Artie and Kir came up with a new name for him and a new backstop. One that the King himself will have to deal with. At least if he wants to understand what their new creation is.
"Are you ready?" Artie asked Dav.
"As I'll ever be," he replied.
The doors to the King's quarter opened. He was staring down at a map on the table. His advisors circled around. Guards on the outer walls.. When the doors closed behind the Grisha, the King looked up.
"If it isn't the Ravkan traitors," he spits. "Come to gloat over the fear you plunged our country into?"
"We're here to help," Artie said.
"You've done enough. Seize them."
The guards moved forward. Artie put up her hands in defense. They stopped, waiting for orders to continue.
"Hear us out," Artie said. When the King didn't demand their arrest, she continued. "Kir is dead."
A wave of whispers fill the room.
"What do you mean?" the King demands. "He's standing in front of us!"
"I'm his son," Dav spoke.
The King's gaze snaps to me. "What tricks are you playing?"
"None," Artie snapped. "If you don't believe us, then by all means, have a dark curtain tearing your country apart for years."
She turned to go, hoping that they would be able to walk away without a fight. Sadly, two guards stepped in front of the door. Maybe this wasn't the best idea… Marei should've been the one to come up with the plan.
"Can he do what Kir could?" the King lightly spoke.
Artie turned back to face the leaders.
"I can," Dav said. "But I'm not here to be defined by my fathers mistakes."
"I don't believe this, sir," one of the King's advisors said.
"It's true," Artie interjected. Maybe if the King's advisors didn't believe Dav, they may believe her. "My husband- dead husband- he was a heretic." She felt Dav's gaze, but she ignored it as the King hung on each word she said. "If I knew what he was planning, I would've stopped him. But we have a new opportunity to fix this. I implore you to take it, Highness."
The King looked at Artie. The wheels turned in his head. This was the best option they had. Surely he wouldn't waste the lives of his dear people, but the lives of Grisha? He'd gladly get rid of them.
"And you can tear it down?" the King clarified.
"I need to go in first," Dav answered. "Assess the damage."
"What do you need?"
"We'll need volunteers."
"I presume you need Grisha volunteers?" the same untrusting advisor asks.
"Yes. They would have more understanding of things."
The King looks between his advisors. Neither one showed what they were thinking. Others avoided the King's gaze fully.
"Take who you need," the King finally settles on. "Just fix this!"
Dav and Artie bowed their goodbyes. Having an army to find before the sun sets.
YOU ARE READING
A Love Like No Other
FanfictionA story of love and betrayal. A story between a girl who goes by multiple names, almost forgetting her real one, while trying to escape the fears of being different. One day, a boy shows up at a Grisha camp and they soon become friends. Cursed with...
