Page 144 of I Ran Away to Evil 3
They’d developed a routine in the days they’d spent together; they would bathe, get changed, tidy up the bedroom, and then have breakfast. That morning, he’d snuck a note under her pillow before they left. He enjoyed writing his thoughts to Gerda, and this one said simply,I can’t stop thinking about your smile.
Breakfast was overnight oats with cinnamon sugar and freshly picked peaches. Gerda had gone out and picked the peaches while he poured over reports from the Northern Fortress at the table.
“Corporal Saunders sent word,” he told her when she brought over the food. “There’s been elevated monster activity in the area.”
“Alright.” Gerda put down their plates before pouring him a glass of his new favorite drink.
“We’ll have to prepare for a surge.” Julian enjoyed the smell of fresh cranderberry iced tea. His glass had slices of candied citron stirred with the ice, and a tart bite. Just like his bridge troll.
“Just leave Tully behind to defend the fort; he could use the experience points.”
“He’s dodged a month of disciplinary punishment already, with us coming to the North. I bet Visha would approve.” He chuckled, setting aside work to eat.
“Oh?” she asked.
“He was tasked with training the knights in the afternoons for a month, which means we could abandon him at the border with due cause.”
“Is he enough to hold back a surge?” Gerda asked, dubious.
“Tully can handle the first wave of monsters just fine, and we could come back for the actual battle.” Julian picked up their dishes and carried them into the kitchen. While he washed all of the breakfast dishes and set them to dry on the rack, he told her, “The hidden dungeon has been sending out monster surges every few months. We’re all used to it by now.”
Gerda came up behind him and wrapped her arms around his back. “Let’s go tell him.”
Two Weeks into the North
“How do you get used tothis?” Gerda wondered aloud, looking at the chaos below. They’d received a summons from Tully that afternoon and had come back to help.
“Aerial team, hold off the frost goliath. Vanguard, attack the snow craigies.” Julian stood beside her on the fortress wall. He’d already activated his [Battle Call] to direct the soldiers. To Gerda, he joked, “You just throw away rationality or hope for peace.” After a pause, he let himself give a more honest answer, adding, “Or think about those you are defending.”
Visha took down two snow craigies, fluffy beasts that looked like snowballs with long ratlike noses, sharp teeth and claws, and long, hairy tails. The remaining three were surrounded by his knights and defeated.
Tully hit the frost goliath with his war hammer, sending the monster back a step. It shook itself and swung a fist at the paladin. Behind them, Julian counted twelve holly treants and forty-seven armored trouters. The fish monsters only came up to his knee, but they had a vicious bite.
Gerda turned on a dime, lifting her hand to shield her eyes against the sun. “There are more monsters circling around the east side. None Shall Pass by, [Bridge Barrier].” She set the same riddle that everyone had already agreed upon, “What do dragons use to measure things correctly?”
The answer was their scales.
The drawbridge remained lowered during the battle to let the knights retreat in case of an emergency. Any monster would have to circle to the south side of the fortress to access it. And answer the riddle to cross.
“Eyes to the east, Jeffry. Flankers incoming.” He gave the order without hesitation.
Jeffry left off distracting the frost goliath to scout the area Gerda pointed to.
“Five rocksoc; what are your orders?” Jeffry yelled down at us from the sky. The creatures were burrowing rodents the size of a cat. Usually, they cut through the frozen mountainside and made their homes inside the dark caves.
“Corporal Saunders, fall back. I need your party to circle around the fort and set up a subterrain defense line,” Julian instructed. “Pram, you’re with them.”
The selkie moved with the group.
“Dearest”—Julian grabbed Gerda’s hand and pulled her closer, dropping a kiss on her cheek—“I think it’s time I head down. Can you hold the fort?”
“Of course.” She waved him on. “Just make sure everything is cleaned before dinner—I had a surprise planned for us tonight, remember?”
“I remember.” He leapt off the wall, over the moat, and straight into a row of trouters.
He wouldn’t risk their date or his alone time with Gerda.
It was time to wrap this up.
