THE NORTHERN KING'S TRIBUTE

The sky was an iron grey, rain pelting the muddy field as lightning crackled through the dark grey sky, creating more tension between the opposing kingdoms who stood about a hundred feet apart from one another.

On one side stood the army of the Eastern kingdom of Thanes, their golden banners which held the kingdom’s crest of a black stallion horse, soaked wet from the drizzling rain.

Across the mud-slicked field, the forces of the Northern kingdom of Sulcar stood fiercely, no banner of their kingdom was hung up, only by their ink littered skins will you be able to identify them.

A tense silence hung in the air with only the crackling of thunder and lighting filling the air. The twenty thousand soldiers of Thanes sat on their horses, gripping their spears and swords tightly as it rained down on their metal armour.

The five hundred Soldiers of Sulcar stood on the muddy field, they were greatly outnumbered but they were un-phased by that revelation. They stood confidently without swords, spears or armours, only dressed in their traditional war attires of the Northern culture.

“Yield now for you are outnumbered!” Egret, King of the Eastern kingdom of Thanes yells.

Egret was a weak and foolish king known for his harsh temper and his absurd decision making regarding his Kingdom.

Dreg, the fierce and ruthless king of the Nothern Kingdom of Sulcar was quite impressed that King Egret was present for the war and not hiding behind the four guarded walls of his kingdom.

Dreg grinned at his absurd statement which also caused a few of his men to snicker between themselves. “Why don’t you come down from your horses and fight like a real man!?”

Egret frowned deeply at the barbarian king that stood far from him, he was strong and dangerous but they had the numbers not them.

He snatched the horn from his men and blows the Thanes war trumpet loudly.

“Charge!”

The Thanes charged forward while roaring in battle, their archers fired rains of arrows towards the Sulcars who were ready and excited to finally have their fill at yet another war in the same season.

Dreg growled deeply which shook the muddy ground beneath their feet and caused the horses to neigh in fear. The Sulcars charged towards the Thanes, colliding fiercely and the war is eminent.

The Sulcars, blessed with quick reflexes swatted the arrows that rained down on them like flies. The Thanes were slashed and slaughtered by the claws of the Sulcars, the armour that they had worn for protection was now a hindrance to their fleeing.

Egret trembled as he locked eyes with the Barbaric king of Sulcar who grinned wildly at him revealing his abnormally large canines.

“T-they’re beasts!” Egret exclaimed in fear.

The storm increased as the Thanes dwindled in number. It was like witchery to witness the way the Sulcars fought with so much speed, agility and strength that seemed inhumane.

Dreg punched through the soldier’s amour to rip out his heart without any remorse he flings the limp body and speeds through the fighting bodies to get to Egret who still trembled in fear on his horse.

“My lord, we need to retreat!” Glint, his army commander adviced.

Egret screamed in terror as his horse is killed instantly and he falls over, landing on the muddy ground, with his heavy armour making him unable to move.

Dreg drags him up but a sword is quickly drawn by Glint to his neck.

“L-let him go!” He shouts through the crackling storm.

He laughs and grips Egret by his neck tighter causing the weak man to wail in pain. “Look around, you would be foolish to do anything!”

Glint looks around and blood drains from his face with the horrid sight of bodies, almost all his soldiers has been wiped out brutally. Fear struck him as he met eyes with the glowing ones of a sulcarn soldier who licks blood off his lips.

Dreg grabs the sword drawn at him and drags Glint down in one swift thug. Blood drips down as he squeezed the sword with his strength which caused it to shatter before their trembling eyes.

“W-wait please!....” Egret wheezes out.

Dreg raised his brow with a smirk and releases his grip on Egret’s neck slightly. “You may speak.”

Egret trembled. “We s-surrender.”

The sulcarns laugh loudly at the weak sight of the King of Thanes, all other of the Thanes's soldiers that were left have been gathered up to kneel in a circle, silently praying for mercy.

“Where has your confidence gone, O king?” Levion, the second hand of the King of the Northern Kingdom of Sulcar jests.

The Sulcrans howl in laughter at the jest of King Egret but they all quiet down when Dreg clears his throat.

He scratched his uncut beard that seemed to have grown out through the long period he had spent at war. “What are you willing to give as tribute?”

Egret’s eyes widened. “T-trubute?”

Dreg growls and his dark eyes changed to glowing red crimson ones. “Do you think I will spear you without a tribute?!”

“Our utmost apologise!” Glint shouts from behind.

Egret nodded vigorously that and trembled under the gaze of his crimson eyes. “W-what would you like to h-have as tribute?”

Dreg grins. “What do you have to offer?”

“W-we have gold, lots of gold a-and lands that we can offer!” Egret suggests.

The king of the North laughs at his face until he calmed down. “We don’t need your gold or the little barren lands that you can offer.”

Fear was evident in the eyes of Egret, if they don’t need all he can offer then is he going to die? He thought.

Dreg gazes up to the now clear sky and breaths in the fresh air of wet grass before looking back down at the weak King. “It is time for me to join with someone as a wife.”

Egret shook his head in fear, the thought of his precious daughter being used as tribute for a wife to this Barbaric king was too vile to think of.

“You have two daughters do you not?” Dreg asked coldly.

Egret’s brows furrow in thought, two? The image of the other offspring of his comes to his memory, the living embarrassment of his wild days.

He smiled as a plan came to his head and nodded. “Y-yes.”

“Submit one of them as tribute and I will let you and the rest of your soldiers go.”

Egret nodded hastily. “You have my word, it would be arranged.”

Dreg releases him.

“W-when and where would you like the wedding to hold.”

Dreg mused in thought. He would like to honour his soon to be wife and wed her in the ways of her kingdom before bringing her over to the North.

“She would be wed in the ways of Thanes before she is brought over to the North, prepare for the wedding in a week time.”

King Egret and the rest of the Thanes soldiers scurried back on what was left of their horses towards the East to prepare all they can for the wedding.

Levion chuckled and shook his head. “You went through all this trouble just to meet her again.”

“It is worth it.”

Dreg was finally going to meet with the beautiful woman that has been tormenting his mind and giving him restless nights.

In due time, they will be joined as one.