“And if they say, Rune, your doctor sent us?” Max asked.
“I never had that happen, but I would still want to make sure we weren’t a threat to my people,” she said.
Kirsten was about to tell everyone to pull on the chain to try to rip the post out of the ground when she heard a familiar voice.
“Step aside,” the man said.
That’s the voice from my fever dreams, she thought.
The tent door parted and a man entered, visible only by his silhouette at first. Kirsten heard the others gasp when they saw him. Another man entered the tent with him. She could see them more clearly when the tent flap closed behind them. She didn’t recognize the first man by appearance, but she knew his voice.
“Uncuff these people,” the man ordered.
“But doc,” the second man said.
“Don’t ‘but doc’ me; do as I say. These are friends of mine and I demand they be treated with respect. Now uncuff them at once.”
The man keyed open the chains around their ankles one by one, undoing the clasps he’d previously set. As Max stood, he addressed the doctor, “Thanks, Rune. We weren’t expecting to run into you again so quickly.”
“I wasn’t expecting you either, but I happened to run into some friends of your Captain,” the doctor said.
Kirsten heard Britt gasp as two members of her crew entered through the tent door. She lunged across the tent, wrapping the two dark-skinned men into a hearty embrace. She began at once to speak to them in her native Rolloan.
Rune turned to Kirsten, “It appears you’ve survived the poison.”
She nodded, staring blankly at the man.
“Sorry, when last we met you were unconscious. Rune is my name, as I’m sure you’ve gathered by now. I’m a doctor with the revolution here. Good thing your friends ran into us on the trail. I’m sure you wouldn’t have made it much longer without that rapid transport to Solomon’s. I am curious, what did the old wise man give you to stop the venom from spreading?”
Kirsten shook her head, “Solomon wasn’t there. They tried some of his potions on me, but it’s this sapphire that’s keeping me alive.”
Rune’s eyes widened. “True enough,” he said, taking her hand and examining her affected arm. “The infection’s held back as long as this is on you. I figured as much, but to last this long is a miracle.” He gave her command of her arm again and said, “Well, if you make it through tonight, I’ll have to run some tests on you to see if we can’t figure it out.”
Kirsten nodded, then asked, “Why if I make it through tonight?”
“Surely you were told. The enemy army has moved onto the Plains and they’re marching this way. Soon we’ll be marching to meet them,” Rune said.
“No, we hadn’t been told,” Max answered for her as he glanced at Britt.
“Well, we have lots of work to do. The army occupying Brookside has been busy gathering recruits from the northern valleys,” Rune said. “Come with me and I’ll get you gear and weapons. Since you’re new to our force, you’ll be placed in the back of the pack. Can’t have new recruits messing up the working formations we’ve spent so much training time on these last months. That is all except you, Rollo warriors. We’ll be needing your skills at the front.”
Britt hardened her expression and Kirsten saw the look she gave Max. “I’ll be of more use at the front, alongside my Captain,” Max said.
Rune looked to the scabbard around his waist where the sword he’d taken from the soldier had been. Nodding, he said, “Very well. The more trained fighters at the front, the better our odds.” Rune waved them on out of the tent.
As they exited, Kirsten saw the sprawling village that had been used as the Resistance’s base for the past several months. A sea of tents extended into the distance. She could hear men barking orders as men and women hustled to the gathering crowd at camp’s edge. Bo grabbed her hand and pulled her along before the others became lost to them. They caught up as their small band walked quickly toward the rebel camp’s makeshift armory.
Rune pointed to the newly constructed log building and Kirsten followed the others inside. People pushed their way in and out of the place, grabbing axes, swords, and staffs. This wasn’t the kind of place that custom-fit each soldier’s battle needs, but Kirsten managed to find a shirt of chainmail her size and belted on a short sword and dagger.
Britt outfitted herself with her Rolloan armor and sword her crewmen had carried for her from the ships. Max found his broadsword and slipped on a loose-fitting helmet. He also grabbed a shield. Bo already wore armor and only required a blade, while Thomas also found some chainmail he fit into. Grabbing a longbow and as many arrows as he could find, he presented himself to Kirsten.
“Aren’t you going to take a blade?” she asked.
“I don’t expect I’ll need it. We’re going to be in the back and I’m much better with this,” he held up the bow.
Kirsten rolled her eyes and ran over to the barrels of blades. Pulling one she felt would suit a younger man, she handed it to him. “Take this and belt it on. You don’t have to use it, but I’ll feel better knowing you have something other than that bow if things get hairy.”
Thomas raised an eyebrow at her, “If things get hairy? When did you become the expert on warcraft?”
“When I got us out of that mess in Grandwood,” Kirsten said not giving it a moment’s thought.
Thomas nodded, recalling how she’d acted in those dire circumstances. He accepted the sword, and hunted down a belt. Just as Thomas returned with the sword belted on, Rune reappeared to lead them toward the gathering army.
Kirsten rolled the crystal over in her palm as she followed the line of rebel soldiers through the wooded foothills below the Frozentip Mountains. She’d seen fighting before, even killed, but this felt different. She felt the suspense building among the larger group for a fight that wouldn’t happen until sometime later. She didn’t know the strategy or plan; all she knew was that her brother and Bo would be by her side in the back. Kirsten stood on her tiptoes, trying to catch a glimpse of Max’s black hair alongside Britt’s in the crowd of people ahead. She couldn’t see them.
“Don’t worry about Max,” Bo said. “As long as he’s beside Britt and those other Islanders, he’ll be just fine.”
Kirsten nodded, “Yeah. I just hope the fighting ends quickly.”
“Me, too,” Thomas added from her side. “I hate this part. The waiting.”
As they marched to the edge of the forest, Kirsten watched the rebel army form ranks along the tree line facing toward the grassy expanse that was the Bareback Plains. Keeping close to Bo and Thomas, she followed Rune’s direction to stand five ranks behind the extending file of soldiers manning the tree line.
After a moment of standing in silence, Kirsten asked, “What now?”
Rune looked to her, “Now we wait for the enemy to come to us.”
She looked out at the expanding grassy fields. In the distance she saw three wide rectangular bricks of soldiers marching across the plains. Judging by their distance, they were still hours from making contact. She had to agree with her brother, she hated this part, watching the walls of death slowly march their way into view. She knew they had hours to wait before the chaos would begin.
