I was silent as I watched Dyane touch and prod parts of my body. At first I was not, after she had given me water and I could talk without my throat feeling like a knife was being sharpened at it, I told them as the attack and what happened. Elison left to give orders and spread the news that I was finally awake. Now he is back in the tent, seated beside me as Dyane carry out her examination on me.
“What has been happening?” I questioned Elison who looked away.
“You need to rest” he finally said when I asked him the question again and it became obvious that I will not leave the issue alone.
“I need to know what is going on in my husband camp” I argued.
Elison looked torn and when he glanced at Dyane who shook her head not wanting Elison to say anything I added. “Please, it is better I know. If I don’t, my mind will make up situations worse than what is going on.”
My days are plagued with leading and making decisions for the army, my nights are cursed with me dreaming about Orel torture, I wake up screaming and struggling against Elison hold. He took a guard post outside the tent at night while I sleep to protect me not only from my nightmares but from anybody who wanted to harm me too. I was barely hanging on to my sanity. The only reason why I could still function was my unborn child.“Lady Themis, are you listening to me.” Elison voice jarred my consciousness back to my current location, which was listening to what Elison was saying about the commanders we needed to inform that Orel was with the enemy and he isn’t listening to my suggestion of not inviting anybody to contest my rule for the main time. “I am sorry, what did you respond me with?”“I said that it was best they hear the news from us than from other commanders, it will not endear you to them when they learn that you a
“Why are we been treated like animals?” The chief of the village roars in anger.“Cause you will soon die like one.” I replied in a soft tone that immediately stopped the murmurs raising from the crowd that was gather, I looked to Elison who was standing beside other commanders with his arms folded like he was barely restraining himself from killing those people in the circle of guards who were tied together and from the looks of it, they have also been roughly handled. That brought a smile to my face which I am sure made me look sinister.“Themis.” The chief barks out my name.I nodded at the warrior who was holding a whip and facing the villagers to prevent them from coming closer to those tied up. Like a flash of lightening, he spun on his heels and crack the whip on the chief back then turn back to face the crowd. Cries of outrage
The meeting the next day was tensed. I didn’t know if it was because Gwenn was back or because she included a Northerner. The army commander she had said and now, there was silence in the war council tent.“It isn’t right that another commander should be present in the war council. This is a disgrace… it is a…” a commander said, the same commander who has been very loud about his opinions of where my place was, which according to him was warming Orel bed and not standing in his stead.“It is an honor since this commander will be leading his army to join ours in any fight that will occur.” Gwenn said dismissing the commander rants.“This should not be done, it isn’t right?” another said as Gwenn levelled her glares on them.“I have had it with your complaints are if you are noblemen and not warriors. Orel might not be around but he is still the warlord… he never allowed this behavior in his pre
When dawn finally reached, I stood up from my bed and turned to face him, I didn’t sleep a wink after the incident but he didn’t know that, it took the man some time to raise his head to meet my gaze. And when he did, his eyes were filled with fury.“I hope that you have gathered your strength because the next few hours will be torturous to you.” I said to him.“I will kill you bitch, so you can join your husband in death.” He spat out with venom in his tone.“Okay but that will be a long time seeing that my husband is not yet dead, but I should tell you. Before you make good of your threats know that Orel will kill you when he comes back. As from the moment you tried to do what you did yesterday. You started to live on borrowed time.” I said to him as I changed my clothes, I could not bring myself to wear the sheath of my swords so instead I held it in my arms and left the tent wi
