A Warrior's Dance

XX - The Brewing War

“With your permission, my king,” General Gregory said, keeping a safe distance from the throne.

Darius inhaled, focusing his eyes on the old man. “What is it?”

“We’ve received reports that three islands in the south wing of Peachrow were claimed by those savages.”

Peachrow was a free city of travelers, a dock before reaching the Port City. The land was mainly led by a group of merchants, welcoming different races and tribes, providing the largest inn for wanderers. The news of valkans claiming a part of that free city sent anger in the king’s chest.

Those savages had been putting a lot of efforts pushing his buttons. He would have to push back sooner than later.

The king shifted to his seat, processing the news, his mind tangled with another bad news from another race. He received a dove yesterday, bearing news from the Silver Neraides, about the long-buried prophecy. Yet messages such as sea serpent and evilness sounded a far cry to the reality he was facing the very moment. How could he give aid to a mission he didn’t believe in? Sea Serpents never existed, as far as the kingdom was concerned and it was nothing but a tale told to scare little princes before bedtime.

On the other hand, the valkans… They were the real monsters, born to constantly brew war, destroying the society his father started. He was done just sitting while Raq and his filthy warriors continued planting their banners and flags closer to his land. He would not have it!

“They have been expanding their forces.”

“And we’re expanding ours,” King Darius replied.

“Haven’t we claimed the Vera’sha island and put our flags on their sea?”

“The councils believed it’s not enough,” Gregory muttered, as if implying something. “We should strike the Barren Island. It is where their weapons and one of their biggest support came from.”

“That island is nothing but gemstones and caves. We can’t just storm their shores with our forces now. We’ll lose! We need more men. I need the shadow walkers,” he retorted. “The shadow walkers!”

The general nodded. “We have a lot of warriors in land. But we also need to strengthen our naval forces, my king. Our enemy has both. Once we get a hold of Barren, we’ll have control to the seas and secure those going to the kingdom. We can take down the savages who would dare venture and conquer your territory.”

The king knew the general had a point. If they were to kill all the breathing valkans, they needed to be smart and strong.

“Lord Yuric,” he called out to the old man standing so still on his right. “Have the queen of Morcan palace know that the wedding will be in the next moon.”

Lord Yuric brow’s furrowed. “The same time the prince turned fifteen?”

“Exactly,” the king responded, watching the general carefully. “I need to secure the alliance between two kingdoms.”

General Gregory cleared his throat, keeping his head high. “I have another proposition, my king.”

Darius looked at him curiously. Surely, the man knew how to play the game called war. “Speak,” he commanded, dismissing his right hand.

“The Mariannos seeks your allegiance.”

“The Mariannos?” the king asked, turning to his adviser, Lord Yuric.

“They were once pirates, my king, during the time of your father,” the old man answered at once, his voice raspy yet tough. “Your king father once caught them and sentenced them to death for seizing the ship carrying the palace’s oils and weaponry. Their captain asked for a pardon and sought peace, making a deal to deliver gifts to your queen mother.”

“With that being said, my king,” General Gregory chimed in, leaning forward, trying to put excitement in his words. “They will be of great ally once we get a hold of the seas. They have metal ships and know so well how to man them.”

“What are we bargaining for them, general?”

The man had a ghost of smile in his lips, eyes gleaming. “Their captain very much fancy Lady Rainlee, my king. He proposes a union.”

***

Raiden was surprised to see Sanne in a white robe, the usual boring dress the maidens wore. It was a sign that they belonged in the White Tower, paid servants of the kingdom. For all he knew, she was just a commoner, adopted by one of the many tribes the palace housed in.

Turned out she wasn’t.

The girl sure had a knack concealing her identity.

He was done practicing his sword when he got a glimpse of her passing by the hallway, following the trail of Madam Lariza, the head maiden of the White Tower. He felt cheated, somehow, but thought better of the situation. He was hiding in plain sight himself, him being with the same blood with the kingdom’s enemy. Raiden couldn’t blame the girl as they were both hiding inside the palace walls.

