Sage could ponder what the hell that meant, Rykar and Kaidia grabbed up Sage and Echo, respectively, eliciting squeaks from the pair of women, and proceeded to carry the two, over their shoulders, toward the stairs.
“We are not sacks of potatoes!” Sage shouted through a fit of laughter.
“Of course not. You're not all lumpy,” Rykar reasoned.
“Exactly. You're just... plump... in all the right places,” Kaidia said, her hand sliding up to squeeze at Echo's bottom, causing the kyrian woman to squeak and squirm about.
“Kaidia!” she shouted, cheeks coloring a dark shade of crimson.
“I am, indeed, surrounded by beautiful callipygian women,” Rykar stated, a pleased smile on his face.
“Calli-what?” Sage asked.
“It means you have a lovely backside, my dear,” Rykar explained.
“Oh. Well, thank you,” Sage replied, a light blush creeping into her cheeks.
“Quite welcome,” Rykar said before mounting the steps, climbing them with Sage over his shoulder. Kaidia followed, carrying Echo in the same fashion. The kyrian's tail flicked back and forth but she held still. Squirming on the steps might cause Kai to drop her and that would be disagreeable. Besides, if she was honest with herself, she enjoyed the attention.
The two pairs of companions split off into their own rooms upon reaching the top floor. While Rykar and Kaidia unlocked their doors, Sage and Echo looked at one another and just shook their heads.
Chapter XII: Meeting the Enemy
It was just a little after midday when Edgar and Malcade walked hurriedly into the inn where Kaidia and Rykar were staying. The pair looked grim, dressed in their armor, swords at their sides as they started up the stairs together. Neither spoke. Both knew just why the other was there. As they reached the top floor, they split apart. Malcade headed to Rykar's door, Edgar to Kaidia's, and both slammed their gauntlet clad fists on the doors of the respective rooms.
“Rykar!”
“Lady Kaidia!”
In her room, Kaidia stirred in her bed. The pounding at her door intruding on the warm, soft black of her sleep. One eye opened slowly and she congratulated herself on thinking to close the curtains to block out the light of day. Echo slept against Kai's back, an arm around the god's waist, bare legs tangled with Kai's own under the sheets, tail draped lazily over Kaidia's thigh. The god smiled softly, then winced faintly at the next bang on the door, not because of the noise itself, but because it had penetrated Echo's sleep and caused the kyrian to reflexively grip, claws sliding out and pricking at the skin of Kai's stomach.
“Echo, dear... claws,” she said softly. Echo grumbled something unintelligible but the claws retracted into her fingers. Kaidia made sure that Echo was covered, as well as herself, then shouted toward the door. “Come in!”
Echo started at the shout, then nestled herself all the tighter to Kai's back as Edgar stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. He got halfway to the bed before stopping in his tracks.
“If... if this is a bad time, my Lady...” he said, trailing off. The pair of concealed, but obviously naked women gave him pause. He also wondered just how inappropriate it was for him to see Kaidia in such a state. Though he reasoned that since she had beckoned him into the room as she was, it must be acceptable.
“Tell me what was so urgent to warrant interrupting my sleep, Edgar,” Kaidia demanded softly, her tone not angry, simply tired.
“The leaders of the approaching army have ridden ahead. Twin Esmera elves. They wish to speak to you and King Rykar. Immediately,” Edgar explained. Kaidia stared at him for a long moment, then sighed and closed her eyes.
“Are these elves guarded now?” she asked.
“Yes, my Lady. By several of your Dragon Guard and several of the Scorpion Company mercenaries,” Edgar answered.
“Good. Thank you. Wait for me down in the lobby. You will be at my side as Rykar and I talk to these twins,” Kai stated.
“Of course, my Lady,” Edgar said, inclining his head respectfully before turning on his heel and marching out of the room, closing the door behind himself once again.
Across the hall, in Rykar's room, Malcade had just finished relaying the same information to a half dressed Rykar and sheet-wrapped Sage.
“Thanks, Mal. I'll meet you downstairs,” Rykar said, still trying to fully awaken. Malcade nodded and walked from the room.
“You be careful,” Sage told Rykar with a concerned look.
“Aw, you care. And we've only known each other a few days,” Rykar teased playfully.
“Yes, well, you made quite the impression,” Sage replied, getting up and starting to get dressed.
“I'm told I have a knack for that,” Rykar said, getting out of the bed as well.
* * *
Kaidia was alr
eady downstairs with Edgar, Malcade, and Echo when Rykar and Sage arrived.