“It has been a week since you last saw commander Elison, Lady Themis. Don’t you think it’s about time you sit down and discuss this issue between you two before others start to take notice and then think that you are defenseless?” Dyane asked me, once again I was hiding with her by spending more time with her these days, time that I didn’t have, time that I would have used to do something better.“They would have attacked either way if they wanted to. Alson attacked me.” I breathed out. It was during Dyane treatment of the commander who manhood I removed that I finally learnt the name of the man.“Alson was a special brand of craziness. If he had used his gods given sense, he would have realized that his reasoning was off. There was no way, he would have escaped if anything happened to you. Now others might plot and maybe succeed this time in their plots to dispose of you. You and your protector ar
Unknown pov The white haired one saved me, I thought my life was over, hell it was over. I know that I am living on borrowed time and now I have found out what I am meant to do. I am supposed to free her husband. I don’t know how much a man can take but I know that it should not be up to what he has taken. If it was someone else, the person would have been dead but not this man, he didn’t even break. I heard that they will soon send him to the capital, to be tortured by the best investigators that we have. If I can do anything about rescuing him, it has to be soon.I offered wine to the guards who sneered at me then made some suggestions about what I should do with my manhood since I could escape from the enemy with my life intact, as usual, I kept quiet as they drank the wine and made merry, my esteemed position as a spy was long gone, stead I became the manservant to the rowdy brunch. My lips pulled into the
GWENN POV“What the hell do the two of you think were you playing at?” Elison growls as he enters Themis tent to see Themis sleeping peacefully and I glared at him for not using his inside voice, I stood up from where I was sitting which was beside Themis on the bed where she was sleeping.“What the hell do you think you were playing at, coming into her tent with no warning and shouting that way?” I answered him with my own questions.“You two made me that way, why on earth will you blow the horn we use for emergency at war and made me think that something had happened to one of you, I was scared and worried.” Elison asked heatedly running his hand through his hair and face.“Something did happen.” I replied as Elison glares at me.“Really, something happened, Themis is in there sleeping peacefully and you are in front of me, acting catty as usual, I don’t see anyt
Themis Pov“How come I was not aware of this?” I asked when Elison, Gwenn and I were taken to the Erisean who returned Orel to them.“You were so concerned about Orel and so relieved afterwards that no other thoughts entered your mind.” Dyane said as I nodded my head, what Dyane said was the truth and I was extremely glad I saved the Spy when my instincts told me to, regardless of what Gwenn wanted.“Free him.” I ordered.“Pardon.” Boan questioned in shock.“Release him, and reward him and also thank him and ask him what next step he is willing to take.” I added as Boan blinked repeated like he could not believe the order which he was being given.“I am sorry but Lady Themis, you cannot be serious. His Kinsmen are who we are fighting outside.” Elison said and Boan breathed a sigh of relief.“I am well aware of the fact that h
“You have a pretty amazing life here.” Themis said as her eyes take everything around her while holding her babe close to her chest, I wondered what she saw and did not see, my sight and hers were different now. I saw the wonders and the mundane and none shocked me anymore.“You think.” I snorted as I rose from my throne seat which was slightly smaller than that of my husband, it was very comfy and a guilty pleasure of mine. Whenever I am on it, I don’t feel the insecurity that is crashing around me. “Enough talking, I haven’t seen my godson in a while, hand him over.”“And look, there she goes threatening me for my own son.” Themis jokes as I wrapped my arms around Themis in a hug. “I have missed you.” Themis confessed.“I knew it, I knew that you would miss the way I heap insults on you.” I teased with a laugh as I untangled myself and held Themis so
It’s been two weeks since I killed the king of Erisea, two weeks of Orel taking control of the empire and putting Dariths in top positions, now it is time to go home… it would not be long before I would welcome my son into the world, I want to do that in the capital even with Estrid there, it was still the second place I know as home and more convenient than the warrior plains of Dar where Orel mainly spend his time, it was also close to winter.According to Orel, we will spend winter in the capital as the wild fields of Dar was not the best place to raise a new born child. This he told me when he started to talk to me again, after shaking me so hard that my teeth clattered together and then refusing to talk to me. He and Gwenn spent many last night together sharing each other pain and grief. I hoped that it made them feel better but I wasn’t too sure if anybody would ever feel better after losing their friend who was a part of their soul.
