Chapter 4 Battle!

After telling his wife of everything about their mysterious daughter, she was a bit calm and hopeful. She forgave her husband but didn't like the idea of taking their daughter to the palace. She decided to herself not to give her out as a maid to the palace. She knew how complicated palace issues were thanks to her friends who gave out their daughters as maids to the palace. They initially wanted their daughters to fit in and not suffer but had no idea the hell they sent their daughters to.

Some of them have been separated permanently from their daughters because some were found stealing and were executed, sent to dungeons and others too were transported to sub kingdoms of the Forshans. One mother was beheaded when she tried to get her daughter back because the rules have been that a daughter or son returns to their families only when they pass the test of becoming Forshans, until then no parent is to show interest in getting their children back. What scared her the most was the story of the village crazy woman, her son was returned without a leg and died few days as a result of the poor conditions at the war field and being a slave they were used as baits the most without being treated well. That not being the worst, her daughter was found raped with her eyes dug out. The state of the woman's daughter was the worse they had seen and as a result of her story, most women refrain from giving their daughters and sons out to the palace and she planned to do same with sheyah, she won't be going through that hell for whatever reason known to the gods. Although there has been a rumor that the chief maids and guards plan to raid their slave village and get their children with force, she was prepared to help sheyah escape when that time comes, her daughter was too precious to be with those monsters.

**In the palace of the Forshans**

A moan escaped the lips of a maid in the arms of guard in his good looking room. Without wasting much time he unraveled her from her maid clothes and kissed her with toughness and kept on travelling with his hands all over her body while she laid down trying not to allow her mind work anymore she opened up for him as he finally got joy from the approval he has been working towards achieving, not that he would have stopped what he was doing if an approval never came. "Sweet girl, I will give you pleasure beyond what you have ever experienced" as he kept on talking to make her more ready for him a knock interrupted everything which made him almost loose his mind. Looking at this body infront of him and ending this rare session, he knew he wouldn't forgive whoever was knocking. Moving away from her, she immediately started dressing up, looking back he felt so angry to let this maid escape from him, she had been very stubborn and finally she requested to get an exact to see her parents and just as he does with the ones he fantasizes about, he requested her body and not money. He knew she might change her mind or come back but he wasn't very sure about her coming back because she almost stopped the session a couple of times before she for some reason started allowing herself to give in. " His Majesty requests your presence". The junior guard delivered the message swiftly and left without waiting for his response since he was told to deliver another message to the high ranked maid. "What in heavens name does he want now?"he groaned and whispered to himself before moving out to the chambers of the King looking all well dressed and presentable.

"His Majesty I delivered the message to them" the junior guard bowed and was allowed to leave by the King's spokesperson when the lead guards and maids entered. "Thank you His Majesty". He uttered and left.

The tensed environment was very screaming to the leaders,when they came into the chambers. There were a few other leaders who seem to have ended their meeting and were also planning to wait for this next meeting.

"His royal Highness" they both bowed and greeted. " You may rise". The King's spokesperson said and later spoke" The Kingdom of Harshan is in it's vulnerability as their King's death struck them this afternoon." Shock was on the faces of the two leaders who seem to be unaware of how important this meeting is. "The kingdoms of shannah, Rabna and kazan have shown interest in subduing Harshan, these kingdoms wishes to have a battle with any other kingdoms which will show interest in Harshan. " He continued regardless of the confused expressions on the faces of all the leaders. "Forshan wants to subdue Harshan!" . Shock was plastered on the faces of all the leaders including the junior guards who stood at the entrance. This was no joke, if Forshan joins battle and they loose, that could be the downfall of their kingdom. The late King never showed interest to subdue Harshan due to how powerful the system of Harshan had been at his reign, being very old, he foresaw his kingdom being a footstool to Harshan if they joined the battle. It was their resistance to battle that made the other kingdoms drop their interest in going for the very first battle when his crown prince was about to be sworn in as king. He advised him never to join before his departure. But what had happened now? Was it because the Harshanians had no heir to their since they never found their princess?

"His Majesty I request a rethought on this" the leader of the guards and security force of Harshan who was now aware of seriousness of this meeting although he had to miss out on his sweet girl, finally said. Some other leaders started conversing in showing their thoughts and disapproval.....

