(Scene 4) The Highland Kingdom

Ding.... Ding...

The heavy highland bells echoed throughout the King's hall. He woke up groggy, hungover from another night of drinking rough Ru-Och ale. He rubbed his eyes and reached for his tartan kilt, only to realize he was already wearing it... and that he wasn't in his bed.
The bells hammered again, signaling that someone of high status was approaching.
"Bet its that damned Queen" mumbled the King "Begging for me to tell my borderland shepards to stop shagging her blasted sheep"
Staring out the wooden window frame, he saw the Empress's banner, planted on top of the main gate to the hamlet.
"Hell on a Haggis, I am not in the mood to deal with that cold fascist lasse"
The King walked to the gates, where he planned on greeting the Empress, expressing no interest in what she demanded from him, get threatened with his life, and blame the his whole numb position on appealing to the warlords of his country to avoid civil war. That always seemed to work. Most of the time it was true. Ru-Och was a fragile and primative nation, but a strong and viable one to the rest of the empire.
He walked through his hall, past the gloomy wooden hovels that kept his people safe, and stood at the oak gate that seperated him from the chaos of politics.
In the blink of an eye he unsheahed a massive steel claymour and split the wooden beam fastening the gate shut. The gates creaked open and he stared into the Empress's cold eyes. They made him uncomfortable since he was used to the liviness of Ru-Och eyes, which sparkled like smiles or drink. It was all the same to the King.
"Your empress. What do I owe this grand surpise?" He said, kneeling. "And I see you have a mighty looking lasse there at your side... She has the fire of a dragon, and the mercy of a wolf. Bet you all the beloved goats in m'kingdom that she's from 'ere"

The trek to Ru-Och had been silent. Silence was not one of Trev's strong points, but she didn't even have to stop herself from speaking. The anticipation bubbled up inside of her, coating her throat and gluing her mouth shut. When they crossed the boundaries into the kingdom, she began to tremble.

She hadn't stepped foot in Ru-Och since she left it three years ago. When she left it had been night time, and shadows hid the colours of the sky and grass and sea. Now it all hit her at once - the emerald and greys and washed-out blues of the landscape. An ache built up inside her to see as much as she could, to know every pebble and building and bleating goat held inside this place.

The Empress had told her they were going to see the king, and Trev's heart had raced. The king. What did kings look like? She imagined him sitting on a throne of ivory and emerald, clothed in long robes and a white beard. She was going to see the king. She thought fleetingly of her mother and a horrid feeling of superiority reared its ugly head before she beat it down.

The gates to the main city were straight ahead. They came closer and closer, every step taking them toward something that Trev had been waiting for for years. They stopped a few feet from them. Trev's eyebrows furrowed. The Empress wasn't moving, wasn't saying anything. Impatience brewed inside of her. She wanted inside those gates, wanted to invade Ru-Och and take it by storm...

Crash. A man, clad in a tartan kilt and bear-skin cape, had burst through the gate. He held a blade that Trev wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole; it looked almost as tall as her. She glanced urgently at the Empress, who looked nonchalant.

This man greeted the Empress on bended knee. The reference he made to Trev gave her a feeling of ridiculous pride. He could tell she was from Ru-Och. She belonged here.

"I am of Ru-Och," she verified. "Though I haven't lived here for many years." Trev wondered if living in a cellar counted as living in a place. She knew the Empress was probably irked at her speaking so soon, but she couldn't bring herself to care. She kept her eyes on the strange man - who still, she noticed, held the sword - and waited to see what he would do next.

The Empress rolled her eyes at Trev's staring. As if she wasn't going to get a speaking part before the King spoke again. She wrinkled her nose at the heavy scent of alcohol which enamated from the King. She stared into his bloodshot eyes and raised her eyebrow, her voice derisive as she asked, "Are you going to let us in past the gate, or do you plan on making me stand here? Because I don't feel like standing anymore, and I would strongly suggest that you offer me a seat soon, otherwise I will personally make sure that you will never be able to sit down again. And please sheathe that monstrous piece of scrap metal. It irks me."

