UNSHEATHED

Chapter Fifty Eight

Liran looked up at the woman who had just entered the room and thought for a moment that she could only be Elena's twin. On further observation, though, he realized she was an ordinary Trillas, probably in her thirties, with a hint of fine lines beginning to show on her face. Her hair, a true red, where Elena's was more gold, was dressed in a long braid down her back. Her uniform was dusty and blood-stained. In spite of her blue-grey eyes being reddened with fatigue, she remained standing. A stubborn one.

Elena looked up from her chair too, when Callistira joined them. She gave a nod.

"Kinswoman, greetings." Liran realized why he had thought them twins. This was the Emperor's heir, Callistira Julianus, and if he remembered correctly, she was the daughter of his sister and the man who had greeted them.

It was time to move on from introductions and get down to the business at hand, for they rode a long way to come to the Emperor's aid. From the look of it, they had not arrived too soon.

"I have come to honour our treaty, your Grace, and I have brought a force of nearly four thousand soldiers. Some are my own, those dressed in dark blue, which my Field Marshall, your kinswoman, mustered and trained from the citizens of Castillon, but with the information we have gathered on our enemy, which I will share with you shortly, we felt it was prudent--no--critical, to bring as many as possible to fight against him. I requested aid from Kalad, where my mother rules, and was granted her support as well, a company of soldiers dressed in Paracha grey, and thus we come in greater numbers."

Corillion looked down at the floor as if troubled then he turned back to Liran. "My Lord, I am grateful for your aid, for although we're many, we are plagued by defections from our ranks, and the army we fight is made up of the defectors. It is not a pleasant thing to do battle with soldiers you have stood side by side with in the past."

It was clear the Emperor was burdened by so much, and was a man who took it all to heart. Liran nodded in understanding.

"I have seen some of this issue in our ranks as well over the last few days."

Corillion seemed disappointed with this. He shook his head.

"Well, I guess it was to be expected. I've never seen anything like it."

Elena leaned forward and held out her hand.

"If I may, your Grace, we should share what we have learned. It will help you to understand why you are having these problems."

She glanced at Liran as if she wasn't sure which of them should speak. Liran nodded, and Elena went on. She spoke of the rogue Guardian and his methods. As he listened, Liran couldn't help but think how fantastic a tale it was, and one that he doubted people wouldn't believe, but Elena was kinsman to the Emperor, and it appeared from his rapt expression that her word held some weight with him.

Callistira cleared her throat and moved closer to the Emperor.

"Your Grace, we are six thousand strong. The count lessens every day. We should make a plan to attack soon, now that we have reinforcements from Castillon, and finish this war once and for all." Her voice was deep and fierce.

Elena rose and went to her. She took her niece's hand and clasped it. "My niece is right; though I'm afraid it won't be as simple as it sounds. We're all eager for the battle that will finish this strangeness. I promise you that we have brought what is needed to bring our enemy down, and we must bring him down as quickly as possible."

Without warning, Callistira gasped and her knees buckled. When he saw this, Liran rose from his chair. Elena was quicker, and caught the woman as she fell, easing her to the carpeted floor. Corillion rose and followed the others. Liran wanted to help, but he wasn't sure how to proceed. Elena cradled her niece to keep her in a sitting position.

"Kinswoman, you are injured."

The woman nodded, then closed her eyes.

"It's only a trifle." Her voice squeaked.

Elena looked over at Corillion. "When was she injured?"

He rubbed his head for a moment. "The day before yesterday, we stopped the enemy from gaining ground, but we took heavy losses. She said she attended to her wound, that it was only a shallow cut."

Elena sniffed the air near her niece. Liran was pleased to see this, for he would have done the same, but the role of healer didn't always fit well with the role of ruler. Elena wrinkled her nose.

"Her wound has gone septic, I think." She looked over at Liran, and he knew. A septic wound could kill in hours, and there was no telling how long it had been already. The healer won out over the ruler and he went over to kneel by the pair and looked back at the Emperor.

"Your Grace, your niece needs healing, and there is no time to spare." He could see the Emperor was just beginning to understand the situation, looking stricken. Elena looked at her kinswoman.

"The Prince is a very skilled healer, Callistira. You must let him attend you. There isn't time to spare."

Liran spoke quietly to the woman. He reminded himself that she was the Emperor's heir, no matter ordinary she looked.

"Will you allow me to minister to your wounds, my Lady? It won't take long, and it shouldn't hurt."

He removed his silver gloves, waiting for Callistira to speak. The woman opened her eyes briefly, nodded, and fluttered them closed again, her waxen face relaxing a little. He was unsure if she was still conscious. He tucked his gloves into his belt and glanced at Elena, who looked grave. She gave him a nod.

He settled down to work, healing the future Empress of Estallium.

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Cheers!

Rebecca