Woldu was passing his cell up and down, and then up again. He couldn't believe that it has been weeks and his weak sister has not sentenced him to death. Which was something that would not happen under his rule, which he already had demonstrated. Every treat to his throne would be eliminated. But his plan to take the damn thing had not worked, it failed because his weak sister had learned how to use a sword. She might be weak, but she was smart, he needed to give her that at the very least. He indeed had not calculated the fact that the soldiers in his army would have loved once in her army. She was right that not all of them would be as ruthless as he was. None of the men was paid enough to kill his family, but what would be the right amount of money? Well that was something he was not sure of, and he hated that fact. Armana sat in the cell next to him, on a little bench. Her beautiful raven hair in tangles, the dress he had given her was covered with dirt and spots. She was worthless, as were all his men. Useless, none of them had succeeded in the task he had given them. His men had failed him, by not killing his sister. Granted he was not able to that either, but that was because he had not counted on her using a sword. And Armana, well she had the easiest task of all and even that failed. His father was still alive, and according to the guards, who are rubbing his nose in his own failures, his father was on the better hand. He was even walking small distances in his own room, while Zeudi was running the kingdom. Together with the gentleman rogue, that was now her fiancée. He shook his head, this all was a bit too much for him. So he kicked once again, against his sack of hay. How long before the neighboring kingdoms discover their weakness, how long before they attack and those good-for-nothings come to beg for him. That was kept him going, the last couple of days.
"Did you hear, captain Gedlear has made a scabbard for the princess. Decorated with a moon and stars." Soldier Nultu said, one of the guards. "You know it has been a running joke, that she wanted a man would give her the moon and stars if he could. Well this is his way of doing just that." Woldu wanted to trow up, because he had heard that line coming out of his sister's mouth. She wanted a man who loved her for her and not what she was giving him. What a ton of horse shit. But she got what she wanted, like always. That rogue indeed loved her, and even in the dungeon he had heard about how he stepped up. He already declared that there will be a conscription for military service, for both boys and girls. Which sounded like a good idea, even in his ears. But then the part about giving the girls lessons in sword fighting, what would that do? He was not sure.
"Guards, can I get I some water?" Armana asked, her voice was cracked. He rolled his eyes, maybe she could use some sword fighting skills. The guard was not reacting to her request, he kept on talking about how great that captain Gedlear is. Of course, he thinks the man is great, he came from the same background. He rolled with his eyes. "Guards! Can I get some water?" This time she yelled, and this time the guard reacted. But not in the way Armana had hoped for, she was now standing by the door. Her hands were clutched to the bars. The guard, soldier Nultu, walked up to her and threw the water in her face. She gasped and Woldu needed to admit this was a masterly performed by the guard.
"Here is your water miss, do you want anything else. A blanket, new dress, some upper class dessert?" He asked, but Armana shook her head. Woldu nodded he approved this kind of treatment towards prisoners, he doubted that his sister would. But she was not here to intervene. Armana turned around and stared to make her way back to the bench. He smirked maybe he could use her for one last time. He waited until Nultu had left them.
"Armana, what a shame. That bastard ruined your pretty dress." He said.
"He did not do that, it was already ruined." She said, she was almost at the point of breaking. Good, that was what he needed, her being as desperate as she now was. He wanted to smile in delight, this was going to be easy.
"Armana come to me, I do not want the guards to ruin more." He said, she looked at him with large eyes. "Come to me, I want to give you a huge." She looked a bit unsure, but she came to him nonetheless. She was not as smart as his sister, which in right now was a good thing. He spread his arms wide through the bars that separated them. She took another step towards him. She was now in reach and quickly grabbed her by the throat. Strangling her, she was fighting against his grip. But there was nothing she could do about it, he was too strong for her. Slowly her movements slowed down, and then her eyes fall shut. He kept his grip on it until the pols in her neck faded until it was no longer there, she was dead. His mother was right, if you want something done, you should do it yourself. He let go and her lifeless body fall to the ground.
"Guards, guards! There is something wrong with lady Armana!" He screamed. Soldier Nultu and his partner in crime reacted immediately. Opening the door to her cell, both of them were standing so close to the bars of his cell. One of them had the keys on his side, the other his sword. This was somehow too easy, but he was not complaining. He grabbed both items in one grab, running to the door of his cell. He knew which key he needed to use. So he did not have to waste time to find it. He opened it and slammed the door to Armana's cell shut. It would not stop them, because one of them still had his keys. But it would stall them enough to make a run for it, he was going to teach his sister a lesson. The lesson about alimenting your enemies, when she had the change.
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Zeudi smiled at her father, he was sitting at the table in his chambers enjoying a meal she herself had prepared for him.
