That fight solved a lot of their problems with the racial tension. Not all of it, not by far, but enough that it left everything else easy to deal with. The dwarves easily accepted that their honor was now avenged. It helped that not only did the baka fight for them, but that AJ, the trulion, one that was considered a part of their family, a dwarf by his own right, that he had been the one to strike the killing blow made them very pleased with the results.
But there were still so many matters to attend to. AJ lowered the platform that Brian had made in the yard, making the ground there smooth again as if nothing had even happened. Then he gathered those closest to him at the front of the castle walls to discuss what needed to be done. Somewhere along the way he’d taken the time to clean and sheathe his blade again, as had Brian.
AJ leaned back against the outer castle wall, looking from one friend to the other. Loosely arrayed in a circle around him stood the people he trusted more than anyone else. From his left, arcing around in a half circle, stood Howie, Isleen, Richard, Kevin, Nick, Geoff, Marzio, Sofia, Flreu, Tadhg and Brian. Behind them lay Tripha and Alfeera.
These people, these beings, were people that he trusted. They were his family. There was no one that he would trust more than these people before him. He knew their strengths, and their weaknesses. Which one was the peacemaker and which one could easily start a fight. Who would try to fix things with words and who would use actions. They were a motley bunch, but he loved them with everything inside of him.
“Ok, so. I slept for five days, apparently, and things went to shit.” AJ said bluntly. The wry chuckles from his friends had him smiling in return. “That should have fixed most of our problems. From talking with most people, there’s a lot of shit that is gone now. But we’ve still got important things to worry about. How much of our battle plan has been reworked? Our defenses?”
Howie was the one who answered for them all. “We’ve got the centaurs and the satyrs set up in different arenas, almost totally at odds with where they were before. They think that their area will work, though, an actually work better than where they were set before. Obviously the merfolk can’t come from any area other than where they are, but they say they’ve got a few tricks hidden up their sleeve, and they promise not to use things they’d said they would before. Roth will most likely have counters for those.”
“The dwarves have been running their smithy almost nonstop to prepare armor and some weapons for those around here.” Flreu added in. “Their plan is similar as the last, and yet different in ways that will throw Roth off. Instead of coming up the side of the mountain where we had originally intended them to come, they have been tunneling a cave that should be ready before the month is out. This cave they will keep concealed with their own magic. It’s entrance will put them directly at the backside of Roth’s troops, or whatever he brings with him. That will have them fighting both front and back.”
Tripha’s large head raised up over them all, only to come down between Geoff and Marzio. “Our attacks will remain the same.” He said simply. No one but AJ knew what the dragons had planned, so there was no way that Galiina would have been able to betray their strategy. In this one area the dragons had been insistent. They were wise beings. AJ would have simply trusted their plans, but they still considered him their master, and they had told him what they would do. He heartily approved.
“All of that sounds good. What about the rest?” AJ asked.
He was quickly caught up on how the goblins, gremlins, and gnomes were working together. Apparently the trio had a plan that was actually quite brilliant in its simplicity. They had decided to hide amongst the forest, to work with the elements that they knew and could use as any kind of projectile. They were crafty beings, and capable of doing what needed to be done.
The nymphs were going to assist from the sea, which was normal for them. Most that had come were sea nymphs. The imps were a little less predictable, but they were being well contained and controlled by the pixies, which was what AJ had hoped. Those groups were going to work overhead, as well as in and out of any troops that came with Roth. The faeries were talking amongst themselves, but no one knew quite what their plan was going to be.
So many important things were jumbled around inside of AJ’s mind. He had to take a deep breath and force his mind to look at the larger picture. It was all a matter of delegating what could be delegated, and to the right person. He did not need to do everything himself, as Brian continuously reminded him.
“Right. So, basically we need to just get everything coordinated together and firmed down. Um, Grandfather, you speak for the elves, and elves are well known to work well with almost any that they can. I think you would be the one to best work with the pixies and the imps, to help them get things settled right. I want to know what their plans are, and I want to make sure that it’s not going to interfere with what the others are going to do. No need to have casualties or injuries on our own side.”
