Chapter 5
Theron
As the days wore on, Theron fumed. He would have to be the greatest fool in Trisia not to notice all that was amiss.
The Viridian soldiers were restless and arming themselves to the hilt.
The paladins of Knowledge had readied themselves, marching in a protective formation around Orithyia.
The nobles and bureaucrats of Boreas had retreated inside the protection of their carriages rather than seating their lopers, despite the wretched heat.
Fights amongst the Viridians were breaking out with more frequency.
It didn’t help that the road had mostly opened up to wide, rolling plains and the sun beat down mercilessly from a cloudless sky. Shade and cool breezes were in as short supply as Theron’s patience.
Normally, he would relish the paranoia infecting the enemy ranks and try to seed more.
After all, if they tore themselves apart, then there was no one to blame but the Viridians for the bloodshed.
It was clear that no one had managed to take charge of them since Stentor had been punished. Yet another weakness to exploit.
But a hoard of paranoid, well-armed soldiers was no use if they surrounded him.
Especially since it was obvious someone had leaked his plans.
The baggage train, which used to boast perhaps a single soldier for every few carts, was now guarded night and day.
How were his hired bandits supposed to make off with the Viridian goods without a massive conflict? Theron gritted his teeth and cursed under his breath. The operation had been known to his people alone until now. Who amongst his most loyal retainers would have betrayed him? And why?
Whatever the case, the attack was slated for tonight. The camp that had been scouted for them was a great clearing near a river with a patchy forest not far off—the perfect place for the bandits to hide in.
“Your Majesty.”
“Commander Nireus,” Theron replied.
It wouldn’t have been this man, who had served Theron loyally as a bodyguard of the highest order, his spear bearer, for more than a decade.
Not when it was Nireus’ own father who had been slain by Flora in her youth.
He had no reason to ally with the Viridians.
Indeed, if any here had a greater hatred towards them, it would be a shock.
“One of our soldiers spotted Stentor with his weapons.”
Even that mangy dog knew about the upcoming raid? And worse, he’d flaunted his punishment. Theron’s hands tightened on the reins of his loper. Stentor would pay with his life.
“Relieve him of his weapons and shackle him to one of the baggage carts. Tell him for defying me and spurning my leniency, he will dig the camp’s latrine tonight and be buried alive in shit.
Assure him I will devise an even more humiliating end to his life if he thinks to escape this death sentence. ”
“It would be my pleasure.”
Theron sighed.
“If even Stentor knows what is to occur tonight, someone has betrayed Aureum. Find them and bring the traitor to me.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Anything else to report?”
“High Priestess Orithyia has been riding beside your wife’s palanquin.”
It was yet another knife in his back.
“And what was her Aurean bodyguard doing?”
“Following orders. The high priestess hasn’t laid a finger on your wife.”
But Orithyia’s real weapon was her tongue.
Theron turned his loper around and raced back through the line. She’d promised! Swore she would keep her distance from Orithyia. How dare she disobey him and break her vow!
He’d excused her from being at his side due to her discomfort these past few days. He’d even allowed her to ride in a palanquin instead of her loper, one carried by Viridian attendants so his people could follow his orders elsewhere.
Barrelling past his people, he spied the vile high priestess right where Nireus had said she was.
No doubt poisoning Aurora’s mind further.
Two of Knowledge’s paladins braced for his angry charge, but his loper was battle tested and as eager for a fight as he.
Viridians and clerics fled as Theron’s people rushed to his side and Aurora’s.
His loper rammed its curling horns into the unprepared chest of one of the paladin’s lopers, sending rider and beast flying.
The second paladin’s hand reached for his sword when Theron grabbed his tunic, smashed his head into the man’s nose, and threw the dazed paladin to the ground.
Then he urged his mount to insert itself between the palanquin and Orithyia, now retreating behind several other paladins.
The procession stopped.
“Get. Away. From. My. Wife.”
Theron’s soldiers rushed to shield Aurora from the rallying Viridians and clerics, ready to join him if necessary.
“While I respect your rights as both a king and her husband, you have no right to attack my paladins or prevent her from speaking to a high priestess. Unless you wish to challenge the goddess Knowledge Herself?”
“I have every right to keep her safe from those who would do her harm. Or do you deny that you attempted to facilitate her maiming?”
