The War General

40

King Tarvold Pov

Another knock.

"What is it?!" I finally snap as my servant Celia adjusted the silks I wore against my gold coat. There has been someone knocking on my door for the past five minutes and it was driving me crazy. All I wanted was some peace and quiet before I dealt with todays issues. Regardless a celebration would be thrown and after tonight I could sit back and relax on my thrown until my heir took my place as King. Knowing full and well that all of my hard work had finally paid off. I was right where I needed to be and no one could stop me, not even Juko Saigoni.

"Is that how you talk to the man who helped put you into this position of power?" That eerie voice comes when my chamber doors open and closes quietly.

My body seizes at the sound of that voice. I swallow a knot lodging deep in my throat as a instant wave of nervousness washed over me.

He was here, he never came to visit me unless it was of importance.

Immediately I wave Celia away, "leave."

The woman exits the room quickly leaving me and the man alone.

"What can I do for you?" I turn to the man stepping down my pedestal to show my respects.

"The trial is today." The man says drawing out his words as if he isn't very happy at all.

"It is." I swallow thickly.

"So you know how this should go. I would hate for the truth of how you came into power to get out." The man says casually adjusting his robe and collar as if threats against the King wasn't treason. "After all I have raised you up from a youngling, the least you could do is give back to the church. The same church you have not finished serving."

I look away knowing well that I was willing to do everything in my power to stay alive. I couldn't afford to let my once trusted General destroy the kingdom I helped build up and I definitely couldn't afford to let that little girl Ivy Saigoni knock me off my thrown because of her dull-witted mindset. Such a stupid, ignorant girl.

"I understand, Father. The church will get their wish. Their chosen, Caius Gaines and the head of Juko Saigoni. The man that stands in the way of paradise."

"Good." Father Isaac strides over to me, his face hardened with a seriousness I know is far more than threatening than I realize. It feels as if the shirt I am wearing is growing tighter and tighter around the collar the closer he gets. "Don't let me down son."

"I won't."

"I know you won't." He places a hand on my shoulder and smiles gently at me, "or I will destroy you."

Ivy's Pov

The last thing I remember before I ended up in this cell was the look on my sister face. How horrified she looked when she was dragged back to the castle and how six men entered my grandmothers castle and forced me and my children out into the freezing cold rain. Me and the triplets were tossed onto the ground where three of the six men made haste to tie all four of us up. And before they were able to bind my mouth shut with a long piece of cloth I screamed for my husband.

I scream so loud that my vocal cords felt like they were being torn apart and my throat felt a raw. I had no idea what came over me but I could only hope that Juko was close enough to hear my call for him. We needed him, now more than ever.

Soon after a fist came down across my cheek causing my head to snap to the left. The side of my face crackled in my pain and a muffled cry left my lips.

There was so much going on all at once, Rose talking to these strange people. Trying to convince them that she wasn't able to get into the castle. That she had no idea where we were hiding and that she swore she didn't see us when she went on her search outside of it.  It seemed like she wasn't the best liar when her nerves gave way.