Of Love and Valor

11: Declaration

"Orenzhanim. Your attention for a few moments, before you are dismissed for the day," the West Gate's resident Vokazmiohn, whose name I have not yet managed to commit to memory, commands as we are all returning from our various patrols and other duties. We gather silently and stand at attention, eyes trained on the Vokazmiohn, who is overlooking us from the archers' nest atop the gate. "As many of you are well aware, attacks from the Erivim are constant threat across all of Yrivvenna. Although Orenxiao is best positioned of any city in Yrivvenna to defend itself against such an attack, we are always looking for ways to improve our city's security against threats of any kind. Accordingly, we will be implementing some changes starting tomorrow.

"First, shift changes will be staggered, so that only one gate is handling a shift change at a time, instead of all four. We will be using whistle signals instead of the gong to indicate when these changes occur. Each gate will have its own signal, and these will be changed daily to throw off potential spies and infiltrators. The expectation is that all members of the Orenzhanim, upon hearing a particular whistle pattern, will join in making it so that it carries across the city and all who need the signal will thereby hear it. Your first shift each morning will begin with learning your gate's whistle signal for the day. Any questions about that?"

"No Vokazmiohn," we answer severally. I cannot speak for my colleagues, but I expected this. It is one of many changes I discussed with Kazmiohn Meskaiavin at dinner a couple days ago.

"Excellent. Also, we are adding scouting in the areas outside of the city, beyond foot patrols along the walls, to our rotation of daily duties. Some of this will be tree scouting, but there are plains to the north of Orenxiao and the river to the east, so the exact nature of your scouting will vary based on your gate assignment. The goal, however, is to increase the amount of time the city has to prepare for an incoming threat. We will communicate back to the city about potential threats and other phenomena using animal calls. You will learn the specifics at your first scouting duty, which will likely be sometime tomorrow. All that make sense?"

"Yes, Vokazmiohn."

"Good. You are dismissed for the day." I breathe a quiet sigh of relief before starting towards home. It has been a long day, and I am eager for a chance to rest.

"Enniskzar Azerai," Zelphinon calls behind me, startling me.

"Umathyar Zelphinon. Why so formal?" I ask as I turn to face him.

"Might I have the privilege of escorting you home?"

"If you wish, and if you explain this formality. Have I offended you in some way—"

"Of course not." Now that we are side by side, he has dropped the formal politeness completely, and seems slightly embarrassed. "I thought it an appropriate form of address for the city's master strategist, is all."

"Not from her partner, who talked through all the strategies with her before her meeting with the Kazmiohn." We'd had an exterior patrol together that morning, and I was nervous beyond belief. Talking with him about my ideas and fine-tuning them with him made me feel much better prepared to present my thoughts to our Kazmiohn. "I haven't seen you since, to thank you. If you and I had not had patrol together that morning, I don't think I would have been prepared—"

"You were plenty prepared when you talked to me. You could answer every question I asked about your strategies. Confidence was all that was missing."

"And had we not spoken—"

"Madirozkan Jorabij! I'm here to see Madirozkan Jorabij!" a frustrated, unfamiliar male voice shouts from the gate. What in the world? Zelphinon and I both turn back toward the gate, as does the rest of our squadron. Jorabij, who had been talking with Cezarya a short distance away from me, looks supremely nonplussed. "I'm not leaving until I see him! I know he's in this city somewhere! Part of your defense force—"