Jane had received her orders and collected her resources, her team consisted of members she trusted the most and the most compatible with the mission.
Her team were ready on their horses and left for the port racing against time and manpower, she was somewhat motivated and was planning on perfect execution.
"We need to spread and take advantage of our speed, we only stop if we see an enemy force or the horses aren't able to move."
The others nodded and the team quietly moved throughout the day without disturbance and rested themselves up for the night. They lay on the green under the sky with the moon shining over them.
Jane on the other hand sat with her back on a tree and looked at the moon, eating her bread.
"You should join us, Mam. We are having a lot of fun telling stories, why don't you share one too?"
A boy called her to the rest of the team who told each other stories while laughing and enjoying each other company forming bonds which are only formed in wars.
"Sorry but I like to spend my time alone, the rest of you, please enjoy your time."
Jane rejected the invitation with a small smile. The boy heard the rejection and moved back to the team while Thea lost her thoughts.
"If I do this mission will I be able to prove myself? but to whom?"
Jane was a person with an intelligent but self-doubting mind, she was the first woman to join the Army ranks of Asphodel and rise the ranks so high, she didn't need to prove herself to anyone but,
"Am I worthy?"
She was a daughter of a wealthy man, and she got to study at a good school that had the best teachers, trainers and whatnot and yet everybody who fought here did not get any of them and was standing right beside her, her inferiority complex had made a house in her mind.
"What if I wasn't my father's daughter?"
Those 'what if' questions were her biggest weakness and being alone was what brought her this pain.
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On the other side, Anju and Milize were enjoying the chess match. The match was looking in Anju's favour as Milize king was trapped from all sides the pawns blocked his path.
"Milize, our war situation is becoming more and more like this chess match, you have trapped yourself in a corner where you are running out of moves."
Milize kept her eyes on the board but her ears carefully listened to all Anju was saying.
"You have given the enemy time to rejoin and rebuild this won't end well for us. Maybe you should quit chess and see the battlefield for once."
Milize was listing intently and finally saw the right move, she played her hand and the situation was a stalemate where Anju and Milize were both stuck and couldn't do anything without making big sacrifices.
"You see this sister, this is what the battlefield has become, I and him are both not ready to make big sacrifices so quickly. We need to think 10 times before each move here but that is where I am at advantage."
"What do mean by that?"
"The siege setting and emptying of the nearby cities give Yuuka two choices, stay at this place and starve himself and his soldiers to death while waiting for his enforcement to help him or he could try to intercept our resources and take over the capital."
"We are at advantage in both of these!"
"NO, the siege at the capital is a big bluff, accommodation of 20-30 thousand citizens is no easy task especially if a large number of them are hungry poor and hungry soldiers, without victories the siege can backfire."
The battle was now a slug, the one who can gather victories would win, the size of the success was only big there were no small victories.
"So, what do you think happens if they win the capital?"
"It is hard to say the majority of the forces are at the capital if they succumb to defeat, we are nearly done."
"Nearly?"
"As long as I or my loyal Friends don't get captured the war is still there. Even if we lose the capital."
"A final countermeasure? Don't you think staying here in the first place tells you have accepted that you'll lose the capital?"
"I'll win no matter the cost. I trust myself more than anyone."
The Queen was ready to defend her castle against the enemy with no hint of Self-doubt in her mind.
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