Arriving at the training fields, my most trusted knight, Sir Hugo, and I hop down from our thoroughbreds and tie them to posts with rope. Thousands of soldiers are in training. There is a cacophony of sounds: swords clashing, axes and maces thrown at wooden targets, tree stumps, and men grunting with exertion.
A few hundred archers shoot at targets from varying distances and nod at me as I pass behind them. There is lots of yelling as men practice their war cries or call out to one another. A few training casualties hobble around with injuries to their ankles, knees, and feet.
My Commander in Chief, James Boroughshaw, is stationed outside a makeshift tent and is observing the jousting closest to us.
‘My King,’ James says as he kneels before me.
‘Commander James,’ I nod, and he stands back up.
‘I require an update of our progress,’ I say, sitting down in a wooden folding chair and accepting the glass of brandy Squire Thomas hands to me.
‘Of course, Your Highness. Since we last spoke, we have recruited over four thousand more men, and more are yet to arrive in a few days,’ James says, sitting beside me.
‘Your foresight James has been invaluable regarding the taxes and the food supply. I guess if I were one of my subjects, I, too, would volunteer in the war effort instead of going hungry. It relieves my nerves to know our army is almost twenty-five thousand strong!’
‘King Fenris, we have also spread propaganda in all the taverns across West Wallow municipalities. As a result, we have convinced quite a number of people werewolves will kill their children without a moment’s thought,’ Commander James says.
‘Sometimes, I think you’re as cruel as a bastard than me, James,’ I say, laughing and swigging my brandy. James chuckles.
‘Anything for you, my King, and anything to eradicate the werewolves.’ James says, smirking.
I smile proudly.
‘Now, James. I have another plan I’d like to put in place. It’s only a matter of time until Alpha King Damon finds out war is imminent. I need thirty of our best swordsmen to cross the forest border and assassinate any
werewolves, including the females and pups. Wipe out all the smaller packs first. This will give us an advantage over them,’ I instruct. The squire comes over with a glass decanter and refills my empty glass.
‘Yes, my King. I’ll have them organised and on their way by nightfall,’ James says.
‘Good. Send Sir Hugo with your guards to recruit more men from the villages. Sir Hugo can be very persuasive,’ I say, drinking more brandy.
‘Yes, my King,’ James nods.
‘One more thing, Commander,’ I say.
‘Yes, my Lord?’ James asks.
‘I see injured men. Have them discreetly killed immediately and tell the cooks to use their meat in the stews to feed the growing army,’ I instruct. ‘I will have no weakness in this war,’ I instruct.
‘Yes, Your Highness,’ James says, standing, bowing and following Sir Hugo to gather the injured.
Beta Troy
Enjoying my pint, I listen to a few drunk men tell a story about a princess who wields magical powers and lives deep in the forest.
‘A magical princess that lives in the forest? – you’ve had too many pints tonight, my friend,’ a man named Gale tells another named Mortly and slaps him on the back in camaraderie. They’re both drunker than seawater.
Laughing quietly at their antics, it gets me thinking.
If there were a magical princess, she’d solve all our problems. We are rudely interrupted by a few West Wallow knights, who approach the table Gale and Mortly sit at, roll out a royal scroll, and throw down a quill with a small pot of ink. The men boo them.
‘Tell King Fenris to stuff his taxes up his backside. Or better yet: tell him to come here, and I will do it for him,’ Gale says, roaring with laughter, setting the whole tavern off. One of the knights brings an axe down over Gale’s wrist, lopping his hand off in warning.
The tavern goes silent for a moment, and all the men look at one another and at Gale’s bloody hand on the table. Gales passes out onto the floor. Nervous laughter ensues, and the men clink their pints and raise them toward the knights to show they mean no harm. Sitting in the corner, out of view, I go unnoticed by them.
‘I am Sir Hugo, most trusted knight to King Fenris. Shut up the lot of you, or I’ll lop each and every one of your hands off and feed them to the wolves,’ Sir Hugo warns.
A brute of a man, whose head brushes the six-foot-high wooden ceiling beam, folds his arms across his barrelled chest. No human would ever dare cross him.
‘King Fenris has an army of twenty-five thousand soldiers but needs more men. If you join, you will not have to pay taxes, and you’ll be fed well. Food will also be sent to your families as payment for your service,’ Sir Hugo says, his arms still crossed. None of the men speak.
‘If none of you fight and we lose the war, the wolves will kill you, kill your wives, and eat your children – no man will be spared. Now which one of you bastards are going to sign up and help kill these mongrels?’ He yells.
With that, Mortly dips the feather into the pot of ink and signs a quick, messy scrawl on the bottom of the scroll. Except for Gale passed out on the floor, the rest of the men follow suit. In disbelief, I go upstairs to my room for the night. What was that? Alpha Damon is not going to like this. I mind-link Alpha King Damon and Gamma Eric everything.
Alpha King Damon
Now able to mind-link Troy, I tell him about my dream the other night, including meeting my mate.
Alpha, even if you find her in time, they still outnumber us greatly. They are growing in number daily. This is not a war we can win. Troy mind-links.
We need a plan and fast. King Fenris will wipe us all out and show no mercy. Eric says.
Troy: stay in West Wallow and keep track of their movements. Mind-link me when they get closer. Eric: gather all pregnant she-wolves and pups and have them remain protected at Moon Crest Castle. If we lose the war, a few warriors will help you, and the she-wolves and pups escape. Prepare beds for any injured. I will set up camp near the forest border and ready myself and the others to fight and defend our land. I will visit every pack and recruit more men and women. If anything comes up that I should know, mind link me immediately. I say.
Yes, Alpha. They reply.
