Time

Word reached Isemalrocath of the army at Gaelel and the Holy Father began his preparations.  He had offered Esus his birds from Lallareth, but he would not be able to deliver them. He had expected to have more time.

Sending Light Bringers to retake the city would be pointless. Malav was going to be coming to Isemalrocath. He had no choice. Malies would drive him to the City of Light to compel Charyic into a choice, and he wanted it done before she had her child. Malav had months yet before that happened to lay siege to Isemalrocath.

He gave orders to have the palace pantries inventoried and stocked, and the city pantries as well. The walls and gates would need reinforcing and the dead must all be brought from their resting places and burned. Malav would not be given any soldiers inside their gates if at all possible. The burning of the dead would upset people, until they saw the army, the Holy Father mused.

His thoughts turned to the song. “Yet light in the dark shines brightest/ In battle men do fall/ Who stands above and burns like pyres/ May dying spare them all.” The call for sacrifice was clear. That Ivhir had been thrown into his path more than once, standing out from his friends and standing above the others in a favorable light was not a coincidence.

Isemal had a purpose for the pale young man. The Holy Father resolved to keep Ivhir back from the fighting until the appointed time. There was too much to risk, too much that could go wrong. And he wished to have some time with the man to help him see his purpose, to help him understand that such responsibility could not be set aside. Ivhir could serve as a guard for Esus and Charyic. Kill two thieves with one stroke, as the saying goes.

The Holy Father sighed. So very much to do, and so very little time.