The dark night surrounded him as the
young captain crept forward on impossibly silent feet. He had known
he was being followed for three days. But he had to be sure. The
messenger tracking him could be from his homeland …. or the
disguise could be just that good.
With stealth not expected for one his
size the young captain approached the messenger with feline grace.
With the accuracy of a wildcat he sprang and quickly overcame the
unsuspecting follower.
“Flash!” Cried the messenger - tho
garbled as the hold, so nearly deadly, was on his throat.
“What?” A surprised Zander jumped
back releasing the shaking one.
“Flash! Flash!” The stranger choked
out. “The code! The code – I say 'flash' you say..”
“Bang.” Answered the young captain.
So it was a real messenger from his liege. “Quickly then. What news
from The Good Land!”
“She begs your return at once!”
Sputtered the still recovering messenger. “You must return at great
speed.”
“But I have not yet completed my
mission” Said Zander, filling with shame. That varmint had avoided
the cruel death he had planned for her. So far.
“Something must have happened. Out
with it – what is it? What news do you bear?” The young captain
was loosing his patience.
“Please, Sir, I don't know, Sir! They
just sent me with orders and that was all. You must return.” The
messenger paused.... “But. There have been rumors... whispered
talkings about....a war on two fronts.”
Zanders blood ran cold. It couldn't be.
“What?” He demanded. His mind already racing and forming
defensive strategies.
“You must leave, Sir. Now.” Pleaded
the messenger.
“Very well then. Here, climb on my
back and I shall carry you home, Messenger.”
“Thank you, Sir, but no. I would only
impede you. She was quite clear. Go. With great speed!”
Without further discussion the young
captain turned and bounded into the night. He ran silently on fleet
feet, scaring up roosting birds and startling the night creatures. In
the distance an owl shrieked.
He had been running for several days
and finally approached the boundaries of The Good Land. His
liege had obviously implemented a scorched earth policy. Gone was the
lush undergrowth of the Deep Woods. The land had been cleared and
leveled in all directions. The scope of the work was astonishing. The
work crews must have been enormous and they must have worked day and
night. Clearing the land was a necessary sacrifice so that the
defenders could see the enemy approaching. No one would arrive
unseen.
He was greeted by the watch and the
young captain slowed his pace. He scanned one of the work crews
anxiously looking for someone. The crews had taken a meal break and
were sharing bawdy songs and ribald jokes. He heard one voice above
all in the middle of one such tale.
“...So he takes a ducat into a tavern and
says to the barkeep....”
Zander grinned and knew exactly where
this joke was going. Being more dignified then the teller, and
slightly embarrassed, he felt obligated to stop it and shouted,
“Sister!”
Princess Kai's head spun around in his
direction and she rushed to her brother, greeting him warmly.
He knew he would find her here in the
work parties. Princes Kai was much beloved by her fighting men as
well as her work crews. Kai led from the front – always the first
into battle, always sharing in the most menial of chores, and never
asking any of her charges to do anything she would not. Shunning the
posh life of a pampered palace princess she insisted on bunking with
her troops and eating their same meals – which, of course, always
ensured they had the best rations. Her men loved her and they were
the most brave, the most disciplined, and the most hearty fighters.
And it was natural that she was given
charge over the earthworks project. Kai was legendary for her ability to
move extraordinary amounts of dirt in pursuit of prey. Some of her crews took to
calling her “Digger” and they loved her even more when she had
this name engraved on her cuirass and shield.
“Tell me the news, Sister, I've only
just arrived.” Said Zander.
“So it seems.” She replied, wryly
sniffing his travel worn coat and motioning to a page to bring him
water and rations. He waved it away eager for news.
She beckoned him to follow her. “I'll
not only tell you... I'll show you. Come with me.” Kai trotted
off, yelling orders for her men to finish up their meal and get back
to work. She told them she would be back soon to help with the lower
hill. Zander followed at her heel.
If Zander was The Black Death then his
sister, Princess Kai was The Shining Light of the realm. She laughed
easily, was quick to action, and lived and played hard. A skilled
huntress she often came home with prey. She was always smiling and
would, without warning, break out in a hip swinging, bonbon shaking
dance. Everyone adored her easy going manner and unpretentious ways.
Altho she was the elder it was widely
acknowledged that Zander would assume the throne. This was fine with
her - Kai sought neither fame nor glory, preferring always to fight
and serve. Zander's course was set before his birth by a prophesy.