He bit his lip, looking around his friends. Who would fit best where? “Howi, if you and Marzio would go to the elves who are guarding the barrier and do a test. Check for flaws and weaknesses, as well as any place that there’s room for improvement. You’re good enough with spirit to read more than any of us, Marzio, and that’s what we need is someone who can read it better than any else.
“Isleen, I’d ask that you speak with the nymphs. Take Geoff with you so he can talk to the merfolk. Between the two of you we should be able to get them to coordinate on the waterfront property and attack zones. I don’t want them making plans, and then finding out that their plans actually crash into one another at some point. You two would be best at working that particular minefield.
“Sofia, you should actually go with grandfather. Pixies and Imps listen to elves very well, but they are drawn to beautiful women as well as talents such as singing. You would be someone that they would love, with your looks and your voice. It might be that you would soothe them easily in moments where Grandfather might have to talk fast to keep things calm.
“Richard, you know where I’m going to ask you to go. The centaurs and the satyrs like you, quite a bit actually. They speak highly of you and your background. I want to make sure those two are really working together, and not letting their stupidity get in the way. Sometimes those two races like to fight just for the fun of it. But in all honesty, they are the most closely bonded, both being half animals.”
Pausing, AJ raised a hand, stroking his knuckle across his chin as he thought. “Baka, the faeries both know and respect you. You’re diplomatic enough that you know how to speak properly with them. Try to get their plans, and let them know that I will review it and come to see them soon? We’ll need to mesh their plans with the rest of ours so that we can make sure everything is going right. Take Uncle with you, as he has met them before and is also well thought of. Nick and Kevin, too. I think time among them would do them some good” He raised his head again, looking at them all.
All eyes were on him, waiting patiently for him to finish speaking. AJ wanted to sigh underneath the weight of their gazes. So much faith, so much trust. He could only pray that he was worthy of it.
“I want to meet tonight to discuss everything we’ve been able to learn today. I want detailed accounts from everyone on what they learn so that we can put them together and plan what needs to be fixed and what doesn’t. Each person you speak to needs to understand that there is a chance I will adjust their plan. They are to be prepared for it, and understand it, because that’s the way it’s going to be. We can’t accomplish anything unless we work together.”
The group quickly disbanded to head to their assigned tasks. Brian stuck around for a minute, with Tadhg, Kevin and Nick waiting for him a discreet distance away. He slide against AJ, pinning him against the wall. “An what will the honored trulion be doing while all of us lesser folk are off on our delegated assignments?” he whispered, his lips a hair away from AJ’s.
A grin stretched over AJ’s face, lighting his eyes. “I’ll go deal with the dwarves first, get their plan a little more cemented in my mind, make my appearance with Cursha, and get all the diplomatic bullshit out of the way. Then I get to go check in with Nifar and see how the weapons are progressing. Then I get to go talk with the dragons for a while and make sure everything there is ok. Then I get to go commandeer a room in the castle and make a war room. I’ve got to find the maps I need, and get things plotted out, and get ready to figure out how to best fit everyone’s plans into one big plan, and after that…”
Brian cut his spiel off by kissing him and chuckling at the same time. “Ok, ok.” He joked when he pulled back. “Consider me reprimanded for ever thinking that you would have it easier. I wouldn’t want to trade places with you in a million years, lover.”
“That’s right, and just you remember it.”
“Just don’t push yourself too hard, ok? You’re just barely up and back about.” Brian said softly, one hand coming up to cup AJ’s cheek. Gently he brushed his lips over AJ’s. “You’ve got to be more careful so you don’t end up putting yourself back in the position you were in before. If you keep taxing yourself that hard you’ll end up depleting your energy again, and where will we be without you?”
A serious look came into AJ’s eyes for a minute. “There may be a time that you’ll have to deal with things without me, Bri. I know that being trulion makes me this big important defender for everyone and everything, but even without me here, people should be able to gather together and do what needs done. There may come a time when something happens to me, or I’m incapacitated in some way, and you guys might need to go on without me. What will everyone do then?”
