Lucia huddled on his side nakedly . Her soft hand was on his chest . Her head lay on his arm . Her scent, the smell of strawberries, invaded his nose .

"Does it have a roof?" She asked .

"I don't know . The tales only say that that the pyramid in Malzan has a throne on top . They say you can see the world from up there . But n.o.body can confirm for sure . Only Kings of Wismar and their servants were permitted to ascend"

"And the pyramid? Is it solid or there is something inside?"

"I bet it's solid"

"A waste" Lucia s.h.i.+fted closer . Timothy loved her soft touch "The pyramid should have been designed as a palace . It is a waste of s.p.a.ce . If the pyramid really is four hundred and eighty feet tall then the base should be gigantic . Such a waste"

Timothy was amused . She really thinks like a Vanadian- efficient . He snuggled his head towards her and again feasted on her lovely scent . If not for his exhaustion, another moment of pa.s.sion would have happened already .

"I will carry you to the top once we take Malzan"

"I have feet, thank you" She chuckled .

"It's a long way to the top . You'll get tired"

"But I have more endurance than you" She teased him with her fingers caressing his face .

"Care to settle that misconception right now?" Timothy tried to get on top of her but was stopped by his aching waist . He's really done for the night .

Lucia laughed and got on top of him instead . Timothy felt heat on his lower body . "See? You get tired quicker my King"

"You are cruel" Timothy said "You know I can't move and yet you are seducing me"

"I am you wife . Seducing is probably not the term . Besides, we need an hei…"

Lucia stopped . Sadness was on her face . Her grin vanished .

"Don't be like that . What Escanor said" Timothy shook his head "That is a lie- a foolish presumption done without much evidence"

"I'm sorry Tim" Her voice was low, almost a whisper "I'm sorry that I can't give you a child . I feel… incomplete . You don't regret having me, do you?"

"I don't" Timothy declared "You are not incomplete . I am lucky, so lucky that I couldn't believe it sometimes . You are my wife and my other half . It is not your fault . No, never your fault . We will keep trying . I will put a child in your belly and we will become a family . And if, by some strange bad luck that we fail, I will be contented with just you"

"You mean that?"

"I do . You are the smartest, most beautiful and kindest person that I know . The Omniscient favored me for giving you . Don't ever say that you are incomplete because that is not true"

"But I feel that way"

Timothy put his hand on her belly . He then looked at her "Pinch my cheek"

"What?" A small, confused smile erupted from her .

"Pinch my cheek . You love pinching my cheek right? Whenever you feel that you're incomplete, just pinch my cheek to forget"

She grinned and really pinched his cheek . "You really are spoiling me"

Timothy retaliated with a tight embrace . Lucia felt warm and soft . He then pulled her back to his chest . Her smooth hair was on his face . One of his hands was on her belly while the other was on her bosom . Both of them looked at the moon from the open window . The moon was full just like when the first time he felt her lips .

"I have decided" Timothy said "I plan to give you a gift"

"Gift?"

"Wismar . This war began because of Wismar . If not for them we would have been living either in Holm or in Nirvana at peace"

"You wouldn't be a King and I would still be a Princess . And what about the cull?

"I don't know about the cull but it is certain that Wismar is the cause of all this chaos . The council only helps in sowing chaos but it is us, humans, who make chaos . And Wimsar…" Timothy bit his lips "Wismar is the greatest offender . We will bring that whole nation down and replace it with a more peaceful option . That is my gift to you"

"For Wimsar to fall you must defeat her"

"We will defeat her . By Skall's description, she sounds like pure evil and competent at being that . But like at things that stood in our path she will be destroyed . She thinks she's smart and maybe she is . But either she gets out of the way or we will trample her"

"Starting tomorrow?"

"Yes" Timothy said . Tomorrow a cavalry detachment of about five hundred with Abraham as its head will intercept the cohort of Wismarines sent by Sarah Wismar to attack Coldford . Shadow confirmed the existence of the Wimsarine attacking force . Everything in Sarah's letter was the truth . Timothy thought that she was lying and was actually setting a trap but she wasn't . It was strange but he and Lucia decided to go through with the attack . It would be a free victory anyway .

*********

The spearman's nostrils were dirty with dust . Sweat from his forehead trickled down, forming channels on his dusty face . He missed home . About a month ago, he was levied from a small fis.h.i.+ng village near lake Tanin . He marched with professional soldiers to Canton under the command of Her Highness Sarah . A few days ago, his century was sent on a mission to capture the city of Coldford through a secret pa.s.sage in the Crimson Plateau .

It was an honor to fight for Her Highness Sarah, it truly was . But as he looked at the state of his peers he couldn't help but question her decision to send them here . A force of a thousand couldn't possibly conquer a city even if they surprise them . He had heard from the others that Coldford is guarded by Castonians . They don't have armor . Their s.h.i.+elds were made of thin wood . Their spears were not even tipped with steel . He knew, even with his limited knowledge in military matters, that they couldn't win against Castonians .

But he trudged in the dust . His peers walked just like him- weak steps and bowed heads . But the secret pa.s.sage exists so they have that going for them . The tall cliffs were on their sides . The pa.s.sage was more of a crack in the plateau . It wasn't wide . On average, twenty men could march abreast . Their Prefect told them that they would see Coldford within the day . The Prefect said it with glee but he dreaded the thought . They would have to fight Castonians then . He doesn't want to fight Castonians . Only a fool would want to face Castonians outnumbered . Even if they were the ones outnumbering the Castonians, it would still be better to avoid a battle . His wobbly spear cannot penetrate a Castonian's armor .

The ground then shook . He was inexperienced but he knew what that meant . It was the movement of cavalry . And soon enough some hors.e.m.e.n were in front of them, charging in haste . The armor they wore were black chainmails plated on the chest . There were about a hundred riders .

"Present spears!" He heard his Centurion shout . This order was easy . They had learned at least how to point their spears forward in their short training . But things were easier during trainings . They presented a solid line of spears to the enemies . By Ashkara's winds they were able to .

But the enemies halted a few dozen steps from the front line . Instead of ramming against them, the hors.e.m.e.n lit small pots and hurled to them . The pots broke in midair above them . Came splattering burning liquids . It was hot . Many were burned by the things . Shouts from those hit resounded in the narrow path . The hors.e.m.e.n again hurled the burning pots and the front line were forced to run . Any semblance of formation was lost .

He ran himself . He was. .h.i.t by a portion of the burning pots . It was just a few drops of the substance but his arm was burned . He tried to pat his arm and his hand was burned . And so he ran . He could only imagine the fate of those drenched in the gel-like burning fluid .

It was chaos . Smoke from the fires clouded the narrow path . Half of them had routed already despite the officers' loud cursings . He was one of those who remained . He and a few hundred were huddled on one corner with spears pointed forward . Their hands were shaking . Who wouldn't tremble? The enemies were using cursed things .

The ground shook again . His eyes widened . This time he knew that the enemies would trample them . Neighs of horses sounded from the other side of the smoke .

And then he saw it . He blinked a few times to confirm what he was seeing . The man at the very front of the charging enemies was riding an armored bear . The bear was larger than the horses . The armor of the bear had spikes on it . The man riding the bear was also huge, probably more than a head taller than him . The man was wielding a great axe with a blade the length of a person's whole torso . The man's arm was as thick as his thigh .

It was beyond terrifying . The Castonians had monsters on their ranks . He cannot face the man riding the bear . n.o.body could . He felt warm p.i.s.s trickle down his legs . Soon he dropped his spear and ran away .

He prayed to Ashkara that he the enemies, especially the huge man riding an armored bear, would show him mercy .