The Falling Empires Saga (The Complete Series, Books 1-4), page 60
The road here was covered for miles with fortifications and defensive trenches. It was no wonder most of the great battles during the Erlonian Consolidation Wars were fought over this portion of the nation.
Now, the defenses could aid in the fight against the Kurakin. The only problem was that most of the positions had fallen into disrepair.
Pitt’s own army, mainly due to the Wahrian King Charles, was to blame for that. They’d conquered northern Erlon the previous fall. Before the Kurakin betrayal and the murder of the Wahrian King, what did the coalition against Erlon need to keep up the fortifications in the north for?
Lauriston and Pitt and the other officers now scrambled to man the barricades and refortify the structures that used to protect the north. They wouldn’t make it in time.
That was one of the many reasons why Lauriston would be choosing a battlefield farther south. The allies would still meet the Kurakin on ground of their own choosing, they just wouldn’t have the benefit of strong defensive fortifications.
Win or lose in the south, they would now have more time to repair the barricades along the road. Pitt kept walking until he reached the end of the main trench. It stopped at the edge of a hill where the land fell off into a cliff. It was a strong position and would slow an advancing army significantly no matter how large the enemy force was.
This would be a valuable position if the next battle went poorly for the allies. But it wouldn’t stop the Kurakin advance forever. It would only slow them down.
“That’s why we must win the next battle,” Pitt said under his breath.
“Excuse me, sir?” an aide said behind him.
“Nothing,” Pitt said quickly.
He looked across the tops of trees in the south where Lauriston readied the main army somewhere in the distance. They would seek to fight Duroc in a fixed battle first and see if they could defeat his army before they even reached the fortifications in front of Vendome.
The marshal hadn’t chosen his battlefield yet, but he would soon. And Pitt would be ready to stand with the Erlonians and fight bravely. He would make up for his mistakes at Amand. He would fight bravely and contribute to the cause of stopping the southern Horde from taking more of Erlon.
Pitt tore his eyes away from the forest in the south. He would walk back down the trench line and inspect everything once again. He would give out final orders to the reserves manning the defenses and then head south to rejoin Lauriston and the main army.
The marshal and the other Erlonians officers would have the soldiers drilling and preparing for the battle. It would be a large fight, similar to Amand but hopefully with a better outcome.
This time, the allies would pick the battlefield. This time, they would make sure Duroc fought on Lauriston’s terms. Pitt knew that could make all the difference.
He finished his inspection and his orders and remounted his horse. A battle was coming, and Pitt had to ensure the Brunian side of the army was ready.
Elisa
They drilled without firing muskets—the ammunition and powder was needed for the coming fight. Elisa led her Nine through the evening forest in dead silence. The army marched before them. It was eerie being in a forest with so many soldiers and no noise.
“Move forward,” Elisa ordered as quietly as she could.
They were pressing a simulated enemy over the hill south of their position. The army marched double time but in silence and prepared for attack. Elisa’s unit was to follow and prepared to move into position to take a shot at the enemy officer.
If this were a real battle, it would hopefully be Duroc on the end of Fleury’s musket ball. The Kurakin crossed the Branch and moved north towards the army. Elisa would just have to be patient until that time came, and drills were a perfect way to pass the time.
The front line of the drill crested the hill and started down the other side. Elisa looked to Junot and received a nod of encouragement.
“Keep pushing up, over the hill,” Elisa said.
The men followed the order before she even finished with the words. They pushed over the top of the hill as the army broke silence and the yells of the officers to ready muskets called out along the lines.
The drill was over quickly. There was no firing of muskets, no calls to reload. The infantry held fire and only raised their muskets to their shoulders. Smoke didn’t fill the air. Elisa’s ears didn’t ring.
She moved her unit into position behind the central line of Lakmian infantry and put Fleury in position to take a shot at the enemy command. It was a simple enough drill. They’d practiced it for weeks at the end of winter and as much as they could after they’d crossed to the safety of the northern forests.
Her unit was getting good at maneuvering within the army. They were fast and coordinated. Elisa and Junot barely needed to give orders at all.
The men smiled confidently at her after the drill was finished. Elisa hadn’t seen Lodi during the drill, but the Lakmian general’s orders were distributed to them. They would practice a reverse maneuver on the march back to camp; it would simulate a steady and controlled retreat.
Elisa’s men fell in on the flank of a Lakmian column and moved back north. It wasn’t very far to their camp location.
Elisa let out a long breath. It’d been a long few days. They’d worked to set up the camp and helped with the scouting of the land. Lauriston seemed to already have a battle location picked out, but Elisa had noticed he and Lodi with their heads down in discussion plenty the last few days.
Elisa’s mind was tired of thinking on the war. She wanted to let it wander off on other, more peaceful things.
She settled on the guide at first. There were too many questions surrounding the visions. It made her head spin and she was too tired to think through everything. She pushed the guide away and found her father in its place.
She thought of him on Brun with the Brunian king and tried to picture him walking through the palace of his former enemy. The scene was hard to imagine.
Elisa wondered what he was doing right now, how he was helping with the war effort. She wondered what he was thinking and knew it was most likely about many things all at once, the same as his daughter.
