Sweet Waters Throne

91 Chapter 9After the loss of their ancient home and city, Gandalf grew so wroth with Artemis. Lady Aryan lied to him and said she was denied entry at the gates because if she could have told him that she dined with his enemy, well that wouldn’t have turned out to be so good for her.

“We don’t need a city when we have a kingdom. To hell with it” she told her brother. A week had passed and Gandalf was slightly persuaded that he had better and he should focus on what he had at that time – being a good King to his people.

The preparations were made for Gandalf to shift his capital from the King’s City to Raven. The first attempt included inviting Lord Boross to the capital, and somehow Boross thought he was being set on a trap. Gandalf then decided to pay him a visit himself with his men.

The Lord Commander of the kingsguard, Sir Tyriol led the caravan and stood close to Gandalf all the time. His size alone proved to be very intimidating to the good folks of Raven upon the arrival of the King. Lady Aryan stood close to her brother especially since she was the new Hand of the king.

Not only has never been a female Hand of the king, but also it was against the rules of Prophis and of any kingdom to have a female as the Hand. However, there was no one Gandalf trusted more than his own sister and she could protect him in terms of political advice and even so when it comes to exchanging swords.

Those who witnessed these two twins arriving in Raven on their royal wheelhouse said they were like a copycat of one another. They wore the same clothes, spoke in the same manner and the only exception was Aryan being so serious all the time and hard to get pass to while Gandalf always smiled while waving to his people.

Even when Gandalf thought his sister was being too hard on herself and the folks, he would lean on and whisper to her “Smile sister...” but that was met with a more frown look he had to stop pressuring her.

All the farriers, blacksmiths, stonemasons, carpenters, millers, tanners, weavers, falters, dyers, brewers, butchers and cheesemakers all enjoyed a prosperity of a new King into their city and the people he brought out into the market squires just to look at him. It was sunny and so beautiful even though it was freezing and the sun looked like it was fake.

But as Aryan said “At least it’s not deep inches in the snow and it isn’t always dark” and the Ravens proved to be total different to the people in King’s City, Gandalf even once admitted it was like Blackmount but just cold.

.....

When the King’s host came to a halt in front of the castle of Lord Boross which was way huge compared to even the King’s palace in King’s City, Gandalf couldn’t believe what he was seeing. He stepped outside and he was met with Lord Boross and twenty of his men, all ready to surrender and the lion’s head which was kept at the city’s gates was removed days before Gandalf arrived for fear of rekindling the anger Gandalf once had for the lord of Raven.

“Your Grace” Lord Boross bent a knee and surrendered his sword, so did his men.

Gandalf held his shoulders “My lord, do rise up” he picked him up himself. Lord Boross was a short fat man with a huge belly, the armor he wore couldn’t even fit so he chose to just wear robes which made him comfortable.

“How are you doing my lord?”

“I...” Caught off guard with Gandalf’s kindness, Lord Boross was short of words. All this he had Lady Aryan to thank because it was her who spent days training her brother to be a good diplomatic king. “We have been blessed with good harvests, the gods are good to us” he stuttered.

Lady Aryan interrupted and raised her hand to shake the Lord’s “I’m Aryan Squire, The Hand of the King” she said with confidence.

A very stunned Lord Boross shook Aryan’s hand but it was like he was in a bad dream. Then after sometime, Lord Boross invited Gandalf and his men inside the castle. “This is way bigger than my palace in King’s City, you must be very rich my lord to afford this castle. Perhaps richer than a king?” he made a joke and laughed.

Then Gandalf proceeded on the inside sprinting and seemed in awe of everything, he screamed at the yellow and grey tall walls and the eight halls which were inside the castle not to mention the fifty chambers and twenty servant quarters at the back of the castle. The mere sight of the servants in uniform made him want to kiss all of them, the first stop he made was to the kitchen and there he devoured a whole roasted chicken while the scullions laughed watching him do so.

Aryan stayed back just looking at her brother acting like a child, although it wasn’t a place for him to act like that, especially in front of a lord who he planned to take his city.

“Do forgive me my lady if I may come out as a rude man, but how old is your brother?” asked Lord Boross walking side to side with Aryan in the corridors of the castle while being escorted by Gandalf’s kingsguards, Tyriol had to take off and race to where Gandalf was.

Aryan was so calm, she had her hands backwards and even when she walked her steps were that of a proper gentleman although she wasn’t. “No offence taken my lord. He is twenty-one years old, just like me”

“I took it you were the one who came out of your mother’s womb first”

This made Aryan chuckle softly “I fear he was the first one, but I usually tell people I’m the first one so they understand his needs to act like a child”

As they continued to walk, Lord Boross found comfort in Aryan’s diplomacy and her calmness. He even went on to congratulate her on the victory in Stonedance “Your triumph during the battle will be sung for generations to come”

“You flatter me my lord”

“I’m being honest my lady, just between the two of us... everyone knows you are the one who put him on that throne”

“And I shall make sure he stays on that throne. Now my lord, to more important things” Suddenly Aryan’s facial expression changed and she went back to being serious since they were now talking business. “Have you given thought to our proposal?”

“Indeed my lady, and it’s a good offer. I am honored to have my daughter marry the King”

“You do understand what this means for you?”

“Yes, I will relinquish my titles and my lands to His Grace and flee the city. I shall take King’s City and rule there by the order of my King”

As amused as she should be, Aryan seemed not so easily convinced and nor was she stupid. For a lord such as Boross who was used to controlling ports and trades, he was the wealthiest man in Prophis and it so seemed even King Taelin himself failed short even though he was the tyrant king and proud one too. There was something going on and Boross shouldn’t be so willing to give up the only thing which made him rich.

However, Aryan smiled at him and they continued to walk towards the dining hall where a huge feast was planned for the King. Lord Boross’s wife had since long passed hence he was joined by his three sons and his one daughter, Margery Boross with his men counting to twenty of them.

Aryan knew there will be something planned by the overly proud Lord of Raven, if he executed their lion once and Sir Ruins Tully what stopped him from killing them altogether. The good thing is when they left the King’s City, Aryan insisted they take one hundred thousand men and leave the fifty thousand to guard the King’s palace and the city.

That proved to be of necessity because as she expected the feast was a means to an end Lord Boross planned for the Squires. In the middle of the feast the doors of the halls were closed, twenty men belonging to Lord Boross were inside, comparing to one Lord Commander of the King’s guard, Sir Tyriol who was allowed inside while the rest were told to wait outside the hall.

They did bring the men but the doors were closed, and as time went by Aryan grew more and more suspicious of even the food and she couldn’t eat unless she saw Lord Boross and his children eat. Even Gandalf made sure to tell the lord to taste the wine first before he drunk it, to eat all the food before he did just in case. Hence the food wasn’t poisoned, there was something else planned.

It didn’t take long for the swords to be drawn by the twenty men of Lord Boross, and one of them nearly took Gandalf’s head off clean before Lady Aryan put herself on the front and kicked him in his manhood. From there the fight started, outnumbered and without help.

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