CHAPTER IX #9
“And did you tell anyone of your own departure?” Keane asks, his face still calm and cool as he questions the Discerni.
“No one,” Crisjan replies.
Keane finally gives the Lord a small grin.
“I should have expected, Lord Crisjan,” he chuckles, extending his arm to the man. “Come. Let’s get you inside and bring you up to speed.”
Crisjan grins, returning to his normally joyful self as Keane leads him to his tent, holding the flap open for him and Canon. His brown eyes find mine just as Crisjan walks in, holding my gaze strong as he tilts his head, commanding me to follow.
I nod at the royal command and take a deep breath, walking past him and taking in the lighted room around us. Lord Alexander stands at the front of the table with Commander Linden opposite, the two greeting Lord Crisjan in his arrival.
“One of my men thought he heard someone moving behind us,” Linden laughs, clasping hands with the Lord. “I ought to give him a raise.”
“You should,” Crisjan grins. “I had to double back and alter my path with summoning.”
“Well you’re here now, old friend,” Linden smiles to the Lord, letting him stand at his side.
Two more soldiers from Linden’s company stand at the table as well, their eyes glancing to me just as Keane places his hand on the small of my back. He urges me forward until I’m taking a stance at Lord Alexander’s side.
Keane moves to the front of the table, his features reverting into that cool and sharp thoughtfulness as he looks down at the village and woods surrounding all of Etter.
“That is a full company of men you have out there, Your Grace,” Crisjan opens the floor, all eyes turning on Keane.
“One that is needed, Crisjan,” Keane nods quietly, pointing to Etter’s town square. “The village here has not changed since you last visited. Homes line the main road on either side of the town square with its eastern portion continuing into Lord Kaven’s residence and the Discerni who live above…”
“The homes up in the woods, however, are newer. They’ve been restructured with the white marble from Woodlands, lending strong and sturdy walls as a guard.
We’ve been told that an estimated one hundred and fifty fighting Discerni grace those woods, equipped with either bow and arrows or broadswords, all fashioned out of green agate... ”
Everyone’s faces around the table turn hard as the King continues.
“The village itself only hosts humans, with a few serving boys and girls living at the residence with the Lord and his wife. I want them safely escorted out of the home when we greet them, though I cannot say for certain if we’ll be met with hesitation.”
My mind ventures to the human girl, Rose, who smiled at Lady Esme easily under her presence.
“I’ll lead a small company of ninety,” Keane turns to Commander Linden as the Discerni man nods.
“I’ll need a handful of your quickest Discerni in my ranks, with their sole purpose to watch the woods above us as we ride in.
I want the rest to be made up of as many human soldiers that you can afford me.
The men will need to be seen as we walk through the village and approach the residence from the front. ”
The Discerni Commander gives Keane a questioning glance, not completely understanding his request for a predominately human group but nodding all the same.
“Lord Alexander, Lord Crisjan,” Keane bows his head to the men, “you will join me in my forward approach of the village.”
“But for what purpose, Your Grace?” Crisjan frowns in confusion, obviously new to everything around him. “Why do you move on Etter in the dead of night?”
“You will see, Crisjan,” Keane grimaces to our friend, “and you will know.”
Lord Crisjan stares openly at the King in shock.
“It will be best for you to experience this first hand,” Lord Alexander replies to his Knowledge colleague. “All of you.”
“Commander Linden,” Keane turns to the short Discerni, “you will take the rest of the men through the woods and to the backside of the residence with Prince Desmond. He will stealth your arrival. I want no one to know of your presence. The Discerni must think that our men moving down the main road are the only ones…”
“Desmond is aware of your task” he continues. “We’ll need as many of you as possible to navigate to the homes above and hinder the Discerni there who may bring up arms. The rest should stay below, blocking anyone who chooses to flee.”
The commander nods again to the King, standing strong with his Discerni features set.
“Lady Alexis,” Keane’s voice is steady as I still in my stance, watching as his calm brown eyes land on mine. “You’ll ride up front with me.”
A deep breath falls from my lips. Keane watches me intently, his gaze telling me that I will remain at his side and nowhere else.
“Tonight’s arrival into Etter is not one that should be met with the intent to fight,” the King averts my gaze to look around the tent, holding each man’s gaze carefully. “Though we will all be prepared if that confrontation does come. Get some rest. We light the fires at the moons’ apex.”