The King was thrown back that the Empress would refer to the massive claymour of his ancestors a "piece of scrap metal" but shrugged it off. No point in commiting treason over an insult, besides he needed her to solve the potential civil war in his country.
"So sorry y'er Majesty... I'd 'ate for you to be intimidated by m'weapon. Also, don' worry Lasse. Yer back now and shall remember the sweet taste of Ru-Och ale t'night!"
He sheathed his claymour, that thirsted always for warfare, and guided the two visitors to his Kingdom through the hamlet capital. Looking back at the Empress, who looked emotionless the entire time, he become curious as to the reason why she came here. His Kingdom was something that was not heavily involved in the international politics of the world, for it had its own problems to deal with.
"What bring ye to Ru-Och, Empress? Was yer ice castle makin you appear warm'n loving?"

"Ha, ha and HA," she said dryly, shooting a cold glare at the King. "My Mercenary here was feeling nostalgic for her home, and I was bored. There is no ulterior motive this time, my King. We are just here to chill, tonight."

She knew that he was much more intelligent than he appeared, so she figured it would not be long until he figured out that was not exactly the truth. However, she also knew that he was a man, among many, who enjoyed drowning himself in alcohol. All that said, it was all up to him if they were going to discuss politics or party wildly this night.

Which brought up another detail she saw fit to settle before proceeding any further. She didn't want the King to be under any dillusion that they would be leaving anytime soon, much to his disappointment -- she knew he did not like her much. Respectful though he was, in his own brutish, unrefined ways. It was quite endearing.

"We are staying the night," she stated. "Hopefully it was not too presumptuous of me," she added, hoping he'd get the message.

She neglected to ask him about the state of his kingdom, although the curiosity was burning inside her. She needed to know how far gone things were, because if somehow, he had managed to fix the mess, they could prove to be invaluable in her future plans. The Elam rebels were beginning to stir havoc again, and she knew it was not too soon before they garnered enough courage to launch another full-scale attack... She was not unduly worried though. As always, she was nine-steps ahead of the game.

So the ball was in his court, literally. She would just have to wait to see when he would serve it back. Not that time was really an issue... she just didn't think she could spend more than a night out in such a primitive setting.

"Well, sorry 'bout this, but your guest quarters burned down last week from a mortor blast. The military officer who fired it is real sorry and says I'won't 'happen again"
The King was midly amused by the Empress sighing from the embarassment of having Ru-Och in her domain.
"However we 'ave a room that was built for a Queen. We use it to store the Hall's pet goat, but we'll probably be eating him t'night anyways. You can 'ave that one. Your mercenary can sleep in your room or... well where ever she wants, she bleedin from 'ere!"
As the King guided them to his Hall, he began thinking only about his internal state struggles. An outbreak of violence was about to be unleashed in Ru-Och if his political crisis continud the way it did. He sent a dozen of his best assassins to murder all high ranking lords and leaders who involved themselves in the Elam rebels. All of his assassins were crusified on a St. Andrew's cross. He knew because their remains were delivered to his Hall with The worst is yet to come knifed into their chest.
In the past year, he lost 3 lords to the rebels. The Elam rebels's military power was growing. It was only a matter of time before war is to be declared and neither he nor his people need it. However, the King knew the Empress did not need it either. The Elam rebels not only wanted him hanged from the highest tree, they also wanted the Queen and the Empress dead too.
The King took notice again at the Ru-Och mercenary beside the Empress.
"Mercenary..." He whispered. "How good is she, and how what's her price?"
He decided a mercenary for the Empress must be the best of the best and she blended in. He needed to cauterize the wound in his country by first spilling more blood.

"There is no price. She has already been paid for."

She noted the look of mild confusion gracing his rugged features and giggled. "I lied. There was an ulterior motive... She's yours."

Before the King could protest, which she knew he would out of courtesy and goodwill -- she said, "Take her and shut up, please. I was meaning to leave it up to you to decide whether we were going to talk politics tonight, assuming that you would put it off until tomorrow, but I see that it is not so. And perhaps, this is for the better. If we get down to business now, I will return to my Palace and leave Trev here. So you can keep your pet goat."

She grew serious once more.

