"Knock, knock."
Damon looked up from his book. His mother was peeking in the door of his tent.
"Come in," Damon said, folding the corner of his page before closing his book.
His mother sat down next to him on the chaise. Her hair was pulled back, and she wore a simple but elegant blue dress that seemed out of place in an army camp.
"Are you ready for your first war council?" she asked, brushing her fingers over his curls.
He smiled. "Ready as I'll ever be."
She laughed. Her smile became wistful. "You have grown up so much since I was gone. I'm excited to have you by our side, but I wish I could have seen you grow into the man you are. I wish I could have seen the man your brother had become."
"I wish you had been there. Maybe things would have been different," he said.
"Your brother was always reckless. He never had your knack for logic and forethought." She chuckled sadly. "I'm just glad I was able to see at least one of my babies grown up."
She hugged him tightly. He squeezed her tighter, taking in her smell, something he never thought he would do again. Guilt soured his stomach as he thought of how much Julian would have loved to see their mother again. He wouldn't have questioned Father for a moment if only he had Mother back.
She pulled away. "Alright, dear, let's go. Your father will be upset if we're late."
They left his tent, following the torch-lit path to his father's second tent. Inside was a table with an enormous map of the continent spread across it. Figurines representing cities and troops sat on top of the map. Their forces, painted blue and gold, were positioned just west of Greze.
Everyone was already there. The queen of Khepri stood on the far side of table, her horrible snake asleep around her shoulders. She was just as dramatic as her sister, though in Damon's opinion, far creepier. He didn't see much of a resemblance between the two. Queen Venira had dark, nearly black hair, and far paler skin than her sister. Her protruding eyes were lined with too much kohl, and her dark chitons were far less revealing than her sister's golden ensemble.
"Isn't she dreadful?" his mother whispered. "I heard she murdered her sister and father for the throne. Isn't that just awful?"
Damon tried to speak, but found his throat was suddenly very tight and his mouth very dry.
"Terrible," he finally managed to whisper back.
But nothing was quite so terrible as the Sylph, standing a head taller than even his father. It had stopped bothering to wear a hood, letting its snow white hair flow loose around its shoulders. Damon struggled to look it in the eye. Its lack of pupils were just too terrifying.
"It seems were are all here," his father said, taking his mother's hand as they came to stand beside him.
The Sylph nodded, seeming to look expectantly at them.
"We will reach Zephyrine in a week's time, as long as the river doesn't flood," Queen Venira said, filling the silence.
"It has been a dry summer," his mother said. "It shouldn't give us any trouble."
"Are your troops prepared for a siege?" his father asked, raising an eyebrow at Queen Venira.
She scowled. "Worry about your own soldiers. My men are ready for anything."
"My men are very experienced with sieges. I am not sure your troops will be of the same caliber."
Venira laughed mirthlessly. "Experience with laying siege to small kingdoms and villages, perhaps. Thrael will be another beast altogether. Do not pretend to have some sort of superiority just because you were able to crush a few defenseless villages."
"We built an empire out of those villages," his father said through his teeth.
"And yet you could never take Khepri."
"It was only a matter of time before -- "
"Play nice," the Sylph interrupted, her voice low and smooth.
Everyone seemed startled by her interruption. Damon could see the fear in their eyes, the thing that bound them together. He resisted the urge to clench his fists.
"Do the Thraelians know we're coming?" his father said finally, his voice even and measured again.
"There have been no scouts captured," Venira said, much more amicably. "Though Thrael is notorious for their talented spies."
"My sister has reached Zephyrine," the Sylph said. "They know we are coming."
His father blinked. "And when were you going to share this with us?"
"Right now," the Sylph replied.
His father seemed to struggle with words, something that Damon was not used to seeing. King Wilhelm was always in control of every situation, and if he wasn't, then he made it so. He loathed to see his father sputtering before this monster.
"So then we forgo stealth for speed," Queen Cordelia said. "It is better this way."
Damon studied the map. Though Thrael was infamous for it's unbreachable citadels, with Elohine and Khepri's forced combined it was only a matter of time before they fell.
Not to mention, their forces could be replenished.
"Are we certain we will have to fight?" Damon mused, not fully aware he had spoken aloud until he felt his father's piercing gaze on him.
"Thrael will never surrender," Queen Venira said. "Especially now that the other Sylph is with them. They will think they have a chance. And even if they didn't, they would fight to the death anyway. It is their way."
"But certainly we could try and reason with them," he said. "Our forces are unstoppable, they must know that."
"They are impossibly stubborn," King Wilhelm said. "We have been trying to negotiate a trade deal with them for years, and they rebuff us every time, no matter how attractive I make the offer. They want nothing to do with outsiders, no matter who they are."
Damon frowned. "Shouldn't we at least offer surrender before we attack?"
Venira raised an eyebrow. The Sylph, which had remained still and expressionless for nearly the entire meeting, cocked its head as its eyes bored into him.
His father laughed. "I apologize for my son. He is young, and inexperienced at war."
The rebuke stung, but he tried to keep from showing it. His mother squeezed his hand.
"We need complete control of Thrael in order to take Greze," his mother said. "I know it seems cruel, but they aren't giving us any other option."
Damon nodded. "I apologize. I was simply trying to be merciful."
Queen Venira smiled coldly. "Before long, you will realize that mercy is a weakness, and you will abandon it."
Damon swallowed. He hoped he never became so unfeeling as to abandon mercy.
His father smiled politely. "Anyway. On to strategy."
Damon didn't dare speak again. He found himself lost in thought and neglected to pay attention for the rest of the meeting. His mother nudged him gently when it was over, jolting him from his thoughts. She walked him back to his tent.
"Goodnight, Mother," he said.
"Damon, wait," she said before he could go into his tent. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, Mother," he said, attempting a smile.
She sighed. "War is ugly. It forces us to make difficult choices."
"I've been training for war, for difficult choices, my entire life," Damon said. "I don't understand why it doesn't come easily to me now."
"It's because you have a kind heart."
"A lot of good that does me."
She took his hand. "Damon, people will tell you that kindness, that mercy, is a weakness as a leader. Even your father has told me that. But don't let them convince you. Don't let them destroy that part of you. No matter what they say, your kind heart is your greatest strength. Let it guide you in all you do."
Looking into his mother's eyes, he suddenly knew he needed to tell her. "Mother, there -- "
"Just don't let it keep you from doing what needs to be done," she said. "There is a balance, my son. And someday you'll find it, and you'll be the greatest king the land has ever known."
His confession dried up in his mouth.
Tears welled in his eyes.
"Don't cry!" she said, wiping his cheeks. "I know the crown is heavy. But your father and I will be here to help you carry it."
He nodded, and she pulled him in for a hug. He clung to her, wishing he knew what to do.
She pulled back and kissed his cheek. "There, there. Get some sleep, dear. We have a long day tomorrow."
"Yes, Mother."
"Are you alright now?"
"Yes, Mother."
"Do you promise?"
He laughed. "I'm fine."
She nodded. "Alright. Goodnight, dear."
"Goodnight."
He watched her go, wondering what she would think of him if she knew the truth.