The Monarchy The Burning Lands

Chapter Twenty-One

Hannah Nolan sits on the throne of her former father and stares out with a cold expression as she hears her mother.

"Hannah, attacking O'Sullivan city so brashly my daughter. you are the queen, but-"

Hannah states coldly.

"no, no buts. he was there, he saw father get killed. I will not be weak for this clan. I will not kiss the O'Sullivan's feet. if archer wants a war, he has it."

Hannah rises from her throne and looks out at the men in front of her.

"we will protect this city and our people with our lives. we will kill every O'Sullivan we have to kill to avenge my father, to avenge our eternal king!"

Her mother looks over her daughter feeling worried as she thinks to herself. The Queen mother walks off and out of sight. she closes over a door and opens a combination box eyeing the radio as she speaks firm into it.

"I, I must speak to king O'Sullivan at once."

Queen Nolan eyes the radio and hears a buzzing sound and static reply.

"the cape of the north, nightfall."

She clicks the radio and replies.

"aye, this is the Queen mother Nolan, I will attend."

Queen Nolan walks towards a horse saddled and ready for her as the guard walking beside her asks unsure.

"my queen leaving in a time of war? This is not safe, the roads are quite dangerous with thieves and-"

she shushes the man and motions to the horse.

"I will be back by day tomorrow and you speak of this to no one."

the guard bows his head agreeing.

"as you say, queen"

she jumps up onto the horse and mounts it looking down at the man in Nolan armor.

"speak to no one of my doings."

The guard nods his head understanding and she takes off racing on her horse down the road and into the distance to the north making the long ride into the mountains. She comes to a river crossing waiting on the border of the mountains. She eyes the three horses saddled across the way and hears whistles around her. she holds her reigns tightly keeping the horse from moving and eyes the men around her and their blood-soaked faces. she raises her hands and hears a firm voice.

"at ease my mountain warriors."

they slowly lower their bows and Archibald walks out of the wooded area glancing around as he questions.

"no royal guard escort lady Nolan?"

She grips her reigns and motions down to the ground.

"do right boy and help an old lady to the ground?"

Archibald motions to his blood-soaked warriors and places his hands around the older woman's waist gripping her firmly as he helps her down off the horse and to the ground. she plants her feet in the soft grass and begins her speech as it was planned in her head.

"my daughter is foolish and rules with her emotions-"

Archibald holds up his hand silencing the older queen as he nods his head and replies back.

"but rule she does, queen, and ruling that put my people in danger, murdered, and wreaked havoc upon my city."

The queen eyes the anger written on the young king's face as his veins in his neck bulge and she eyes his warriors lift their bows as he motions his hands and smiles towards the queen.

"why should I not lay your body to rest and claim this victory?"

Archibald remains quiet and the Queen looks upon the boy.

"you, you boy are a noble warrior. you would not kill such easy prey. that is not the way young men of your clan are raised."

Queen Nolan stares over the charming young man as he shakes his head disagreeing.

"victory at any cost has always been our clans doing. we are warmongers, murderers, rapists, we are powerful, and we are feared as the tales of the Nolan clan love to say."

she eyes the bows of the young boys around her and stares them down as she eyes their light armor and angry expressions as Archibald speaks.

"these are the orphans your daughter created. some noble, some rotten blooded, some peasants but all without anything to lose, my lady."

she stares around her at all the young boys coming out of the shadows and stops her eyes on a young girl with a bow raised. Archibald points to the girl and asks the Queen.

"do they look like animals to you? Do you think they should have suffered through the chaos your daughter created, through the murder of their brothers, sisters, and parents?"

Queen Nolan stares at the little girl who smiles as she lifts her bow, but Archibald steps in front of the girl and motions back and the girl listens as her King waves his hand.

"not today young one, but someday soon."

the girl lowers her bow and stands behind her king as Archibald stares down Queen Nolan.

"why should they not get their revenge, their bloodshed,  and why should I not allow them that as their king?"

Queen Nolan whispers to Archibald trying to talk sense into the young king.

"you know her heart was fond of Edmond. I feel if someone she truly loved could talk to her, could speak to her, this could end peacefully, my lord. do not march on our city, let this be a loss and let both sides live through this."

Archibald stands still and Queen Nolan reaches forward gripping the young king's hands in hers kindly causing his warriors to all to raise their bows. Queen Nolan whispers to the young man trying to sound convincing.

"I beg you, we lost my husband, Mila has not returned, and I know if you march upon our city you will win, and you will slaughter our people."

Queen Nolan gets to her knees and looks up to King O'Sullivan as she whispers out trying not to cry.

"please, please my king we are a broken clan. my husband is dead, a woman rules our court without a man to rule our army, but with time a man will step in. I will court her, and she will be relieved of her throne. we can settle this between you and our new king."

Archibald stares down the older woman and asks curiously.

"and who would this king be?"

She thinks to herself of all the possible suitors and nods her head coming up with the best solution.

"King Crane, he is the best option. our forces could combine and under his rule, the Nolan army would have to follow the peace treaty between your clans. I will lock my daughter in her room, whatever you wish, but by the last moon, I swear it, she will be wed to King Crane."

Archibald looks over the woman and yells back into the woods.

"what say you, my cousin?"

King Crane walks out of the woods and Queen Nolan stares him down as she remains kneeling and Crane looks over the woman as he laughs to himself. Crane motions back to the little girl and Queen Nolan thinks to herself as Crane nods to her.

"I'll agree, I want it in writing of course. a courtship with a tainted girl is very much below me, but for political reasons, I am willing to sacrifice my reputation of pureness."