From above, the wicked shall receive their just reward
Kronk felt a fullness in his heart that had not been there before. They were coming, they were talking. Action was being taken. He felt the rightness of the situation fill him, and the stocky stallion exhaled what may have been his first deep breath since the fire. He nodded at Mast as he approached. The solider in him caused him to stand a little straighter and nodded briskly.
“Your majesty.” He said in way of a greeting. He listened to the king speak, and again nodded in agreement when he was done. They were on the same page. Together they had enough men to reach out to their potential allies, and to make a difference in their situation.
Kronk deftly hid his surprise at Gaza’s words. He hadn’t realized they had friends enough to send them allies in their time of need. Surely, that was a good sign. He nodded in greeting to the man as his head buzzed with possibilities. Now, not for the first time this afternoon, Kronk wished he had a diplomat’s brain, as well as a warrior’s heart.
“Gaza, your aid, however much you can give us, has come at the right time.” And it was true. They needed all the help they could get. It would seem unexpected friends were gathering to meet that need. Kronk only hoped they would be prepared for war, when it came. Kronk hoped the children would be safe, Gaza’s boy and all the rest.
Magnus, it would seem, was as eager to be off as himself. A slight smile crossed Kronk’s sober face. He felt the feeling of action lift and buoy him. Soon, very soon, he could call himself a man again, a solider. He turned to go but stopped as Anker piped up. Kronk mustered another rare smile for him. Kronk couldn’t help but puff with pride at the lad’s words, but he resisted to urge to tousle Anker’s hair. Kronk hadn’t appreciated it what adults did the same to him at the boy’s age, he wouldn’t inflict it on Anker.
“Thank you, lad. It’s a good thought. But, I’m only going a little ways east. A quick trip to the Falls and back. Better to save our ammo for when the hard work begins.” He winked conspiratorially at the boy. Kronk hoped that soon, very soon, they would need an air force, but now their plan was still a fledgling.
Kronk