Sweat soaked his long sleeves after his sword practice.

He went straight to the common washroom to freshen up, trying to put the pieces of puzzle gnawing his mind as the cold water washed down his body aches. His mother’s words echoed in his ears, fright building up in his gut. How could he claim a higher rank if the king himself trust him not? How could he build his own army if the people in the palace was born to hate his true bloodline- a valkan?

“Never in my imagination will I see ‘ya look getting vulnerable,” a voice rang out, shaking him from his stupor. “Care to tell, what ‘ya thinkin’?”

“Commander Riz,” Raiden uttered.

The man laughed at his expression. “This is the first time I saw ‘ya vulnerable, kid,” he said and opened the shower beside Raiden. Commander Riz Bon was one of finest fighters. His sharp eyes and sense of humor made him as the only lovable officer in the palace. Most ranked officers were a bunch of cockheads, as per Raiden and Matthews.

“Well,” Raiden stammered as he ran his hands over his face, rinsing the soap. “I think everyone’s vulnerable in the shower.”

The commander just clapped his shoulder. “’Ya are getting good at every passing day. Soon, I will see ya as a ranked warrior.”

“I want to be a Lieutenant,” he blurted out, switching off the shower.

Riz Bon glanced at him while rubbing his thick bronze hair. “’Ya could be more than that.”

“I’d like it to be my first goal,” Raiden replied. “That’s why I work hard. I wanted to be a good use for the King.”

Silence chirped for a second.

“Be a good use to the palace,” Riz Bon said, looking away from him. “Kings… They sometimes don’t know what’s good for the people. And the people don’t usually know what’s good for them. But if ‘ya are lucky enough to stand on a bit higher place and see the bigger picture, observe the common people, put yerself in their situation, then maybe ya’ll have an idea of what’s good for them.”

Raiden absorbed his words.

“But then again,” the commander continued, putting fragrance in his hair, “Only a God knows what’s good for us and what’s bad. When it comes to our intellect as humans, good and bad are subjective. What’s bad to ‘ya is maybe good for others.”

“So supposed to be, our king should know what’s good since he’s our god, isn’t that right?”

Riz Bon shrugged his shoulder, switching off the shower. He looked around making sure they were the only people in the shower room. “He is my king, kid, but not my God.”

Raiden was left speechless. He heard whispers in some other towns, mocking the king as Human God. Not all tribes inside the palace honored King Darius as their God, but they accepted him as that to keep the allegiance and to be part of a civilization.

***

Raiden saw how she smiled the moment she saw him standing in the hallway. It was again late in the afternoon and Sanne was free to do her own thing. It felt odd and foreign, to watch someone smiled at him. The hood of his robe was pulled down low on his head, half concealing his scars.

Older maidens than Sanne halted the moment they saw

Raiden on their way, before bowing down gracefully as a sign of respect. He might not be a real royalty but he was an adopted son of the king’s sister.

Sanne frowned, confused at what happened.

“So I see you again, little girl,” he said. “You didn’t tell me you’re a White Tower’s maiden.”

She looked down on herself, seeing her old boring white robes. “You didn’t ask.”

They both fell silent.

“Care to join me to the gardens?” he asked.

“With pleasure,” she answered almost in an instant.

“And stop calling me little girl. I’m taller than I used to be and I’m eleven now.”

They walked toward the gardens, the same place where they accidentally met. Raiden beckoned her to follow him, leading her to the open field at the back of the White Tower.

“Why did they bow down to you?” Sanne asked the moment they stepped into the trimmed grass.

Raiden stopped to the massive tree at the center and lied down on his back, his arms under his head. “Because my mother is a royalty.”

That got her attention as she carefully sat beside him. A royalty? Who could it be? “Lady Rainlee?” she guessed.

