Chapter 177 - 177 Chapter 177

177 Chapter 17Could it really be that’s all he needed? Just to cross the Freezing Sea and find these Dragon Hunters — those were series of questions which roamed inside Prince Ambrose’s head. The Lords in Whitebridge who offered to help him overthrow Aryan, placed down a lot of conditions and rewards in exchange for their soldiers.

This one Lord in particular, Lord Petey owned gladiators, strong and powerful skilled fighters trained to win tournaments. He had five thousand of them and he was willing to offer two thousand gladiators in exchange for the whole city of Claydall once Prince Ambrose wins the war. Of course this was denied by Prince Ambrose and Princess Thelma strongly, how absurd of Lord Petey to want a whole city in exchange for just two thousand men.

Lord Petey tried to remind them “Gladiators aren’t mere men, they are half gods and half humans. One gladiator equals one hundred sell swords, they are not knights or soldiers. They are demi gods” said Petey looking at both Princess Thelma and Prince Ambrose.

“They can bleed in battle and be killed Lord Petey, they are not demi gods” Princess Thelma told him.

“Alright then go and buy yourselves sell swords from Penrith or Arkala or whatever city you’d like. They’ll all die during the war, none of them has seen Queen Aryan fighting and I have...” Lord Petey paused for a moment as if trying to be convincing “She will cut them in half, and then her lions will have a feast”

It turned out Lord Petey had never seen Aryan fighting, but he was well informed of her winnings in Battle of Stonedance. Prince Ambrose saw it by himself the power Aryan had and he came so close to be butchered himself in the battlefield. In this he agreed that sell swords would be butchered by Aryan and her men, but there was always strength in number.

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Lord Leoric and Princess Aeryn turned to look at each other after seeing a thoughtful lost Prince Ambrose. The princess had to shrug him off what he was lost thinking of “My Prince?” she called out.

As if he was sleeping while he stood, Prince Ambrose suddenly gained his composure and without even thinking, he agreed “I’ll grant you what you want my Lord, as long as you keep the end of your bargain”

“I’m an honest man, thirty thousand slaves will wait for you here once you are ready to march to Prophis. That is a promise, my Prince”

.....

Lord Leoric and Prince Ambrose shook hands with smiles on their faces. Then Prince Ambrose was left all alone and he slowly walked inside his chambers and slept till morning. He felt like a hero, he accomplished something and he was so eager to tell it to his sister who he was sure she will be so proud of him.

The recruiting of soldiers, slaves, knights and sell swords alike went on for a week. Both Princess Thelma and Prince Amabel were trying to win hearts of wealthy Lords who had powerful armies in the Liberty Cities. Just because these three huge cities were independent of one another and they weren’t ruled by Kings or Queens, this didn’t prevent the wealthy men from raising their armies. After all wars always happen without a warning.

Back in Raven, Aryan had no idea that she was about to be ambushed anytime from now and that her foes were getting stronger each day. The winter which was between everyone’s lips for quite sometime had arrived, and it was something she was never prepared for.

Born in the South meant Aryan experienced the winters in Old City, but it never snowed. Some of the people say the last time ice appeared in Maldonia was two hundred years ago. Those were the coldest of days but ever since that time, it has always been hot and warm. Now Aryan was in Raven, the city considered to be the warmest amongst the other cities such as Bellward, Claydall and the most freezing one King’s City.

But it was far from being warm during winters — they were so harsh and cruel. Most of the good folks spent their time inside their warm houses with fire, only soldiers were allowed to take cover around the city as they patrolled the streets on their horses. The soldiers were covered in layers of furs which made them warm, and they also carried few coal hot stones to which they used them underneath their layers to provide more warmth.

Olivia succeeded in her plans as Mistress of Coin, she had sold one thousand slaves and outlaws who were to be put to sword. In return, the royal coffers were full again and this means they were able to buy grains and vegetables from far away cities so as to feed themselves and if possible, some of the good folks. She and Sir Thomas worked very hard in saving the realm from starvation during that harsh winter, and for that we should clap for Olivia for taking charge while Aryan laid down and licked her wounds.

During the next couple of weeks, hundreds of ships arrived in Raven carrying grains such as maize, wheat, millet, and vegetables such as potatoes — the potatoes came in huge number and almost fifty ships carried potatoes. There were sweet potatoes and the other kind, also cassavas in large number. The ships also docked caskets of honeyed wine, the best in all free cities. All these were bought by the wealthy accumulated from selling the slaves.

Aryan led by Sir Thomas, her Hand and Sir Tyriol, the Lord Commander of Queensguards, visited the port to oversee the goods brought from the Liberty Cities and also to make sure everything was going good. Of course Olivia was right there beside Aryan in the port, she squeezed herself inside Aryan’s layers as if to get even more warmer. With Olivia being so busy, well let’s keep it like this... Aryan found a place to spend most of her time when she was alone.

And this place was none other than Rush’s manse which was outside the main palace. That night when she was drunk and they had the most mind blowing sex, turned to be a series of intimacy everyday and they stopped when Olivia returned back to the capital from making negotiations with merchants and slave traders. The servants and guards and Aryan’s inner circle knew of her and Rush’s secret hideouts and what they were doing.

However, none of them dared to say a word to Olivia for fear of breaking them up or more to piss off Aryan. This wasn’t a time to piss off the Queen, she had just lost her army and the revenge she wanted to get for her brother. The servants thought it was good for Aryan to have someone as entertaining and as alive, Rush ticked all the boxes of the entertaining woman and most of the time they could hear Aryan laughing out loud when she was inside the bed chambers with Rush — they swore they never saw her this happy with Olivia.

They thought Olivia was too serious and that she lacked a great sense of humor. She always spoke in soft tones and treated Aryan as if she was broken and she had to fix her, meanwhile Rush knew Aryan was broken into pieces and instead of trying to fix her, she enjoyed her with all the pieces falling apart. That’s how those who knew what was going on between Rush and Aryan spoke about the whole situation, and the reasons why they couldn’t tell Olivia.

They claimed they wanted their Queen happy, but did they really want their Queen happy or they just simply didn’t like Olivia. Now enough about the close circle and servants, let’s go back to the day when Aryan and Olivia were at the port overseeing the arriving ships with Sir Thomas and Sir Tyriol. Olivia had just come back from her journeys and she missed having her lover by her side, she missed having her warmth underneath her sheets. It had already been a week and Aryan didn’t even touch her.

At first, Olivia thought it was because of the fever that Aryan developed and the chills and running rose. But even when the symptoms were aborted still Aryan showed no sign of wanting her, nor did she even compliment her looks as she usually does. All this was strange, hence she used this moment to have a deep conversation with Aryan.

She started with “Are you okay?” while looking at Aryan.

“I’m just cold” replied Aryan and small clouds of air came out of he mouth, indeed she was cold but so was everyone else. “I can’t wait to go back to our chambers and warm myself” she added.

“Well, I just asked because of the fever and... you’ve never seemed interested in me these few days. I miss you Aryan, as a woman I have needs and I don’t like to feel as if I’m being ignored”

Caught off guard by Olivia’s words which came out of nowhere, Aryan at first was startled and she was anxious maybe Olivia already knew her secret extra curricular activities and she was just trying to prove it.