Chapter 8

Rehny saluted back as he passed two saluting guards positioned outside the entrance to the south wing of the palace. It was one of the known residential spots allocated to the King's children. King Vayin had sired three children.

The youngest was Dahli Vigon, the princess nicknamed the Jewel of Binoria by the Binorians. She was a woman who was as devoted to the Goddess Meena as he was to hating her father. Rehny hated her and regarded her as a religious lunatic.

The middle child was Leba Vigon, the gentle. He was known throughout the realm for his compassion and good deeds. During the great drought he orchestrated the distribution of Galiu meal from the King's own granary to families affected severely from the drought and he has been known to donate an impressive amount of gold vigons to orphanages within Binoria. The public loved him, they adored him and called him the Gentle one and likened him to a kiss from the Gods upon the land. Rehny hated him and regarded him as a pretentious prick.

The first born was Desan Vigon. They called him Lavifan meaning Great one. Nobody knows which child will inherit the gift of the Gods from their father. Meena does not choose by order of birth, she exists beyond mortal premonition so her actions are beyond comprehension. She's been known to choose the third child, or the first child, sometimes the fifth child or the second. It was all random as far as Rehny knew but always the person chosen showed the most competence in matters of war and never has it been a girl who was chosen.

Leba might be the Saint of Binoria but Binoria wasn't built by saints, it was built by men who charged into battle with their spears in hand watching the heels of the man who wore the crown charge before them. Desan was lavifan. He was the youngest ever prince to take up a sword and ride into battle with his father at the age of twelve years. He impressed on the battle field at a young age and was rewarded by getting appointed commander of the Seventh Legion, becoming the youngest commander in the history of Binoria. He portrayed the first trait common in all the chosen of Meena. He showed no fear. However, this did not exempt him from Rehny's hatred.

Rehny made his way across the marble archway leading to the chambers of the oldest child of the King. He had his eyes set before him and he watched as servants scrambled to vacate his path. It amused him how feared he was, he never showed any hostility towards anyone neither was he known for any form of aggression exempting the ones portrayed in battle. But it was those forms of aggression that made him famous. So much blood. Fifty battles was no small feat, he was the longest surviving Commander and he didn't survive by mere luck.

Sometimes he thought there was a God looking out for him in battle as the arrows flew and the blades met. But at the end of it all when he was alive and panting beneath his armor, he would look around him and meet the eyes of corpses, staring into nothing, expressions of horror fixed on their faces and sprinkled with blood for a lasting effect on memory. It was then that he believed the God looking out for him did it for the pure benefit of watching him observe the horrors of the aftermath of war. Rehny believed a demented God watched over him.

It was fortunate that he observed the garden surrounded on three sides by Prince Desan's grey stoned chambers for it was there that he spotted the Prince. Desan stood upon the grass at six feet tall and wore an orange tunic that dropped to his waist accompanied by white pants that hang loosely to him and brown leather sandals adorned his feet. Desan held a sword with a golden handle and a falcon curving fashioned to its hilt.

Desan stood in the stance of Rage with the sword raised above his head and both hands clinging to its hilt. Moves of Rage used strength as the key element behind any assault and was extremely effective in offensive maneuvers but useless when it came to defense. A fast blade would mean the end of whomever stuck to the Rage stance. Well, that fact applied to everyone except Desan. He'd watched Desan fight for a solid hour on nothing but Rage moves on the field of battle, he didn't need to defend himself for every movement of the sword was a Rage assault that not only carried the strength behind one but also a speed that was beyond any fast blade.

"One day you'll meet a warrior who can move faster than you, Desan, on that day you'll regret mastering only Rage." Rehny said.

Desan lowered the sword and turned grey eyes similar to his father's to observe Rehny. He had high cheekbones and a freshly shaved face that looked rough to the touch, everything about him appeared rough save only the golden hair that fell to the nape of his neck. "Once the blessing of Meena falls on me I doubt that would be an issue." Replied the Prince.

Rehny observed the rays of sunshine falling upon the garden, they looked warm to the touch but he preferred the shadow beneath the roof of the hallway where he stood. "How is your morning?"

Desan straightened. "We both know you don't wish to be here Commander Rehny, speak your business and leave me to my meditations, I have no desire to exchange pleasantries with you."

Straight forward. Thought Rehny. Arrogant, self obsessed and a self entitled prat. I hope he dies in the field of battle before that stupid blessing ascends him. "The King has chosen you to take his place at the annual gift giving ceremony with the Talisi." said Rehny.

"But he is marching against the Remu, is he not?"

"He is, he will march in three days after we've departed for the gift giving."

"I shall join my father." Desan said.

"You've been ordered by his majesty to take his place, to stand in for him as a representative of the crown during the gift giving." said Rehny.

"Go tell him I refuse."

Rehny squared his jaw. He was no errand boy least of all to the pretentious prat who stood before him. He flexed his shoulders, trying to ease the tension that threatened to stretch him to his limits. He took in a deep breath and exhaled it, a moment passed as he attempted to clear his mind and leave it bare enough for him to track a point of logic that may ease the situation he was in if implemented accordingly. He found it.

 Desan was eager to build his reputation as a warlord, he believed it was his way of proving himself before the Goddess Meena just as how Dahli took religious fanatics up and Leba with his acts of charity. War was Desan's language and its call was the only one he was eager to answer to. What Rehny needed to say was clear to him. "Rumor has it the Talisi will not be able to meet this year's quota, failure to do so might lead to conflict."

Desan's eyes brightened. "We cannot wage war on two fronts with only one King."

"Yes, I guess that's why he chose you to represent him. When push comes to shove, you will be the highest ranking royalty against Talisi, it'll be the first time you led a battle."

Desan couldn't hide the smile that came with thoughts of him leading his first battle. The blood lust was also a common trait among those chosen to receive the Jojoh Meena. Seeing the obvious glee on Desan's face sickened Rehny. He was tired of war and didn't share a part in Desan's enthusiasm for it.

Desan seemed to remember the person standing before him and his smile vanished, instead replaced with a somber expression betraying little of his once evident excitement at the prospect of war. "You have spoken wisdom, Commander Rehny, I will do as the King commands. Now, depart my presence and leave me to my meditations." Rehny was all too eager to do so.

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