Chapter 7: The Battle

The morning light filtered through the dense forest, glinting off the polished armor of Rexus' forces. They stood in perfect formation, their ranks silent but poised for the chaos ahead. The air was thick with tension as the sound of Richard's approaching army echoed through the trees.

Charmaine stood at the center of it all, perched atop a massive war machine that resembled a fortified tower on wheels. It was her design, built from her recollections of siege towers, tanks, and trebuchets from her world. Inside the towering contraption were compartments filled with archers, supplies, and a rotating ballista at the top.

Rexus climbed up to stand beside her, his dark armor gleaming. His presence was steadying, even as the sounds of clashing steel and war cries began to fill the air. "Are you ready?" he asked, his voice low.

She nodded, clutching the rail of the tower. "This was your plan as much as mine. Let's see if it works."

As the forest cleared, Rexus' forces surged forward with brutal efficiency. Traps Charmaine had helped devise slowed Richard's cavalry—pits camouflaged with foliage, explosive devices made from volatile herbs, and barricades that redirected their charge.

The monstrous war machine rolled into view, dwarfing Richard's forces. Charmaine and Rexus stood at the helm, their figures stark against the rising sun. She was wearing a gown of red.

Richard's face twisted in fury as he spotted them. "Picking up my discards, demon?" he shouted, his voice carrying across the battlefield.

"Discard?" That was what that sack of potatoes thought of her? Angry, she flung a rotten potato at him. It hit him in the head and knocked his crown off.

Rexus' grin was sharp, almost predatory. "You had no idea what you had 'discarded,' brother," he replied, his arm tightening protectively around Charmaine's waist. "Charmaine is a jewel beyond compare."

Marx, standing beside Richard, looked up with wide eyes. "Charmaine," he called out, his voice breaking. "I really did have feelings for you!"

Charmaine met his gaze but quickly looked away. Her heart clenched, but the sting of his earlier betrayal was still fresh.

Rexus stepped in, his tone cutting. "Did you really? Enough to marry her and make her your queen?"

Marx hesitated, his silence damning.

Charmaine exhaled slowly, her hands trembling as she gripped the rail tighter. Rexus leaned closer, his voice low but firm. "You don't owe him anything. His feelings were never true."

She nodded, her resolve hardening. Turning her attention to the battlefield, she gave the signal to advance. The war machine fired its ballista, and Rexus' forces pressed their attack. Her powers also grew thorns that pierced the enemy. She was a force to be reckoned with.

The battle was fierce but short-lived. Rexus' army, bolstered by Charmaine's strategies and innovations, overwhelmed Richard's forces. The traps had devastated their cavalry, and the war machine had crushed their defenses.

By the end of the day, Richard's palace lay in ruins, its once-grand spires reduced to rubble. The royal court, with all its pomp and arrogance, was no more. Richard and his closest advisors were executed, their reign of negligence and cruelty brought to an unceremonious end.

Rexus stood in the palace courtyard, his dark cape billowing in the wind. Charmaine stood beside him, her face a mixture of relief and exhaustion. The kingdom was united at last, but the victory felt bittersweet.

As the remnants of Richard's court were rounded up, Charmaine's mind was filled with a plethora of conflicting emotions. She had achieved what she set out to do—Richard and his court had paid for their treatment of her. She had helped Rexus claim the throne and bring stability to the land.

But another battle raged within her heart.

Standing beside Rexus, who had supported and valued her in ways no one else ever had, she felt an unexpected warmth. Yet the echoes of Marx's plea and Richard's scorn lingered in her mind. Could she truly leave her past behind and embrace this new life?

Rexus, sensing her turmoil, placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "You've done more for this kingdom than anyone could have imagined. You're not just a healer, Charmaine. You're a queen in every sense of the word."

Her heart pounded at his words, yet she remained silent. For now, the war outside was over. The war within, however, was just beginning.