Gwenn PovMy head felt like burst from the knowledge that was flashing through my head, the closer I got to the camp, my people were in. Hundreds and thousands of things, I never knew existed not to talk of need to learn ran through my mind and sank in my brain, most of them were powerful words… not spells. My brain provided me with the right word to use.“Are you okay mistress?” Sorens asked in worry behind me.I wanted to laugh, how do you define okay anymore? My life had stopped being okay a while ago when I was wedded into Northshore. My best friend died for me, my husband was probably on top of another lady at this moment, I just learnt that my new people were not demons but something close to, I had a war to fight and I could not even be left alone to mourn. I didn’t bother to try and answer Sorens question because it was clear that I was not okay. I got to the camp to meet the rest of the le
Gwenn PovThe camp was quiet, everybody was feeling the loss… not as much as the three of us. Themis, Orel and me. For a day now, we have done nothing but remain within Elison space, sitting among his things, not talking or moving around much. We didn’t care if we were in public or neither did we try to pretend to be strong for our warriors.“He always so patient with me, he taught me my first sword trick.” I said softly, the first one of us to break the silence, Orel turned to look at me with eyes that looked as if the soul have been sucked out of them.He was the first person to ever beat me in a bawl then he suggested that we should join the army together.” Orel added.“I cannot believe he is gone.” I voiced as I rubbed my palms on my shoulders like I was cold but I knew it wasn’t the cold, I was feeling the piercing loss of our friend and brother and I also knew that I would not accept comf
ELISON POVMistress of the whip, Gwenn is called, I am called something more practical, something which might not be related to torture techniques or brilliant fighting skills just like Gwenn and Orel dubbed titles but it was still important, it was still enough to be seen as special. The master huntsman is my title. Nothing can out run me, nothing can escape my clutches once I start my hunt.And now, this hunt has started, to save my sister life, a race against time… I pray to the gods, please don’t let anything happen to her, I am on my way…I am coming to take the death that is rightfully mine.********************************************DYANE POVHe left, even with knowledge that he would die, all to save those he considered as family, all to save his honorary sister. I might have just seen Elison alive for the last time. I quickly send a prayer to the gods, please prote
Orel PovEven with my mind on Themis, I didn’t have enough spare time to hunt her down until it was evening. When I found her, she was with Gwenn and Elison and from the looks of it, was solely distraught and begging Elison to agree to something, Elison, I noted was also looking pale and a little too taunt for my liking.“What’s going on here?” I asks as soon as I got close enough to hold my wife so she would not jump in shock as I approached them from the direction her back was turned to.“Apparently, I might leave you all soon.” Elison said with a wry grin on his lips but his eyes were hunted.“Don’t be silly, you are not going anywhere even if we have to tie you to keep you safe, I am sure that we can avert this.” Gwenn said in a brash tone as if she was taking on an unwilling candidate that would beat her and know this fact yet she is still charging into the battle with a war cry and weapon in her hands, w
GWENN POV“Why are you all doing this to me?” I scream as soon as I entered the camp where my so called warriors erected for themselves. Bodyguards, that’s what they are, they protect me among my friends but the moment when I step into the battle field they withdraw from me.“My Queen.” Sorens appears next to me. I would have been shocked about this before I left to help my husband but not anymore, not when I am just as fast as him and just as inhuman too, the speed which leave me the moment I also enter the battle field.“If I was your Queen you will obey my orders to help in the war.” I yelled at them not willing to let the tears pour from my eyes although it was getting hard.“You know that we cannot.” Sorens replies nervously… he was the most humane among them all, the rest were slowly appearing and looking on with me discussing with their commander with no expressio
“What do you mean that we are leaving?” I asked her husband sitting up from the bed where I was lying down since I woke up and had been feeling fatigued so I still laid down. Why on earth did I think that I could close my eyes to rest when I just finished telling Orel what has been going on? Of course I should have expected this, I should have expected to wake up to see that Orel has stirred the camp into a flurry of activities.“I mean exactly that Doe. We have to go after the Erisean but we would not use their route, we will take another.”“Does this mean that you have an idea where they are heading to?” I asks my husband as my cover cloth dipped down exposing my body to Orel who stopped in the middle of raising his shirt to stare at the skin I exposed not on purpose. “Orel, answer me.”My voice seemed to snap Orel out of whatever trance he was in. “Of course. I know where they are going, i
OREL POVThemis never left my side, all through my healing process she has been always near me, and whenever I was awake she always sang to me. I never had any doubt that she loves but if I did, they have been put to rest. I have been hearing tidbits about what went on during my captivity but nobody will tell me anything even when I threatened to have them whipped, Dyane’s answer to that particular threat of mine was to laugh and say that Themis will do something worse if she did tell me, according to what has been going on, Themis refused to tell me the state of the camp or things that happened in my absence because she wanted me to be well rested before I learnt of anything that happened. She told me this five days after I have arrived at the camp and for the next two weeks after, it was what was repeated to me by the maids who helped Dyane with healing, those that brought food even my commanders repeated the same thing to me when I asked them, it feels