I rub my hand over the stubble forming on my chin and lips. As a leader of Troop, I can't rush into things and put men's lives in danger. He is right it must be a trap."Then what do you suggest King?" I ask him with a growl because I'm not sure. I'm not sure at all, but I'm sure that our kingdom needs to be safe and out of harm. I'm not in the mood of thinking. I have had an anger issue and due to that, I have made many wrong decisions." 'I know more than you do because I'm better and I have had the crown' shit. He walks around the table to Elizabella, who sits curled up in thechair. I'd protested her presence but my brother wanted her there more than I was willing to argue over. He takes a draw from his pipe, smoke tumbling from his lips. "Guerilla Warfare." He says the two words like they're gold on histongue. "I say we disguise the men to hide in the brush and wait for soldiers to come by, or wait until they see the fire from camp.""What brush?" I question. "It's winter. Ever
I make my way down the hall to Three Horses, who is sending out the troops now. Normally I would send my brother to take care of this, but since that bastard's lying on the floor in a pool of his blood, Which is because of me. After he say sorry to me, I punched him twice, I have to. Three Horses looks up at me and nods in acknowledgment."I just sent fifty men into the Forest of Thieves to take care of business. They'll look until dark and then the midnight the guard will keep watch until sunrise." Three Horses tells me, leaning against the wall. "Do you know where your brother is? I have to discuss a few things with him."I can feel myself heat up again. I stand against the cool wall to breathe the freezing air in through my pores. "He's lying in a puddle right now. Anything you have to say, I can tell himlater." I say it nonchalantly. Three Horses looks at me like I've just grown a second head out of my right shoulder. Because since the beganning he is the in charge of the troop
Three Horses ended him quickly. Why would he walk in the forest alone? This question is also bothering me. In the campsite, they found plans and strategies they were carrying over to Pateros. The Bellechestermen were spies, planning to peer into Stauckana for a few moments before leaving to cross through the Vibrant Mountains on a hidden path.Are they unprepared or they just did that to distract us all...No matter what it is, nothing seems good but whatever I predict and say to Cesar, he just doesn't seem to listen with interest. Maybe he thinks he has better plans but as a Bellechester common woman, I have a better plan than him. Then how better plan do the men of the three Kingdom have as unity.Up until last night, this hidden path in Pateros remained unknown to the kingdom of Stauckana. They call it the "Black Path." It leads down so deep through the Vibrant Mountains that not a flicker of light is to be seen. It is a dirt path and the bones of dead animals that had gottentrappe
Mrudula ran toward me and hold me tightly. Saving me from falling because I am pregnant.My hand winds into her hair and tugs the black strands by the roots. "You will never say that again!" I scream at her. "Ilove him! I love him more than you could ever love anyone— He is King of Barbarian."I'm yanked away by Evalyn and Mrudula. who try to calm me down. Arlena and Camellia just watch Ivona cry on the floor, holding an old rag to her nose to stop the bleeding.They give her a disgusted look. This war is making me go mad. I rush out of the room and down the hallway, tears running down my cheeks. "I can't do it," I cry softly. Cesar is gone. Black Bear is gone. The war is raging. Bellechester will try and assassinate me, I know it. They are known for their exotic poisons and skilled assassins. My baby kicks inside of my stomach. I cradle mygrowing belly in my hands and lean against the wall in the hallway.I'm tired. I'm so tired.I felt two hands hold me and hugged me tightly. I
"How his forehead with his hand."I know, You are scared," he says. "It's okay. I'm here now. You don't have to worry about those Barbarians anymore. One down, plentymore to go."I push him away from me. I held Mrudula's arm and we both stood up. He doesn't understand. Cordelllooks surprised at my actions. "Stop it," I murmur. I'm wipingmy eyes with my sleeve as I look towards the flap of thetent. My ankles are tied with ropes just in case I tried to get away.After seeing my belly protruding from my dress, Cordell's face goes bright red. He walked closer to me, Pushing Mrudula away as hard as she fell on the floor. "El…Elizabella," he murmurs. "Are youwith child?" I don't quite hear him at first. All I know is that I'm upset and I don't want to be here and I need to save myself, my child, and Mrudula.I start murmuring things softly in Hausa, trying to soothe myself with the words of Cesar's ancestors. Cordell's soft mood quickly darkens into a much scarier one. He slams his f
Throughout the course of the evening, I sit against my tree and watch the men talk battle plans and feast upon a dinner that makes my mouth water beyond belief. Constantly Cesar is on my mind. The demons of winter come that night as the men are getting ready to head into their tents for thenight. One throws me a blanket and I greedily snatch it up into my hands, trying to salvage all of the warmth from it. The fire is put out as the last of the men are retreating into their tents for the night. I see Cordell standing by the dying embers. He looks menacing and crazed.I look away from his face and into the desolate forest surrounding me. I hate him, I hate him A lot. He speaks up then. "Don't worry, Elizabella. You won't die in the cold tonight, I have so much revenge for you" he whispers. I still refuse to look at him. "The gods have spoken to me, and we havedecided to use you and your betrayal to our advantage. Tomorrow we shall travel to where your bastard husband is stationed. I
I move my frozen limbs in the snow. I cringe and cry out in pain. "I…I can't move. It hurts so badly."His big brown eyes stare into mine. "Don't give up. You have to come to me" His outline flickers again. He's going to leave soon. The snow is slowly burying me. I can no longer see my feet. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see a tall, dark figure creeping behind, Cesar. I try to warn him, but my mouth was frozen and I can't seem to work my tongue.He's looking down at the snow, his hand clenching mine tightly. My eyes widen and my breathing speeds up. The snow is slowly covering my face. The dark figure raises a sword. I cry out for him to move, but my hand has frozen him to the gates.The sword comes down hard on him, beheading my lover. I want to scream, I want to cry. But as the last of the snowfall from the desolate sky, my eyes are covered from the horrid the sight of my king's glassy brown eyes staring at me from where he laid in the snow. I'm falling, tumbling through a sno
It takes me a few minutes when I wake up to trulyunderstand why the trees are racing past me, and why my bed smells like an animal. When I finally realize that I'm on the back of a running horse, my eyes fly open as my mouth emits a gasp that startles the rider.My hands and feet are bound together and I'm tied to the horse so tightly that I wouldn't fall off if the mount took a tricky turn or jump. Snow is fresh on this ground, so I know that we're far from where the camp was. I don't say anything when the horse begins to slow down.There are other men on horseback, their armour gleaming in the bright sunlight, their breath rolling from their lips like puffs of dragon smoke. The bitter winter cold bites at my cheeks and nose, making the normal porcelain white skin turn a rather odd shade of scarlet.The pounding of horse hooves against the ground echoes in my head, their strong legs powering through the light snow that would normally slow them down quite a bit. But these horses are