Sweet Waters Throne

54 Chapter 5The whole land owned by Lord Aethelind was covered with tents and soldiers training all day and resting at night. Ten thousand men from Lucian Mithandir, two thousand from Prince Ambrose and recently fifty thousand led by general Haul joined the camp. Plus, ten thousand from Lord Aethelind as a token and show of goodwill to his friend Lucian.

Hence in total, the army loyal to Lucian Mithandir had seventy-two thousand men. It’s not even half of what Lord Gandalf offered to Castellan which is one hundred and fifty thousand. Hence there were tensions in the midst of the camp, and also doubts.

Prince Ambrose’s aim was to take out his brother from the crown after he just sent his sister away, and also he believed Castellan killed their father. If Castellan isn’t king anymore that will mean her sister, Princess Thelma could come back home even if Taelins are no longer in power.

Yesterday, Ambrose had a talk with Lucian. He pleaded his loyalty to him in front of all the soldiers and lords, he also apologized for his father’s doings saying he shouldn’t be punished for what his father did. Once Lucian ascends the throne then he must allow him and his other brothers to live in Prophis, they shan’t challenge him and that was accepted by everyone.

Blacksmiths were invited to House Horriss from all over the kingdom and their main tasks were to sharpen the swords and ready them for battle. King Vaith escaped from the capital right underneath Artemis’s nose and rode to aid his friend Lord Aethelind.

The moment he arrived, he passed through the soldiers and asked to be taken to Lord Aethelind. These two friends were then reunited and they hugged each other in front of Lucian Mithandir, General Haul and Prince Ambrose. Four of them were inside a tent making plans on how to win a war.

“I was afraid you wouldn’t come” said Lord Aethelind.

King Vaith scoffed “Why is that?” he asked then looked around. The faces he saw were all knew to him, but he sure did recognize a Taelin when he stumbled upon Ambrose’s eyes full of Kohl and Haul’s all black heavy costumes. Then there was a prince denied his birthright to the throne, and this one he knew very well since he saw him in Doha.

There was a bad blood between Vaith and Lucian. Lucian was married to a Dohan princess Majdah and he was the son in law of the current Seyyida on the throne. During the revolution Lucian stood against Vaith to protect his wife and children, although it ended badly but Vaith was ready to put their differences aside.

.....

“King of Santagar” Lucian Mithandir greeted Vaith with a smile “If there’s anyone I am more confident that he will win me back my throne, then I’m sure it’s you, Your Grace”

“I always knew you will get tired of the parties and the gold Seyyida granted you. I told my friends there was something in you and in the right time, it will reveal itself” said Vaith.

“And here we are...”

“Here we are, Your Grace” For the very first time King Vaith addressed Lucian as a king and they shook hands and laughed.

The arrival of King Vaith and House Iron Falcon led by Lord Finnian strengthened the rebellion. Lord Finnian was a close friend of Lord Aethelind so it was obvious he would bring men, and he led thirty thousand to the cause.

The number grew to one hundred thousand men, and the remaining two thousand from Prince Ambrose. The army grew day by day, Vaith had requested for his men to join the cause but Aethelind told him it would take months for them to cross the sea and reach Maldonia. However, Vaith refused to not contribute anything to the cause hence he travelled to the Liberty Cities with his golds.

In just a week in the Liberty Cities, Vaith had acquired himself an army of ten thousand slaves trained for battle. He bought them from his friend Umar, a very successful merchant in the Liberty Cities. These men were shipped to House Horriss ready to fight the war.

News do travel fast, sometimes it’s the wind which carries the secret conversations between people. The addition of King Vaith into the army was no longer a secret, and one which Castellan was well aware of. Yet still, he outnumbered them.

When Lord Gandalf arrived in the capital of Prophis, the whole kingdom was shaken by his entrance. The caged lions roared from dusk till dawn and they had to be placed inside a cave. People rode from their towns just to come and see him, and as usual his reputation preceded him.

The pleasure houses were also alerted by Castellan to get prepared for Lord Gandalf, and he made it very clear that he would love to be alone with all the women, meaning no interaction. And that night of his grand welcome to the capital of Prophis, Gandalf did enjoy himself. Even though he was not used to the cold, the whores kept him warm.

The awkwardness moment was between Lady Aryan and his future husband, crowned prince Amabel Taelin. Katarina stood close to her son while she carried the other one Barkis in her shoulders, Aryan was accompanied with her bodyguard. Olivia was inside Aryan’s chambers sleeping peacefully while waiting for her girlfriend to get back.

“My son is quite taken by you I must say” said Queen Katarina trying to be charming to Lady Aryan, who by the way was so serious and she looked nothing like a girl. That shocked Katarina from the very first time but she decided to not speak of it.

Lady Aryan chuckled softly “You flatter me Your Grace, but I’m sure your son doesn’t even know what he is looking for in a woman” she said looking straight at Katarina. “But, if I may speak plainly... I feel like I’m quite taken by you, Your Grace”

Aryan was cocky and confident, that made Katarina blush and she struggled standing and also looking into Aryan’s eyes. They spoke a little bit about how Aryan feels being in Prophis, and she did rather complain about the cold and the snow. Katarina assured her that she will get used to it.

On the other hand, King Castellan wasn’t so pleased with Gandalf’s behavior. He went out to speak to his brother in law Lord Aubrel inside his council chambers.

“What sort of a lord is he? Arriving in a new place and immediately requesting for whores?” Castellan raised his voice.

“That’s his style I’m afraid”

“I heard he also had whores in his camp”

“We left them at the fighting place. But think about it Your Grace, one hundred and fifty thousand men. Lucian Mithandir will be walking towards his death, he’s already lost the battle. We have Gandalf and his lions, we also have houses supporting the crown. We will have a total of three hundred thousand men....”

Lord Aubrel was so excited about how the things turned out “That’s bigger than even your father’s” he said.

Castellan corrected him “My father had five hundred thousand men when he murdered Mithandir and took the silver throne. His brutality costed him and he lost half of his men” there was a somber tone in his voice.

Then he continued “Our army was the most feared army across all the realms to the black sea. No one dared to defy us, his rule is what brought the realm to its knees”

“Your father was a great king, Your Grace”

“Was he? We are all alone lord Aubrel, you can plainly say it. My father was a tyrant. He didn’t listen to his council nor did he care for us, we are his sons and his heirs but we are scattered. Our three brothers have never set foot in the kingdom ever since his death, the people feared him and so did his men”

“A good king must sometimes rule in terror; his subjects must learn to fear him” Lord Aubrel defended King Taelin. “Your father was a good man Castellan”

Castellan refused to agree nor acknowledge his father’s good doings. He was so focused on crushing Lucian Mithandir that he forgot about the enemy leaching inside his kingdom, and that was Gandalf.

It turns out Lord Gandalf left the pleasure house before midnight and roamed around the cold streets of Prophis’s capital. He alerted his sister’s men to enter the city dressed as locals so they can spy the capital for him. So, the men dressed in all black and applied Kohl in their eyes.

Then as he made his way back to the palace of the king, Gandalf had already spread his spies all over the city and he was just waiting for the right time to sack it. And what’s the best time to do it than when everyone is distracted by winning parties? His usual term was “Attack your enemy when he’s lest expecting it” and Castellan had no idea what was going on.