The Heart of Trelyssia

by Lisa Chitty

  James sensed their uncertainty and smiled hesitantly at them. ‘Sit down,’ he told them. ‘It’s alright, I’m feeling more human now.’

  As Randall and Steve sat, he came over and joined them, seating himself next to Steve. He knew he needed to talk to them, he could see that both of them were waiting expectantly to hear him out. He took a breath. ‘You’ll probably be quite pleased to hear that I’ve worked my way through my emotions and I’ve been able to grieve for Abi.’ As he said her name, tears once again sprang to his eyes, but instead of stopping them he allowed them to come. ‘I guess I still am.’ He smiled ruefully through the tears.

  Steve smiled back and placed his hand on James’s shoulder. ‘It’s alright mate. We know how you felt about Abi. We’re just glad that you’ve managed to find some peace at last.’ Randall nodded his head in agreement.

  ‘I’ll never forget her, and I believe that I will always love her even though our time together was so short.’ James told his two friends. ‘Whilst I’m determined now to move forwards from this, there’s probably going to be the occasional moment when I’m going to feel a bit overwhelmed.’

  ‘That’s fair enough,’ Randall told him. ‘Neither of us expect you to forget her. I know that I won’t! Always arguing with me!’ Randall shook his head.

  James laughed then, and both Randall and Steve breathed a sigh of relief. To hear him laugh meant so much.

  ‘So,’ Randall went on. ‘How do you feel now?’

  ‘Actually, ‘ James replied. ‘I’m feeling really hungry. Is there any food in here?’

  Both Steve and Randall smiled. This was much more like the James that they knew.

  ‘I’ll go and find something for you.’ Randall got up and left the room.

  Steve turned to James. He still had a shadow of doubt about his friend. ‘Are you sure you’re alright now?’ he queried.

  James looked down at his hands in his lap, and began kneading them together. He had had a feeling that Steve would push him further than Randall about how he actually was. Finally he looked up and faced Steve. ‘To be honest, I’m not entirely sure. No one that I’ve ever loved like this has died before, so I’m not sure how I should be reacting. You’re just going to have to bear with me.

  Steve nodded his head. Whilst James had started the healing process, the veneer over the wound was still very thin. It would take time for it to be completely healed.

  The rest of that day passed gently for the three of them. Everyone was leaving them alone so that they could re establish the bonds of friendship between them. It was almost like old times, as they chatted, and occasionally laughed and joked, but Steve could see that James wasn’t completely with them yet. There were times when he would fall silent, and it was obvious he was thinking of Abi. Strangely enough there were moments in their conversation when a silence would fall, and they would suddenly realise that they were waiting for Abi to fill in the gap. It was going to take time for all of them to get over her death.

  It was almost with regret that James finally stood up and stretched and announced that he was going to bed. He had enjoyed the evening with his friends and it had helped take the edge off his pain. However, he was tired and needed to sleep, so he headed for his room, the one he has shared with Abi.

  ‘James’ Steve called after him. ‘Are you sure that’s where you want to sleep tonight?’ James had confessed to them both that he had been having nightmares, and Steve was worried that if he had them again tonight, it might undo everything that had happened today. ‘We could swap rooms, or you could even sleep in the spare one.’

  James smiled back at Steve. ‘No thanks, mate. I’m going to sleep in here again tonight.’ With that he turned and entered his room, closing the door firmly behind him. He was slightly afraid that nightmares might plague him again tonight, but he had a feeling that he had now banished them. He curled up under the covers and settled himself down, and once more his grief caught him as he placed his hand on the side of the bed where Abi would have slept if she had still been here. He let his tears flow once more, and cried himself gently to sleep. And this time, instead of reliving the last moments of her life, he dreamt of her as she had been in the first few days that he had known her. In the morning he woke feeling refreshed and happier. Another layer of veneer had been added over the wound of his pain.

