The Union

The scar still itches sometimes. Other times it burns. Today it is tamed by the Great Rider"s grace.

Kolla tapped the tip of his boots onto the wooden tower of Stonerider. This one"s made oak, if those lumberjacks who sold him wood are to be believed. Kolla sighed, finding it hard to believe those men. Well soon enough the toughness of this tower will be tested. Unlike other cities in Tulosa, the walls and towers of Stonerider were made of wood.

"Your estimate Prefect?" Kolla asked the armored person beside. Unlike him who liked to wear thin clothes, the Prefect fancied wearing armor despite the heat. And unlike him, the Prefect"s face was free from scars.

"Thirty-one thousand Earl Kolla"

"Not bad. Mine"s Thirty-two. A huge host nonetheless. And now they are outside our gates"

"I don"t think they mean violence sire"

"Ah but they mean to drag us into violence" Kolla looked at the messenger waiting in front of the gate for almost an hour now "You"re the expert in these kind of things. Can we defend if we resist?"

"We could if these walls are of stone sire"

"Pity then. Imagine the tales they would make of me. Earl Kolla of Stonerider, defending the city from knights" Kolla again put a look at the army outside Stonerider "Grab a pavilion Prefect. We are going to have a parley"

**********

"Welcome to the great city of Stonerider" Kolla tried a smile, failing due to the restrictions of his scar.

"Closed gates, armed soldiers and flags raised in defiance and yet you utter that word" Balian rose from his seat. Striding to the side of the pavilion he looked at the city outside "Let us in. We need supplies and men"

"Oh but pardon me Grand Master... Should I call you that? I"ve heard you have been excommunicated lately. I also heard that another knight named Henry declared a cuseyd against you"

"Crusade" Balian corrected "And you shouldn"t worry about that. Only Grand Masters can declare crusades. He is not the Grand Master so his declaration is null"

Kolla looked at the tea served in iron cups. "I can have some right?" He asked a young man.

"It is a privilege letting allies have a taste of my nation"s product" The young man said.

Kolla took a sip, grunted and let his back slide on the chair. He again turned his attention to the knight.

"Null or not, I"ve heard this Henry has the backing of Castonians. If I let you inside my city, I will be this Henry"s enemy"

"If you will not, I will be your enemy. Choices Earl Kolla"

"But you don"t also want to be my enemy Grand Master. I have a huge army inside those walls and being the oppressed believers of the Great Rider, they would love to slaughter some knights"

"You think those wooden walls could stop us? It"s funny how the city with the biggest population has wooden walls"

"We don"t have a choice. I"ve been to Bivon many times and those stone walls are really impressive. But us here in the Great Plains can"t import stones. Still, those wooden walls could hold you for weeks and then Henry and the Castonians could just sweep in. Me and my people will be saved and the bards will have another song to sing" Kolla raised the cup towards Balian. He wore a smile "Imagine that. A song of your demise"

"Your people will perish if you maintain this stance Earl Kolla. The Great Plains is home to hundreds of tribes. If you don"t open the gates of Stonerider, then I will slaughter every man, woman, child and horses in the great plains"

Kolla"s smile vanished like the morning mist "Those people are innocents"

"Aye and you will have blood on your hands as much as I. I have grown desperate Earl Kolla. A desperate man"s sword doesn"t deal sense"

Kolla stared at the cup. "And I can"t challenge you to a duel, can I?"

"No. And I will win anyway"

"Dare to test that thought?"

"No" Balian shook his head "So will you open your gate or should I wipe the Great Plains of life?"

Kolla rose. He went beside Balian and also looked at Stonerider. "We would have wanted to remain neutral in this c.u.mbersome conflict between you knights. The last civil war saw Stonerider burn. Playing a part in your games is an insult to my ancestors but I don"t have a choice, do I?"

"If you do, you would have been preparing the defense of the city rather than talking to me"

"Don"t lay a hand on them. Don"t include them in this. In turn, I will give you command of the city and its supplies. I will also be your hostage"

"Done"

"So what do you want to do next now that you have Stonerider" Kolla rolled his eyes towards the knight.

"King Brice is coming here with his own host. We should invite him and the Queen to a dinner"

"Why do I feel that this dinner will not be friendly- one that includes regicide"

"Oh you are mistaken Earl Kolla. I don"t mean to waste two important hostages"

**********

Brice"s body was stiff. His joints hurt especially the one near his left shoulder. The long ride from Murt took them a week.

It would have been a peaceful ride if he was alone. But as he looked at the woman beside, his ears rang. He couldn"t even remember why he married her in the first place. Her looks are not good- especially now that her skin had sagged. Her att.i.tude is dog vomit. She was also not sweet, never had she been sweet to him. Brice just settled for the explanation that he was a fool back then.

"Why are we stopping?" Her quick and annoying voice again sounded. Brice prepared for another round of argument.

"If you just take a look outside, not that I"m expecting you to be smart enough to do so anyway, you will see that we have arrived"

"Ah good. Staying inside this carriage for a week with you is torture. Your breath is as horrid as your looks"

"Shut your mouth..."

"Or you will saw it closed?" She asked, her eyebrows raised like the wing of a vulture.

"d.a.m.n you. Stop ruining my day. Servant! Send a message to Earl Kolo and Balian that we have arrived"

The servant in the front bowed "Right away Your Majesty"

"It"s Earl Kolla you senile old fool" His wife again complained.

"A small mistake" Brice took the bottle of Hadean wine he had been drinking last night. He lifted the decorated bottle and popped the cork. But when he poured into his mouth, only three drops met his tongue.

"Did you drink my wine?"

"It is my wine too. Have you fogotten your promise to the Omniscient? What is yours will be mine for we are one"

"Dammit. I was young and foolish back then. I never thought you would steal my wine"

"I had trouble sleeping with you snoring like a pig. Plus be grateful that I still have it in me to put my mouth where you put yours"

"I don"t want to incur diseases you carry with your saliva" Brice put the bottle down and leaned back. He then noticed her silence. He looked and she was glaring at him.

"What?"

"You have been mean to me lately" She looked away, still with crossed arms.

Brice rolled his eyes. He sighed "Aye. I have been mean to you. But give me a break would ya? We have been running away ever since this madness began. This is all that Nelson"s fault for dying"

She was still silent.

"I"m sorry" Brice pouted

She still maintained her silence

"I said I"m sorry"

"You don"t mean it"

"I do mean it!"

"You don"t. All you care is the crown. I told you we should have left this cursed Kingdom but you dragged me all the way here instead"

"I did not drag you. You stuck with me"

"Where should I have gone then!?" She turned to him. Brice felt his anger quenched after seeing her wet eyes. She is as tired as him, he thought.

"Fine. If we fail one more time we will get out of here. We will go wherever you want"

"I want to go north. I want to see the Ninev mountains before I croak" She said with an excitement so bright Brice remembered the old times when their marriage was still a happy one.

"Your Majesty" The servant returned, peeking at them "They have opened the gates. Earl Kolla and Grand Master Balian have invited you for dinner"

"About time I taste some fresh food. I"m getting tired of eating stale bread and salted meat. Let"s proceed" Brice said and soon his host moved towards the city.