Northern Lower Gate.
Lord Yu – King's brother in law.
He fell to one knee, using his sword to balance him as his left arm seeped blood from the wound. This was just the initial charge, he looked towards the opening, they would start pouring in soon.
"Get the second and third squad to advance." He yelled. "Tell the archers to get ready."
"My Lord you need to see a healer..."
"Later." He stood. "Tell the shield guard to hold position, they must not advance."
The sergeant hurried away to give the orders. The gate fragments lay shattered from the blast powder, only the large metal hinges hung in the rock with small pieces.
The other three gates were secured and reinforced only this one being lightly guarded. When Lord Emery's message arrived, he came himself to check, only to find them coming through with the small guard defending as best they could.
This was the smallest passage, hardly a dozen people could get through at a time and we thought it unlikely to be used. It seemed it was what they counted on; they came prepared.
"The archers are in place my Lord." The sergeant hurried back to inform him.
"Get the men ready." He told him. "Tell the archers to rain fire."
While the archers held the invaders in place, his people would release the prepared boulders and debris to block the passage. They needed to close the opening; they could blast a gate but they would have a harder time with the rock.
He stopped looking at the fragment by his feet, the gate was made from thick steel and put in place barely a year ago but they managed to breakthrough. Blast powder had to be calculated, a certain weight was needed to cause enough impact to break the new metal and they managed it in their first try? They knew too much about us. Too much.
~~~~~~~~~~
Master Kukri
He sat patiently offering water to the man when after a few words he begun to cough. He looked unwell; his recovery slow from his wounds, he hadn't left the healing rooms since he arrived.
"You wanted to see me."
Rook sent a message asking him to come.
"I heard they are attacking..." He managed quietly.
"We knew it would happen."
"He did it." Rook looks pale as he sits. "His uncle...he told them."
"We know he was collaborating with the west..."
"He did more." He looks at me. "The last time I went to see him, he was behaving more agitated then I have seen him before, I knew something was wrong. After he went missing I went back to see what he was hiding. After the boy brought the exiled clans back, he set all this in motion.
I found private messages with the north and western king dating back to the time the boy took the throne. Detailed papers of our forces and defences in his study, agreements and promises between them. He offered mountain clan lands to the west and the gem and gold mines to the north, in return for helping him get back on the throne."
"The Idiot."
"Where are the papers now?"
Anything that we knew would help us.
"I was attacked when I left with them and they were taken but I didn't have time to go after them. I had to come to warn you about the boy."
"You did the right thing Rook."
"He told them more." Rook looked tired. "The boys weakness."
"What?"
"His people." He coughed. "He would do anything to protect them and they will use them against him."
I listen as he tells me a few more details before I leave him with the healers to rest. I thought Kong was taking more precautions then necessary all these years but it seemed his instincts were right. His uncle shouldn't have been underestimated.
~~~~~~~~~~
Night POV
He slipped easily through the dark, moonless night, hiding in the shadows as he watched and listened. The children ate the dried fruit silently, keeping an eye out for someone coming. The girl winced but made no sound, drinking the last sip from the water skin before tossing it back into the shadows.
She had been cautious the first time he threw the water skin and dried fruits to them, taking a bite and sip first. Once she was sure they were safe, she gave them to the others quickly, making sure the little ones had the bigger share. She clung to her arm, her face pale but she reassured the little ones instead. They helped bandage the arm as best they could, but they were children, not healers.
My needle hit its mark, the girl sat up and looked at the shadows but she would not see me. It will help with the pain. It was all he could do right now, keep them alive. She takes the needle, holding it in the dim torchlight as she stares at it.
Her eyes snap to the shadows, if I didn't know I was well hidden, I would think she knew I was here. She looks away when she hears voices, digging in the sand wrist deep and burying the needle. Smart girl. I move towards the tents but I hear the soft whisper. Thank you.
He stayed back, making no noise and listened to the voices inside. He would have loved to go in and get a look at the papers but he couldn't make a false move, just keep an eye on the children.
"They are moving people around."
"Do they know?"
They moved steadily towards the capital, splitting the people into what looked like three large caravans crossing the desert. They were planning to detour to a village they passed but a newly stationed regiment had changed their plans.
"Where?" The commander asks.
"Here, here, and here."
"It's a tactical move." Their General answers. "They are trying to show the people they are safe and protected. If they knew about us, our spy would have sent word."
"It was good having that man work for a caravan." The commander tapped something. "Made this easier for us."
"They are spreading their people too much."
"It's good for us. Once we reach the capital, we will face less resistance."
"I've made calculations sir." A young voice interrupted approaching them. "With this many number out, there will be less than 2 thousand around the capital."
"Easier for us."
Calculating? Did they know the number of our troops?
"We are going to get more sacrificial shields, tell the others to be ready."
More children or people? They didn't meet anyone, who would bring them?
"The others will meet us before the end." The General reassures. "We will have enough to make them do as we want."
"Can we really make the King leave the safety of his walls?"
"We have his weakness."
