Chapter 4 - The Last Three Years

      The fact that it was Rosie's birthday was soon forgotten, since there were many more important things going on. Rosie had to lead and guide her troops through the aftermath of the recent blood bath. Her troops helped her to write down the names of as many of the fallen soldiers as they could. After, people were sent to tell the families of the deceased the terrible news, so that funeral arrangements could be made.

      Winter came soon after, and nobody in their right minds would dare attack the Northern Kingdom during the middle of winter, because of the snow, icy winds, and cold temperatures. Rosie spent this time having her new troops trained and getting supplies stored for the spring.

      On New Year's Day, Rosie's people celebrated the new year with a huge party. As Rosie walked among her people, it seemed as if there hadn't been a war. The celebration took place all night long and late into the next morning. Fireworks went off as midnight arrived. As Rosie watched the colors explode in the sky, she was filled with grief. Images of the battlefields she had fought in flashed through her mind. If she didn't leave soon, all the images were going to make her lose her mind. She returned to the palace until the fireworks had ended, then went back and finished the evenings celebrations with her people.

      A few months later, the snow melted, and spring arrived. Although most people view Spring as green and full of life, this spring turned out to be blood red and brought about the destruction of life. This spring brought the Southern Kingdom with it. As quickly as the Southern Kingdom had begun their attack, they emerged victorious. Rosie's troops were unprepared for the attack. Hundreds of thousands of Rosie's troops died. The Southern Kingdom began to take over the southern part of the ice kingdom that Rosie called home. She did not appreciate the threat to her domain.

      Rosie began to plan a counterattack. Her remaining troops were trained harder and longer, in an attempt to create a better army. Rosie kept attacking the invaders, but they just kept destroying her troops. As her defeats began to outnumber her victories, Rosie became obsessed with power and hardened herself against the violence that was surrounding her life. The people of her country thought she was going insane. She even thought so herself. However while her subjects were worried, Rosie didn't care.

      For the next two years, Rosie's failures continued. She fought hard, but was always on the defensive, even if she had started the battle. At the beginning of the third year of the Battle for the North, Rosie had an idea that might turn the war in her favor. As she was about to go to sleep for night, she thought of a way that they might be able to defeat the Southern Army. She sprang from her bed and ran to the general's room.

      He was surprised to see her standing there in front of him in his bed chambers. He thought she looked beautiful standing there in her thin nightgown. He could tell she was cold and wanted to offer her his warmth, but the look on her face told him that she had something important to tell him so he restrained himself.

      She told him of her plan to defeat their enemies, and possibly end the war. He listened to her plan, but he was also admiring her beauty. After all, she was nineteen and he was only twenty-three, it was natural for him to long for her beauty and admire her power, however he knew his feelings for her were deeper then that. He pushed those thoughts from his mind as she finished telling him her idea. He thought her plan was brilliant. After he told her that he would help her with her plan, she left leaving him once again alone in his bed longing for her to come back and lay with him.

      The next day they talked in depth of her plan. The General understood that he would have to pick out his three best soldiers to send them undercover. One would be sent to each kingdom, and sign up for the army there. This would allow Rosie to know exactly what each kingdom's plans for attack would be and give her enough time to prepare her defenses.

      After Lee chose his men and briefed them on their mission, they were sent off, and Lee went to report to Rosie. She was pleased with his choice of soldiers and was happy to hear her plan was in motion. After informing Rosie, they both went to lunch and waited for the reports.

      Later that day, Rosie went to speak with her scientists to discuss the second portion of her plan. She talked with them about a weapon that would cause total devastation and a plane that would be feared by all. She gave them designs for both and hurried on her way. The rest of her day was filled with training and political nonsense that she would much rather leave for someone else to deal with.

      After many months of waiting, Lee finally received letters from his undercover men, happily delivering them to Rose. She was extremely pleased to see the letters. She ripped open the letters and began to read.

      Her soldier in the Western Kingdom was in charge of a unit of soldiers that were being sent to attack the Southern Kingdom. He also said that no plans had been made to attack the Northern Kingdom yet.

      The soldier in the Southern Kingdom was placed in a unit awaiting assignment, but he knew that a small attack was to be launched on the Northern Kingdom. The unit was to be sent out the following day, so Rosie knew she had at least two weeks to prepare.

      The soldier sent to the Eastern Kingdom had been placed in charge of a special missions unit that was tasked with the assassination of the Southern King leaving the princess to rule the Kingdom. However, there hadn't been any plans for an attack on the Northern Kingdom.

      This pleased Rosie. She could gather her troops and easily squash the slight threat from the Southern Kingdom. She gave orders for a small unit to be readied. Lee made sure they were readied, then returned to Rosie. They sat in silence in her office as she confidently wrote return letters to her spies. While she did, Lee once again stared at her beauty and admired her strength.

      These correspondences lasted until November, when each spy reported that the kingdom they were in was mobilizing their entire army for a huge attack. This made Rosie jump for joy, since she had predicted this and was just waiting for the day it would happen. Rosie simply looked up from the letters and told Lee to prepare all the troops for the final battle, the Battle of the Crossroads. He simply nodded and left to carry out her orders.