Post by Tiger on May 15, 2015 23:04:30 GMT -5
September 27th, 1311
Dear Ophelia,
I am exhausted, but home – and the whole wing and all our phoenixes are with us. And much to my surprise, I have some free time to simply sit and focus on this letter. I strained something in my leg during the fight, and while we’re waiting for a healer to have time to look at it and make sure it isn’t in need of magical aid, I’m keeping off my feet. The worst wound we had was a nasty slash from a blade, but only across the arm and Sir Casca was able to heal it in good order.
As I think I mentioned last time, we had an extra half ration of water and a light patrol schedule the day before we went into the field. I tried to keep us flying at dawn and dusk rather than during midday, and that seemed to work much better. Sir Casca noted that the air seemed a little wetter, enough for it to be worth the magical effort for him to somehow pull a little out of air when we flew high enough. It was little more than a trickle in our canteens, but none of us is judging any extra amount of water these days.
We made the decision to send men into the camp to sabotage the weapons before going into battle. Most of the bows were, unfortunately, in tents with their owners, but they managed to hack apart a fair number of spears before needing to retreat. We regrouped, and I led the men and phoenixes in near dawn.
It wasn’t an easy fight, but they were very surprised by the timing of the attack and finding their spears unexpectedly destroyed – it threw them off enough that our experience could fully overpower their sheer numbers. They were not very good fighters on their own. Even the aforementioned more-serious wounds were not really due to skill on their part, but luck. The bandit who managed a sword-strike simply had a lucky opening, and it was not a tactically sound one to take because the knight’s phoenix returned the gesture with her talons. My strained muscle is from dodging one of the remaining spears by twisting my leg at an awkward angle – and unfortunately, this was while Tamir was making a rather intense last-minute twist before landing, which put extra force on some part of my leg, and something about the combination of the two did not sit well with a muscle there.
In the end, it was less victorious, and more…sad, I suppose. Several of the bandits surrendered – those who were alive and didn’t flee – and it was easy to see that they were starving and thirsty and desperate. It does not excuse their attacks on equally-suffering people or the resources meant to help them, of course. I do not regret that they’re facing some consequence for that action. It is, however, uncomfortable to see how unfortunate circumstances can so logically turn people into something so horrible.
But enough of those morose thoughts. Everyone has returned home and is safe, and I think too many bandits were killed or injured for them to pose much threat of reforming this time. We destroyed and raided the entire camp to be certain – what resources we found, I sent with two of our knights to deliver to the nearest towns, where they likely came from or were destined for, anyway – so hopefully there will be nothing to draw them back to that same place. We’ve suggested quite strongly that the local guards consider patrols along the road as well, and hopefully they will take us up on that suggestion.
I cannot tell you how much better I feel for having led the wing successfully through that fight. I know there is still much more work to do, that there will be other threats, but at least this one in particular is over.
I am so relieved and happy to hear that things are finally looking up for you in Nid’aigle. Sieg’s recovery is excellent news. Thank both of you for your wishes of luck.
The light rain and cooler temperatures sound like a very positive thing. Hmm – combined with Sir Casca’s work with the wetter air, I almost dare to wonder if the drought might finally be lessening, at least somewhat. Any relief would be a relief at this point, so I hope it will continue. And I must confess, it feels very much like justice that Lord Henry should be taking ill after all he and his mother have done to offend their hosts these past several long weeks. Hopefully he remains well enough to travel, so that he can properly remove himself from your city and your life. And thank goodness the talks themselves are winding down as well – hopefully the compromise works well for both parties.
I’m so glad I could still be a support to you despite the distance between us. As you say, the negotiations are extremely important, and I am so very impressed with your ability to handle such a terse situation for so long. I suspect you’ll point out that you became upset a few times, but I wouldn’t hold that against yourself – after all, you continued to negotiate, continued to translate, and it sounds as though, in the end, you’ve won the day. Hopefully if such a thing happens again, I can be there personally this time. I cannot ask Sieg to relay all the hugs I would like to give to you during times like these, and there are all the other affections I cannot simply pass off to someone else, much less a relative of yours.
Thank you as well, for your confidence in me through this unexpected “promotion”. It is not always easy to tell what the other knights think of my performance of my duties - but if I’ve made you proud, I think I must be doing something right.
I will be happy to return to my station as Right Wedge when the Lieutenant has recovered, however. And that ought to be well before October twenty-second. That’s less than a whole month from now - such a short time, relatively, but I cannot wait until we can see each other in person again. I’ll make sure my schedule’s arranged so I can meet you when you arrive – a little over a month is a bounty of time, but I suspect it won’t feel like enough, so I’d like to take advantage of every minute.
You are correct - the end of October cannot come soon enough.
All of my love,
Cai
P.S. I am still waiting on someone to have time to check on my leg, and to pass the time I started working on the Solis puzzle again. I finally completed it, and yes, I did find the hidden chamber and the note inside. I should have known your denial of anything odd was a little suspicious. Perhaps one day I’ll learn – though if you keep distracting me with such sweet notes, perhaps I won’t. And I think I would be all right with that.
I’ll keep the letter close until you and October arrive. I love you.
Ever yours,
Cai
Cai and his wing have survived their attack on the bandits, and Cai is happy to hear about rain, sick Accipiters, and Ophelia's upcoming visit.
Also, he finally solves the 3-D Solis puzzle. Was there more to that rattling noise than there first seemed to be? =O
Also, he finally solves the 3-D Solis puzzle. Was there more to that rattling noise than there first seemed to be? =O