Aredd had decided to travel with Muiren and the Darkels to defeat the hill tribes, ensuring it went smooth. He trusted Muiren’s judgement but to oversee an entire battle himself under the current circumstances filled Aredd with dread. Between their combined forces, the warriors of the hill tribes were quickly defeated. Their leader beheaded and replaced by his rival ruler, the Queen Ashira. She was as wild as she looked with messy hair woven in dreadlocks the length of her body. She was stunning despite her outrageous appearance and was dressed in a few scraps of leather armour and fur coatings, revealing most of her milk pale skin and physical beauty.

Aredd had heard rumours from her men that she was ruthless beyond measure, that she had ripped the previous Queen’s throat out with her teeth, becoming ruler of her people. She wielded a double-sided spear and danced with such vigour and prowess, that Aredd wondered if even he would survive her if they fought one another.

He was glad he went with the Darkels in this battle. They were formidable people. Although he had to do everything in his power to stop them raping and murdering every single person left in the small settlements.

The Darkels were an elite mercenary unit from the far Eastern edge of The Great Desert. A cavalry unit which rode camels into battle and fought with savage rage. Aredd watched them slaughter the brutish Hill Tribes with ease, realizing a disciplined army of them could easily take over the entire continent if they tried.

The Queen seemed to have noticed this and had pledged her services to Aredd for saving her people from the monsters he had brought to attack them. Although he didn't believe a single word of it, he was still glad he had done so. The hill tribes were at the smallest strength they had been in forty years and were no threat to their Queendom any more.

“Lord Aredd,” her face was emotionless as she greeted him, her teeth sharpened into points.

“My Lady,” he replied, already wary of everything she was about to say.

“As much as your company is, well, not wanted. I am curious as to when you will be returning to your own people?”

She is honest, he thought. “Within the day. We won't keep you for long.” He did mean to leave, it was far too cold up here for his liking, and the snow had already begun to caress the ground, like a kiss from a gentle lover.

“Good. I must thank you for your help in defeating my rival.” Her voice was stern and just as emotionless as her face.

They lived mostly in fur-covered tents. Unless you knew where the village was situated, you would struggle to find them. Their homes blending in so well with the environment when the snow settled down.

“Your rival was a problem for both of us. I too am glad that he is gone.”

She walked off without another word, her spear still in hand.

“Not sure if that really is a woman,” Muiren whispered, walking towards Aredd.

“She would eat half our men before we could stop her,”

“She worries me more than the Darkels, are you sure we shouldn't just let them ravage this place?”

“They are too weak to cause damage Muiren. Besides, we aren't monsters. We cannot kill every woman and child here,” Aredd scorned him for the comment.

“Very well. We should get back to Saskinar to rally the banners.”

“Agreed. Prepare the men to leave.” Aredd began to walk out of their settlement and towards the battlefield. Numerous corpses littered the ground. He had sent in the Darkels first, who had all but obliterated the unprepared enemy forces. They had managed to kill a few hundred of the camel riders before Aredd's forces came too their aid. The hill tribes had lost around two thousand warriors of men and women. The Darkels lost around three hundred. Aredd lost a meagre twenty.

He had seen more bloodshed in the last few weeks than his entire life, and he began regretting it. He knew what was coming, the Queen had told him. But every warrior they killed or lost was another soldier less against the oncoming tide of death. Perhaps they should have tried the peaceful approach with the Hill Tribes first.

He walked through the busy battlefield. Many people wept beside their fallen men and women. Their husbands and wives. Brothers and sisters. This was always the worst part, everyone talked about the glory and honour of a battle but never mentioned the heartbreak it also brought. They all stared at him with contempt and rage as he passed. Many of them wanting to pick up a weapon from one of the fallen and attempt to kill the man responsible for their death.

The new Queen had already made sure no harm would befall Aredd with a new peace treaty in place and her own guards circling from a distance to keep him safe. He began regretting coming here and listening to his queen, he knew why she saw it as necessary, but it didn't ease the guilt he felt.

These people hadn't attacked the Queendom since the start of her father’s reign, and they had just slaughtered them needlessly. Aredd looked around, shaking his head. He began to feel sick to his core, staring what looked like the valley of death.

“My Lord Aredd. You are needed back at camp.” came the strained voice of one of his men, He was sitting on a horse and had a spare one with him.

“What's wrong?” Aredd asked. He could see something was clearly wrong.

“It's the Darkels. You must come.” The man handed him the reigns. Aredd quickly mounted and they both headed back to camp. Galloping as fast as they could over small fences and open plains until they reached the village. From this distance they couldn’t see the town at all. It was mostly covered by snow, blocking it from view. The only thing giving its location away was the sheer number of warriors around it. They headed onwards as fast as the horses would allow them to find a single lone rider waiting, wearing his blackened armour and mounted on his camel. The emissary between the two nations.

“We are leaving. My Master has been advised we are too return home. We are needed elsewhere.”

“We paid you to fight with us until we said otherwise.” Aredd raised his voice in retaliation.

“Keep your money. We are leaving.” Aredd was shock stricken, a mercenary unit returning the gold? He could see the outstretched line of their cavalry riders leaving and heading east, over The Great Desert. The man in front of him took a small pouch of coins from his saddlebags and threw it at Aredd's feet. He then pulled on the reigns sending his camel eastwards towards the rest of the unit.

