Fields of Grey by William Wire

Author:William Wire
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 2024-09-03T00:00:00+00:00

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VI

“Lord master!” Derrek cried, rushing into the grand pavilion. Sir Elliot was alone, hovering over a table in the far corner, surveying a map spread across. Derrek reported, breathlessly, “The faery men are gathering, just as you warned. Captain Dace has rallied them. They have dire intentions, I believe.”

Elliot grumbled, “dire intentions, you believe.”

“Aye, lord master. I believe he intends to mutiny.”

The lord master gave a small nod before calmly and very neatly rolling the table map and sliding it aside. Donning his silvery cape again, he uttered, sullenly, “Then I have one more task this night.”

As Elliot veered to the entrance, Derrek scrambled to Elliot’s scabbard and sword. But when the boy offered it to the lord master, Elliot brushed it away, saying, “That cannot aid me, squire.” Unarmed, and his cape flapping on his back, Elliot Lampeer marched into the uncertain night.

At the faery man encampment, soldiers over a thousand, bearing small signs of green, crowded near a large bonfire. Circling the flames, sword to his hip, was Captain Leon Dace. “Brothers.” He addressed the soldiers. “Noble men of the south. We have been robbed. Our lands Taken. Our queen murdered. And… enslaved.” Seeing the soldiers nodding, Leon breathed more fire into his words. “But they still want more. They wish to annihilate our souls. If we let those children die, we shall share the blame. Our souls will be condemned with them. And it won’t be the end—I tell you now it will never end. Our oaths were to serve the legion but never to slay the innocent. No. Never. We won’t endure that.” He repeated, loudly, “NO!”

A rumble of noes came from the soldiers.

“You have heard them say our debt will be paid come the silver moon. So, when is that? The mages and the daughters all say different. The truth is a silver moon does not obey the calculations of men. It’s all a lie… a story. Brothers, we were brought to heel by a wild promise—a trick to make us the north kingdom’s executioners…” And then Leon seethed, “and a plaything for the arch-mage.”

Leon slid his sword from his scabbard. “Here’s what I say, it’s better to be free men, as we once were, riding through the night in the woods of Greeneyes, marching across the groves of Pennytrees, roaming the river wilds without fear, and crying the name of our queen—THE TRUE QUEEN—to the holy sky.” He thrust his sword upward. “Queen Elisa!”

“Queen Elisa! Queen Elisa! Queen Elisa!” roared through the camp.

“We outnumber them. Ours are more than half the entire legion. No one can defy us. And if any dare…” He grinned, stroking his goatee. “Heh. Woe to them.”

Yet, a timid voice rose, “But captain, the arch-mage will hunt us all.”

Captain Dace scolded him. “Are you so afraid, boy?”

Shamed, the young soldier wouldn’t answer and lowered his head. But there was a gleam of fear over many faces Leon could see. He knew the nightmares the mages could summon were fixed in their minds.

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