Preparing for Battle

The last echo of hooves faded into the mist. I remained rooted to the spot, my breath shallow and uneven. Alec's words still weighed heavily on my heart. I could feel the gaze of my comrades on me, but I was not ready to meet their eyes, not yet.

A soft rustle behind me snapped me back to the present. James stepped forward, his face pale, his eyes reflecting the same concerns I harbored.

“We need to move quickly.”
“Alec will not waste time.”
“He will regroup and strike again soon, likely with greater force.”

I nodded, forcing my fears aside. I turned to face the group, my voice steady despite the turmoil within.

“James is right.”
“Alec will not wait, and neither can we.”
“Spread the word everyone must be ready for what is coming.”
“We need to fortify our defenses, check our supplies, and ensure everyone knows their role.”
“There is no room for error.”


The group nodded in unison. James lingered behind; his gaze fixed on me.

“You know this is not going to be easy,” he murmured, stepping closer.
“Alec will not stop until he has destroyed everything in his path.”
“I know.”
“We have come too far to back down now.”
“We will stand our ground, no matter what it takes.”

James hesitated, his next words coming slowly as if carefully chosen.

“Isabella, I need you to promise me something.”
“What is it?”
“If it comes to it, if the fight looks lost, promise me you will find a way out.”
“You need to survive this, even if it means leaving everything behind.”
“The resistance needs you.”
“More importantly, the people need you.”
“I promise,” I whispered, though the words tasted like ash on my tongue.

James nodded, relief softening his expression.



“Good.”
“Now let us make sure it does not come to that.”

With a final glance at the mist where Alec had disappeared, I turned and strode toward the castle. The battle was not over yet, and I would fight with every ounce of strength I had. Alec might have vowed to show no mercy, but neither would I.

The late afternoon sun cast long shadows as we approached the castle gates. The sound of the resistance fighters’ cheers reached our ears, a brief respite from the looming dread. We crossed the threshold. There was no time to celebrate. Alec would not be far behind.

The courtyard buzzed with activity. Soldiers sharpened their swords, blacksmith's hammered out dents in armor, and strategists huddled over maps. James walked beside me; his sharp eyes dulled with exhaustion. I glanced at him, noticing how he favored his left side, where a gash along his ribs had been hastily bandaged.

“You need to see the healer.”
“There’s no time.”
“We need every hand to prepare.”

Before I could press further, the captain of the guard approached, his expression grim.


“Milady, Lord James,” Mark greeted, bowing slightly.
“The men are readying the defenses, but we need to decide on a strategy.”
“Alec’s forces are vast, and they’ll be here by dawn.”
“We cannot meet them head-on.”
“We need to make them fight on our terms, using the castle’s fortifications to our advantage.”

Mark nodded but looked troubled.

“We will barricade the main gate and position archers along the walls.”
“If they breach the outer defenses,”
“They will not succeed,” I interrupted, my tone hard.
“We will make sure of it.”
“Position the archers and set traps along the approach.”
“Alec will not expect us to be ready so quickly.”
“We need to exploit every advantage we have.”

James stepped forward, resting a hand on the hilt of his sword.


“We should also prepare the civilians for the worst.”
“If the walls are breached, they need to evacuate through the secret tunnels beneath the castle.”
“We cannot let them be caught in the crossfire.”

“Agreed.”
“I will oversee the evacuation preparations,” I added.
“Morale is key.”
“We cannot let fear weaken us.”

Mark bowed.

“I will see to the defenses immediately.”

He walked away, issuing orders to the soldiers. James turned to me, concern lacing his voice.

“Isabella, we cannot take Alec lightly.”
“He is ruthless, and if he finds a weakness, he will exploit it.”
“That is why we will not have any,” I replied, steel in my voice.
“We must be stronger, smarter, and ready to make sacrifices.”


We made our way to the great hall, where the leadership of the resistance had gathered around a table covered with maps of the surrounding lands. I took my place at the head of the table, James by my side. The room fell silent as all eyes turned to me. I took a deep breath.

“Alec is coming.”
“He wants to crush us, to reclaim what he believes is his.”
“We will not let him.”
“We have fought too hard and sacrificed too much to let him destroy everything we have built.”
“Our strength lies in our unity and our resolve.”

I met the gaze of each leader in turn.

“Alec may have numbers, but we have something far more powerful—a cause worth fighting for.”
“We will defend this castle, our people, and our freedom with everything we have.”

I outlined the strategy: fortifying the walls, setting traps, readying the archers.

“We must also be prepared for the unexpected.”
“Alec is cunning.”
“He will try to break us, but we cannot let that happen.”

“Flexibility will be key, and we need to ensure the civilians are safe.”
“The evacuation plan must be clear, and the tunnels must be secured.”
“We cannot afford to let Alec use them against us.”

After what felt like hours of planning, the meeting finally adjourned. The leaders left to carry out their tasks, leaving James and me alone in the hall. The sun had set, and the first stars twinkled in the night sky outside the windows.

“We are as ready as we can be,” I said quietly, more to myself than to James.
“We have done all we can.”
“Now, we wait.”
“We should rest while we can.”
“The battle will begin before we know it.”