The Serpent's Chains

Chapter 9: The Front Lines

Cole

Talon's great wings beat the air with low a whump, whump, whump. I sat, legs astride, over his long neck, backside against a ridge at the base of his neck before his wing joints.

The sun sank low on the horizon, streaking the sky with deep oranges and purples. Below us, the forest changed to mountains, then to open fields littered with tents and large weaponry like catapults and battering rams.

The encampment looks good. Talon commented.

They look restless and tired.

He roared in response and circled downward, gliding in slow, lazy circles as he descended from the skies. I grabbed the leather strap on his neck that kept me from falling to my death. These rides to and from the battlefields never seemed long enough.

The ground trembled as Talon landed and several nearby soldiers wavered, knees buckling. A few of them even lost their footing.

I swung my leg over Talon's neck and he raised his front hand, creating a step. I hopped onto the back of his hand and then down to the ground. As soon as my boots sank into the mushy, soft earth, the soldiers all bowed to me.

"Your Highness."

"Sire."

"Prince Cole."

They offered me proper respect as I strode through the rows of tents. My presence stopped everyone in their tracks, from the young boys polishing armor and sharpening weapons to the restless new recruits sparring in the penned-off training field. Even the most seasoned soldiers, who spent their leisure time sitting around campfires drinking mead and missing home, stopped chattering and took notice.

I walked straight through to the command tent at the center of the encampment. Since my last visit, Wyatt had already moved the army to the border of Carsa. Due to the treaty we recently enforced on Avengar, we had the right to set up an army on their lands and press into neighboring nations.

"Tell me what the plan is." I pushed the tent flaps open and strode right up to Wyatt and his table.

He had a map of Carsa laid out with carved wooden pieces symbolizing our different platoons and how they'd attack.

He looked up, brown eyes widening a moment, a smile tugging at his thin lips. "What are you doing here? Didn't your father give you leave after the celebration?"

"I got bored. Besides, I had to dismiss Dulcey and I want as much distance between the two of us until she gets her hooks into someone else."

Wyatt smirked and shook his head. "You're choosing battle over handling a scorned woman?"

"Wouldn't you?"

Wyatt pursed his lips. His eyes darted to the cot in the corner of the tent. He had the largest tent as general of the army but the majority of the space was reserved for planning and meeting with other leaders in the army. His little cot was all he spared for himself.

I followed his gaze and saw the crumbled, messy blankets. There was a stray piece of shoulder armor on the ground by the cot. When I looked back at Wyatt, I noticed he wasn't missing any armor.

"I suppose I don't need you to answer that," I chuckled.

"Do you want to hear about Carsa or do you want to hear about what I've been doing in my downtime?"

"Carsa. Although, I'm certain it is more about who you're doing in your downtime." I smirked and placed my palms on the table, leaning forward just enough to challenge Wyatt.