Lady With A Spear

Chapter 2

                                                                            ZAMINE 

"Your highness, why are you hanging out in the barracks, the Guards have bought two hostages, out of which one is brutally wounded and will die within four hours if he is not treated. Please understand my boldness, and take the right decision." General of the combined forces, Hosten Zee was notorious for his ruthlessness and blood hungry nature, but only the princess, and first in line to the throne, Zamine knew that he was not an abominable beast as the younger soldiers and recruits thought of him. His muscular, six feet tall body overshadowed the princess's petite one, but he bowed in front of her, out of pure respect.

"Take the wounded one to the infirmary and the other one to the prison. Give them food and shelter, and tomorrow they will be questioned and a just decision will be taken by the judiciary ."

"Your highness...."" Call me Zamine.
"You have known me before I was involved in this political mess and you know how much I hate being the ice queen. And what is a princess, if she has no kingdom."
 " You saying such words at a crucial time like this is simply a sign of weakness which your late father would completely detest. I want you to be the same as you were ten years ago. You were full of such hope that you could overrun a kingdom in a night. Where are those dreams now, when you need them most? I know you are not the person, Zamine, to ask to toughen up, but please never show that side of yours in the public, or you'd be vulnerable. Make a strategy, we need to just wait two months before we can strike at the Ice palace again. Zamine, get yourself together...."Zamine fell on her knees and head hung.
She held the hands of Hosten and looked into his grey eyes, so much had they bore, all because his family tradition of having to serve in the royal army. He was just an example of how the silver bond had ruined merry families.
"Get up. We need to hurry. If the princess who's deemed to be the queen is so weak, what will happen?" Hosten tried to put a smile. His scarred face had not tried to do that in years, but today he tried, for his childhood friend, who was on the verge of accepting defeat.
" Did you just smile?"" I did. You try as well."
" Wouldn't it be disdainful in these times?"
"Who will find out?"
" Let me get up."
" Finally, a behaviour appropriate for a queen."
" I am not a queen. The judiciary is in a state of pure chaos and I don't think having a coronation when we have fled from our palace into a dainty fort would suit our empire. Follow me.'"
**
" So are we strategizing? " Hosten asked deliberately as they walked past the gigantic bookshelves. Palace of Deuxtrum was known to have a better collection of books than the Ice Palace itself.
" Yes. This will be our final attack. If we fail the empire crumbles. " Zamine muttered under her breath.
" If we win? "
" We get the palace, and can instantly install me on the throne."
" Having a proper queen on the throne is first on the agenda, but I feel we should take over the neighbouring regions first, in order to gain public support. " Hosten sat down on a chair at the very end of the shelves.
" Who will trust an empire with no head?"Zamine sank into a chair with her head in her hands. " The last months have been horrible as a few people questioned your accountability as a head of state, but you don't need to forget the impetus the public has."
" Shut up Hosten. We both know why you came to me today. State affair meetings are enough to discuss these stuff. "
" Well dear Zamine, you were enjoying on your own in barracks. "
" You were not forced to attend to me."" The concern of your safety lies in my hands."
" Well, I need to promise from you." Zamine took her hand and put it on Hosten's pale cheek which had a huge cut from the Mutiny of Crucime, a few months ago. She stared at his strong face, which had no emotions as she touched it. Zamine put her hands in his silver hair, and started caressing it. " Your cut has healed fast."
"Indeed, Ramilian medicine is the only industry that's blossoming." Hosten smirked.
"If we lose." She paused. " And both of us survive, let's marry and live a peaceful life as hermits in the northern jungles. Forget this identity, and forget the throne. Was I even given the choice of being born, just to have my life be overrun by malice? I want you." Zamine touched his brow and paused, as if she stopped to hear the chiming of the wall clock and the joyful chirp of the birds. Spring last year was so different.

She looked into his eyes, what all had they seen she wondered. He was only fifteen, when he entered the army, and he rose through the ranks because of his father's influence there. And then the unthinkable happened, and along with her, he lost everything that meant to him. His sister and mother were taken as prisoners of war, and his father was tortured and assassinated in front of those same grey eyes .Zamine always stayed up at night, wondering whether the dead soldiers ever had a chance to decide their fate, to reconcile with their loved ones. " What do you want?" Hosten said in one breath. " Your highness?"
"Stop calling me your highness. And resign from your post." Zamine vomited the words that she wanted to say since she saw everything being taken away from her as well as Hosten. Zamine could not hold her tears, and she fled towards the cathedral building, leaving Hosten awestruck. Her coat left an aftertaste of her smell, which was of jasmines, which was surprising for a daughter of swords and blood. " Why, do you want to take away" Hosten murmured "The last thing that I own?"

________
 Hey readers, 

I have decided to update the story every Sunday, 4 pm GMT, so please check it out according to your preferred timing. Also, if there are any suggestions/ideas/ mistakes, feel free to comment. 

Adios