Kindee's Gambit.

The morning after the speeches the combined forces of the Towalk and the Guard of the Host made way for the North gate of Sky Prairie, and at the gate there were forty volunteers waiting to join the mission, standing with there own provisions begged and borrowed from kith and kin. Dald was ecstatic to see these unannounced supporters, many of whom he recognized as friends from his people's stay in Sky Prairie, and he rushed forward to greet them. But Elida stopped in his tracks so suddenly that I nearly walked into the cart he was pulling, a great tension was in him

The volunteers were lead by a proud and good hearted young man named Grand, who presented himself to Elida while I watched. "Forty stout fighters to stand against the occupiers of Star's Reach offer ourselves to your command." said Grand to Elida.

But Elida responded with a tone of annoyance "Do you mean to suggest that the Guard of the Host in not equal to this mission? The journey is very far, and the larger a group is, it is much more difficult to support, and it is also more difficult to, find passage for through other lands."

"We are self sufficient, and with our numbers combined raiders and herders would not question us, besides wouldn't you say many along the way will want to join the cause? It would be a shame if our people offered the fewest fighters to this cause!" Grand responded with out the slightest sign of concern for Elida's reproach.

Elida paused and I do not know what response he was formulating. for here Kindee made her move into the heart of matters. She stepped out of line, leaving her cart behind, "Grand! It is a joy that you have organized such a fine group, and taken precaution for our good leader's concerns." She then indicated to me "This is our manifest keeper, won't you go over your supplies with him, so that he can determine whether your provisions are sufficient to the journey."

I was put very much on the spot by this, and I might be incriminating myself in these matters, for I sensed the tension in Elida, and knew him to be fumbling for another way to reject the volunteers, but seeing Grand's enthusiasm and not hearing a counter from Elida I chose, not out of disloyalty so much as from nerviousness, to hurry off to check his supplies. An inventory seemed a much more comfortable place to be than between the clashing egos of Elida and Kindee.

But while Grant lead me to the gate house where his crew was gathered I heard indistinctly Elida's shrill tone with Kindee for stepping out of line so. Little do the words matter, because little about Elida ever mattered, he was a servile young noble, and though he could reprimand Kindee, and threaten many things against her, she had already won, diverting him from the instant where he might still have prevented the joining of the volunteers, as I am certain was his hope.

From the gate house where I busied myself with the inventory I could see them arguing. Elida reprimanding Kindee, turning to come to the gate house to address the volunteers, only to be dragged back into reprimanding Kindee further as she would bait him with a remark. Three times I saw the cycle turn, and by the time Elida made it to the gate their were smirks and whispers against his authority mostly from the volunteers. The one remark that I remember by words was "This little prince does not fancy the common man."

Grand spoke to Dald, who nodded to word's I couldn't hear and went to speak to Elida, what they spoke of I do not know, but only briefly afterwards they the whole mission, with the volunteers, march beyond the gate house, for Star's Reach.