A Tale of Blood and Ice.

Chapter 2: Preparation.

“What do you want me to do?” Aidan asked, thoughts shooting through his head at how they could have made it that far inland, let alone to the Desert Straights, “I’m prepared for anything.”

“I know,” The Prince replied, leaning back in his throne, “I picked you for one reason and one reason only and it wasn’t because you can handle yourself.” Ductoris closed his eyes and took a few breaths in and out.

Aidan’s frustration rose, “Damnit, why did you choose me!” He shouted, rising up and pushing his chair back.

“I picked you because you didn’t hesitate, you didn’t hesitate because you cared.” The Prince looked up at Aidan, “I read the report over and over, I’ve had submissions from lieutenants and even from the general, asking me to take one of their men, but none of them came close to you.”

“But... I’m just a... I was a wall guard, surely someone with more experience or skill would be better suited for the job.” Aidan’s voice was full of uncertainty, the knowledge of the empire’s enemy returning and the Prince’s trust weighing heavily on him.

“Exactly, someone with more skill will just strike and cause a mess, someone with more knowledge of combat will just wait it out and, in the end, accomplish nothing.” The Prince rose, silently walking around the table and placing one hand on both of Aidans shoulders, “You are the perfect person for this.”

“I don’t know...” Aidan replied, pushing the Prince’s hands off him and sitting down, the pressure of the whole situation finally getting to him.

“Take the night to think it over,” Ductoris turned to Pura, “Give him a guest suite and anything he desires.” Turning back to Aidan, he continued, “You might need it.”

Aidan sighed and rubbed his eyes, “Alright, I will.”

“You would be a fool not to.” The Prince said, grinning, “Pura, please escort our guest here to his room.”

“It would be my pleasure, Sire.” She replied, rising from her chair and walking over to Aidan, “This way... please.”

“So, how are you taking all of this?” Pura asked as she walked alongside Aidan down one of the many Palace hallways.

“I’m... alright,” He looked about, trying to think of anything that would give him an excuse to back out and decline, but nothing came to mind, “This is really happening, isn’t it?”

Pura looked down in thought, “Yes it is... The Prince is too proud to admit, but we need help, and the empire is scared. Not only for ourselves, but for the other races as well, we may not have had a great relationship in the past, but nonetheless they don’t deserve this.”

“Yeah, I have to ask, the report didn’t mention on how the Anasazi managed to get so far inland.”

“That’s because we don’t know. One day, the settlement was peaceful. The next, there was no reply from them.” Pura turned, “All I know is that we are going to stop them this time. No matter what.”

They stopped in front of an unassuming door, “Here we are, your quarters. If you need anything, just ring the bell and a servant will answer.”

Aidan nodded and opened the door. Turning back, he saw Pura had disappeared, leaving the hallway empty. He turned to face the room and walked in.

The room was generously furnished with expensive silk from the elven abyss, yew logs from the borders of the centaur woodlands, and the finest food from all over Alaria. Aidan shook his head and closed the door, “I guess this isn’t all bad...”

He walked over to the fire, placing another log on it and laying down on the sheepskin couch that was laid out in front of it. Aiden sighed as he sunk into the couch, letting his tension go. He began to think over the things that would miss him if he went off to some unknown place. His family? His Friends?

As time went on, Aidan found it harder and harder to stay awake, the warmth of the fire and the comfort of the couch pulling him into unconsciousness. He decided to get up and get into bed, taking his clothes off as he walked over.

He pulled the covers back and slid in, feeling the silky touch of the bedding underneath, he was asleep before his head even touched the pillow.

Aidan woke up to the sound of a rooster, a slightly welcome sound compared to the shouting of his family in the morning. Getting out of bed, he noticed that he didn’t have a bad back due to a poorly made mattress for once and, with a smile on his face, he strutted into the bathroom.

After his morning business, he put his clothes back on, hoping nobody would notice. Once all suited up, he made his way over to the door, taking one last look at the room; it may not be his, but it was the nicest he’s been in and may be in for a while.

