Thirty one

Arriving in Brookston took my breath away. The castle of the monarch was in a rock, I didn’t know how it was designed but it looked amazing. Well I thought it did until I saw that the messenger we sent ahead was strung up and almost dying by the gate.

“This sign alone if enough to cause war between us.” Gwenn angry voice said beside me as Orel shook his head.

“We are about to go to war with an empire, we cannot handle two. So for that reason alone, we will swallow this insult so that we can deal with the bigger evil.” Orel said, his voice just loud enough to reach Gwenn ears but no more.

“So we are just going to ignore this insult.” Gwenn fierce voice said as she gestured for our guards to help free the messenger.

“Yes we are. For now.” Orel added as Gwenn gave a nod of her head and faced forward again.

There were archers on the rock and although their bows were set, all they needed to do was pull back the string and let go, then we will be dead, the panic that arose in me was strong. Why on earth did I think that these people will be the easiest to win over to our side of the war?

“I wish to speak to your queen.” Orel said.

“The queen doesn’t wish to speak with you.” A young female voice called back from within the castle.

“Queen Mathilda, I am….” Orel started only for the voice to cut him short.

“I know who you are, Orel son of Bryman. Warlord of the Dar Empire. I don’t want you in my queendom, it is best if you pack your messenger and leave the way you came, and you would not find allies here.” Queen Mathilda voice rang out.

“At least hear us out.” Orel called out again after gritting his teeth at her words.

“You would not change my mind, leave.” The queen said again.

“You should at least welcome visiting ruler to your domain as a sign of peace.” Gwenn shouted, her tone getting angry.

“Don’t tell me what to do and how to rule my Queendom child. You are one of the reasons why I don’t want the warlord near here, you never know your place, and at Least Elison knew his.” Her voice turned haughty.

I have never seen Gwenn face grow that red before. “Don’t call me child Mathilda. I am older than you.”

“Gwenn!” Orel chided then his sharp voice cuts through the air. “Mathilda, are you going to turn one of the rulers of Dar Empire away? Please do tell me so that we can be on our way and know that we are not friends with Brookston.”

“You are just one of its ruler, I am only obligated to open for those who are rulers, come with your fellow rulers and then I will open.” The queen voice said with glee.

“Or course.” Orel said as Gwenn turned to look at him as if he had lost his mind. “Do note that when I am returning with my council members, I will be coming with my army to collect the insult you just heaped on me.”

“But….” The queen voice sound confused now.

“Let’s go.” Orel sharp voice said as we all turned to leave.

“Wait” she called out but Orel shook his head as we continued on as if we were not hearing her.

“Damn you to hell and back Orel Bryman.” Her voice shouted at us but not at the booming quality it had before. Orel turned with a sigh to the girl who would not be any older than me and her eyes which were shining in tears.

“What wrong princess, afraid of your first war with outsiders and no help forthcoming.” Orel taunts as her eyes narrowed.

“Shut up, warlord. It is queen, not princess.” She sniffed trying to regain her composure now that we had turned to face her.


“I put you on that throne Mathilda, I could easily remove you from there.” Orel hard voice said as she shivered then knelt down.

“I am sorry, forgive me.” She whispered brokenly.

“It is good that you know your place.” Orel said as he came down from his horse. “What did my messenger do to you?”

“He acted like he could waltz into my home and ordered me around while trying to act like a brainless dick around my people, I will not have that level of disrespect.” She said with her expression full of outrage, I could see that the behavior of the warrior still annoyed her.

“I apologized for his behavior, why didn’t you have him whipped.” Orel asked.

“With the state of anger I am in, I will not stop. This was the next best thing I could think of.” She said as she stood up.

“Are we granted sanctuary?” Orel asked.

“For as long as you need.” She replied as Orel nodded then reached up to help me down from my horse.

“Good, we will like to rest from the travel first, before any negotiation begin.” Orel said as her expression turned to a mutinous one, she gave a stiff jerk of her head but I knew that our bargaining with her will not be an easy task.

Her eyes met mine as she narrowed her blue eyes which was set on a small beautiful face and small stature. If she wasn’t wielding her power over our heads, I would have thought she was just one of the rulers concubines but no. this was a queen through and through and she knew this fact and wore it as a garment of protection. She is a formidable ruler.

“And who is this.” She asked Orel who smiled at her.

“She is my wife Mathilda.”

“And not a pawn.” I added and smiled in satisfaction when her eyes narrowed a little bit, she was unsettled by me, good. With the little information I could gather from their conversations, Gwenn and the queen despise each other which is normal because I am sure that Gwenn have issues with every woman who is in Orel or Elison life, the queen fealty is to Orel but she still maintains her queendom and hates the fact that she owe Orel but there is nothing she can do, my guess is that she can make some decisions regarding allies and that is one of the things which make her dangerous because Orel cannot impose his will on her in that aspect. She must have thought for about the two seconds between Orel telling her that I am his wife and me telling her that I am not a piece to be used that I could betray my husband for her at a given price.

“When did you get married?” She questions with curiosity shining through her eyes.

“When did you grow a backbone” Gwenn quips as the queen eyes turned to Gwenn with disgust on her face.

“Orel leash your pet.” The queen walked back to the castle as Orel followed her with me in tow.

“Please, I am not the one who knelt at his feet, willing to roll over if he asked.” Gwenn said as she followed behind me.

“Enough.” Orel voice rang out. “I have been riding for days and I am not in a tolerable mood to deal with your bickering.” And with those words from Orel, the two women became quiet.