The Assassin and the King - SOTUS

The People of the Sands

"This talk is over, return to your duties."

I try again but my father refuses to listen, I leave the hall heading for the pier. I had to do something, I couldn't sit back and abandon my Clan Head when he needed. My mother is already waiting for me at the pier when I arrive, she always knew my plans before I did.

"A message for you Osm."

I take the paper she hands me breaking the seal, Yacht wanted to call in his life debt. We were one third of the original number they expected but we knew what to do.

I look up when I feel a warm hand in mine, she smiles but it doesn't reach her eyes. If I left without my father's permission, I knew his temper. I would never be welcome home again.

"Mother, I..."

"You will go. I know."

I hold my mother close. I look at her again, taking her hand and kissing it before I head for the ship. This was not the time to stay silent, I would do what we all should have done. Even if I went alone.

~~~~~~~~~

Western Border – Ark POV

"They are only boys."

A silent figure watched as General White inspected the men captured by his soldiers. The rear attack had been well-trained men, every one of them fighting with years of practice but the king's people were not to be taken lightly.

The ones fighting from the side of the border were more in number but they had less training. They expected our people to attack the border side which had a higher number and they could slaughter them from behind but the lieutenant had been smart to split his people.

By the time they began to lose a little ground, General White arrived with reinforcements. The fighting had been fierce, the rear attackers were dealt with swiftly, making the ones coming across the border retreat but our soldiers managed to capture some of them before they could escape.

The captain took the helmet of another and saw the young boy in tears, they really were young. What was their king thinking? Didn't he realise they were sending them to their deaths?

Arthit was right, they needed to go further and see what was happening across the border line. He would send a message to the Consort first, then cross the border quietly, he had a feeling he wasn't going to like what he would find.

~~~~~~~~

Mountain Clan- Meeting Room.

Clan Head Rem

"Clan head...Clan head." A young girl came running. "They found it; they found the opening."

Ram sighed in relief, he had his people looking since the cursed map had arrived with his brother's message and then the news that followed after kept them awake. How was it possible for their clan to have forgotten something so important?

"Have the scouts gone in?"

"Yes, Clan Head." She answers. "They are searching as you asked."

"The extra watches for the other openings?"

"Done, but we have nothing to report on them so far."

"Tell them to stay vigilant." I tell her. "We can't have any more of them on our sands."

"How could we not have this map?" An elder asks looking at it again.

"It is more likely the maps were destroyed." Grandfather told him. "They didn't want the knowledge to be passed on."