ally!' bellowed the general. His voice sounded firm and reassuring.
There was a murmuring of agreement as the general spoke. However, when he mentioned the guardian, there were shouts of disagreement and defiance. Many of the soldiers believed that they were so powerful that they did not need the help of some female god, or any other god for that matter. They firmly believed they could stand against the armies of Tuwa and beat them all. They would not yield the land they had been sent to defend.
Yukio had never seen such pride among any of the races. He was concerned that they were overestimating their abilities and setting themselves up for a hard fall. He knew that he should squash their self-glorification, but he could not bring himself to do it. The troops would need a sense of pride and a solid belief in their abilities if they were going to successfully defend themselves and the high elves. Even though their egos may be their undoing, he believed that it would keep them safe for the time being.
'Men, we will be victorious no matter what the enemy may throw at us. We will fight to defend the free lands of Tuwa!' exclaimed General Yukio. He was good at inspiring his men and bolstering their resolve. He wanted to focus the attention of the troops on the reason they were here so that their energies were directionally correct.
Shouts of approval rose from the ranks, and the general raised his sword repeatedly in the air to cadence the exclamations from the army. As the chanting died out, weird echoing noises were heard coming down the mountainside at them. These unnatural sounds brought everyone back to their senses, and they hastened their march to Alanderas. They felt a renewed surge of purpose and commitment to the cause at hand. They were all afraid at the same time while in the shadow of Mount Konane. They hurried along the base of the mountain when rumblings shook the heights above and the road they were traveling. It lasted longer than a typical quake, and its source was clearly an unnatural one.
'Steady men! Keep moving!' ordered General Yukio. What evil shakes the earth so?
The rest of the march to the capital city of the high elves was peaceful and without incident. Many of the soldiers believed that Mount Konane was a cursed place even though there were no more rumblings. None of the troops wanted to be stationed along the road anywhere near the accursed mountain. The general had to give in to his men and not force them to guard that portion of the route. Check points were set up before and after the mountain along the road. Noises could still be heard coming down from the mountain, which only strengthened the superstition that the entire mountain was haunted by evil spirits from the cursed north lands.
Despite the fear the men felt around the neighboring mountain, their pride and determination returned in full force once they began to fortify the city of Alanderas. The combination of the high elven home guard, their standing army, and the army of General Yukio made for an impressive defense. There was no doubt in anyone's mind that this city had become one of the most powerfully entrenched strongholds in Tuwa. After all of the preparations had been completed, there was a celebration honoring the soldiers and the builders of the fortifications. The city was now complete and other matters could be attended to.
Queen Kira had not forgotten the last meeting with her sister, and she wanted to put an end to the dispute once and for all. She believed her sister had no real support in her claims, so she would convene the High Council tomorrow to settle the pointless dispute. She understood what Bronwen and Yukio had been saying for some time now that unity would be vital to the survival of an all-out assault on the capital.
As the sun began to hide itself after the completion of another day, Queen Kira sat on her balcony pondering the events that would take place tomorrow at the council meeting. She wanted to be prepared for any eventuality, so she tried to think like her sister. Why was she so upset with what I have accomplished? I have saved many from a terrible fate and have garnered the support of a guardian. They would not only be a protected people but a blessed one as well. What could possibly derail our success at this point? She did not notice the long shadow of her husband as he stood looking at the sun setting in the west. He too was consumed in his own thoughts so that he did not realize his wife was right there.
'My love, I did not see you there. What is troubling you?' asked Yukio. He was startled to find his wife had been sitting there all along. It is certainly a good thing that she cannot read minds.
'My dear husband, I am troubled about this dispute with my sister. I have an uneasy feeling that something is wrong, and it is with me every minute of the day. I feel like something horrific is about to happen, but I cannot be certain if it involves my disagreement with Kishi or if it is something else entirely,' Queen Kira explained wearily. She seemed a bit distracted as she spoke to Yukio.
'I do not believe that you have anything to worry about when it comes to your sister. She loves you very much and is just trying to find her proper place in this new country. She will likely say hurtful things until she is comfortable with the changes that have taken place. She will come around eventually. I foresee her being your strongest ally,' explained Yukio calmly.
'Then why am I so consumed by this feeling of fear and dread? Why am I physically sick without knowing what it is that is worrying me? I do not like it, and I do not know how to shake it,' she said with a pleading tone in her voice. She was trembling slightly from her discomfort.
'My angel, you have nothing to fear as long as I am here. My army will protect you from whatever the elves or the men of Landen and Aran throw at us. These walls will protect you from whatever the outside world contrives against your people. I truly believe that you will be safe as long as you remain inside the interior walls,' Yukio said confidently.
'You are definitely my rock and the light in the darkness. I feel better already. It was as if a weight had been lifted from my shoul ders as you spoke. Let's retire for the evening. I have not slept much lately, but I think I will sleep well tonight. This whole nightmare will be over soon enough, and we can finally move on,' she said while stifling a yawn.
'Yes, let us get some rest dear. Everything will be all right. I promise,' he said as they left the balcony. As long as I have breath in my lungs, I will keep you from harm.
CHAPTER 9
The queen could not believe what she had just experienced in the council room. She had no idea that Kishi was going to divide this newly created nation in two. She lay on her bed with that sick feeling ravaging her stomach. She still could not shake the ominous, dreadful sensation even though she just had the most gut-wrenching experience she could have ever imagined. She knew that she should not have attacked her sister, but she simply could not believe that her sibling would be so treacherous. Anger and disbelief coursed through her body as she sat up to look at her silent husband.
'I thought you said she loved me and would be my biggest supporter!' she snapped hotly.
'I know what I said. Her time for understanding has not come yet. Please be patient a little while longer. I am sure she will come around. Maybe the two of you were meant to rule the high elves together. Maybe by crowning you queen and making her a princess caused an unintentional rift between you. You know that I can read minds, so believe me when I say that your sister does love you,' Yukio pleaded with his wife. She had better get a hold of herself now or all will be lost.
Silence enveloped the room while they stared at one another. The queen's expression began to soften as she felt her husband's words bringing her a measure of peace. She did not know what she would do without the strong support of such a devoted husband. He always knew exactly what to say and when to say it. He had his flaws for sure, but he complimented her in ways no one else could. She felt the anger and frustration leave her body as though she was slowly deflating. She stood up and walked to where Yukio was standing.
'You are right … as usual. I just do not know what to do at this point. Kishi must be furious with me. I think we will need to establish some sort of ties, but I am not sure she will be too accepting after what I did. I am sure the people who followed her will know by now what happened, so they will not support any diplomacy with such an unstable ruler,' she said dejectedly.
'That is a good point, my dear. We do need to strike some sort of accord with your sister and her people as soon as possible. Maybe I should take Bronwen with me and head over there in a few days. I do not think it would
