Fifty Two

“It has been a week since you last saw commander Elison, Lady Themis. Don’t you think it’s about time you sit down and discuss this issue between you two before others start to take notice and then think that you are defenseless?” Dyane asked me, once again I was hiding with her by spending more time with her these days, time that I didn’t have, time that I would have used to do something better.

“They would have attacked either way if they wanted to. Alson attacked me.” I breathed out. It was during Dyane treatment of the commander who manhood I removed that I finally learnt the name of the man.

“Alson was a special brand of craziness. If he had used his gods given sense, he would have realized that his reasoning was off. There was no way, he would have escaped if anything happened to you. Now others might plot and maybe succeed this time in their plots to dispose of you. You and your protector are divided.” Dyane pointed out.

“So your suggestion is that I take the first step even though I was the one almost raped?” I asked with eyebrows raised.

“You cannot blame Commander Elison for that any more than you can blame the Warlord for it. I suggest that you give Elison the opportunity and he will gladly apologize to you first if that what you want. How can the man apologize when you would not even allow him to be in the same path with you?” Dyane pointed out as I groaned.

“My mind keeps flashing back to his words that night… maybe he is right maybe…” I started only for Dyane to face me with fury all over her form.

“Maybe you should have killed yourself and your unborn all because you want to show the world that you are still mourning the kidnap of your husband. Or did you forget that you are supposed to be protecting the little on in you.”

“I feel guilt for leaving Orel that day.” I confessed in a small tear filled voice.

“I know. There was nothing you could do, if you had stayed, you would have died and we would not have known better. You almost did die. So I suggest you stop those tears and continue the strong woman face you had been putting on. Go and let Elison end this silent war between both of you. You two are making Gwenn and me mightily uncomfortable.” Dyane grimaced when she realized her words a second after they left her mouth.

“Really? Did she send you to talk to me?”

“No, she didn’t but me and she may have shared our opinions of you and Elison.” Dyane corrected me.

“I am tempted to drag this out much longer.” I joked as the tent flap opened suddenly.

“I am sorry for barging in, Warlady, Healer.” Boan said. “But urgent news just came in. you are needed in the War council Warlady.”

I shared a look with Dyane who shrugged. There was only one kind of news that would make Boan enter the way he did. The enemy was making a move.

“It seems like you don’t have a choice but to be in the same room with him, My Lady.”

************************************

“If within the next three days we are not at that border, three villages will be lost.” Olyver said pointing to the place on the map.

“How long will it take us to settle there?” Elison asked studying the map, I stood there just peering at the map, I had no idea what was happening and that was why Elison has assumed charge of the meeting and most likely the control of the army too.

“If we leave today. In two days’ time, we would have settled half way which is the best option since that place will soon be a battle field.” Gwenn answered.

“Those villages needs to be emptied” Gwenn commander said as everybody turned to look at him. This was the first time he has ever contributed in the meeting.

“Why do you say so?” Gwenn folded her arms as she waited for Sorens, her commander to continue his statement.

“A battle field is no place for peasants.” Sorens said

“Who will take care of our food?” A commander asks.

“They could be taken as hostage to bend us to do their will.” Sorens said as the commanders snorted before one replied.

“They took our Warlord from us and they still cannot bend us to their will.”

“They will if any demands were made. You forget that the person who led now is Heartsick and will do anything to get back her husband.” Sorens said as the tent went deadly silent as all eyes moved to me.

I tried to meet their stares head on, I refused to be cowed by the knowledge just revealed and they needed to know, I had no lost love for the empire. My whole being was on getting my husband back and the only reason I was not presenting the whole Dar Empire in exchange for him was because no offer has been made and because Orel made me promise.

“You know that if any unfavorable request that will damage the empire in a long run even at the expense of Orel should never be made right?” Olyver asked.

“I am well aware of what is needed to be done if any situation like that arise.” I worded carefully.

“You are aware but that doesn’t mean that you will do it, does it?” Another commander voiced as Gwenn shook her head.

“The burden is already heavy, you don’t need to add to the weight by making her give an answer to that question.” Gwenn cuts in, trying to protect me.

“It is better we know where we stand. We cannot stand behind a woman who will sell us all just to get her husband back. The empire has to be protected with our last breathe.” Another said.

“And you think that I don’t know that.” I questioned softly.

“All my life, the empire ruled me, it made me suffer, and it tormented me. Then I got a reprieve, Orel became my safe haven, he wanted me to put everything else second to the empire. So commander, I am well aware of decisions I will have to make, even if my safe haven never comes back. And I make those decisions not because I want to or that I like them but because it would have been what Orel would have done. What he had wanted and it will be because I want to follow his wishes no matter how hard that is for me.” I finished feeling emotional.

“Themis...” Elison started but I felt the tears on my face, apparently I was looking emotional too.

I raised my hand to halt his words as I struggled to talk when my voice is clear.

“We move out this evening, see to it.” I ordered as I evaded Elison and practically ran out of the tent after I voiced my order.


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“Are you okay?” Elison asks me when he finally found me two hours later in the cooking area, a place I was sure that he knew that I had not visited in a while since I had no reasons to.

“Of course I am, why would not I be?” I asked as I kept helping the women pack up.

“Maybe because you left the meeting in tears.” Elison replied while also helping me with the process, they have to dismantle as fast as possible and they needed all hands on deck with helping.

“It must be because of the baby, Dyane told me to expect unexplainable change in my emotions during the course of pregnancy.” I lied.

“You can break down you know, you don’t have to keep bottling it up… you would not be seen as weak if you allow others to see how much you miss your husband, instead I am sure that other will see you as strong.”

I snorted at that statement. It was funny because of the person telling me this. “Just like you saw me when I did not break down every time?”

Elison winced at that barb. “I deserved that. Themis, I am so sorry. I never meant for any of that to happen, I never meant to leave you undefended.”

“Tell me Elison, when did you have a change of heart or when did you realized that I never stopped missing Orel, was it when Sorens pointed it out or when I left the meeting tent.”

“Neither.” Elison shook his head. “It was actually when you unmanned Alson, you didn’t wear the sheath of your swords. You held it in your arms… you remembered your fight with Orel and I felt like the biggest fool in the world when you unconsciously cleaned your face.”

I didn’t reply him, I just started at his face with an inscrutable expression because I did not even realized when I did that and when it seemed like Elison could not wait again and was about to start stating reasons why I should forgive him, I smiled.

“Apology accepted and I am sorry too, I should not have pushed you that hard, I knew that you miss him and Gwenn attitude must be rubbing of on you and still I pushed.”

“Accepted.” Elison said with a smile as I continued packing. “He would not feel like you betrayed him Themis, like you said, it was what he will want, what he will do. You didn’t give up on him.”

With Ellison’s words, tears fell from my eyes as my hands stopped working, Elison did not understand.

“It sure felt like I did.” Was my whispered reply.