"But before you explain the details, I suppose I should tell you what I already know, to avoid redundancy. Your kingdom is in a state of utter chaos. Your assassins have failed miserably, and you've run out of them. The four remaining lords who have been loyal to you, have recently joined the Elam rebels -- and judging by the surprise on your face you did not know that... Despite the loss of support against the cause of the Elam, they have not yet attempted to take over your kingdom, and this is good. I assume they want to recruit you, because that is the only logical reason that could explain why they have been holding off, since they hold so many of the playing cards. Again, of course, they do not know the lay of the land quite like you do, so even with your limited resources, you could still make quite a formidable stand against them -- and I believe they are desperate to keep their numbers growing, they would hate to lose anyone... they do need every single man and woman they can get if they even want to try to overthrow me....

Despite all this chaos here, I think you must know that the other Kingdoms and Queendoms have fared quite well compared to Ru-Och -- I can only assume it is because of their geographical locations. Ru-Och is neighbour to the Elam headquarters, and I hope it is only because of this, that it is so vulnerable to their influence."

She paused to let the information sink in.

"That said, I hope that you have a plan in mind. Let us not speak of what will happen if you do not..."

Regardless of his answer, she had plans in mind. To be quite honest, she had put off this trek to Ru-Och because she did not really want to fix it just yet. Although it was true the Elam rebels were quickly growing in power, they still had no chance against her. She was positive that she herself could single-handedly take down half of the Elam army...

And so what if Ru-Och was to be completely over-run by the Elam rebels? If any of her kingdoms were weak enough to fall to the Elam, then they did not deserve to be a part of her Empire....

So, she did not want to fix Ru-Och because it would make it more exciting with a weak front. This impending war was like a game of chess and she was bored of having all the chess pieces. It was not fun playing against oneself all the time.

The King was unsurprised that his bastard lords all turned against him. Anarchist rebels have words that seduce men like drunken brothel whores.
Secretly the King has been modernizing his army with illegal arms and was stockpiling records amount of weapons. Slave labour was being used to manufacter these modern weapons. Everything he was doing in preparation for the inevitable war was very illegal, but he had no choice. For the good of his people, he was ready to step foot on the gallows. He was prepared to launch a war that had potential to engulf the Empire. The Queen was on his side, the Empress offered support against the rebels, and he had loyalists of the traitor lords arriving by the hundreds each day.
"Yer Majesty. I can assure you m'loyalty is to you 'nd yer Empire. I 'ave a plan. First you need to legally declare all m'lords as traitors 'nd I have full permiss'n to deal with 'em in any way I feel justifiable. 'N other words, they're to be executed without trial or assassinated without question.
Second, your assassin needs to succeed in her mission. If she does, I promise her the wealth of Ru-Och and will take over the power of my top three old lords 'nd an'complete control of one third of the Ru-Och army. Basically, ye have yer own small Kingdom lasse.
Third, if she fails... I want your permission to legally unleash of armies of Ru-Och on the Elam rebels. With this I want permission to invade any nation state I need to, fer ye t'look the other way on ALL war crimes that are to be committed. Understand this Empress, this time the Elam rebels will not be subjected t'exile. I'm out to commit genocide 'gainst 'em. All war crimes be abolished for m'cause.
If the Elam rebels spread to the Queendom countryside, both m'self and the Queen 'ave lost. Their anarchist rebels Empress. They won't stop there. Give it a five years after that, they'll be strong enough to raze that ice palace o'yours."
She has no understanding of their battle genius. The Elam rebels were masters of guerrilla warfare and sabotage. They used terrorism to force the citizens of Ru-Och into fear. Most of the Elam rebels were of Ru-Och, which meant they were stubborn pricks at war and showed a cold view while dealing with the horrors of it.
The last civil war had nearly six thousand dead soldiers and 25% of the southern population six feet underground. Eventually they managed to exile the rebels to the mountains to the south of Ru-Och.
"Also it wouldn't help if a small company of your elite guards were put under Ru-Och command to offer support for frontline troops. That is all I'ave to say 'bout the crisis, for your own safety y'majesty. I wouldn't advise ye to linger in Ru-Och. Leave through the border of the Kingdom with the Queendom and fly around Ru-Och. We may 'ave our differences Empress, but I will not 'ave yer blood on m'hands and if that 'appens I will bomb the living crap out'f the Elam bastards"

She listened quietly and observed the King guardedly. He seemed to have a good grasp of the situation, if not a little too fatalistic. "I will agree to the first two terms, and I will order my 99th and 100th battallion to work under your command... but I cannot allow you to even consider genocide against them," she raised her hand to silence his protest.

