Out of her city's walls, where the caravans set their stools, sold their wares and rested their camels, while thousands of the city population examined and bartered, Lotara held silk in her hands, examining it carefully, her guards standing a short distance behind her and while the trader began ranting off on the silk and it's craftsmanship, she found it to be nothing short of normal, she would buy it out of courtesy, not interest, her husband had brought her silk from the barrier smugglers, said to be made by the webs of gigantic spiders in no man's land, while it was true that the fabric was smuggled form no man's land, she did not believe the stories, yet she found them fascinating and how people were quick to believe those words and spread it like fire, if a lie was told many times enough, it would become a rumor, then a truth, then a fact, in the minds of people at least, and that was far enough, she told herself.

  However she was not here to search for wares that could be brought to her doorstep nor bargain with folk who had no home, she arrived here to make her preparations for what is to come, and even as her white robes wrapped gently and loosely around her onyx skin, she could still feel the unnatural heat radiating from the sun, as it would often does on days where the third moon hovered over the sun, and thus the day of her vow and promise came to life, today there will be reckoning for those who have no honor, no dignity and no soul, but only a fool would grab a cornered prey by its face, for a desperate prey take desperate means, first she would surround it, control it, tame it, then put it to the blade, but her blade was not a real one, she had no prowess, and she was not ashamed of it, she herself was the blade, her mind was the handle, her eyes were one edge, and her tongue was the other, a double edged sword that she mastered.

  "Your highness, I did as you bid of me in your letter... Though I do feel, awkward " Said the woman who examined the wares next to her, she was covered in veils and scarfs almost from head to toe, though her hands and feet were visible alongside her eyes, her name was Monia, she was Wed to chieftain Talim eldest son.

  The queen smiled, not to the lady, but to herself so she would not rise suspicion, she took a small box of jewelry into her hands, looking down towards it and speaking. "It is only veils my dear, you will not die of them, but do tell me, have you told your husband of what I asked of you?"

  "Your highness... " Monia voiced lowered. "I have not yet told him because... Well, I am hesitant of what he would think of me, or how he would react to your demand. "

  "Truly, it must be conflicting to suggest my demand to your husband, it is his father after all. " She replied. "Yet here you are, if you did not take my demand into mind, you would not have arrived, so lady Monia, what do you truly seek? "

  "What—" She blurted under her veil but collected herself quickly as she reached down towards other wares. "Your highness, I only seek to ease my worries and find more purpose to convince my husband, he is a stubborn man same as his father and gods only know what would occur if he snaps. "

  Lotara chuckled under her breath. "My, you look so lowly down your mate, lord Borat is a smart man, he will know better than to fall for his emotions rather than... Ensure the survival of his tribe. "

  "If you find a champion fit enough, commander Xao is yet to return. " Monia reminded her.

  Lotara shrugged her shoulders, setting down the box of jewels and picking up tanned leather and furs whilst she answered. "I will find another champion if need be, while I am not allowed to pick from my guards, the city have no shortage of those capable enough. "

  Monia hummed to herself and muttered. "A low chance, three champions would be far too long of a stretch, if I may say so your highness. "

  "You did. " The queen was fast to the reply. "But I will not hold it against you, you are correct to worry but I pray you are not fool enough to not do as you are told... Many children, nephews and nieces you have. "

  Monia fell silent, the chattering of the crowd continued around them even if the air stood still and the ground beneath them boiled in silence, until the veiled lady spoke."You threaten me, it is not wise, your highness, I still have the letter, I can show it to my father in law, violence will surely befell the city. "

  Lotara grinned, the lady's mask fell and shattered into pieces as she had expected, so is the nature of said folk deeply entangled with the affairs of court, truly enough Lotara was careful even around her own kin, Roegan's mother, former queen of the Asarothians fell to conspiracies and met her demise, and Lotara did not intend to be next, but now she had forced the snake out of its lair, and same as a badger, she would chase it, tire it, corner it and strike down upon it, Monia was the daughter of a lesser tribe, she made her way into their city with tactics that Lotara find too low for her status as a queen, but she will not underestimate her.

