nala

napoli

Torra

My arms chained behind my back, fabric toed through my mouth and around my neck gagging me, Napoli pulled me fast in a cart. Blindfolded on my stomach, the only thing I could tell was Napoli didn't speak Lowatan. They didn't understand when I called them pigs or privileged fat asses. I stared blindly into the red cloth covering my eyes until sleep threatened, doing my best to stay awake but still failing.

At some point did dreams not worth remembering end, causing me to wake up in the middle of a cellar. A metal rod attached to a collar was tight around my neck, bruises and gashes beginning at the edge of the metal. I sat in the dark, not a single door in sight. My wrists were attached to similar rods with metal cuffs on each wall. I couldn't turn around to look at the wall behind me, or stand up. I was stuck, counting bricks on the wall again and again and again.

Nala

I rode down a forest path with large slabs of cement, many many other horses and soldiers following me. It had to be around four in the morning, a few hours until sunrise. I had a vague idea of where I was going, following a map with a road called nine-five. It supposedly ran from south of Napoli farming fields to the River Clan north of here. I couldn't help but wonder what sort of contraption Elliot had put Torra in. Some metal collar too tight, hanging from his ankles upside down. Just for a second, did the thought that Torra was dead cross my mind. With natural tendencies, I replaced the thought with something else, something random.

I liked the horse I was riding. A cloud roughly shaped like an apple. The armor I was wearing wasn't comfortable but looked freaking badass. My face was bare, riding into battle without war paint. That was the freaking lamest thing ever. I was going into battle with a bare face? That was stupid.

I decided I would stick with natural blood splatter after watching a bear eat a fish. I continued riding down the nine-five, following it carefully until coming to the tree that twisted around another. "Heal!" I yelled, pulling at the reins of the horse. It stopped, many horses behind my own. "We should only be a few minutes from Napoli. Stay down. Everyone quiet. Weapons hot." I said, loud enough for only my army to hear, maybe someone in the woods, if there were anyone. I turned the horse to walk into Napoli territory, marked by eight circles with an 'x' through it. I laid low on my horse, trying not to be a target nine feet tall. Many soldiers copied. Andi and Sasha had there horses among the soldiers, trying to divert attention from them.

I stopped my horse again. Whispering 'stop' loud enough for people to hear, and for the message to be passed. I jumped off my horse, whispering to the riders in front of me. "Scouts. Go." I whispered, referring to the people meant to tell archers to fire. Two people crept along either tree line surrounding Napoli, instructing my archers to kill.

Soon, guards crumbled to the ground in a small victory for Lanca. The sun was beginning to rise, casting long dark shadows of the Napoli palace and all other masses. People finally started waking, roosters crowing and dogs barking as their day started, one bound to be filled with death. As Napoli guards became unable to fulfill their duties, people began yelling and screaming at the fresh corpse.

Elliot waltzed onto the balcony with a teacup and saucer, wearing a robe and silk pajamas, like always. Anyone would think his routine would change after ten years. Elliot quite retreated back into his room and geared up with armor and weapons. My soldiers were already infiltrating the palace and destroying all ammo while everyone was distracted. Guns were now useless, and more bullets couldn't be made in time.

I stayed outside of the main Napoli area while Elliot had warriors assemble, the small size of his army almost laughable. I could take the entire army right now.