Through The Storm

Rowida ate in the silence of her tent, as nobody was around but Gertrude to feed, the rest of the army just fed itself whenever needed.

This was becoming a nuisance, as game animals started to be sparse around the siege area, and the dragon inside her head never settled for a diet of fruits and nuts.

She finished her food and stood, then she walked to the strategic map spread over a huge board held by two stands in the middle of the tent.

She kneeled on the map, deciding on which part she should attack next, and which magical creatures should she use, and in which order.

Just as she was moving the pieces, Gertrude barged in, “My lady, a messenger awaits outside the perimeter of the siege.”

“What do they want?” Rowida put down the griffin figurine she held.

“An alliance, he claims he can give us ten thousand men.”

An hour before this, Gertrude circled the camp, trying to find any game, but as usual, it was almost impossible to find any recently as the magical beast never let a pray around their camp go unscathed.

She ventured further from the camp into the forest, as she was not willing to face Rowida’s wrath over the lack of meat in her diet. Half an hour passed, and her search was proving fruitless, and as she decided to go back to camp, a man suddenly dropped from the tree next to her. She pulled her two side knives and turned on him. The man twisted, jumped, and put the tree between him and her, then he said, “Wait, I bear good news to the leader of your army.”

“Who are you? And why did you try to take me down?” Gertrude advanced on him as she talked.

“I am not even armed.” The man shrugged. “How am I supposed to take you down?”

Gertrude squinted, then she said, “You are a red.” She scoffed. “And if you can shapeshift, you don’t need weapons.”

“True.” He nodded. “But then, I am the one trying to avoid contact, and you are the one advancing on me.”

She stopped advancing, but she didn’t lower her knives yet. “Who are you? And what news you wanted to pass to the Dragon Lady?”

“My name is Robin, and I am a messenger for his highness, the Grand Wizard, leader of the Order of Purification.”

Robert stood straight-backed, his head directed at some point in the heavens above them, and a strange glow lit his eyes as he spoke.

“And what does the Order of Purification want from us?” Gertrude lowered the knives halfway to her thighs.

“The Grand Wizard seeks a meeting with your leader to offer an alliance.” He gave a wide sincere smile.

Robin kneeled in front of Rowida. “Whatever you wish my Lady. Just tell me when you want the Grand Wizard to come, and I will pass your demands to him.”

“Good.” Rowida nodded and turned to the map. “I will await his arrival tomorrow at dusk after we finish the campaign of the day.” She turned to him and said, “You may go.”

Robert stood, beat his chest with his left hand, and left the tent.

“You will be my liaison with the Order, Gertrude.” Rowida turned to face Gertrude. “I don’t want to be distracted from my plan, and if the offer is good enough, then I will have to be involved.”

“Yes, my Lady.” Gertrude hesitated. “But shouldn’t you meet that Grand Wizard as agreed?”

“I will,” Rowida pulled on her chin as she spoke. “But after the usual cordiality, you will handle them.”

Good, I would like to meet this Grand Wizard. The dragon’s thought bubbled to the surface of Rowida’s mind.

I knew you would, Rowida’s thought flowed through. And you can decide if he is as important as Gertrude or he is just a transient figure in the turnings of life.

“Very wise decision, my Lady,” Gertrude curtsied and left the tent.

“It’s an honor to finally lay my eyes on your Grace.” The man stood a head taller than his men, and he filled his grey armor with great poise and elegance.

Rowida thought that every word he said was calculated, every move planned and anticipated, he could have been the perfect assassin or courtier in another life, maybe both.

“It is a delight, your eminence,” Rowida spoke as she played with her glass of wine. “Although I wonder at your title, Grand Wizard, you are not a purple, in fact, my second, Gertrude, told me that you have the strangest of auras.” Rowida turned to Gertrude. “Silver-grey, was it not?”

Gertrude bowed. “Indeed, my Lady.”

The Grand Wizard threw his head back and laughed a deep rich laugh. “I have been informed by my men that my aura is indeed unique.” His eyes seemed to delve into Rowida’s core, searching and finding answers she didn’t allow to be given.

She was alerted, and for the first time in ages, felt uncomfortable under a man’s gaze.

“They say it was mentioned in a prophecy, a very old one,” he said softly.

He is indeed important, the dragon’s thoughts were filled with excitement. Though he is not a tool of destiny, he is a shaper of destiny.

“Indeed.” Rowida started to search the man’s features, the enigmatic self-proclaimed Grand Wizard who sat in front of her.

He looked familiar, somehow. His piercing black eyes, his straight generous nose, and his perfectly shaped lips reminded her of a drawing she saw somewhere, maybe in a dream.

“I have been informed that your second would act as a liaison in our joined effort?” he said this, more of a question than a statement.

“Yes, for everyday matters.” Rowida adjusted the way she sat, she didn’t want to face those eyes for long, so she was now looking at him sideways. “But I will be the one dealing with your eminence directly in matters of general strategy and greater campaigns.”

He nodded as he gave her a wide smile. “This suits me.”

He leaned across the table. “My lady is very wise for her young age.”

He gave her a hungry look, which seemed to scan her entirety in the blink of an eye.

Rowida threw her head back and guffawed with laughter. “My looks might be deceiving your eminence.”

She felt satisfied with the puzzled expression drawn on his face.

“I think I would like to know your Grace, more intimately,” he said this and leaned back, leaving Rowida to feel the rush of hot blood to her cheeks.

“I have good news from the political front,” Gertrude said as she entered Rowida’s tent. “Not only did the reds declare their allegiance to the Order, but the yellows and blues are considering it.”

The ruler of blues is bonded to one of us, like you and I. The dragon’s thoughts came with a hint of puzzlement. It is strange that they should follow the Order.

Maybe they see a benefit for their people. Rowida’s thoughts bounced back. Maybe it is something temporary like ours.

You are in for the charms of the Grand Wizard. The dragon thoughts were mirthful.

Well, I am just a woman, and it might be the second time that my heart had moved. Rowida tried to counter the wave of mirth with one of logic.

Lie as much as you want, Rowida, the heartless. The wave of mirth just doubled.

“Good news Gertrude, but nothing to affect our position here at Zarzura.”

Rowida looked at the map for a moment, then smashed her hand on it, causing men and beast figurines to fly off the table’s edge.

“I believe that the stalemate would be resolved in our favor soon, my lady.” Gertrude bowed and backed out of the tent in a hurry.