Power and Love

Chapter 15: Words

Major Joshua huffed. "With pleasure, my Queen." He bowed and walked out of the room, closing the door after him. We had boarded in one of the hauses in Eight of Spades. Wounded soldiers had been boarded in hospital. Alfred, too, was there.

Other major, Werner, laughed warmly. "My Queen, your words are sharp like a rapier." It felt weird. I wasn't his property.

"Hmph." I huffed. "Major Werner, gather all troops before evening. When moon rises, we'll leave. Major Dan, find every man who can use a bow."

They nodded and bowed before leaving. When they were out of the earshot, I sighed and sat down. I buried my head in my hands.

"What's wrong, Arthur?" Yao asked. I shaked my head.

"Bloody hell." I muttered. "When two likes my plan, there's always a one who isn't pleased."

"You can't please everyone in this world. There is always a person or two who dislikes you and your ideas."

"... Sometimes I think everyone in court are my enemies." Yao tensed.

"Because they are. They want to find your weaknesses to increase their own power there." I raised my head, as the door opened once more.

"What now?" I asked, annoyed from a nurse, who looked at me shyly.

"King... King Alfred has waken up and wants to see you, your Highness." Her voice was slightly fearful. I stood up abruptly, almost knocking down the chair.

"What?"

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I followed her through the corridors. Hospital was like hospitals always are: white, grey, dull and silent. Some of the doors were open, and I saw soldiers with missing legs, arms, fingers and even ears. Someone even had a black eyepatch on his eye. Some of the injuries looked like monster's doing, not sword's. Nurse noticed I watched patients, so she said quietly:

"I'm sorry, your Highness. I can command them to close the doors, if that's disturbing."

"No... Not at all." I replied.

War surely was a terrible thing.

Nurse suddenly stopped and I almost bumped into her. She had stopped in front of a closed door, where read on a ink black writing:

Room 145

The nurse opened the door. I feared what I would see, but I still looked.

"Ah, Tin!" A muffled voice said happily. Nurse - Tin? Was that even a name? - yanked the curtain away in front of Alfred. My eyes widened slightly.

Alfred wasn't pale, weak-looking King anymore. He smiled happily while eating ice cream. The feeling from my chest vanished into thin air.

"Queen Arthur came to see you, your Majesty." Tin said and bowed. I saw her glancing me, and I noticed sadness in her eyes. Maybe jealousy, too. She exited, closing the door as she left. I noticed a chair next to Alfred's bed and sat on it. Silence fell between us.

"Tin?" I decided to break the silence as Alfred finished his ice cream.

"It's my nickname to her. Her real name is Tina." I felt a pang of jealousy in my chest. I shouldn't be jealous, he had the right to choose anyone he wants.

"Did you mean what you said?" I blurted out. Bloody hell, I didn't mean to say that-

"What?"

"Did you mean what you said then?" I repeated.

Silence.

"Anyway, why didn't you come to see me?" Alfred broke the silence, and his voice was slightly disappointed.

"We're going to attack tonight?" My tone was uncertainly.

"What? That would be at least one reason to come!" He tried to sit up, but groaned and clutched onto his wound.

"Don't move, idiot!" I said apprehensively.

"But I want to come with you!" He whined.

"You can't. What if you die?" I replied sharply.

"I won't!"

"Really? Although you're a King, you can still die." I huffed. Alfred opened his mouth, but didn't say anything. I stood up and turned to leave.

"I meant what I said."

I hid my feelings and smiled shortly.

"I'll come and meet you after the attack." I closed the door and leaned on it. After a moment, I sighed and left.

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"Are you ready?" I asked from Yao. He nodded.

Sun was setting slowly, as trying to slow down the course of events.

Our troops had been gathered, like I had ordered.

"Major Dan, do every archer have a dagger or a sword?" Dan nodded.

"Major Werner, are your soldiers well equipped?" Werner nodded.

"All right, let's go."

I started walking through the city. I knew they were following me, but I felt like I was all alone.

When we arrived near the Diamonds' camp, but not so near they could see us.

I saw a guard further away.

"Give me a bow and an arrow." I whispered. Archer behind me gave me his bow and arrow. I aimed for guard's throat and loosed. Arrow went through guard's neck and fell on the ground. I gave the bow back to soldier who owned it.

"Attack!" I yelled. Soldiers yelled their battle cries before running towards the camp.

Chaos broke out.

All right, little crappy ending