Chapter 7

Raylon

‘Outer border’

‘Five Kingdoms’

“My Lord, the king has arrived,” my war commander said.

I left the window of the main bridge aboard the command vessel and made my way to the greeting hall. The battle would begin soon.

This was a fight we had no real part in, but my brother’s grief and anger at the loss of his wife was too great. He needed an outlet.

When the Fuls’ war came too close to the borders of the kingdom and the threat to the lives of our people increased, it was a good opportunity for Zasrus to vent.

I entered the greeting hall and made my way past his guards to his side.

“My king,” I greeted him.

“Raylon, are the ships ready?” My brother’s emotionless voice carried through the room.

“Yes. They await your command,” I said. Quietly I whispered to him, “Brother, are you sure you wish to get involved in this battle?

“It does not involve the Five Kingdoms yet. If we attack, the kingdom will become a target for retaliation.”

He turned to me, glaring at me with dead eyes. “Command the ships to advance. We will tear these creatures from the skies.”

“Please, brother. Think about this. We can still look at diplomacy—”

“Do it!” he demanded, and I dipped my head.

“As you command,” I said.

~There is no reasoning with him anymore.~

I turned to the screens: “Your king commands it. Attack!”

***

The war with the Fuls raged for over two years in the darkness beyond the kingdom’s borders. Thousands of ships were destroyed, and countless lives lost.

All hope for an end to this fight seemed lost, as the king fell deeper and deeper into depression.

Our borders stood strong and held back the endless fleets of enemy ships sent to retaliate for getting involved in a fight that was not our own.

The people grew scared, and many fled the Five Kingdoms, going to faraway planets in search of sanctuary and peace.

I stood on the bridge of the command vessel and watched my brother’s escort dock.

He had chosen to remain at the palace, to command this war from there. As his right hand, I was to lead the charge. I had to do something.

The Fuls were a powerful force, and despite our strength and numbers, we would not last much longer. ~I will try to speak to him again. Perhaps today he will listen to reason~.

I left the bridge and met him in the greeting hall. He was alone, standing by an array of screens displaying the numbers about the dead and the destruction caused by the fighting.

His eyes were fixed on a picture in his hands.

“Brother. You honor your men with this visit,” I said.

He turned to me, not raising his eyes from the small piece of glass in his hand that showed the beautiful face of his lost love.

“She would not want me to be like this,” he said, raising his eyes to mine. “Who have I become? What have I done, brother?”

“This war is not something she would have ever wanted to witness,” I said, gesturing to the image in his hands.

“There is still time to correct this. We can begin peace talks with the Fuls.

“Perhaps they will understand why we stepped in. A threat to the kingdom is always met with severe force. That was made clear to the Universe during the Battle of the Suns hundreds of years ago.”

“If we surrender now, we will look weak,” he replied. “But I cannot stomach the rising number of dead. It gives me nightmares.

“The fear in my children’s eyes makes me sick to think that I am the cause. What should I do, brother?”

“Allow me to end this conflict. I can contact the Fuls, request they come to peace talks at the palace. At least let me see what their response to that would be.”

He took another breath and his eyes drifted to the picture in his hands.

“Call off the warships, contact the negotiators, and begin a peace agreement. The time has come for me to let go of the anger and pain I feel in her absence.

“No longer will my people, and my children, live in fear,” he said, placing the picture of Mystasar on the table, and leaving the room.

I let out a long breath of relief.

This pointless carnage would finally be over, and I could return to the palace. I missed my nephew and my nieces. They were the closest I would ever have to children of my own.

The Fuls agreed to the talks. Our ships ceased fire, and the Fuls pulled back to the outer limits of our borders.

As I stood on the command vessel, staring out at the debris of hundreds of ships—ours and the Fuls’—I wondered if a battle like this would be the reason I took my last breath.

As a child, before my scars, I always pictured myself dying in bed, with my queen at my side and my children seeking comfort in each other.

After I abdicated, I knew that I would die violently, whether in battle, or by another beast. Either way, I did not see a peaceful end to my life.

An incoming communication broke my thoughts and I looked up to see the Fuls’ leader, Hynlam, on the screen.

“You hold many of my people as prisoners, as I hold yours. They will be used as insurance for my safe passage to the palace.

“Once we have peace, I will release them to you. Do you find this fair?”

I thought about the hundreds of Fuls we held in our prisons and the men loyal to my brother and I chained and trapped by these beings.

“Are my men being treated fairly?”

“Yes. They are cared for, their wounds have been treated, and they are being fed. I hope you visit the same kindness on my men?”

I nodded. “Yes. If my men are hurt or mistreated, your men will suffer. I will grant you and your delegates entrance to the kingdom, but not on a battleship.

“You may bring guards to the palace, but not your army. Do you agree?”

I bit my lip under my mask, waiting.

Hynlam spoke to someone out of view, then turned back to me. “Very well. But if I see your army at the palace, the agreement is off.

“You may have your guards with you, but I feel that what is fair for one should be fair for all.”

“Agreed,” I said and let the connection end.