Sweet Waters Throne

252 Chapter 25Princess Aeryn, Sir Dante Lucan, the little Jeremiah and the host of five hundred knights entered the gates of the Mines without any objection from the guards. Aryan asked about her husband, and the guards said he’d took off few days ago and no one knew where he went. “Gather all the Killers tonight, we start my tournament tomorrow morning in the arena. The winner will be my sworn protector and he will be granted one million gold coins. This needs only my eyes, hence no need to spread this to the good folks” Aryan said with a smile to the head of the palace guards.

This head was second in place after One, and hence he was named Two.

Two had no reason not to act on Aryan’s orders, he was sworn to take orders from Aryan and Leoric as their superiors, and when Leoric left, he gave no instructions as to what must be done if Aeryn comes back. That’s because he never thought his wife will come back.

As soon as Two left the castle, Aeryn requested for a black ink and a quill. She crafted a note and covered it with another paper, and then she used the wax to mark the letter with Leoric’s sigil, just so to make it more legitimate. Aeryn used her raven who was faster and very efficient in delivering letters, “Take this to my brother’s castle in Blackmount, you better hurry” she whispered to the raven and allowed it to take off.

After doing that, somehow Aeryn felt relaxed after accomplishing the task. Dante was right there inside the bed chamber with her, the same chamber she used to sleep with her husband. Jeremiah was also present, Aeryn didn’t trust the wet nurses or servants to take him, besides after tomorrow everything will change and she had to have him by her side.

The winter was ending and even though it was still chilly during the night, many people complained the days were so hot, especially in the mines where it was dusty and crowded compared to the center of the city where everything was shining and the market square looking colorful because of the silks and satins of wealthy men who visited the city.

Aeryn went on to sit on the bed, close to Dante who was playing with Jeremiah.

“He brought his whore in our chambers, I can smell her fragrance” she said with a sour look on her face while looking around the room, it’s been two moons since she’s been inside this room and since then Lysene has been keeping Leoric warm for day and night.

Dante didn’t know what to say, hence he just smiled while his eyes fixed at Aeryn. Then Aeryn continued, “They say she is a witch, the whore”

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“Why?”

“She has red hairs, and her eyes often sparkle in the dark. I think he is using her to get what he wants, and once he has it, he’ll slit her throat and toss her in a nearby river. What a wicked man he is” she added, still looking around the room with a disgust look on her face.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Aeryn blurted out. “I hate this castle! When it’s all said and done, I don’t want to live here. I want to come and live with you, in your manse”

Dante’s eyes widened with amazement, but it was a good amazement because he never thought, not even for once that the princess of Maldonia and the Lady of the richest man in Maldonia would lower herself to live with him in his manse. She was sure used to castles as big as Leoric’s castle and her brother’s palace in the capital, Dante’s manse didn’t even have servants.

“Are you… sure? I mean, I don’t have ─”

“I don’t want what you don’t have, I only need what you can give me, which is your heart and your love. That’s all I need, all these… riches and castles, they don’t mean anything unless someone is happy. And I have seen that up close, his money and golds never made me happy” Aeryn smiled and kissed Dante’s lips softly, “You make me happy, and I love you” she uttered the words underneath the candle light.

Jeremiah was already knocked out, Aeryn placed him on the other side of the bed. Then she took off her clothes, Dante stared at how perfect Aeryn’s body was ─ her firm breasts looked like oranges during the harvest time and they did also taste good, her round tiny waist would confuse any man and she was so beautiful. Aeryn was more beautiful and good looking than Lysene, she had everything and even a status to her name, and sometimes she wondered what made Leoric forsake their wedding vows for a whore with red hairs and other whores with different hairs.

The night before the storm, Dante and Aeryn made love in the same bed Aeryn used to get intimate with her husband. She did intentionally because she wanted a revenge on Leoric, if he could bring his whores to their chambers, so can she. And it felt good for her to do that, later on she told her close friends that was the best night of her life, she could feel Leoric watching them and that’s alone made her satisfied.

Now what was Leoric’s condition the night before his city was invaded? If you have good memories, you must know that Leoric was in Iron Falcon during this time. It’s been a week ever since he arrived at the city, and some of the good folks wrote on their chronicles that Lord Finnian had never welcomed any lord or lady the way he welcomed Leoric to his city.

The very first day Leoric arrived, Lord Finnian threw a tournament in Leoric’s honor and announced all over Iron Falcon that Leoric was in his city. Then Finnian requested two hundred fine swords made from Tyrish steel to be delivered for Leoric and his host, nothing cuts than Tyrish steel and lucky for Lord Finnian, the Tyrish steel only existed in Iron Falcon.

The second day to the fourth day it was just feasting. Leoric had brought two hundred Killers Iron Falcon and they were like a display of strength to Lord Finnian’s men, while Leoric and Finnian feasted, their men trained in open spaces. They talked so much about the upcoming war and the possibility of taking the Sweet Waters throne from Artemis.

Lord Finnian was so happy to hear Leoric’s request, because years he prayed for a powerful man to step and challenged Artemis, and he had made a promise that he will support that man with all he had. Hence the fifth day of Leoric’s arrival, they made an announcement for everyone to hear and for birds to fly and whisper to Artemis. “We are joining forces to take the throne from the usurper and tyrant of a king. Lords of other cities, it’s either you are with us or against us” and that news travelled faster like a fire in the forest, fanned by winds and dry grasses.

Artemis heard of this announcement the morning Aeryn left the capital for the Mines, and that’s when he knew it was time to shut out Leoric for good.

Leoric showed Finnian the two dragon eggs he stole from Aurora’s dragon when they were all alone inside Leoric’s chamber, in return, Finnian showed Leoric the “tears of the fire” portion in a small black bottle.

“It was given to me by Aryan’s men for safe keeping. They must have known that they will die killing Artemis’s beast. So, is Artemis’s dragon truly dead?” asked Lord Finnian.

“It is my lord, now he rides a she-dragon, purple of color. He came with the beast to my city to take my son”

“So I’ve heard my lord. No need to be saddened by that, you will be reunited with your son again” Lord Finnian assured Leoric.

Leoric took the portion from Lord Finnian, he only heard about such deadly portion for dragons but he’d never seen it. Hence he opened it and was stunned to find the portion to be red of color and very high in density, that’s why the bottle was heavy because the liquid was also heavy, it felt like a wax on his fingers.

“It’s heavy” said Leoric. “How does one use this?” he asked.

“Aryan’s men applied the portion on end points of spears, huge spears which they came to collect from my city. Once the spear which contains the portion hit’s a dragon’s eye, or head… the dragon automatically dies. They said it’s hard for spears to penetrate dragon’s abdomen, their skin is hard like a rock. But their eyes are soft, one lucky shot and the beast will be no more” explained Finnian in details.

Leoric was out of words, his focus was on surveying the portion which seemed to take all his attention. That night, lord Leoric and lord Finnian talked till the wee hours and the most important thing which they focused about was Artemis’s dragons and how to kill them, meanwhile, the two dragon eggs were heating on top of coal stones.