  "If you want to show it your father in law chieftain Talim, or your husband lord Barot, then do as you please. " the queen huffed lightly after she dared her then added. "But I wonder, what would they feel about me being comfortable enough to send you a letter that could easily be traced back to me... Talim is old, I heard he's... Very paranoid at times, not only from imperials but many others."

  "They will still not take it lightly. " Monia replied.

  "And your head will be on a stake. " The queen replied.

  Lotara could almost feel the gaze of Monia through the covers she wore, till her voice softly rose. "Then perhaps we should be rational, you asked of me to convince my husband into taking your side after the duel, then what? Spare him, me and my family and kill the rest? "

  "No." The queen exclaimed. "I do not plan to murder a chieftain for a pity argument, I am queen after all, but I would not have his insolence pass merely... And I will surely reward those who will, help with the change of leadership. "

  Monia had no words to share as she began fidgeting with her hands, but it was all an act, Lotara told herself, Monia would pretend to be timid and afraid of what will come of her and what her husband would say, but her husband had nothing of significance besides the rite of blood he carries within his tribe, he was wrapped around Monia's finger same as a ring, in truth, Monia was the one who made the decisions and her husband obeyed, and her agreement is all what mattered, though for the queen's own good, she would play the oblivious with mortals similar to Monia, until she is forced not to, she would go as far as fooling a jester and making a mockery out of it and allow him no response, she will see to it that Talim would never prosper, but she will not put herself in the light of guilt and dishonor.

  "If I convince my husband to back your word, will you make him chieftain?" the lady asked.

  "Well, I cannot ignore the claims of his other brothers, all hold a word to be chieftain, but I will certainly... Support him with more than words, you have my vow. " She responded.

  Monia thoughtfully looked to the side, staring into the bone molded city then back towards the queen as he uttered. "Then I will convince my husband to take your side, he will have a handful of our own men, if things escalate. "

  Lotara smiled, but her words could not slip through her lips as she heard a heavy thud against the ground behind her, she turned and saw it to be the imperial prince, knocked into his back with a bone spear aimed to his throat and another to his crotch.

  "Gods." He complained while grinning. "To kill a man for approaching your queen in a friendly manner is one thing, but to take his crotch? Heavens, I am still young, or do you have a thing for it, same as Rolivians? "

  The queen raised an eyebrow as she glared down the boy prince, she sighed and turned her head to where Monia stood but she was no longer there, it mattered not, all things were settled and set on motion, the lady would no dare go back on her own promises, she is wiser than to make a target of herself by the queen, however another nuisance remained, the imperial was everywhere she went, she could hardly rid of him to arrive to the caravans, going as far as instructing the gate keepers to hold him back for as long as they could, saying that she would like to stroll in peace, but the red headed boy was relentless, and the mercenary that followed behind him was a man she did not like, nor would she like, he was awfully mute, not the same as the Tatar guards, as their presence were loud and mighty, but this man had the steps of a cat, cladded in black boiled leathers and bandages from head to toe, no inch of his skin could be seen, except for his hazel eyes, a mace strapped to his waist and a green thick book, she had no doubt that he reeked of danger the moment her king showed interest in him, that man had no interest in things unless they were of trouble.

  She shook her head and turned back to the boy prince and gestured for her guard to put their spears away whilst she talked. "I welcomed you into my court, but I did not ask for a puppy. "

  "Cruel. " He jested as he got to his feet. "But fair enough, I so simply cannot help but take interest in your culture, your highness, and what better way to learn than to see from the queen herself... Though from what I seen, you would fit well within the city of my father, Mountain edge, their court at least. "

  "Really, and what makes you say that? " She asked but hoped to not hear an answer, she turned to one of the traders and bought a box of jewelry for herself.

