The Ear archer 2

CHAPTER 4

       The prince together with two thousand five hundred soliders including Gob,Dalian, Sefth, Rutherford, unnamed, Yart and Ferdil let the palace.
        He had left behind twenty female soliders and the children under the command of commander Paul.
     The ride from the palace to the camp in Osgath where the Prince's army waited was a ten day ride but the prince was determined to make it in seven.
    Men and horses were pushed to their absolute limit in a gruesome four day ride.
     At dusk, the prince ordered the company to camp.
The weary soliders wasted no time in setting up tents and encampments.
     The prince was going over battle strategies when Persus walked in. He was one of the handful of people who could walk into the Prince's tent without a formal announcement.
      The prince didn't flinch, his eyes might have been on the strategy map but his ears were on high alert.
      He had heard his cheif commander even before he came four yards near his tent.
     Persus as the Prince's best friend never used the standard military greeting to address the prince.
    He crafted a special greeting that was unique to him alone.
   "My prince ".
Then and only then did the prince raise his gaze to meet his cheif commander.
   In his cheif commanders hand was an object covered entirely with an old fabric.
   "You should be getting some rest". The prince chastened.
  "I will, I came to give you this".
  Persus uncovered the object and the Prince's mouth went agape.
     It was Loas, a spear made from spatted tamarind, crafted by King Aldelgario I. It was the royal family's heirloom which was to be passed from one generation to the next.
   "You forgot this in Xan". Persus continued. The prince regained his composure.
   "I didn't forget it, I just didn't take it".
   Persus was visisbly shocked by the Prince's words.
   "This is your family's heirloom, a heirloom supposed to be passed to the next king, you.
   The prince went back to studying his maps while he spoke.
   "Being King isn't the qualification to wield Loas".
  "Desist from such low self esteem".
"Loas is meant to be weilded by the best spear dancer and we both know am not. Take care of Loas, am entrusting it to you".
   Over at a tent three hundred yards away from the Prince's tent was Gob.
   In his dream, he was dancing with Safara at the bonfire in Safurum.
   The music, atmosphere and situations seemed perfect.
    Safara leaned into him and whispered into his ears. Her words were distinct and incomprehensible.
    Suddenly, Safara's body began to melt, then and only then was Gob able to hear the words being whispered into his ears.
    "You killed me ".
Gob woke startled, sweating and breathing hard.
    In another tent, Rutherford awoke with a start. He had had just another of the nightmares. 
   He had trouble sleeping, a problem that had been ongoing for months and escalated as days rolled by.
   He didn't need a medical practitioner to tell him his lack of sleep was connected to his excessive worry for the safety of his family.
     He took deep breaths to calm himself as he tried to relax his tense shoulder.
    He had no choice but to once again tarry till daybreak.