The Start Of Tragedy
1367 Words
‘Those aren’t our horses…’
This was Kuvira’s first thought when she had a more enhanced view of the riders.
‘They’re wrapped around in fabric meant to imitate our own, but… I can tell.’
Something was off.
Then, there was the issue of the riders themselves
‘They’re too few.’
Her husband had left on an expedition with exactly three-hundred men.
The men who were approaching the village didn’t appear any more than a hundred.
Now, it was possible that they lost a lot of men in this expedition, and these were only the survivors.
However, Kuvira found that to be very unlikely.
‘Chiron is not so incompetent!’
Besides, there was no way Chiron and the survivors wouldn’t bring back the dead bodies.
‘I don’t see any wrapped corpses or baggage with them.’
They were also charging at such a quick pace—something that wouldn’t happen for a squalid that had lost two-third of its members.
Something was amiss, and Kuvira could tell.
Then, there was the final hint that gave it away.
‘That man who leads them… he’s not my husband!’
If he wasn’t, then who was he?
If those horses weren’t theirs, then whose were they?
If these people weren’t their people, then who were they?
As the question danced around in Kuvira’s heart, she could only think of one answer.
‘The enemy!’
“Everyone! We need to retreat! Something is wro—!”
~SQUELCH!~
Before Kuvira could complete her sentence, someone ran a blade through her.
“W-wha…?”
Blood spurted from her stomach, causing her to tremble at the mercy of the impaling blade.
“W-what kind of… treachery… is this…?”
Kuvira turned to face the man who stabbed her, and it was none other than one of the ten men who had remained in the village.
Her eyes darted to the others, probably in an attempt to request their help—as if they couldn’t see what was happening themselves—but what she saw shook her to her bones.
All of the men… were grinning menacingly!
They were enemies all along!
“W-why…?” She muttered, blood slowly rising up her throat.
“You don’t need to know, sweetheart. Hehe!”
As the man proceeded to drive the blade even further into her, possibly ending her life, Kuvira swiftly moved her body.
She let go of the baby that occupied her hands and pulled away to dislodge herself from the blade’s hold.
“Why you—!”
Before the man could even strike her once again, Kuvira sent her fist flying towards his face, instantly shattering his jaw.
The impact on his face, and the pain that seared through his body, caused him to be temporarily stunned.
Enough for her to forcefully yank his weapon from him and run a blade through his throat.
“G-gurghk…”
The man choked on his own blood as his bloodshot eyes displayed indescribable shock.
He died that instant, and Kuvira swiftly carried her falling child before he reached the ground, twisting her body while creating distance from the rest of the men.
Unfortunately, that meant pushing herself to the edge of the gate—closer to the incoming strangers.
“W-what is happening?!
“Arghhhh!”
“K-Kuvira, what is going on?!”
“What has gotten into them?”
“A-A corpse? Blood?!”
“WHAT IS THIS THAT IS HAPPENING?!”
The villagers asked these question, shrinking back in fear as the snickering men all brandished their hidden blades.
No one had an answer. Not even the Kuvira that they all looked to for help.
“S-stop this madness! What is all of this?” Kuvira yelled, though her words came out as a pathetic shriek.
Her eyes were bloodshot, and her face was pale from losing so much blood.
She was staggering a little, but Kuvira did her best to maintain a proper stance.
“Hehe! Like I said… it’s none of your business.”
“Just shut up and die.”
“It’s too late for you anyway. Hehehe…”
Soon, the approaching riders would arrive at the village and they would ravage everything.
That was the reality of the situation.
“Why would you betray us? Betray my husband!”
These ten men—now nine—were among the hundred who had told their husband that they would journey with him to this place.
That they would stay here with their wives and build families here with him
Why would they do this now?
“Hehehe… hahahahaha!”
“She looks so confused! Should we tell her?”
“Haha! Why not? It looks like she’s going to die very soon anyway!”
As Kuvira heard this, she clutched her baby tightly and kept glancing around for a chance of escape.
Unfortunately, there was none in sight.
The ten men had blocked any viable way to get into the village, and since they were on the plains, her trying to run away from the riders was pointless.
Besides, she was injured and carrying a baby.
There was no way to outrun trained experts who were using mounts.
‘Y-you bastards… why? Why would you do this?!’ Kuvira could not comprehend the rationale behind their actions.
Well… she soon would.
“We were never on your husband’s side! All hundred of us! This was all just staged!” One of the soldiers finally burst out laughing.
“W-wha…t?”
Kuvira’s confused expression seemed to make the men laugh even harder.
“What a stupid woman. Don’t you get it? We all came here with your husband for one reason alone—to kill him, and you.”
That was impossible! These were the men who had been through thick and thin with Chiron.
There was no way they would be so treacherous.
Unless… a higher power deemed it so.
“We are loyal first and foremost to the Emperor. And it seems he no longer has any reason to keep your husband alive any longer.”
“T-the Emperor?!”
Kuvira was shocked to hear that name.
That man—the Emperor—was actually her uncle.
She never had a problem with him taking the throne since her father had perished in battle.
She simply desired to live her life, and after falling in love with Chiron, he gave her his blessing.
The only reason they moved out here was due to the order of the Emperor, but Kuvira always saw it as a sign of goodwill.
She had always wanted to know what it was like to live a simple life, and since the Emperor agreed to retire her husband earlier than normally accepted, he used this place as an excuse for them.
Just by going on an annual expedition, they would be able to secure their freedom and happiness.
That was how things were supposed to go.
So why… why was this happening?
Why was the Emperor doing all of this?!
‘N-no way!’ Kuvira’s eyes suddenly widened at the realization.
“Seems you finally understand, you slow woman.”
“Keke! Your union with Chiron is a threat to the Emperor! You’re the daughter of the one who was meant to be Emperor, and your husband is one of the strongest men in the Empire.”
“What could the Emperor do if you choose to rise up against him?”
As these warriors flapped their gums about the politics guiding their betrayal, Kuvira shuddered.
“B-but why didn’t he just disagree? Why could he not just decline… our union…?” She whispered.
More chuckles echoed from the men.
“Would you have accepted his decision?”
The moment that question struck her, Kuvira instantly realized the answer.
As a child, she had always been headstrong, and even if her uncle had refused her union with the man she loved, she was willing to elope with him.
“Rather than let you go off on your own without his supervision, the Emperor decided it was best to control the tides and eliminate you once the time was right.”
… All without anyone suspecting a thing.
- Writer