Then her mother broke into her thoughts and memories.
But with her mother, it was the same as the guide. There were too many questions that Elisa now feared would never be answered.
Where had her mother gone? Why had she abandoned the empire? Why had she abandoned her family?
As her unit approached camp and broke off from the main column, Elisa realized she hadn’t thought on the actual image of her mother in a long time. She concentrated and pulled out memories from when Elisa had seen her.
Epona had long hair, like Elisa’s. It was always full and bright and smooth. Unlike Elisa’s more compact and strong form, she was tall, her body long and flowing. That didn’t mean her mother lacked strength. The aura of magic around the sorceress would never allow anyone to mistake her for someone weak.
Elisa stopped her march at the thought of that aura. She swore she could almost feel the magical tingle that was always present around her mother. It was as if her mother was here somehow, standing only just beyond the trees in this very forest.
Movement flicked between the trees in front of the unit.
Elisa’s hand went to her pistol but she didn’t draw it out. She watched for the movement again and saw a shadow that confirmed someone was in the forest.
The magical feeling grew stronger and stronger and Elisa held her breath.
It can’t be.
Her mother stepped out of the trees.
Tall with long, flowing hair and a beautiful face. She wore a red dress.
The sorceress stepped closer to Elisa as the princess’s eyes went wide.
Elisa was at a complete loss of words. She opened her mouth to say something but nothing would come to mind. She felt her eyes begin to water with happiness and confusion and anger and everything, all before the sorceress spoke.
“I am Sorceress Thirona, with a message from the King of Brun for your marshal,” the woman said.
The mirage of her mother fell away immediately. Elisa’s mouth snapped shut and the water around her eyes cleared.
Her sister. Elisa’s mother’s sister. The sorcerous aunt Elisa had never met.
Elisa was naive to have believed that her mother would appear here. Her unit stepped between her and the sorceress. But Thirona was an ally; she was here to help.
Elisa found her words quickly enough. She cleared her throat before responding.
“Certainly, Aunt Thirona,” Elisa said. The Brunian sorceress’s head twitched in surprise. “I am Princess Elisa of Erlon. I will escort you to Marshal Lauriston.”
The two women stared at each other for a long moment before either took action. Something hardened behind Thirona’s eyes for a brief moment and then passed quickly. The spell of surprise was broken and the sorceress curtsied.
“Thank you, dear princess,” she said in her melodic voice. “We have much to discuss.”
Lauriston
Lauriston had mixed success trying to keep the memories and anger from welling up inside him as Thirona approached. There were thoughts on the numerous battles against Brun that he’d fought with Lannes. There were memories of Three Bridges and the clouds of magic this sorceress had thrown at his men. There was anger around the loss of those good soldiers and the pointlessness of war.
Lauriston had to keep it all inside. They were allies now. They were supposedly on the same side.
The sorceress seemed to glide as she walked through the camp. Elisa and her men led the way. Every group of soldiers that noticed Thirona stopped to stare as they passed. Soon it seemed like the entire camp was turned to watch Marshal Lauriston greet the sorceress from Brun.
Thirona bowed when she reached him. “Marshal Lauriston, I bring help from King Nelson of Brun.”
Lauriston swallowed. “Welcome, Sorceress. Your assistance is much needed and a great sight to see.” Lauriston turned and held out a hand to indicate his tent doorway. “Please, join me in my command tent.”
Thirona nodded and smiled. She looked very much like Lannes’s wife. The likeness made even more memories that Lauriston would like to avoid come forward in his mind. Epona had abandoned Lannes and Erlon when they needed her most. Would her sister do the same?
Lauriston led the way into the tent, mainly to turn his face away from the sorceress and gather his thoughts. He needed to stop running through nightmares and unfair questions. Thirona would be here to help, not rain sorceress bolts of lightning down on his men.
No matter how strong the memories of Three Bridges were, it would be better for the army if Lauriston put those aside for now and used this new ally in the coming fight.
“We have food and drink. I know you’ve had a long journey,” Lauriston said, pointing to the cart on the far side of his tent. He pulled another chair over to sit across his desk from his own seat. Thirona walked over and sat down without looking at the drink cart.
Lauriston lowered himself opposite her and straightened the few papers he had on his desk. A folded map of northern Erlon sat in the middle, as well as a few drafts of orders for the fortifications lining the rode to Vendome behind his army.
“Did you stop in Vendome and receive a status on the current campaign?” Lauriston said to start the discussion. There was no need to talk about anything but the business of the upcoming battle.
“I did not, but I’m aware of your current status.” Thirona spoke the words in a flat tone. It was impossible for Lauriston to interpret the emotion behind them.
As his mind settled down, Lauriston began to think through what this arrival actually meant. Did the king of Brun expect Thirona to be in charge of the army? Was she just here to assist however she could? And was Emperor Lannes aware of this and did he approve of the sorceress’s assistance?
“We have no sighting of the main Kurakin army north of the Branch yet,” Lauriston said. He spoke mainly just to get words out and not let silence fester for too long.
