Chapter 17 -- The Battle
I’ve never been happier and more content in my life. I was in love with the most wonderful boy in any world. I never want to leave this world. This is my place because this is where my love is. He not only owned my heart he owned my entire body and soul.
After a day of making love I woke with him sleeping peacefully beside me his arm across my chest. I tried to get up without waking him but the second I moved his eyes opened and he smiled, “Good morning, my love,” he said sleepily and then stretched.
“Good morning my sweet elfin boy,” I sighed, “I would love to make love with you all day but I guess I have my kingly duties and also I need to pee and take a bath. You want to come along or stay here.”
“Go with.”
I grabbed our clothes and handed them to him, “Hold these and I will carry you. We’re going to the point and then to the hot springs.”
“What we’re going through the village naked?”
“Yep, we will be streaking - that’s what running naked is called. But no one will see us because I plan to run like the wind,” I said and before he could comment I picked him up and over my shoulder and ran as fast as I could to the point where I put him down and went to pee over the cliff a second later he joined me.
After we finished peeing he picked up our clothes and we were on our way to the hot springs. When we got there I was surprised to see training had already started. Rather than slowing down and been seen by everyone I leapt into the air and the two of us made a big splash in the pool.
As we surface I said, “Well, there goes making love to you here.”
“Yeah, I forgot that Rook makes them get up before the crack of dawn. By the way he’s walking over here.”
Sure enough Rook was walking over here.
“Hey Rook, they are looking good. I hear you’re going to be our ambassador.”
“Good day, you’re majesty. Uh --“ he stammered.
“Okay -- time out. I’m Gladimhere; you’re Rook; we’re friends; save the protocol for when strangers are around or we’re in a formal occasion. Okay?”
“Yes sir. I mean Gladimhere.”
Oh man! I could see his eyes filling with tears. I climbed out of the pool and quick as a blink I had his clothes off. Damn he was well endowed! “Now jump in the pool that way if one of your guys comes over you won’t have to lose face because you have tears in your eyes.”
He jumped in and came up spluttering, “I can’t swim! Help!” and then sunk. I jumped in and pulled him to shallower waters.
He coughed and spluttered but was okay. Well, perhaps a little scared. “Dude, why did you jump in if you can’t swim?”
“Because you told me to,” he replied.
“Dude, just because I tell you to do something doesn’t mean you should especially if it means you’ll die or get hurt.”
There went those teary eyes again. “I’d do anything you asked me to no matter whether it meant my life or not,” he said softly, “You gave me -- you gave me a life I could only dream about but knew would never happen, but now it’s happening. The dragons respect me. The elfins respect me. The free orcs of Donkur respect me and honor me. I have friends! But most of all I have Leaf -- he-he likes me -- a lot and, and I love him. Thank you Gladimhere.”
“You’re welcomed. But I should be thanking you.” His head was bowed and he was shaking it no. I reached over and lifted his chin up so he was looking at me not the water. “Yes, only one person has changed my life more than you,” I nodded my head towards Zen. “Before I had my knife to your throat, I considered every orc was evil and killing them would simply remove garbage from this land, but my encounter with you changed all that. For what kind of king would I be had you not caused me to realized that was a bad attitude for me to have as a person much less as a king. I would be no better than the evilest tyrant. Because of you there are free orcs and more will come. All of us human, elfin, dragon and orc are changing the face of Landsphere. We are all bringing back into balance.”
I sighed. “Well, enough of this emotional stuff. It’s time for your swimming lesson. I expect all of my officers and enlisted men to be able to swim.”
“What about the enlisted women?” he asked.
“Them too! We have women?”
“Yes, five elfin women -- eh girls,”
“Yes, well them too. Now relax and lean back.”
For the next half hour I worked with Rook. He learnt fast and promised he practice daily. Then he returned to his troops.
“You are so awesome,” I heard Zen say once Rook had returned to his trainees.
My stomach growled. “Thanks, and so are you but I’m hungry. Shall we go eat?”