She was neither jealous of her beloved
brother nor desired his fate. Free from a future destined by others
she was able to do what she wanted. Which was to serve The Good Land.
She traded a life of ease for hard
work, discipline, strength, and honor. Long ago she foreswore
all of the trappings of her princess office, save for her authority
and
her gleaming tiara. She wore both well.
She also did not seek a mate,
preferring the company of her fighting men and, of course, Zander.
Kai laughed at the silliness of the ladies in waiting who pleaded for
the attention and flatterings of the hopeless oafs who came to court
the most famed princess in the land. Those who dared to humiliate Kai
by forcing their romantic inclinations on her were sent away with
wounds that would not soon heal and scars that told of their outrage.
Besotted fools. She thought them idiots.
During these encounters Kai's men at
arms always stood at the ready. But she never needed their help
teaching those lovestruck welplings a hard lesson learned. This
endeared her to the troops even more. Her dedication to the warrior
way was just another reason why her fighting men were the most loyal
in the land. They knew she would never leave them for some foolish
princeling who cared not for battle nor honor.
Kai led Zander thru the work camp and
toward the high hill. As they rounded the bend they were beset by
such a foul and brooding odor that they both shook their heads. That
terrible smell filled the mouth and permeated one's coat. It was
awful... and it told of the presence of the enemy.
Immediately Zander's instinct took over
and his mane and ridge began to rise. His hackles high he pushed past
Kai and charged in the direction of that horrible stench. Wild with
bloodlust his howl was long and deep. He thundered down the hill to
this most atrocious enemy, this most hated foe.
A growl erupted in his dark throat the
likes of which had not been heard in The Good Land for an age. High
on the hill the work crews dropped their tools and scattered. An
alarm was raised somewhere in the camp.
Zander, FoeHammer, bunched his great
legs under him and prepared to launch the full weight of his measure
upon the enemy and deliver such a pounding that they would be crushed
with a single blow... when...
...Suddenly he was tackled from behind
and found himself belly up on the ground with his sister, Kai,
cuffing him most egregiously. “Stop it! Stand down, soldier!” She
scolded harshly.
He snarled and shook her off, “What
are you doing! The enemy is upon us!”
The enemy, in fact, had run off at the
sight of The Black Death thundering down the hillside.
She cuffed him again. “Enough! Look!”
She said pointing.
He turned his head to see the work crew
led by the ganders starting to poke their frightened heads up over
the barricades. OD, their terrible task master, began screaming
orders and corralling the young ganders back to work. For the first
time Zander took in the whole scene.
They were on the boundary of Fox
Central where the vexing vixens held their terrible claim on those
neighboring lands. Zander saw that the barricades were being set so
that the pigz were enclosed between Fox Central and the vulnerable
HenLands. He should have known better.
Kai, reading his thoughts, responded,
“You know how she is....”
And then together they both said aloud,
“....She is playing them off each other!”
Kai smiled an impish grin while Zander
threw his head back and laughed. “Well that is going to keep them
at each other's throats for a long time”
He marveled at his liege’s ability to
develop such strategies and he nodded to himself well pleased. His
mane and ridge relaxed and smoothed against his massive shoulders as
he considered the strategy. The pig menace would forestall any direct
attack from Fox Central and the cleared land would allow the
defenders see the enemy if they dared an uphill assault.
This was, however, a war on two fronts.
The challenge was to keep the enemies focused on each other and out
of The Good Land. It was a balancing act that required the utmost
care and skill. He saw now why his presence was needed. He knew from
the placement of the barricades that he would be stationed on the far
side of the hill and would await any advancement from the varmints.
But he would also have to position himself to keep watch in case the
pig menace tried to invade the HenLands. Princess Kai, as always,
would roam the Deep Woods as she was more skilled in guerrilla war
tactics.
He was still taking this all in when a
thought suddenly occurred to him, urgently he asked, “But Sister,
the war on the pigz! When will it begin? What about the battle?”
He had long dreamed of a victory over the horrible hogs.
But the heat of the summer had come
upon them early. The land labored under an unrelenting sun and
oppressive humidity. They would not war in these hellish days. They
needed cold days and frozen earth.
“You know what they say, Brother,”
Kai responded bright eyes shining, “Winter is coming.”
Both Zander and Kai laughed loud, threw
back their heads, and howled, their voices joining and giving each other
strength.
Below them the frightened pigz ran off
thru the underbrush and screamed their frustration at being unable to
escape the coming terror.
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