A War Of Traitors( ARTK, Book 2)

Chapter 66

Jono 8th, 3329 A.G

All soldiers had donned their armor for the sole purpose of intimidation- and it was working. Someone had seen them coming, and apparently they'd run fast- because each section of wall and each gate had been manned. One of Nara's youngest soldiers held a peace flag- though it was a trap, and Lord Emerson Alymere was intelligent enough to know it. He stood just behind the main gate with Edolie, ignoring her pleas.

"You cannot go out there." She shook her head. "She will kill you-"

"She won't." He replied. "Not yet at least. She'll take our home far easier if I kneel to her, and she needs me alive for that."

He thought his ears had deceived him when their scout told him Andre had been by her, not protesting as her council talked about a siege. He would still think they had- were his horse not just beside them still. His wife was on his other side, a blank look on her face. The queen's eldest and youngest advisor- and witch, were to her left.

"Emerson-"

"I will stay within range of our archers." He shrugged. "We will not hold House Alymere if we refuse to speak with them. Open the gates."

His command was followed without a second thought. He walked out with twenty guards- ten of which were archers, adding to those who could rain arrows upon Nara from above if she tried anything.

The young queen only laughed as she dismounted her horse- her own bow held tightly and sword sheathed.

For a moment, Lord Emerson wished he'd been smart enough to have his own armor crafted.

Renard, Andre, and Tuyon walked with her- but he could only focus on one. A man he considered his son still- who apparently no longer thought of him as a father.

They met about halfway between the gate and Nara's army- and for a long while he only stared at Andre.

"I raised you." He said through his teeth. "Tell me it is not true. That my scout misheard, or you are somehow deceiving the usurper."

Nara only raised an eyebrow. She'd been called far worse, but she doubted that word had ever come out of his mouth before. Andre said nothing, looking at the ground for a long time. The continent's warm period hadn't officially started yet, but it was close enough that the snow blanket had just started to melt- and so the way lord Emerson shook could only be attributed to anger.

"What have I done to deserve this betrayal?" He saw Andre as a child then, innocent to the ways of the world despite having lived in an army house. Sitting at his table, eating his food, and holding Melba as a baby. He saw the first time the boy picked up a sword, and the second- and the first time he shot an arrow. He did not regret being a father to him, but only that he'd allowed himself to love Andre.

"It doesn't have to be one." Andre insisted, almost pleading. "You could kneel. Save yourself the bloodshed, ensure your own life- and remain as high lord of House Alymere and Narene. Your day to day life would not change at all, and you would get to see your children grow up."

Lord Emerson only glared at him. "You know better. I will never kneel. You may hold command of the Narenian soldiers with you, but those behind my walls and in the army house will remain loyal to me."

Andre shrugged. He'd known exactly what the lord's response would be, but he had to at least try.

The lord was an honorable man who always meant what he said, and long ago he'd told him he'd slit his throat before kneeling to anyone. He gulped, staring into the lord's eyes as he tried to pretend his words did not affect him.

"They'll be loyal to their commander." Andre said. "And they will not fight against their brothers. Most of them, at least."

Lord Emerson said nothing. He only glanced up at his archers, and when one gave their hand signal- asking for permission, he shook his head.

The lord turned to go back to his wife, to the safety of walls.

  Tuyon stepped forward then, loud enough that Lord Emerson turned back around. "You see this as a betrayal- but what I see is someone trying to protect their father by urging them not to be stupid. You know deep down that this is a battle you'll lose.... if you fight it. Your walls may be strong enough to withstand a siege, but even the thickest stone will crumble if we throw enough barrels at it. Those ledges that prevent ladders from being put up are a real shame, otherwise we'd already be inside. Some would die, but more of yours would- and you know that we can afford to lose more people. You may say otherwise, but you know what Andre says about those in the army house is true."

  Lord Emerson was silent for a long moment. "None of you understand honor. What are the words of your greatest enemy? 'A Raynerus does not make threats, we make promises?'- that's right, isn't it? The Alymere words are 'Never Forget, Never Forgive, Never Dishonor.' I will never kneel to an usurper. And if you kill me, my true children will never forget. They will not stop until your heads are on spikes- decorating my walls. Mi'queen. Mi'king."

With that, he turned and walked away. Renard started to draw his sword, but Nara stopped him.

  "He will pay for his words in due time." Nara turned back to her army as they started walking themselves. Something was missing, but she couldn't quite place it until Renard pointed it out. Then, she couldn't help but smile. The girl had just been in front of thousands of people- including Lord Alymere's wall archers, and she'd somehow managed to get away.

  "Where's Maude?"