From Ash and Gold [ ongoing ]

| chapter two |

A   T R E A T Y

Manikarnika dipped her feet into the cool water gushing from the limestone fountain. A breeze fluttered in, rippling the folds of her sari, her gold anklets chiming softly as she tread her feet lightly in the water. She stared at her own reflection, as she sifted through her obsidian hair that fell to her hips. 

The lush garden, filled with tall, leafy trees, frolicking rabbits, and sweet, fragrant roses, was a place Mani loved in the palace. It offered her a sort of safe haven from the burden she carried on her shoulders. Her golden bangles slid down her arm as she finished tying her hair in a braid, and sighed, resting her hands in her lap. 

For the last five years, her kingdom, Usdean, had been under the constant danger of the South Kingdom. Raids in markets, towns, import, and export ships were becoming more frequent. And behind them all was Prince Darius. She could only protect her people for so long.  Manikarnika had done her best to withstand the attacks, and raise the safety measures, and just recently, she had just doubled the troops patrolling the gates. But he always managed to have the upper hand, somehow. He had some sort of secret weapon she didn't know about and it was costing the lives of her people. And he wouldn't leave her alone.

Darius hadn't been the only one after her parents were assassinated. Many kingdoms were keen to take advantage of Usdean when it was at its most vulnerable. It molded Manikarnika into a fit Queen, but only one man pursued, and it was Darius.

The sunbeams blinded Mani's eyes, and she took that as a cue to leave for her council meeting. She slid into her slippers and rushed into the cool, marble hallways, soldiers bowing as she passed them. She approached the large, iron gates, and took a deep breath to compose herself. It never got old, trying to live up to people's expectations and proving she was good enough. 

Horns blared, declaring her presence in the court as she stepped in. The grand court was magnificent, with large gold domes and chandeliers adorning the ceilings, paintings of her ancestors lined across the gold-painted walls. Ten small thrones were up against the sides of the wall, where her council members sat, and in the middle, a blue carpet, leading up the high rise stairs to the Grand Throne. Next to it, sat an empty, slightly smaller one, for her spouse that she didn't yet have.  

The thrones where her mother and father once sat. 

Marriage was long overdue for Mani, something she should have done three years ago. The council was persistent in her forming an alliance with a kingdom so that they could build up their strength against Darius but Mani wasn't ready to accept the proposals. She couldn't and wouldn't give up her throne that she had the rightful place to for some man. 

Mani sat on her throne and waved her hand. "Let the meeting commence."

The murmuring court went silent. Mani nodded to the first man at the head of the row, Jared, an elderly man and the most trusted advisor to the family. 

"Prime Minister, how is the Hakirii village recovering from the raids?"

He sighed and folded his hands in front of him. "Your Majesty, there were fifteen people killed. Reconstruction is in process. In turn, we were able to kill five of the seven soldiers. One of the ones who survived," he said with distaste, "has a message  for you."

Guilt clawed at Mani. With disgust filling her mouth like poison, she said, "Please ensure all the final rites of the passed are done properly. Send thirty pounds of gold for reconstruction and post two guards there for watch." Mani knew that no matter how much gold she sent, there was no way she could bring back the lives of the fifteen people that had died. But it gave solace to her heart, whatever solace that it brought, that she's doing something.

The Prime Minister sat back down, as another man, Faris, the General, stand up. "My Queen," he said with a bow, "I believe we are ready to attack the South Kingdom. Our armies have been training and are prepared. "

Mani shifted in her seat. No doubt this thought had run in her head countless times. "No."

Faris uncomfortably twitched. "My Queen, I don't understand why we keep holding ourselves back. We have the power to attack."

"Faris, I said no."

Faris let out a frustrated scream. "You have no idea to rule! I have been the General for twenty years, never have I seen someone not counterattack."

The Prime Minister, with his sunken eyes, and started towards Faris to calm him down, but Mani held her hand up, stopping him and the soldiers who had sheathed their swords. "Let him speak."

"You are a coward, the King and Queen would be disappointed in you," he spat, his voice filling the empty hall. The words stung, but she could understand where they were coming from. Faris's kids were at a marketplace to see a play for their fifth birthday, and were killed in one of Darius's raids. There was so much poison in his words, and she wished she could use it to kill Darius himself. 

"Faris," she said gently. "Please lower your voice. I hope you are finished." Faris let out a long breath and his eyes were filled with tears when he looked her in the eyes. 

"Faris, attacking Darius is like provoking a wounded tiger. I agree we have enough power, but he has some secret weapon that we do not have. These previous raids and attacks are warnings and a show of power. If he truly wants to destroy us, he could have. He's holding back, and I honestly do not know why."

"Perhaps," Jared interjected, "we should hear what the soldier has to say."

Mani could hear the clanking of heavy metal chains from outside of the gates. Two soldiers brought in a relatively young boy, with a scratched-up face and torn, red uniform, with a scroll in his hand. 

"What is it, boy?" Mani asked.

The soldier straightened his spine. "Darius would like to offer a peace treaty."

The court members bristled. 

"What's the catch?" Mani asked, leaning forward, her heart beating fast. This was her chance to save her kingdom, to make up for all the lives that were lost. 

A smile slithered onto the boy's face. "Your hand in marriage."

No later were the words spoken, Mani had already unsheathed her dagger and it was already at the boy's feet, stuck into the blue carpet. The boy fell to the side, his head covered, eyes wide. "You're fucking crazy. He wants to marry you-"

"Get. Out," Mani screamed, her hands trembling, her chest rising and falling. How dare he? How dare he ask for her hand in marriage when he destroyed her people, killed her people?

"My Queen, perhaps we could consider"- Jared started, but Mani couldn't stand it. 

"Meeting concluded."

If there was one thing Mani knew, it was that her mother would never have wanted her to marry a murderer. 

***

should have she married darius?