  Valerius whistled thoughtfully then responded, his mercenary following him from a short distance like a shadow. "You speak well... Still you resolve things, indirectly, same as today. "

  "I have no clue what you speak of. " She lied as she walked past him, her guards following closely and Valerius walking next her with his companion.

  "Your highness, You insult my eyes, though it is hard to see with sweat leaking into them, I heard that moon days are hot here, but goodness, this is terrible. " He juggled his words and complained.

  She chuckled and commented. "The gods are telling you to go home, one hint is not enough is it? "

  Valerius laughed as they made their way to the city, it was mostly empty, and at days like those the hanging skulls would seemingly stare into the passerbys, it was nothing but an illusion of one's mind but it still managed to make even a queen look behind her shoulder every once in a while.

  "strangely empty since the morning. " Valerius noted. "Perhaps your people may migrate north to a colder climate. "

  She shook her head and sighed before she answered his jest. "Today is a day of reckoning, all who have hoarded silver or gold are buying boons for the one who will prevail. "

  "Oh yes, the day when the moon hover over the sun... You will fight three champions, brave your highness, surely you will be richer than you already are by the end of it. " Valerius said as he looked her way, studying her face.

  She laughed and replied. "Fight ? Oh you misunderstood young prince, I am indeed a queen but not that sort of a queen, I would not dare dirty my clothes on the affairs of an arrogant fool, far too expensive. "

  "Have you picked your champion then? "

  "Not yet, I will choose when it is appropriate. "

  "Can you pick from your guard? "

  "I cannot. "

  "My companion here, Exocrane is a veteran of settling disputes, I could lend him to you. "

  The queen shifted her head towards the mercenary, he had a strange name but no stranger than his looks, she lowered her veil and her words escaped her mouth. "I've no need of strangers to do my bidding, and the shamans will not have it neither. "

  "Single combat is queer in your land, it does not matter who holds the sword so long vows are made. " Valerius shared. "I find myself curious, what manner of plan you brewed, and I would like to see for myself the outcome, to understand you and your folk further, if your highness would not mind it... "

  His voice sounding more demanding than she liked it to be, she gazed towards him, for his age he was quite sharp, but it was no surprise, word of his house that his father have conceived a dozen bastards and welcome half of them into his city, and he have two wives whom each gave him four seedlings, in a place such as that, it was survival for the fittest, and she will not simply act out of her own arrogance and stubbornness, instead she would show him a side of Asarothians that he will not forget, for better or for worse, he will be sure to think twice before crossing them if he do ascend to the throne.

  "I see no harm in it. " She said as they halted, and the prince became a boy once more on what will come, as ahead of them was the kennels, ribs set together carefully in a circular shape, and inside were their mounts , heynas, aggressive in combat, fast in travel, strong enough to wear an armor and not sink into the sand, it's only flaw being that they would often be tired within hours, but their riders knew how to manage their lungs and hearts.

  They rode them and made their way out of the city, Valerius almost fell off his saddle but his companion kept him aboard, he was strangely accustomed to his mount unlike the prince he served, she found it very intriguing but did not ponder upon it.

  From the city they headed southeast past the river of Gard where it once ran with cold water but now was a graveyard to lost travelers or feuding Tatarians, sand covered swords, shields and skeletons, showing the wounds and scars that they once took upon themselves with each telling the tale of a different soul, but now they were forgotten, abandoned and lost in a wasteland so much that she would forget them in the passing moment same as any woman or man would, a fate worse than death, to be nothing, yet it awaited them all but today it would not be the queen.

  Shortly after, they reached the grey wasteland, where sand turned from gold to grey, said to be a curse from the gods on the ones who lived here and killed without remorse or care, their bones and their remains merged with the sand, and would forever be stepped on by whomever passes through this lost land, and ahead of them not too far into the wasteland was the circle of reckoning, a large construct in the shape of a circle and surrounding it where ancient gigantic crooked dark trees, their twigs looped around the circle itself as well, set in perfect motion of one another, as for the circle, stone carved carefully with each seat at a perfect distance from one another, able to host a thousand and neatly organized for each class of the Tatarians to sit alongside their peers, with the most elevated section kept for the ruling tribe.

