The Thread Of Fate

Chapter 55

The torture continued as we waited. It felt like every moment that passed was doing so slower than the last. To their credit, not a single person looked like they were uncomfortable waiting.

They had probably been in a battle before. I didn't even know if Chant had ever been attacked after Dominic's rule began. It was safe to assume that it hadn't happened. The council would've been more confident in our preparation of war if they'd known what to do. They would've been more confident if they had a better leader.

During one of the meetings when Jamon was still antagonising me, he'd said something that had cut me deep. Even though I knew it had all been an act, his remarks had stung. He'd implied that I was just a girl playing at being queen. I was incapable.

He had voiced one of my deepest insecurities. Sure Dominic loved me and I him, but marrying the King didn't mean you were fit to be Queen. A queen would know what to do under siege. A queen would be confident in her home.

Footsteps alerted me about Mira's arrival. She said that Nish's army was spreading out while fighting our men outside the walls. Most Deskans were sticking close to the castle walls, away from the action.

"How're the spies holding out?" I asked, anxious.

"Thinning the enemy out slowly." She frowned, "Those snakes are great fighters."

"I know."

They had managed to attack Dominic twice. They'd come close to killing him both times. I shuddered just thinking about the incidents.

"And our troops?" I asked, fearing the answer.

"Not that bad actually." She reassured, "Our numbers are low but Dahar was right. Their entire force isn't made up of Deskans, the other soldiers are easier to be dealt with. There is something else though..."

I nodded, wanting her to go on.

"It seems that the soldiers wearing our colours have been a recent addition. I spotted about six of them running towards the palace. I couldn't see very far out in the forest and so I don't know exactly what direction they're coming from." She frowned. "Perhaps they've been camping all along, perhaps they're just arriving."

So their numbers were increasing slowly. That was bad news.

"Any sighting of Nish?" I asked, dreading the answer.

She shook her head.

"He won't show his face. Not this soon." She grimaced, "he will wait till he can safely move past our forces."

"Hopefully that won't happen anytime soon." I sighed, "as long as the fire keeps burning, we have a chance. Soon we can send some archers back to the roof and start attacking again. We need to support our troops outside."

Just as I finished my sentence I heard thunder cracking in the sky. It was followed by a tiny rain drop that fell straight onto my head. I turned to Mira, horrified. 

"No...." I gasped, if it rained our main line of defence would be gone. The fires would extinguish. If the Deskans entered, we were done for.

Things didn't go our way. It began to drizzle soon.

"How long till the fire goes out ?" Mira asked.

"It should hold against this much rain. Hopefully the storm will pass soon." I said, not believing a word I said. I could see that the thunder was here to stay.