DEMON CRY

72.

'Alright!' Amara huffed, looking down at the map that rested on the table. 'I am going to tell you the plan. If it's ridiculous, just tell me. There's no need to be subtle about it.' 

Once they had their moment, it was time to discuss work.

'Nothing you say could ever be ridiculous,' he said, amused.

She gave him a look. 'We're just going to attack them,' she deadpanned. 'Head on.'

His face fell. 'That's a bit anticlimactic.'

'Because that's not the plan.'

He grinned. 'That's a relief. I put you in a room of master strategist and if that's the plan you come up with...' His voice trailed off when he realized that she was not paying attention to what he was saying. 

Instead, she was folding the maps that lay on the table.

'What are you doing?' He asked quizically.

'I'm bringing these maps to you.'

His heart warmed. 'No need for that. Help me up. I'm tired of sitting.'

'But the physicians-'

'Amara, love, come here.'

After a moment of indecisiveness, Amara walked toward him. 'What do I do?' She asked.

He didn't say anything. Instead, he shifted slowly and pushed the blanket off him. He reached for his walking stick and then gripped Amara's arm with his other hand. Before shifting his weight to his feet, he breathed deeply and muttered, 'Here we go.'

It took him a little while to stabilize himself. When he stood, his legs shook. Even after resting for many days, he felt as though he had barely recovered.

'I don't think this is a good idea,' she said.

'I need this, Amara.'

She understood. 

Even though he was taller, it was easy for her to manage his weight. Despite the layers of fabric, she could still see his bones protruding. At this, she felt a flash of anger directed toward the Demon Queen. 

That wicked woman had done this to him.

Tears filled Amara's eyes as she watched him struggle to move his stiff muscles. Sometimes, he tipped too much to one side and she had to use her strength to steady him. Then Damien would smile at her and continue. 

It made her want to cry even more.

By the time they reached the table, Amara was a mess. She had managed to hold back her tears for his sake.

He stood near the table and gazed at the map. 'I find standing much easier than walking.'

She couldn't hold back anymore. She began to cry silently.

He gazed at the map with fascination and traced the contours on it with his fingers. 'I missed this.' 

When he received no reply, he looked at her. 'Amara,' he hobbled toward her. He used the table to steady himself with his free hand. His face softened. 'Don't cry.'

She cried harder. 'I hate this! I hate what she's done to you! I hate to see you struggle like this! It breaks my heart! I-I-' She buried her head in her hands.

'I'll recover. I just need time.'

'I know! But I can't stop crying!' Her voice came out muffled.

'Come here,' he patted her head and drew her gently into his embrace.

'I hate her! I hate the war! I hate everything! She took so much away from me! My family! My parents! She almost took you away! I thought I was going to be alone!' She sobbed into his chest. 

He shifted his weight so that much of his weight was supported by the table. Then with is free hand, he stroked her hair. 'That's why it's you have to put an end to it, Amara. You're getting a chance to put all of this behind.'

She didn't say anything. 

They stood there for some time.

'Er, Amara dear?'

'Hmm?'

'My legs are aching.'

Amara untangled her arms, alarmed. 'I'll bring you a chair.' She used her magic to position a chair right behind him. He grinned at her as he lowered himself onto the cushioned seat, 'That's convenient.'

When she didn't say anything, he looked at the map, 'Tell me your brilliant plan.'

'Brilliant? I haven't even started.'

'I just know it.'

She rolled her eyes but a ghost of a smile played on her lips. She liked his confidence in her. She wiped her tears with her sleeve. She looked down at the red shade of her gown and wondered it was causing any inconvenience to him. 'I should go change.'

'As long as I don't look at it, I'm fine,' he said. 

She nodded and shifted her gaze to the map after adjusting her shawl to cover it up.

'I'll start by listing out what we know.'

He nodded.

'The border of the two Kingdoms are heavily guarded. There is this other path we can talk which is through the mountains but it will be dangerous for our men to cross these terrains. So the only plan of attack should focus on this part.' She traced the border between the Kingdoms, 'To make it easier for us to enter the Demon Kingdom, we need to do something about the border patrol.

'I've decided that we're going to use our network of spies. We will assign them to spread rumours at the border that we have already breached the Demon Capital and are waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. I am certain that they would call for more warriors from the border to guard the Capital. Then when the border is weak, we can attack.'

'What if their spies deliver this plot to them? They won't be deceived and they'll send more men to guard the border which will make it difficult for us,' Damien said. He looked at Amara awaiting an answer.

She smiled. 'That's true. But if each of our spies deliver a different message individually, we can avoid alerting them of our ploy. We have already breached the Capital once. They will believe we're there even if we're not.'

'Go on.'

She glanced at the map again. 'There will be confusion among the Demon Army and our men will take the advantage. The demons will have no choice but to stay in the Capital. At this point, it will not matter if they believe that we've breached the Demon castle or not. 

'We will order our men to cut off their resources and then wait.'

'Wait for what?' He asked.

By the look on his face, she knew that he had realised her plan. 

She continued regardless. 'Wait for them to surrender. If they don't, we attack.'