The Broken Crown

Dissolved

"Penelope's men have pulled past the territory line of Emmitt's pack. While there is still a strong army presence, we cannot expect their men to fight beside us as they need to protect what remains of them." 

"Finley's men will make up for the loss."

"Finley's men make up a good amount of our losses," Yusuf agrees, glancing towards me, "yet we cannot rely heavily on those men. While We have created a positive balance once more in our numbers, we cannot just go and through around different troops. Wars are not just won on the size of the army, but the strength and the strategy as well." 

I agree with Yusuf, pulling the attention back to the map before us as I look around the room to the alphas who await the final decision of the day to be made. They want to go home, for today has been a long day. They are also eager to hear the terms Finley made me agree to for this abundance of men to be granted. "Penelope's forces are centralized in the northern region, a good hundred miles from the stronghold of Keva's troops not on their island," I inform, restating what we gathered here for. "If we attack, we put our men at risk of attack from elves. Elves move swiftly."

"Not if we deal out a quick battle."

"There is no such thing as a quick battle. Think, Alpha Mathis. We fight through the night and then, no matter how bad the causalities on our side, it would take our men time to recuperate. This would all give Keva enough time to send her men flocking our way for a second wave of attacks." 

"Which brings up a second point," Yusuf comments, motioning for me to continue. 

"Yes - thank you Alpha Yusuf. The fact that Alpha Penelope has centered her troops not too far from Keva's men on the continent, it brings up to question if these two sides are in treaty. Could they be on the same side when it comes to the flag of Crimson Lock? To fight against Crimson Lock and take us out?" 

"Penelope is methodical. She was part of this alliance and then broke off. Why?" 

"She was loyal to this cause," Finch pipes up, shaking his head as he refuses to believe Penelope could work with the elves. 

"She hated the way of kings," Mathis comments, turning to Finch. "Maybe she didn't want another person wearing a crown, regardless of their stretch of power."

"Penelope told me she believed in me as a cause to fight for," I whisper, staring ahead to the pieces on the war map, the carved wolf made of cherry wood representing my own pack. "Penelope warned me of elves, of kings, and of many other forces playing within this war. She knew how to manipulate those who placed her in their inner circles - hell, she knew how to manipulate me." 

"And when the game was up? When her cards were out?" 

"Did she really lose the game? Or did she move onto the next one?" River questions, grabbing the attention of those around the table. We all look to the silent observer of the room, sitting at a chair in the corner beside the window as, until now, he has been a fly on the wall. "Penelope has played games all of her life. Would she really have been out-played by someone new to their role of alpha?" 

The pounding of rain drowns out the silence of the room, the dark clouds circling outside as I tap my fingers against the table. "Why would Penelope strike an alliance with elves? What could she gain? We need to think out the different possibilities." 

"Penelope understands she is outnumbered when it comes down to our troops against hers," Mathis makes known the common truth, "somewhere and somehow, Penelope has a force behind her to make this fight even."

"Nothing is as simple as it seems," Yusuf warns, eyes meeting mine as I hold my head high. "Rogues are often an underestimated player and their sides can be swayed. Penelope can have rogues at her feet."