Spiraling Fate:
The atmosphere in Daylith Castle was tense as everyone prepared for war. Brimsly ordered his southern armies to march north and funnel through Daylith to collect specialized armor for their attack on Carus City. Elven archers were the deadliest in the world. It would take a lot of luck and excellent armor to survive a direct siege on the city. Brimsly, along with his brass guards, had left the palace the previous day to accompany the Daylith Spiral Brigade. This brigade was named for the unique spiraling chain mail Rana designed to deflect Carus arrows.
Brimsly was fully prepared to hold his ground for weeks outside the elven city. He didn't want to damage Carus to the point where it was uninhabitable. It was an ancient and important city that produced copious amounts of food and textiles, but he would destroy it if the elves refused to bow to him.
The Shadow Guards were working frantically to replace some of Brimsly's soldiers with their own agents. They were hoping to contact the elves before the battle. Knox successfully took Gabe's place as one of Brimsly's front-line men. He offered all the soldiers special favors if they helped him become the head messenger of the brigade.
Meanwhile, Tabitha, Rana, and Jamal were scheming to take advantage of the reduced security in the palace. Tabitha and Jamal were officially working for the Daylith Shadow Guard under Commander Rana. Rana was mostly busy in the war forge, but she made time to train Tabitha and Jamal. She forged them a small collection of weapons and armor to wear under their normal clothes. They were both skilled at throwing knives. Jamal had an aptitude for small weapons after growing up on the streets of Leeriod, and Tabitha found it easy to master any task she was presented with. Tabitha constantly amazed Rana. She was extremely fast at learning combat techniques. Rana already knew the sweet girl was blessed by the gods, and the longer she knew her, the more she understood why the gods favored her.
Dienon was busy managing the castle and the Daylith Kingdom in his father's absence. Brimsly was so distracted by his thirst for elven blood, he didn't think twice about leaving his less than trustworthy son in charge. He assumed Dienon feared him enough not to screw up the one thing he had been raised to do.
Late one evening, four days after Brimsly marched to war, Dienon finalized the paperwork to compensate war widows and their children. He seemed tremendously depressed after meeting with the city council, and it sparked Irena's curiosity. As they returned to his room for the evening, she mustered up the courage to ask about it.
"Dienon, why have you turned so sad this evening?" she asked once they were locked safely in his room.
"My mother was the one that started the widow's compensation program. Father's wars were leaving our citizens' lives in shambles and pushing Daylith citizens towards a revolt. Her program gave people hope again. I wish she were here. I used to think with her help I could change this kingdom back to the way it was when I was a child, but things have gotten so terrible. I don't see that ever happening."
"I'm so sorry, Dienon. The Shadow Guards are still looking for her. Are there any other places she could be?"
"I don't know, Irena!" he grumbled in frustration as he sat on the bed and buried his face in his hands. "I've been wracking my brain for months over it."
Irena watched as a tear dripped through his hand and fell on his knee. His dark hair was unkempt and his large hazel eyes had dimmed under the stress caused by his father. The changes made him appear more handsome to Irena.
"Dienon, I'm going to speak freely for a moment," Irena warned as she stepped over to him.
"Go right ahead. You've been doing that a lot recently," he grumbled.
"Someone has to keep your self-pitying ass in line," she snapped. "What is it going to take to make you open your eyes and grow a pair? This whole continent is going to hell because of your father, and all you've been doing is moping around and letting him do it!"
Dienon stood and looked at her in astonishment after that accusation. Her piercing grey eyes had grown more fierce in the face of war.
"That's not true, and you know it!" he snapped. "What else am I supposed to do? He locked up my own mother for encouraging him to be a better person. The gods only know what he did with my sister. She's probably dead too. I'm a prisoner in my own home, Irena, just like the rest of you. The guards have orders to lock me up if I try to leave while my father is away. I've lost whatever hope I used to have for a future," he said in defeat.
"That's not the Dienon I know. Knox told me you helped sabotage the war armor. Thanks to you, the elves stand a chance against your father. You have done so much, yet you think so little of yourself."
"The forge master did all the work. I just encouraged her to do it. Rana will meet a horrible death because of me," he sighed with tears in his eyes.
"Then we will revolt, just like you said. I know you've thought about it," she whispered very seriously.
"I never said I wanted that," he said with genuine fear in his voice as he looked at Irena.
"You said it almost happened once. The people loved your mother, did they not?"
"They did, but what does that have to do with anything?"
"Rally everyone that cared for your mother. Tell them your father tortured her to death. Turn your people against him. The Shadow Guard has gotten strong enough to help in the effort. We'll burn this fucking city to the ground if we have to. We can block all the mountain passes to prevent Brimsly from returning," she said in exasperation.
Dienon stared at her in complete astonishment for a moment. He was also aroused by her rebellious fire. He knew he was seeing the real Irena at that point. She truly was the princess of the Swaying Valley and the daughter of a warrior king. He hated himself for trying so hard to squash her spirit.
"You make it sound so simple, Irena," he whispered as he walked over to the window and looked down into the Daylith Gorge. "We only have a week or two before my father realizes I helped the forge master betray him. That's not enough time to insight a revolt."
"Then we'll destroy the city," she said tritely.
He looked at her in disbelief at that point.
"That's not like you, Iry. You're not cruel enough to do that... are you?"
"You're right. I'm not. I want to destroy the city slowly. That will give everyone a chance to escape. If they don't revolt, we'll simply drive them out. Brimsly will return to a city in ruin. You will also have a chance to win your people's hearts during a disaster," she said as she looked at him thoughtfully.
"How on earth are we going to destroy the city that slowly?"
"Flood it, of course. I'm from Lacustrine, remember? The damn place was built in a flood plain and protected by levies. I know a thing or two about controlling large amounts of water. I was speaking to the forge master, and she gave me the idea. We can increase the volume of the waterfall from the mountain lake behind the palace. That will start the flood."
"By the gods, Irena... you're fucking brilliant!" he said in amazement before he pulled her into his arms and kissed her.
She moaned softly as she enjoyed his kiss for a moment, then she quickly pushed him away.
