The Kingship

Chapter 7

It was probably the stupidest plan I had ever come up with but I really didn't have any better ideas. The only plan I could come up with was to go back to Millcou, rally the people (weak as they might be but perhaps with enough hatred for Nociv that they could find the strength to fight for me), march up to the Ice Palace and take Nociv down. Worst case scenario: no one would fight for me but I would still take on my brother alone and perhaps go down in history for trying to stand up to Nociv in the first place. There was one little aspect that I kept to myself: I didn't want to kill my brother even though he deserved it and I would probably have to do it in the middle of a battle anyways. If I did end up killing him in battle, my conscience would certainly be happier with me than if I was to merely execute him. On the other hand, I already hated him so much anyways that I was ready to run a sword right through him no matter what the circumstance so I might just do that anyways.

Instead of the council of the clan of the snowbirds finding fault with my plan, they agreed that it was the best and only thing to do and promised to support me in it. In fact, the chieftain immediately offered the best of his warriors to help fight with us and would send messengers to Batlo, and Malas (the other island homes of the Snow People) to send the best of their warriors to fight for me. Of course, I accepted the offer. The snow people of all the beings in the Snow Islands were the most devoted to me at the moment.

"If I may also make one last request." I said carefully knowing I was about to tread on thin ice. "Valentia, has become as dear to me as a sister and has made known that she will support me in doing the right thing. I wish for her to leave for Millcou with myself immediately. It's my belief that she knows things that will very much help me and my cause."

"Only on two conditions." The chieftain said quickly. "You must not engage in battle until the other snow people and men of your own island come to fight with you. And Valentia must not be a part of the battle itself."

"I give you my word that we will not engage the enemy and that Valentia will not be among those fighting for us. If I had a daughter of my own and someone had asked me that she come along for some battle, I would ask the same of them."

Not sure where that came from but it's true. The thought of a daughter of my own in a battle gave me a sick feeling. That would be an easy place for her to be killed. I already lost my mother and I almost went mad with grief, how much more would I go insane with grief if I was to lose a child, son or daughter, of my own. What do kids of my own have to do with this considering I don't want any lest they go through what I did? I don't even think I would make all that great of a father considering the example I had had in my life.

Those musings aren't relevant. Valentia and I left the clan of the snowbirds in less than an hour and made for the same harbor that I thought was to be one of the last ports of the Snow Islands I would ever have to travel through. We took a ship that would take us straight back to Millcou so that I wouldn't have the chance to chicken out and get a ship headed back to Millween or another country before the journey was at an end.

"Llama," Valentia said as we stood on the deck watching the coastline of Millween fall away. "You told the council that you believed I could tell you things that will help you. Is that true?"

"Yes, Valentia. I would honestly rather hear all this information coming from you than anyone else but what tale do they tell of my disappearance or death? I don't recall having ever heard of one."

"It was a tale that Nociv made up, I doubt not. He had scribes assemble at the Great Snow Plain so that it would be written down and spread throughout the islands and heaven knows where else! He claimed that your Mother had been poisoned-"