Making the necessary arrangements with the Queen turns out to not as difficult as they had first thought, mainly because it’s not the Queen they have to deal with, but one of her generals. They don’t take a lot of soldiers from the capital, since the bulk of them are in the way to the Gulf, so they can join as they advance. Still, the departure of the troops is a big thing. They parade through the streets, citizens and children waving excitedly at them from the sides of the streets. Meira and Rakan wave back at the people, doting on the attention, while Kylem sits on his horse stiffly, sometimes nodding as acknowledgement. The cheers die down as they exit the city, but there is no silence, the sound of hundreds of soldiers and horses accompanies them through the roads.

An official travel like this is different from what they did before. They mostly spend the night in different noble’s states, with maids and good rooms, formal dinners and enthusiastic welcomes. When they arrive to the gulf there is two seas waiting for them, the real sea, and the one made of tents from the soldiers of Dunland, people moving between them like the water does around the rocks at the shore.

They make their way on their horses, the soldiers stopping what they are doing to turn and look at them, some of them even bowing. There is no chanting or clamouring like in the towns, most faces stare at them in wonder, eyes big and mouths open, but others have a grim look. Those are the ones that know that even if their presence means that the outcome of the battle is in their favour, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they will return home.

They dismount in front of the main pavilion, the general from Dunland is waiting for them at the front. He is a big man, old, his beard already white and grey. Him and general Dumont, from Prunetzia, clasp their arms, their eyes are hard and their jaws set. Meira is sure they have been on different sides of a conflict before.

“General Buchner” General Dumont starts, turning “allow me to introduce you to the kyusei” he introduces each of them with a gesture of his hand, each inclining their heads in acknowledgement.

“Kyusei, His Highness is forever grateful for your help in this matter, his is very sorry that he will not be able to meet with you because of his poor health but be assured that Dunland is in your debt for coming to our aid” General Buchner says. He doesn’t miss the pursed lips of General Dumont “we are also thankful to Prunetzia for coming to our aid, it is necessary that we stay together in times like these.”

“Bird!” A shout from one of the soldier’s interrupts whatever General Dumont was going to answer. They look up in time to see an arrow fly towards a bird on the sky and struck it down. They all look back at the General in surprise.

“I am sorry” he says looking at Lífdagar “but in these times we don’t know what may be bird or spy”

“I understand, but that was a bird, maybe a good animal changer can help you so no more innocent animals have to die” Lífdagar says.

“Yes Daru. Please, come with me inside, we have urgent matters to discuss, you could not have arrived at a better time”

He leads the kyusei inside the pavilion, while Victoria and Gabriel go to leave everything to their tent. Inside the main pavilion there are maps of the gulf and the shores at each side, and a group of people standing looking down at one of them on a table, some figures on top of it. Everyone looks up when they step inside, and it takes a while for the bowing and introductions to end. When it finally does, Kylem is the one to speak first.

“When are they attacking?" he asks, analysing the map with the figures.

“Our birds talk of tomorrow” one of the sergeants says. Kylem looks at him with his eyebrows raised.

“This doesn’t look like a camp that is going to fight tomorrow”

“We have soldiers digging trenches near the shore, the water controllers will be in them and will sink the boats that try to make it across the gulf. That, together with your power, will be enough to keep them from even setting foot ashore.”

“Together with our power? I hope you don’t mean help with the sea, or may I remind you that we don’t have the Element Kyusei with us” the generals and sergeants look uncomfortable at that. Kylem has taken to speak for the Kyusei, and the others are happy to let him, he is the one that knows most about strategy, and war talk. “You seem too confident for someone that has practically begged for help.”

“They don’t have a big army right now, we assume that they are rushing this attack in hopes they will manage it before you arrive. We will need the help if they decide to bring more men and boats”

“Are you sure they wanted to attack before we arrived and have not waited for us to do so?”

“With all due respect Daru, you don’t have any real experience with war, only with small incursions and fights, if there was going to be a bigger attack, we would see the signs and soldiers.”

“Tomorrow at dawn all soldiers will be ready to fight, if they are not needed at the end of the day then they just practised how to get ready. The army Prunetzia brought will stay here after that to aid you, but we will not stay here waiting for a new attack to happen. That is all.”

He turns around without saying another word and the others go behind him, Rakan waving at all the men and women left speechless behind.

“You think that is necessary?” Lífdagar asks once they in the way to their tent, a servant is leading them even though it’s not very far from the main pavilion.

“Yeah, he is very confident in his plan” Meira adds.

“That is the problem, he is too confident. Too sure that his plan is going to work but I bet he won’t even go to the frontline himself.”

“I agree with Kylem” Rakan says “you can’t have all these soldiers but not have them prepared in case something goes wrong, something is weird here.”

“You think he is working with the hexians to make the invasion easier?” Lífdagar asks curiously.

The servant has stopped in front of a tent, and they keep quiet while they go inside it. It is big, with different spaces and warm, something they are grateful of even when the weather is not unbearably cold yet. They dismiss the servant before they continue the conversation.

“I actually think he believes every word that came out of his mouth” Meira says while sprawling down on an armchair “and he is just too embarrassed from having to ask for help from Prunetzia to even consider what will happen if he’s not right. He only cares about his pride, and showing that he has everything under control without help from Prunetzia’s soldiers.”

“Meira is right” Kylem says “he is too busy thinking about his honour to see all the facts.”

“Like how his plan to use Aquadores is useless because this is not the only side with them?” Rakan asks, all turn to look at him “c’mon, I can’t be the only one thinking that.”

Meira lets out half a laugh “Maybe he is too used to quarrelling with Prunetzia and their disdain of Marked to remember that not all countries are like them”

“No one has ever said that men are smart” Lífdagar adds with a smile. The girls look at each other ignoring Rakan’s playful outrage. “So tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow we fight”