Chapter 17

Summer of the Eighth Year of His Grace King James

Women will decorate anything.

Liuz leaned back in the cushioned seat, enjoying the cool breeze on the cliffside rest area. Flowers now adorned the path up to the top of the falls, planters cut into the rock. A bush, too, pushed out of the cliff face, red flowers in bloom. He suspected it had joined the others on its own, some seed finding purchase in a crack. The couch now was padded, waterproof leather filled with stuffing. The perfect place to rest with your family.

Harveen snuggled into him, feather vest discarded onto the ground. All three kids sat next to it, playing some invented game with rocks. The whole world lay out before them.

"Liuz?"

"Hm?" He looked down into Harveen's face. Her eyes were closed.

"I think I'm going into heat soon."

Liuz nodded. That seemed reasonable. The kids were old enough to not need as much attention.

"And?"

Her small grey eyes opened, looking up into his.

"Do you want more children?"

"Do you?" That was the question, after all. Given all involved, his feelings shouldn't matter that much. He'd love any child she had as if it was his own, but was in no way going to ask her to mate with someone she didn't love just to have them. She nodded, eyes still locked with his.

"Yes."

"OK."

"Really?"

"Yes. Just choose wisely. Make sure they understand the children will be ours, not his."

She nodded, eyes closing as she snugged into him again. His arm squeezed her warm body. How lucky was he to have a love like her?

"Mom! Dad!" The three children stood before them, bubbling with excitement. Liuz cocked his head at them.

"Yes?"

"Can we go see the cannons? Please?"

He looked up at the sun. They had time.

"Sure." Disengaging from a jokingly grumpy Harveen, he stood. "Let's go."

Once the uphill walk up to the top of the falls was completed, the journey became much more pleasurable. The path was reasonably level, the land around them not lush, but green and pleasant. It diverted from the stream which fed the falls, winding its way through trees and rocks. The children ran forward, mostly on two legs, stopping to wait for their parents impatiently when they got too far ahead. Liuz was in no hurry. He held Harveen's hand, letting her set the pace. They were spending more time together. More and more of his work was being delegated out, the collection of people smarter than him in one area or another now quite large.

If only he could get that damned automated loom to work.

Coming around a bend, the world opened up. A large flat area overlooked the ocean. Spaced around it, bronze cannons.

"Cannons!" Livtar ran towards the nearest, the Polish soldiers looking on with amusement. His two sisters quickly came up beside him. They mounted it, all three treating it like a horse. Liuz shook his head as he and Harveen came to a stop next to the Officer.

"Given we still have some stored next to the shop, you'd think this wouldn't be exciting."

"The view is a bit different," the man chuckled. "Don't think they've been here in awhile."

"Everything going OK?" Liuz felt Harveen let go of his hand, moving to take some control of the kids. The Officer shrugged.

"No problems. That's how I like my days."

Nodding, Liuz moved towards the edge of the fort. You could see the entrance to the Kikker harbor from here, as well as the cannon batteries set up on either side. The village itself was hidden. He felt a sudden burst of pride. He, they, had helped create this. This and other fortifications all around the island. He had helped keep them safe.

From the village below, a horn sounded.

Fear shot through Liuz. It sounded again, a pattern he had hoped to never hear. The soldiers around him leapt to their posts, Harveen pulling the children off the cannons. The Officer was beside Liuz, binoculars scanning the horizon. Another blast of the horn.

They were at war.

Kasia dropped off the wagon onto her good foot before it had even stopped, crutches in hand. Palace guards did not question her as she swiftly moved across the grounds.

War.

The militia was being called up, her Natan off somewhere with his unit. The very idea of Natan fighting left her cold. He was not a fighter! He was just someone who trained with a pike once a week! She moved faster. Whatever this was, she had to keep the fighting as far away from Nowy Warsaw as possible. Unless, it was already here...

She found herself approaching closed double doors. Guards opened them as she approached, Kasia not even needing to slow down to enter. She did stop once inside. A large flat table stood before her, a rectangular map filling its surface. On it, carved wooden figures. She remembered making those for the King, laughing at what he had wanted them for.

She wasn't laughing now.

"Kasia!" General Wales moved towards her, others in the room glancing up. "Are your balloons ready to be moved?"

"Yes. Both are packed. What's going on?"

"Elven forces are moving towards Daraja. We're moving everything we can spare there."

"Do we have time?" She looked around the room. From their expressions, the answer was probably 'no'.

"We can get the Polaski there in time, if we travel day and night up river. I'll man the oars myself if the winds are unfavorable."

"Thank God we moved those Winged Hussars up to Fort Buffalo," said a Hussar she didn't recognize. He moved a few wooden figures on the map. "We can get them up to Daraja in two or three days. I apologize, Your Grace, but the Dark Hussar's men just aren't trained for what we need."

The King nodded, hands on the table as he leaned forward. Kasia was shocked at how tired he looked.

"I know. She hates head on charges, for obvious reasons. I think she's hoping we invent rifles before she has to really engage the enemy."

Another door opened. Two pages ran in, both carrying chalk message boards. Chancellor Ola, who was standing back from the others, motioned them over. The effeminate looking man scanned the messages.

"They're traveling slowly, Your Grace. Watu scouts report they're bringing trebuchets with them, medium in size." He looked up, a slight grin on his face. "The second message is a profound apology from the Honorable Beant for ever protesting those advanced sentries. The kite signals have probably saved the city."

"It's too early to say that. I'd expect the Elves to clear out everyone we have before them once they notice they've been seen."

"It's strange they haven't done that yet," a voice said. "Very ... amateur."

"We don't know who's in charge," General Wales replied. Taking a look at the report now placed on the table, he positioned Elvish figures on the map. "If this is a case of a new, young Elven Prince trying to show off his power..."

"We SHOULD know that," the King grumbled. "We let our focus fall elsewhere."

"And for that reason, Your Grace, I still protest you going. We don't know enough."

"We know enough for my presence to be necessary if this alliance is to last, General. We need a show of strength from Poland, and the cannons won't be enough. I must be there with my banner." He chuckled. "Don't worry, I plan on fleeing if the outer wall is breached. My banner will be just as pretty on the eastern bank of the Orlan."

Kasia laughed with the others. She, herself, planned on staying out of the city altogether. The balloons would be flown well behind the battle lines.

The sound of rocks flying through the air filled her mind. Missiles smashing into centuries old fortifications. Images of her dead father trapped under...

The main door opened, the room falling silent. Kasia turned, memories pushed aside.

The Elven Queen.

She stood there before the Poles, light green skin seeming to glow. She wore a white dress which bared her arms, red hair falling down its back. Kasia had never seen her close up, never heard her voice. She found herself caught up in those black eyes. Black as an Elf's soul...

"Your Grace." Her voice was soft. It startled Kasia with its ... normal-ness. The Queen gave a slight bow of her head. King James returned it.

"Your Highness."

"James ... is it true?" She stepped farther into the room, eyes sweeping the map. "Are my ... are the Elves attacking?"

"Yes. I'm afraid so." He sighed. "Come look." As she moved around to his side of the table, Poles giving her more room than needed, the King gently took her arm. He pointed to the map. "They've just started to move out from the ruins of Nowy Kiev." Her mouth seemed to grimace at that name. "We caught it early enough to not have to rely just on what we've already positioned there. My ship leaves as soon as it's loaded."