He was walking down the hallway when Pura turned a corner and ended up alongside him. “Good morn’ Aidan, how are you?”

“Good morn’, I’m alright...”

“Still thinking? That’s okay, we still have a little while before our time frame closes.” Pura says, looking back at Aidan.

“Time frame, what do you mean?” Aidan asks, confusion written on his face.

“Oh, didn’t we mention... there’s only a short window before it’s too late to travel.”

“But... wouldn’t I just go around the mountain, there’s nothing stopping anyone as far as I know.”

Pura giggled, “Ah yes, our miners have found a shortcut through the mountain, cuts the journey time by two thirds.”

“What!? Why is there a timeframe then if I can just go through?”

“Because, we don’t want the enemy to find it. If they do, then the war is lost before it’s properly started. The Prince has decided to detonate the shaft, with or without your help.” Pura stopped and turned to face Aidan, “It’s basically one way...” She had a look of sorrow on her face and refused to see him in the eyes.

Aidan faced away, his thoughts returning to the threat on the horizon, he would do anything for the empire, especially if he would stop the Anasazi threat before anybody else died, “Alright, I’ve made up my mind.”

“Really! That’s great.” She looked Aidan in the eyes for the first time since the walk, “And?”

Aidan stood there for a few seconds before answering with a small smile, “I’m sure the Prince is busy, let’s go.”

Prince Ductoris was in the council room surrounded by his advisors, the council of elders. “Ductoris, are you sure he’s right for this?” The Prince’s general asked, “He did recently get dismissed from service.”

“Yes, for the last time, I am sure he is the right person; I’ve read all of your submissions, none were good enough.” With a huff, the general turned away, picked up some papers and started marking off different sections.

At that moment; Pura and Aidan opened the double doors and walked in. Aidan with a look of determination and Pura only slightly smiling. Everybody at the table turned to take a look at the two new additions, they had read about Aidan, but hadn’t met him yet. The first to rise and walk over was the general, “Ah Aidan, an honor. The prince has been telling me all about you.”

“Not everything I hope...” Aidan replied, unsure of where this was going.

“Aha, don’t worry, I don't get involved in matters of the Wall guard.” The general scoffs before walking back to his papers. Aidan shrugs and walks over to the table.

Prince Ductoris looks over to Aidan after moving a piece of paper over the other side of the table, “Aidan, good of you to join us... do you have your answer?”

“Yes, I do.”

“And?” The Prince asks; the tension in the room rising instantly.

“I’ll do whatever you need.” Everyone releases a breath they forgot they were holding. One by one, they rose and thanked Aidan; some shaking his hands, some hugging him, even the general came over and said a few words.

Finally the Prince made his way over to him and stops, “Thank you Aidan, you are doing the empire a great service.”

“You haven’t told me what I have to do yet.”

“Of course, we’ll get to that now.” He turns around and shouts, “Guards, bring in the map!”

After a few minutes, two guards walk in a side door carrying a large map of the continent. Some places, like the major towns having blue flags pinned in them, while the settlement in the Desert Straights having a red flag on top of it.

“Place it on the table.” The guards did as they were told and laid it flat, everyone moved around it, waiting for us to get in position.

“Alright, so we are here,” Ductoris pointed towards a blue flag in the top right corner next to a chain of mountains known locally as “The snow-blown mountains” because they never stopped snowing, “The settlement was here,” He points to the only red flag on the map, it was due south in the middle of the map, “Your assignment is to collect information on what the Anasazi are doing at the settlement and report to Creywick, no detours.”

Aidan rubbed his chin, his hand making it’s way to his scar, it never healed properly and thus tended to flare up at times. “Why wouldn’t I just come back here?”

The general interrupted before the Prince could reply, “What happens if the Anasazi follow you? Anyway, we are blowing the tunnel after you make it halfway through, we cannot let them take this city, under any circumstances.”

Aidan felt a little intimidated at the tone the general was giving off, “O-ok... what do I do once I reach Creywick?”