“Fucking Mercenaries!” Aredd swore, before pulling on his own reigns and heading into the settlement. Muiren and the rest of his forces were ready to depart.

“What happened?” Muiren asked as he trotted over on his destrier. Aredd just shrugged and ordered the men to head back to Saskinar. He never spoke to anyone on the first day of the journey home, and scarcely spoke to them on the second. His foul mood had infected most of the men. Things slowly improved as they headed into the warmer climate and closer to home.

“We are almost back to the city, just a few hours left,” Muiren said, trying to get his commander out of his mood.

“Almost.” Was the blunt response he received. The two warriors rode side by side back towards the city.

“I'm tired, Muiren. I think I will retire after this war if we even survive it.”

Muiren turned to face him. Aredd retiring would make Muiren the commander of all the forces by default, an honour for any man to wield. “My friend, we still have a long way to go before we win this war. Do not lose hope so quickly, the men look to you for inspiration and leadership. Just look at how your mood has effected them these past few days?”

Aredd looked around at the thousands of men before him, it was true. They were soaked from the rain and snows. They hadn't rested well in weeks of travel and were almost home, yet they seemed lifeless. He felt selfish. He was the one to cause a lot of the strife. He tried to perk himself up to portray the same level of strength as he always had previously.

“Two hours until we reach our city. Send out scouts to the surrounding areas, I want to know everything.” Muiren nodded and smiled at him, which was responded in kind as he issued the orders to the men.

“The fight isn't done with you yet old man.” He jested.

“You are right Muiren. I'm a stubborn old goat, and you aren't getting control of MY army just yet.” They both laughed.

“Have you thought about choosing a second, Muiren?”

“What?”

“You know…like I have with you. You have been by my side long enough, its time you start sharing your wisdom with another. Train him to be your successor should the time arise.” Muiren looked at the men. What a momentous task, numerous names crossed his mind, and he finally settled on one. A man that had proven his worth countless times, as well as having an understanding of tactics and strategy.

“Kleon.”

“Which one is he again?”

“The tall one, dark hair, battle-axe. A scar across his right cheek and chin.”

“Ahh, he is a good choice! He has a sharp mind and is a great warrior.” He seemed proud of his younger companion. “Get him a horse and have him join us from now on.” Muiren nodded before turning his horse around and heading a few platoons back to get his newly appointed second.

The deafening clatter of the men marching was beginning to give Aredd a headache, he just wanted to get back to the city to convene the council and see how things were progressing. And sleep, most of all sleep.

Lord Muiren returned some fifteen minutes later with Kleon in tow. “Greetings gents,” Aredd said.

Muiren just smirked, but Kleon looked somewhat anxious in the presence of these two commanders.

Aredd spoke first. “Has Muiren caught you up to speed?”

“Yes, sir,” he replied.

“There is no need for such formalities,” Aredd laughed. “You will be learning to lead alongside us from now on.”

“It’s an honour,” he said. He was young, in his late twenties but had proven himself time and time again. Leading small units of men under Muiren’s command, he would make a great addition.

“Welcome to the war council boy,” Aredd said to Kleon before turning to face his friend. “Muiren, how is Sandra? You haven’t spoken about her for some time.”

He smiled with joy. “We’ve been so busy lately I completely forgot. We are expecting our third child soon.”

“Once we end this war, we will need to arrange dinner. It’s been too long since I’ve seen her.”

“Only if you bring that pie your wife makes. It’s incredible.” Muiren patted his stomach and licked his lips.

Aredd burst out laughing. “Always thinking of your stomach. It’s a wonder you aren’t fat.”

“Someone has to do all the hard work around here.”

Kleon stifled a laugh at the two men as they continued talking about their families and estates. Their kids, and in Aredd’s circumstances, his three grandchildren. Kleon listened on intrigued, barely uttering a word. He was expecting talk of troops and tactics, not this.

A rider was approaching, the horse spewing kicking up with its hooves as it trampled through the open fields and grassland towards them at speed.

“Lord Aredd. Saskinar has been taken!” he shouted.

How? The heart of the Queendom snatched in a matter of weeks. The soldiers around him gasped and began muttering in small groups. How were these beasts so far north already? They had months of building and preparing to do. How was this possible. He stared at the man, no words leaving his mouth.

“Lord Muiller has taken the city, along with support from three of the other houses.”

“Her fucking uncle took the city?” He stopped his horse where it was, and the army behind him halted with a deafening roar of armour. Rage was building deep inside him.

“Send out scouts. Find out the numbers, find the weaknesses. I want to know everything about this. NOW!” he ordered.

“Set up camp here,” Muiren shouted as he issued orders for the men to carry out the numerous tasks needed. Kleon riding by his side.

“And someone get me a fucking raven.” It took them hours to set up the mass of tents and carry out the tasks that were issued. Scouts returned with news regarding numbers and troop movements and the names of the other houses supporting the king.

The city gates had been closed to all refugees fleeing the areas around the temple, as not to let any spies or armies slip into the city. Aredd gathered all the information he could and wrote a small, brief letter addressed to his queen, just hoping things had gone well down south for her to get the message in time. He tied the news onto the raven's foot and sent it flying off south towards his queen.