  * * *

  After the three men had breakfasted they made their way to the council chamber. Although James had been there before with them he hadn’t paid any attention to what had been said and what was going on around him. So the first thing that would have to be done was to bring James up to speed.

  There were several others in the room, besides the three of them, Zaria, Sasket and Brougan. The most trusted and respected of the rebel cause were also included in the discussions. The most important of them all was the Master of Arms, Marldon. As it would be his task to make sure everyone was organised before and on the day of the battle, his input was vital. He saw as the three of them entered, that James was much more aware of everything, and so Marldon decided to start this meeting by reviewing how far they had got with their plans. Everyone took a seat around the table and he stood at the head, waiting for silence so he could begin.

  ‘Firstly, I would like to begin by welcoming James here today,’ Marldon began. ‘I know that you’ve been with us before, but now that you’re more like your old self I’m sure that you will now be able to contribute to our discussions.’

  James reddened slightly, but inclined his head accepting Marldon’s greeting. Steve and Randall had told him how, due to the way the caves echoed, everyone who had been in them had heard him grieving. It was slightly embarrassing to know that everyone had heard him breakdown in his grief over Abi, but there was nothing he could do about it, so he just accepted it.

  Marldon went on. ‘The best way to start today, is a refresher of how far we have got in our planning. As you all know the day of the wedding isn’t far off, so we need to move swiftly. Our first task is to get everyone in the right place. Luckily, the Baron has decided that it will be a day of national celebration to which everyone in the kingdom has been invited. Designated areas outside of the city walls have been set up as camp sites so that people from far and wide can come and celebrate. Our difficulty comes in making sure that the right people are in the right place. Zaria, I believe that you were organising something there.’

  ‘That’s right,’ Zaria agreed. ‘We have had a stroke of good fortune there. One of our spies has been put in charge of organising the sites, and where everyone can pitch their tents. This means that we will be able to control who goes where. As everyone has been invited, and is expected to be present, we can ensure that the old, and the young are right at the back and away from all the action. Our fighting force can all be grouped together towards the front and closest to the city walls, ready to spring into action.’

  ‘But how exactly is that going to happen? Your spy can’t be everywhere at once.’ Randall questioned.

  ‘No, you’re quite right, Randall. However he has introduced a ticket system that designates where everyone can go. He has managed to get that plan through to us, so we will know who needs what ticket, for where they should be.’

  ‘Good going, Zaria,’ Marldon praised her. ‘The most difficult thing we are now trying to work out is weaponry. The Baron isn’t stupid and doesn’t want everyone there fully armed and ready to attack. We have found out that everyone attending will be searched and weaponry confiscated. Sasket, have you managed to find out any more?’

  ‘Yes. I’ve been on a scouting mission, which has been fairly successful. When I arrived at the city I could see that they were marking out the areas where the camp sites will be. Due to the fact that they are expecting so many to attend the areas are vast and that’s what is good for us. Several of them back right into the trees and as a result are not properly fenced off. It would be no problem for us to go through the woods and supply weapons through that route.’ Sasket pause
d before going on. ‘It will take a lot of us but I think that only the most skilled of us should be involved in that part. There are certain to be patrols in those areas which will have to be dodged, or neutralised.’

  ‘That’s good news. I was expecting it to be much harder than that. Now to move on to how we plan to attack.’ Marldon moved away from the table and turned to study a map on the wall. ‘Unfortunately, our cavalry section is going to be next to useless as we are going to have to fight in the streets. However, we have a large and highly skilled segment of infantry so we are going to mostly rely on them.’ Marldon turned back to face everyone. ‘Our first task is to eliminate the sentries. Amongst each group there will be people whose task this is. Their aim is to get this completed by dawn on the day of the wedding. Next, we will need to secure the gates. Zaria, I will need you to make sure that the right people will be stationed in the correct place.’

  Zaria nodded her agreement.

