Strategy Meeting

I woke to the soft glow of dawn filtering through the narrow window. The warmth beside me was the first thing I noticed, James was still asleep, his breathing deep and steady. I shifted carefully, trying not to disturb him, but his eyes fluttered open as I moved.

"Morning," he mumbled, his voice thick with sleep.
"Morning," I whispered back, a small smile tugging at my lips as I brushed a strand of hair from his face.
"How are you feeling?"

James sighed, wincing slightly as he adjusted himself on the pillows.

"Better, I think.”
“The pain is not as sharp."

I sat up slowly, stretching my arms above my head, feeling the satisfying pull of my muscles. Despite the lingering exhaustion, I felt more rested than I had in days. Just as I moved to stand, a soft knock on the door caught both of our attention. I glanced at James, who gave a small nod and called out.

"Come in."


The door creaked open, revealing Mark, holding a tray laden with bread, cheese, and a pitcher of fresh water. His usual stern expression softened as he saw us awake.

"Good to see you up, James," he said, placing the tray on the small table by the window.
"Brought you something to eat."
"Thank you, Mark."

Mark waved off the thanks, his attention shifting to me.

"There is someone who wants to speak with you both once you have eaten."

I exchanged a look with James.

"Who is it?"
"One of our leaders," Mark replied carefully.
"He wants to discuss the situation, particularly the plans moving forward.”
“It seems your arrival has raised some concerns among the council."

James frowned, pushing himself up a little more.


"Concerns?"

Mark hesitated, choosing his words with care.

"There are whispers that your cousin, Isabella, has increased patrols in the surrounding villages.”
“Some believe it is in response to your escape.”
“They fear it is only a matter of time before his attention turns to us."

"They want to know what we plan to do next.”

Mark nodded.

"Precisely.”
“They are not unkind, Isabella.”
“They understand what you have been through, but they need reassurance that your presence will not bring more harm than good."

James looked troubled but gave a firm nod.


"We will speak with them.”
“We owe them that much."
"Finish your breakfast first," Mark urged, stepping back toward the door.
"I will let them know you will join us shortly."

He paused briefly, offering us a reassuring glance before leaving the room. I reached for the tray, handing James a piece of bread before taking one myself. I bit into it, but my mind was elsewhere, racing through the implications of Mark’s words. I could feel James watching me, and when I looked up, his expression mirrored my unease.

"This is not over, is it?"

James shook his head.

"No.”
“We have come too far to turn back now."

I nodded, knowing he was right. After finishing our meal, I helped James to his feet, supporting him as we made our way down the corridor. The castle was already alive with activity, the sound of people preparing for the day echoing through the stone halls.



When we reached the meeting chamber, the heavy wooden doors swung open to reveal a room filled with resistance leaders. At the head of the table stood a tall man with graying hair and piercing blue eyes—Lord Edgar, one of the founding members of the resistance. His presence was commanding, and as he stepped forward, I recognized him from James’s stories.

"Isabella, James," Lord Edgar greeted us, his voice strong and steady.
"Thank you for coming.”
“We have much to discuss."

James’s hand on my shoulder was a reassuring weight as we stepped into the room. Lord Edgar motioned for us to sit at the large oak table dominating the center. I glanced around. I saw men and women of various ages, their hardened expressions reflecting the toll of countless battles. These were not just leaders but survivors, clinging to the hope of eventual victory.

Once we were seated, Lord Edgar took his place at the head of the table. His gaze was sharp and calculating.

"We have heard much about your journey," he began.
"Your presence here is remarkable, given the trials you have faced.”
“With your arrival comes the reality that King Alec is likely hunting you.”
“His forces are ruthless, and they will not stop until they have found what they are looking for.”
“We need to understand how that might affect us."

James leaned forward, his face serious.

“Lord Edgar, I understand your concerns.”
“Alec’s men have been hunting us for weeks, but we were careful.”
“We traveled by night, avoided the main roads, and did everything we could to cover our tracks."

A woman seated beside Lord Edgar, her dark hair streaked with silver, spoke up.

"Even so, it is only a matter of time before Alec’s scouts catch wind of your presence here.”
“If they have not already."

I felt a knot tighten in my stomach.


"We do not want to bring danger to your people.”
“If we are putting the resistance at risk, we are willing to leave."
"No," James cut in firmly.
"We have fought too hard to make it here.”
“We are not running anymore.”
“If Alec comes, we fight."

There was a murmur of agreement from some leaders, though others remained silent, their faces unreadable. Lord Edgar studied us both, his sharp eyes narrowing.

"You speak of fighting, James, but we must be strategic.”
“A confrontation with Alec’s forces would be disastrous.”
“We need a way to protect our stronghold and our people."

"What if we set a trap?"
"Use the information we have.”
“What little we know of Alec’s movements, to our advantage.”
“If we can lure his forces into a vulnerable position, we could weaken them without exposing the resistance."

Lord Edgar raised an eyebrow.

"A trap, you say?"

James nodded, catching on to my thoughts.

"We could spread rumors, and make it seem like we have moved to another location.”
“If Alec’s forces think they have the upper hand, we can strike when they least expect it."

The silver-haired woman exchanged a glance with Lord Edgar.

"It is risky, but it could work.”
“We would need to move quickly and ensure the misinformation spreads effectively."

Lord Edgar tapped his fingers on the table, deep in thought.

"You might be onto something.”
“We will need our spies in the surrounding villages to help spread the rumors.”
“They will be key in deceiving Alec’s men."



The mood in the room shifted. The idea of turning the tables on Alec, even in a small way, was clearly appealing.

"We will need volunteers," Lord Edgar said at last.
"A small team to ensure the plan goes smoothly."

James straightened, wincing slightly as the movement tugged at his wound.

"I will go.”
"This is our fight too."

My heart clenched at the thought of James putting himself in danger again, but I knew arguing was pointless.

"I am going with him.”
“We have come this far together.”
“We are not splitting up now."

Lord Edgar’s gaze softened.


"Very well.”
“We will begin preparations immediately.”
“Once we set this plan in motion, there is no turning back.”
“We will be putting everything on the line."

The leaders turned to discuss the finer details of the plan. James’s hand slipped into mine under the table. I squeezed it tightly.