Fated Enemies

Chapter 41 - Peace or War?

Morgaine, Flavius, and Rufus we're together inside the later one's tent, they were discussing the next step, when the voice of a man sounded from the outside, asking permission to get inside, Rufus gave the authorization and they were surprised by a tall man, maybe taller than the three people gathered there, skinny as if only had its bones under the skin, he was pale as if the sun never had touched his face, his beard wanted to grow and hadn't been shaved that day it presented itself with a grey color as was his hair, but the distinct feature in him were the dull blue eyes as if he was always annoyed with everything.

"Speak, Harvey!" Ordered Morgaine, as soon as he salutes them, he was a vampire so, under her rule, she gave the orders because of that.

"The scouts found out a team of riders coming this way, with Queen Alexa and Prince Edwin at its head, twelve riders, and they are bearing a white flag. They should reach us in one hour." He informed, not stopping to breathe until he finished the speech.

"Thank you, Harvey, you can go now!" Morgaine dismissed the vampire, who saluted them one more time, before turning his back and leaving the tent.

"What would they want?" Asked Rufus with an arched eyebrow.

"They might want to talk, towards avoiding war, of what I know about Queen Alexa, she is firmly against war, maybe because she isn't capable of waging a war."

"Se will ser what they want! May I suggest that we move the meeting to my tent, this one seems a bit disorganized," Suggested Morgaine with disapproval look to her surrounding, Rufus looked everywhere and shrugged his shoulders, as if not seeing what the vampire mean.

"I agree, we want to pass an image, and this wouldn't do it." Agreed Flavius, looming to the chaos of broken furniture.

"If you insist," Rufus commented only to have a voice in the matter.

They took some papers and left the tent, they went to the side of the camp where vampires were being housed and waited to see the riders arriving.

When the riders were in the line of sight, sufficient to make distinguish them possible, they halted, one rider bearing the white flag broke from the group and galloped in their direction, he stopped the horse right in front of them but didn't dismount, "Queen Alexa and Prince Edwin wish to speak to the leaders of this army, under the white flag, calling for a peace truce, so we are hoping you honor this sacred symbol of war and allow us passage and safety into your camp, so that we may parlay!" the man spoke as if he had memorized every word of the speech, however, he didn't falter, as if he had been doing this all his life.

"Tell your Queen and Prince, that safe passage will be granted to them and three guards, but not werewolves, they won't be allowed in!" Flavius told the man, who didn't wait to be dismissed and turned his horse around at a fast pace, they saw him relay the message to the Queen and she signaled for some members to follow. Five riders broke from the group, including Queen Alexa and Prince Edwin, and stopped in front of them, dismounted, and waited, analyzing the three leaders of the camp, "Queen Alexa, Prince Edwin, I'm Flavius Orilios Sorcerer of the Council, this is my companions, Morgaine Vladi, wife of Lucius Vladi, currently the governor of Elatre and Rufus Fiine, the werewolf in charge of the biggest pack. Follow us, so we might talk in a more private place." Flavius introduced the others, pointing respectfully for the others, then he turned his back, not waiting for a response of the Queen, what was a little disrespectful, she didn't show any emotions, as she was using a blank expression, but Edwin could tell that she felt uneasy because of the bond.

They arrived at a middle-sized tent, and Morgaine signaled for them to take a chair and sit in front of a table, as they took their places, "So, what do you want?" asked the vampire without any chitchat.

"We want to avoid an open war, so we are ready to hear your terms!" Alexa spoke with authority.

"We can't accept nothing but total surrendering!" Rufus dictated, getting a glance from Alexa, who scrutinized him, he was the only unknown player in this war.

"Why can't you?" She asked, without breaking at the fierce tone of voice he used.

"You see, Rufus wants restoration for being abandoned and to have to fend for himself since he was born, the only thing that can do it it's his birthright to Zulcan, Morgaine wants Elatre, as compensation for all the years she had to endure being married to a vicious animal," Flavius spoke, gazing into Alexa's eyes trying to see behind the mask.

"Wait a moment, the heritage on Zulcan was never a male patriarchal line, not even the title to the Throne, so Rufus has no claim to the throne, as I'm firstborn, however, I can concede some land he might wish for him to call home and rule, as long as he recognizes me as the true heir and his Queen," Alexa spoke, then looked at Edwin, to give him a clue to speak.

"I'm sorry Morgaine, for all that you have endured while living beside my uncle, but he isn't dead, he was sick when I last saw him, and if he died the title would fall to me, as I'm the oldest born vampire in the Royal Line, and if you didn't want to endure what he did to you, you could've escaped, I've tried to help you many times in that endeavor! But as Alexa offer, so can I offer some land for you."

Morgaine huffed, "You think I'd endured him this long so you can come and take what it's mine? Never!"

"Let's talk about why do you want to avoid war, Queen Alexa," Flavius interrupted Morgaine, "Is it that you don't have the heart or the numbers do go against us?"

Alexa laughed, leaving Edwin and the others startled, "Don't underestimate me, not wanting to shed innocent blood, doesn't mean I can't do it, I'd rather have a peace offering than seeing all these men and women go to a senseless war which many won't come back! I value life, every life, even my enemy's life! But I'm no fool to be played around, and I'm not afraid of the killing that war brings. So what is your answer about the land and the peace offering?" Alexa was glaring at them that if the sight could kill, they already were dead.

"I won't stop until Zulcan is mine to rule!" Rufus stated that with a growl, Morgaine nodded her head, agreeing that she wouldn't let go.

"I didn't hear you say why do you want to go to war, why would you ally yourself with them?" Asked Edwin looking to Flavius who gave him a smirk before answering.

"At first it was to create a power change that would be aligned better with my plans, but then by Council law, I need your life and dear Queen Alexa's life to increase my power!" Flavius explained.

"What?" Asked Edwin confused, he tried to share a look with Alexa but her blank expression was still fixed on the werewolf.

"A Mated Lycan Couple is extremely important in a ritual to increase power, and there's been none since long before the last war."

"We will not meet these requests, but I just have one thing more to say!" Alexa spoke, breaking the gaze with Rufus, she looked behind her to the middle man of their guard, "What do you think Lucius will do when he discovers what you're being up to?"

That question made Morgaine visibly shake, "He is dead or will be in a matter of days, so he doesn't have nothing to say!"

"Is that what you think, my wife? Haven't I teach you nothing?" A thundering voice asked, behind Alexa, one voice that made Morgaine tremble.

"How... how..." She stuttered.

"You couldn't finish me off like a vampire you had to be a coward woman in poisoning me, slowly!" The guard behind Alexa asked, removing his helmet and confronting the woman, "but it's good to see you Morgaine, even if it's for the last time!"