Duty

Chapter 72 Strike back

To say Mikos was nervous was an understatement. He hadn't received any news since he had sent his message to king Darius. There was no way to be sure it had arrived. His father, however, had received a reply. And Mikos was sure he had received other messages as well. His father had been awfully secretive the past few days, but now he was stomping across the hallways with a frustrated expression on his face.

Something was amiss.

"Father?" he inquired carefully, "is there something the matter?"

Izem narrowed his eyes. "I am awaiting a reply to our message. It should have arrived days ago."

Mikos did not dare ask any further questions. A delayed message from his king wouldn't get his father so worked up. The only other explanation was that the was waiting for word from one of his allies.

More treason.

"Can you not send another message?" Mikos inquired, "to ask about the delay?"

Izem snorted. "Foolish boy. You should never appear too eager. They need our help more than we need theirs. Most likely they are playing mind games to see how desperate we are."

Mikos bit his tongue. His father seemed quite desperate to him but he knew better than to point that out. Instead he put his focus on the reports he was writing. Inventory and requirements for the troops. Damage reports and feed for the horses. Once the report was finished it would be sent to Tirzé, to the king, and Mikos intended to slip in a note himself. Two notes to be exact. One to warn the king once more, and the other for Malati. Surely the king had found her by now. He wanted to reassure her he was thinking of her and doing everything possible to be with her soon.

"Then what should our next action be?" Mikos asked, "what did you write to our allies?"

A chuckle left Izem's lips. "It's quite amusing actually. The horses Boncini confiscated from Balor... we will return then to their rightful owners. In turn, Balor will help us secure the crown. It should have been mine anyway. It was my great-grandfather that was the eldest brother."

Mikos averted his eyes. It wasn't the first time his father mentioned this so called birthright. Yes, his great grandfather had been the oldest, but the title of king wasn't hereditary perse in Tirèze. After the last war, it was the former king, Xerex' great-grandfather that had secured the crown first. House di Salve had been reduced to some valley in the far corner of Tirèze. The lineage of Xerex' great grandfather had managed to hold on to the throne to this very day. Tirèze had prospered under that rule. Minor disputes had been diffused, rebellion suppressed. Life was not always easy in the harsh climate of the desert, but there had been relative peace.

Apparently all of that was not enough for Izem. Mikos hadn't known his grandfather. The man had already been dead when he was born. Had all his ancestors held a grudge? Or was it just his father being greedy?

He thought back on Darius' coronation. Izem had already been displeased then, but Mikos had thought that was because of Torcan. His father made it no secret that he despised his eldest son. In hindsight, it must have been more than just seeing the son he discarded rise in rank alongside the new king.

Mikos sighed and rubbed his eyes. He'd almost wish his father would be simply taken into custody and have this all over with. But he knew things were not that simple. They never were when politics were involved.

"Is the task too demanding, boy?" Izem scoffed at him.

"I'm merely thinking of a way to contact our allies without seeming too eager," Mikos lied. Another thing he was getting good at, deception.