The War of the Isles

35. Ursula

Perhaps this moment was the part where I might have had to sit and reflect on what had just happened. 

I was with the dragons two red Wentallions and two Cloud Shells. Egon and I were already brushing off the scales of our Wentallions. Johannes Beckmann, one of Eva's dragonfighters was also with his Cloud Shell. It was then that Sammy came to us. 

"What is it that I am hearing?" he asked irritatedly. "We had just made it back from town when suddenly orders are thrown for Wentally! Can somebody please remind everyone how we got fucked last time?"

I raised an eyebrow. It was not like Sammy to swear.

"Was Wentally really that bad for you?" I asked. 

"The last battle we lost before we returned to our winning ways again," Egon replied looking at me knowingly. 

I looked at Egon who seemed to want to tell Sammy a few more things. But he turned to look at Johannes Beckmann and fell silent.

"Corporal Beckmann, could you take the flight ahead?" I called out.

"Captain," said the 16 year old blond. "Are you sure?"

"Go ahead. We will follow behind the ships."

Johannes climbed onto his Cloud Shell and immediately took flight.

Sammy looked at Egon and I, confused. "Do you both have something to tell me?"

I sighed. It was time. I took my backpack and strapped it well around my shoulders. I had given a small dose of laudanum to both the tiny Arabaxes and put them in a box within my backpack. I was not entirely aware of the effect of laudenum on young dragons but watching them fall asleep was slightly reassuring and worth the risk. I did not have the time to complete my revelations yet. But I could tell this to Sammy.

"Adrian," I called out from behind my Wentallion. 

Adrian appeared holding a brush. I had earlier asked him to brush the scales off my Wentallion.

"Adrian will be flying with us for the time being," I told Sammy. "He will be sitting behind me."

Sammy looked at Adrian, unsure as to how to react.

"What are you doing with Leslie's pet dog?"

Adrian glared at him but said nothing. 

I sighed. "A lot happened when you were out with Dhara and the Seymons Sammy."

"Tell me," commanded Sammy sternly.

"You know that Dhara and I... we... we..."

"Yes, I heard. The two of you fought over that bastard who has casually made this hasty decision or us to get fucked in Wentally."

I knew that Sammy was still bitter about his unrequited love. If his way of fighting his feelings was taking his anger out on me, then I was all right. I hoped that it would subside eventually. Everything was still so fresh.

I decided to continue. "Well, afterwards I decided that I needed proof for Dhara to see through Fredrick. And so I approached Adrian. You see, he knew some details about Fredrick but we did not have any consolidated proof. The only one who could perhaps help us was Leslie."

"And why is that?" asked Sammy. 

I recounted what Adrian told me about Leslie giving him a letter and Adrian finding Fredrick with swollen lips.

"So I decided to confront Leslie herself," interjected Adrian. "After Ursula approached me, I told her to wait and went to Leslie's tent to ask her about her relationship with Fredrick."