"Once the King is gone, there is no heir. No one will fight us."
"We should just attack head-on and kill him."
The haughty voice irritates me, I didn't know his name because they were careful about using them and referred to each other with titles. They called this man, highness, but it mattered little to me. When I got the chance I would be breaking his foot and then both his legs, royal or otherwise.
"Patience highness." The General tells him. "The King is too dangerous to fight head-on. He's managed to escape our efforts so far, we have to trap him."
"I don't care how you do it." The foot snaps. "Just remember, removing his head and presenting it to our king is my honour."
Arthit could kill a snake with its own poison and now he was not only protecting the King but the man he was Consort to. They would die painfully before they even reached the King.
~~~~~~~~~~
Vauxrane - General Bell
"We lost three ships General." Somchai throws the message on the table. "Good men on them."
"Move the perimeter ships here." He instructed pointing to the map. "Have these moved forward to attack positions."
The room was full of activity, people coming with messages and taking orders as more reports came in of attacks. These people knew the sea, he was grateful the Head of the Sea Clan didn't question his every order but was smart and understood his reasoning quickly.
"What has you so worried General?" Yacht asks.
"Something I saw." I tell him. "Something that shouldn't be here."
"General, the ships are moving." An officer hurried inside. "As you thought they may."
"They will come this way." Yacht circles the flow around an island on the map, south to east. "The current and wind will be to their advantage."
"No, if my suspicion is correct." I sweep south to west around the island. "They will come this way."
"Yacht." The Clan Heads intended looks relived. "Osm and his people have arrived."
Yacht looks like he can finally breathe, before turning to me.
"The Stingers are here."
An old tale I heard from a seaman before, the Sea clans secret, so it was true.
"General." The Clan Heads man, Tan hurries inside. I sent him to check.
"Well?"
"Yes sir, it's as you said." He places the paper I gave him on the table. "They have the same design just above the waterline."
"Barbarian ships?" Yacht curses. "They weren't there yesterday."
"How many?" I ask.
"I couldn't see the ones further out but it looked to be a dozen."
"Why would they be here?" Yacht looks worried. "They hate the west."
The western kingdom of Konglavia had a disputed section to its North West, completely surrounded by sea. The people were rough and called Barbarians by the kingdom, they had parted from the main court over a hundred years ago and refused their rule. Making their own court.
From our reports, they hadn't reached an understanding in all this time but something must have happened recently which made them have some kind of truce. These people were dangerous. While normal ships used currents and the wind to navigate, they used heavy ships and had rowers on board.
"They went so far as to make peace with old enemies." Yacht looked at me. "What did they promise them?"
It wasn't hard to imagine.
"Boon from our kingdom most likely." I answer. "Should they succeed."
"What do we do?"
"Make sure they don't succeed."
~~~~~~~~~
Capital – Meeting Rooms
Kong POV
"They blocked the path and the gates are being replaced."
"What of the Keep?" I asked.
"They are still trying to get through but the damage is minimal." Pridi answers.
We listen as reports come in and orders are sent, my Elite keeping in close contact with their clans and making sure everything is watched.
"The western border?"
"More waves are coming but our people are holding strong."
General White wouldn't be easy to get through.
"Have the caves been taken care of?" Em asks Tum who finishes reading the message. "They didn't have enough blasting powder; they will collapse it as soon as the supplies reach them. Which should be very soon."
I look up when Arthit returns, he didn't look happy. I see what he has in his hand, knowing it's from Night when I see the colour.
"What happened?"
"According to Night, they stayed away from the villages but they have another way of getting more hostages."
"How?"
"He doesn't know." Arthit shows me the paper. "But they are ready for them to arrive soon."
I take Arthit's hand; I know he hates what they are doing because I feel the same. We needed to keep a level head if we wanted to keep everyone safe.
The door opens, Captain Kongtanin heads straight for me.
"The outer guards sent word, Majesty." He tells me. "The Whistlers are coming."
"Go greet them Captain." I tell him. "Bring them to me, quietly."
The Captain leaves to do as instructed.
"Let's hope this works." Em says beside me. "You're the only one who could ever make River listen."
"It will work."
The door opens again, Prae walking inside. A look of fury on her face I haven't seen before.
"I had a message from my Clan Head." She says through gritted teeth. "It seems we should have killed my father instead of letting him be dealt with by the clan."
"What did do?"
"He hired people, they forced their way into homes. Everyone who voted against him, he took their children and grandchildren, including my niece."
"Is that where their hostages are going to come from?" Arthit looks at me.
I close my eyes taking deep breaths, don't lose it now Kong, lives depend on you. You need to be calm. You need to be very calm. They were coming here, I would deal with them.
"Don't let anything get in their way, let them come straight to me." I order Pridi. "Make sure everything is ready, I want to greet them properly."
Pridi takes a step back, bows and leaves. You think you can walk into my kingdom and do as you please? Use my people against me? Use innocent lives to threaten me? You can walk in on your own feet but you only leave IF I allow it. I will not allow it.