The new alliance

Meanwhile, Voltoire searched for Tyrell in the tiger villages almost for half-day already. It was getting dark and he was worried. He flew over the forests and started to consider fetching Sharchan, when he noticed the huge white tiger roaming around. Voltoire screeched and descended down to him. Tyrell noticed his worried face and turned to him quickly."What happened Voltoire?"

"Queen Sienna had been taken in the Oasis. I suspect Scorpion Tribe ambush."Voltoire said in one breath.

"Tyrell's face went pale and he felt his heart thrust painfully.

"How? Where were Sharchan and Ziran? How could they take her?"

"Lord Ziran went out of the city for a while, because king Sharchan send him off for a week. King Sharchan went hunting, he had upset the queen and she asked me to go Oasis, where the scorpion took her."

Tyrell's face went from pale to an angry red. "Take me to see Sharchan now!" he ordered.

Voltoire let Tyrell on his back."You are much heavier than the queen Tyrell, you eat too much." he frowned.

Voltoire with Tyrell searched for Sharchan on the way to the city. They found him almost at the City gates, nonchalantly coming back from his hunt.

"Sharchan!"Tyrell called.

"What you are doing here?Is my week with Sienna."Sharchan said grumpily.

"It is Scorpion King time with her, thanks to your temper!"Tyrell said bitterly.

Sharchan's face went dark, "I will kill him for that."

Voltaire laughed sadly."I don't think you need to kill him. I guess he is falling for your queen right now."

Tyrell's face got a worried look."We need to get her fast. If she refuses him or tries to play any games she might be in danger."

"He will do nothing to her. She is your queen," said Voltoire.

"What will happen to a captured queen, who refuses a king? She will be sold to another king, no?" said Tyrell.

"Or sent to death. Depends on the king," said Sharchan.

"I told her already about Scorpion King's temper. She is clever, she will not anger him. She will be fine. I'm sure Scorpion King will send for you himself." Voltoire said.

"How can you be so sure? What if she refuses him?" asked Tyrell.

"Scorpion King is a handsome man," said Voltaire, "Why would she?"

"She is unpredictable," said Tyrell.

"I'm sure she will try to stay alive for you two," said Voltoire.

"Let's go and negotiate with Sarcos," said Tyrell." If he had gotten Siena voluntarily, we let him have his three days, if she refused him, we try to buy her back or fight a duel for her."

"Did you ever fight a Scorpion King? " asked Voltoire, "You be dead poisoned meat if he stings you."

"If I kill him and die, I don't mind Sharchan keeping Sienna. I would hate anyone to hurt her," said Tyrell.

"Don't be walking tragedy," said Sharchan," I think Sienna will accept him. To have an alliance with Scorpions is useful in war. I told her not to refuse any king if she is taken."

"Do you think she might even think of alliance? The queen is interested in kingdom matters?" asked Voltoire.

"Queen is interested in many things. She likes to play chess, so I think the strategy is one of them," said Sharchan.

"Voltoire, fly get us two strong eagles to take us to Sand City," Tyrell said. Voltoire nodded and flew up.

When they were alone, Tyrell looked at Sharchan."What did you do to Sienna? Do you think she tried to run from us?" Sharchan said nothing, just his eyes turned bright lime green. He will not have his decision questioned.

The two eagle soldiers landed next to them."To your service, king Tyrell."Sharchan and Tyrell climbed onto eagle's backs and flew to Sand City. The eagles let them off just in front of Sarcos's castle. The scorpion warriors were enraged, but Sharchan looked coldly at the guards ."Call your king and tell him the kings are here for the queen!" "The guard nodded and went. Another guard took them to wait in the Throne room.

Sarcos and Sienna were talking at the terrace when a warrior knocked three times in a melodic tone. Sarcos smiled and looked at Sienna. He knew who came."If you excuse me, Sienna. I have some business to do. Feel free to rest," he led her back to his room and locked the terrace. He did not want to risk someone stealing her away, especially since she got a vulture friend.

Sienna nodded and gave him a smile. Sarcos kissed her hand and went.

Sarcos went to his throne room thinking. He hated to leave Sienna alone, but he wanted to settle this before her mates do something stupid.

Sharchan and Tyrell waited in the sandy stone Throne room. "Where is he so long?"Sharchan was growing impatient. "Just be calm."Said Tyrell." He got Sienna, so try to be nice to him and negotiate."

Sarcos entered his Throne room in a happy mood, his hands crossed on his chest. He knew he got the top hand because he held their queen.

"Welcome, dear kings. What brings you here?" he said provocatively, sizing them up with his dark eyes.

"I believe you have our queen Sienna, "said Sharchan coldly.

"I have one queen here, she has golden hair and blue eyes, 2 golden bracelets, looking to be of the snake and the tiger. I like her and she did not refuse me."

"You taken her already?" Tyrell asked with a painful expression.

"Not yet, but I will soon. Is hard to keep calm around her."Sarcos said.

Sharchan crunched his face. He said Sienna to be obedient to kings to save her life and now he had to accept a scorpion to have her too."Give her back, we pay you."

"I have gold enough," said Sarcos. "She is priceless anyway."

"Let's duel then.." asked Tyrell.

"Can you two survive my poison?" asked Sarcos mockingly. "I don't think I would risk killing you. The queen is fond of you both and I would be not happy if she starts hating me. I just require a reasonable deal. I like to have her with me one week from every month as I'm indeed very busy with my poison experiments. Is that something we can agree on?"

