The Vermillion Garden

Chapter Five

"Hostages?" Jonathan said, turning from the window and eyeing Anona quizzically. "What in God's name is happening, miss? Please, if something is about to happen, I want to be informed. I'm not about to stand by and simply wait for the inevitable."

Anona looked up, breaking her staring contest with the floor.

"I caught sight of two Crightonian planes circling in the sky about a few minutes ago." Anona uttered, her mind buzzing.

Stepping closer to the woman, Jonathan held a hand to his temple. The Duchess quietly watched him as he stood before her, mulling silently over her words. He closed his eyes for a moment, wracking his mind just as Anona had done before.

He envisioned various scenarios in his mindscape, each one entailing a similar prospect.

Anona waited patiently, watching as his sharp eyes abruptly snapped open.

"If my thinking is similar to yours," the messenger started, "the Crightons are likely planning some sort of invasion or siege?"

"Yes." Anona replied, "And I had intended to send out a message about the possibility...but―"

"Now we're cut off and quite possibly alone..." Jonathan finished, raising a finger to his chin.

Anona heaved a sigh and glanced over to Florence who remained seated in her chair. No longer mumbling into her hands, the matron was lent back into her seat, staring up at the ceiling and occasionally closing her eyes before blinking them back open.

The Duchess frowned at the woman. 

Turning her attention back to Jonathan, Anona was met with the sight of him pacing about the room. His brows were furrowed, his eyes narrowing in concentration.

"If you keep thinking that hard you may blow a fuse," Anona said with a small puff.

Stopping short, Jonathan chuckled at the comment. 

Then he turned his gaze to Anona who remained standing poised in the middle of the room, dropping his small smile and adopting a pensive expression. 

He spoke. 

"We have to do something."

"Like what?" Anona asked, "What can we do?"

Scratching his blond scalp, Jonathan heaved an exasperated breath.

"I'm not exactly sure, but we should find an officer and formulate a plan. If worst comes to worst, we may end up having to protect ourselves."

Anona simply gawked at the man, blinking as he returned to his pacing.

"What do you mean?" Anona questioned.

Circling to face the woman again, Jonathan stopped his stride for the second time.

"I've seen these things happen many times," the messenger said with a dejected sigh, "Entire villages destroyed―burned to the ground and completely leveled out. Civilians, caught in the crossfire and killed on site. No one plays fair anymore, miss. If we can't get the nearest military unit to us in time―" he shook his head with a wave of his hands, "No, no...I don't even want to think about it."

He set to pacing again, an arm folded across his chest and a hand touching his chin.

"Camp Stewart is about three kilometers away from here, correct?" the messenger asked, shooting the woman a glance.

She nodded, "Yes, it is."

Jonathan paused and placed his hands on his sides, mumbling under his breath. Then he lifted his left arm and pushed his uniformed sleeve from his wrist, inspecting his brass watch.

"If I leave now," he muttered, lifting his head, "I can travel to Stewart and back within an hour and a half...two hours at the very latest."

Anona's brows raised, a look of disbelief flashing across her face.

"You're going to travel to Camp Stewart?"

Jonathan nodded, moving towards the table and reaching for his pack.

"I'm going to try, yes," he said, slinging the bag over his shoulders. "In the meantime, you can help the officers here."

She blinked.

"Me? How so?"

"You're the one who saw the planes, I'll take you to one of the commanding officers and we can inform him of the situation. If he deems it necessary, I'll ride to Stewart with orders from him and bring a unit here. While I'm gone, you could work with him. You know the layout of Sage fairly well, right?"

"Right."

"Good, you could help formulate a plan of defense with him and relay every detail you have about the planes: what they looked like, how high were they flying, in what direction did they come from and where they left."

Anona shifted her glance to the side, contemplating. Jonathan's thinking was quick and reasonable. However, she still had her worries to consider.

"I understand what you're saying, Jonathan." Anona finally stated.

"But?" the man asked.

"But," the Duchess said, taking a step closer to the man. "What happens if the Crightons do arrive and we don't have that unit?"

The messenger frowned.

"Many possibilities could go underway," Jonathan said, "But if this is as serious as we fear it to be, we need to act now and try to be prepared. Should they arrive sooner, the officers stationed here may send out recovering soldiers and volunteers to put up a front and wait for backup."

"And what if the people refuse to volunteer?"

"I'm sure the Grand Duchess of Norwin will be capable of inspiring them." Jonathan said with a curling smile.

Her eyebrows flew up, taking the tiniest of steps back from the messenger. 

He was serious.

Not that he didn't appear serious about his plan the moment he stated it, the Duchess merely found it strange to see just how earnest he was.

Nodding her head, Anona's lips twitched upwards into a smile. 

"I'm with you, Jonathan." she said, holding her hand out.

Grinning, the man clasped his hand around hers and gave it a formal shake.

"Glad to hear it." he said, "Now then, shall we do something about this?"

Anona gave a forceful nod.

"Yes."