"So, I'm sleeping and this tornado just springs up inside my hut- scared me stupid!" One of the Warriors said.

Eboni was sitting outside the tower next to the moat, lounging on the grass with the Warriors early in the morning waiting for the King to wake so they could add the Sher Wood Warriors to the battle plan.

"We thought your wife's water had broken what with all the high-pitched screaming, Chief!" Another warrior added.

Laughter roared from the others and Eboni felt her heart lighten at the sound.

"It wasn't funny to me!" The warrior telling the story said, scowling as the men and women from his home land continued to laugh.

"I'm sorry, I did not mean to frighten you. It was the only way I could think of to alert you once I knew that we would be needing an army." Atu replied, sorrow in his voice a smile playing on his lips.

The Warriors rolled his eyes at his Chiefs apology.

"Then what?" Eboni asked, steering the conversation back to the original story.

"Well, I knew it was Atu speaking to me so I rounded up the Warriors and we spent a few days building rafts to sail across the ocean."

"How did you know what to do?" Kimi asked.

"The tornado was spinning by the shore, I knew once we were on the rafts that the tornado would bring us to where we needed to be." The warrior said, finishing his story.

"How are your people?" Eboni asked turning to Kas who was seated close to her side.

"Atu's wife Dena is ok. Her baby is not due for another few weeks. Atu is hoping that everything will have come to an end by then so he can return home. Doli is quite the little chief apparently, helping Dena now that-" his voice broke coughing to disguise it "-mother is gone."

Eboni laid a comforting hand over his own, smiling as he took her hand in his, squeezing it.

"And what of God's Land? I know that you don't wish to speak of it but I want you to know you can confine in me."

Eboni took a deep breath. She knew the conversation had been coming.

"You know that the High Priestess was killed during the fight?" She began, Kas nodding, not wanting to stop her from talking.

"Elena, the High Priestess, is. Was. Like a mother to me. She died fighting an enemy I fled." Holding her head in her hands her hair fell across her face, covering her tear-filled eyes from Kas.

He reached over, tucking the hair behind her ear so he could look into her eyes.

"I'm sorry. It wasn't your fault Eboni." He said softly.

Looking back into his eyes the chatter of the group around her disappeared. Knowing it was unfair to keep the rest from him, she continued.

"Kas, there is something else. When a High Priestess is anointed they write down the name of who she feels would make a good replacement in the time of her natural or untimely death."

"Arianna, yes I know. I saw her robes were different to the others the Brothers and Sisters are wearing."

"Yes, and no. Arianna is only acting High Priestess because the next true High Priestess wasn't there to be anointed." She waited for him to understand.

"I don't- what are you saying? His voice barely a whisper.

"It's me Kas. If I accept the position it's mine." Her own voice matching his whisper.

"If you accept?" Kas replied, his eyes growing wide, voice hopeful.

A blast of a horn sounded through the air before she could answer.

"What was that?" Eboni said, jumping to her feet as she saw Orlan racing towards them from the Rolezal camp. Her conversation with Kas being pushed to the back of her mind.

"Ships spotted!" Orlan bellowed. "we thought it best to have a look out after the Sher Wood Warriors took us by surprise." He explained, running past them.

Eboni noticed as Bren and Iasa looked out of a window at the top of the tower, the startled cry and pointing hand of the Princess forcing everyone to snap into positions.

"There's no time to create a new battle plan and share it with all the soldiers. The Rolezal army is taking down the camp and storing everything in the rooms of the tower to clear the field." Orlan said as he reached them.

"Atu, ready your Warriors and split them into eight groups that you think work well as a team. They can be added to each group that has already been created." Eboni said, Atu nodding in reply before gathering his Warriors, splitting them into groups of six.

"You know what you're doing?" Kas asked her.

"I guess we'll find out."

The ships were vast in numbers and approaching the land at great speed.

The camp had been packed away and stored in the towers rooms, clearing the land so they could take their positions.

Eboni watched in confusion as the fleet of ships stayed in close formation, sailing towards one point of the land only.

"This is wrong!" She heard Kas shout from his area next to hers.

They had divided the vast land into eight areas so they could defend and attack from all sides. But that wasn't what was happening.

"Get Kimi!" Eboni shouted to High Priest Jon who was stood on the shore just within hearing distance on her other side. Knowing the people on the other side wouldn't be able to see what was happening.

Moments later the fiery red of Kimi's hair could be seen weaving in and out of the ranked soldiers that stood behind each of them.

"What's happening? Why aren't they taking the obvious attack?" She asked, clutching the sword that hung by her side with one hand and a small dagger on her belt in the other.

"The ships, do you recognise the flag? I have seen it before but I can't place it." Eboni asked, pointing to the barely visible flags flying high on top of the front ships mast.

They stared out to sea, watching as the ships grew closer- Eboni calculating in her mind how many soldiers each ships would be able to carry.

"There must be at least three hundred ships there." Kimi said, echoing Eboni's thoughts.

"That's a lot of soldiers, we're outnumbered." Eboni replied.

"We may not be." Kimi gripped her arm a look of hope spreading across her face. "They belong to Admari."

The ships came to a gradual stop, setting down their anchors.

"If there idea is to wage an attack on us using loads of rowing boats, I think they many have underestimated out abilities greatly." Kimi said.

"Not many, just one." Eboni pointed to the ships that was leading the fleet, a single rowing boat now bobbing in the water by its side.

"Round up the others, we only have a small window of time before that rowing boat reaches the shore," Eboni instructed, Kimi nodding in reply before running off to being the others back.

"Kas, gather the others- we don't have much time until the boat reaches the shore!" She shouted, Kas disappearing into another wall of soldiers still stood to attention.

Everyone grouped together, watching warily as the rowing boat came ever closer.

"It's only one man, perhaps it is the Commander?" Bren said.

"Or it could be a Dark One who has killed the Commander after we left and taken over the army. Perhaps he is alone to try and trick us?" Orlan replied.

"So, what is the plan?" Dairen asked.

"They- whoever they are- are sending forward one of their own. We should do the same. I am the least valuable out of all of you, I will meet whoever it is on the shore while the rest of you stay a safe distance back." Kimi said.

"That's insane!" Raus cried. "If it is a Dark One you could be killed instantly.

"If their aim was to kill they would have surrounded the land and be attacking by now. Perhaps he is being sent to give us a message?" Atu pondered.

"Either way, it makes sense to only risk one of us and you all know that it should be me." Kimi replied.

"I agree." King Gregor said with no hesitation.

"Thank you. I trust your daughter to encase the man in a ring of fire should he pull a sword on me." Kimi said, exchanging smiles with the Princess.

"She will do no such thing- I thought I told you to stay in the tower anyway!" The King shouted at his daughter.

"I can and I will." Iasa replied coolly, narrowing her eyes at her father, raising her chin defiantly.

Eboni was happy to see that the bows and dresses Iasa had been wearing the past few days had disappeared again in favour for loose fitting trousers and a corset. Wondering what had made her stand up to her father Eboni looked no further than Bren, who was smiling at her proudly.

"But- but!" King Gregor spluttered, not knowing what to say.

"We have no more time to discuss this further- come now, let's move away from the shore. Darling girl, we have your back." High Priest Jon said.

True enough the rowing boat was only a few hundred meters away from the shore.

"At the first sign of any danger I will protect you." Eboni said, pulling Kimi in for a quick hug.

"We all will." Kas said, following her as they stepped away.