The King's Gilded Warrior || Wattys 2023

CHAPTER ONE

"You would send us all to slaughter! Only more blood and death awaits us. We cannot win," Chief Rolan bellowed, his massive, beefy hands crashing down on the rickety war table. The worn wood creaked under the force of his frustration. Spread upon it was a large map of Harleath, where the image of their once sprawling and plentiful borders now bore the scars of the fallen and the relentless advance of their enemy.

"Hold your tongue, Rolan. I will no longer tolerate your cowardice," Efrun retorted, her frown deepening as she deftly twirled a shiny dagger in the palm of her hand. Her face, full and bronzed by the sun's caress, held an air of determination. Shaven on the right side, her scalp revealed the six raised skin lines that were proudly shared by most Cantie women.

"I am no coward. No man or woman with Beflui blood coursing through their veins can be accused of such," Rolan argued, his eyes darting around the room, silently pleading for understanding. His fear was palpable, his voice tinged with desperation. "How many more of us must die? We are losing this war, and I refuse to witness my people's downfall, like the tragic fate of the Entwa."

Lyra cast her gaze upon the remnants of Harleath's once formidable villages, now reduced to mere fragments of their former strength. The survivors clung to their tenuous existence by a thread, their resolve diminished. They stood as a ragtag assembly of rebellion fighters, outnumbered and outmatched. Yet Lyra knew in her heart that to halt their advance would render all their sacrifices meaningless.

"What kind of life do you envision if we were to cease our fight now? The Entwa, the mightiest among us, were mercilessly cut down in less than two days! We have not crumbled because we stood united. If we yield now, all the sacrifices made by our people will be in vain," Lyra declared, her voice steady and resolute. She locked eyes with the four remaining Chiefs, urging them to understand the gravity of their situation.

"Lyra speaks the truth," Chief Mone affirmed, his weary breaths betraying the exhaustion etched upon his face from his battle-worn body. His son, Mula, swiftly moved to assist him, their determination interwoven. "I know not how much sand remains in the hourglass of my life, but I will continue to fight for our people. The Monta will stand shoulder to shoulder with Chief Lyra and the Werlayli, for they are the sole reasons that we endure."

"The Cantie shall follow suit, whether in battle or in martyrdom! We shall not surrender!" Efrun proclaimed, pounding her chest with defiance.

Rolan sighed, a mixture of resignation and determination shaping his features. Rising from his seat, he spoke with solemn resolve, "Then, if it comes to that, the Beflui shall join the ranks of the brave and fight alongside you."

"It's settled then we will move forward with the attack on their base and myself and my team will sneak aboard his ship and land the ending blow while the rest of you remain on land and continue the fight. We leave midday to make sure all your men and women are prepared." Lyra says and then turns and leaves the room.

"It's settled then. We will move forward with the attack on their base, and my team and I will sneak aboard his ship to deliver the final blow. The rest of you will remain on land and continue the fight. We leave at midday to ensure everyone is prepared," Lyra declared before turning and exiting the room. Her voice carried a mix of determination and a hint of apprehension, the weight of their mission settling heavily on her shoulders.

The morning air greeted her with its cool and damp embrace as she traversed through her villages. Her flushed brown skin contrasted against the mist, and she made her way to her home where Jaxon and Cael awaited her return. As the chief of her tribe, she carried the weight of preparing her people for battle, but beneath her confident facade, there flickered a touch of vulnerability. Informing her trusted advisor and closest friends of the decision that had just been made was an essential task, yet she couldn't help but wonder if she was leading them all into a storm they couldn't weather.