UNSHEATHED

Chapter Fifty Seven

First Commander Alkema held Elena's horse's reins as Carsini gave her a leg up. The horse was brushed to an ebony gleam. Elena was dressed in her best jacket, with her gold sash draping her torso. She thought they made a good pair. Liran too, was wearing his best, the dark blue jacket offset by a silver sash and gloves. For that matter, she had made sure the company that was riding forth to meet the Emperor looked their very best down to the last soldier. She looked at Alkema, reins still in hand.

"I leave you in charge of the camp, First Commander. If we don't return or send message by nightfall, assume the worst. We have no way of knowing the situation at the Legion encampment. They may be completely compromised."

Alkema saluted her, looking serious. The thirty riders' mounts stamped and pawed the ground, as eager to be off as they all were. She had ordered the honour guard to comprise soldiers from Castillon and Kalad. One quarter were from Kalad, one quarter were Hilliri of Castillon, and half were Trillas of Castillon. She was careful to keep a large Trillas presence, lest the Legion scouts decide they were an invading force from some Hilliri kingdom rather than the force that they had called on from Castillon.

In addition, she had requested five Marulan to join them, in case the Legion needed assistance. They may have already seen battle.

Finally, she brought one of the children, the little girl who seemed to be their leader. She rode behind Adina, clasping her tight by the waist. Elena hoped this wasn't a mistake. Maranus took the lead, since he was their Legion representative, Elena rode behind him, and Liran behind her, with guards on either side. They made a fine sight, with their many banner carriers flying the colours of Castillon and Kalad in the wind.

They rode for almost an hour, through forests of bare branched trees, following the wide imperial road the whole way. The air was damp, since the morning frost had melted away with the cold bluish sunshine. The road flowed over hills and valleys covered with naked white birches. The air was warmer as they past the noon hour, but the sun fell quickly behind the hills and a chill set in soon after.

Few of them spoke. The honour guard likely felt the gravity of the duty they had been called to. It would soon be war, after all.

Elena scanned the woods, searching for the legion lookouts. She knew their routine: hiding in among the trees along the limit of vision from the road. Only those with the sharpest eyes were assigned such duty. Out of the corner of her eye she detected some movement. She slowed to a halt, the others following her lead, even those in front, sensing she stopped. She saw more movement elsewhere on the perimeter. Maranus turned to her with a crease in his brow.

"Do you see something?"

"There are lookouts all around us." Maranus scanned the forest and returned to look at her.

"Yes, I see them now. We might as well wait for them to come to us."

"Can you signal them? I'm anxious to get to the encampment."

Maranus cupped his hands to his mouth and made a bird call. The forest around them erupted in replies and the legion soldiers came out from their hiding places and headed toward them.

Maranus rode up to meet them and spoke with their leader, a young man with light brown hair and sharp grey eyes. She waited as a discussion carried on, though it seemed odd that it took so long. Her horse pulled against his lead, wanting to graze, so she let the reins go slack. His tail swished this way and that, to keep the flies away. Something wasn't quite right here, Elena thought.

Finally Maranus turned and rode back to her.

"They will escort us to the encampment. It's only a short way from here."