She gazed intently at him. "Do you know why they have been named the Elam rebels?"

She didn't wait for an answer, she knew he did not know. "Because they are all men. It was a clever turn of words I had spoken once at a council meeting, and it stuck." She paused, her eyes glinting in the setting sun as they continued to walk to wherever the King was leading them.

"So you cannot commit genocide against them. Because if you decimate the colony of rebels, which I have no doubt you will -- then the world will miss a very large population of males, and our females will be terribly deprived. We'll have another rebellion on our hands, one that will be very different and thus difficult to deal with, for if it is against females... all the war tactics developped to date will have to be turned upside down.

Thus, might I suggest an alternative to your genocide. We shall take a leaf out of the book 1984. Capture them, and re-educate them. I will fund whatever resources you may need to do so. Is that understood?"

There was a silence. All that could be heard the scuffling sounds of feet, the movements of those infinitely less graceful than she was.

She spoke again, this time, much more quietly. "... Now I know that most of the Elam rebels are of Ru-Och, but their figurehead and captain is none other than my cousin. So please, do not underestimate me. All their tactics are simply a shadow, the weakest immitations of what I am capable of... and his legendary fighting skills are no match for mine. I thought you should know. I would be insulted, but I am touched by your sincerity."

Damn. He knew that despite how intimidating the Empress was, she was did not have a Ru-Och ruthlessness. That didn't make her anyless dangerous to any entity conceivable.
"Aye, deal. I forgot 'ow to read when I was a wee lad, drunk for t'first 'ime. But all prisoners are t'be sent directly t'you. Though when we capture yer cousin... I want 'im for myself so I can properly make an example out of' 'im."
The King was a vindictive man. He would have his revenge and justice would be served to those who wronged him and his people. His plan for genocide was one he may have to surrender, but the order was out that if armed combat broke out anywhere in the Kingdom, mercy was to not be shown to any armed rebels.
"I don doubt yer fightin' might lasse. I'm sorry for the disrespect. If there's 'nyone that could kill these sons of bitch rebels, it would be you."
The Empress and the King have always had their bitter differences, but have never led to violence. The King had respect for the Empress's warrior and that was why he was loyal to her. She led by a warrior example, not by a coward politician.
"The decision is yours if ye wish t'stay for the feast t'night. I advise 'gaist it with all due respect. I suggest keep moving 'nd get out of Ru-Och. If the powerder keg blows, yer stuck 'ere."
He knew the Empress was not in any danger. If she was attacked, she would kill a few of rebels. However, he did not want to force the Empress to spill blood in his Hall.

She nodded in acknowledgement, readily accepting his apology. She knew that they were both aware of their differences, but they always managed to work well together. Their grudging respect for one another was well earned, of course -- but that is another story.

She did not say it to him, but she liked his vindictiveness -- it was a trait she could boast of as well. "Yes, you shall have him -- that is if we manage to capture him."

They came to a stop in front of this large wooden door. She turned to face him, and smiled amicably. "I will take heed to your advice." She then turned to the redhead, who had been respectfully, but strangely silent throughout the entire conversation, " I shall leave you here, Trev."

Her dark eyes turned back to meet the King's gaze. "The battalions will be here shortly, for I will notify them as soon as I return to the castle. Goodluck, and we will be keeping in touch." Then she nodded ever so slightly -- her signal that she was about to take her leave and was expecting a bow in return.

"Aye, m'Empress. May the God's bless ye 'nd yer journey's t'come. Cause I can tell, there'll b'blood t'have. Lookin' foreward to it"

The King planted his massive claymour in the ground and knelt before it.

"Swear m'allegiance t'you. If there is war... it's for the good of Ru-Och 'nd the good of yer Empire. That I can promise"

He rose, when the Empress aknowledged his bow and turned away to leave him in his Kingdom with the mercenary. She had a mighty look about her, definetly was from northern Ru-Och.

