Magnus's trap

Mehrat informed Thurssa that Sarcos's queen is on her way and that Sarcos stationed men outside all the opened city gates. Thurssa nodded."Tell the guards to open the Market gate when they spot the queen. She should be landing there. The scorpion guards will not see her so on the other side of the city." He smiled. Then he let Mehrat go and approached Sarcos."Let's have some wine and watch my dancers together like in the old times."He invited him. Sarcos nodded and followed Thurssa to the big room decorated with tapestries and mirrors. There were small settees stationed around the walls. Sarcos was still thinking about how to save Sienna, but she was not there yet. He sat next to Thurssa watching dancers with no interest at all. Normally Sarcos would watch closely the dancing concubines but not today. Thurssa watched him curiously."Is your new queen so beautiful, that you don't find my concubines alluring anymore?"

Sarcos nodded without thinking." They look like prancing chickens" he said.

Thurssa smiled. He set up his trap for the pretty queen. He fooled Magnus, that he will grant his request if he bring the queen to visit him. He just had to entertain Sarcos long enough to capture her before he leaves the castle. Sarcos decided to stall time as well to wait for her arrival."Tell me about your queen, king Sarcos? "What does she likes? What does she eat? What's her passion?"Sarcos was thinking about Sienna anyway so he replied."She likes fruits and buns in paper cone, she eats while she walks, but I make her to sit down for a meal of rice, peaches and dates sometimes. She need to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner . "He smiled."She likes to read, draw and sew. She likes your silken fabrics."

"Does she like gold?" asked Thurssa.

"Not much, I think she prefers crystals."Sarcos nodded.

"How interesting, "Thurrssa nodded. Sarcos continued, "She hates being locked up and be told what to do.She likes to be by herself. If she has freedom, she is the prettiest and her smile shine like a sun". Sarcos smiled. Thurssa replied."Oh , lala, but I heard, that you...pardon me, have her taken from Oasis by your warriors. " Sarcos nodded,"Yes, just to meet her. I never forced her or threatened her to accept me. I think she liked me at the first sight." He smiled.".I also do not change to scorpion form much, only when I fight and I tell her beforehand. She is very sensitive and she has a beautiful soul."he was saying all these things to protect Sienna in case Thurssa gets to her before him."Beautiful soul? "Thurssa asked.

" More delicate and beautiful than her looks."She needs to be protected. "Sarcos added. Thurssa nodded."You are lucky indeed. You need to bring her to visit next time."Sarcos did not reply. He was deep in his thoughts. Thurssa gave him goblet of vine and ring the glasses with him. He had a feeling Sarcos is instructing him. Does he knows of his plan?

Sienna held onto Voltoire tight when she suddenly noticed a huge eagle fly by."We are being followed!" Voltoire speed up towards the Silver City. Let's hide here and wait for king Sarcos."Voltoire descended between the trees but the eagle followed. Voltoire landed near the Silver City Market gate and changed into his human form. He stood in front of Sienna to protect her, when Sir Magnus appeared on the eagle's back." Voltoire, what are you doing? You get us all into trouble. I was chasing after you. You need to bring the queen back immediately." Magnus panted. Then he caught his heart with his hand and fall down on the floor, sliding from the eagle's back. Sienna ran to him "Sir Magnus, wake up." she tried to help him.

"Quick, get some water Sienna, he needs to take his medicine or he dies."Voltoire called to her with an uneasy voice."Where is water here? "Sienna panicked. "Just behind the gate in the city. Hurry, go fetch some."Voltoire got her two golden coins. "Only females can come into the city. Ran now and be fast."

Sienna took the coins and ran to the gate. The huge guards with black eyes and painted faces stopped her, staring at her curiously." Please let me pass quickly, I just need some water for my friend, he collapsed outside the gates, "she told them with tears in her eyes. The guards let her go." Hurry up then, the gate is closing soon." Sienna nodded and ran to the water fountain. She brought a vase for one coin and filled it with water. Then she hurried back, but just as the soldiers saw her they closed the gate."Please, let me bring the water to my friend." she pleaded.

