The Blood King

Chapter 27

Neytiri

The world is changing. I can feel it. It's like there's a small shift in the air. Like the seasons. It doesn't happen suddenly. The air gently creates a soft chill, and the leaves slowly transition in color changing shade. And then one day you realize it's finally autumn.

A week has gone by since my awakening. And since then the soldiers have helped rebuild this village and bring food into their bellies. Not only has the Ikniri village been rebuilt, but they are now thriving on their way to salvation. And I plan to keep it that way.

Cassian is coming, and he is coming with a vengeance. He is coming to kill every last Ikniri here including me and his men. He is angry. And that is putting it mildly. His mind at this moment is the reason my people were selected to keep the Dragonborn in check. The Dragonborn are an emotional group of beings. They leave destruction in their wake. And my people are the only ones that can stop them when they have been riled up.

According to my ancestors, they are more beast than man. I haven't stopped to think about Cassian in the past days. I can only think of the future. The future my people will have, as will the rest of the world. If I don't stop Cassian.

I look around the room at the men I've put in charge.

Caius, Torren, Merek, and Sacar. An Ikniri leader of the warriors.

I look out at the faces that have followed me possibly to certain death. The faces that defied their King, and made me their queen.

"Cassian is coming. With an army of 20,000 men," I say simply. I gauge everyone's reactions. I don't have to look at their faces though. I can sense the fear. Every man fears death. If he says otherwise, he is either lying, or a madman. And every one of these men knows the fate that awaits them at the hand of their old king. Because they were once the ones that doled out that fate.

"He means to end us. All of us," I say. "But I plan to fight him."

Caius looks like he wants to say something but I start before he can get a word out.

"I know what I am asking you will be difficult, to say the least." I pause, catching myself and carefully choosing my next words. I look out at the men around the table, keeping my gaze level and my heart steady. I take a deep breath.

"I'm asking you... to fight against your own brothers. The men you trained with. Grew with. Served with. Fought with. I'm asking you to go against them, and stop them from destroying what is left of my people. I'm asking you all to sacrifice whatever feeling and emotion you may have for these men, and defend what is now your home."

"I will not force you to follow me. All I can do is ask. And if you wish to choose a different path, then I have nothing I can say to you other than you have my blessing. I know this is a difficult and selfish thing of me to ask."

* * * * * 

My eyes travel over the flat plains covered in snow and ice. The clouds are almost touching the ground at this point. I can see them rolling across the land, barely scraping the surface as if they're afraid. I hold my palm out in front of me, and watch the small cloud form above my palm. A simple parlor trick in comparison to what I can do now that everything has been revealed to me.

"So is this the plan now? Run away and not tell anyone where you're going?" Caius finally found me. I sensed him coming when he was still five miles out. I can sense everything. His mind, his heart, his breathing. I drop my hand and look behind me giving him a soft smile.

"I'm waiting for someone," I say. He looks around.

"May I ask who?" I laugh softly.

"You'll see." I pat the snow next to me. He narrows his gaze but comes to take a seat next to me. He doesn't speak, but I know something is weighing on his mind. Something heavy. And yet, he doesn't speak. He just sits next to me, giving me a nice presence. A light breeze picks up around us.