TWO HEADS TWO SPIKES (The Pearl of Wisdom Saga) (25 page)

The Prograggers had no other purpose in life but to achieve glory in battle. The boys realized that they would never have a wife or family and thus dedicated their lives to the spear. Their weapon of choice was a nine-foot double-sided spear. Once the long spear started swinging, it created a natural shield and could attack the enemy from a great distance. Most other soldiers had families to return to after a war, but the Prograggers just went on to the next fight, as that was all they had in life. Their biggest honor was to die a glorious death on the field of battle. Just hearing the name Progragger changed everything for the Queen, who did not like Anders up until this point.

“I can see by your reactions I don’t have to waste time explaining who the Prograggers are. I will leave you with a small taste of what is in store.” He walked over to the door and shouted, “Bring it in now.”

Two men lugged a large blue barrel into the Queen’s room. They struggled, but finally got it over to Leimur. Anders popped the top off and an instant gleam radiated from the barrel. It was an odd container, but the gold and jewels inside were double the amount that Ali-Steven Wamhoff had brought her earlier. There were golden crowns, goblets and chalices studded with sparkling precious stones.

“That is quite impressive. And what do I have to do to earn this?” she sharply asked.

“Just send your official with me so that he can tell you to accept the plan. Once we take care of that, we can start to talk about the details. If you should decide not to pursue, you keep the offering at no cost or ill will,” Anders said with a reassuring look.

“Every time someone says there is no cost, there is always a price to pay,” interjected General Rigby.

“I agree with my General,” added the Queen.

“This is just a small chip from the mountain that remains. It will hardly be missed. Enjoy it and I will return on the morrow for your official. Thank you, your grace.” He stood and bowed before heading for the door.

She waited for the man to leave the room and looked at the General, “Strange day, I must say.”

“I think it may be more normal than not, my Queen. It seems like things just jump out of nowhere around here,” he said sadly, realizing this would soon be his problem once Leimur left.

“We must be careful here. We obviously cannot agree to both men’s plans. We will wait to see who has the better chance of conquering Donegal. What are your thoughts?” she asked Rigby.

“It looks as though we must wait to make certain these men tell the truth. Flashing gold and diamonds can add a bit of credibility to any person’s story, but time will tell which one presents the better option. And do we even want the better option in power?” he answered.

“I think you will do just fine here, General. I would also like for you to look after my brothers, if you would be so kind. I do not bid you change their soiled linens or feed them, just be sure that they are not mistreated. I remember a rude Senna from my days in this palace. A Senna is a nanny, if you don’t know. And although she is gone now, I would just like for you to keep a watch for others like her please,” said Leimur.

She had taken an oath to Marius Leluc that she would raise the boys like they were her own. She felt that she had saved the boys from a life of misery under her parents. The Queen had to leave to conquer for her realm, but she would not forget the boys.

“Of course, my Queen. Now are you serious about going through the Animal Kingdom to get to Harbor Valley?” a concerned Rigby asked.

“I am fairly certain we will do it, just as Marius Leluc did in his day,” she confidently asserted.

“My Queen, I fear that is a death wish,” General Rigby firmly stated.

“Nonsense, but how can we trust that these men of motivation don’t try to invade our kingdom?” she asked, quickly changing the subject.

“This is not my forte, my Queen. Both men sound serious and may be content with only capturing Donegal to start. But they are already taking over one kingdom, so why not two might be the prevailing thought. I never trust anything until I see it with my own eyes. I shall send my spies out to gather information on these two men. Let’s give them enough rope to hang themselves. We shall see how this plays out, but the gold and gifts are good signs of faith.” He looked at the Queen’s eyes, already weary from the responsibility of ruling a realm.

“Anders seemed to promise more of a split of Donegal while Ali-Steven wanted to pay us off and take everything. We need to figure out who will be easier to vanquish as we stick to our plan to take Donegal for ourselves,” she said with a yawn.

“They seem to think we don’t know the value of Mattingly alone. I say we hit that border and just keep on going. They will be weakened from the siege and we will have full forces to crush them. Just don’t take too long in Harbor Valley and allow them to regroup after the invasion,” he warned.