  ‘Once we have secured the gates, that is when our main attack will start. There are four entrances into the city and we need to time it so that all four are stormed at the same time. A signal will be required from each point and only once the fourth and final signal is seen will the attack commence. Then it will be just a case of fighting our way towards the citadel and the Baron.’

  ‘It sound like we’re relying on an awful lot of luck for this to work. I take it the main idea is to kill the Baron?’ James asked.

  ‘Yes. Getting rid of the Baron is the plan, and I know that it must sound like we aren’t totally prepared, but this is the best that we can come up with. Unless of course, you have any other suggestions?’ Marldon gestured to James to take the floor.

  James stood and went to look at the maps before returning to the table and studying the model of the city which stood in the centre. ‘Is the wedding taking place in the Citadel, or somewhere else in the city?’ he asked.

  ‘It will take place in the Great Hall of the Citadel,’ Zaria told him.

  ‘I take it that there are going to be guests to witness the occasion?’

  ‘Yes, but it will be invitation only. Invited nobles from the surrounding towns and people that he completely trusts only. He will also have his main guard with him.’

  James paused thoughtfully. ‘What we need is to be on the inside before the fighting breaks out. If the Baron sees what’s happening in the streets, he’s just going to close down the Citadel and wait until it’s all over, before seeking retribution on the people who started it. At the moment, as I see it, this plan of yours will only fail.’ James turned to Randall and Steve. ‘I’m surprised that the two of you thought it was a good plan!’

  They both looked a little embarrassed before Steve replied. ‘Well to be honest mate, this sort of thing isn’t really my forte. It’s much more your sort of thing, so I guess we’ve just been waiting for you to be able to help us.’ Randall nodded in agreement.

  Silence fell around the table. They had all been working on the plan for some time, and had been fairly confident that it was a good one. However, with what James had just said their confidence was shaken.

  ‘We need to have someone inside, so we can flush the Baron out of his safe place and get him into the centre of the action,’ James went on. ‘Is there any way, apart from the obvious entrances, to get inside?’

  ‘None that we know of,’ Brougan told him. ‘There isn’t much chance of getting anyone new inside either. At this late stage of things only trusted servants will be allowed to be working in the Citadel on the day of the wedding.’

  James was thoughtful and studying the clay model of the Citadel intensely. ‘The Citadel is standing on a mound. Is it hollow, or made of rock?’

  ‘I know what you’re thinking but it’s solid rock,’ Sasket replied. ‘Well, apart from the dungeons that are carved out of the hillock.’

  ‘I didn’t think the Baron kept prisoners,’ Randall queried.

  ‘He does keep quite a few actually. More for amusement purposes than anything else. The dungeons are arranged on many levels. No one’s really sure how deep they go and how many there really are.’ Sasket paused. ‘They could go farther down than we think and below street level.’

  ‘So there could be a possible way in then,’ James pressed Sasket on the issue.

  ‘The possibility is so remote, that we can’t rely on it. We need to have plans that have a realistic chance of succeeding.’

  Marldon decided to interrupt at this point. ‘James, if somehow we could get someone, or even a group of people inside, how were you planning on flushing the Baron out?’

  ‘The simplest way possible,’ James replied. ‘Fire!’

  There were shocked gasps from round the table. Not one of them had thought about setting fire to the Citadel. Even though it was the centre of the Baron’s power, before that, it was where the Royal family had lived and ruled. To destroy it was tantamount to sacrilege.

  ‘You can’t!’ Zaria gasped, the others nodding their agreement. ‘It’s the very centre of our existence.’

  ‘I thought this cave network was,’ James responded.

  ‘It is now, but only because that’s what we’ve been forced to do.’ Zaria was still horrified at the thought of destroying the city.

  ‘At the end of day, it’s just bricks and mortar and can be rebuilt. Or, you can leave it half destroyed, and once you’re back in power it can remain as a symbol of what happens to those who try to usurp it.’ James could still sense the resistance to his idea from everyone in the room, so he turned to his friends for assistance. ‘What do you two think?’ he asked them.

