Rally Point
POV: Alexandra
I held the letter from Elder Edgar in front of my face, reading it again. Derek spoke to my father, “Your Grace, Jess and I have to accompany Lex to Kastilidan Glades. We must leave as soon as possible. His Majesty has requested that Alexandra and Jess specifically render aid in this case. He said that if Princess Nystasia wants to go, it will be solely up to her.” Nystasia sat with a conflicted look on her face, “I will have to think about that. I wanted to help Tyleesh recover.” Teddy shouted behind Derek, “I can do that, Your Highness! He is my mentor after all.” Nystasia smiled, “Oh but wouldn’t your gifts be needed out there?” A thought popped into my head and I blurted out, “Couldn’t you guys just have someone portal you over? You only need a witch, right?” Nystasia slapped her forehead lightly, “Oh! Why didn’t I think about it? Fae can portal too! I’ll get us there Young Befent!” My father nodded, “That sounds like a solid plan. You can aid Tyleesh in his recovery and assist in helping the injured recover in the Glades. Good thinking, my darling little rose.” He smiled at me tenderly and I felt like a proud little girl again. I dabbed my mouth with my napkin and hopped up from my seat, “Okay, well, I should probably go pack then.” Derek moved to let me through and he looked at Ashton, “I have orders for you too Ash.” This made me pause as I was leaving the room since I was interested in knowing what my brother would be up to while I was gone. Ashton stood up, “Am I to guard my sister too?” Derek shook his head and started to open his mouth but Jess placed her hand on it. She shushed him, “I think it would be best if Ashton could hear this from me.” She dropped her hand from Derek’s mouth and looked at Ashton, “Your mission is to stay here and guard Tyleesh. He is an important witness against The Order and we believe they will still target him. His Highness' spies tell us that this W person has told Marquis Maigny that you have betrayed your family so we also believe you are a target. That being said, the General is aware that you are fully capable of taking care of yourself but he wants someone to watch your six so he is sending Toby back over here.”
At this declaration, I looked over at Teddy who had turned a bright red, and remembered the conversation that I had had with Toby about finding out who he was going to be attracted to. I had wondered if he would try and kiss Teddy while I was gone. As much as I wanted to stick around and find out, I had to go get ready to leave for Kastilidan Glades. My mother shouted after me, “Xan, make sure to pack warm clothing and a coat. It gets really chilly up there this time of year.” I turned and smiled at her, “Thanks for the tips, Mother. I will be sure to pack appropriately.” Jess walked beside me as we made our way up the stairs to pack and Derek was behind us. I had heard him remark about the view from where he was walking and Jess reached back and laid a light smack on his arm. We giggled at each other and she said, “Your mom is right to tell you to pack warm. From what I understand, there are very few buildings that are usable right now. It looks like we will be camping. Mind you, they are going to be war tents but you’re still somewhat exposed to the elements. Will you be okay with that?” I nodded remembering the camping trips to the Rockies that my father used to take me on. Those weren’t always warm trips either so being exposed to the elements didn’t really worry me. I strode into my room and pulled a medium-sized suitcase out from under my bed and started to fill it with warm clothing and toiletries. I wasn’t sure we would be able to shower out there but I wanted to be prepared just in case. When it was all done, I closed it up and zipped it. I didn’t want to pack my coat in case I needed it right away.
I heard the doorbell sound downstairs just as I had pulled the suitcase off of my bed. I walked out of the room and looked down to see a very warmly dressed Elder Edgar. He smiled up at me and I was a little shocked to see him in such a way since any time I had ever seen an Elder, they were dressed in white monk-like robes with gold trim. He chuckled as he watched my startled face become one of more composed, “I suppose you have never seen me in my civilian clothing. I neglected to mention that I would be accompanying you on this trip. You are going to be observed and rated by how well you handle caring for what might be your future people. I do hope you will remain your authentic self. I will know when you fake, not that I believe you to be ever capable of that.” It was with this declaration, I immediately knew that Elder Edgar had a little fae blood in him too. I smiled at him, “I could never. I have to be honest, sir. I don’t look forward to this trip at all. I may not be an empath but I hate to see any sort of suffering.” He gave me a sad smile, “It won’t be easy that is for sure. I would have to cancel your candidacy if you didn’t feel at least some sympathy, young one. That is the mark of a great Vellinian Queen is to be sympathetic to her people. Between you and me, I don’t believe all of the remaining candidates have that quality.” He winked at me and I knew he meant Melody Maigny. He sighed, “I’m afraid the other two will be there as well. This is where you all will be judged the harshest.” I heaved a heavy sigh, “I’m sure we shall know no peace with some but I shall endeavor to endure it and remember that this isn’t about me.” He patted me on the shoulder, “That is the best attitude to have, young one. Now, we should get your stuff loaded up. Let me take your bag.”