“Morning,” Kai said.
“It's afternoon,” Malcade stated.
“Not to me,” Kaidia retorted. Malcade just shook his head.
“Morning,” Rykar belatedly replied. Malcade rolled his eyes.
“What are you thinking, oh kingly one?” Kai asked.
“They're here to offer the chance to surrender. Unwritten rule of war and all that. They know we're not going to do that so I would also go so far as to say that they're scouting a little bit. See what forces we've managed to gather to fight them,” Rykar expounded.
“I would have to agree,” Kaidia said.
“You two seem rather calm about all this,” Edgar said, glancing between Kaidia and Rykar.
“We're used to formalized war,” Kai explained.
“I suspect much of your work was lone wolf or small group jobs, right?” Rykar asked, eyes on Edgar.
“Yes,” the man replied.
“You'll get used to this, hanging around Kai,” Rykar said with a chuckle.
“I don't make too big of a habit of getting mixed up in wars,” Kai protested lightly.
“You've been involved in every war that's happened in your lifetime,” Rykar argued, a smirk on his lips.
“That's because there's only been two wars in my life and they've both happened in the past half decade,” Kai said, crossing her arms.
“So I'm not wrong,” Rykar stated.
“Shut up,” Kaidia growled.
“There's... only been two wars since the end of the Second Age,” Edgar said, having not quite gotten used to Rykar's sense of humor.
“Hence, Rykar's asinine joke,” Kai muttered.
“I would take offense to that if you actually meant it,” Rykar huffed.
“Who said I didn't mean it?” Kaidia asked.
“Are you two always like this?” Sage asked, a brow raised high.
“Yes,” Malcade stated flatly.
“It just proves that they're family,” Echo said with a shrug.
“Family?” Edgar asked.
“Kyrians act like that all the time with those close to them, whether they are blood or not. It happens in other races to a lesser extent but among kyrians, those you can fight against but also fight alongside without hesitation are considered family,” Echo explained.
“Does that mean I get a hug?” Rykar asked, grinning at Kaidia.
“You want a black eye?” Kaidia asked in return.
“See? Family,” Echo said with a nod and a smile.
“Should we, maybe, go see what these elves want?” Malcade asked.
“I suppose. Keeping them waiting would be rude, after all,” Rykar said.
“They're going to be trying to kill us in a few hours. I don't think being polite is on their minds,” Malcade muttered.
With that, the group made their way out the door, through the city, and out past the camps outside the city walls. In between two farm fields stood a cluster of armed men and women. As Kaidia, Rykar, and the others approached, the group parted to let Kaidia and Rykar into the circle. Echo, Malcade, and Edgar stayed at the edge with everyone else. Glancing around, Kai noticed about half the soldiers were Scorpion mercenaries, the other half, judging by the blue medallions that had been set into their armor, were Dragon Guard. Kai stole a glance at Edgar, noting that his medallion had been made a part of his armor as well. She thought it wise. Having a chain about your neck in the heat of battle wasn't a good idea.
“King Rykar,” one of the elven women spoke, pulling Kai's attention back to the pair.
“Dragon God Kaidia,” the other said. Both elves were nearly Kaidia's height - features delicate and beautiful. Both had lengthy, shimmering gold hair. Both wore their hair pulled back; one in a ponytail and the other in a braid. Their eyes were a sparkling blue and were they not the leaders of an army hell bent on destroying every trace of every other god on Valen, Rykar would have had a hard time keeping his charm in check.
“And who might you two ladies be?” Rykar asked, his tone formal but hard edged.
“Sesaria Lathaniosa,” said the elf with the braid.
“Alyssia Lathaniosa,” answered the one with the ponytail.
The pair was, indeed, twins. Both women were toned and lithe, as elves tended to be. They each wore leather armor that was obviously tailored to their bodies. They matched in almost every way, except the way they wore their hair and the weapons they chose to carry. While both had longbows slung over their shoulders for combat at a distance, they each seemed to differ on what they chose to use in closer quarters. Sesaria wore a short sword strapped to her left hip while Alyssia had a quarterstaff in hand that was capped at each end with metal tips. Judging by the way she was leaning on it now, Rykar assumed she used it as a walking stick when she wasn't cracking skulls with it.
“Well met. Now, what can we do for you?” Rykar asked, tone polite but devoid of any warmth.
“You can surrender. That is what we came for,” Sesaria answered.
“You have to know we won't do that,” Kaidia said, her voice thick with skepticism.
