Chapter 31 - Veranda View

"You sent for me, sir!" General Brewer rushed to catch up with James who was in haste.

His movements were accompanied by sounds as his heavy armor swayed and cut through the air. He was very impatient.

"Yes, General" James roared without turning to look at the General. "This isn't the time to sleep. I'm sure if you have not been sleeping. You would have heard enough war cries to bring you here before getting my message" James was not nice with the way he uttered his words.

"Like I said, Your Highness" General Brewer sighed. "The people that are to take care of this are ready. They are only waiting for your command" he said slowly.

"Like you said? Isn't that fifty men?" James chuckled wickedly with violent air escaping from his nose.

"No sir. A whole garrison is at the gate right now with their commander" he explained.

"A whole garrison is thoughtful. But we will be joining them there" James asserted and stopped his hurried walk.

"We? You have some men elsewhere?" General Brewer asked in confusion.

"We. I mean you and I" James reaffirmed

"I don't think we really need to be there in person. The commander knows his men better than us and our interference may seem choking to him" General Brewer paused.

"And what if the attack down there is a distraction. Who will lead the other garrison?" he quickly put forward before James could say anything.

"This is not any distraction. It is a war on its own, General. These invaders are out there to take advantage of the king's health" James broke out.

"You can not prove that, sir. In war, fewer numbers are used to flank and distract enemies and that is clearly what this seems to be. We have to expect that" General Brewer said strictly. It seemed he wasn't going to let James control him tonight.

"So you are trying to tell me you are a leader who is too big to fight a small war. Isn't that what this is?" James opened his arms wide and laughed.

"Yes, actually. I am to guard the kingdom and I have commanders who I oversee to take care of each gate. I won't take all my force to one gate and leave the others without oversight" General Brewer was still adamant. He waited for James to say something.

James just stared at him. He didn't say anything. General Brewer turned away to go out of the palace.

"You are going back home to sleep?" James was not sure of how to stop him. He thought he had become revellious.

"A soldier never sleep" General Brewer turned around and grumbled.

"Whether you like it or not,you are coming to the south gate with me, General. You know the king won't be happy to hear you disobey his vicegerent" James said calmly.

He didn't really need General Brewer for anything special. He just wanted him to be present when he would do his wonders to command his respect.

"You should also remember to tell him that you are leaving the other gates unmanned because of one gate" he replied him confidently. He was obviously not threatened.

"Do you know there is still one thing I have to tell you? You should know but now that you have chosen to ignore it. I will remind you, General" he walked towards him slowly.

"I give you orders not the other way round and now that you have decided to throw my orders back at my face. I will decide your punishment" he drew out his sword.

"You can fight for your life, either way you will die a traitor" James smiled.

General Brewer placed a hand on the hilt of his sword. He wanted to bring it out of its quiver but he changed his mind.

"In that case, that you are not fighting back. You have a choice to make. By my side at the south gate or on your back on this ground with breath out of your body" he pointed his sword right on his neck.

"I don't have to make a choice here. You are mistaking and I am glad that when you realize that. You will remember this moment that you turned deaf ears to experience" General Brewer succumbed.

"That is good" James put his sword back into the quiver. "Now that you have become agreeable. Will you lead the way to the south gate?" James moved aside.

"Let's go" General Brewer led the way.

"So, how many men do we have down there?" James asked to taunt him. He chuckled as he heard him whining quietly.

***************

Queen Teresa noticed the Alpha King being unrest on the bed. He kept turning and sighing every moment.

"You can sit if you are not comfortable" she said to him. Maybe that would ease him,she thought.

"The war is at the south gate, right?" the Alpha King seemed to have ignored what she said. He was more concerned about the ongoing battle.

"Yes!" she answered curtly.

"I think I need to see for myself" he stood up from the bed very quickly. It seemed he had wanted to do that since a long time.

"Don't tell me you are also going to the fight" Queen Teresa rose up instantly to stop him.

"I will go if I need to. That is James out there, he definitely do not know a thing about what he is doing out there" he grabbed his shoes and put them on.

"There are men out there, enough to fight and watch his back. That is why I thought Michael should also be there to watch his back" she said remorsefully.

"I am going" the Alpha King started moving out.

"Are you going to the battle? You are weak, just recovering from some hocus pocus" she asked in confusion.

"I'm going to the sundeck. I want to see how everything is going" he whimpered as he walked out of the chamber.

Queen Teresa knew James must have had a way to win the war if all what Michael said about his plan was true.

She couldn't tell that to the king. He was worried but his mind would change when he would see what James wanted him to see.

She had to tell Michael about this. He shouldn't be left out. He must be with him in that warfront.

Queen Teresa followed the king out of the chamber quickly. The King waited ahead. He had obviously heard her footsteps.

"You want to see the actions, too?" the Alpha King smiled. He stretched out his hands to receive her close to his body.

"When you watch the war. Someone needs to watch you" she winced. They held each other as they walked to the stairs that ran to the sundeck.

The Alpha King paused and stared at the stairs as it ran up high to the highest point. He shook his head. It seemed he was feeling tired just seeing the stairs.

"You should go back if you can't climb it" she advised as she saw his dark weak countenance.

"What do you take me for, woman?" the Alpha King giggled and continued on to the stairs.

"Hurry up, the sundeck is waiting for me" he looked back at Queen Teresa who was coming behind him.

They walked the stairs up to the sun deck. The Alpha King moved to the edge to have a look at the battle. He nodded with a smile. It seemed the view was satisfying and what he saw was pleasing.

Queen Teresa slowly joined him. She saw the whole place, with the soldiers behind the gate. Not only were they small in numbers. They looked weak.

Their own men inside were looking strong and they were more in numbers. It was obviously going to be an easy win, she presumed.

"This doesn't look like a war" she smiled.

"Why do you say that?" he asked immediately like he couldn't understand. "They are down there with weapons with readiness to fight" the Alpha King pointed at them. His worries had deserted him. He was full of smiles right now.

"How can they carry out an attack when they could look very weak to us up here. They will be crushed in no time" she explained.

She now believed what Michael said that James would be starting a war to end it. She wondered how much he paid these foolish soldiers who were waiting for him to come out and kill them.

"We are going to enjoy this. It is going to be so interesting" the Alpha King laughed wildly.

"Yes, of course" she replied quickly.

She was thinking about Michael. He was supposed to be down there. They must both get praised because that was what James wanted obviously.

"I have to be somewhere; I will be back soon before the battle starts" she whisked off immediately. She was going to get Michael out there.

"Don't be long of you will miss the show" the Alpha King laughed as he watched her hurrying back to the stairs.