Blood of deadly fire

King Alistair

Flowers merged into the ground, the hard snap of twigs and branches. Only the rigid breathing came for Nozi. Pushing past the narrowed pathway away from her cell.

Away from her cage that bound her.

Fuck! What use would it be to run. She knew that the path ended near the castle.

When she heard footsteps approach behind her. Instincts kicking in, she spun around, pulling out her blade to whoever had been watching her.

The short figure walked closer to her, his hands raised in surrender.Nozi slowly lowered her blade.

"Why are you following me?" She inquired.

He chuckled slightly.

Weird.

"Well, I could ask you that. What business does a girl like yourself have in such an important place?" He replied

"Im here to have a small chat with the king."Nozi explained.

The man scoffed at her response. "Then why are you roaming outside a prison when we just had a trail?" The man questioned.

"I don't see why I should discuss my reasons with you."

It's best to avoid any unnecessary suspension.

"What's you're name? I might be able to help you." the man suggested.

His dark eyes seemed to stare right into Nozi, looking for an answer, some sort of proof, something that Nozi didn't have but was going to try to get anyway.

"That would be personal information and I have a meeting to attend. It wasn't pleasant getting ambushed by you but since we're already here. Let's not waste any more time." Nozi concluded, turning away from him to continuing on her path.

Before she could register what happened next, her back collided with a tree.

Tree bark stuck to her vest. Eyes wincing from the impact. Hand was tightly gripped her throat.

"You shouldn't turn your back to people."

She didn't have enough time to deal with this. What did this guy want from her?

"If it wasn't for the fact that I told everything about you,Nozi, then I would have seen you like a normal commoner."

"How you did find me?"

All the guards were knocked out so it still be a while before they discovered I was missing. "The king told me to deliver a message to you."

Pressure finally relieved from her neck. Nothing good would come from work with a tyrant king.

"He wishes to make a deal with you."

Marble stone walls covered every square of the entryway.

A small wooden door sat in the centre.

lights shaped like torches on each side of the door, dimly shone despite thel early time. Metal stands preventing it from collapsing

and starting a fire.

Finally, reaching her destination, she stopped abruptly when the door creaked open revealing a room filled with guards around the room.

A tall man stood in front of a throne, covered from head to toe in gold.

He turned his head, nodding towards a guard behind him.

"It is good to see you again, Nozi," he greeted her.

"Come closer." he gestured her over. "Let us talk," he added.

Without saying another word, Nozi closer to the throne.

Her arms folded impatiently across her chest and leaned against the back of her chair, waiting for what he had to say.

''Cut the small talk and tell me why I'm here."

King Alistair smiled slightly. "Fair enough. So. You know how there's been rumours about a war that is to take place between us and the neighering kingdoms" he began.

Nozi nodded in reply as she tried to stay alert for where this conversation was heading.

"Well, they aren't been completely false but the idea that our lands will soon become involved seems plausible. My men have also been told that you would be willing to join the cause." he asked.

Nozi paused.

''So you want me to blackmail me into working for you?'' She questioned.

The king shook his head ''Not exactly.''

She raised an eyebrow signalling him to continue.

''Now. Your job is simple. We're expecting a group from the northern kingdom to be passing through today." He responded.

"We need you on the inside so we could gather intel to prepare ourselves.''

''What do I get out of it?"

King Alistair chuckled dryly at her request.

"Nozi, we have no interest in helping you. You've proven to be more than a nuisance, and it's quite obvious that you're only interested in destruction."

He paused, studying her reaction carefully.

"You seem shocked. Did you think we would let you go that easily?" He questioned.

"No. But if you plan to make me kill for your cause, it won't work. It will only end badly for all us."

The King raised his eyebrows in amusement. "Is that so? Very well then. 'In exchange for your assistance, we'll pay them handsomely and remove all charges against you.''

Something about this left an uneasy feeling.

"I will send someone to accompany you once the meeting is over.", was all he said before leaving her alone.

Neia hated to work with people. Correction, she just hated people in general. Their more likely to hold her down than help with anything.

When she left the building, she spotted someone approaching.

That was fast.

A young dark woman with short hazel locks, smiling lightly at her.

"Are you here for the meeting too?" She asked.

"You might be a bit too late for that."

"Then I'd better get going. I hope we meet again!" With that, they walked away.

Nozi stared after her, confused. She knew she should be suspicious but for some reason, she didn't feel worried at all.

Maybe the fact that they was just a random stranger. Not a threat from the future.