Sweet Waters Throne

120 Chapter 12In a company of five soldiers wearing golden cloaks and carried lion sigils, Lord Benjen Squire arrived in Raven with his head high as his attitude and ego. He was a short man but lean and fit with heavy muscles and heavily bearded, both Aryan and Gandalf were taller than him yet none of them could master his wits and his attitude.

Lord Benjen Squire was the second son after the former lord of Old City, Gandalf’s father. Being a second son was considered an embarrassment and not of importance during this time. The lines of succession and inheritance and loyalty was none of theirs, the burden befell only the first sons who were set to inherit their father’s house and banner men.

Because of that, Lord Benjen was always known as what people usually call “The black sheep” and he was always away doing his businesses and building his own empire far from Maldonia. He was once said to be in Kiota, a place full of savages who worshipped the sun and they were widely known for their unnatural acts such as mounting of women in front of everyone as if they were animals.

The people from Kiota wore cloths from barks of trees and they knew neither wool nor silk, they were in constant movement never seem to settle in one place. When Benjen joined them he was given a task of strength and he succeeded, from then he grew as wild and as ruthless just like his new family.

With time, drought came in Kiota’s lands and they starved for many years. They had to raid villages, steal horses and crops, yet still none of that ensured a survival for their kind. Many of those who were considered the strongest in the group perished like flies because of hunger, and they marched all day and night looking for villages but they found none.

The place the Kiota people lived was not civilized, it was considered wild for normal people to live in such hostile conditions, that’s why they couldn’t find no more villages to raid. Lord Benjen knew his time as one of the Kiota was coming to an end, it was either he stayed and die or leave and survive.

He was clever to choose the later and it is what helped him, kept him alive for many moons until he was ready to go back home, only to find out that Old City was no longer theirs. Lord Afrrey Tril was the lord of Old City now assisted by his sons. The good folks of Old City who still remembered Lord Benjen, told him of Gandalf’s new title as King of Prophis.

When the battle of Stonedance took place, Benjen was far from the land and he never heard of it. He was even shocked to find out that his nephew went to war. “That little cunt defeated the Taelins?” he was shocked. However, when the tale went on and ended when Gandalf betrayed King Castellan Taelin and killed him, his wife and sons that’s when Benjen knew his nephew committed a treason and stole the silver throne.

Stealing the most powerful sit such as the Silver throne was one thing, but losing Old City which had stood for hundreds of years was a kind of stupidity Lord Benjen wasn’t ready to tolerate. That’s why he wrote to Lady Aryan in Raven and informed him of his departure, and he was making his way towards them in Raven.

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There was no any formal welcome host awaiting him at the capital, nor did Gandalf order his knights to give him a royal welcome. Lord Benjen arrived inside the city like how any merchant would, his five knights in front of him leading the way. These knights weren’t even knighted by the King, they were just free riders he picked along the way and gave them the golden cloaks.

Lord Benjen was stunned seeing House Squire banners and sigils everywhere inside the city, it was the same way when he passed through the King’s City which also raised House Squire sigils. Most of the houses weren’t even Lords houses but just good folks yet still they raised the sigil high above the ground as a sign of their love and admiration towards the King.

At that instant, Benjen didn’t know what did Gandalf do to the Prophisians to gain such loyalty and love. The night he slept in the freezing King’s City, he attended a play gathering. The actors demonstrated Gandalf’s victory using words and actions, they showed how he defeated Castellan and slit his throat, slit Katarina’s and their sons – for which all of them cheered and clapped their hands.

Gandalf was seen a a savior to the people of Prophis, he took out a Taelin who for thirty years was a tyrant to the good folks and for that, they thanked him and loved him. Throughout his time King’s City, he learned so much about his niece and nephew than he’d known all his life.

It was Lady Aryan who came out of the main gates of the palace to welcome her uncle when he arrived early in the morning, she was accompanied with Olivia. Aryan wore a black trouser and brown shirt with long sleeve, then her golden cloak came on top. Olivia went for a mixture of brown and yellow dress, she let her hairs fall down effortlessly and made sure to smell like sweet lemons from the oil perfume she used.

Lady Aryan walked to Lord Benjen “Uncle...” she said and hugged him, Lord Benjen didn’t hug her back. Awkwardly, Lady Aryan cut off the hug and looked at her uncle “You look... pale and worn out” she said softly.

“I had a long journey” replied Lord Benjen bitterly, he didn’t seem to be amazed by the welcome and he noticed his nephew’s snug. “Where is your twin brother?” he asked straightaway.

“Rather occupied with his Queen at the moment, but he will join us soon”

Lord Benjen scoffed “You gave him a wife?” he asked Aryan.

“He’s a king and every king needs...”

Suddenly Lord Benjen interrupted Aryan “He’s no King” he said and forced himself inside the main gates of the palace, his five guards followed. Aryan knew it was going to be a long day full of insults and screaming because she knew her uncle very well.

“But he is uncle, and he sits on the Silver throne, he wears a golden crown and he summons the Prophisian army” replied Aryan trying to keep up with his uncle.

Lord Benjen halted and turned back to face Aryan, he was shorter than her and he needed to make more threats if he wanted to be respected and make Aryan forget about his height. “A crown doesn’t make one King, I heard of your bravery during the Battle of Stonedance. You didn’t lose a single lion, he on the other hand... lost five” Lord Benjen screamed.

“What will we be without our lions? We might as well as change our sigil to rabbits or squirrels”

“Uncle the lions have mated and they are carrying the cubs. All four of them and soon we will have another set of lions” Aryan tried to make him see past his anger and resentment towards her brother.

“That doesn’t justify his loss in a war which costed us our house. Old City is our ancestral home, it belongs to us as it has been for centuries, only the lions can rule Old City not some old cunt named Affrey Tril. The man can’t even walk for goodness sake”

“I know uncle, and we tried...”

Benjen screamed “Stop!” and then pointed his index finger at Aryan. “I have been informed of your feast with the King, you would break bread in the same table as our enemies. The man who took our home from us and you let him take it. You are no better than your brother no matter how trained you are or how many people you’ve killed during battle, both of you are little spoiled cunts who are hiding in a foreign land because you can’t defend your own”

This time even the servants remained silent and some of them were scared to pass through, Aryan had nothing else to say, she just looked at her uncle and listened as he insulted her and Gandalf. Benjen was angry and hot like a spice, he broke a few wooden chairs as he released his anger.

However, his anger costed him because then Aryan had to remind him that he was still in Raven and she was the Hand of the King and she spoke with the King’s voice. Guards were instructed to throw him into the dungeon until the King chooses his punishment, his five guards who escorted him were all put to sword but these were Gandalf’s orders.

He killed the soldiers so that they may not leave and spread words about the imprisonment of Lord Benjen in the dungeons. The Squires were spread out through many places and if word were to spread out about Lord Benjen, it would cause disrupt amongst the family.