"The gate is closed now." the guard replied. He looked at Sienna's teary face." I will send my boy to deliver the water for the coin."He pointed at the coin she held tightly in her palm and called a young boy. Sienna gave him the coin and the water, "They are just in front. Please, be fast."She whispered. The boy run through the special opening on the gate for guards only and Sienna sighed in relief. But then she panicked and looked at the closed gate and the spider guard standing in front of her. She just noticed he got few smaller eyes on the side of each normally big eye and freaked out. He looked at her kindly."Go and find some accommodation in the city, is not safe to be out at night."

"But I have no coins left."Sienna sighed. She was trapped! Trapped in the spider city and felt weird. Just then the boy came back to her."Sir Magnus is ok now, he took the medicine. Your friends will wait for you till tomorrow morning."He smiled."Thank you."Sienna said kindly. The boy ran in the other direction and Sienna smiled. Just as she lifted her eyes off him, she noticed the guards are still watching her." You can come to my house."The tall burly guard told her and blinked his six eyes. "At the night everyone changes into huge spiders. You might be scared alone." he smiled kindly. Sienna looked at him."Thank you, but I can't. Please can you show me a way to king Thurssa's castle? My mate the Scorpion King should be there. I better go find him."

" I can't move my post, but if you follow the main road and pass the market, the castle grounds are just behind." the other guard said."Thank you. "Sienna nodded and turned away to follow the road thru the markets. The market had the most beautiful fabric and Sienna's head was spinning with ideas as she passed the stalls. The sellers were all in their human form, so she felt quite confident. She just passed half thru the market when she noticed it started to go dark rapidly, but the stalls were still open. She walked quickly towards the castle.

The little boy ran to the castle."The fly is in."He said to the guards at the castle gate. They gave him a small coin and send him off. The boy ran happily home, he made two coins and was very helpful today.

"Go scare her a bit and bring her inside, "Mehrat instructed his spider warriors, they all were watching Sienna eagerly. They have never seen such a beautiful female before.

The darkness started to creep up and Sienna started to feel weird. The shopkeepers disappeared slowly and she heard a weird rustle. She turned around and huge brown and black spiders of the size of a horse were combing the market, searching for something. Sienna held her hand on her mouth and her eyes were opened in horror. She ran to hide, the spiders were getting closer and she noticed a stall with huge vases. Sienna climbed into one vase and crouched. She heard the spider's rustle pass. Then she hear some people talking and a bunch of dried flowers fell on her head. She freaked out as she thought it was small spiders at first, but then she noticed it does not move and it smelled so calming. She inhaled the calming smell of the flowers and started to get sleepy.

The tall spider female peeked carefully inside the vase."She is sleeping already. Don't forget to remove the flowers or she will sleep forever." The tall royal adviser nodded and signalled his spider guards.

The big spiders pick up the vase with Sienna inside and took it to the castle.

Thurssa and Sarcos just finished playing chess. It was an extremely boring game because Thurssa was letting Sarcos win, but took ages to make his moves. Sarcos knew he was just stalling time. Suddenly Thurssa called."Oh,lala king Sarcos, is so late already, let me accompany you through the gate."Sarcos did not feel Sienna's presence in the castle so he went with him, pretending nothing happen. But just as Thurssa waved goodbye to him, Sarcos said," Let me know if your warriors approached my queen. I know she was brought to your city by traitors."He looked at Thurssa darkly. "Oh,lala, what trouble. You lost her, you look for her. Whoever finds her, will keep her."Thurssa said the Silver city proverbs nonchalantly."Sarcos looked at him."Whoever finds my queen, and would like to keep her against her will, I Sarcos, will personally kill with my own hands." he said so darkly, Thurssa backed off a few steps."Well, in that case, I hope she will like me then."Thurssa murmured sweetly under his nose, when Sarcos left the gate. But Sarcos heard it and his heart started to fill with rage." Send for my armies, we will be destroying the Silver City."He said to his general as he approached his warriors outside of the city.