THE BLOOD ROYALS Book 2: Long Live The Queen!

Chapter Eight: The Dark Army

Sain Neane
Prince Relian's POV
"Should I call you interim General?"

"Your grace. I wasn't expecting any company." I extended my hand to the Duke. He shook it with a small smile. "Why would you call me interim General?"

"Your father is moving you from one base to another. It's either you're that skilled or incompetent."

"Isn't it too early to be taking low jabs your grace?"

"It takes a treasonous General to get the crown to visit our pocket of the world. Delightful."

Rowan is the king of sarcasm, dark humour and untamed rage. He unsettles me even with just his look. But I haven't forgotten what Adan said. It will be in my best interests to secure friendship with him.

"The weather is unforgiving."

"Sometimes."

"Mostly." I disagreed. "But of course you would know better, right?"

He studied the men running around the base. I got here yesterday and I immediately got to work. I am already getting to know the soldiers in the higher ranks. Unlike the Iron Army, the Dark Army is harder to fit in. I'm an outsider to them and it feels like they are hiding things with their silence and feigned loyalty. I don't feel safe here and I don't trust any man in this base.

Every Army has an assigned name because of what they are skilled in or because of something they did somewhere in history.

The Iron Army, which was recently under my control is famed for hand to hand combat. They are skilled in the use of knives  and swords like nothing I have ever seen before. Xanth served the Iron Army as I did but I moved to the base in Daa Haan after. In the absence of guns or even any other weapon they are still formidable. They are trained to kill with anything even a pencil. They fight exceptionally well as a unit and even when it's one on one, it's a fight to the death because they are relentless.

The Dark Army is called so not just because of their proficiency to use darkness against their enemies but because of a war that happened between Saine Neane and the Chrystal Isles many years ago. The Chrystal Isles wasn't always part of Chea Niva. It was subdued and forced to be part of Chea Niva. My grandmother's marriage to my grandfather was a way to solidify the Union between the Chrystal Isles and Chea Niva. So far, it has been peaceful. It is the Dark Army that faced the Silver Fleet of the Chrystal Isles and they broke through and won. Saine Neane secretly boasts of subduing the Chrystal Isles. The dangerous narrow ice road is not the only separation these two places have. There is deep seated tension that remains unspoken. Their next Victory was in Cray Thera. The death toll there was much higher. In short, the Iron Army is relentless to the last breath but the Dark Army is fierce with death being the only surrender they accept. In my opinion, they rank as the toughest army. I did not train in Saine Neane.

The Silver Fleet from the Chrystal Isles is part of the dual navy that belongs to Chea Niva. They refused to merge with the Elite fleet from Daa Haan. As part of the terms to join Chea Niva and end the Ice War, they demanded to keep an independent navy and not merge with Daa Haan's navy. It was accepted but the king is the one to assign an Admiral who is not from the Chrystal Isles. That is Admiral Arden. I have never trusted the man even if I did train under him for a time. The Silver Fleet has mastered camouflage in the ice.  They have mastered naval war craft better than Daa Haan. It's notable that like the Dark Army, this freezing unforgiving weather is not a hindrance to anything. They adapt and they even use it as an armor.

The Elite Fleet are more skilled in underwater warfare. I didn't enjoy being stuck in a submarine in the deep waters of Daa Haan. I didn't enjoy the silence with only the creaking of the metal tube under immense water pressure. I hated it and the day I was done, I never looked back. The Elite fleet does not boast of any wars, but it is known for the rigorous training meant to break trainees. If you've survived Admiral Cormac, you'll survive anywhere.