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  Not long after, she was seated on her stone throne with her guards at her back, the three seats next to her were empty and she would not look their way, not today, she needed to be strong, and she would not even allow Solya and her twin boys to witness what is to come, her veil and scarfs were unraveled, and her eyes fixated ahead as she watched as each man, woman and child of her city and the surrounding villages and towns came to witness the reckoning that will ensure the end of a line and the survival of a one, or so they would believe, she had plans of her own, plans that would benefit her image, plans that will ensure that no collapse will happen in the aftermath.

  Once all had arrived, and both sides were present, the shaman walked into the center of the circle where a diamond was drawn, and there he stood, that place carried magic that affected ones word and made it loud enough that each spectators could hear it even from outside the circle, as those events such as today's brought too many of a gathering than what seats the reckoning circle had, and some would stay outside of it only to hear what is happening.

  The shaman held into his staff and his voice echoed far and loud. "We arrive the day of the moon, to witness the end of a feud between her highness and chieftain Talim, and by the sand gods blessings and under the watchful eye of the all creator, I invite the involved tribes to walk down from their seats and present themselves to the crowd, the gods and the spirits of Zator if they so dared to peek into our affairs."

  With those words, the queen made her way down the steps alone, as her guards were not allowed to set foot on the circle upon her own reckoning, on the other side Talim stood high and mighty alongside his children and their wives including Monia, nephews and nieces, a man ever so arrogant against a woman who had no one to stand by her side, she would admit that he was smart to pick the departure time of the king carefully, but she would not give him the pleasure, instead she smiled at him and bowed her head ever so slightly, however it was enough to set him fuming and raging from the far distance until he was shushed by the shaman, and all the while on the left side stood her blood brother Qudor, and her red eyed brother in law Azar, both with their own weapons that they were allowed to hold in their own defense same as any man who stood in this blood stained arena.

  "Chieftain Talim, bloodline of the highlands and the stalwarts of the western sands, whom do you pick to be your champions? " The shaman shouted his way.

  "The brothers of sea. " He yelled and what followed was nothing short of a reaction, the choice he made was quite unexpected for an arrogant man, she would have thought that he would pick some of his seedlings, but he grew a mind and picked a safer choice, or it could have been the words of Monia, preventing the situation from further escalating.

  They walked down the steps, brothers taller than the king himself, black hair long to their neck and attached into strands of braids concealed beneath spiked half helms, they wore scale armor that of the shore guard, for they were veterans of that order, they sailed seas and killed many northern nomads under the leadership of their admiral Borock, armed with Xorian sabers which were much shorter and much faster than the Tatarian saber, on their off-hands was shields of Rolivian red oak and steel, and the same as their swords and armor, they were each identical to one another, they were scum to the core who cared about nothing but silver and gold, she assumed that Talim had paid them quite generously, a low stance of an even lower lord, she thought to herself.

  And as the brothers stood at bay, the shaman turned his head to the queen and shouted. "Your highness, queen of the Asarothians, bloodline of the valley lands, whom will be your one and only champion in this reckoning? "

  She had no response, leaving a clueless crowd and a smiling Talim, she could not speak, she would not speak, not yet, the man had promised, and he never broke an oath nor a vow, since he arrived at their lands as an exiled man with no place to call home, he proved his mettle and served her husband since their youngest cycles, he brought him home, he protected her and her children, he promised to return from his journey on the day of the moon, and so she awaited with her chest high and her eyes stern ignoring the faces fixated on her.

  "I—" She heard the tone of her brother, her heart skipping a beat as she would not allow it, but another came to interrupt, a sharp voice with a twist to the end of his tone.

