The Queen Has Spoken
After everyone dispersed to start packing, I was escorted from the stage to the private meeting room the clan leaders used.
I’d spent most of my days since coming here in this room trying to figure out the best plan to survive this war.
That was when we were still looking for a way to keep the danger at bay.
Now that ship had sailed and left us to deal with a new set of problems. I took my seat in the middle with the best advantage of the map carved into the massive wooden table.
The clan leaders sat across from me as if I were the one on trial, needing to defend myself from them.
I glanced at Ballard, the steward of the clan in lieu of a king or queen, who’d also been my mentor for the six months I’d been with the clan.
His kind brown eyes watched me with interest instead of anger like the others.
Acton, Garold, and Xio hadn’t known me for as long as Ballard.
I could see how keeping this information from them might be seen as a slight.
“Your Majesty, would you care to further explain the journey you want to take us on?” Xio demanded, even though he posed it as a question.
I cocked my head and examined these three men who seemed to think I was subordinate to them.
They had been running their respective clans for years and had become used to being the top dogs.
We’d butted heads, but I thought we were finally getting somewhere, but it seemed I was incorrect about that.
“What would you like to know?” I countered.
Garold scowled at me and slammed his fist on the table. “You withheld information from us that could have been vital to our survival, and you just announced it to the masses. I was beginning to think you had a level head for a woman, but it seems I was mistaken.”
This made my eyebrows rise, but Dayson and May were already addressing the issue before I could say a word in my defense.
“How dare you speak to the queen like that.” Dayson barked at his father as May came up on the other side, boxing Garold in.
May pulled out a dagger and held it under her uncle’s chin. “You will apologize for your rudeness. To question the queen’s orders is mutiny during times of war.” Garold gaped at her, eyes wide at her words. “Don’t act surprised, Uncle. You know the law just as I do.”
Garold was a tall, muscular man who would make most men look small, but Dayson was even bulkier than his father.
Dayson’s bronze skin partially covered in black, swirling ink added to the intimidating factor along with the shaved head, but for a thick section down the middle of his head braided in one long rope.
May stood beside him, cousin by blood but raised as siblings when she lost her family.
Her long blonde hair was about the only soft thing on her body, proving she earned her place as a fierce warrior.
She also had the black ink on her skin, marking her as part of the Bronze Reaper clan, the most ruthless of our people.
“You two would turn on your own family for this queen?” Garold snarled, his gaze flickering between the two. “You’ve known this woman for a week, and already you would trust her with the lives of all our people?”
Dayson growled. “I don’t expect you to understand, Father, but she’s proven herself to me time and time again.
Some of us wouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for her risking it all to get us out of the castle yesterday.
She puts herself in harm’s way without considering if it will protect others.
So if she says we go to Sheca, then we go to Sheca. ”
Garold seemed to deflate a little. Not having had a chance to talk with all my guardians, I didn’t really know what they’d told people about what happened last night.
It didn’t seem like much had been explained, but we didn’t have the luxury to hash it all out.
If they were going to fight me on this, then so be it.
“As I said to everyone in my speech, I will not force you to come with me. If you feel your chances will be better here, then so be it. But you will no longer be a clan leader or part of the mercenaries I rule over. Sheca is the only chance we have. Deep in my soul, I know it has all the information we need to rebuild ourselves into something more. During Miranda’s rule as queen, everyone thought it was our golden era, but I don’t believe that.
It was a glimpse of what we could be. I want to surpass it.
Just imagine for us to no longer be struggling people fighting for survival.
The kingdom I want to create and rule will be a force to be reckoned with.
Trust me long enough to get us there. Let me prove to you I’m a queen worth following,” I urged, hoping this would be what finally convinced them.
“I believe our fellow clansman might have been hasty in his distrust in this move you are asking us to make,” Acton spoke.
“You have shared that you have a link to this group of people through this man of yours… Zan, was it?” I nodded when he paused for confirmation. “Might I ask him a few questions?”
Acton was the clan leader of the Hell Hawks and Jade’s half brother, not that Acton acknowledged Jade as family. Out of all the clan leaders, he was the youngest and, interestingly enough, the most levelheaded as long as it didn’t involve Jade.
I turned to Zan, to ensure he was comfortable with that before I answered.
He must have already anticipated my attention since he was looking right in my direction.
He nodded. “If Zan is comfortable with it, then please ask away, but I ask that you respect if there are things he cannot tell you. The people of Sheca do not recognize the authority of a clan leader.”
This caught all of them off guard. Did they honestly think if we descended on a new civilization, the Shecans would cave to our ways?
Granted, they were part of the mercenary clans, but they have been operating on their own for generations.
Who knows how they will take me coming from nowhere to be their queen?
Although I should be used to it by now. It seems surprising others is what I was born to do.
“Could you tell us a little about Sheca? What is the climate like or the way of life, perhaps?” Acton asked.
“I would be happy to share that,” Zan answered with a smile.
“Sheca is mountainous but also butts up to the Caleden Sea. Our land is very fertile and used for farming and grazing. It has a mild climate all year round but rains more often in the fall and winter months. My favorite time is early in the morning when the fog is trapped in the peaks of the mountains around us until the sun rises and they disperse. Shecans are hardworking people who are fully self-sufficient off what we grow and raise. Our contact with anyone outside our own people is practically nonexistent. We fled there to hide from the Norden king. Since that was the foundation of our civilization, we tend to be very private people. Much like you, we are skilled in fighting and other various abilities needed to be a valuable mercenary. Though for us, it’s to defend our home rather than do jobs for money. ”
Now this seemed to be more to the clan leaders’ liking. I knew from my queen studies they had been working for this very thing for generations, but being a hunted people, it made it hard to put down solid roots.