Thirona only nodded in reply. She stared at Lauriston and the marshal felt a shiver run along his spine. He’d felt this feeling before, whenever he’d been around Empress Epona. Years had passed since he and Lannes’s wife had been in the same place, and the return of the sensation startled him as if it were new altogether.
“What were the king’s orders for you?” Lauriston said.
Thirona stood up. She turned her back on the seated marshal as she spoke. “He wants me to help in any way I can. He wants to ensure we win the war.”
“I see,” Lauriston said.
If those were the exact orders, they were vague and up for interpretation. Lauriston didn’t like where this was going at all.
Thirona began a slow walk around the perimeter of the tent. “You’ve retreated from the central states. You’ve moved to more favorable ground and put another river between you and General Duroc.”
“It was the only way to keep the campaign from collapsing. We couldn’t have fought another battle south of the river without more time.” Lauriston stood up when the sorceress passed behind his back. He didn’t like not having eyes on her.
She passed his bed and his musket leaned against a crate in the corner before returning to her original spot on the other side of the desk.
“I agree with the move. Granted, I’ve little by way of military training, but I believe you made the right choice. We can fight and win against the Horde up here.”
Lauriston had to force himself to not release an audible sigh of relief. He’d been certain the sorceress would try to take control of the army away from him. He wasn’t aware of a hierarchy between military ranks and a magical being, but the main advisor to the king of Brun would certainly hold the power to give an Erlonian marshal trouble if she wanted.
Lauriston needed to stop thinking like that. This woman was no longer his enemy, no matter how many of his soldiers she’d killed at Three Bridges. She was now one of their greatest weapons against the Kurakin.
“We’ll let them cross the river but meet them quickly after,” Lauriston said. He launched into his plan and didn’t leave space for the sorceress to comment until the very end. “We’ll fight them before the mammoths can get across but seek to defeat most of their army in one go. If that fails, we have defenses all along the road to Vendome to slow their approach. That will give us time to regroup.”
Thirona nodded. “I agree. I will assist during the battle.”
She straightened her posture. She towered over Lauriston and he felt his eyes drawn to hers as if by a magical force.
“You’ve seen my full power,” she said. “You know what I can do on the battlefield.”
Lauriston nodded once. His jaw was locked down, his teeth grinding together against the nightmarish memories. He was finally able to pull his eyes away from Thirona’s as the sorceress continued.
“When the day of the battle comes, put me where I’m needed most. Put me where you need the battle to hinge in our favor, and I’ll deliver us victory.”
Thirona swept from the tent before Lauriston could respond. He stood in a state of half-shock and thought on the sorceress’s words. She would be a powerful ally in the fight to come, but Lauriston was still terrified of her.
* * *
The evening shadows of the camp were silent outside the command tent. Lauriston’s officers sat with him. Lodi and Quatre had arrived earlier and Elisa and Desaix had come shortly after. Lauriston had relayed what Thirona told him of her orders.
“Well, it’s good she’s on our side this time,” Lodi said to break the silence around the tent.
Lauriston looked at the Lakmian. “You think so?” he said.
He felt a smile creep across his face. It turned into a laugh soon after and the rest of the room joined him. This war was crazy.
Beyond the fact that the Kurakin Horde had invaded Erlon and was about to attack the northern provinces. Beyond the fact the Lannes was in exile, his empress missing, and his daughter fighting alongside the last marshal of the empire. Beyond the fact that Brun and Erlon were now somehow allies.
Beyond all of that, Thirona, the bane of Three Bridges, had now arrived to help.
Lauriston rubbed his forehead and leaned forward as he laughed. He now had a sorceress at his disposal for the coming fight. A woman who’d killed more of his soldiers than anyone else. The marshal looked around the room. Every one of the officers present except for Elisa had fought at Three Bridges. Everyone would have memories of what Thirona was capable of.
“What was going through your mind when she appeared, Elisa?” Quatre said once the laughter died down a bit.
“I thought she was my mother,” the princess said.
Everyone chuckled again at this.
“What was going through your mind talking to her, Lar?” Elisa asked.
Lauriston shook his head. “Lots of things.”
The laughter continued. It helped to cope with the stress of the situation.
Quatre reached behind him and pulled out more of the wine from the drink cart and passed it around the circle for everyone to refill.
“We need not overthink this,” Lauriston said. “Lannes is with the Brunian king in the east. Brun is our ally. Therefore, Thirona is our friend. However strange that sounds.”
Heads nodded around the tent. Lauriston couldn’t help but notice that Elisa stared down at the floor in deep thought. Lodi nudged her with the bottle of wine and she jumped back to the present.
“She will help us fight.” Lauriston shrugged and hoped his men would agree. “She’ll help us win.”
More nodding. Quatre returned the bottle to the cart once it completed its round.
“What’s the order of battle, Lar?” Quatre said. “Do we have one yet?”
“We do.” Lauriston stood and stretched. His back was tight from sitting too long. “I’ll distribute preliminary orders in the morning. We’ll go and survey the proposed battleground tomorrow as a group. Hopefully you’ll agree that the Kurakin will funnel right to where we want them to go.”
