Lions of Men

Chapter 33

Allista stood rigidly, not taking her eyes off the queen. Kiherah couldn't imagine what she had to hide. Allista whispered in Cashem's ear, and he disappeared into the other room. Moments later, he returned with a stack of parchments in hand and gave them to his mother, who then presented them to Shamarah.

"What is this?" she asked, flipping through the scrolls.

"What you hold in your hands are letters from detractors of our cause. There are some who are not so enthusiastic about our hosting the Assembly of Saints festival. They make threats of retaliation should we go through with it."

Shamarah sifted through the letters. "I recognize most of these names; names which are of great renown throughout Laynemarah." The queen froze when she read one of the names, and she peered at Allista, shaking her head. "Kiherah," she said gravely and handed a few of the letters to her daughter-in-law.

Kiherah studied Shamarah's face, and her pulse began to race. She feverishly lip-read through the scrolls and glanced up at Allista with a foreboding gaze. "Allista do you know who Chancellor Malisdier is? Not only is he the chief priest of the Holy Court, but he is also a very dangerous man, answerable to the Sovereign Council and Pontiff Meryolis only."

"I am well aware of who our enemies are," Allista said defiantly.

"What concerneth ye some of these accusations?" Kiherah protested, raising her voice in alarm. "Property damage? Looting government materials?"

"Short of hurting anyone, we will do what we must to preserve our land," Allista said.

"What measures have ye taken to ensure your safety at the festival?" Shamarah interrupted.

"Beshlem and his men have seen to our well-being."

"You do comprehend that there will be thousands of people attending this event?" Kiherah remarked. "You will safeguard Kyros with only fifty men?"

"Wherefore did ye not speak of this matter on the road, Beshlem?" Shamarah inquired. "I could have arranged for my own men to assist us."

Beshlem glanced at Allista awkwardly, and her eyes widened in alarm.

"Thank you, your Grace," she said. "You have done so much already to pave the way for us. Without your support, this festival would have never happened. We wouldn't dream of asking you to do more."

"What do ye speak of?" Shamarah yelled. "Your lives are in danger!"

"God will protect us," Allista said. "He's already brought us this far."

"Are you willing to gamble the lives of innocent people on that?"

Allista's eyes averted to the ground.

"Well I'm not," Shamarah said. "These are my people, and it is my sworn duty to protect them."

"With respect, your Majesty, this is precisely why I chose not to divulge any of this to you," Beshlem confessed. "Getting more people involved will not only place us in greater danger but could also compromise our operations."

"What operations?" Kiherah said.

"We're more than just villagers, your Highness," Allista said. "Kyros is our home, and we made an oath to protect her, no matter the cost."

"So you're spies," Shamarah replied. "You're spying on your people."

"Nay, we're protecting our families."

"How noble of you," the queen retorted. "Heed my words. You have no idea what the Fellowship Regime is capable of."

"We are not afraid of death," Beshlem said.