He sat up and nodded, his eyes exploring the other trees ahead of them, watching the colorful fruits from a distance.

“So you’re a highborn,” she whispered, looking at him, terror creeping up her neck. He could have her jailed for knowing who she truly was. She shook her head, suddenly wanting to distance herself. “I didn’t know.”

He shrugged his shoulder. He’s a highborn not because of Princess Rainlee, but because of Captain Raq, the Sea King.

“That is one of the reasons why I learned you’re not really from this kingdom, Sanne.” Raiden asked, taking in her confused reaction. “At least learn who are the royal family and their people.”

The lad looked calm, no sign of him betraying her secret. She should really have to be careful. She had no intention being put behind cold dark bars again.

“Have you sent my letter?” Sanne sat down on the grass, freeing her hair from the scarf.

Raiden stared at her, amazed at the striking red color of her hair, still unable to place her as one of the people of the Barren island. Even there, she looked out of place.

“Yes, your friend should be able to receive it by now, I guess. It had been five days.”

“And is the information I told you valuable enough for your reference?”

He nodded, taking in her pure innocent eyes. “I’ll make use of it.”

The wind blew in their direction, sending chill on their skin. Summer was about to end, the withered large leaves flying as the wind whistled away.

Sanne looked above, her eyes narrowing at the sunshine. She felt so tiny whenever she gazed above, letting the heaven looked down on her. “Do you believe in the message of the heaven?”

Raiden let out a sigh, remembering the brief commotion in the palace hall at them mention of the sea serpent. “Only a neraida believes in that.”

She smiled at his response. “Yet it was a man who made the prophecy.”

“A man who keeps on analyzing the stars and lights and heaven.” He shrugged. “Just like a neraida. I do not really believe in prophecies.”

“Have you been to River Lights?” Sanne asked, looking at him, noting the lad’s difference with Azaiah. One looked calm and steady but always lost in thoughts, while the other looked rough and proud, a silent fighter.

Raiden shook his head at her question. He had never been outside of King Darius’ walls. The farther he got was Peachrow and that was not even miles away from Crimson Palace.

“My father said different colors of lights danced on their sky, flowing like the little waves of the sea. That their land had its own power unknown to men.”

“Sanne, why are you telling me this?” he asked, uncertain.

“The valkans shares the same belief as the silver neraides. They will support their claim and send aid to fight the sea serpent, that I am certain. They do not just protect themselves, but all their people. All their lands, their treasures, even their servants. They will protect our island.”

That got his attention. Something in him clicked, finally seeing the puzzle in his head. His cousin surely hinted him there would be war coming. He had not just realized sooner that it had begun.

Sanne averted her gaze, swallowing the lump forming in her throat. “I know he will.”

“Are you not too young to talk about war?” he asked instead. “A lady knows nothing of it.”

“I beg to differ, Raiden,” she said, low tone, gathering her red hair to her left shoulder, letting it be a curtain from him. “For sure, ladies know of it the same way you do. After all, aren’t we the one who suffer after the invasion? Men were beheaded, a quick death, while women and children get to live but with no freedom. Soldiers prey for the weak and they see us as weak.”

Something in her words made Raiden’s thoughts stayed still. Commander Rizbon told him the best way to know what was best for the people was to see what they are seeing. It was no secret how the valkans could be brutal in invading a land.

“You see things differently, Sanne.”

“I see it as it is.” She took a deep breath, calming her chaotic mind, anxious of the news she heard from one of the palace guards. Words were they would be taking the Island of Barren by force. She was afraid for her father’s life and so for Daisery’s and Lady Avery’s.

“You are smart,” he commented when she said nothing more.

She slowly peeked at him. “Does that scare you?”

“No,” he shook his head. “It surprises me, knowing you are too young to know those things. But you being smart is not scary. You remind me of my mother. I was picturing her back in her youth. They said she was the smartest in the palace.”

“Being compared with Lady Rainlee is a real honor,” Sanne said, smiling.