by Nova Rose
* * *
Arnin rode into King Edrei’s camp alone with his arms outstretched. Purposefully, he ordered his men to stay a certain distance away. The last thing Arnin wanted was to start another war.
Clomp. Clomp.
His horse’s hooves plopped on the rocky ground echoing throughout the silent camp as all watched him proceed. Gradually, Arnin made his way to the center of the encampment where the king’s tent rested. Shields and flags bearing the crest of Hemίl marked it well.
Arnin dismounted once he reached King Edrei’s tent. Immediately, a guard stopped him. “Weapons,” he said.
Grudgingly, Arnin handed the man his sword and daggers.
“Proceed.” The guard waved him toward the tent flap.
Inhaling slowly to calm himself, Arnin stepped through the entrance and into the well-lit interior. He surveyed the inside noting the table littered with papers, a cot, and a whole array of weapons.
“I suppose I have the honor of addressing Arnin,” said a deep voice.
“Yes,” replied Arnin.
“I received your captain’s message,” said King Edrei flinging the piece of paper on the table. “His request seems reasonable. But why should I trust him?”
Arnin frowned. Of all the things I didn’t want to be asked, he thought to himself. With little time to waste, Arnin decided not to even try to persuade the king with smooth words of praise. “I can’t tell you why.”
King Edrei’s eyebrows arched upward. “You can’t or you won’t?”
“A little of both,” replied Arnin. “You have no reason to trust a man you’ve never met and nothing I say will change that. The real question for you is this: do you want to take the risk of trusting Tesnayr? Or would you prefer to keep things as they are and face the orcs on your own?”
“You have an interesting way of persuading people.”
Frustrated, Arnin grew tired of this bantering. Time was short. “King Edrei,” said Arnin, adopting Tesnayr’s candor, “Tesnayr has not lied to you. I have not lied to you. He simply requests your assistance.”
“Is that all?”
“No. You have one minute to decide. In that time, I am leaving. The question is: will you be coming with me?”
King Edrei flicked a speck of dirt off the mahogany table mulling over Arnin’s words. He certainly has brass, he thought. “Colonel!”
In walked a well-armed soldier.
“Ready the men,” ordered King Edrei. “We leave immediately.”
The Colonel saluted and left.
“For your sake, you better be telling the truth. Because if you are not, I’ll kill you myself,” King Edrei warned.
I’ve no doubt that you would, Arnin thought. He kept his mouth sealed, bowed, and walked out into the sunshine. Now the real fun begins.