Eirian, Chenzhou, and Mingzhe had come together in a flurry of relief and exhaustion, falling asleep in a pile on Eirian's bed only to be woken far too soon with the news that Yuze still hadn't returned.
It had sent Chenzhou into a spiral. "He's never late. He hates when people are late so he makes a point of never being late."
Mingzhe squeezed his shoulder, offering comfort and stopping Chenzhou from running off and doing something foolish. It wasn't in Chenzhou's nature to be impulsive, but Yuze was practically his brother. He was the closest thing to family that Chenzhou had and was the one person Chenzhou cared about enough to overwhelm his common sense.
Eirian and Mingzhe were getting close to that point, but Eirian could take care of herself, even rushing to her aide in this battle, Chenzhou had never really been worried about Eirian surviving. Not the way the way he'd been worried about the soldiers under her command, who lack her magic and skill in battle.
Mingzhe was a peer, a commander recognized for his skill and someone Chenzhou deeply respected. He'd still rush to save the man, but similar to Eirian, Chenzhou had great faith in his ability to protect himself.
He knew he was lucky that the people he cared about so deeply were so strong on their own.
"Yuze can take care of himself, Chenzhou." Eirian was trying to reassure him, trying to be kind and Chenzhou appreciated the effort.
"I know that." He addmitted quietly. "I know how strong he is, but he's…the last person I really have left my from childhood. The only brother I've ever had."
Eirian's face shifted in sympathy and she patted him awkwardly on the arm. It didn't come quite as natural to her as it did others, but for some reasont hat made it all the more valuable. "I get it. I feel that way about Eric." Who was still struggling to hold onto his new crown.
Chenzhou couldn't imagine how helpless Eirian felt being so far away and unable to do anything.
"Yuze would not have left when he did without good reason." Mingzhe adds. "He's far to dedicated to his work and to you."
Eirian nodded. "He must have noticed something. Or suspected. Something has felt off about all of this from the beginning."
"Something has felt off about this since Beng Shai sent a peace agreement." Mingzhe frowned and started pacing. "The peace offering, the first ambush, and now this?"
Thoughtful, Chenzhou rubbed his temples. "This level of planning is suspect…it's hard to imagine the tribes are behind it, but who else could it be? Sorrow isn't at war with anyone besides the tribes."
"Could it be related the artifacts missing from the Vault?" Eirian wondered, recalling Finn's last letter. "Finn's uncovered a significant amount missing."
Which just adds to Chenzhou's worries, but it doesn't feel related. "Given the way the tribe's reacted to your magic, it would surprise me if they were going through all the effort to get those artifacts. Unless their goal is just to destroy them."
Mingzhe shook his head. "That seems like a stretch. There's never been any evidence that they destroy magical artifacts, or that they even know they exist. Eirian's magic was right in front of them and destroyed a large number of them. That's a vastly different situation."
Eirian and Chenzhou shared a thoughtful look, and all three of them stayed silent as Wayland, Vitali, Tanning, and Wen Chunhan entered the planning tent.
They bowed respectfully to Chenzhou before straightening.
"We're ready to report." Wayland announced, glancing at Eirian for her nod to start. "Our estimated losses were only off by about four thousand. The bodies have already been prepared for travel. Once the wounded are ready, they begin the journey back to the Camelia."
"How many does that leave us with?" Eirian's eyes fell to the minature atlas that took up most of the table. They still had to fight, they still had an entire campaign ahead of them against an enemy that had managed to deliver a surprisingly devestating blow in their opening gambit.
"Just shy of seventy thousand, not counting the soldiers who will be escorting the dead and wounded back to the Camelia and then returning." Wayland frowns as it says it, but its not as bad as any of them were expecting. It would take weeks for those soldiers to make the journey to the Camelia and back and rejoin the fighting force. "It's difficult to calculate the losses to the tribes, especially after the fire destroyed most of the bodies, but we estimate thirty thousand killed and at least that many wounded." Eirian's fire had reached all the way back to the tribe's camp, and though it had survived, the panicked flight had caused its own injuries and damage. "We know some of them fled rather than return to the fight, but since we don't have a general idea of how many gathered to begin with, it's hard to calcuate the strain on their forces."
Chenzhou sighed. "Understandable. I'm more concerned with how they knew we'd chosen this location as a main camp."
"If they did." Mingzhe commented.
"They certainly ralleyed a large force on extremely short notice if they didn't." Eirian argued.
"I don't know, one of the tribes greatest advantages is their manuverability and speed." Chenzhou sounded doubtful. "And they've always kept an eye on the river."
"There were southern and northern tribes present. I don't care how fast their horses are, they had to have been in the area to respond that quickly." Vitali jumped in to support Eirian.
"Maybe that's what Yuze noticed?" Eirian continued. "Maybe he saw someone, caught something that probably answers all these questions and went after it. Or them." She turned to Tanning, who was close with two of the scouts that had remained with the main force. "Send out the scouts we have left, see if they can pick up a trail. Yuze wouldn't leave without good reason, or delay in returning. He might be in danger."
~ tbc