Viridian soldiers whispered, looking uncertain. Without Stentor to lead them, they had no reason to join a potential fight.
“Her Highness consented to wearing the—”
“Silence! Go pour your poison into someone else’s ears. I’ll have none of it, and neither will my wife.” He gestured sharply at her to leave.
“Your wife is in a great deal of pain. All I’ve done is offered her some advice that will make her more comfortable. If that is what constitutes poison to you, perhaps what your wife needs is less of your presence rather than mine.” Orithyia smiled smugly.
“I wasn’t aware your hearing was failing you, Orithyia.
It seems I must make allowances for your advanced age.
Allow me to say it loudly and clearly. You have a history of harming my wife.
You attempted it again not a few days past. Stay away from her, or I will be forced to ask High Priestesses Myrina and Nerio to depose you.
Perhaps even the avatar will oblige me, since he holds my wife in such high regard,” Theron snarled.
“I would welcome such scrutiny if it would put your mind at ease, Your Majesty. My goddess knows I have done my utmost to uphold Her sacred mission. But perhaps you should be careful what you wish for. Only one of us has incurred a goddess’ wrath by attacking Justice’s avatar.
I wonder what else would come to light during such proceedings.
” She raised a white brow, cunning eyes twinkling.
Perhaps he should incur another one’s. It might be worth whatever divine punishment Knowledge bestowed on him to choke the life out of that vile snake.
“I can only imagine that a great many of your transgressions would be uncovered. But until that happy day arrives… Be. Gone.”
She smiled and shook her head, as if he were the one being shameless here and not her.
“I will never turn away royalty seeking counsel and knowledge, but I will respect your wishes for now, Your Majesty.”
Snake dealt with, he turned his attention on Aurora.
Still atop his loper, he tore the gauzy gold curtains aside, ready to unleash his righteous fury on her.
But she lay curled up on her side, hugging pillows like they were a lifeline.
Ashen-faced and sweating, her eyes glassy with pain. His anger bled from him.
Mostly.
What might have been a full-throated snarl came out instead as a sullen growl.
“You vowed not to speak with Orithyia.”
“Said I wouldn’t go looking for her,” Aurora groaned. “It’s not my fault she came here.”
He caught himself reaching to caress her face, to offer some small comfort, and forced his pinched brow to flatten as he pulled his hand back.
“What did she say to you?” he demanded.
“Ask your guard,” she hissed, nails sinking into the pillow as she winced.
Stubborn little creature. Why wouldn’t she just let him help her? He would probably get a less aggravating report out of the guard than her.
“Rest assured, I will.” He let the curtain fall back.
“Wait!” she cried.
He blinked in shock.
She wanted to speak with him? Confused and cautiously hopeful, he pulled the curtain aside once more.
“I want to spend the night with Myrina. Without you.”
He clenched his teeth and all but hissed through his disappointment.
Theron knew he should be pleased by this turn of events.
Myrina would help soften her towards him, no doubt.
She was probably the only person in Trisia who genuinely thought they could and should forgive each other—not that he’d done anything as egregious as becoming a traitor.
In any case, he saw no good reason to refuse her.
Myrina’s tent would be protected by both paladins and Aurean soldiers tonight.
The raid would no doubt be noisy and disruptive, but they were bandits, not an invading army, and they would be targeting the baggage carts, not the tents.
Whatever havoc they wreaked would be over and done with soon enough.
And it might even give him a chance to show her his heroic side as he kept any of the riffraff at bay.
Perhaps Aurora would allow one of Myrina’s clerics to ease her pain, even if she still refused to allow him to do so.
“As you wish.”
She released a grateful sigh and closed her eyes. Theron let the gauzy curtain fall again before he called her bodyguard over to him. He pulled the woman aside, far enough out of earshot from Aurora, and frowned.
“What did that wraith say to my wife?”
“They spoke of potions and tonics that are effective at easing a woman’s monthly courses.
The high priestess invited her to come to her tent where her clerics would brew her one that would ease her pain.
Her Highness refused, saying you would never permit it.
The high priestess told her that High Priestess Myrina would know of the tonics as well, and that if she couldn’t find her way to the black tent, she should seek out the red,” the guard reported dutifully.