Chapter 110
King Fenris
Arriving at the training fields, my most trusted knight, Sir Hugo, and I hop down from our thoroughbreds
and tie them to posts with rope. Thousands of soldiers are in training. There is a cacophony of sounds:
swords shing, axes and maces thrown at wooden targets, tree stumps, and men grunting with
exertion.’
A few hundred archers shoot at targets from varying distances and nod at me as I pass behind them.
There is lots of yelling as men practice their war cries or call out to one another. A few training
casualties hobble around with injuries to their ankles, knees, and feet.
My Commander in Chief, James Boroughshaw, is stationed outside a makeshift tent and is observing
the jousting closest to us.
‘My King,” James says as he kneels before me.
Commander James,’ I nod, and he stands back up.
‘I require an update of our progress,’ I say, sitting down in a wooden folding chair and epting the
ss of brandy Squire Thomas hands to me.
TITI
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‘Of course, Your Highness. Since west spoke, we have recruited over four thousand more men, and
more are yet to arrive in a few days,” James says, sitting beside me.
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‘Your foresight James has been invaluable regarding the taxes and the food supply. I guess if I were
N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.
one of my subjects, l, too, would volunteer in the war effort instead of going hungry. It relieves my
nerves to know our army is almost twenty-five thousand
strong!’
‘King Fenris, we have also spread propaganda in all the taverns across West Wallow municipalities. As
a result, we have convinced quite a number of people werewolves will kill their children without a
moment’s thought, Commander James says.
Sometimes, I think you’re a crueller bastard than me, James,’ I say,ughing and swigging my brandy.
James chuckles.
‘Anything for you, my king, and anything to eradicate the werewolves.’ James says, smirking.
I smile proudly.
‘Now, James. I have another n I’d like to put in ce. It’s only a matter of time until Alpha King
Damon finds out war is imminent I need thirty of our best swordsmen to cross the forest border and
assassinate any
werewolves, including the females and pups. Wipe out all the smaller packs first. This will give us an
advantage over them,’11 instruct. The squirees over with a ss decanter and refills my empty
ss,
‘Yes, my King. I’ll have them organised and on their way by nightfall,” James says.
‘Good. Send Sir Hugo with your guards to recruit more men from the viges. Sir Hugo can be very
persuasive,” I say, drinking more brandy.
‘Yes, my King,’ James nods.
One more thing, Commander,’ I say.
‘Yes, my Lord?’ James asks.
‘I see injured men. Have them discreetly killed immediately and tell the cooks to use their meat in the
stews to feed the growing army,’ l instruct. I will have no weakness in this war,’ i instruct.
‘Yes, Your Highness, James says, standing, bowing and following Sir Hugo to gather the injured.
Beta Troy
..!
Enjoying my pint, I listen to a few drunk men tell a story about a princess who wields magical powers
and lives deep in the forest.
A magical princess that lives in the forest? – you’ve had too many pinta tonight, my friend, a man
named Gale telle another namec Montly and pe him on the back in camaraderie, They’re both
drunker than seawater.
Laughing quietly at their antics, it gets me thinking.
If there were a magical princess, she’d solve all our problems. We are rudely interrupted by a few West
Wallow knights, who approach the table Gale and Mortly sit at, roll out a royal scroll, and throw down a
quill with a small pot of ink. The men boo them.
‘Tell King Fenris to stuff his taxes up his backside. Or better yet: tell him toe here, and I will do it
for him, Gale says, roaring withughter, setting the whole tavern off. One of the knights brings an axe
down over Gale’s wrist, lopping his hand off in warning.
The tavern goes silent for a moment, and all the men look at one another and at Gale’s bloody hand on
the table. Gales passes out onto the floor. Nervousughter ensues, and the men clink their pints and
raise them toward the knights to show they mean no harm. Sitting in the corner, out of view, I go
unnoticed by them.
m Sir Hugo, most trusted knight to King Fenris. Shut up the lot of you, or I’ll lop each and every one
of your hands off and feed them to the wolves,’ Sir Hugo warns.
A brute of a man, whose head brushes the six-foot-high wooden ceiling beam, folds his arms across
his barrelled chest. No human would ever dare cross him.
‘King Fenris has an army of twenty-five thousand soldiers but needs more men. If you join, you will not
have to pay taxes, and you’ll be fed well. Food will also be sent to your families as payment for your
service, Sir Hugo says, his arms still crossed. None of the men speak.
‘If none of you fight and we lose the war, the wolves will kill you, kill your wives, and eat your children –
no man will be spared. Now which one of you bastards are going to sign up and help kill these
mongrels?’ He yells.
With that, Mortly dips the feather into the pot of ink and signs a quick, messy scrawl on the bottom of
the scroll. Except for Gale passed out on the floor, the rest of the men follow suit. In disbelief, I go
upstairs to my room for the night. What was that? Alpha Damon is not going to like this. I mind-link
Alpha King Damon and Gamma Eric everything.
Alpha King Damon
Now able to mind-link Troy, I tell him about my dream the other night, including meeting my mate.
Alpha, even if you find her in time, they still outnumber us greatly. They are growing in number daily.
This is not a war we can win. Troy mind-links.
We need a n and fast. King Fenris will wipe us all out and show no mercy. Eric says.
Troy: stay in West Wallow and keep track of their movements. Mind-link me when they get closer. Eric:
gather all pregnant she wolves and pups and have them remain protected at Moon Crest Castle. If we
lose the war, a few warriors will help you, and the she wolves and pups escape. Prepare beds for any
injured. I will set up camp near the forest border and ready myself and the others to fight and defend
ournd. I will visit every pack and recruit more men and women. If anythinges up that I should
know, mind link me immediately. I say.
Yes, Alpha. They reply.