Strategy: It's hard to come by
#3 of The Order
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Hello again all my fellow Yiffstar associates. I present part three of my series "The Order". Let me reiterate that you should read my other stories (conveniently located above) if you find yourself wondering about the plot. Well, hope you enjoy it!
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Anthony awoke groggily. The first thing he could see was the now familiar stalagmites hanging from the cave ceiling. This whole fiasco still wasn't a dream.
'Ah well' the young human thought. He tried to think back to when he was last conscience. Oh no! He had feinted again in front of Adala! Anthony slowly tried to get up, wary of his illness. However for some reason, he now felt fine.
'That's odd...' he thought.
Tapping into his newly found vigor, Anthony hopped of the makeshift bed and ambled over to the mouth of the cave. Shading his eyes with his hands, he vetured into the sunlit clearing.
"Stupid Iris affect", said Anthony waiting for his pupils to adjust. After his sight was restored, he viewed a small smoke stack arising from the center of the field. He instantly knew that Adala was cooking there due to the smell that wafted on the breeze.
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Adala was resting on her haunches near the cooking fire, the soup was almost ready, but she had other things to think about. She looked again with disgust to her mission briefing papers. They were horrible. How could the counsel justify this plan of attack? The paper stated that Adala and her battalion were to attack the Order forces head-on at the center of the Sliccifax plain, a flat area with a sparse amount of cover or anything at all between the two forces. Adala sighed, this was the moment that would determine the war: a battle on the Revolutions home front, and what were they going to do? Rush at the enemy and be slaughtered by the Order's much larger force.
Not to mention her newly found romance with the human she was nursing back to health. What should she do? She couldn't just confess her love for him point blank. This was a different world and she was a different species, there was no way he would accept her. Not to mention that he would eventually be discovered here before she would return from the battle.....
If she returned.........
She wanted to be with Anthony, there was no denying that anymore. However she had to fulfill her military duties. She had to think of what to do, but there just weren't any options she could think of. Adala laid her head down on the soft grass. She was going to have to think of something to do soon or the battalion would get suspicious, she had already spent one of her three weeks of "vacation" away from her barrack, only returning to acquire supplies for her and Anthony. Some of her fellow warriors had already asked where she had been going all the time, and she had always replied the same by saying:"Just strolling through the forest". Adala knew that a decision had to be made. With that thought she closed her eyes and thought back to Anthony. He was in a stable condition after she, err...."fed" him and administered the fever medication. She had fallen for him even more so while watching over him like a caring wife would. How could she tell him? She desperately wanted him to know how she felt.
She had already fallen head over heels for him in a matter of days! She had no idea why she felt like she did. However she did know she wanted to be with him. There was no logical explanation
she could muster to calm herself. Maybe this was just what love felt like. Either way, she couldn't just come out and say what she wanted to.
Adala thought back to those few days before Anthony's illness immobilized him. It was an awkward time. Anthony asked excessive amounts of questions about where he was and what the situation was. He was surprisingly calm and collected for being in a new world. According to him, he was 15. Adala had laughed when he said that, he looked as though he was in his mid 50's at least. But they had worked out the solution that their races were vastly different, and therefore ages had different qualities. She had just considered him an oddity she had to take care of. That felling stayed firm until Anthony had started acting gentlemanly towards her. Maybe that was why
she was now secretly fawning on him. He had acted towards her with the utmost respect. Unlike all the men she had know to this point, he had tried to act with chivalry towards her. He had always offered to get firewood, always asked her to take care of herself instead of him, and in general, put her status above his own.
She had never know someone who cared more for her than herself. Wait, could it be that he?.......No, he was just being polite. There was no way he felt the same way she did.
Adala thought of her "needs". She knew that Anthony was very well endowed for a human.
"Laying down on the job are we?" said Anthony, standing over the sapphire dragoness.
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Adala had pinned Anthony to the ground again, her instincts taking over for another time
"We have got to stop meeting like this" said Anthony with a grin.
Adala quickly dismounted the human and turned around, blushing deeply.
"Don't scare me like that!" she said coyly. "I could have hurt you!" said Adala
She instantly regretted saying it.
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Anthony was digging into the soup as if it was the only food he was going to see for months. There was an akward silence in the air as Adala sat quietly. She knew she shouldn't show any emotion toward Anthony or he would get suspicious. Anthony noticed Adala's discomfort and tried to break the silence.
"So, what did you give me to eat while I was out?" he asked, thinking it was a harmless
question. Adala was astonished, what could she say! She didn't want to lie.
"Umm.....you know, the usual stuff......" she said blushing.
"Oh, ok then" said Anthony, finishing his bowl of soup.
"What's that?" he said, looking at the small letter at Adala's feet.
"Oh, that? Those are my battle orders...." she said, glad to be switching subjects, but unhappy to be switching to this subject.
"Can I see it?" Anthony asked.
"Sure" said Adala, handing him the papers.
Anthony took a few looks at the document that stated Adala's force was to engage The Order at the center of some plain. He then looked at the map that designated the route they would take. What the hell? They were just going to march right up and attack? That was plain stupid!
"Why would you just walk right up and fight them?" said Anthony, deeply confused.