“How would you describe the journey from here to Sheca? Will our people be able to make it?” Xio questioned, narrowing his eyes at Zan as if he could intimidate him into giving him the answer he wanted.
“Do you doubt the fortitude of your people so greatly?” Zan countered. “I was led to believe you still keep to the same arduous training as we’ve always done, starting at a young age.”
Before I could stop myself, I let out a huff of laughter, causing all eyes to snap to me. “I can assure you, Zan, from personal experience, their training is more than enough to get them through this trip.”
“There are more people than there are horses. It will be slow going with all the children and elderly,” Garold commented.
This made me bristle. He was trying to find fault with my plan, but I couldn’t figure out why. What good did it do him to have everyone stay here when danger could arise at any moment?
“Then I suggest you give up your horse for someone who needs it,” I offered, sitting up straighter. “Unless you plan to stay here.”
The moment I said it out loud, I knew it was true. Garold believed that if he stayed behind, he might be able to convince more to stay, if not his whole clan, making him their permanent leader.
Garold crossed his arms over his chest and glared at me, ignoring that Dayson and May were still flanking him. “As you said, we are free to stay if we wish. I’m not convinced this is the best move for our people.”
“What would you suggest instead?” I asked, leaning forward and resting my arms on the table before me. “I am happy to hear other suggestions from any of my people.”
This was not the response that Garold expected, and it took him a moment to decide whether he would answer me. “If it were me, I would stand our ground. This place is a fortress. Its secrets are known only to clan leaders and the king or queen. We could easily defend ourselves.”
“Hmm, I see. Was Porvan privy to this knowledge as well?” I questioned.
Acton’s lips twitched as if he was fighting back a smile. He understood where I was going with this.
“He was a clan leader until recently.”
“Yes, and I believe he no longer is one because he’d betrayed our people on more than one occasion.
Did it not surprise anyone that Payson left with us, but I returned with his twin brother, Paxton, instead?
” I mused aloud. “It was because the apple didn’t fall far from the tree, and Payson sold us all out to the Lost King, trying to offer me up as payment for him becoming a valued person in the New World order.
Now, if I were to prove my loyalty to someone as crafty and suspicious as the Lost King, I would share whatever the most valuable information I had to share. What would you share with him?”
Clarity dawned on Garold when he took a moment to think it over. “The secrets to our hideout. One of the most guarded bits of information we have.”
“Yes, that would be my line of thinking. Do you still believe it’s best to hold our ground here and make a stand?” I inquired, resting my chin on my hand. “As you said, if you feel strongly about it, you may remain and test out your plan.”
Garold shifted in his seat, no longer feeling as cocky about his plan as he once had. “How long will it take us to travel to Sheca?”
Trying to hide my smile, I turned to look at Zan, covering my mouth with my hand as if I were yawning.
“With as many people as we have, I’m guessing about five days. But if we can take some of the elderly on dragonback, it could help to speed things along,” Zan shared.
I perked up at that idea, knowing we had the dragon riders with us, and gained Ninnat as well. “How fast can we get there by dragon?”
“Half a day.”
Now it was Xio’s turn to be upset. “Why such a difference? I know dragons can fly much faster, but half a day versus five makes no sense.”
“If you account for the fact that you have horses for maybe half your people since they are only given to those able-bodied and working, this still leaves many on foot. The journey is through the mountains, and they are not forgiving, nor is there a path commonly used to make the footing easier. This is going to be a pilgrimage, to be sure, since we either use dragons or ships to get to where we need to go,” Zan explained.
“If we can shuttle the older people and possibly the children, it will bring that number down. It will still be a hard crossing for the horses.”
I hummed in agreement as I pictured the landscape where I’d first met Zan and remembered how torturous it was.
“I suggest that you and I fly out today and meet with the people of Sheca so they can prepare for our arrival. Then you can begin moving those who need it the most on dragonback while I lead the others the long way on horseback. I assume there is no way for us to use carts to transport our belongings?”
“That is correct, My Queen. We need to stick to the rule, ‘if you can’t carry it on your back, you can’t take it.’ ”
I turned my attention to Ballard, knowing he would do as I asked without question.
“I know there are things we need to bring that cannot be replaced. Could you work with Sal to gather and prepare those items so we can take them over on the dragons? They are stronger than horses and can take more at once, so we can refrain from using any as packhorses. The more people we can get moving faster, the better. I truly believe we don’t have much time, and he does have his own dragons to use against us. ”
“Yes, Your Majesty. I will start on that right away with your leave,” Ballard said, moving to stand.
With a wave, I sent him off and turned to my guardians.
“I need a firm tally on how many horses we have and if there are any hidden away in the surrounding areas we can use. The guards need to make their way through the levels, making it clear that they must pack what they can only carry. We are not trying to be cruel. We just want to keep them alive. My hope is that we might get help from Sheca, but I won’t rest our plans on it.
Zan and I will fly to Sheca to see what we can do to pave the way for our people, then return to start the journey. ”
“Your Majesty, I don’t think that is a good idea. Just the two of you can’t go,” Jade grumbled.
I couldn’t help but smile at my outspoken guardian, who was always worried about my safety.
Everyone kept trying to paint him in such a poor light, but I knew better.
We’d saved each other one too many times for me to doubt him.
His bright green eyes, which were such a striking contrast to his deep umber skin tone, held my gaze.
Without him and his dragon, Tahir, I would never have survived to become queen when one of our own betrayed me the first time to the Lost King.
“I hear your objection, Jade, but this is how it needs to happen,” I said, the finality of my choice clear in my tone.
Even though his expression didn’t change, I knew he was upset with me.
I trusted him to keep his objections to himself until we were in private.
Turning back to the others at the table, I said my farewells.
“If you’ll excuse me, I have things to attend to.
Any help you would like to give will be of great value if you choose to join us on our journey. ”