Empress Natsume ✓

XXX

The generals's tents were obvious. The tents that were near the cliff at the very back, surrounded by soldiers are the commander's and general's tents. They have a fair distance.

"Gather up men"

The soldiers rounded near me. I already memorized this place when we were observing the enemies below us so I just draw it on the ground and used large stones for the enemy locations and the small stones for our locations.

"They left 100 guards near the thick forest and another 100 guards at the opposite side of the forest that's surrounding this area in case wild animals appear. 200 of you will attack these guards, attack the first one that is very near at the forest, while the rest remain here to standby. Remember that you must kill them silently, cover their mouths first before stabbing them and hide their bodies in the forest. After that, get their armors and change into them. We will be attacking the four commanders tents at the both sides. Don't ever get near at the center where the commander in chief's tent is located, that is heavily guarded and we will quickly alert our enemies. Wander around and pretend that you're doing a patrol before marching to the commander's tent and report that you spot someone spying, if he believes you, point our direction and---"

"Wait, milady. Pointing out our direction to the enemies is risky, they're going to attack us"

"Exactly. Commander, they're going inside the forest and that's our advantage. The fake patrol will say that he just saw a few people, the enemy commander will then send a hundred of his soldiers to patrol the area in the forest and that's when we ambush them here. The fake patrol who got inside the tent will kill the commander and if in case that he has another person inside the tent, the others who pretended to be a patrol will also go inside and help him kill the commander. Remember that, if something went wrong, immediately sign a retreat. If we succeed in this operation, the three states casualties will lessen, we killed four of the enemy commanders and approximately 700 of the enemy soldiers. Now. Move!!"

My plan is going smoothly, no-- it was going swiftly and way too easy. I was just sitting there, waiting for a report that they failed or an enemy arrow or an enemy sword that will struck me after they've noticed us. This operation is risky after all, there is an 80% chance of failure, but this kind of opportunity is rare, it only appears once in a blue moon so we have to grab them before it slips away.

Surprisingly, all I'm receiving are good news from a soldier who is looking through the telescope to update us about them.

"They have killed all the 200 guards in the forest"

"The soldiers on standby have already ambushed the patrols send by the commanders"

"Two commanders were successfully assassinated"

"Another commander died in our hands"

Darn! I never knew that my plan was this brilliant or are our soldiers just this good at sneaking?

Before I knew it, we were already running away with our enemies in our tail. The soldiers were shouting 'Victory!!'

Too early to shout that because we still didn't get away from the enemies that are chasing us but they eventually gave up. Our cavalry got an enough rest, obviously we're at our high speed. The enemies tried to release an arrows at us but it never reached us, we're far enough, away from the enemy's range.

"That was amazing!"

"No. It's her ladyship that is amazing, who could have planned an insane operation at an enemies' territory in the middle of the night"

The soldiers started complementing me again and it annoys me.

"Too early to celebrate, men. This is not over yet. Tomorrow, it's all up to the three states if they can hold out for a day before the reinforcement arrived"

My eyelids are getting heavy, my sight is getting blurry. Perhaps, I have pushed myself too far, I have eaten a lot of foods that I think I'm going to blow up but I don't have enough sleep today, the energy that I'm reserving is not enough for the living thing inside me.

I look out of the carriage window.

"Commander. I'll sleep for a very long time and you better not wake me up until then, this is an order"

He's probably surprised of what I said.

"Are you going to play dead while...."

The commander's voice drifted away as soon as I laid my body on the carriage seat.

"Natsume..."

"Natsume..."

I angrily opened my eyes

"I told you not to wake me up until I--"

My sentence was cut short when I saw my surroundings. It's pitch black and it feels like I'm standing on a water. Where am I? Is this a dream? An illusion?

"Natsume..."

It was a hollow voice and it sounds like a child. My body freezes when I saw a large pair of bloody bright red eyes.

I can hear different voices but I couldn't understand what they were saying. It sounds like a foreign language

"Prisdhat yul..."

"Prisdhat yul..."

That voice keeps repeating again and again on my head. I gritted my teeth and covered my ears with my hands.

"Just stop!!!"

I shouted and I felt myself overthrown by a strong wind.

My eyes opened and I was still in the carriage. The sun is shining brightly when I look over the window.

The commander's head popped at the window. I was so surprised that I almost scream at the top of my lungs.

"What?!"

I asked angrily at him. He was more surprised with my tone. Maybe I'm just acting irrational now because I woke up in a very bad mood.

"Forgive me if I startled you, milady. I'm just wondering why you suddenly ordered us to stop?"

"Oh. That. That is not meant for you, I'm just--"

A sudden realization hit me, I've been sleeping for a while now.

"How many days have passed already?"

He threw me a confused look.

"What are you talking about, milady? A day just passed, not days. We didn't wake you up because you told me not to. Furthermore, we don't know what to do since you didn't order us anything after that so we decided to just head to the palace for your safety"

Going by our shadows, it's already afternoon. A day and half have already passed. It wasn't that long compare to the last time I sleep, I can even move freely, I guess I have enough foods and rest to generate my energy for my child.

"We didn't pass any of the three states?"

"We already passed one of those states, milady"

"Since when?"

"Yesterday, while you're sleeping"

Yesterday?! I reckon the reinforcement are already there by now and engaging the enemies in a battle.

"Did we passed by the reinforcement troops?"

"We did and they're all in a hurry, they're riding as fast as they can"

A day and half, the battle should be at its edge by now.

"Turn back. We're going back to the state we passed by yesterday"

"But---"

"If I don't go back there. I can't met Lord Ryuu personally, he's going to arrive there anytime soon. Now, we're heading back there as fast as we can"

I'm going to give my dearest husband a good lecture for abandoning his men. This is also a good opportunity to turn the table

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