Chapter Seven
Thundering Dove was furious but only for a moment! He forgave Bay
Blossom quick enough. The extent of her victory was soon apparent. The
enemy withdrew on all fronts, giving up territory to protect his
cities, but the war was far from over.
2 "To make him negotiate," complained Thundering Dove, "we've got to
take one of his cities. But the cost would be so great that I do not
consider
it worth it. Even with cannon, we couldn't reach their walls. I'd give
almost anything for a chance to break through! Just one city, if we
held some of their territory they'd want to talk peace."
3 The Warlocks all agreed, but how and where? A few days later while
sitting around in the bathhouse waiting her turn, Bay Blossom was
talking the matter over with several of her friends. They also giggled
and laughed about the growing fulness of her body. "I wouldn't be able
to go to battle much longer, anyway!" she laughed, "I can't get my
armor on!"
4 As they continued to joke and laugh and talk about the needs, Bay
Blossom noticed a captured Oneness woman who was paying a great deal of
attention to their every word. "I forget," she remarked, "that some of
the enemy knows our speech, and my tongue runs loose. We had best say
no more about our plans and defenses."
5 The other women realized her meaning, and kept their conversation to
unmilitary things. A few days later as they were in council, a Guard
came in. "Warlock," he told Thundering Dove, "there is an enemy captive
here that says she has information you are willing to pay a great price
for, and she desires to bargain with you. She says she can tell you how
to take the city of Truth, without a battle, IF you are willing to pay
her."