Sharchanan and Tyrell were left speechless. Sarcos was very straightforward.

"Will she agree?" asked Tyrell.

"I'm asking you as her mates. We can do brother alliance as well, it will be prosperous for all our kingdoms."

"Can we talk to her?"Tyrell asked. Sarcos looked at them." You can see her, but she will not see you, come!"Sarcos took them thru the maze to the upper level. He took them to the narrow dark passageway. There was a small door. Sarcos opened it and there was a small glass window. They could see the Sarcos's room through it. Sarcos looked at them, "Double mirror." she could not see you.

Sienna was brushing her hair, she did not know what to do there, so she just brushed her hair and stared at the mirror.

Sharchan and Tyrell saw she is ok, so they calmed down. Sienna felt someone gaze at her and stood up. She looked around the room, bud did not notice anything, so she slumped on the bed. She lay on her belly and played with the strap on the cushion like a cat. Tyrell smiled."She is too adorable."

Sharchan and Tyrell calmed down and went back to the Throne room ." Ok, we take you as our brother. We do the blood bond after she got your mark. "said Sharchan."You have three days and then one week a month," they agreed. "But if she refuses you, you will stop and bring her back to us," said Tyrell.

"It's a deal!"She will not refuse me, she kissed me and I felt her body is not against me." nodded Sarcos.

"Do you love her?" asked Tyrell.

"I like her more than anyone I ever saw.." said Sarcos, "Have no worries, I take good care of her, you have my word."

Tyrell was still worried."Just be gentle with her. She likes eating fruits and rice and she is afraid of spiders. Make sure she is covered with blankets at night."

Sarcos could not hide his smile. Tyrell was talking like an old nanny." He must love her so much," he thought, but he started to understand why and felt excited to spend time with her.

Tyrell felt his heart will explode. But he knew, they should not fight with this king. Sarcos was right, if he poisons them, Sienna will hate him and she will only suffer next to him. Sarcos got no intention to give her up. Tyrell knew Sarcos will be able to sting them with his poison during the duel, he was the fastest scorpion in the land and his strength was comparable to Sharchan. It was better for everyone to make a deal. Also, they be able to get medicines from Sarcos for the city as Scorpions were good at alchemy and healing.

"I will bring her back personally to the Crystal City in three days," said Sarcos.

"Good!" said Sharchan. He was trying really hard to stay calm and Sarcos noticed it.

He looked at him with a curious gaze. "King Sharchan, I heard the queen ran away from you for a day from my warrior. She intended to keep hiding from you in King Tyrell's office, yet she claimed to love you. Why is it so?"

Sharchan looked at Sarcos with killer eyes. His snake got so strong it wanted to kill Sarcos on the spot. His eyes changed to green again. Sarcos looked at Tyrell and then back at Sharchan. "King Sharchan, you have been poisoned!"

Tyrell look at Sarcos."How is that so? He was more snake lately, but poisoned?"

Sharchan stopped, his inner snake got more enraged."Who will dare to poison me?"

Sarcos pointed to his neck."Whoever gave you that herb necklace."

Sharchan pulled the small sachet from his neck. It is from my brother from the Snake castle. He gave me some healing herbs, in case Sienna got injured.

Sarcos took the packet and opened it on the small table. The herbs were crushed into small stems, leaves and dried flowers. Sarcos started sorting them out."Healing, healing, healing," Sarcos was putting them in a neat line, "healing, poison, poison, healing, poison."He looked at Sharchan with scolding eyes. He picked the blue flower and said"This one will make you a crazy snake just if you sniff it, that is what is going on now with you." Then he picked a red leaf," This one will kill the queen if you give it to her." Last he picked a purple berry."This one will poison your blood."

"What?" Sharchan asked in disbelief.

"Your brother is poisoning you," Sarcos said coldly.

Sharchan's face went dark, "I will go and kill him now."

"Don't!" said Sarcos, "This poison is supposed to work in the long term, wait and watch him, who he is plotting with. This blue flower is supposed to make your snake legacy stronger and turn you into the crazy snake permanently. It is designed to make you rage so much, that in the end, you will be killing everything in your path and then you collapse dead.

Tyrell looked at Sarcos. "Sharchan was acting up a lot lately. Do you have any antidote?"

"If he stops wearing the necklace now, it will gradually fade down, but it will take around two weeks, so you better watch him," said Sarcos.

Sharchan was really angry. He clenched his fist and bit his lips."He must punish everyone who betrayed him."

"Thank you, Sarcos. "said Tyrell. "Thanks," said Sharchan. "We see you in three days. Take good care of Sienna," said Tyrell.

Sarcos nodded."I protect her with my life." Tyrell smiled under his nose. Sharchan just got his counterweight.

Tyrell and Sharchan went back to Crystal City. "I will be moving my week for extra three days then," Sharchan said."No," said Tyrell, "It is my week. Next time don't upset her. " Sharchan looked at him with the killer stare. It looked like he was not able to push Tyrell around as he planned. Now with the Scorpion King in game, he has to be more careful.

Sarcos went back to his room in good mood. He will have alliances with Snake and Tiger King and the most beautiful queen ever. He was satisfied. He came to his room and he found Sienna sleeping peacefully in his bed. He watched her for some time and then he went to his laboratory. It was in the underground of his castle. He changed into a huge scorpion and extracted some of his poison into a small crystal bottle.