Jessa: The Adventures End

2

Having been given the go ahead Jessa takes her guard and those that want to go with her and check out the upcoming army to see if they are going to have a war on two fronts after all.

She and those with her glide silently through the lengthening shadows. Dhiren is the only one to stay by her side. Jessa gets a look at the nearing army and isn't sure just what to make of it. 

Dhiren notices her reaction and silently asks her what the problem is.

"There are many that are caravan guards there. I recognize several of them that are marching towards us. I had no idea that they even knew how to march in sync let alone fight as a group. But they should be back in Kyron or Castlerock, not here, not now."

Dhiren can hear what she isn't saying. They should be where it's safe not where the fighting is going to be the hottest and deadliest. He's sure that she's reflecting back on the fight that lost her Nathan.

Jessa sends the signal for the others to gather back to the boundaries. Once they do Jessa and Dhiren walk next to the sentries and startle them badly. "Shit, prince, princess are you here because of the army that's coming?" The startled man asks them motioning towards the humans that are making their way to Lexin.

"Yeah. I'll deal with it if you don't mind?" Jessa asks but it's more like a statement that he better not try to stop her.

The sentry is more than willing to let Jessa take over. He'd been one of the guards that had seen her go against the now dead prince. "Please deal with it how you would." He doesn't even care if his king would have handled it differently. He has no doubt that Dennis has given Jessa leave to deal with the humans. He doubts that Dennis would try to stop Jessa from doing anything.

Dhiren hides his smirk from the nervous guard. He feels the relief from the guard once Jessa steps forward to stop the advancing humans.

"Just what the hell are you all doing here? You should be back defending Kyron or even Castlerock, not come to where things are about to become a hot bed of fighting." Jessa says more than a little irritatedly.

There is a great deal of relief as word is passed among the group that Jessa is the one to greet them and not one of the snooty elves. They had been afraid that the elves would shoot to kill and not even hear them out.

"Jessa, we were sent here by Alaric. He sends this to you," one of the men makes his way forward and holds out a sealed letter.

"Alaric sent you?" Jessa allows the disbelief to come out heavily at this. "And you listened to him? Just what the hell did he tell you to get you all into the front lines of the upcoming battle? How many of you even have any training in arms other than as guards?"

"We volunteered when Alaric asked for some willing to come to Lexin to help fight the invaders. We all have some military experience and know how to follow orders of those in command. Most of us don't have immediate family so we are more expendable and we want to save as many of those that have families. Alaric said that he explains everything in the letter. Most of us owe you and Nathan our lives. We feel that now is the time to pay that debt. Perhaps we won't make that great of a difference, but we are hopeful that we will make at least a small one."

Perhaps it is now too dark to see the tears in the man's eyes, but Jessa and Dhiren can hear them in his voice and they can see many of the other guards nodding to what their spokesman has said.

Jessa listens patiently to what he has to say as she taps the unopened missive onto one hand.

No one, not even Dhiren can tell what Jessa is thinking, but he can guess that she is thinking about a battle long ago and far away where much was lost and gained.