I looked at him as a smile made its way through my private sorrow and said, "Spoken like a King, Falarin."
"If I speak as a King it is only because I have learned to witness what I see exhibited by you." Then, on a different note he asked, "Can I not come with you?"
I shook my head, "The people are in need of a leader and you are a great one. A man after my own heart and not that of your father. Lead the people to the edge of the forest and there make camp and wait for us. You will need to make a breastwork defense to repel against both the animals of the forest and any advance parties of the enemy, but do not fear as help will come. The prophecies of the Holy Scrolls will be fulfilled. El Elyon be with you Falarin."
"And you my King!" Falarin said, before riding off to join the disappearing convoy of people that represented all of Ayenathurim.
Though their origins were as varied as their many languages they were a people unified by faith. I prayed once more for their safety.
Turning from the East I faced the indomitable army at my back. My eyes scanned over these most faithful of all to me. Some of them had been with me since I had left Philanthia four years before. A few from years earlier and some for only a few months.
To a man or woman I knew they were dedicated to whatever task I put before them. Such unquestioned loyalty was the stuff of legends.
To them I was a legend. To myself, I was an inferior man being used to accomplish the impossible on a daily basis and yet with El Elyon all things were possible.
I rode through their ranks toward the south. Jarken was at my side with the banner of the Holy Scrolls held high and Thanuel rode on my other side. It was good to go into my last battle with my friends beside me.
None at my back questioned why it was that we rode to the aid of a people who regarded us as their inferior, because to them it didn't matter. We rode under El Elyon's banner and it was His will that we would fulfill.
*****
Ayaya rested back against a boulder as she held a cool rag to her sore throat. She had talked and talked until she was blue in the face, still it seemed to matter not at all. The people would not listen to her and now it was too late.
The enemy camp lay beyond the wall already. For better or worse, they were now trapped within this valley.