It looked as if Brian was giving it serious thought for a moment. His eyes clouded over at the idea of something happening to AJ, and his distress at the idea was palpable. But he stayed silent, thinking about his answer before slowly speaking it. “I don’t like to think of that possibility, but I think that some of us would band together. If you couldn’t lead, much as I would hate it, I think that if no one else would, I would step up. I couldn’t not help these people. They’re all coming to mean so much to me, like a large extended family. I couldn’t step back and let them die, knowing that I could help.”
The smile that lit AJ’s face stretched from ear to ear. He felt so much pride for his lover in that moment that he thought he might burst with it. There was no better answer that Brian could have given. On a burst of joy, AJ flung his arms around Brian and hugged him tightly, burying his face into the curve of Brian’s neck. “I love you so much!” he whispered fervently. ‘There was nothing better that you could have said. It makes me so happy, to know that you feel that way. To know that you do this for them, not just for us or for me. That you do it not just because it’s what’s right, but because it’s what we have to do!’
Brian hugged him back just as tightly. One of his hands stroked down the length of AJ’s hair while he inhaled that natural scent that was purely AJ. Like standing in a forest after a fresh rain on a sunny day. ‘How could I not care for them, Alex? They need someone to help look after them. I can’t just step back and let Roth do what he wants to. Not just because it’s so wrong, but the thought of them all under his power…it makes me shudder to think of it.’
‘You’re learning what it means to be who we are. Of all races and none. It’s a heady feeling. I imagine that this must be what it feels like to be God, or whoever created this earth and its children. This paternal feeling, as if you’re personally connected to them all. This is how I’ve always felt. No one else has ever understood or shared this with me. They care, yes, but not this deeply. Not this totally about every individual being, down to the smallest of all.’
The two pulled back, smiling at one another. With one last kiss, Brian pulled away to head off with his Uncle and their friends to do his part. Sighing, but feeling infinitely happier, AJ set off to do his.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Meeting with the dwarves took a good few hours. AJ not only spoke with King Cursha, but he also inspected their tunnel and went to view where they planned on coming out at. The tunnel was to have two different exits that would perfectly place them behind any army that came, and out of sight enough that no one would notice them until they were out and on their heels. It was a good plan, and he told them so honestly. There was a risk to them, but if necessary they would always be able to fall back to the tunnels. In the case of an emergency, the tunnels were rigged with dwarvish spells that would allow them to collapse them with a single command.
From there he sought out Nifar to see how weapon making was progressing. He was pleased with how quickly some of it came, but Nifar had more work to do than he had hands for, even with the speed and power of being an elf at his command. So AJ sought out those that he thought would help, and then was hit by inspiration. He brought Nifar down to the dwarves and explained that there was too much work and not enough hands.
Cursha was more than willing to spare some men to help with Nifar’s work. There were plenty who had volunteered. So he left them at Nifar’s smithy to do their work and moved on to his next task. There wasn’t really much that he had to check in with Alfeera about. Almost everything there was under control. He basically rehashed out the plan with her so that he had it in his mind to work into the rest of his war planning.
Next he went and found a room in the castle that would be perfect for him to use. He sent a few young elves off to find him the maps he needed, and when they were brought back he spread them out on the large table that was there. He asked for the top ranking elven warriors to be brought to him. Though he was their leader in all this, he openly admitted that there were others who had more knowledge of war than he did. Not to mention that their knowledge of the area was better than his was.
So he spread the maps out and, when the warrior generals arrived, discussed vantage points, and places where they would be the weakest so that they could seek to protect them. One big concern was the humans on the island. The last thing that AJ wanted was for any of them to be caught in the crossfire of anything that went down.
On top of that, there was their secrecy to protect. How would they pull off a war this size without having humans all over alerted to their presence? The ocean around them protected most of what they needed. Anyone who looked over would think that nothing much was going on, unless they happened to be flying over or sailing nearby.
