Day 4

Queen Tiffany was pleased with herself. She found she always felt better after an execution. She had also gained two warrior women that where now in her dungeon.

She day dreamed of the grand life the three of them would have.

Her day dream was disturbed to be informed that her new warrior women had escaped.

She was angered,

“Kill the guards on watch” she ordered,

But the little rat of a man, her advisor, ‘if one could dare to call him that,’ quickly advised.

“My queen, if it seems fit for you not to kill me and to perhaps turn your anger to the people who helped them escape. Rather than the foolish children guarding the dungeon.”

“Delay that last order” she said, “Speak and speak quickly” she ordered

“Maybe a reward for them found alive and death to the people helping them be announced?” he suggested,

“A reward?” she said almost insulted.

“My queen it would be good for the little people to see that you are good to those who are good to you. It will inspire loyalty from all over the land.”

Tiffany thought about it. Loyalty seemed to be in short supply lately. Maybe this little man was on to something,

“What kind of reward?” she asked skeptically

“Food my queen. A wagon of food as a feasting gift for those who find your prisoners, anyone helping them or not bringing them to the queen. They can be executed.”

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“Ok” she said slowly, thoughtfully

“Order a reward. A wagon of food for the person who finds my missing warriors. But death to anyone helping them and death to his whole family.”

“A wonderful idea my queen.”

So, word was sent out and a decree in every town and city was put up.

Sugar crawled through the small tight tunnel while bleeding out. She knew that no one would come for her and if she stopped, she would die.

When she got to the cave something attacked her. It was not normal nor like anything on earth. How they had avoided it with the child before she didn’t know. But she barely escaped with her life. Which was now slowly leaving her with her blood.

She made it to the castle and crawled along the floor into a passageway. A servant found her and called the castle physician.

Since the decree had gone out people had been turning in prisoners that had escaped. But not the women the queen was looking for. They all wanted rewards.

Queen Tiffany was angry and called her rat man adviser.

“Look at this mess. Everyone wants rewards for doing their duty. No one cares that it’s not what was promised. How do you, advice, I handle this mess?” she barked.

“Oh, my queen. This is not as bad as it may appear. If you reward them a little then they will do their duty next time.”

He hoped she would go for it. He feared for his life. He didn’t expect the people to behave like this.

“Send a day’s food to everyone who has turned in a prisoner. This will encourage duty among all your subjects and in the future, it will be to your benefit.” He advised.

She thought about it, A day’s food.

“Fine do as you have suggested” she said.

“Do we have any hunters we can send after them?” She asked.

“My queen?” he squeaked “The whole Lovac tribe, our lands best hunters were sent to work in your mines until death, most are now dead.”

“Most.” She said “bring me what’s still alive”

“Whose l-left?” he stuttered.

“Yes” she snapped “Bring them!”

He scurried off and sent word to the captain of the mines to bring whoever was left of the Lovac tribe.

Then the queen was disturbed. Being told that one of the women she seeks is in the castle and being treated by the physician.

“Show me” she ordered going to see her new warrior.

When she got to the physician’s room. Sugar was there in a bad state. The woman was unconscious and looked like death.

“Will she live?” the queen asked.

“I have done everything I can for her” the castle physician said “Now it’s up to her.”

“I will take that as a yes.” Tiffany said “See to her needs”

The queen left.

The new comers had really started messing with her way of life. The people where misbehaving. There was bravery stirring up in her dungeon. A man who she had shown such kindness to, didn’t even say thank you, instead he ran off and was upset that she had killed someone. As if she could leave incompetence to breed. Really what kind of kingdom did he think she was running?