“I like to think you will do just fine in my stead here in the Capitol, General.”

Death is part of life. We will send one of these greedy men to the gates of hell.

She pulled the last piece of salted beef from the leather sack and discarded the carrying case. She had been following the Royal River for over a week now. She had spent a couple of days stowed away in a barn, only to be chased out the back door and back on her endless path. The girl thought the river ran south and following it would get her home. At least summer was knocking on the door and she didn’t need to make a fire at night. She wouldn’t know the first thing about starting a fire. She was brought up as a duchess, but spending a week alone in the woods can change people quickly. Her father’s words kept resonating in her head.

AMBUSH, AMBUSH
.

Mariah Colbert’s thoughts had been going around in circles trying to make sense of the slaughter. But now she had more pressing problems because she was out of food and had nothing to hunt with. Not that it mattered. Mariah hadn’t even been able draw a bow in her only attempt. After her brothers had laughed at her, Mariah never picked one up again. She remembered how her father had yelled at the boys in her defense. Now her father was probably dead and it appeared that she would soon follow him.

She approached a mountain side next to the river and decided to climb it. As she started walking up the hill she heard some voices and rustling. Through the oak trees, she noticed a small group of men. She ducked down, not knowing if they were Fox Chapel men, sent to find her.

“There is no use hiding,” a man with a deep voice said.

She stood straight up in front of a tiny tree.

“Who are you?” asked a rugged, handsome man with a beard and moustache.

“Mariah Colbert,” she muttered.

He gave a sharp grin and looked into her eyes as he came closer. Suddenly, his smile melted in the heat as he pulled his sword and said, “Don’t move.”

Mariah put her hands in front of her face in a pathetic attempt at self-defense.

How did this happen? Only a week ago I was set to marry the Prince. The Gods can be so cruel.

She pictured her mother, father and brothers. Mariah tried to be brave as the man raised his sword. Mariah wasn’t ready to die, but that decision seemed out of her hands now. Tears streamed down her face as she saw the sword in motion. The world went black as Mariah Colbert lay on the ground, motionless.

The bearded man shook her for a few moments until her eyes fluttered open.

“Oh good, you had me worried that I hit you,” the man said as he held the back of Mariah’s head.

“What just happened?” the woozy girl asked.

“I killed a rat snake that was hanging from the tree behind you. And when I swung, you fell right down. I won’t tell you that the dead snake fell on your face though,” he joked with a big smile.

“Oh Gods,” Mariah used her hands to wipe away any remnants.

The tall man grabbed her hands and looked deeply into her blue-gray eyes, “You’re fine. You look lovely.”

Mariah knew that right now she probably looked the least attractive she ever had in her life. She smiled for the first time since being abandoned by Brehan.

“Who are you?”

“Torvald Malik, my lady.”

“Wait, I am in Bottomfoot?” she asked.

“Indeed, my lady. I mean, my Duchess,” he said.

The Malik family ruled Bottomfoot which was a peaceful, neutral region. It wasn’t financially driven and the many mountains of Bottomfoot kept them safe from attack. Bottomfoot lay along the border of Mattingly to the east and Burkeville to the north. The Capitol, Housemont, was high atop the steepest mountain in Bottomfoot.

“What are you doing so far north?” Mariah questioned.

“Making sure those crooked bastards from Burkeville don’t steal our trees,” he said sternly.

“Trees?” a confused Mariah asked.

“Yes, they come over here and cut our oaks and spruces and drag them across the border to sell,” Torvald said seemingly agitated.

“They are lucky we haven’t spotted them yet,” added Chopkins Haddock.

There were three men with Torvald. Chopkins Haddock was his best friend and his family controlled the docks and ports of south-east coastline. They were the wealthiest family in all of Bottomfoot. They sent Chopkins to live in Housemont about three years ago. He was a short man with a big scar above his left eye from his older brother casting a fishing pole. The hook had ripped a big chunk of skin out and left an awkward-looking scar.

“Wait, how could I be in Bottomfoot? I never crossed the Royal River,” stated a perplexed Mariah.