"Yes, I know, they're horrible orders, but what am I supposed to do? We don't have any good strategists to lead us." Adala confessed.
"Hmm......" Anthony said ignoring the response. This distressed Adala.
"What's wrong?" she asked
"You said this planet has a bunch of different races, right?" Anthony asked.
"Well, yes.....Why?" said Adala, confused.
"Does that include feline people?" Anthony said
"Yes, but where are you going with this?" Adala asked
"Do you see this ridge of trees?" said Anthony, pointing to a small blotch of sticks on the map that represented trees.
"Yes" she said
"And is this a ridge right?" he said pointing to the other mark on the map
"Yes, but why are you asking me this?" said Adala becoming frustrated.
"You should send your fastest felines and other races to scout ahead of your first wave and take up positions on the trees and the ridge. Then, when the battle begins, they should use archers to attack the Order on all sides." he said
Adala was amazed. That plan was.............brilliant! She sat, mouth agape, looking at Anthony.
"What's the matter?" he said, worried.
"Wha........where did you learn strategy like that?!" said Adala awestruck.
"Well...." said Anthony, blushing. He thought back to where this newfound strategy prowess came from. He used to play chess a lot, and he also played strategy game whenever he had the chance.
"I guess it's just talent." He said with a grin.
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'Well, that settles that.' Adala thought. She was lying on her "mattress" in the rear of the cave. She turned and gazed over to the human sleeping across from her. He was all she could ever want in a mate; he was smart, athletic, and he had quite a........well.....And he may be able to help the Revolution! She now knew she was going to take him to see her superiors. She only had one thing left to take care of................
And she was getting tired of delaying it......................
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Adala awoke the next morning and saw that Anthony was still dozing in bed. She decided that a little workout might be in order, she hadn't gotten any real exercise since she met Anthony. So, after donning her armor, she ventured into the nearby forest to fetch some suitable branches for weapons. Adala returned to the clearing and, using her sword, fashioned two wooden swords to spar with. Making two in case one broke.
It wasn't long before Anthony awoke to the smell of eggs, which he instantly followed to the similar cooking spot where he saw Adala.
"Good morning" Anthony said nearing the dragoness.
"Oh, hello." Adala said, hiding the constant blush she seemed to have around him.
"What are those for?" Anthony asked, seeing the wooden blades.
"Oh, I was just going to practice my sword techniques. I need to brush up before the battle" said the dragoness.
"Want some help?" Anthony inquired.
"How can you help?" Adala asked.
"Well I could be your sparring partner" he replied.
"You know how to use a sword?" asked Adala.
"Well, how hard can it be? I bet you're an excellent teacher." Anthony said.
"Hmph, flattery will get you nowhere......." said Adala.
Anthony sat down to eat, frowning.
Adala noticed his distress and finally gave in.
"......But it will give you the opportunity to learn from one of the greatest swordswomen on Gaia." she continued.
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Anthony slashed weakly at Adala yet again. Adala easily dodged the strike.
"Anthony, please stop. You're over-exerting yourself." Adala pleaded.
"No....*huff* way...." Anthony managed to gasp. They had been sparring for over and hour and Anthony had an extensive series of welts from Adala's stick-blade.
"I'm gonna keep goi.....go.......ugh" Anthony said falling to the gound.
"Not again!" Adala said going to the human's side.
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Anthony and Adala had been sparring for well over an hour. Adala was easily parrying every strike that came her way courtesy of Anthony's wooden blade. It was actually ridiculous how inexperienced Anthony was, all of his slashes to begin the session were filled with vigor, but without control. And all of his cuts now were slow and sluggish. Adala could easily go for a few more hours, and yet he was on his last legs. Anthony stumbled forward and fell to the ground, panting. Adala sauntered over to him.
"I think that's enough for today" she said hoisting Anthony up.
"*huff*....Yea, I think so too" said Anthony, sarcastically.
"You really need to know when to stop" Adala said. But it was too late, he was already asleep.
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"Man, I have got to stop going unconscious when I'm with her" said Anthony to no one in particular. He lowered himself into the pond to wash himself. He eased into the water up to his neck and closed his eyes, content. Anthony couldn't believe what was going on, he really couldn't. He was in a different world, there was a war going on in a medieval age, and he had met the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Anthony racked his brain to find why he wasn't freaked out by this. Why wasn't he scared? Why? He felt as though this was normal. He really couldn't think of a reason why this world seemed normal to him. Anthony shook his head, he was dwelling on this too much. He thought of what he cold say to the revolutionaries that would convice them to accept him. He wasn't much of a warrior, that was proven by his earlier bout with Adala.
Anthony sighed as he lifted himself from the pond, content with his bathing. He strolled over to the ledge he had left his clothing . As Anthony leaned over to pick up his shirt, he heard what sounded like a very loud purr coming from behind him. He turned around quickly to see nothing.
Puzzled, Anthony looked up just in time to see a blur of black jumping away through the canopy of trees.
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I'm sorry to anyone who read the un-updated version of this story "Confessions of a swordswoman". I updated this chapter becasue I finally realized I shouldn't rush the sex scene by sacrificing the story. The next chapter is due soon for all of you wondering.
(P.S. That black blur is going to answer a lot of questions asked by you reader ^____^ STAY TUNED)