When he was young Rehny had spent a lot of time thinking about his future. He'd imagined himself rising within the Legions and building a solid reputation. He'd imagined conquering beside his King and Kingdoms trembling in fear upon his passing. He'd achieved all that. But at what cost? They needed thirteen Talisi green guards to usher him towards the King's tent, he knew all about them and did not take lightly of their escort. They were warriors, unparalleled in both skill and might within the Talisi army. They were the equivalent of Binoria's Royal Black Guard but their duty was not limited to Royal safety alone, they were killers sworn to kill for the Talisi silver crown. They had also made a vow to always have a piece of armor on their person, something Rehny would rather kill himself than do. He'd discarded the black armor he'd worn for days the first chance he'd gotten, choosing instead to wear brown leather gifted from one of the villages he'd passed and a grey cloak.
"You killed my father." One of the thirteen clad in full body armor said while pointing a spear at his back as they walked to the middle of the encampment where Rehny knew the King's tent lay. Rehny didn't turn to acknowledge the Guard's statement.
"Did you hear me Binorian scum?" The Guard pressed on.
"I heard you" Rehny replied as a large dark green tent appeared. He felt the spear's tip press into the small of his back.
"You killed my father." The Guard repeated, Rehny wondered if the man knew any other words. "Didn't even leave him the dignity of a full corpse, I stood and stared at his severed head and made a vow to repay the debt owed." The point of the spear dug harder into Rehny's back but not enough to break through the cloak and the leather beneath.
Rehny turned around and stood before the Guard who'd been addressing him. He grabbed the man's spear by the shaft and the twelve around him collectively aimed their spears at his head. They were all tall, a head taller than Rehny which was something impressive. Rehny lifted the shaft of the spear and angled its head to his neck, an inch further and the tip would draw blood. He let go of the shaft and the Guard maintained its position, the other Guards lowered their spears.
"I've chopped off many heads in my lifetime, I used to try to remember their faces but it reached a point where all the heads just blur into one another." Rehny fixed his eyes on the Guard's visor as he spoke. "I don't remember your father but I know your anger is justified, here," He pointed at the spear posed to his neck. "Plunge it in. Finish the job and consider the debt paid." He pointed at the spear with his other hand. "Do it, man, I don't have all day to stand here and watch you battle your conscience." Rehny tilted his head slightly to the side. "Do it for your father, plunge it in. Finish the job for fucks sake it's so simple!" Rehny straightened his head. "Are you afraid of the King? Tell him I tried resisting. Eh? He'll believe you, I'm just a Binorian scum after all."
The Guard's hands shook as he held the spear. "FUCKING DO IT." Rehny shouted at him. The Guard lowered the spear and turned his head away, spear trembling in his grip. "I thought so." Rehny said and turned around. Walking towards the large tent without looking back.
"Commander of the hundred Legions, what game is Vayin playing this time?" King Gans asked while sitting upon his dark throne at the end of the large tent. He was dressed in a silk green robe that dropped to his knees, Rehny could see dark green leather beneath, armor of a superior quality to his current weak brown leather. The tent was green, the floor a green carpet. Everything was green. The Talisi's obsession with the color reminded Rehny of Binoria's similar taste in red. Gods! What is it with Kingdoms and monotony?
Rehny knelt before the King, four armored guards either side of him, four armored guards flanking his front and four more armored guards lined behind him. His reputation preceded him, they'd sought to cut off any chance of an assassination attempt by piling bodies in the way. They were silly, an arrow through the back of the King's head from outside the tent would have sufficed. Placing a throne so close to a tent's wall was stupid.
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
"I've not been sent by Vayin Vigon. I've come of my own volition." Rehny said, his eyes on the short bulky King.
"And what brings you?" King Gans asked as he absent mindedly twirled one of the silver rings upon his fingers.
Rehny stood up. King Gans's hands paused. The Guards all shifted to face him. What he had to say was of importance, his words would have been taken lightly if uttered while kneeling. "King Vayin Vigon gathers the Legions, they are to ride here in a couple of days time." "How many Legions?" King Gans asked while standing up.
"All of them." Rehny answered.
Silence ensued. All within the tent knew what it meant when Binoria raised the hundred banners. The last time said thing happened the Kolotians were nearly wiped out.
"And why aren't you with them? Why are you not raising your banner as Commander?" King Gans asked. Rehny could hear the strain in the man's voice, the King hoped that it was all a game. Gans's worst fears were being confirmed.
"I abdicated my position as Commander, I struck the King and fled from Binoria."
"You struck King Vayin Vigon?"
Rehny recalled the whistle he'd heard from within and the blissful numbness it had brought. "Yes." A short silence ensued.
"Why did you do so?" King Gans asked.
It was the question Rehny had been trying to avoid but he knew he'd encounter either way. "Because it needed to be done." Rehny said. It was a shallow reason and a vague representation of the actual answer. Luckily, King Gans did not press it further.
"Is it wrong to assume that Vayin pursues you? Would it not save my Kingdom if I were to simply hand you over to him?" King Gans was digging for a way out, a man drowning, flailing for anything that floats.
"He cares not about me. He is coming for Ishar, the Kolotian. Ishar has spat on Binoria, killing hundreds upon his escape and unsettling the very image the Kingdom had aspired to build." Rehny surmised where the King's thoughts were heading and continued. "The lad channeled a God! He is a weapon that rivals Binoria, handing him over to them will not save your Kingdom, King Gans, what it would do is rid the realm of the only chance it has of breaking free of Binoria's hold."
"Are you not a Binorian? What reason do you have for toppling your own Kingdom's dominating reign? You must have been sent here to kill the Kolotian yourself." King Gans said. Rehny sighed. He knew the King would be difficult, he knew his chances of persuading the Talisi King towards any action would be close to none. The cost of his reputation was just too high, there was nothing he could do. Nothing he could say. His fate and the fate of the Talisi were sealed. It would take a miracle to turn the tide.
"Edda is my friend, she comes with me and if you deny her entrance I will burn this place to the ground and scatter its ashes upon the four winds." A familiar voice said from outside. "I'm joking about the burning to ash thing, but I'll get very annoyed!"
The tent flap opened. "Let's hear whatever the King has to say then we'll go ride Carrot." The voice said.
Rehny turned to see Ishar striding in while hand in hand with a Talisi girl. Behind them followed King Gans's daughter whose face was scrunched up with what appeared to be contempt and next to her was a Talisi young man Rehny had never seen before. Behind them was the Remu woman Ishar had participated in the Nula Anyl with, and a Guard tailed in her wake.
"Carrot?" The Talisi girl asked, confused.
"Yes, Carrot. Wait! Not an actual carrot, that would be crazy. Do I sound crazy? I hope I don't, I'm not crazy." Ishar gave a nervous laugh and scratched at the back of his head.
"Do you think I should be here?" The girl asked him, her eyes darting around nervously.
"Of course you should, you're a representative of the Talisi women." Ishar said.
"That would be me." The Princess started.
"Nonsense, you're a princess, you can't be two things." Ishar said and turned his head to Rehny's direction. Their eyes met and the Kolotian broke into a genuine smile that Rehny couldn't resist to match.
"Commander Rehny!" Ishar said and let go of the girl's hand. He sprinted over to Rehny and embraced him in a hug that wrapped around his waist. Rehny fought back shock. "Thank you for saving my life and Edda's. Oh! And Carrot's, though I think Carrot would have survived."
Rehny turned his eyes to the Remu woman, a ghost of a smile traced her lips as she observed Ishar embrace him. He turned his head to King Gans and found the King's face masked with thought. The miracle he'd needed had availed itself at the opportune moment.