Before Edgar could take it, it was pulled out of my hand, “Sorry sir, I would like to take care of my future wife’s best friend myself if you don’t mind.” Edgar chuckled, “I was married for a long time and I can tell you that they see the way you treat their friends and that goes a long way. You are a wise young man.” Derek stopped in his tracks and looked down at the old man with surprise, “No one has ever called me that before, sir. I appreciate the compliment.” I giggled after he left out of the front door, “He’s so used to everyone calling him a meat head that it must’ve shocked him to hear he is wise.” Edgar looked over his shoulder at Derek after he tucked his arms behind his back, “We are all wise in certain areas of our lives. He will be a wise husband because he is aware of his wife’s heart and will take great care never to break it. Lady Kellen is a lucky one indeed for someone so attentive.” I had wondered what his insight on Lucien was but I decided to keep that question to myself until a later time. Jess came down after I stepped out the front door and she was bagless when she stepped out. I had assumed that Derek had brought her bag down when she was done. He stepped out from behind the carriage and opened the door, “Ladies, let me help you first.” Jess stepped forward and placed her hand delicately in Derek’s hand and he stared up at her lovingly as she stepped up into the carriage. I stepped forward and Derek helped me up into the carriage as well. He offered to help Edgar and he refused politely, “I’m not so old that I cannot help myself. Gods help me when that day comes.” He settled in next to me as Jess and Derek sat across from us.
A few hours later, we rolled up to what used to be the manor the Kastilidans inhabited. It was nothing but a pile of bricks at that point. Derek got down after Edgar and he helped Jess and then myself out of the carriage. We all stood there staring at the pile of rubble as the General approached from his carriage that was just a few minutes ahead of us. He sighed, “It looks like we start the process of finding survivors. You need not bother with search efforts, Your Grace. We can leave that up to our soldiers. I think we will have the Queen candidates provide medical aid and hand out supplies.” I looked over at the General, “Would it be okay if I assist in the search for a time? I don’t like to wait around being useless.” The General regarded me for a little while, “We could use the help but you aren’t exactly dressed for this type of work, Your Grace. I can have one of my female soldiers lend you a uniform if you are comfortable with that.” Jess stepped forward, “Sir, Her Grace and I are the same size. I will lend her a uniform.” He nodded at her, “That will do, Kellen. I have to make sure Her Grace has a place to change first.” He looked around and stopped when he looked to our left, “I believe Baltiliard and Gastion are setting up a small tent to the east. You can change there, Your Grace. We will rally back here after the men unpack the supply carriage.”
Jess and I walked back over to where Alesha’s sister and a shorter young woman with brown hair were setting up a small changing tent. Jess had already pulled a uniform out of her bag before we walked over, “Baltiliard, how long will it take to finish this setup?” Alesha’s sister looked up at us and smiled, “Very shortly, we’ve already got the poles in. We just need to pull it up and tack it down. Care to assist, Kellen.” Jess looked at me and handed the clothing to me, “It will help the process go faster.” I took the uniform, “Do you, my friend.” She helped the two women pull the poles up and tack them down which didn’t take long at all as promised. Jess looked at them, “I believe we have our first customer by order of the General himself.” Alesha’s sister stepped forward, “Your Grace, I’m glad to finally meet you. My name is Alita, I’m Alesha’s older sister.” I smiled back at her, “Nice to meet you. My, er, friend Meldon tells me that your family is very welcoming. I have been meaning to take a visit to your vineyard. I hear the new wine is something to behold.” She smiled, “Ah yes, I believe my father was finishing up a case to send to His Grace Reginald Batiste as promised when they last spoke about…that one matter.” I knew that Alita knew the truth about Ashton with this declaration so I merely smiled and nodded at her. She stepped aside, “I don’t want to keep you waiting though. Please use the changing tent so you can meet up with the General.” I stepped into the small tent and quickly got changed. I strolled back to the carriage with Jess and shoved my clothing into the bag I brought.
The General gently placed a hand on my shoulder, “Too bad we couldn’t entice you into service, Your Grace. The uniform suits you. I have to ask one last time before we start though, are you sure you want to proceed? There is a strong possibility we will find dead in that rubble.” I stared out at the rubble for a few seconds as the wind whistled through the pile and I nodded, “I can’t be sensitive, sir. This isn’t about me, this is about the dead and injured. I must do what I can.” He nodded, “Okay, I will ensure that Chalshin stays by your side though. You’re still under threat. If we didn’t need all hands on deck, I would have asked the King to keep you home.” I shook my head, “It wouldn’t have done. I would have insisted on helping out.” He quietly chuckled, “As stubborn as any Esperanza I know.” He looked around at the group, “You will each take a grid and pull rubble down to the soldiers stationed outside of your grid. They will haul the rubble away for you. If you find a person, just yell out and the medical team will come by and do a quick triage to determine life and what injuries they have if they aren’t dead. Let’s move out.” Derek placed a hand on my shoulder, “Alright, let’s go then. Just know this won’t be pretty.” I nodded, “I didn’t imagine anything else, Derek, but we do what we must for our people.” We took our grid and started to slowly pull medium and large rocks away from the rubble. It was a cold day but it didn’t take long to work up a sweat. I had gotten to a point where I was starting to see smears of blood on the rubble. As I got lower I noticed a dainty-like hand jutting out from between two rocks. I reached out to the hand and felt for a pulse, hoping that I would find life in the owner of the hand. As Derek noticed me surging forward to check the pulse in the hand, he started to clear away the rubble on top of the person. I felt a faint pulse and as Derek pulled a rock away, it revealed the face of Lady Kastilidan. She was gasping for breath and she squeezed my hand when she saw my face and then it went slack as she spit up blood and the life left her eyes.
