The Calm Before the Storm

While John is getting their people organized and ready to march out from the castle, on the top of the castle Adunbi, Quivina, and Amy are with Osa and Ekian to wish them a safe voyage.

Adunbi gives them each a stone skin amulet and a kiss on their forehead, "I'll see you at the royal palace."

Osa says, "If the plan works out, we should be there around the same time as you."

Quivina hugs them both and kisses them on the cheek, "Be safe, my sisters."

Ekina replies, "Be safe, also, sister."

Ame gives Ekina a dose of each of her pollens (sleep, dizziness, blindness, numbness, hot, cold, pain), and Osa a dose of each of her Saps (Joy, Lust, Fear, Rage), then kisses each of them on the lips, "Don't make me have to come look for you, because I will be very upset if you don't make it."

Osa looks tells Amy, "We have so much more to teach each other. I look forward to all the time we will spend together."

Osa and Ekina climb on the back of the dragon, and hold tight as it launches them into the air. Adunbi, Quivina, and Amy watch Osa and Ekina fly off before heading down to the main court yard where they meet up with John and Becka.

While Adunbi and Quivina mount up on there horses, they are joined by John on his horse and Amy in her tree. John says, "I know the way so I'll lead the way with my medium infantry, Then Quivina and her archers in case we need support on the road, then Adunbi and his light infantry, and finally following last. She also knows the way so if anything happens she can keep people on track. Becka and camp followers will follow us in one day. The wounded will accompany Becka and as guards for the supply train."

John rides to the front of the main body of warriors, gives the command to get ready, and then to start marching. As soon as the last of Johns men is moving, Quivina gives the archers the command to start moving, followed by Adunbi and his men, and Amy in her tree with the beast man resting high up near the top. Becka and the camp followers collect as much water, food, and coins as they can carry on their wagons.

The road is a long three days travel on foot, four day for the wagon train following, but it takes them threw several small towns and villages where they are able to purchase food and water, and equipment, as well as recruiting a few more people to replace some men who fell at the castle. Each little town they pass threw they kill a dozen Orangemen and one Redman.

When they get near to the designated meeting place, a three hour march from the city that surrounds Prince Rindeel's palace, John and Adunbi scout ahead, only to find Captain Vulkarias is already there along with his crew and several hundred sailors and soldiers that he recruited along the way. As they are having a friendly reunion, Quivina comes around the bend leading their troops. The order is give to set camp, eat, drink, and rest.

Once the command tent is set up and all the leaders are inside, Vulkarias asks, "Where is Osa and Ekina? I had expected them to be travailing with the druid in her walking tree."

John says, "They took the dragon and flew to the southern part of the content, to the encampment where the giant commands the Orangeman army. Three days to get there, and three and a half to get back."

Vulkarias says to himself, "So, they won't make it back in time for the start.".

Adunbi replies, "If Osa's plan works out, she and Ekina should be here sometime tonight."

Everybody looks at Adunbi. Vulkarias asks, "How is that possible?" and John says, "Yes, Explain."

Adunbi reveals the plan that he and his sisters came up with after she made it clear she was going to seek revenge and the try to use the magic pool to trans-locate from way down there to up here, "Based on her witnessing of the conversation between the prince and the giant. And that she woke up in the palace less than a day after having passed out in the giants tent. She guessed that the pools are not only a means of communication but also transportation. They are going to use their magics to activate the pool down there and appear here, in the castle somewhere, and then make there way to us. But she will have to free the dragon from his service."

Vulkarias says, "Well, I for one will be happy not wonder when that dragon will turn to eat me or my men. I hope this plan of yours works out, because we are going to need all the magic we can get. My scouts have counted thousands of fighters in there, both men and Orangemen. We are going to be out numbered at least seven to one, if not more."

Adunbi says, "I trust my sisters, they will be here." Quivina and Amy also put there trust in Osa and Ekian.

John says, "Very well. We will be down one dragon, but we will have four sorcerers and nearly a thousand people in our army."

Then night goes on, the men and women warriors eat, drink, and revel in their past victories as they prepare to rest. While John, Vulkarias, Quivina, Amy, and Adunbi discuss entry points and the floor plan of the palace when the air around Amy starts to whirl around her, at first gently then picking up more and more speed and moisture. Amy begins to try to use magic to protect herself, but Adunbi tells her, "Stop. Water is Osa's domain, this is of her doing, let it flow around you." Then, from the sky, a cyclone of water splashed down on Amy, drenching her, and depositing Osa and Ekina with it. The ground of the command tent is a muddy mess and a few of the papers are lightly splashed, but no significant harm is done.

After some quick greetings, Osa and Ekina report what happened on their mission. Then Osa explains how they made it back to the camp, "We stood in the magic pool and while I was activating the trans-location ability Ekina tossed the flower in to the vortex to redirect it, since the slower had a direct connection to Amy, it set us here. Since there was no pool on this end, the contents of the pool must have come with us to act as a receiver."

Ekina continues, "In theory, the pool is now unusable for communications or trans-location, until it is filled up again. Leaving the prince with no way to call for help or escaping. At least not using that device."

Osa says, "I see you were looking at the city and palace plans. I was in there and a flew over it. There is a small stream around back, that feeds into the river that flows under the wall. If the men are not afraid of getting wet, we can send in a small force under the wall. They can take the city gates and let in the main fighting force. There are three gates, the main gate is huge, Wide enough for two carts and a good number of people on foot. There are two smaller gates, the merchants gate is wide enough for one cart and a few people, the locals gate, just enough for a couple people to walk threw and tall enough for a horse and rider. Besides the stream, that's the only way in, except by air, " Osa looks at Ekina, "And there are trees all over the city, even a couple medium size ones in the palace court yard, " Osa looks at Amy.

Vulkarias says, "Me and my men can go in threw the river and take the three outer gates."

Ekina says, "I can take dragon form, and deliver Adunbi and his men to the palace roof top."

Amy says, "I can animate the trees and command them to attack, but I'll need a leaf from each tree."

Ekina says, "I'll have my eagle collect those for you."

Quivina says, "I'll send my archers in with Vulkarias' men, and we will take the walls. There should be a way into the palace from the top of the walls. If there is we'll find it and go for that palace gate."

John says, "Amy you will take command of twenty percent of my forces and lead them at the locals gate, Osa will do the same at the merchants gate. I'll take the main part and go to the main gate. We will all converge at the palace gate. Vulkarias and Quivina get your men and go. I want those gates open by midnight. Let's move out."

Vulkarias and Quivina quickly gather and lead their sailors and archers towards the river.. Adunbi, Amy, and Ekina start working on making a cargo basket large enough to hold the men that won't fit on the back of Ekina's dragon form.

John and Osa go over the maps in more detail so he has a better idea of navigating within the city and she is ready to give orders to a group of soldiers.