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Evian rolled his eyes,

"Will you tell me or not?" he asked.

Zayda smiled and with a final sigh, she spoke,

"Astrid wants to start the final battle but the Leuitenants are against it. The Captains mostly just stand around not really important enough to give their input. It was a very boring meeting."

"Why are the Leuitenants against the start of the final battle?" Evian asked.

"Because it\'s dangerous. Arkadae, the enemy state whose forces we are currently at war with, has recently made a deal with monster races that dwell in the forest regions that separate the two human Kingdoms.

The Monsters usually stay on their own and know better than to wage war against humans after many failures in the past which led to the reduction in the sizes of their Territories but somehow, Arkadae has brokered a deal."

As Zayda spoke, she readjusted herself in Evian\'s arms as her chest rose and fell along with her breathing. Evian wormed a hand across the seam that held the cloth close while his other hand rubbed against one of her breasts and roused her nipple so it started to harden.

Taking a break to moan, Zayda continued,

"Before we got here, the enemy stormed the fort many times already and although they suffered losses, their Arcanists, striking from afar, have damaged the barrier to a degree where on-ground support is not enough for a quick fix."

"So it will take longer to fix the damage than it would take for the enemy to inflict more," Evian interjected.

"Yes. To end this, we need a more frontal assault," Zayda said.

"Which means Astrid is right to call for the final battle," Evian said.

He had torn the seam now and his hand had wormed its way into Zayda\'s dress so he could grab her baked breast and begin to squeeze while his other hand touched the other breast through the tough material of her dress.

"Mnghh, Partially!" Zayda said, the word coming out especially sharp due to the feeling coursing through her body by virtue of the ever-increasing sensuality of Evian\'s touches,

"She\'s right partially," Zayda finally managed to let out and after a prompt clearing of her throat, she composed herself better to continue,

"The Leuitenants believe that Arkadae being so bold as to attempt an ambush of our Fort even though they knew they would not be able to break it down before the arrival of the reinforcements that now reside here, means they were confident they could still win.

Not once has a Commander on that side made an appearance. We know they have one and we know he/she is giving others from beyond but we have no idea who they are or how strong they are."

"And does the enemy know how strong Astrid is?" Evian asked.

"They no doubt know of her reputation but her actual prowess should still be a mystery to them."

"So it\'s a stalemate of information," Evian reasoned.

Zayda nodded,

"Exactly. The first to reveal their hand might end up at a disadvantage.

At least that is what the Leuitenants believe.

They unanimously claim that although Astrid Renan is our Trump card, she\'s not omnipotent so if she fought an unknown enemy of unknown strength and ended up being overpowered, it would be disastrous. We would have lost the last card we held and the Fort will be broken through before any stronger member of the Martial Temple or the Arcane Church can be called."

A moment of silence passed as Evian and Zayda watched both Ember and Carleine continue to be imbued with strength, their progress furthered along nicely by the strange energy that had been formed from the joining of two repelling forces.

"Hmm," Evian eventually said and broke the silence, "Why not call the enemy\'s bluff? Have a team play recon of the opponent\'s forces and know exactly what we\'re dealing with."

Zayda sighed,

"That will only risk lives for a chance to confirm what we likely already know. Also, what recon group would be strong enough to cause the Commander to act and reveal themself, and if the Commander does act, will the Recon team manage to make it back?

It\'s good for the Leuitenants to be cautious and have the enemy come to us but then we\'ll just be sitting ducks. We might as well have it done and over with anyway and seize the initiative while at it. After all, once Astrid acts, the Enemy commander will have to act as well."

"What if there was a way to act first and still somehow seize the initiative?" Evian said slowly.

"What are you talking about?" Zayda asked as she sat up slowly and turned around.

"I\'m not even sure. It\'s crazy even when I think about it but, I want to speak to Astrid!" Evian said.

"That\'s not something you can decide on a whim," Zayda said.

"But can it be done?" Evian asked.

"We could request an audience I suppose," Zayda said after a moment to mull things over.

"Good," Evian said with a nod, "Let\'s do that then."

•••

With the instruction to keep at their cultivation for the threshold he requested of them, Evian left Ember and Carleine in Zayda\'s quarters, put on his clothes, watched her adjust hers, and allowed himself to be led over to the section of the Fort designated for the Combined-Forces Commander.

Knights standing by were at first insistent that they could not allow Evian and Zayda through but once Zayda convinced them to at least announce their presence, surprise colored their faces as Astrid called out firmly,

"Let them through."

Zayda blinked,

"Really? I mean, of course!"

Her telling them to tell Astrid of their request for an Audience had been a last-ditch attempt that she had not even expected to succeed because despite her believing they had a rivalry, Zayda knew of the aloof attitude Astrid always got with her. Getting ignored was not new.

The doors were opened and Zayda and Evian walked in to see Astrid standing by her desk with a map of the terrain in hand with her face studiously serious like she was trying to crack an impossible code.

She looked up and went from staring at Evian (The reason she allowed them to come in) to staring at Zayda and then gestured that the Knights leave them alone.

"I must say, I did not expect you to come calling so soon. I was sure I had intimidated you too much for that," Astrid said once the Knights were gone and the doors were closed.

Faced with that face and the light smile, Evian\'s heart beat hard in his chest but he ignored that reaction and gave a natural smile,

"You have a lot of strength but it takes more than that to intimidate me," he said.

"Acting tough? An easy facade to see through," Astrid said and then glanced at Zayda before asking, "So what brings you here? Come to bid me goodnight?"

"Actually, I came to ask that you not sleep yet. I have an idea that could put an end to this almost endless bluffing game you have going on with the enemy," Evian said.

Astrid chuckled,

"So she filled you in on important matters she happened to have the chance to sit in and participate in? How close do you two have to be for that it happen?"

Astrid looked between the two for a few seconds and then her eyes glittered with realization,

Ah, I see. She\'s one of your conquests."

Zayda frowned but said nothing which Astrid took as confirmation.

"Oh, fantastic. You\'ve done as well as I ever thought you would, Zayda dear. With all your talk of surpassing me, I expected your relations to be founded on strength so pardon me if I\'m disappointed that you\'re as shallow as everyone else. A handsome face is all that does it for you, it seems."

"Choosing a partner for strength only is also shallow," Zayda said confidently, "Also, I never would have pegged you as Narrow-minded but you will have to be if you are unable to decipher the raw and immense potential standing before you in the form of Evian Stygian."

"\'Potential\' refers to a future. An uncertain future that one might not reach. Strength is needed to defend potential. If not individual strength, then it will be strength from allies but alas, Evian here is a border Knight and if you, weak as you are, are his strongest ally, I worry he just might not fulfill that potential.

You see the issue now?"

"You insufferable Child. Your arrogance because you\'ve been attached to a Title and have a bunch of Oldies waiting on you, hand and foot, is starting to get annoying." Zayda \'spat\' out and took a menacing step toward the Golden Child.

Astrid remained where she was, oozing confidence in the form of a relaxed smile,

"Ah yes. Of course. Your annoyance is exactly what will stop me from becoming a Templar, ruling the Martial Temple, and having you do my bidding."

With both holding each other\'s gazes, pressures were released and the victor was clear immediately even though Zayda strongly resisted that truth.

"Alright, that\'s enough," Evian said while holding the bridge of his nose and breaking sense into the intensity,

"We- I didn\'t come here for this.

I came here, Astrid, because I have an idea. One that involves infiltrating the enemy camp, confronting their Commander, gauging their Prowess, and deciding if an all-out assault will do you- us any good."