Chapter 10 - The Conspiracy I
"Chief Buten," a voice came from behind and Buten halted. When he looked back, he saw Tortem walking towards him and turned.
"Can I have a moment with you?" Tortem asked.
Buten looked into his face for a while and then tapped his fingers towards his guards; a group of three from the band that he created and assigned for himself. They were called the son's of the devil and they obey just one; cheif Buten. After the signal from their master, they walked on.
Tortem raised his head and watched them as they went. They were armoured in steel nets and had a waist band made from human skin. Also, bones were heated, melted and carved into the helmet that protected their heads, leaving out the space for their eyes and slightly covering their noses. Around their waist on both sides were stealth that housed their daggers while their forearms were covered with a metal.
"I'm all yours, baby brother," Buten said and totally faced Tortem who had not rolled back his eyes from the sons of the devil who now had disappeared off his sight.
When they were gone, Tortem hugged Buten and huffed when their belly was closely in contact with each other.
Right before Buten, Tortem could relate well with his height as he lifted his head and view his older brother above. Buten was known to be the tallest and the smartest, while Tortem the strongest. And there was their brother who was seated upon the throne and enjoying the best of both worlds - Buten's smartness and Tortem's strength.
Buten tried to hide the aghast look on his face but he failed and he lessened the reaction by raising his eyebrows.
"Miss me?" he said and watched Tortem smiled after they detached and were looking into each others face.
"Not really. If I tell you I do, would you have believe it? Do you trust that I can ever miss you?" Buten asked.
"I won't, actually. I won't trust you. Even if I was told, I won't. I know you. You can grovel before a kid if he has something you don't and something you want," Buten said and Tortem smiled.
Tortem walked, Buten beside him and they sashayed towards the passage that would lead them out of the royal castle. When they took a turn that would saw them stepping on the veranda, Tortem lifted his head and there were, 20 metres away, the sons of devils, standing at attention and facing the oncoming brothers.
"They scare me, you know?" Tortem said and Buten chuckled.
"When you presented them to the people of Tipotha in the arena; I was expectant and scared. When I saw them fight our soldiers and kill them in a cinch, I became more expectant and ever since, I kept looking forward to the time they would be totally put to use. I only had a thought, and it was that you'd plan a rebellion soon. I thought you'd take the kingdom by setting them on the castle during a court meeting…"
"You really think I'd do that?" Buten interrupted as they now walked close to the army of the sons of the devil.
"I do. Please, brother, send them away for now," Tortem asked by pitting his hands together and placing them before his brother.
"You said that because you don't know them. They don't talk, they don't do anything without an order from me. They don't whisper like birds and they don't meddle in anything. All they can do is kill. And all they are doing is waiting for me to say it."
Now, they were both before the trio army and Buten placed an hand on a shoulder of one and huffed.
"You are free, brother. As long as you don't stand in my way," Buten said, looked at Tortem and smirked.
"That's it. Right there," Tortem exclaimed and they walked on. The trio followed behind them slowly.
"I thought everyone was on your way to the throne. And after the inauguration of the devil's sons in the arena, I was absent in courthouse for a month. News had it that I had fever. I thought in one of those days, you would storm the castle with them and take the throne to yourself by killing all threat and rites to it."
"How can you be so scared? Tortem, you are the commander of Tipotha's army, the captain of the forces, the commander in chief of Tipotha's arm, yet, you're scared of an army of slaves? That's a cat in a lions coat," Buten teased in his brassy voice.
"Yes. A cat, that's what I am. You're the lion in the jungle. We both know," Tortem said.
"And what makes you think I would do all that? What makes you think that I want the throne?" Buten asked.
A minute of silence passed and they took another turn which saw them past the last gate of guards towards the castle's exit.
"I don't know. But if that day comes, please, big brother, spare me, I prithee," Tortem said. At his voice, Buten looked at him and smiled.
"Tortem?" Buten called and paused.
"As I have said, I know you. So tell me, what do you want from me?" Buten asked.
They made foot outside the castle and walked towards the big gate. Where there was a garrison of armoured soldiers who stood at attention by hitting their swords against their shields at the sight of Tortem.
"I want to see the slave's bay, and I want to make use of some. I want you to release some of them to my use as well," Tortem said.
"Who do you intent to see in the slave's bay? And what do you intent to do with any of them?" Buten asked immediately.
"Do you want some slaves in your bed tonight?"
"No, my lord, just that I have a dirty game to play and I don't want to get my hands dirty," Tortem responded and paused.
"You want to purchase some and build to yourself an army as I did?" Buten asked again.
"No, my lord. You would be surprised, I want women," Tortem answered.
"Women? Tell me, what do you intend to do with women?"
"Precisely, I want to see Lixxini, daughter of Waxx, the one cheered in the arena," Buten said.
At the foot of the gate was a carriage mounted on a chariot and an a rider on it. Buten placed his hand on it and shifted his weight to a foot while he relaxed the other.
"Tortem, do you crave for the throne?" Buten asked and they stared at each other as though by a mutual consent.
"Yes, my lord," Tortem answered and Buten chuckled.
"Step into the carriage with me," Buten said and hopped onto the carriage.