Mortala: Begin the Machination

| Chapter Five |

     "Your Majesty, what's wrong?" Zulg questioned as Helias aggressively shoved a few of his belongings into a bag.

     The walls were cloaked in dancing shadows from the yellow candlelight that lit the room, being cast from furniture that filled the large room that lacked anything aside from them. Most of the objects that added personality to the guest room were long gone, hidden in the sacks the king had. 

     He only had a few things since he had stayed in the room for only a month at most. He used to always share a room with Catrain, but she forced him out after the first incident with Josie. Most of his possessions were currently in her room and he was not in the mood to go back to retrieve every single item.

     All he wanted was to flee. He didn't want to stop and regret his words or let his concern for his wife overcome his decision to go back to Dnuages. He couldn't let them get to him.

     "We're leaving this blasted kingdom," He finally answered the orc, "We're leaving and we're prepping Dnuages for an incoming war."

     "War? Sire, with whom?!" Zulg gasped, scurrying after Helias as the said king slung the two bearskin bags over his shoulder and shoved the door of the room open.

     "With Semalion," Helias stated.

     The orc paused in his steps. There was no way he was serious. Semalion was merged with Dnuages so war would be impossible unless it was civil or unless...they split.

     Even if they somehow split, which seemed impossible to Zulg, Semalion was the capital of the empire. They held more power than the single kingdom of Dnuages, who only joined once the sovereign of the kingdom married the sovereign of the Lattice Empire. With such little power, Dnauages would crumble under the pressure of the Lattice Empire unless they had a great strategy. Helias and the generals specialized in war, but they would be up against Catrain. It would be a strategic mind against a more strategic mind, and Helias' impulsive brute strengthed mind might slip up as it usually did with battles. He did love his guerrilla warfare.

     "Of course, I don't know if she'll go through with war, but she usually is a woman of her word." He held up a hand as he could hear Zulg begin to speak and continued to explain the situation, "Before you ask, that whore decided to attempt an assassination on Catrain and I stepped in before she stabbed her anymore than she already did. I'm responsible for it all apparently."

     The halls were filled with servants running around in panic, not taking notice of the powerful man moving past them. They couldn't care less about him anymore. Their beloved queen was, if not already dead, dying. Worry filled them, clouding their mind of anything else. 

     "Don't you think you should stay? She's probably just in hysteric right now! She'll come to her right mind when everything calms! For the love of Bellarius, she was just harmed! If you're not here to talk to her, this situation won't be resolved peacefully!" Zulg scolded the man, fear prickling his heart.

     "Zulg, remain quiet until we get to Dnuages. You're giving me a headache," Helias snarled.

     The taller male quickly shut his mouth, furrowing his brows in frustration. There was silence between them as they made their way to a carriage. It was the carriage that they had ridden in before, travelling through the beginnings of winter where they met Josie. It was Helias' favourite—though that was debatable now.

     Zulg quickly took a few horses from the stables. There would normally be at least one person around, but it seemed vacant. No doubt all workers were inside the palace, having heard the ruckus everyone was making. It made the job easier for them,