The Gazelle (A Rapunzel Retelling)

Chapter 4

As Humban entered the war council room, the doors were bolted closed behind him. Two palace guards clad in grey tunics and armed with spears stepped in front of it.

Humban wouldn't put it past the Dahali to intrude, and it seemed like one of the other army leaders agreed with him.

Supreme General Ishushinak nodded at the guards before meeting Humban's eyes. A smile flickered over his face, mostly hidden by the bushy beard that fell midway down his chest. "Good to see you, General."

The room fell silent. Every eye in the room swivelled to Humban.

It was unheard of for a man to work himself up to Humban's ranking by his age. His paranoia was legendary, and nobody could understand why he'd rather rough it out with his troops than be coddled by Yasa Palace and its luxury.

All those things made him a spectacle.

"Sit down, General, so we can start this meeting," said Ishushinak.

Humban claimed the nearest empty chair, ignoring the stares.

The grey wolf at the centre bared his fangs to welcome Humban to the table, a beast in mosaic form. The oil lamps arranged over his face glinted off the blades of the swords, axes, spears and arrows arranged on the walls.

Nowhere else in the palace were the walls bare of depictions of kings' victories. These were built to contain secrets. It was fitting that they weren't beautiful.

The lamps' light illuminated the men's faces and cast shadows over their hollows. They reminded Humban of his soldiers sitting and joking around the campfire, but they were as serious as the matters they had to discuss.

"The Amaluans are moving west. We have reason to think they are heading for our city." Ishushinak's gaze swept across the room.

His dark eyes met Humban's. The look within them sent a jolt through the General.

His blood ran cold. This was the Amaluans' most decisive move for years. Their last attempted conquest didn't go well for them, but Gilgar had suffered many more losses than they had.

"And what is that reason?" asked Napir, one of the King's advisors.

"They have decimated two of our easternmost cities. It's clear where their path of destruction leads."

A series of exclamations arose at Ishushinak's words.

"Pirat and Olan?"

"Must be!"

Humban shook his head to himself.

Amalu's military might was unprecedented. They were a plague spreading over smaller, weaker kingdoms. It was a miracle that Gilgar had lasted this long, but they may not be so fortunate the next time Amalu attacked.

They had already captured two Gilgarian cities before the army could gather their forces to fight back. For all Humban knew, they would be at Yasa's gates by the time this meeting ended.

It was a terrifying thought.

Humban raised his voice above the others. "We must stop them. We won't be able to fight them off if they breach the city."

The room quietened.

King Catru, who had been sitting so silently at the head of the table that Humban hadn't noticed him, spoke from the shadow of the Supreme General standing beside him. "What do you propose?"

"We should ambush them before they reach Yasa." Tirutir, a captain of the army, leaned forward. His beady eyes shone.

How could he take any delight in the thought of death? For Humban, it was something that had to be done for his people, not something he drew pleasure from.