  "I will. " He said as he walked through the crowded entrance spreading hushed whispers and stares, his cloak and hood hanging over his body, he quickly unbuttoned the cloak, letting it descend slowly behind his shadow, he was covered in black padded cloth, with no more protection than that besides the boiled leathers he had on his arms and thighs, in his hand he held a spear of a foreign craftsmanship, the same one he brought with him from the lands east beyond the mist, he called it Guan Dao, it's blade thick, sharper and curved made off Xeroium ore, he was not as tall as Asarothians, and did not look like the common man, flesh in the shade of a copper bar, narrow eyes who often looked closed rather than open from the distance, and his hair was brown and silky to his necks length, his face was beautiful and well adjusted with a soft mustache over his lips, his lips which had turned into a smile as his gaze met the queen's.

  "Your highness. " He said as he made his way towards her side and bowed his head. "I apologize for the delay, the rope in the silent drop was damaged, I had to consult with the cliff keeper to fix it."

  "It matters not commander, you are here. " She said.

  "Against three arses. " He joked.

  Lotara smiled to herself as his back was facing towards her and noted. "I expected that you would prefer a challenge. "

  "A challenge? Hardly your highness, no offense. " Xao exclaimed.

  "None taken, commander. " She replied.

  And after the rambling of the shaman on words of gods and eras long gone and forgotten, he finished with a last sentence. "One side prevails and the other falters, either death or surrender, one less honorable than the other."

  He left the circle and the tusk horn was sounded, announcing the beginning of the reckoning and a bloodshed that will decide the fate of many, she would be sure to remember it with its very detail, she would learn from it, she would savour it and she would recall upon those he fought at her side, upholding her name and her dignity, all the while she would also hesitate, her plan was precise, pieces of a puzzle falling together into one another, each entwined with the other, each needs the other, her defender arrived, but will he be able to defeat those Tatarians, they were capable, she was certain of that, and even if he defeated them, what will come next, who's word will prevail, she was stuck with a burden that she had wished she could share with the king, but he was there no longer, he had his own battles and so did she, thus she watched, her eyes fixated ahead on the back of Xao as he lunged into battle.

  His spear shined under the light of the sun, reflecting its harsh beam into the eyes of the spectators as he swung it by his shoulder on a sideways path, his spear was special, it could cut as much as it could stab and the brothers were aware of it, they kept their distance, circling him together as one and he was on to it, he faked a stab and as one of the brother flinched, he broke through yet he could not strike until he cut enough distance, as they were well armored, and once he covered enough distance to strike, the brothers had also backed away, their odds felt even yet dangerously close, with each thud they made into the ground as dust sprinkled around them and smaller rocks broke from the ground with each heavy charge Xao would made, her heart raced under the facade she kept.

  Shortly enough, Xao came an inch too close as he jabbed his spear ahead though it only scrapped the half helm of his foe, and quickly they came down on him with their sabers slashing down at once, the commander swung the back of his spear behind his back, striking one of them and fleeing through his side under the confusion, leaving behind a drop a blood and a strand of his hair, as his cheek was cut wide but not deep enough, the commander smiled and teased. "Have you been paid before the job? Wrote a letter for what breed you have left? You will not make it through this one, not in one piece anyways. "

  "Surely we can manage, if three of us can take a limb, one will be a head. " one of them spoke, though the queen could not tell which brother from the other, to her they were all the same.

  Xao giggled and teased, his spear resting on his shoulder. "A head is not a limb, is your mother the sister of your father? "

  "What? " One of them blurted out as the crowd broke into laughter.

  "I thought as much. " The commander shouted as he lunged ahead, he took them by surprise and they would pay dearly for it, he stabbed down and broke into one of their shields, shattering it into splintered pieces but once again they were on to him far too fast, he could not deliver a fatal blow as his spear scrapped off their half helms, he backed away as they cut at him then rolled to the side throwing them off his tail, she watched but could not understand, she was not accustomed in the ways of war but she had seen enough skirmishes and duels to know that the commander was not well.