“Ah, well, it's like you humans tend to say, it's the thought that counts,” Alyssia replied without a moment's hesitation.
“If that is all, you can be on your way,” Rykar said, gesturing for the men and women behind the elves to part, giving Sesaria and Alyssia a path to leave.
“Oh? No capturing us? No attempts to kill us?” Alyssia asked, seemingly surprised. Her eyes were glancing behind Rykar, toward the city. She was being inconspicuous about it but both Rykar and Kaidia noticed. They had both been reading people long enough to notice that she was eyeing what sort of troops were going to be defending Silver Lake.
“That would be dishonorable. I have no doubt that one of you will face me in battle soon enough. I'll try to kill you then,” Rykar answered with a smile.
“An honorable human. We will have to bury him with respect, sister,” Sesaria said before turning and walking away, via the path given. Alyssia followed her. Kaidia felt a twinge at the mention of sisterhood and quietly wondered how her own sister was fairing. The god looked to Rykar only to see that he was staring at the elven women as they retreated.
“I don't think burning holes in their asses with your eyes is going to win the war, old friend,” Kai whispered in his ear.
“Says you. I bet I could get them to call the whole thing off with one night in bed with me,” Rykar retorted softly, so only Kaidia could hear.
“They want to kill you,” Kai stated.
“They wouldn't be the first with that lofty ambition to fall prey to my charm,” Rykar boasted, not without a humorous tone.
“Uh huh. Even if you managed, she would kill you afterward,” Kai said, jerking a thumb at Sage. Rykar glanced the metal smith's way and got an affectionate smile for his efforts; a smile he returned with equal sentiment.
“Why must you always kill my dreams?” he asked, eyes turning to Kaidia.
“Because I like you alive,” she answered.
“Sure. Now, they appear to have walked;unless they have horses not far away, of course. I would say they'll be back with their army by morning,” Rykar speculated.
“That's a safe assessment. I'd suggest that we move everyone into position and set up watches just in case they decide to attack before dawn. We don't want to be caught off guard,” Kaidia said.
“An astute suggestion. You are as sagacious as ever. We should gather the leaders and gain everyone's attention. A little speech to raise morale before we send half, if not all, of these people to their deaths,” Rykar said with a bit of a sigh.
“Some people are going to die. That's just how it works,” Kaidia said plainly.
“I know but it's irritating when they're doing it at my order,” Rykar responded.
“That makes you a good leader for the Scorpions and for the people in general now that you're a king,” Kai complimented, giving the ma
n a warm smile.
“Hmph, thanks,” Rykar muttered, then gestured to Malcade. The taller man stepped forward.
“Yes?” he asked.
“Send a couple of scouts out, have them follow the elves and report back. Keep back a safe distance. No sense in them risking capture or death until the actual fight. Have the rest of our soldiers gather at the wall near the main gate into the city,” Rykar instructed. Malcade nodded and walked back to the gathered Scorpions and passed along Rykar's orders.
Kaidia watched two Scorpions sprint off, one man and one woman, dressed in light leather armor that was stamped with the Scorpion Company crest. The god turned her eyes back to Rykar.
“Do you want me to stand by your side for that speech?” she asked.
“Of course. A god standing by my side is a hell of an endorsement,” Rykar answered.
Kaidia nodded and started toward the city, pausing in front of Edgar.
“Have the Guard gather with the Scorpions near the city wall,” she ordered.
“Yes, my Lady,” Edgar replied then went about gathering up the members of the Dragon Guard. Rykar, Kaidia, Sage, Echo, Edgar, Malcade, the Scorpions, and the Guard all started back toward the city, Rykar pondering over his speech in his head.
Chapter XIII: The Eve of Battle
The sun was beginning to lower in the sky by the time all of the troops and commanders of said troops had gathered near the wall, or in the case of their leaders, on the wall with Rykar. There was a general murmur of conversation among the soldiers as they waited, expecting a speech before the battle, as was the custom for pretty much every race when possible.
Rykar stepped up to the edge of the wall, Kaidia by his side. Malcade and Edgar stood just one step behind the king and god. The other leaders of the gathered forces stood several to each side of Rykar and Kaidia, looking out over the gathered army.
The massive crowd of soldiers gathered by the wall, their number so great that they spread out into the camps, and fell silent as Rykar raised his hands to gain their attention. He waited until every murmur within his earshot had fallen silent before he spoke.
Realms of Valen - Blasphemous Crusade (War of the Gods Book 2) Page 16
