Chapter 40

Rehny's sprint came to an abrupt stop when the Kolotian pressed the tip of his blade to Prince Desan's throat. If it wasn't for the steady rising and falling of Desan's chest as he took raspy breaths, the Prince looked like he was pretty much dead. Rehny raised one hand to the Kolotian, palm facing outward and fingers spread, urging restraint. Desan still lived but the blade to his throat could surely change that. Rehny didn't like the Prince, he thought of him as an arrogant self-entitled brat who couldn't tell the difference between glory and genocide. But he had to live. He had to live or the vengeance his father would wreck on the Talisi would level their hills and scatter their names into oblivion.

Not to forget the consequences Rehny would face for failing to protect King Vayin's son. He had been specifically ordered to do so and Vayin did not take kindly to failure. "Let's talk about this." Rehny said to the Kolotian and took a step closer with his hand still outstretched. He heard thumping behind him but did not turn to look. "Kolotian, there's no need to spill his blood for doing so will most certainly mean the end for all those behind you." The Kolotian turned his head slightly and observed the Talisi behind him from the corner of his eye.

Suddenly Rehny saw a blur of red as an armored legionnaire went past him. The legionnaire seemed to quicken his pace as he got closer to Desan and at the same time spun and hurled his sword at the Kolotian. The Kolotian raised Desan's sword and parried the flung sword but it was a decoy for the legionnaire followed the thrown sword and dived towards the Kolotian with a shout of defiance emanating from his throat.

Orgeeg was confident he could take down the Kolotian. All he needed was that split second offered by throwing his sword at him. The Kolotian's sword arm was held close to his own body from the parry he'd had to enforce to prevent Orgeeg's blade from impaling him, there was no time for him to break his defensive stance and attack Orgeeg as the Rank one flew in the air towards him. Orgeeg aimed to spear the Kolotian's mid section and bring him to the ground before implementing a Form of Awe and strangling the Kolotian by the neck. Quick and easy. Orgeeg thought.

Ishar had seen the soldier in red armor run towards him even as the one in the black cape tried to talk him out of killing the imbecile at his feet. The attacker was intelligent with every move calculated and purposeful. Ishar wondered what the basis of purpose and calculation was in a realm where the only plausible objective was to stay alive slaving away for a rival Kingdom long enough to sire children and watch them slave away in the same manner. Wasn't it better to break the banks of the river of purpose? To run wild and free? The only purpose being to be? Ishar dropped the sword.

Orgeeg barreled into the Kolotian and together they fell to the ground, rolling about like Leviathan bulls fighting over a mate. Orgeeg was parallel to the Kolotian and under him with the Kolotian's back pressed to his front. Orgeeg circled his legs around the Kolotian's waist, gripped one of his hands and set it aside and with the other hand he wrapped his arm around the Kolotian's neck and squeezed. "Any last words?" Orgeeg asked, smile evident in his voice.

 Ishar felt the soldier's arm around his neck, tightening with the aim of cutting off his air. Ishar didn't have a plan, he didn't have a purpose in this fight neither was he arranging his thoughts in an effort of calculating a way out of his predicament. The sun was overhead and it bathed him in a warmth he'd never quite taken his time to appreciate and it ironically felt odd for him to do so as a man strangled him. As the certainty of death grew as he struggled for breath, Ishar wondered whether the Realm of The Valiant would see him as Valiant. Had he not faced down a Prince just so he could save a bunch of women from a fate worse than death? If that wasn't valiance then Ishar didn't know what the word meant.

"Tabrimas." Ishar spoke through the choke hold.

"WHAT?" Orgeeg shouted right into his victim's ear. He lessened his hold on the Kolotian's neck. "WHAT DID YOU SAY?"

Ishar took advantage of the lessened pressure upon his neck. He took in a deep breath and leaned forward, raising half his body off his attacker. The soldier responded by attempting to bring him back down but Ishar was all to willing to comply. He brought his head back with force bolstered by the soldier's own pulling strength and rammed the back of his head into the soldier's face. The soldier let out a yelp and his hold lessened as he let go of Ishar's hand. Ishar brought himself up again and rammed his head back into the soldier once more, feeling a squishy wetness at the back of his head as he did so.

Orgeeg saw stars, that's all he could make of the bright spots dancing in front of his eyes. He was disoriented from the force of the Kolotian's head breaking his nose. Yet one word still played around in his head even as he felt the Kolotian roll free of him. Tabrimas. Even as he felt a kick meet with the tasses protecting the top half of his legs. Tabrimas. Sharp pain erupted from his groin and he curled in on himself. Tabrimas.

Ishar turned away from the soldier curled on the ground and faced the black caped man who stood over the body of the Prince with his sword in hand. He looked like he was reluctant to indulge in a fight but at the same time he exuded an air of subtle confidence indicating that he was more than capable of fighting when it came down to it. There was something more to the man. Ishar tilted his head at him as if observing a fascinating gem.

The woman in red armor and a gold cape came up to stand beside the man Ishar was observing. She had shortly cropped blond hair a few inches short of a military cut and her grey eyes burnt through Ishar with intensity. "Kolotian, what do you want?" She asked. "You've succeeded in interrupting the Gift giving and you have caught our attention. So, what is it you want?"

Ishar cocked one dark eyebrow at her. He placed his hands on his hair and ruffled it. He felt pressure at the nape of his neck and turned his head to observe the Talisi behind him and the soldier who lay comatose on the Ganidan floor. Ishar turned his eyes back to the woman. "I want the Talisi women to go back to their homes, free of this Gift giving nonsense and free of Binoria."

The woman nodded. "I am Princess Dahli and as my brother is unable to resume command due to the state he is in, I am currently in command of all the Binorians upon this plain as the highest ranking official and I have it in my power to exclude the Talisi women from being part of the Gift." Ishar nodded at Dahli. "But I would require something of you in return to compensate for the reduction in value for the Gifts due to us."

Ishar nodded once more. He thought about Dahli's words and wondered what the Princess could possibly want from him? It wasn't like he was swimming in gold vigons. Nonetheless, he would give anything to twat fate's plan with regards to the lives of the Talisi women. "Whatever it is, I'll give it."

"You are to willingly participate in the Nula Anyl." Dahli said. Rehny's eyes widened and he turned to face Dahli. Princess Tari felt her father stiffen and take a step back, pushing her back a further step.

"He saved my life, surely, I owe him as much not to allow him to participate in such a barbaric ceremony." King Gans said. He stood taller and more assuring in the face of Princess Dahli. The Binorian princess turned her eyes to him.

"Yet where were you when he faced my armed brother with no weapon? Cowardly King! Where were you as he tussled on the ground with a legionnaire? Now is when you find your voice? Now is when you recall the debt you owe him? Stand on the sideline with your daughter as you were." Dahli said.

"I know what the Nula Anyl  is and I will not stand by and watch as-" King Gans started.

"I'll do it, for the Gods sake I'll do it! Just let the Talisi women go free." Ishar interrupted. Never mind that he had no idea what the Nula Anyl was. It sounded to Ishar like a sort of unpleasant meat stew and he was more than willing to suffer through it for the freedom it offered Niada and the rest of the Talisi women. Dahli's eyes met Ishar's and she smiled at him, the smile made it very clear to Ishar that what he'd just agreed to was far more sinister than unpleasant meat stew.

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