Empire of Kingdoms Awakening

Chapter 12

Samuel arrived at Coles as his adrenaline rushed. Prior to arriving, he had sent word to Cole that the summit was complete and he was coming to meet with him. He didn't want to get into too much detail in case the message was intercepted. Too many concerns needed to be addressed. If in the wrong hands Samuels plan could fall apart.

After arriving at the castle, Cole glanced at him with concern. Keeping his comments to himself, he studied Samuel as he panted. "Welcome! The kitchen staff is making us some food. I figured you'd be hungry after your travel and meeting." Samuel's head throbbed as Cole spoke. When the meeting room came into sight, his heart began pounding in his chest.

They seated themselves at the table as a servant entered with stew and ale. The scent of beef and mushrooms swirled through their noses. The smells were savory, but still his stomach turned as the food was set in front of him.

Swirling the spoon, Samuel noticed a pair of eyes watching him from the doorway as it crept in. Her ears pointed upright and twitched every time someone passed by in the hallway. Once seated on the floor next to Cole, her muzzle curled as she smelt the stew exposing her sharp yellow teeth. She looked up to him with her golden eyes as she rested her head onto his lap. He shifted in his seat uncomfortably as Cole ran his fingers across her narrow muzzle. He didn't stop examining Samuel while still carrying the letter. Samuel maintained his silence as he slurped down his stew. Cole's voice was muffled by a roll when he asked him what was on his mind.

Samuel's brow rose at his question. "Well, you could tell me who your little friend is." Samuel wanted a moment to collect himself, as his body still ached from exhaustion. His energy was lacking from the long journey and hasn't gotten much rest. Worried, he felt that Cole would not be accepting of what needed to be discussed.

He looked down at the note then met his eyes once again before offering him a friendly smile. "Xena. You've met her before." Short toned, he was anticipating the detail that Samuels note was lacking. Reaching for his cup, he sighed before speaking again. "What are you really doing here?" He sipped the sweet liquid and his shoulders became less tense.

Samuel shifted his eyes as he stirred the hot stew. He wasn't a big fan of mushrooms but knew he needed to consume something. "The summit left me with a strange feeling about Caster, about Charles." Despite his words being soft, it still seemed as if he was yelling. He didn't want to be overheard by those passing through the halls.

Cole pulled the spoon to his lips. "What do you mean?" The broth rolled down his chin as he spoke with a full mouth. The sight was unpleasant and Samuel didn't try to hide rolling his eyes to his food.

He fidgeted with his cup before responding. "Weapons in the marketplace are not allowed. It makes sense, but why do they need weapons that are clearly for combat and not for hunting and protection from the creatures?" Cole nodded as he pet Xena, causing her to whine in approval.

"Nowhere is faultless." Truth resonated in his words as he spoke. "Everyone has their own agendas." The thought that Cole was aware of the potential dangers made Samuel feel more uneasy than he had initially. He was the one who found the purpose behind every action. He began to shake his foot in restlessness.

"The best thing we can do is train our people. We don't know what's to come." His words stunned Cole, causing his eyes to widen as he pulled back. Samuel wasn't one to prepare and tended to go with what he was faced with. They were opposites in that way.

While Cole was a passive person, he viewed Samuel as family and trusted his decision. "There's always a way around violence, but if this is what you feel needs to be done, we will do it as a team." His voice was hesitant as servants entered to refill their cups and gather the dishes.