A War Of Traitors( ARTK, Book 2)

Chapter 49

Maux 29th, 3329 A.G

  It took less than sixty moments for Renard to find Nara in the woods, at the clearing she'd told him of. It was a beautiful place, where the branches overhead caught snow and left the green grasses and plants visible- but they did not have time to stay.

  "Lady Sana has refused the offer of surrender." Renard informed Nara. "I know you will not spare her life, but perhaps-"

  "Perhaps what?" Nara interrupted. "I could spare the advisors?"

  Then, it was Nara laughing.

  "I was going to say perhaps you can give them quick deaths." Renard shrugged. "Anything they've done was under her orders. Otherwise.... They may have remained loyal to you."

  "They wouldn't have-" Nara shifted on her horse. "But I will not argue right now. There are more important things to deal with."

She turned to her giants, speaking louder than before. "Uvoq."

Without question, they began to follow.

Nara forced her horse into a slow trot , Renard and the four Kroban guard who'd been with her following  a moment later.

  Before they reached the treeline, Nara and Renard were riding side by side- a pair to be feared.

  Adjustable armor had been exorbitant, but to Nara it was worth it. Now her soldiers would have full armor sets, useable for many years to come if they did not somehow manage to become fat. Hers had the seal of House Ashhand on it's breastplate- while Renard's had House Vraemore and Ashhand's. Both had helmets, but neither liked the way it slightly obscured their vision- so they and most of the soldiers had left them in their bags. Nara's curls were  pinned up and slicked back enough not to be pulled on during a battle, and Renard's had been cut shorter.

They rode through their gathering of soldiers until at the front, staring Sana and her people down. It took everything in Nara not to break and immediately begin loosing arrows into Sana's face, but she did somehow refrain. Sana would get what she deserved in time.

Nara dismounted her horse then, turning to the Ceaw and Wiloow. "Auyoq cav."

  The third giant she'd gained control over was nearly twice the size of even Ceaw, making her feel like a child again- and she was not fool. Arrows could wedge under armor if shot at the right angles. Nara did not intend to get one stuck in her ribs. "Ceaw ryfen Wiloow- Auyoq Cav. Mooa- Uvoq ara adafa."
(Ceaw and Wiloow- stand here. You- walk with me.)

  As commanded, Ceaw and Wiloow stood exactly where Nara stopped. She moved her bow from the left shoulder to hand while Sana gulped. Her other archers took this as a signal- before she put a a hand up to stop them. Quickly, they lowered their bows.

  When she took a step forward, it was Tuyon who reached forward to grab her arm. Nara immediately snatched it away- Tuyon was loyal, but being touched by people was an annoyance.

  "My queen-" He began, his voice barely above a whisper and mouth covered so those on the wall could not understand his words. "I do not know what you've planned, but I must advise against... getting closer to those walls. They may have crafted barrel bombs of their own. Not many, with the amount of coin they have- but enough to do some damage."

  Nara slowly turned her head towards him. "If they had even a shred of common sense and barrel bombs, they would have placed men along the treeline. But.... All of us still have each of our limbs, so I will assume they did not think far ahead enough to make such weapons. Now, if you'll excuse me-"

  She heard him say something else, though her back was already turned. She looked straight up at Sana as she got closer, surprised the girl did not order her men to loose arrows. She truly was a coward-

Nara stopped close enough to the gate that she had to strain her neck- but far away enough to make the angle difficult for any archers. For a long time, nothing happened. Nara stared, Sana stared- and both thought of ways to kill one another.

  As always, Nara's thoughts were far more brutal.

The last king hadn't tortured people often; she knew from Kroban books- but when he did it was with traitors and the ways made Nara look like a child. Even his enemies admitted that Kroban lords and people never would have betrayed him in the war- and that was how it needed to be with her.

  As a woman, Nara could not always afford to be merciful.

  And so when she laughed- Sana finally knew. She had to die now. She glanced sideways, towards one of her few archers- who was hesitant to raise his bow.

  "What are you waiting for?" Sana's head snapped sideways at his apparent refusal. "Kill her! Kill her now!!"

  The archer took a deep breath and finally loosed an arrow towards Nara. At the last moment she stepped out of the way- and his arrow stuck into into the snow near her foot. She laughed again.

  "I will forgive you just this one because of how embarrassing that aim is." Nara said, looking at the archer. "Oh Sana, how did we get here? Wait- don't answer that. It will only make things worse for yourself, and it is difficult to hear from down here. Why don't you send your advisors out so we may talk face to face?"

  Sana was not a complete fool. She knew they could hear each other well enough from where they were, but perhaps she'd be more likely to negotiate with former advisors to her grandparents.

Andre moved closer to Renard then, the same look on his face as when they'd first met on his trade ship.  "Shall we make a wager?"

  "A wager?" Renard frowned, confused.

  "On who will survive the day." Andre shrugged.  "One of them must go."

Renard looked down at his boots. One way or another- both knew it would be Sana. "Yes- one must.... and it will not be my wife."