A War Of Traitors( ARTK, Book 2)

Chapter 79

Juhna 16th, 3329 A.G

Nara held her stomach. After over a month of tense exchanges it was finally happening- and they would go over the plan only once more before setting it in motion. She'd called her entire council- Tuyon, Renard, Andre, Imania, Maude and Ysmen, because she'd need every available mind.  What happened that afternoon would be a prominent part of her legacy- a story told for centuries to come even once people had long since forgotten the names of her warriors.

  She stood at the head of the table, voice caught in her throat as she remembered a conversation with her father. He was an evil man. That would never be denied- but whether she wanted to admit it or not, he'd often given decent advice when it came to violent things.

  "What do you know of Cralon's great siege?" He'd asked an eleven year old Nara over breakfast. She'd stabbed the sausage she was eating then and took another bite before answering.

  "House Ourri was... the first place Lord Tobias and his Ally's went when they docked at their shores. No one thought their army was large enough to fight and win, though it wasn't insignificant at the time. They'd heard of Lord Tobias's war on the other continents and prepared by requiring a boy from each family- or two boys in family's with more than three children, to join it. That siege was the longest of the Great War, lasting three months. The Ourri's have always had extraordinary farms within their walls, so they could have gone much longer if it weren't for the Lord Ourri's son  Enjorran from his first wife-  Helena Otes. He loved his second wife more, and so when she asked for him to name their infant Sagard the heir- he agreed.  Enjorran was so furious at being cheated out of his birthright all those years ago that, three months after Lord Tobias came- he snuck out and went to him. We don't know exactly what was said in that conversation, only that Enjorran offered an alliance  and the death of his father if he were allowed to keep his birthright and become the first commanding lord of Cralon- and members of his family he saw as innocents were not harmed. Lord Tobias agreed to this.... and Enjorran always claimed it was an accident, but both his mother and young brother were killed too."

  "You've certainly done your reading-" Her father had chuckled. "A woman cannot be the heir to House Ashhand, but you will make a fine advisor for any son you bear. Tell me- do you believe Enjorran meant to kill his brother?"

  "I think it's possible that he got in the way. That perhaps.... when Enjorran went for their father he stepped in front of an arrow, and the mother threw herself in front of both of them. Or perhaps he did it on purpose and-"

  "Aimed for the mother first, and the Lord Ourri threw himself in front of Helena." Her father had interrupted.  "It is true that we'll never know what happened in that room, but we can still learn one thing from it: A true leader always does what is neccesary to secure their kingdoms, even if that means the deaths of people they- deep down, care for."

Now, Nara would do whatever was necessary to secure hers. There was a chance that one or two of her soldiers would die, but compared to Lord Alymere she had so many that it didn't matter.

  "Imania and Ysmen-  you will be left at the army house with a guard of thirty while this happens. Both of you are far too valuable to lose. My giants will take no part in breaching the walls. They would be useful..... but they're too loud." Nara started. "They will stand behind my husband, Andre and Maude at the main gate. You three will command the Narenian, Kaelesi, Old Westwend, and Snowbush soldiers together. Tuyon and I will take all nine hundred of House Ashhand's guard through the woods and have as many as we can flatten against the wall- but with how much the towers obscure other wall's views of that one, and it being away from commoner's homes- our archers  in the woods should be able to take out those on the wall before anyone notices. Once many of us are in, we will begin killing any Alymere soldier we can find. Then.... we will let the rest of the army in and Lord Emerson will be forced to surrender or die."

Deep down, each at the table knew it was no choice for him. He'd made that very clear.

Imania clutched at her stomach. She was far off from having her child still, but the stress of the past weeks had begun to give her false labor pains, and though she tried there was nothing Ysmen had been able to do about it. She'd pushed through, not wanting to distract her husband- but they'd been very intense that time.

  "Are you-"

"I'm fine." She answered quickly. "Just... slight cramping."

  Andre didn't appear to believe it for a moment, but his attention was quickly drawn away.

  Nara walked around the table, thinking of the child in Imania then. Having a parent consumed by violence did things to a person- no matter how kind they were to those they loved, but Andre's need for revenge was something she could use to keep hold of him... and the Narenian men and and women that were more or less his.

  "I will ask this... only once more. " Nara paused. "Killing someone you love will change you. Are you sure you want to do this?"

  He wasn't, but he was in too deep now to back out.

  "Of course."  He nodded, knots forming in his own stomach. "It may.... change me, but my promise has not changed. I will remain loyal to my king and queen- as will my soldiers, as long as you keep the promise that I'll get to put a sword through Tiffan Raynerus's heart when the time comes."