  "You fought with king Roegan at death valley. " One of them said as they began circling Xao.

  He watched them carefully with thoughtful eyes and answered cold and short, his spear held on a wide stance. "I did. "

  "Our father died at that battle. "

  "You have my condolences. " Xao said sharply.

  "For our father? " they asked at once.

  "No, for you. "

  "Then you have ours as well. "

  They darted forward and slashed from all sides, Xao blocked a strike with his spear and stroke at the helmet of the other breaking his charge, yet one reached him, his cloth ripped, and his shoulder ran deep with red though most of it was devoured by his cloth and the cracks in the ground, but the commander did not linger, he groaned and slipped through them, cutting at back of another and it merely left a scar on the armor of scales, once it was an even duel, now the odds were not in his favor, she wondered if what she done was wise, though she could not trap Talim without this good of an offer, it was already done and she had no choice but to face the consequences of her actions and pray to the gods of sand.

  "They cover their blind spots with one another, and their half helms allow more vision. " She heard it from the crowd and it made sense to her, despite his wound and even before it, he attempted to escape their sight but would be stopped by another sibling, they flowed like water together, and their eyes were on him at all times, no path to escape them but hope was not lost, she told herself as she watched him fight valiantly, his blood spraying from his cloth, the scent was strong against the dust of the ground, she could taste it from far away and it sickened her stomach, her husband would be fighting celestials in the company of her youngest daughter, and her eldest was off to the land where they lost so much, seeing Xao desperate in his moves, it dawned on her, she could lose everything and everyone and all it took was a misstep.

  Despite her wishes, it happened again, Xao was slower and the brothers had cornered him, he took a slash to the thigh and groaned, she flinched and almost closed her eyes but she forced them open, she will see it to the very end, and as she did so, the commander leaped down, dropping limp, she had lost a friend, her heart tearing and her hand clinging into her stomach.

  However, she found herself to be wrong for as everyone at the arena assumed the same even the brothers, once Xao was on the ground, he shoved his spear upward, under the scaled armor and into the crotch of one of the brothers, a crying scream came next and the commander rolled his way back to his injured leg before stabbing into the gap of another of the brothers, splitting his skull inside his half helm, then shoved the body with his shoulder into the last brother, they both sprawled into the ground, a canvas of blood upon a floor of grey and a melody of death in a circle of whispers, art at its purest of forms, she would think for a moment but her ranting was brought to a halt as Xao was quick to befell the surviving sea brother with a dagger in hand after abandoning his spear, he pointed it to his neck, and shouted. "Yield or meet your creator, creators, whichever the fuck you believe in. "

  "I... I yield. " the last brother whispered, silence fell into the arena, a long seemingly eternal second, the queen exhaled in relief as shouts, cheers and chants filled the battlefield, the queen yelled at the baffled shamans and healers right after, ordering them to escort the bodies out of the arena and tend to the injured, they were quick to obey.

  She turned her gaze to Xao and nodded in gratitude, the battered commander nodded back, smiling through his agony, she would never forget, he proved to be a friend of her family once more, as he always done, he was not of their lands but he had every right to be a Tatar.

  Yet once the arena was cleared of the combatants, the burning third moon day grew far warmer, or perhaps it the queen herself who was heated, for she had one last obstacle to cross, she cleared her throat and her voice rose as the folk around her were silenced. "Our rules were clear, I am Victorious and by right I will decide the fate of your tribe. "

  The crowd yelled in agreement, though many were still silent, she did not blame them, the man stood here for his own son, selfish or not, it was bound to split their approval in half, and she had already seen to shift their hearts. "Fear not chieftain Talim, for while I threatened your life and you kin same as you threatened mine, it was nothing but an exchange of courtesy, I will not murder you in cold blood for fearing for your children, instead I will vow that he will prosper upon his return, and that none of your other children will be sent to a war against their will, however your offense against the throne still remains, your role shall be passed down to your eldest son, at this very moment, as tribute for what had occurred between the two of us. "

