Rehny stood outside Queen Lamical's chamber but out of sight of the door, hiding behind a large vase holding an exotic bushy plant with purple leaves. He was dressed in black armor that felt even more uncomfortable than the regular red armor he usually wore. The armor's shoulder plates were extremely pointed and longer than usual and oddly resembled the blades of the bushy plant he hid behind.
He knew he looked ridiculous, a full war hardened Commander stooping behind an ornament like an infant child playing a game. He drew the eyes of every person who passed by, some of the passing servants were so startled by his presence that they let out yelps and dropped whatever it was they carried. Rehny didn't care, his attention was on how troubled he was over something he'd never thought he'd come to feel because he'd never entertained the notion of encountering it. Rehny felt guilt.
Desan is dead! In a normal setting that fact wouldn't have drawn much out of him other than a surprised grunt but he'd spent every moment since learning of the Prince's death mulling over the last altercation he'd had with the late Prince's mother. Rehny did not like Desan, in fact he had been quite vivid with his views regarding the young man while talking to his mother. As he stood there behind the vase, Rehny regretted every word he'd said to Lamical.
News of Desan's death had spread like wildfire through the Kingdom. Vayin Vigon had written a letter that was seven words long the morning since Desan's death. The letter had been sent to the Highlords of all the Locals, all Legion Captains, the Chief City guard, the City's senior Red priests and to Rehny saying, "Desan has been killed, prepare for war.” The letter had been sealed by the King's own personal emblem making those seven words an order and the Kingdom was furious and eager to obey.
The Red priests had wasted no time in copying the letter and lining the rings of Binoria while surrounded by crowds. They spread the news of the Royal's death and the Binorians reacted as was expected of them, they even swarmed the palace. They sought to lynch the Kolotian in the dungeons who'd played a role in Desan's bedridden state that had in the end made him an easy assassination target. It had taken the Jewel of Binoria, the Princess Dahli Vigon's eloquence and numerous please to turn back the rowdy crowd.
The Nula Anyl was to be postponed following Desan's death but Binoria's cry for blood had it decided that the ceremony was to be held later on in the day. Everywhere within the Kingdom, Binorians either wore black or spotted black, the Kingdom was in mourning for their great one was great no more. Black cloths were tied to doors, windows and carts. The whole red aesthetic of the Kingdom had been changed to black and woe unto anyone who held a smile in public as the Kingdom wept. There was no sound of laugher in Binoria, even those too young to understand mimicked the somber mood around them.
Desan has been killed, prepare for war. Vayin Vigon had lost a son but Rehny could not deny the eagerness and excitement he'd read as an underlying tone to the letter. The King wanted this. According to the Royal Black Guards who'd just made a vengeance pact, the scene of Desan's death had a message left behind in the Prince's blood. Apparently the rival Kingdoms had united against Binoria and the call to war was unmistakable.
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Captains reported of an increased number of Binorian citizens applying for positions within the Legions.
The Kingdom wanted to remind the realm of what they were capable of and not a single Binorian wished to be left out. They were all a bunch of blood thirsty maniacs according to Rehny, they sought glory through desolations and it all made Rehny sick. He wished he was the one who'd been assassinated. Gods! how pleasing it would have been to vacate this realm that frowned on peace and worshiped carnage. Rehny thought. A blade to the neck is not so bad a way to go. Compared to the deaths he'd seen on the battlefield, Desan had had it good. Rehny's guilt heightened with his thoughts.
"Excuse me, Sir?" A young man spoke behind Rehny. The Commander of the Legions turned towards the man with his armor clanking with every move. The armor he wore was bulky and was one of the earlier models before they'd redefined the designs to cater for mobility and better implementation of Forms of Combat. Rehny eyed the cleanly shaved man in grey silk who'd interrupted whatever it was he was doing.
"May I be of assistance Sir?" The servant asked. He looked uncomfortable under Rehny's attention and visibly fought the urge to sprint away from him. Rehny knew the scar on his face and his towering height made him intimidating, he used to take comfort in how many hesitated to approach him before he stopped caring much about anything. "Do you wish to speak to the Queen?" Asked the servant.
"Go alert her of my presence." Rehny said. The servant quickly headed towards Lamical's chamber. Rehny confirmed that he'd probably looked really silly behind the vase, peering at Lamical's door. So silly to the point where a servant had taken it upon himself to approach the Commander for propriety’s sake.
What am I going to say to her? The point of logic had failed him the first time and he'd ended up threatening a grieving mother. Sure, Lamical had pushed him with physical assault and words that stung, but had that given him the right to treat Lamical so? At a time when her son was bedridden? Regret and guilt intertwined within him, fighting for the chance to lace his every thought and feeling.
"Excuse me Commander." Rehny turned to find Lamical's handmaiden who'd been sent twice before to call for him whenever Lamical desired his presence. The earlier male servant was nowhere to be seen.
"The Queen is in mourning and wishes to see no one." The servant said with her brown eyes on him. Rehny took note that she hadn't bowed as was customary of her.
"I need to speak to her." Rehny said and started to push past the servant. The maiden backtracked and blocked his path. Rehny fought the urge to slam his gauntleted fist into her throat. "Move." He commanded.
"What you said to her in the orchard made her cry all day long." She replied. Rehny felt lump in his throat and stopped in his tracks. "She often talks about you, she says you were once all she had. But right now I'm afraid your presence will do more harm than good. She's not okay, she's barely keeping it together. Please give her space."
Rehny bowed his head ... all she had? Gods! He felt tears welling but fought them down. "I need to see her." He repeated.
"I can relay your words to her." The servant replied.
Rehny hesitated then leaned forward and whispered into the servant's ear. "Tell her that I'm sorry about what I had said. Tell her I'm sorry about Desan's death .. And.. Tell.. Tell her that I still love her and that I'm here for her." Rehny pulled back and the servant nodded. Rehny thought he'd seen the ghost of a smile upon the young woman's face but it vanished as quickly as it had appeared. The maiden turned around and returned to the Queen's chambers. Rehny took in a deep breath and exhaled as he started making his way to the Juckwa Arena where the Nula Anyl was to be held. Love? He thought. Do I even believe I can feel such a thing? He wondered as his large metal boots clanked on the marble floor.