Heir of the Gods

Ch. 23: Battle Plans

Calix nudged his heels into Nox's sides, urging the horse up the small incline. The final stretch to Antelium unfurled before him. For a moment, he just stared down into the valley.

The Carmilion River was a silver thread running into the western distance. He could just see the outline of Antelium. The city crouched in a loop of the river, rising above the surrounding fields. 

Five days. It had taken five days to get here. Two longer than he'd anticipated.

Two days just to get the men mustered—apparently Lord Vetus hadn't bothered to mention which unit should be put at his disposal—then three days to march a little less than forty miles. 

Despite traveling light, a host of a hundred men moved much more slowly than a single man on horseback. The cold weather and rough terrain had slowed their progress more than Calix would have liked, but he wouldn't risk exhausting the men. The company needed to get to Antelium ready and willing to fight, not tired and belligerent. 

Still, his impatience had reared its ugly head early this morning, which was why he had ridden so far ahead of the company. He wanted the opportunity to see their objective before anyone else.

The forested hills petered out here, turning into open fields. The last of the fall wheat swayed in the chilly wind, waiting to be gathered before the snow clouds managed to get past the Alorens. 

Calix was careful to remain at the edge of the trees.

Turning in the saddle, he glanced at the land he had just traveled over. It wasn't the most direct route to the city gates. That lay a little farther to the north, alongside the river, which was precisely why they had taken this route. The trees would provide ample coverage, though they would have to camp rough for the nights leading up to the attack.

No fires, no armor, as close to silence as a hundred men could come. Surprise was critical to their mission. If the Mortanians got wind of their approach beforehand—if they didn't somehow already know—then Calix would fail.

His hand turned into a fist around the reins.

For another moment he continued to stare out across the rippling fields, entranced by the whispering of the wheat stalks against one another. Half-closing his eyes, he simply let himself listen.

To the wind, the land. 

"What life would you want? If you could have any other than your own?"

Calix stared blankly toward the horizon as he was waylaid once again by a memory.

The princess lay with her head resting on his chest, staring at him. Sighing, he thought about his answer for a moment. Then he grinned. "One where you live in a place I call home, and I can have you anywhere and anytime I please." He cocked an eyebrow. "Or you please, for that matter." 

He was only teasing—he truly didn't mean anything by it—but the princess sat up, looking down at him with those too-serious eyes.

"Where do you call home, my lord?" she asked, her voice soft and lovely.

Nox snorted and bobbed his head at the inactivity, pulling Calix from his own mind. He let out a long exhale, steam clouding from his mouth. Tugging his cloak closer, Calix shook his head, berating himself for these moments of weakness.

Try as he might, he couldn't stop himself from thinking about her. From missing her. Which was a problem both for the distraction it provided, and because she wasn't his to miss in the first place.

She had asked him those things two months ago. Even now he had no answer for her. But what did it really matter?

None, he decided viciously. He wanted no life other than his own.