A War Of Traitors( ARTK, Book 2)

Chapter 175+176

Janor 2nd,3330 A.G

With her sword still attached to her hip, dagger in her boot- and a guard to her left Nara sat down in one of Drogo's three rowboats. Unlike most freezing periods snow had not fallen for days and days, but instead a few hours before sunrise. Everything had been covered in a thick layer when Nara woke, and people were still knocking it off. Rowing was difficult in such water, but nothing Ebonians weren't used to.

  The silence was deafening halfway between the shoreline and the harvester- apparently Drogo's boat had once been a trade ship and he hadn't bothered to change it's name, so Nara turned to him.

  The entire time, her Kroban escort stared him down like they'd kill him over one slightly wrong move-and Nara knew they would.

  "Tell me more about your sister Madlen." She commanded. "Frostford isn't an insignificant village, and I usually hear of power shifts quickly. Why don't I know her name well?"

Once again, Drogo smiled. Members of nobility were all so entitled, they tended to forget the world didn't revolve around them- and would likely function better without them.

"We almost always keep our issues to ourselves there. The Alymere's did not know of the power shift until many weeks after. I was never meant to sit in one place. Madlen is a painter, a writer- and so talented with all sorts of instruments. She thrives there, doing all of those things in her free time with her daughter, and I thrive out here. She is....."

  Drogo paused. He did not wish to talk about it; it were painful even now, but the queen had asked. "She is twenty. Her....daughter is ten....  and....they are both the strongest people I know. No one thought either were going to survive the birth so Deuro, a witch and I- with Madlen's permission, tried to do something about it. But none of the teas worked..... nor did the stairs..... I.... Her daughter came far too early and....there was so much blood. They were.... both very sick for a very long time...."

One of Nara's guard's, a man who'd executed at least thirty rapists in his life- leaned over the side of the boat and vomited. Nara pursed her lips together.

"I am...so.....so sorry." Nara gulped. "I did not need to know...that much. But they are...healthy now you said?"

Drogo slowly nodded.

"Good." Nara gulped, staring at the giants she'd commanded to step in one of the rowboats a while ago. She quickly changed the subject. "Are you certain they won't break it?"

"These are stronger than they look." Drogo insisted, patting the space between them. "I'm certain."

  "And the boat itself?" Nara asked. "I can command them to climb up the side slowly all I want, but they cannot help their size....nor the fact that your boat is much older than most of mine-"

"It will be fine." He interrupted, placing a hand over hers. When she snatched it back and frowned, several of her men sat up straighter. "Forgive me... my queen. I forget that isn't a normal gesture in some terri- kingdoms. The harvester was all my company could afford, but we take good care of her. With us, she should last at least a hundred more years."

"Sellswords and their companies rarely last that long." Nara mumbled.

*Extend in editing to describe the giants literally climbing the side of the harvester at Nara's command*

"No...no they don't." Drogo agreed. A silence fell over them again until everyone, including the giants- were on board.

*extend*

Nara stared out at the sea while some of Drogo's men brought the anchor up. The action drilled the pain of Tuyon's betrayal straight through her chest over and over again- knowing she were that much closer to him, and it apparently showed.