Crowns And The Nine Kingdoms

Chapter 15 - The Red Draught

From the arid lands of the third kingdom, King Darius Rhodo returned home, accompanied by his wife and the harens, leading three hundred strong and battle-hardened men. They marched under the blazing sun, their armor glinting with the colors of fire, newly forged by the blacksmiths in the pyramids of Rhodo. These men, once soldiers of the Sun, had now transformed into the feared Army of the Sand Vipers, their sigils changed from the radiant sun to the deadly viper.

Madam Lynx, crippled but fierce, rolled her wooden wheelchair through the ranks, her voice sharp as she addressed the men. "Will you pledge your loyalty to your new lords!?"

The soldiers slowly raised their wrists in solemn agreement.

"Will you change your sun sigil into a viper!?" Madam Lynx shouted again, her voice echoing through the desert air.

"Revo!!!" The army roared back, their voices powerful and unwavering. "Revo!!!" they shouted, the word reverberating across the desert, as the Army of Arevy cried out for vengeance.

"Vengeance is all we want!!!" Madam Prifterley, another fierce leader, shouted, her voice filled with righteous anger. "Those lands across the bay and the sea!!! They treat us as weak! They say their blood is more sacred than ours!!!"

"Vindicta!!!" Madam Prifterley screamed, and her three hundred men echoed her cry, their thirst for retribution unquenchable.

Meanwhile, in the shadowy throne hall of Castle Rose, Braylon and Vera materialized from the darkness, hidden in the shadows. Vera leaned in close to Braylon, her voice a whisper in his ear. "You will be a king..."

Braylon's mind raced with the promise, but doubt crept in. "Are you the Woman in Black?" he asked, his voice trembling.

"No!! I am your queen!!!" Vera whispered back, her fingers brushing against his face. Before he could respond, she vanished, reappearing silently behind one of the six Valish guards stationed in the throne hall. With swift precision, she slit the guard's throat, disappearing again before his body hit the ground.

As blood gushed from the fallen guard, the remaining five guards panicked, rushing to their comrade's side. But before they could react, another guard collapsed, a pale hand having reached out of the shadows to slit his throat.

The four remaining guards, now terrified, began to back away, their fear evident. But Vera moved with deadly speed, appearing in front of one of the guards, kissing him quickly before slicing his neck open. She vanished again, reappearing between the last two guards, driving her bloody dagger into their necks before they could even scream.

The final guard, panting and terrified, pleaded for his life. "Please! Don't kill me!!" he begged, trembling.

"Where is your king?" Vera asked, her voice cold and commanding.

"They’re at the camps of Voshkai!" the Valish guard stammered.

As the guard finished speaking, Braylon stepped out of the shadows, his presence commanding as he sauntered towards the throne of thorns. He seated himself, the weight of power settling on his shoulders.

"King Braylon!!!" the Valish guard gasped, shocked by the revelation.

"Do you want to remain alive?" Braylon asked, his tone icy.

"Of course, my lord..." the guard replied, bowing and kneeling before the new king.

"Who is your king?" Braylon asked, testing the guard's loyalty.

"Of course, you, my lord!" the guard answered quickly, his loyalty now pledged to Braylon.

Meanwhile, at the second castle in Thorns, amidst the burnt ruins of Voshki and the glittering camps of elves, King Orion stood with Prince Cardon and Princess Lyria, his grandson and granddaughter. In front of King Clemagne and Queen Tucia of the Voshkian elves, King Orion made his proclamation.

"I, the King of the Vale, hereby proclaim myself to be the tentative King and Warden of Castle Rose and Thorns!" King Orion declared, his voice filled with authority.

"You have no right to hold the Thorns!!!" King Clemagne retorted angrily.

"I am the brother and father of your trusted queens! I command all of you to melt down your gold to make weapons and armors!!!" King Orion demanded.

"You cannot use us to protect your own lives!!!" King Clemagne shouted, his anger rising.

"Whoever refuses my command shall walk in thorns! I am doing this for your own safety! What is a king without an army?" King Orion replied, his voice humble yet firm.

Suddenly, the sound of galloping hooves interrupted the tense exchange. "Neigh!!! Neigh!!!" A Valish guard arrived, breathless, his horse covered in sweat.

"My lord!!!" the guard called out urgently. "The King of Thorns is dead!!!"

The elves clammed up, their murmurs of shock and disbelief filling the air.

"Where are my eagles!?" King Orion demanded, his voice filled with urgency.

Back at Castle Rose, Braylon stood amidst the bloody bodies of the fallen guards. He arranged the corpses carefully, their blood pooling on the floor. He then reached for a small bottle containing a dark red draught—the Pastrio Potion.

As the sound of approaching horses grew louder, Braylon uncorked the bottle and drank the red liquid in one gulp. Almost instantly, he collapsed to the ground, his body lifeless, surrounded by the slain guards.

The little bottle fell from his grasp, clinking softly as it hit the floor. Vera appeared once more, retrieving the bottle before vanishing just as the throne hall doors swung open.

"What happened here!?" King Orion’s voice echoed through the hall as he stepped inside, followed by the little Princess Lyria. Her eyes widened in horror, tears streaming down her face as she beheld the gruesome scene before her.