As he studied the maps, an idea came to AJ. He stared down at the map and tapped his chin thoughtfully. ‘Bri? You got a second?’ he sent, still staring. The generals around him were discussing how best to defend the castle, and he left them to it for a moment as his idea started to slowly pan out in his head. A second later Brian’s cheerful voice filled his mind. ‘For you, anything, lover boy. We’re waiting while the Queen discusses something with her advisors.’
‘I want to run something by you. There’s no one here who really understands magic the way you and I do, or like Uncle does. Feel free to discuss this with him as I hash it out for you, ok?’
‘Ok. We’ve got enough of a break, and I’ve pulled him aside. Go for it.’ Brian’s voice turned more serious as he realized that this wasn’t a playful conversation.
AJ tried to order his thoughts together, his eyes scanning the terrain on the map and the area surrounding their edge of the world. ‘I’ve been trying to figure out a way to not only keep humans back from this area, but to keep them from seeing what we’re going to do. Now, the only thing I can think of to shield us in a natural way is weather. A shield of ours would be wasting too much magical energy and would make us weaker. But if we used the weather to our advantage, then we might be able to not only get humans evacuated from the island, but also keep them from really being able to see what’s happening from a distance.’
‘That sounds good. Uncle says that they keep the weather here a bit iffy anyways to keep the population down. This corner of the island is notorious for storms and such that have stopped people from living near these ruins.’
‘Good, that’s what I was hoping to hear.’ AJ picked one map up, carrying it with him as he stepped away from the others in the room. His eyes traveled over the edges, trying to frame what he wanted to do in a way that would cause minimal damage. ‘Ok, so the best that I can think of is this. There’s only one thing that really would shield us at the same time that it would still allow us to work. What if we built a small hurricane, one that kind of sat in the weather system but didn’t really build. Make it start on another coast, weak of course, so that the humans find it natural that it moves and grows. Something that won’t hurt the general populace where we put it, but will definitely let them know that ones formed. You follow me?’
‘Got you so far. Relayed it to Uncle, and he says he’s following too. Keep going.’
‘Well, we’re not sure the exact day that Roth’s coming, but if we keep scouts out we should be warned in enough time to draw it closer to us. We know the general time frame that he’ll be here which works in our benefit. But I don’t want the storm to hit wrong and actually end up blocking out our sunshine and pouring on us because that’ll make it to where our flyers won’t be able to fly as well and our elves of your breed won’t have the sun to keep powering them. So we’d have to pull it in just right so that we’ll be in the eye while fighting.’
It took a few minutes before Brian spoke to him again. AJ assumed that he was conferring with Tadhg on the idea and gaining his opinions. There was a quite concentration in the bond on Brian’s side. Patiently AJ waited for them to finish. A moment later Brian was back in his mind. ‘Uncle says that the idea is sound. He believes that it can be done if a few of us link together each day to keep it under control. So long as we can keep it from harming mortals, and build it more over the water on its way to us, it should also be enough that some of the locals will move inland or evacuate for a while. This’ll inconvenience them, sure, but it’ll save them from being potentially killed, or even being hostages. He says that when we get back he’ll come and nail down some semantics with you. It’s a good idea, song of my heart. A very good idea. No one had thought of clearing the island, or how to do it.’
‘Good. Ok, go ahead and go back to the Queen. That’s all I needed you for.’ He started to move back to the table and lay the map back down when Brian spoke again, his voice laced with humor. ‘Gee thanks, lover. I feel so special.’
‘Naturally. I don’t use just anyone, dear heart.’
‘Mm. You can use me anytime. Say…midnight?’
The mental images and overtures that came with that almost had AJ stumbling as he stood back up straight. The others in the room looked at him strange, but he couldn’t stop the silly grin on his face. ‘You’ve got a deal. I’ll meet you then on the tower top, whether everyone else is done with me or not.’
‘Why, Alex, shirking your duties to tryst with me? I’m shocked!’
AJ gave a purely mental growl full of sensual promise that had the bond quivering with Brian’s mental shiver. His smile grew as he turned back to the warriors. “Have we got the castle defenses squared? Where’s our weak points?” An with that, he was back to being trulion. But the promise for that night stayed in the back of his mind, keeping his small smile on his face.