"Silence"! I am not a fool to have decided this! Do you think I don't know what I do? My father the late King was wise and so am I. The vulnerability of Harshan is at it's maximum. This is the time to subdue them and make our kingdom enlarged and more powerful. Harshan has great army force and security ever since the tragedy ten years ago. Do you know what that means? "The king questioned? The leaders looked at each other while the King continued "If any other kingdoms subdues Harshan we are ruined"! They will join forces with their army and fight us to subdue us which is too much blood shed in this season of human sacrifices in the other kingdoms who still practice foul practices. Do you now understand why we need to keep Harshan from being subdued from the others?"!

The king was right this season was for the foul gods of three of the Kingdoms who still sacrifice human and mostly slaves to enlarge and maintain their reign. This meant the actual target was Forshan and Harshan not just Harshan. Since they; Harshan and Forshan were the two great Kingdoms who behaved more civilized and more enlightened , the other three kingdoms had always wanted to dirty them with their practices but always failed to convince their past Kings and so this could be a way to show them how wrong they were to have denied and spat on their practices as being foul.

This was really no joke! If any of the three kingdoms subdued Harshan, the remaining kingdoms were not safe at all. Now they understood what their king was trying to do all this while. He kept on sending alliance pleas to the other four kingdoms to fight the three foul kingdoms to destroy their existence but the other Kingdoms never found them as a threat so they kept mute and never agreed but now, trouble seem to be approaching. An enlarged foul kingdoms means trouble!

"Forgive us His Majesty" they all bowed trying to calm his raged mood especially now that they agree to subduing Harshan. Someone whom no one expected entered the chambers suddenly causing another wind of bewilderment.

"His Majesty, I request another plea of alliance to be sent to Harshan to get their approval rather than going on a battle" The Queen who had been standing at the Gate without letting her presence known finally entered the chambers and spoke these words

The tension was real. The king looked at her wishing to give her a slap for barging into their meeting. She was not needed there and had no right to speak of issues about kingdom enlargement. His Queen was a beauty and caring elegant woman but not very wise with matters of kingdoms unlike Yaran his first love, she was smart, beautiful and very wise with matters like these and that had been the reason he never wanted her presence in these matters although he could have allowed her anyway since there was no rule against it, he made it known to his sub leaders that his Queen will never be a part of Kingdom matters which seem to have caused the bewilderment in everyone's eyes.

"Get Out Queen"! He shouted startling the leaders who looked down to avoid the tensed situation between the king and Queen. Realizing she planned not to go he ordered the guards to come for her. "Don't you dare lay a finger on me" she hissed. The frightened guards who didn't know what to do were still contemplating when the Queen glared at the King and left.

On her way to back to her room she felt so humiliated and had tears in her eyes which were planning to flow. Her maids who saw her coming from the chambers tried to accompany her but she released them. Walking without a care in the world n

with elegance, she had her tears flowing freely but didn't realize her son's presence in her room when she entered neither did she see how he looked sad seeing his Mother the Queen in such a sad state.

"Mother" he said. startled a little by her son's presence she tried to wipe the tears on her face but her son who was almost eighteen was matured enough to hug his Mother who later allowed herself to shed tears.

"I don't know why Father always makes you cry, you are His Queen, Mother" he said in such a broken tone while hugging his mother. The Queen broke the Hug and smiled sadly, while looking at his already man looking son. She realized how much he keeps on looking like his father every day;very masculine and handsome. She was proud to have him as her son. Although he looked so much like his father she felt no resentment towards him but so much love and gratitude for having a mini version of the man she had accepted to marry and love all her life.

"Just promise me never to let your Queen cry one-day.

she said while looking at him tenderly."Okay Mum, I promise".he said.

Back in the chambers the King's spokesperson gave out instructions to all leaders on what to do and finally settled his attention on the leaders of the guards and maids."wait behind" the spokesperson said to them.

"What is the progress with advancing the number of guards and maids from the slaves sector?"

The king asked when the other leaders left. This was a matter he preferred to deal with privately with those in charge .

He realized these two leaders didn't know how important he wanting the children of the slaves to be advanced as maids and guards was to him. But he needed not to let them know but he had to pressure them else they wouldn't do it. One day they might understand him.

"Your Majesty we have a plan".