“You meet with the Prince residing there... Last time i checked it was, Gabriel.” Ductoris replied, not filling Aidan with confidence.

“What about money? Or gear? You don’t expect me to go to the Desert Straights Without anything... right?” Aidan asked, hoping to receive a good answer.

“Of course not, we will be outfitting you with whatever you desire. What’s in the city is yours.” Ductoris exclaimed, getting a little excited.

“Good... Lets go, I have a lot of shopping to do.”

Pura and Aidan walked down the stone path that lead out of the second shop they had been to that day. “Okay... so what have we left to get?”

Pura flipped the top page of the checklist and looked down it. The whole way down was filled with items they needed to obtain with ticks on most of them, only two more items were needed before Aidan could even think of setting off; “We need to find you a good weapon and shield.”

“Alright, I think I saw an arms shop a little down the road.” Aidan spoke as he pointed down the road towards the wall. They walked for a good ten minutes before reaching a shop with a sign hanging above it; a sword and shield, “How original.” Aidan mumbled as he pushed the gate open and held it till Pura was through.

They saw the lights still on and pushed through the door, the bell above rung out. As they waited for the owner to server them, Aiden took a look at the weapons on offer, most of them looked either too old to use, or had been on the shelf for a long time.
He spent a few minutes looking at the weapons before one in particular caught his eye and caused him walk over. A sword, almost looking like any other except the inscription down the middle of the blade:

Vel preteritus nex

“Vel preteritus nex?” Aidan mumbled as he opened it’s case and pulled the sword out.

“Hmm, good sword that is; Unfortunately nobody want’s to buy it, It’s been in my family for a good few years; the inscription reads : even past death.” The shop owner said smugly.

Aidan turned around and stared at him, then to Pura, “I’ll take this one.”

They closed the door to the shop, waving goodbye to the owner before walking down the path. “You sure you wanted that? It looks a little fragile...” Pura asked, shivering from the cold.

“Yeah, this is the one for me. Now we have to find a shield.” Aidan replied; taking his cloak off, which was given to him as a thank you gift by one of the Prince’s advisers, then wrapping it around Pura.

“Thank you...” Pura mumbled as she wrapped it tighter around herself, “The Palace should have a few spares, that is if you're okay with a plain one.”

“I’m sure a Palace-made shield will survive the trip.” Aidan shakes his head and journey onwards back to the Palace, against the frigid cold, trying to ignore the pain from his scar.

Due to the cold, the time it took them to get back was almost doubled and, as such, the day had quickly turned to night.

“I can go find the shield then go to the council room, you should go get warmed up by a fire... you don’t look so good.” Aidan gave Pura an apologetic look before she turned and rushed off to the nearest common room. Aidan turned around and began looking for the barracks.

He thought he had a grip for the Palace, but it turned out he only knew the way to and from his room to the Council room. “Where is it!?” Aidan mumbled before turning a corner and bumping into a patrolling guard.

“Watch it noble.” The guard sneered before looking down and seeing who he bumped into, “Oh Aidan, I’m sorry. Let me help you.” The guard helped Aidan off the floor and brushed him down.

“You know who I am?” Aidan asked, not knowing who the guard was.

“Of course, everyone here does; you’re the guy going through the mountain, it’s incredible.”

Aidan chuckled, “Word gets around fast I see... anyway, any chance of showing me to the barracks?”

“Sure, follow me.” The guard walks down the path he was following and the two end up outside wooden double doors. The sound of exercise and the clangs of metal hitting metal sounded from inside.

“Here we are,” The guard turned to Aidan, “I have to go, but it was nice speaking with you.”

“Yeah, same... bye.” The guard walked off to carry on his patrol route. Aidan gripped the handle and pushed the door open. Various smells hit his nose instantly; the smell of sweat being the first and strongest.

“Wow...” He said through gritted teeth.

Walking over to the shield rack, he saw a couple of shields sitting there and picked one up, “Hmm, nice weight...” He decided that the first was best and slotted it onto his back, tying it in place. Aidan then turned and walked out of the barracks.