BACKUP
1508 Words
The moment Teranha set foot on the pier she was greeted by the perplexing image of the two jovial men that had immediately rushed towards the Lowlander standing by her side and almost tackled him to the ground, while she barely had any time to react and step out of their way before being crushed as well.
-Brother! –Both had yelled loudly in unison as they pounced on a visibly calm Jogru, who seemed to have already braced for the men's effusive clash and just limited himself to patting their backs lightly with a serene smile plastered on his face.
Teranha had blinked a few times in amazement as she attested the incredible resemblance between the three characters gathered in front of her eyes.
They were almost completely identical, with their biggest difference being the hairstyle that each of them sported:
While Jogru´s dark, shoulder-length mane was usually tucked tightly behind his ears, the other two wore completely different hairdos themselves… One had a wild mop of spiky hair messily flying around his head, and the other one had outright shaved his scalp totally clean.
There were also a few more subtle differences that she could make out as well.
Like the small dimples that formed at each side of Jogru´s face every time he smiled, and that neither of his siblings seemed to possess, or the fact that, even when the three of them weren't particularly high in stature, he looked to be at least an inch taller than them.
– Finally! – The bald one had exclaimed, grabbing him by the shoulders and forcefully shaking his sturdy frame – We'd just started thinking that you had abandoned us, man! What on earth took you so f*****g long?
-Ugh, Jhagn… Do you always have to be so melodramatic? – The bulky newcomer had replied, rolling his eyes at him with annoyance and pushing him slightly away – Considering the amount of work it took to put all this together, I would say that we actually got the backup over here in record time. So, stop complaining and start moving your lazy ass instead!
- Who's the girl? – The other one had inquired, curiously approaching the Cahenean warrior with a seductive smile, before being abruptly cut off by Jogru´s arm, getting between him and the woman with outstanding speed.
-The lady is your new superior, Jhoki – His older triplet had informed him in a warning tone, giving both men a reprimanding look – … And the reason you won't be able to stand up straight anymore if you insist on being an asshole, and you don't back off in the next ten seconds or so.
-The lady has a name – The female warrior had intervened, staring at them all with equal tedium – And she can speak for herself, thank you…
Waving her hand, she'd effortlessly lowered Jogru´s arm and removed it from her way, then she'd offered a firm palm towards the two youngsters standing there open-mouthed and given them a discreet smile.
-I'm Teranha of Cahen – She'd sternly declared, shaking both speechless men's hands forcefully as they exchanged wide-eyed looks – And I'm Captain Greghan´s response to your plea for help.
She'd smirked, glancing back at the ships and pointedly gesturing at them with a raised brow.
-Now, Jhoki… Jhagn, I've heard a lot about you two, and I'm quite curious to find out if any of it is true. But we better cut the formalities short and get to work, gentlemen. As we still got a huge load of supplies on those boats and a detailed plan to go through… So, I can tell that this is going to be a busy morning already.
Saying that it had been an exhaustive day would be a poor understatement… It had been absolutely excruciating!
They'd all worked for endless hours getting all the goods that Lowland's gate had generously sent to support their Mavaerian allies in the field.
Along with their auxiliary troops, plenty of food and weapons had also been expressly shipped to the merchant port in order to be stored and distributed among the military forces that were going to defend the south from the threatening invasion, as they needed to secure a steady supply and keep their people well-fed every step of the way.
“If Hathengatters are planning to make this a lengthy incursion, then this could be what defines who wins and who loses the war – Greghan had told them right before they'd left – It all reduces to survival in the end, and the realm whose soldiers aren't starving to death in a few months will most likely be the one who prevails… So, we ought to make sure that's our side at all costs!”.
They had no certain way of knowing if their adversaries had brought enough essentials with them or not, but they could always make an educated guess... They already knew that they had traveled a long way from home and that sustaining an entire army was not a cheap or easy feat to pull off, in the very least.
Anyone who'd fought during the last campaign could attest to this undeniable truth… After all, it had been one of the decisive strategies that the Yahurian had so brilliantly used against their enemies, and the final deathblow that had made the Argantean defeat possible at all.
The Captain could still vividly recall how adamant the Commander had been when it came to procuring enough supplies, so they could always match the manpower they owned.
“A famished soldier is as useful as a blunt sword” – He'd heard him say once to King Savghor back at Midland's gate – “So, you can keep your entire army inside your walls for all I care... As long as you provide me with the supplies that I need for my own troops instead”.
That reluctant endorsement they'd gotten from the monarch that time, paired with the resources they'd obtained from their allies, had thankfully fueled them all the way up to Nevareh´s own gates… Where, unlike their rivals, they'd had sufficient reserves to patiently withstand the siege and emerge victorious from it.
This had been one of the most valuable lessons that Greghan had learned while serving under Ussiariah´s orders, and the first tactic he was going to replicate now that he was in charge.
“Remember… Protect the food supply above all, Lieutenant – He'd warned Teranha as she prepared to sail that day – If things start getting ugly up there, this might be your only card left to play”.
With these words ringing inside her mind all afternoon, she had worked shoulder to shoulder along with the rest of the crew, until the last piece of merchandise was safely stored in the cellars and the numerous carts were all packed with the goods that they would be taking with them to Tarknot´s path the next day when they started marching in King Ishtun´s aid.
Wisely, Teranha had sat sipping her wine while she watched the troops leisurely eating and drinking their fair share of liquor after a hard day of work, patiently waiting for every belly in the room to be filled and the spirits to be restored before finally addressing the present warriors at last.
-All right! Time to make some things clear, you all! – She began saying after interrupting the loud chattering with a sharp deafening whistle that had made all eyes turn towards her expectantly.
She stood up and calmly paced through the aisles and along the long wooden planks where the numerous soldiers sat, her footsteps echoing around the silent walls of the spacious hall.
– I'm only going to say this once, so you better start paying attention… - She'd informed them dryly, walking with her arms crossed behind her back – Now, first things first. And before you start complaining, these are all Captain Greghan´s specific commands.
The woman halted, her fully armored figure purposely spinning on her heels as she pointedly stared at each man surrounding her with cold determination, a discreet smirk curling up the corner of her lip.
-So, if anyone has a problem with them, then you are most welcome to jump into the dark waves of the Durúita and swim all the way back to Lowland's gate where you can personally tell him all about your objections … Which I'm sure he will be thrilled to hear.
With a widening grin and a slightly tilted head, she glanced over the large crowd, her eyes examining their resigned expressions briefly, before resuming her dialogue.
-Very well… - Teranha cooed, satisfied after a moment, scanning their faces with a deliberate pause – If there are no adventurous divers among us today, then let us begin assigning who is marching tomorrow and who's gonna stay.
- Writer
