Colette's Covenant

Feast of Celebration

Feast of Celebration

The first few hours before sunrise were anticipatory. Colette could feel the hot excitement coursing through her veins as she watched Jorives through the looking glass. Her eyes were straining for the sight of the guards beginning to collapse. That would be their sign that it was time to move in, and quickly in case someone wasn't interested in drinking water that morning.

She wasn't worried about Nicolas. She was confident in his abilities.

Then the sun rose and she was nearly twitching with impatience. Her body was ready to go, her soldiers all prepared with their armor and their weapons. Guilbert was at her side, faithful knight that he was, ready to relay her orders to move out.

The soldiers continued on with their rounds. Then came shift change. She watched as the new soldiers replaced the old. Some of them even brought water and rations for their buddies. She watched one soldier in particular take a long drink before thanking his relief. Then he walked away, completely unaffected, and headed towards his bed.

She lowered the looking glass as anticipation and excitement gave way to apprehension.

"Something's wrong," she said, the certainty of the statement squeezing her heart.

"It might just take some time to take effect," Guilbert tried to calm her nerves.

Colette shook her head. "Do you know how much sleeping powder we sent him off with? It was pure and uncut. He had enough to put two towns to sleep. Look, even the citizens are starting to move. Nothing is happening."

Guilbert frowned. "What would you like to do, my lady?"

She bit her bottom lip uncertainly. She knew that she should have gone. If it had been her, this wouldn't have happened. Nicolas could be dead already. They could have murdered him on sight and thrown his body into the river. Even now, he could be-

No! Stop thinking like that. Those thoughts will get you nowhere.

Colette blew out a long breath, collapsing the looking glass. "If they caught him, then they know we're here. They'll be coming to look for us."

"My lady?"

She turned to Guilbert, her face drawn and serious. He found his spine straightening, mostly out of fear, because he had never seen her with that look before. Even when he had first attacked her, she hadn't looked so fearsome.

"They'll be sending scouts to the mountains. I want them captured."

"Yes, my lady!" He slammed his fist to his chest.

She didn't even question the salute or insist that he didn't have to be so formal as she normally would have done. She turned and walked away, the sound of her boots heavy on the wooden deck. Even her stride had changed.

Guilbert released out a long sigh of relief before running off to relay her orders.

Colette returned to her room, slamming the door behind herself before collapsing against it. A long, trembling breath escaped from her lungs as she reached up and ran a shaking hand through her messy hair.

He was fine. She had to believe that he was fine. If it were her, she wouldn't have had him killed on sight. She would want him questioned to learn more about her enemy. She had to believe that General Didier would be doing the same.

Comforting herself with the thought that Nicolas was alive and being questioned was hardly much better, but she couldn't think that he was dead. Until she saw his corpse with her own eyes, she was going to act as though he were still alive.