“Of course, I’m starving too.”
We returned to the village and had lunch then Arvin and Zen went on their daily recon while took a leisurely walk to the point listening to my mp3 player and singing.
My good spirits were not to last as shortly after I arrived at the point two dragons landed and their riders dismounted.
“Your majesty,” said Zen, “The orc army is on the move. We estimate at least four thousand orcs, but there are ten cages being pulled by dragons inside the cages are elfin children about twenty in each cage. There are four dragons pulling two large catapults. Most of the orc soldiers are carrying shields but there are about a thousand orcs without shields.”
“Leaf,” I said, “I need a map. Arvin, get Rook and bring him back here. Zen, tell the Tail’s End elders that I am calling a council of war. I need everyone here in ten minutes.”
I turned to Red, “High Commander of Dragons, you and Rook are the most knowledgeable and experience in orc warfare I need your input.”
“Yes sir, your majesty,” replied Red.
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By mid afternoon I knew we didn’t have enough real information to make sane decisions as to how to fight this war.
“We don’t have enough data. Rook what’s the chance that you and a few of the free orcs could infiltrate the orc army and get us more information?”
“I think our chances are excellent sir,” Rook replied.
“How many dragon and riders are ready to fly?”
“My dragon and five others would I trust but only two of them have fire, sir” he replied. I knew the two were Lady Rolonda and Rhygar.
“We don’t need them for combat as yet. You and the five go to Donkur and recruit five of the free orcs, transport them to the orc army, being careful not to be seen. They will need to blend in. The dragons and riders are to return here, but you and your dragon stay out of sight but close to the army in case something goes wrong.”
“Yes sir,” said Rook and he turned and left.
“Zen, you, Arvin, and Leaf find out more about the elfin children. Be careful and don’t be seen. Meanwhile, Red and I will checkout the catapults and get some idea of how their army is organized. Plus we will scan the land in front of them to see where the best place to attack them is. We can’t let them get to Tail’s End. We meet back here at sunset.”
With that we dispersed to go our own ways.
Upon our return in the late afternoon Red and I were besieged by eight young dragons and their riders.
Lars, who seemed to be their spokes person said, “King Gladimhere, we are ready to join the battle. Each of us and our dragons have soloed today while you were gone. We have been certified ready for flying by Commander Zac and Lady Rolonda.”
“Your majesty, apparently the advent of battle has spurred our young dragons and their riders into accomplishing their natural ability to fly,” said Lady Rolonda.
Although I welcomed the addition of eight more dragons and their riders I wanted to test their skills. The last thing I wanted was to see them injured or worse due to over confidence or a mistake.
“Dragons and riders, follow me!”
I mounted Red, “Wings!” I commanded and then heard the other riders command, “Wings!”
“To flight!” I ordered and in an instant Red and I were airborne with eight others dragons and their riders. And then we were joined by Zeek and Rhygar and Zac and Lady Rolonda.
I was putting them through their paces, diving, climbing, spinning, you name it and they all followed. It was amazing to watch. Everything was going well but then I saw one dragon convulse for split second and then he started loosing altitude. I knew what had happened. The convulsion had caused him to expel hydrogen and he was now too heavy. His wings battled to keep airborne but I could see he and his rider would not make it back to the point to land.
What happened next was incredible. Alsom and his dragon, Sinelance, dove and in an instant were below the falling dragon. Alsom at the same time maneuvered himself below Sinelance’s belly holding on to the saddle’s cinch.
“Match my beat!” yelled Sinlance to the other dragon, “And rest on my back. Together we can make it!”
Meanwhile Zeek and Rhygar headed to the set of dragons. Zeek was hanging upside down Rhygar’s belly. When they were close enough the other rider reached up and he and Zeek grasped each others arms. Rhygar sped for the land.
Zac and Londa collected the hanging Alsom to help lighten Sinelancs’s load.
I watch with Red. Prepared to assist if necessary, but it wasn’t as Sinelance made it to the point.