Page 51 of Cage of Destiny
The soldiers had turnedtheir mounts to face the forming crowd, their backs to the generalstore.
“I suggest that instead oftrying to intimidate these people, you help them. You are allRusseks.” Whenever Allyssa traveled with her father and the army,the army was highly regarded by the citizens of Emperion. It wasnot only a great honor to be in the army, but those who served werealso the protectors of the kingdom.
He chuckled. “That is alofty notion, but that’s not how Russek works.”
“Get out of our village,”one of the people yelled. “You’re not wanted here!”
“Let’s go,” Allyssainsisted.
“We can’t,” a soldierreplied. “If we leave now, it will make us look weak.”
“It’ll avoid you having tomurder your own people,” she retorted. “Let’s go.”
“You’re not in chargehere,” another soldier replied snidely. “We do as weplease.”
“I don’tthink so,” she said. “You do as your lieutenant tells you. He doesas his captain tells him, who does as the king orders.” Shepurposely used the wordkinginstead ofqueen, saying it loud and clear todrive home her point. “None of you are masters of your own destiny.Therefore, you cannot—and will not—decide to take action in yourown hands now.”
She feared Rutek wouldreturn at any moment and give the order to attack. This situationneeded to be diffused as soon as possible. “I suggest one of you gointo the store to see if any help is needed while the rest of usexit the village.”
The mob started to movetoward them. Larek tensed. She couldn’t let this turn into amassacre. “Stop,” she called out to the people. “I beg you! I amPrincess Allyssa of Emperion and am being held against my will.This is Prince Odar of Fren, and he has been kidnapped as well. Ifear if you continue your advance, these soldiers will show nomercy. They will cut you down. I don’t want any harm to come toyou.”
The people stoppedadvancing, but they still held their hoes, shovels, and pitchforksat the ready.
“We can help,” an elderlyman offered. He had several teeth missing and his skin waswrinkled, sagging below his eyes.
“I’m sure you can,” Allyssareplied. Larek slid his arm around her waist, holding tightly ontoher. “However, your safety is more important than my own. I willnot risk your lives on my account. Please stand down. Thesesoldiers will leave as soon as they have the supplies theywant.”
“What happened to theking?” a young woman asked. “We heard he died and the queen isruling. Is Prince Kerdan dead, too?”
“Prince Kerdan is a traitorwho murdered his father,” Rutek replied, exiting the store. “QueenJana now leads our great kingdom. All hail the queen!”
The soldiers replied, “HailQueen Jana,” and pounded on their chests.
The people stood in stunnedsilence. “Suppose it makes no difference who sits on the throne,”one of the women commented. “It’s not like the royalty cares aboutus common folk.”
Allyssa would ensure thatmentality changed if she married Kerdan. And if she didn’t, shewould advise him to rectify this thinking immediately.
Rutek barked out ordersfor some of his men to go into the store to carry out food. The oldman looked at Allyssa again. She mouthed,Please, stand down. Now was not thetime to fight.
The man nodded. “Let’s getback to work,” he said, turning and walking away. Manyhesitated.
Rutek withdrew his sword.“Go home,” he said. “I don’t have time to deal with rowdyvillagers. You’re all pathetic! The entire lot of you can rot inhell.”
Allyssa closed her eyes,allowing the pain his words caused to show on her face. When shelooked at the people again, she said, “I can’t see any more deathtoday. Please go home to your families. These are well-trainedsoldiers who will slaughter you all.”
More of the people left.Larek’s arm loosened around her waist, and she knew the worst of ithad passed. Odar sat on his horse, looking aloof. Why hadn’t hehelped her out? She didn’t care for the way he’d just sat there asif the outcome didn’t matter to him. Perhaps it didn’t. Maybe itwas best he severed their engagement. She was not inclined to bewith someone who didn’t stand up for what was right. The person shemarried would have to be a fighter.
As they rode out of thevillage, the sun descended and the sky started to darken. On thehorizon, Allyssa could just make out three distinct plumes of smokerising in the air.
“Burning villages,” Larekanswered before she even had a chance to ask what theywere.
“Why?” A plague orsomething more sinister?
“It’s the Russek way. Whenwe win a fight, we burn down what’s left of our enemy.”
“That’s ridiculous,” shereplied. Did everything Russek soldiers touch have to bedestroyed?
“It’stradition.”
