The King and His Queen Warrior

Enemy's Land

We rode on horses to their camp a few miles before the capital city of Mhytica. Even from a distance, I could see the size of the camp. It was large enough to house 150,000 men, a bit excessive don't you think. I let my eyes roam my surrounding like an eagle, as they usually do. Usually, I would sneak into the enemy's camp or escorted out with violence but today, the soldiers bowed salute, a weird feeling, especially coming from the enemy.

Most of the camp's area is empty with only a few workers carrying woods and buckets scurrying around. None of them tried to make eye contact with me, I noticed their mark of slavery on their bodies, as slaves usually have marks of who owns them but strangely not one of them wears a collar. Further, into the camp, soldiers doubled in number. Their armor reflects the sunlight in a bright silver ray. Standing still as a rock, a spear next to them, their heads don't even turn as they followed me with their eyes. Alert and emotionless. Trained.

The metallic smell disperse as I reached my destination, the biggest tent on the camp, obviously the King's tent. I noticed the unusual amount of soldiers guarding it, from my perspective it was at least triple the numbers we usually had for guarding our King. Either it's different in the Tallies or they're just worried about how much of a threat their new soon to be Queen is. I would have done the same if I knew who I was and what I'm capable of. Wait. Does this King know? Know what I can do to him or his soldiers. I'm pretty sure I'm not that famous..., yet.

"Here is your chamber mam, the King will see you tomorrow morning"

Good. I can ambush him.

"If there's anything you need, just ask" the man gestured me inside the tent, he bowed and stayed there until I was completely inside then his footsteps diminish, leaving me with a handful of servants ready to serve me in any way. I internally groan when they bowed and tried to come closer.

Waving my hands, I told them to "Leave" hesitation stilled their figures but my intent glare scared them off pretty well.

I am a general for heaven's sake, yet here I am inside what seems to be the nicest tent I have ever seen in my 25 years of living. How did I get here? I am just at the tip of my military career, and it was all finally falling into places, all those lessons Kairon made me learn. Biography, foreign language, war strategy, forging weapons, all those bruises, and scars that have accumulated through years and years of training. Punches and kicks, they don't hurt anymore because it was my everyday life, like food, except it wasn't given it was earned. I looked down at my calluses hands, these aren't the hand of a Queen.

Clenching them, I distracted myself by admiring the tent. It was big and spacious, a bathtub was on the right side of the tent covered by a separator that's decorated with beautiful paintings of lions.

On the left is a small table and a chair both made with the same type of wood, dozens of perfume bottles, combs, and containers filled with things I can't identify filled the table, the surface felt smooth and cold to touch.

Next to it, I look at myself on the full-body mirror. A pair of big black eyes stared back at me. I tied my long hair back, Kairon told me to cut it as it's a hindrance to fight but oddly I don't want to. I want people to know my gender, they better not mistake me for some man. And in a way, it also helps me remember who I am. A woman. The ends of my hair felt rough to touch, dry, and mistreated. Perhaps it's time for a haircut, with my dagger I cut the split ends, about the length of my index finger and even then my hair is still as long as my waist. I wondered why the King wants me. I don't consider myself ugly but I'm sure not that pretty, I have a tall nose, big lips, and a stubborn square chin. I'm not even fair-skinned like other ladies but I sure slay this armor. My butt looks amazing in it.

Speaking of clothes, the chest next to the mirror was open. Picking up the smooth fabric one by one, I can't find anything as rough as my clothes. Silk, silk, and more silk. Dozens of dresses, nightgowns, pants, undergarments that are oddly my size. I closed the chest with a slam and decided to go to the dinner table in the middle of the tent, it has two chairs on each side, I gulped down my saliva looking at the foods overflowing on top of it. Meat, fruits, tarts, wine, the kind of thing I'd only seen in a ball and I've only been to two. As a knight.

On the far end of the tent was a separated area meant for sleeping, curtains were draped around the bed, keeping the insects and the cold out. The bed itself was enormous, roses scattered on top of it all, a transparent white nightgown was placed in the middle of the bed. I picked it up with my sword, letting the thins fabric dangle for a while before tearing it to pieces and threw it far away. Annoyed and mildly disgusted by the thought.

Looking at the unsheathed sword, I decided to polish and sharpen it. A sword is a knight's best friend after all. So, I moved some of the foods to one side of the table and put down my stuff on the now empty spot. I didn't bring much, there really is nothing else to bring.

When it was spotless, I stared at the big bathtub, steam still coming out of it. Gosh, a bath would be glorious, that can't be poisoned right? One thing I never ignore is my hygiene. I would often sneak around to the nearest lake or river early in the morning just to clean myself. Since I need to clean the house and train earlier than Kairon, when he wakes up I was already dirty again and he never did realize me sneaking. My earlier bath was freaking cold and the soap here smells really lovely. The King's not gonna be here until tomorrow so what's the harm right? Checking the water once, twice, and three times, I was defeated by the warm water?

I start taking off my armor from my arms then my body and lastly my boots. They fell to the floor with a loud thud, they were pretty heavy. Peeling my undergarments off I could feel the cold touching my skin. I dipped myself in the water and immediately warmth engulfed my whole being, feeling comfortable more than I ever felt. Okay I know that was a stretch but can you blame me? This is luxury. I plunge all of my head underwater feeling water all over me, my dark hair floating all around me, air bubbles slowly escaping my lips. Out of habit, I stayed submerged for few minutes, grinning from ear to ear. Loving the moment. Coming up for air, I opened my eyes to a pair of golden eyes staring right at me, taking my breath away.

"Well, hello there"