The Monarchy The Burning Lands

Chapter Thirty-Five

King Ruck eyes the burnt down fields and breaths in hearing the man behind him.

"Fields are burning throughout the monarchy, and it is clearly from newer aged weapons..."

"I see."

Ruck lifts his eyes seeing the white Galvin flag and feels his anger boil.

"A Galvin flag?" he asks sounding upset and the lore keeper nods to him.

"yes, it seems so, my king, a Galvin true flag. As Alvis had reported and as many others have as well."

"Then a Galvin brother placed these flags?" Ruck says stating it as facts and the lore keeper nods.

"It would seem so and so close to Nair city it worries me that an assault is imminent."

"Then we ride to Nair city." Ruck motions to the lore keeper and replies.

"I will speak with their king."

"We can send a runner you do not have to trouble yourself, my true king.." The lore keeper adds and Ruck motions to him.

"They are my people, all of them. I will not let them down, any of them.." Ruck motions his horse and him and his small group ride in the direction of Nair city. He stops his horse eyeing the gates and hears yells from some Nair guards.

"GALVIN'S, OPEN THE GATES!" The gates come up and ruck eyes them lift as he trots into the city and everyone stands there surprised and slowly gets to their knees eyeing their true king. he rides up to the castle gates. a peasant girl walks down passing by the true king and smiles up to him as she whispers.

"Ruck?" Her eyes glance over him noticing how different he is from the former peasant he was. He ignores the girl and rides up to the castle entrance.  He gets off the horse and eyes the people come out to greet him as he asks sounding demanding.

"what of your king..." The man standing in noble attire bows his head to his king and whispers staring to the floor.

"He is away sire."

"Where?"

"A ceremony to claim his wife."

"How many days?" Ruck asks sounding concerned.

"three more my king."

"Alright then you will accommodate for me and my men"

The man bows his head afraid and states stuttering out.

"Of, of course, my true king. I am sorry we are not as extravagant as Galvin city but-"

"it will be fine.." Ruck nods and follows the noble inside as he asks them.  

"Are you aware of the burning lands?" 

"Yes, we have many people guarding our borders, as our cousins the O'Sullivans also provide aide."

"yes, and has king Dalt been in contact?"

"oh, we were not aware Dalt had taken the throne-"

"then who has been arranging these armies?"

"the brothers of course.."

"Archibald and Edmond?" King ruck turns his head and the man nods.

"these enforcements sire have come from Nolan's. Men who follow Edmond who raise the O'Sullivan flag alongside their new allies.."

"combined forces?" ruck says sounding worried and the man lowers his eyes.

"sire I assure you it is combined in peace, not with want for war..."

"let's hope so." ruck nods his head and then asks the noblemen.

"and what of Dalt, no messages?"

"We sent a rider to O'Sullivan city but sire, the gates were up, no guards and my man even being a cousin was denied entrance..." 

the nobleman motons to his true king.

"It makes sense though when the O'Sullvians are in leadership change they shut their city down, for days, weeks sometimes even months."

"how long do you suspect this shutdown to last?" ruck asks and the man turns his head as he whispers.

"that will be Dalt's decision." ruck nods his head and walks with the man as the man motions to the room

"our best suite for the true king."  He stops staring down the door and ruck turns back.

"There is one other matter-"

"of course true king?"

"I wish a peasant to oversee some things for me..."

the man nods his head bowing showing respect.

"sire I can recommend the best one-"

"no, I already know who.." he motions to the man and the nobleman listens and nods his head.

"I will find her then..."

                                  ******************************************************

the girl walks into the room eyeing ruck over and bows her head as she states.

"Ruck?" she says it happily and he eyes the peasant over as he nods to her not correcting her as he glances her over and states.

"Avery..."

"I haven't heard from you since your last visit to Nair city with Alvis. They say you are king now..."

"I am." he nods to her and sits down casually into a chair and hears the girl.

"you finally got what you wanted."

"hardly."

"People respect you.." he glances up to the girl and she lowers her eyes as she whispers.

"true king." he shakes his head disagreeing.

"fear, not respect is what I get..."

The peasant comes up kneeling at his feet, placing her hand on his leg rubbing it.

"ruck, you are a king. fear is a powerful tool as well.."

"not as powerful as respect."

he taps his ring loudly on the chair and she glances up with a small smile.

"I would do anything for you ruck, you know that, right?"

"I do which is why I asked for you."

she turns her head and ruck motions to her.

"I am going to buy you from the Nair clan. you will become Galvin property."

"i.." she quiets herself and ruck turns his head aksing.

"Is there a problem?" she lowers her eyes and ruck motions with his hand.

"it's alright speak up."

"there is a reason isn't there?"

"my first two heirs are in the womb."

she lowers her eyes and ruck turns his head "but they are not the true first." she looks up surprised and ruck smirks.

"as you know I have one other."

she remains quiet and he points to her lowering his voice and she whispers.

"but, but my son it is not proven who the father is. it could be you or-" he cuts her off and ruck places a finger to his lips quieting the girl down as he motions to her.

"it is Galvin and as far as we are concerned it is mine."

He motions to Avery and she looks up reaching forward and kissing his ring as he whispers down to her."

"We leave for Galvin very soon."