Chapter 37

Orgeeg had been brimming with excitement when Prince Desan placed his sword on King Gans's shoulder. It was an indicator of incoming violence that may escalate into all out war and every part of him ached for it. He had been quite bored throughout the entire gift giving exercise, if it wasn't for Princess Dahli he'd have laid down flat upon the Ganidan plain and gazed into the sky for the better part of the entire exchange between the royalties.

Standing at the first line of the Thirty Seventh Legion while clad in heavy red armor made him very inconspicuous and afforded him a clear view of the Princess who stood with her back to him. Indeed she was the Jewel of Binoria, every movement of her body and every sound she made drew him deeper to her, drawing him like the glow from an emerald ruby would a Remu merchant. Gods how he wished he was of a higher rank, something worthy of her hand. It would please him greatly to wake up to those deep grey eyes like storm clouds enveloping the sky every morning.

Orgeeg could see Desan from between the three horses that stood parted far enough to allow a clear view of the entire proceeding. When Desan had placed the sword on King Gans's shoulder, Orgeeg had been able to see seconds into the future using the Form of Intent. He saw the King's head roll onto the Ganidan plain painting the jade of the Centala flowers red and excitement tore at his insides as the chances of revolt increased with that simple act of beheading. Orgeeg wasn't as skilled at Forms of Intent as the Rank 2 of the Black Guard was, but what he'd mastered of the technique brought him fairly close to Masutap. War was to occur, he was sure of it.

Orgeeg saw himself running to defend the royals, putting himself in front of the Talisi horde and making his name known. Sure, chances were high that the Thirty Seventh Legion might fall but he was not a part of them, he was his own man, a hurricane in a metal suit and anyone would think twice before approaching him in combat. Orgeeg saw Dahli's reaction to his obvious prowess, he saw her offering gratitude to him for saving her life, he saw himself securing a spot in Tabrimas. He saw... A Kolotian?

A Kolotian ran the space separating the Talisi King from his army. As he ran Orgeeg tapped into the Forms of Intent that were instilled deep within him. His eyes took in the balance portrayed by the boy as each of his feet hit the ground, his agility and the way he moved his hands indicated violence but it was so clumsy that whatever violence it was he sought to cause would be of no harm to any of the royals and would be only of consequence to the Kolotian. Orgeeg shook his head from side to side, the desperation of the weak truly drove them to stupid acts of heroism. The Kolotian was as good as dead according to what Orgeeg saw. Forms of Intent were rarely wrong.

Orgeeg's eyes were literal giant orbs in his head as he looked at Prince Desan who lay just a few inches shy of his feet. The Prince had been kicked by the Kolotian and had come to a rolling halt right next to Orgeeg. Desan's breastplate was dented in the shape of a foot and blood dribbled down the Prince's mouth. Internal bleeding, probable cracked ribs. Orgeeg thought. Desan's eyes fluttered open and the surprise evident in them gave way to rage. A rage so deep that it obliterated whatever pain the Prince was in. Desan stood up and faced the Kolotian.

"Sire, should I handle him for you?" Orgeeg asked. It was uncustomary for a legionnaire to speak to a royal without being spoken to but Orgeeg wasn't exactly a legionnaire. Besides, the Prince did not look to be in good shape and he had been tasked with protecting him and the Princess. Desan gave Orgeeg a glare that made the latter man recoil. It was enough of an answer.

"YOU DARE ATTACK ME! A PRINCE OF BINORIA!" Desan shouted at the Kolotian while taking steps towards him, his heavy boots thumping the ground aggressively.

"Prince? I thought he was King Vayin." Ishar said while standing in front of King Gans. The King and everyone were staring at Ishar as if he was a horse who'd sprouted wings and laid a golden egg. Ishar's eyes turned to Princess Tari who still knelt on the ground, the woman had tears streaming down her eyes, eyes that were fixed on him. Ishar gave her the best smile he could master at the time and it probably looked very unsettling provided Tari's expression did not change. However, the sorrow he'd sensed from her had given way to something else, hope. It was a tiny and confused sort of hope but still hope nonetheless.

Ishar turned to King Gans, observing the man wielding the silver crown of Talisi. He leaned down and gently clutched the King's bulky biceps, lifting him off the ground from the bow he'd been in. "You're a King, Kings bow before no one." Ishar said. King Gans's mouth was agape and his narrow eyes were as wide as could be, an expression that Ishar was certain rarely touched the man's face. The King struggled to say something but it seemed words had escaped him.

Ishar turned his eyes back to Princess Tari and found she'd risen from the ground. Behind him he could see the rest of the Talisi had stood up too with their attention entirely on him. Ishar turned his gaze forward to see the supposed Prince of Binoria making pained steps towards him, his hands clutched into fists either side of him with blood and drool dribbling down his mouth. His grey eyes were fixed on Ishar and even a blind man could read the murder in them. Ishar sighed, he suddenly felt hungry and wondered whether he'd eaten that day. "It'd be a damn shame to die on an empty stomach." Ishar said.

"What?" Princess Tari asked.

"Nothing." Ishar replied, eyes still on the Prince but his gaze occasionally flickered to the man in Red armor and a black cape who stood some distance to his left. He looked war hardened with a scar running down the left of his pale face. The man's eyes were on him but Ishar did not sense hostility, rather what he saw was something that made him curious but his curiosity was muffled by the woman wearing red armor to his right. She had a golden cape which meant something and a coy smile played upon her face as she stared at Ishar with unsettling grey eyes.

"Yes, would be a real shame to die on an empty stomach." Ishar said once more to no one in particular.

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