On the Path to War

Oberon stood beside his horse, surveying the sunrise. Though beautiful with its varying shades of gold, orange, yellow, and red... it also foretold of the battle to come. Perhaps he should have waited the remaining three days to the week he'd allotted for General Beatrix, who was to ride out with him instead of continuing to muster allies and other aid. A decision of her own volition, and in his opinion a logical one: lesser-ranked personnel could handle such things as searching and gathering, certainly.

There could be no fear, and there could be no doubt. He would do all he had to do to ensure Alrania's safety... even if it meant exchanging his own life for it. Without further delay, the armored King hoisted himself as gracefully as possible into the saddle and made a quick check of all of his personal effects. Once he was satisfied he had everything, Oberon steered the horse to face those assembled.

A decent number of soldiers awaited him. It was the king's only hope they would be enough until the rest of the aid arrived. There was no telling the mass of Jahan's army... and a dragon could easily account for the lives of several men to their single forms. The men would need courage and strength to fight, and for that they would look to him for it was Oberon who would rule them in peace and he who would rule them in war.

"Brethren and Allies to the Kingdom of Alrania! Upon this sunrise, we ride out to battle with the forces of Jahan the Fifth for the abominable massacre he hath rained down upon our people, taking those to whom we were bonded to in fellowship... and to others were our kin! I ask of you all for the courage and strength to ride out with me and face this threat head-on!"

Oberon's horse scuttled about slightly so he pulled on the reins to lead it back to where it had stood. Then he pointed to the sunrise that was streaked with a dark crimson. "Let the token of this bloodied sunrise be a sign from our Lord Gods, who have foreseen the razing of the Mystenian forces that await us! Not unlike my father King Woden's actions before mine: Let us stand and meet our Mystenia foes, and demonstrate to Jahan that Alrania will not tolerate the pointless slaughter of its people!

"My Brothers..." the King paused to look at Beatrix in particular and added 'and Sisters' to recognize her part in the war efforts, "I bid you stand and fight, delivering unto Mystenia its final breath!"

In the mass of knights, riders and archers, a masked archer stood in the middle of the line.. liked the others her hood was up and covered half her face. The person behind the black hood?

Queen Cassandra stood bow in hand and virtually invisable in the sea of black hooded archers.

She listened to Oberon's raily and smiled sadly under her hood, he certianly knew how to make one determined before marching off.

She prayed what she saw in the vision didn't come to pass, that her presents wouldn't be requiered to interfer.. But she didn't want to risk it... she couldn't loose Oberon not yet not the same way her Mother in law had lost King Wodon. Prince Liam would be safe and well looked after at the palace.. she had made sure of that.

But nonetheless if the moment came she would be to do what she need to do.. she was Queen.. his wife.. and forever holder and protector of his heart. She wouldn't let an curse arrow of fate take her King away from her. She believed they could win this war and both walk out of it alive, they had to, for the future of their Kindom...

So she raised her bow with the rest of the masked archers when in solute when Oberon finished his speach..

Infantrymen, archers, riders, and knights... a decent complement, he deemed. However the king couldn’t help but have hoped for a few dozen more, what with the looming threat of dragons being on the enemy’s list of armaments. Reptilian beasts have plagued his dreams for the past four nights, and thus were at the forefront of his mind.

When his audience saluted him, Oberon instructed his horse to rear up in a return salute before touching back down and beginning the march towards Jahan’s forces. He hoped the battle would be far from the capitol, for to keep the people safe; particularly his wife and young son, as well as his visiting sister-in-law. His expression was a fierce one to express his anger with the foe they were to ride out and face...

... but once he was not looking directly at his men, Oberon’s countenance fell into a look of guarded worry and yearning. In the event he did not walk out of this war alive, he resolved to write each family member that remained a letter when they made camp. It would not be a definitive farewell: more like a journal entry of what happened upon the road to battle, with the hope that they would be given to the appropriate recipients in the event he did meet his end out there. The king hoped the letters would not need to be delivered, for surely yet another death in the family would cripple those whom he’d left behind even further. But he had to do this, for them and for his country, even though he would’ve rather stayed with his queen and son instead. In his mind only a weak or corrupt king would stay behind instead of standing and fighting with the rest, and refused to be seen in such a light.

’Already I miss thee, dearest Cassie and little Liam. In the event I do not return, know I shall be with you both in spirit. Always. May our faith keep you both from knowing hardship or further sorrows,’ he prayed, only half paying attention to where his horse was going until the thought-prayer had been completed. Deep sapphires took on a somber tone, a spark of fire just under the surface.

Jahan would rue the day he so much as thought of ordering harm to befall upon Oberon’s loved ones and their escorts...