“I trust you aren’t relying on our gratitude,” Quista observed. “You may have a long wait.”
“I’m patient,” Dale replied mildly.
Torvik, seated himself next to Dale. “So what do you have planned for us next Commander?” he asked.
Dale ignored the fidgeting and muttering. “For now, nothing changes. We keep training and we get the camp into a good state. We do nothing new until we are a proper army again.”
“Nothing Changes,” It was Kemmel who spoke, but there were rumbles of agreement. “What of the fighting back you promised us?”
“Like I said, I’m patient.”
How do you rebuild an army with only eight men?
Determined to start fighting back against the Kostinian Empire, Dale Ronas takes the two royal children in his charge to assume command of the few dispirited and struggling battle orphans hiding in the heart of the forest.
It isn’t all plain sailing and Dale is forced to accept an ultimatum. “Make something of the army in one year, or leave.”
With such limited means at his disposal can he turn things around and bring the small group to a point when they can start to fight back?
Author’s Note: A bit of trivia about page 121: as I was writing the first draft of this sequence I was in Milan (24th November 2004) and, just before midnight, there was an Earthquake — which was distracting to say the least. It certainly shook the room more than Sim’s sneezing would have done!
The image of the moon on the front cover of “Twelve Moon-cycles” is copyright Russell Cockman and is reproduced with permission and with my unending gratitude. Further information may be found at Russell’s website www.russellsastronomy.com