"I knew that your mother had taught you how to cook, but I did not know you were so good at it." Her father said between bites. She gave him a smile, knowing that her father was lying. She had spotted him in the kitchens when she was preparing meals for him and her brother, but she was not going to point it out to him. It made her happy that her father was getting better and he was able to get out of bed more often. Arsema had told her that his road to recovery would be a long one, but that she, Zeudi, and the palace witch doctor Batha Grenver could handle by themselves. Which meant that she was going back to Hifadhi, something Zeudi could understand. Her father took another bite, and smiled. "Are you thinking about that man of yours?" She shook her head. "I have heard from captain Codwood that he has stepped up."
"He has, currently he is now handling the nobles all by himself and they hate it." She replied, her father started to chuckle. "But right now he is at the smithy, working on something." Now her father narrowed his eyebrows. "I understood that it is a present for me, and it is tradition in Salama to make something instead of buying it." Her father nodded.
"That I know, but what those he needed to make? He has already given you your sword." Her father said, and her hand went towards it. Her father already complimented Idris's craftsmanship.
"I think that I already know." She said, right when the door opened. Idris entered the room, and in his hands he was holding a scabbard. Which made her smile. "I knew it." She said and stood up.
"Who spilled the beans? Was it Sennay?" Idris asked and she shook her head, when walking towards him. "Then who?" She lay her hands on his shoulders.
"I figured this one out all by myself." She said. He visibly relaxed and smiled, and he handed her the scabbard. It was made with metal covered with red leather. The leather was decorated with a moon and stars. She gasped, turned around to show it to her father. "Dad look." Her father nodded.
"It is a nice scabbard, my daughter. Your fiancée is very skillful with his hand, as well with his words." Her father replied, she nodded. But that was not the thing that she wanted him to see.
"Do you know the time you asked me, why I rejected all those peacocks?" She asked and her father nodded.
"You replied me, that none of them were able to give you what you wanted. You said you wanted a man that if he could, would give you the moon and stars." He replied, and Zeudi now pointed to the decorations. His eyebrows shot up at first but then softened. "So this man has given what you wanted. He is not only skillful, he also knows how to use his brain. Which is not a bad thing." Her father looked past her. "You choose well, my child." That was something she already knew. But it was good to know that her father approved her choice. "If I only released it sooner, maybe your brother would have not acted the way he did."
"Sir you can not blame yourself for prince Woldu's actions. He is an adult and is responsible for his own actions." Idris said. Before she could reject, but she would have said the same thing.
"I was never good enough to rule, in Woldu's eyes. No matter if you understood me or not." She said instead. Her father nodded.
"Have you decided what you want to do with him?" Her father asked and this was not the first time. She shook her head, on one hand she knew that he would always be a treat to her. As long as he kept on breathing, but on the other hand could she live with herself if she ordered his death. "I know this is not an easy decision to make, but you should make a decision and quick. Your brother is a clever man and those cells will not hold him back for long." She lowered her head, that was also something she already knew.
"Could you take the decision out of my hands?" She asked no one in particular. But both men shook their heads.
"I love to, sweetheart. But he is your brother. " Idris said. Her father nodded, he was thinking the same thing. She opened her mouth to say something when the doors of the room slammed open. Soldier Nutlu entered.
"Consort, Princess, captain Gedlear. What a relief to find you all together." The man said, he was clearly out of breath. She already suspected what he was going to say, otherwise he wouldn't be here. "Lady Armana is dead, she is strangled to death by prince Woldu." The man started. "When soldier Callace and I went to check on her, prince woldu meanced to escape."
"What!" Idris and her father said. But Idris raised his hand, before soldier Nultu could repeat.
"Never mind, I heard you the first time." He said. "Soldier Nutlu, was it?" The soldier nodded. "Go to the quarters of the personal guard, I want every member of both guards inside the palace." He quickly looked at her father. "If you agree with that of course, sir."
"Why would I object." Her father replied. "Let them guard the servent corridors as well." Idris nodded, and both of them looked at soldier Nultu.
"Tell Sennay to bring his girlfriend into Zeudi's chambers." Idris said and then looked at Zeudi. "You already know where I going to send you, and I do not want to hear how you can defend yourself." She was thinking of doing just that, but he knew her to well.
"Then I will keep my mouth shut." She said and he smiled. "Dad, take care." She walked to the open door, Fitsum and Simret were standing there. Waiting for her to come out.
"Simret, you will enter my chambers, untill Sennay and Aranchi arrive. Then you will move towards the servants corridors." She said both off them nodded. "Are you agreeing with me here?" Idris nodded. "Good, then let's go." With big strides they went towards her chambers. Fitsum stayed at his post outside, and Simret entered the room. It didn't take long before Sennay and Aranchi arrived.
"I will take my post." Simret said. There was no trace of the jokster, he was serious. She nodded, and sighed.
"Be carefull, if Woldu wants to enter my chambers. He will choose that way." She said, not knowing why she embrased him. He nodded and wrapped his arms around her as well.
"I will." He said, then broke off the embrace.