Black Storm - Red Queen Fan Fiction

Chapter 13 - The Lamb part II

(The next chapters will jump back and forth in time a little. I'll try include dates whenever it's possible. Reminder: Mare's birthday is on November 17th)

Farley read her new orders with a frown. "They're mocking me," she uttered to herself, shaking her head.

While another team, consisting mostly of the former volunteers, was heading to the Choke again, her group had arrived in their base near Irabelle two days ago. That included herself, Cal, Kilorn, the young Newbloods, the Silvers and Gisa. Several others, already present in the base, were supposed to become parts of her new team. Introducing new members reminded her painfully of how many soldiers of her original team she'd lost lately. And seeing Gisa stroll around them called to attention that Ruth and Daniel had to worry about another child choosing the path of the Scarlet Guard, yet nobody had been able to talk Gisa out of taking part, even though she hadn't made a pledge so far.

Farley sighed as she reread the sheet with her tasks. Well, what had she expected? She neither wanted to be idle, nor to be spared more than necessary. And she was responsible for the situation, to a certain point.

"Calore," she addressed the exiled prince when she found him. "We're in a team again." She waved the sheet. '"We'll meet with the others in half an hour. And I'll need you most of all."

He raised his eyebrows. "What for?" He was still in a dark mood, shifting between grief and vindication. She understood him very well.

"We're to rein in the Silver fugitives."

She assessed the group gathered in front of her. By now, she knew most of them. Cal, Kilorn and Gisa, Julian and Sara, several Newbloods from the notch and Corros and Guards she remembered from other stays at Irabelle. Sara, who had become a friend to her, wasn't actually supposed to be with them, as she worked as a medic first and foremost. Indeed, Farley wasn't sure if all 18 of them were up to the task. True, most of them knew to how keep their nerves confronted with Silvers, but this wasn't going to be about fighting. She would have to find fitting tasks for everyone. But that was for later. She cleared her throat. "Before I explain our next actions, I want to inform you of a personal matter." She took a deep breath to bide a small amount of time, although she knew it wasn't going to stay a secret anyway. She should better be done with her confession quickly. "I'm expecting a child due in the summer. I may not partake in all our actions, but that won't be a reason to shirk my duties as your captain."

She let that sink in for a few seconds. She saw her team's surprised, but not extraordinary shocked faces. Good, she hadn't dared to hope it would go so smoothly -

"You mean that Shade's knocked you up?!" Kilorn exclaimed. "How - hell, had he known?"

Her face fell. That was exactly what she wanted to avoid.

"Warren, that's none of your business," Cal tried to calm him down, but this only made Kilorn more flustered. Farley could see how realization dawned on Kilorn's face as he turned to Cal.

"Calore, shit, you have known about this? Great, who else but me?"

"By my colours, that's not..."

"Kilorn Warren." Farley had to get this under control, even though her cheeks felt hot with a blush and the already familiar pain rose like bile again. "I assumed you've become a seasoned member of the Scarlet Guard by now. Yet you seem to get ... distracted quite easily. May we proceed with our meeting now?"