  ‘You really should think about it,’ Randall urged the others sat round the table. ‘The idea is to defeat the Baron and get the throne back. It doesn’t actually matter where that throne is. It could be here as you’ve already got this place established as a power base.’

  Steve broke in. ‘And at the moment people just associate the city with the Baron and everything that goes with his rule. In other words, everything that’s wrong and evil in this place. If it does get destroyed, then you establish a new order here. That you won’t stand for what the Baron represents. It will also send out a clear signal to those who are on his side that the Baron’s rule is over!’

  Marldon was the first to recover from the shock of what James was proposing. ‘How would this plan work if we chose to use it?’

  ‘We would use fire to flush the Baron out. The major problem at the moment is that you’re going to be fighting in narrow and cramped streets. It would be much better if we could get him out in the open. How I see it working is things would start pretty much how you have them outlined, by taking out all the sentries. But then, we torch the Citadel, and gradually, the city so that we chase him out onto our choice of battlefield, where we’ll be waiting to annihilate him!’ James finished with relish.

  ‘Steady on,’ Steve told him. ‘You’re meant to the gentle, quiet one. You usually get me out of scrapes with words, not fighting!’

  James was about to explain himself, but Marldon got there first. ‘We have gone too far for words to have any effect on the situation. James’s plan does have merit.’

  ‘You can’t be serious!’ Zaria protested. ‘You cannot destroy the city, it means too much!’

  ‘It might to you Zaria, who holds on very firmly to the old ways and ideas. But James is right. Most people these days see the city as evil. We’ve already resigned ourselves to human casualties in this battle.’ Here Marldon respectfully inclined his head towards James who had to fight back sudden tears at this reminder of his loss. ‘Why not sacrifice a city as well? It costs us less then sacrificing people. The battle would be more on our terms then, and we might be able to minimise the loss of life.’

  Sasket reached over and took Zaria’s hand. ‘It makes sense. Surely you can see that?’

  Zaria looked round the table. ‘Is everyone here in agreement that torching the city would be our best course of action?’

  Slowly, ever
yone nodded.

  Zaria sighed deeply. ‘Very well, then. Let’s change our plans to this new one, and organise ourselves as thoroughly as we can.’ She turned to James. ‘As we’ve established that we can’t get into the Citadel, how do you propose we do this?’

  James pondered for a moment. ‘Will we have free access to the city, and right up to the Citadel walls?’

  ‘It could be arranged,’ Sasket told him.

  ‘Great! Now, do you have any explosives?’

  ‘I see where you’re going with this,’ Marldon told him. ‘We would probably need a great deal for what you have planned but we should be able to supply your needs.’

  Steve openly laughed and rubbed his hands together in glee. ‘Blowing stuff up, I love it!

  James gave him a quelling look and Steve quickly settled down again. ‘The best way to do this is the night before, place explosives where we need them. Then, if we could create highly flammable areas around the city, we can force the Baron to take the path we want through the city and come onto the battle ground where we want him to. The safest way we’re going to have to set the explosives off is to have people in the city. Is that going to be possible?’

  Sasket nodded.

  James paused for a moment as an idea came to mind that might make setting off the explosives easier. ‘Just a thought,’ he went on, ‘but will Theldon be on hand to provide any assistance?’

  A hush descended on the room and several people looked at one another as though anxious to avoid James’s gaze and therefore answering his question.

  It was Zaria who broke the silence. ‘We don’t actually know where he is.’

  ‘I might have known it,’ Randall responded. ‘As soon as it looks like there’s going to be any action, he does a disappearing act. God forbid he gets his own hands dirty!’

  Zaria directed her gaze towards Randall. ‘Actually, we’re very worried about him. The circumstances of his disappearance are highly suspicious. His house is empty, and the contents have been ransacked. Every item of furniture has been destroyed and there’s no sign of him. We have no idea where he is, or even if he’s alright.’