A War Of Traitors( ARTK, Book 2)

Chapter 50

Maux 29th, 3329 A.G

The barrel bombs were there and ready to be used- though Nara and her council would have preferred to save them for another battle. She looked back at the wagons for only a moment, remembering the hell it'd been to make them.

There were two accidents, though no one had been hurt in either. The new design was only slightly different; smaller barrels with Ibergerry root more tightly packed, which made it even more deadly. In theory, they would also do far more damage to buildings than what Maude had done in Sharean.

Her first battle had changed her too, but Nara could not allow herself to think of how another would affect the girl. Despite her age, she was a great warrior- and Nara needed her as Sana needed Helain and Ammio.

"It could be a trick." Sana shook her head. "She gets you two down there, and then what? She'll have her soldiers seize you for torture or kill you herself."

"My lady...... respectfully, I do not think she will. It's you she wants to torture the most. She's intelligent enough to know that if she captures us down there, you will retreat inside the walls and we'll probably be stuck in this siege for months." Ammio replied, glancing towards edun. "She will not treat your king with.... kindness either. Would it not be better for us to go down there and see what she has to say?"

  "I do not have a death wish-" Helain began to argue.

  "So you're a coward then?" Ammio raised an eyebrow. "We are both old. If it's the will of the gods for us to die today, we-"

  "We will." Helain closed his eyes for a moment. "Fine."

  Both looked towards their queen and king then. Sana gave in, slowly nodding. Better them than me- she thought.

  Helain and Ammio were out of Nara's line of sight for only a moment after entering the main gate's tower.  Not long after, the gates began to open.

  Nara stepped back some, not breaking eye contact once after she saw them on the ground. Their walk was slow, but it did not matter. They still reached her in less than ten moments, Ammio bolder than Helain then.

  "We have complied with your request, so let's not waste time. What is it you want?" She asked, heart beating so hard she could hear it. The woman in front of her was nearly four decades younger- but she'd never been so terrified of anyone. Whether the words she'd spoken made her brave or a fool, she could not say.

"My fight isn't with either of you." Nara said. "Your minds are likely useful. If Lady Sana presents herself for execution and you two declare me your queen- you will be spared. If not, you will die."

  Helain shook his head, giving an answer.

  "We will not." Ammio spoke. "Betray our queen, we mean. We will always be loyal to the ruler of House Tomhend..... and you are not her. You're no better than your father."

Nara's right hand, already lingering over her sword- tightened. "That's a shame. I've heard some great things about both of you.  I grew up knowing you almost as a grandmother figure, Ammio. Now run along back to your lady before I kill you here and now."

  They did not have to be told twice. Like children, both ran back to the safety of walls. Nara turned around to put some space between her and them. Once she faced them again, the gates were just being closed. She looked up at those stationed on the walls. This would only work if, deep down- they already felt a calling to their true queen.

  She had to try. It was the easiest and only way to shed no blood but of those who truly betrayed her.

  Some of those on wall duty were younger than her, closer to Maude's age. They could be easily manipulated, so it was not them she worried of. She walked back and forth as she spoke, looking only into the eyes of the elder men.