The Battle (part 2)

                                    

                                          
Women unable to fight and children and older towns folk are being shepherded through the doors and taken to safer places. It all happens so fast - as soon as those words were spoken, it was as if the town had practiced this before and people knew what to do. 
                          
I take the time to sneak through the thinning crowd and make my way to my sister.
                          
She did it. 
                          
Lena catches my eyes and I break into a run, leaving Wymond behind. I fight through the people, pushing a shoving until I am clear of them and I run faster. I watch as she jumps from the platform and onto the stone. In a moment we are in each others arms.
                          
The world around us dissolves. It is only me and my sister. It has only ever been me and my sister. 
                          
"You did it." I say into her ear. "I love you."
                          
"Would not have done it without you... or Kamden."
                          
I smile and pull back to look at her. 
                          
"Are you ready to fight?" I say.
                          
"I have been ready for weeks." She replies, smile gone and replaced by a hard expression. 
                          
"Let's do this." 
                          
She takes my hand and I am introduced to the Queen. 
                          
"Your majesty." I say and curtsy. 
                          
"No need for that." She says. I like her already. "This is one of my sisters, Cam." She indicates the pretty and geared up girl behind her. "My brothers, Wystan and Howard are with Corliss where our army is awaiting the news. And my husband - Marlow." She points to a man leading a discussion with a few others. "As you know, we come for Trystan. When Lena and Kamden arrived, we decided to organize this as quickly as possible. They seemed desperate."
                          
We are interrupted then by the King of Mythgrave. 
                          
"If you want to fight, you better think about leaving my land soon to gather your side. I advise you to go now. We both have preparation to be doing and I would rather you be gone." He has ignored his daughters completely. "Let us say that our battle will commence at noon."
                          
I look to the sky and see that that is not far away.
                          
"Very well, Malcolm. I shall take my people away and come back at noon." Leoma says.
                          
She looks at me before calling to her small group of people. 
                          
"Come on." Lena says from behind me, placing a hand on my back to make me walk. 
                          
Here we go. This is the beginning of war.
                          
***
                          
I follow the Queen out of town and into the fields beyond. In that time Wymond and I tell Kamden and Lena what we went through. And then we switch so the latter can tell their story:
                          
They spoke to Queen Leoma and King Marlow as soon as they got through the gates. They told them our story. It took very little persuasion and the same day they were orchestrating how to break into the town and preparing for the likely event of battle. When they arrived, they took down the defense at the Gates. The they could move into the towns boundary and leave their army in a safe place. Then they broke into a smaller group and entered the town. They realized what was happening and they managed to get inside the courtyard by killing a few Guards, causing a distraction.
                          
We make it to the large buzzing army from Oxbourne, set up in the field nearest the boundary with good access to the town.
                          
Kamden takes Wymond to a Healer so it is just Lena and I left.
                          
"I still cannot believe you are hear. That we are still here!" I say.
                          
Lena squeezes my hand and looks at me, a smile on her face.
                          
"Wait until you see this." She says as she pulls me after her.
                          
We weave through the readying army. People stare at me, knowing what they are here for - to take down my Father. Some bow and tell me they are ready for battle - ready to end this crap. Others just gaze with empty eyes. 
                          
We make it to the fence where horses are lined up. Dozens and dozens of them. One for each soldier. Each Fighter.
                          
No, surely not. I think.
                          
Lena turns and meets my eyes. Still we grasp each other's hand, scared to let go and loose the other. Then she uses her free hand to point towards a snowy white horse - the brightest, standing out like the moon in dark nights. I rush forward, dragging Lena with me. I reach my arm out and touch Storm's neck, confirming she is real. Finally, I let go of Lenas hand and Storm nuzzles my face in recognition. I kiss her nose and look into her eyes. 
                          
"She made it." I whisper, but Lena hears.
                          
"I couldn't leave her." 
                          
I turn and look at my younger sister. 
                          
"Thank you." The words are barely audible.
                          
Her arms fly around my neck and we embrace our last moments of relative calm before the battle.