“Sometimes, before the Frozen Forest melts down, certain parts of the river can look like a stream or creak,” Chopkins revealed.

“I guess I did cross some of those,” she said.

“So the obvious question is: What is the Duchess of Mattingly doing all alone in these nasty woods?” Torvald asked.

“She is looking for you,” laughed Sir Bastion Stonefell and J. Everson Hiles joined in.

J. Everson was a tall dopey kid of sixteen. He was Torvald’s squire. The Hiles family rebelled against the royal family having two capital letters in their first name and gave their children a capital letter to start their names. Sir Bastion stood short and stocky and tended to rub his nose while he talked, making it difficult to understand him. He had amazing sword prowess helping him to be considered the top knight in Bottomfoot.

“I am just lost from a family trip,” she tried to lie, but she was a horrible liar.

“I think not. I see pain behind those enchanting eyes. Tell me what is troubling you. I can help you, my Duchess,” he said softly to her.

Mariah realized this was probably her only option, and confessed, “Alright, I was on my way to Falconhurst with my father and the knights of Mattingly and we were ambushed by Fox Chapel knights. I believe I may be the only one who survived.”

Tears welled up in her eyes. The muscular man hugged her and scraped his fingers along the back of her neck several times that sent shockwaves throughout her body. She was now crying because of her father and the knights, but at the same time felt pleasure from being held by this strong gentleman. She could feel his muscles tense as he firmed his grip around her and looked into Mariah’s confused eyes.

“Come back to Housemont with us. We will get provisions there and I can take you back home, my Duchess,” he added with a slight grin.

Mariah would have followed him anywhere at this point.

“Alright,” was all she offered.

She started to have feelings that she had never experienced before. They got even stronger as Torvald framed her face with his hands and wiped the tears from beneath her eyes. He then caressed her cheeks and stared into her eyes.

“You are safe with me now, my Duchess.” He decided to seal this statement with a soft, light kiss.

In a few short minutes Mariah went from thinking she was going to die to being in love for the first time.

“Ready?” Torvald asked before they took off.

Mariah couldn’t even speak. She tried, but the words got stuck in her throat and never made it to her lips. She simply nodded like a little girl with a smile that wouldn’t go away.

A firm knocking awoke the dozing Queen. She got up, stretched, and walked to the door. Emilia opened it to see her guard Ulee standing outside.

“My Queen, you have a visitor,” Ulee declared.

Her visitor was neither tall nor short, just somewhere in between. He didn’t look like the fierce warrior that he was reputed to be. He was rather skinny and too good looking for a lifetime soldier, the Queen thought.

“Of course I know this man,” the Queen responded with a smile.

“My Queen, it has been quite a long time,” Ali-Samuel Wamhoff pronounced with a deep bow. “May I have words with you?”

“Surely, pray come in,” she said as she led him into her room.

The Queen invited him to sit at her small table made of forest oak. She poured out two glasses of red wine and joined him at the little table.

“My Queen, I come to you as a man who can offer you more than anyone else in this Capitol,” Ali-Samuel confidently stated.

The Queen’s heartbeat increased as excitement raced through her body. She stared directly into his eyes and said, “What is your offer?”

“Well, as you know better than anyone else, the King will not live forever. But that is no reason you cannot still be Queen.”

He flashed a smile and although his teeth were brown and rotting, the Queen did not care.

“Go on,” the Queen quickly said.

“We have to get Ali-Varis out of the way as soon as possible. He is the only man that can keep you from your rightful place,” he informed her.

“And how do you propose we do this?” The Queen squirmed a bit in her seat as the discussion went on.

“Talk to Ali-Ster, make sure that he sees Ali-Varis must go. I have already put this in motion but it will be reassuring to hear it from his mother,” Ali-Samuel added with a wink.

“What is the next step?” The Queen suddenly felt an excitement she had never experienced before. Her boring life as the wife of King Ali-Stanley had just got a shot of excitement. She was sweating now with her body tingling and on fire. Although sober, she was pleasurably stimulated and found it was better than being drunk or on drugs. She felt a strong attraction to Ali-Samuel.