Daughter of the Nibrue House

chapTer 20:the nightmare squad.

Naomi petted the white lion head resting on her lap as she, her grandmother, Abir, and Simba who's the white lion rode on to the Arial palace. She was going to try to talk to the rebels, but the sight of the gaping hole in the palace wall sent shivers up her spine. Who was she dealing with?

The purple haired Lord Arial met them out front. The Arial palace behind him had taken a few bad hits as well, a tower was resting on top of trees in the garden's trees. "Lady Charrlota and Lady Naomi," Lord Arial said, spreading his arms out wide. "How nice it is to know that our secret weapon is here."

"Secret weapon?" Lady Charrlota asked. "What secret weapon? I never said anything about a secret weapon."

Lord Arial lowered his arms. "You said you planned to stop the fighting. I had assumed you had a new weapon or a powerful spell to send the rebels back to the fields and farms and whatever else they do when they're not rebelling."

Naomi stood up. "I'm going to talk to them," she told Lord Arial. 

Lord Arial looked at her for a moment. Then his face cracked into a smile. Then, to Naomi's surprise, he started to laugh. "This is a vary funny joke," he said to Lady Charrlota. "Sending your granddaughter to talk to these troublemakers. Where do you come up with these things?"

"She's not joking." Lady Charrlota said, ending Lord Arial's laughter. "Naomi's the Lady Nibrue in training. If she wants to try to talk to the rebels, then I say to let her try."

"Lady Charrlota," Lord Arial said. "You cannot do this. She is your granddaughter. They will kill her and burn her bones. I forbid you to do it."

"Last I checked," Lady Charrlota said. "The Magic Houses couldn't forbid each other. And if we can forbade others, I forbid you from forbidding my little lion. She can handle it."

Naomi stepped down from the carriage. She looked Lord Arial right in the eye, looking up because members of the Arial House were really tall. "There's a reason I'm called little lion." She walked past Lord Arial and into the palace. She was still going to talk to those rebels, even if it kills her. Which it totally could.

The other Lords and their Ladies tried to talk her out of it, but it was all in vane. Early the next morning, Naomi went out with Abir and Simba to the rebel camp.

Thoughts raced though Naomi's head. What was she doing? Why was she doing this? Why did she bring Abir along? But then a squad of ragged farmers surrounded the carriage. 

"Hand over your money and we'll let you pass," one of them said. 

"Are you the rebels?" Naomi asked. "Sorry, but I didn't bring any money. My name's..." But she was interrupted before she could say anything else.

"No money?" the one who looked to be in charge of this group said. "We all know that young Lords and Ladies in training always carry money when they go out."

"Not when they go to talk to the rebels about a compromise." Naomi had their attention with that. She jumped at the chance and stood up. "My name's Naomi Nibrue. I came here to find out why you're rebelling and I'm hoping to find a solution."

The squad leader looked her over. "You've come without weapons or guards," he said. Naomi nodded. "All you've brought is a servant and, is that a lion?" Simba looked up at the man and roared his squeaky roar.

"Yes," Naomi said to the squad leader. "I thought we could all be civilized and talk it out like human beings." 

The squad leader looked at the members of his squad. "Alright. You can talk with our leader. But we'll bring her to you. Just in case you're being followed."