"We'll lasse.... I hope ye 'aven't been gone fer to long. Cause ye best be able t'hold yer drink. There'll be a feast in yer honour.... "Ave you ever been in a war?"

Trev laughed, wondering whether he was serious. A feast in her honour. Right.

"I have been in wars before, yes. I am a mercenary, remember." She neglected to mention that at times her antics had precipitated wars. "They aren't hard to find," she added. "War is constant."

As for the drinking... Well, Alistair wouldn't like it. On the other hand, Alistair wasn't here.

She clapped the king on the shoulder. "Your ale better be strong, King..."

The King grinned. He loved her attitude, for it was exactly what he needed in a honourable warrior to serve as an example in his army; Confident, experienced, and determined.

"We'll lasse, glad t'have ye in the Ru-Och army. The fiercest damn'd army this world 'as ever lay witness too. Yer new life is beginning. What 'appened in the past here fer ye 'as been erased. I'll personally see to't that you be compensated and that yer power 'ere is unprecedented."

This was something the King had no understand why he was doing it. Here was a mercenary, who would gladly cut off his head, if she were offered a sum of money. Yet... He was treating her like royalty. The King saw something in her. Hope maybe for his Kingdom to not be laid waste by anarchist rebels.

" And we got some real strong ale, lot more strong than whatever that sheep piss they drink over in the other lands"

Trev smiled and nodded, pleased. She knew the reputation of her people as fierce warriors, and she could see that in the King. Her interest peaked at unprecedented power, but she decided not to pursue the issue. It wasn't the time, and she was much more interested in the upcoming festivities.

"I hope I can help Ru-Och," she said, being uncharacteristically honest. "Your people can fight through this. We can win." She stepped back and gestured down the hall. "Lead the way, O King."

"Ah ha ha!" The King laughed.
The girl was not used to the informalities that his land carried.
"Ye don need t'call me King lasse. Name's Murdo. We're fighting long side each other, we mise of a' well lose the pointless crap of the monarch"
The King smacked her on the back as a form of manly affection. He was not used to a woman warrior. They existed, but were not necessarily a social normality. It was one that he was working on. If there was a war, he would initiate a draft. One that included both men and women.
"Private Rabb!" Murdo barked.
A rough looking soldier, wearing only a kilt and smoking a pipe with a foul smelling herb, walked up with his gun unfashionably slung over his shoulder.
"Hell d'ye want?" He grunted.
"Get all artillery cannons ready, ye ungrateful son o'a hog, 'nd a patrol squad wandering round the hamlet. If word gets round the the Empress was 'ere, we're bound t'be attacked if those bastard rebels want t'start hell"
The soldier gave him a cocky salute and walked off. The King was unsure if he was flipping him off, but he didn't really care anyways. He turned to the mercenary and led her to the Great Hall.
It was a impressive wooden building built by the King's ancient ancestors. It has beed militarized and modernized, however, due to the recent conflicts that plagued Ru-Och in the recent decades. Mortars, artillery cannons, machine gun nests, and other horrific machines forged by the blacksmith's of Hell were strategically scattered around the parameters of the Great Hall. This sight saddened him. Despite his passive views on war, he was never able to accept his home... the home of all his recorded ancestors and the home of all his decendants, to become a image of hate and violence. It was a place meant for warm gatherings and legendary drinking binges. All of the guards sat glumly, either hungover or smoking more foul tobacco, they greeted the King by saluting him. All were armed with bayonetts fixed.
He shoved open the massive oak doors to the Hall. Inside were engravings of either festival or fight and fire places roaring with fires that gave the Devil competition.
"Welcome back, 'ere's yer new home. It ain't much, but it ain't gonna freeze yer ass like that damned palace the Empress 'as"

Trev stepped quickly into the room. Her eyes roved the hall; there were people milling about, most dressed in the strange formal wear of Ru-Och, with kilts and socks and furs. She didn't see how they could tolerate the furs with the multiple fireplaces lining the room, but they seemed to do it jovially. There was drinking and food, of course, and she was tempted to join in the revelry.

The doors clanged shut behind her, and she took note of the position of the king - Murdo, she corrected herself. He was directly behind her...

******

TBC I DID THIS AT LUNCH.