The Two Worlds of Arabella

Chapter 16 - The Plan

A/N  On the side is a picture of the map that is looked in during this chapter and mentioned in a previous chapter.  However, since you can't actually see anything in the tiny picture, I've also posted a link to a bigger version; just click on 'Open the External Link.'  It is a work in progress, and is definitely missing a lot of detail that I will add in the future.  :-)

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Icarus expects me to leave the safety of the palace with only Aidan and Kavon? He can't be serious. There's no way the three of us, one of which is just barely an adult, can defeat Zorfan and restore peace to this world. "Do you really think that is wise? The three of us are not likely to be able to accomplish much against someone as powerful as Zorfan." 

Icarus smiled at me, his understanding of my hesitation at his suggestion very evident as he spoke. "My intent is for you not to be alone for too long, but before I go into details of what we've decided upon, I want to mention a few of the alternatives that we've discussed. You see, from the moment I first accepted who you were, this council has been meeting trying to determine the best way to proceed.  

"Yet, no matter what we have decided, we hold no authority over you. We have spent years debating many different possibilities, but in the end it is up to you to decide where you want to go and what you want to do." 

"I will, of course, listen to your council. Certainly there is much wisdom in the people in this room, and you have each had a lot more time to think on this than I have. I want to make sure that I don't go running into a situation that I don't clearly understand, or do something that hasn't been well planned out." Before adding that I this was mostly because I was afraid that I could end up getting killed, I stopped myself. In the eyes of each elder in this council, I could see that this was something they worried about as well.  

Instead of responding, Icarus set one of his hands near the center of the table. Slowly the white marble changed, dark lines and words began to form. After a few seconds it was fairly evident that we were now looking at a map of the world, something Owen had shown me only a few hours before. I remember being told that the people of this world had no actual control over the magic which seemed to govern it, but having seen this table rise and mold itself out of the floor and now portray a map, I was starting to wonder if what I had been told was correct. Tucking that thought away in my mind, I made a note to ask about this another time. 

When the map was fully visible, Calix stood up. He pointed near the edge of the center land mass labeled Foylas Province. "This is where we are now, the palace. These are the major cities in our world." He pointed to at least one city on each of the three other continents, letting his finger linger near the town named Foylas on the other side of the island from the palace. "Each major city has a very large contingent of soldiers, while each of the smaller towns and villages has just enough soldiers to keep the people in line and to do the work of Zorfan." 

Yaaron spoke up now as Calix sat back down. "For our part, many towns and cities also have a small group of citizens who began forming a resistance. Mostly they try to protect other citizens from having their children taken to work in mines or from families being beaten if they can't pay their taxes. . There are not enough resistance members in each area to actually go up against and conquer the army. The leadership is mostly made up of people who earned the trust of the others and most groups in the largest cities have at least a few elders among them as well." 

As Calix began speaking, it started to become apparent that he and Yaaron had spent a lot of time working together developing strategies. "One of our first ideas was that we would start in the north, on Elos province, the smallest province, and we would begin to gather the resistance from each city, town, and village, creating an army with you leading. We would attack the armies located in each village and town, until we had overtaken them all. Once we had all the villages and towns freed, we would move Xeria, the largest city, and do the same.