Our Time Bomb

Chapter 62 -

Jefferson's Pov

I suppose I am wondering if coming here was really a good idea, thousands of soldiers and villagers are gathering in formation in the wide open plains. In the distance, you can see the palace grounds, separated from the rest of the district. The clouds in the sky are dark and a bit heavy looking, like they might decide to pour down on us. There is tension in the air as people are arriving every minute to the plains from all across the district. I watch eagerly for my wife to arrive, but I don't know if I'll ever find her in this mess of disorganization. 

I don't know if this is even going to work, the king has an army I don't know much about, and they probably know where we are and what we're planning to do. He could just as easily release another gas attack on us and end it all. 

Suddenly I see them coming marching up the plains, coming into view... The king's army. Everyone begins to yell and scramble about. I turn to a couple of my generals, "quickly, we need formation, organization; gather your squadrons and perhaps the villagers will follow."

"Yes sir." they rush away with haste. I turn to the few hundred gathered close around me, I stand above them on a boulder. I yell with all the vocal strength I own so they can hear me above the noise. "Get yourselves into formation! Move, now! We need organization. Any of you with melee weapons, front lines immediately. Form a barricade for the long ranged weapons in the secondary lines. From what I know, the king's army is mostly melee."

To my surprise, everyone seems to hear me and they obey right away. 

I turn back to the King's army, they are approaching, appearing to look like an army of black ants. Their numbers are more than I would ever have imagined. 

When perhaps two hundred yards away, the army stops and out in front rides the King toward us. He is actually going to fight us? I almost smirk to myself at his tiny figure that looks like it could be blown away by the wind at any given second. Beside him is his little Queen who looks all the more like a paper doll in delicateness. I walk out to meet the King and we come face to face to half way between our armies. 

He slides down off his horse, "hello... Captain." he smirks. 

"your majesty." I nod rather in a calm but not submissive manner. 

"That is quite the... mess you got there, you really think you can beat my prestigious army with it?"

"Well given that you have tried to brutally murder most of our population, I think that none of us are in our right minds. Why would you do it? what in you would ever want to kill so many thousands of people?"

"that's for me to know and you to never find out because you'll be dead. Now tell me, where is your friend, er-wife? Has Shadow Nation abandoned you now to fight this battle alone? I would not be surprised." 

Suddenly a hand is on my shoulder, I look down to Erika, exhaling with relief.

"No, she's very damn well here, and she wants to see your head severed from your body." Her voice is icy cold and brimming with hatred. 

"oh, that's her is it?" the King laughs though i sense a little nervousness in his cackle, "I suppose I expected her to look a little more... like a leader?" 

"Well excuse me, but I nearly died last night, I apologize for looking like it." She snaps, "can we start this thing now so I can kill  you already?"

He nods and turns away, "as you wish."

As the king begins riding back to his army, the queen lingers just a moment. Her wild eyes make contact with mine. She begins to turn away as well but as she does so, she drops her arm to her side and opens her hand, something falls to the ground beside her horse. Then she leaves and submissively follows her husband.