Free Ashes of the Realm - Juliette's Dream by Saxon Andrew Page B

her coming and she threw her arms around his neck and started crying. He whispered, “I can’t use my arms to hold you, Jesa.”
     
    She looked at him and kissed him, “I don’t care. I need you in my arms.”
     
    Three youths climbed up and lowered Jingo to the ground. Scotty looked at Samuel and Jing, “We lost more than two hundred in the fight.” He saw their immediate sadness.
     
    Jing looked at Scotty and asked, “Were you able to save the Zord’s newborns?”
     
    Scotty gave a small smile and said, “The Torg did not get even one hatchling. We saved them all.”
     
    Samuel took a deep breath and asked, “How many Torg attacked?”
     
    Scotty said, “We estimated more than half a million.”
     
    Zreeg said, “There were at least that number, and probably more. My leader requests a meeting with you at the next full moons at midnight, if that is acceptable.”
     
    Jing looked up at the giant Zord and said, “We will welcome you to our communities.”
     
    Other giant warriors were landing and the community began welcoming home the brave archers that had been feared lost. Zreeg looked at Scotty and then lifted to make room for the returning archers.
     
    Jing asked, “What’s wrong with your arms?”
     
    “We fought the Torg for nine hours and I fired more than three thousand arrows. I think I pulled things that I didn’t know I had.”
     
    Two women came running up and escorted Scotty away. Samuel knew they would care for the injured warrior. Jingo was escorted away by Jesa and the two leaders knew he was in good hands.
     
    Samuel watched the Zord fly in with their cargo of weary archers and saw the Zord’s respect for the brave Humans and Cainth that had fought for them. They waited to get the names of the ones killed in the fighting, but they both felt a sense of pride of what their warriors had accomplished. The two stayed until the last one arrived and was cared for by the waiting communities. Jing looked at Samuel and said, “Half a million Torg. Our defenses have been greatly strengthened by what they endured.”
     
    Samuel shook his head, “I wish I could have witnessed it.”
     
    Jing got a far-a-way look in his eyes, “Just think about it; half a million Torg.”
     
    Jingo lay on the ground under one of the small trees next to the central clearing. Jesa was massaging oil from the halbeg tree on his four arms and he was in heaven. She continued to rub the oil on his lower right arm and asked, “Did you do as I asked and avoided taking dangerous risks?”
     
    “Uh oh,” Jingo thought. “I’m here, my love. I must have done something right.”
     
    Jesa looked at Jingo and continued to rub oil on his arms. “Thank the creator he listened to me,” she thought.
     
    The archers told the community of the fight and the bravery of those that were lost. The archers adopted their fallen comrades’ families and vowed to treat them as their own. No one believed the tale that was told. Everyone just knew the story was embellished as war tales often were. Some of the teenagers didn’t believe any of it, but kept their opinions to themselves. The archers slowly healed, and finally the time for the meeting arrived.
     
    Jing and Samuel were waiting at the fire and the two communities were sitting around them at the edge of the trees. Scotty, Jingo, and Jesa sat with Jesa’s parents and waited for the Zord’s arrival. Scotty looked up at the two full moons and the blanket of stars. He thought about how much had happened since the previous meeting and hoped the Zord would keep their word about no future attacks. As he stared at the stars, a huge number of them were blocked out. He turned to Jingo and said, “They’re here.”
     
    Bleath and the four elders came in together this time and landed beside the fire next to Jing and Samuel. Jing walked forward and said, “Welcome back to our community.”
     
    Bleath looked around at the gathered Humans and Cainth, then looked at Jing and