  "No!" He shouted stubbornly, his hands clenched and his teeth gritted against one another. "I will not be forced to abandon my role for the sways of a weak queen, oblivion be with you, your demands and your duel, I shall take this the old way, the way of the first Tatar, men! "

  He shouted to the crowd and hundreds of spearman dressed in black robes made their pass through the bystanders, they found their way to surround the queen and as her own men rushed to her aid, she rose her hand, gesturing for them to not assist her as she was fully surrounded by the spearmen.

  "What is your intent, to hold me hostage? " The queen asked.

  "If I must, but I would rather you be dead, and the throne to be my own. " He replied.

  "Only a fool announce his intents. " She insulted. "And what of you Barot, do you condone the actions of your father... Or do you have a mind of your own? "

  Barot gave her a short glance, and another to his father, he thought for long and looked back towards the queen as he flicked his fingers and yelled out. "Men, to me! "

  The men who once were at her neck, retreated to Barot instead and stood behind his back, she smiled, her hands holding into one another, she walked ahead and stopped at a distance as she addressed Talim again. "I will forgive your insolence and act of treason , Talim, but this could continue no longer, after all, I cannot stop a mob if they decide to put you down... I however have hope, and a heart, do not allow it to go any further than this. "

  He was silent, defeated and broken, all eyes were on him but unlike before they carried no empathy or compassion, they despised him, she thought to herself proudly, she brought him to his knees, she made him ache with her words and his defeats, for ever so slightly thinking he could humiliate her at her own court, his son turned against him, he no longer have men to command, his champions were defeated, and the people who once saw him as a worried father could see nothing but a dishonorable traitor at this instance, she could not smile yet, not until he announces his own defeat himself.

  "No..." He said, unyielding. "Thousands of years my tribe stood against the forces of the world, through the age of tyrant mages, to the ages of champion and through the conquest of Julius maximus the first, my bloodline is older than yours, and far more scarce than your husband's."

  He took his steps forwards, his eyes filled with rage and his words venomous. "I fought at your king's war, his father before him and his grandfather, and through it all I saw nothing but a delusional dream of a united Tatarian! Fools the lots of you, it will never occur so long you bend at the will of every imperial count who spit orders at you! "

  "No one bent, your king is fighting his own battles, your princess as well, to ensure that your old bones will rest tonight without a monster or an army at your doorstep. " She answered harshly but the old man did not flinch.

  "Curses on your line of schemers, Lotara, it is your only tribe's trade, you lie and turn son against father and you fuck your way to thrones! " he screamed

  "... Do not dare. " She warned him.

  He did not listen. "Your king is a freak! With the eyes of an abomination, his tribe should have been put to the sword on birth! And as for you... You... You're a whore who fucked a freak for gold and bore his corrupted seed! Any man of honor would raise his sword against you here and now!"

  "Bastard! " Her brother Qudor yelled from the side, his sword in hand but he was stopped by the guards while he promised. "Talim! I will have your lungs for what you said to her highness! "

  A small shift but it was enough to put the eyes of the folk who witnessed that event away, and once they glanced back to the enraged lord, their eyes widened, so did the queen, all she saw for a second was a resemblance of a Zator spirit, here to bring damnation to mortal lands, crimson eyes with sharp pupils, but once her eyes adjusted, she saw her brother in law Azar standing behind Talim, her brother in law rose his bone sword next to Talim head and slashed through his skull, the lord's blood poured like a fountain, half of his head scattered upon impact, and his body dropped like a rock, women fainted and children screamed, as Azar bone sword with the pummel of a human skull, dripped with blood, and his words could be heard throughout the arena as he stood near the now bloodied center of the circle. "His lungs are not needed."