Sweet Waters Throne

214 Chapter 21It was a warm day on a beautiful Sunday afternoon when Aryan’s ship, the Stormbreaker arrived in Sweetfish Retreat. The ship had taken her to a number of places over the time, it was her favorite ever since she was fourteen in her home town of Old City.

Stormbreaker was a gift from her father in her fourteenth name day. Lord Squire knew of his daughter’s desires, hence he didn’t bring her dolls, frocks or needles and fabrics. Those things were useless to Aryan and in fact she hated them, she threw them away when she was given them once. So by the time Lord Squire learnt on his daughter’s favorite things, he never made a mistake of buying her girly things again.

Aryan started training at nine, by fourteen she was already knocking out boys and experienced knights in tournaments. No one knew she was a girl behind her steel helmet and armor, her height alone at such age was terrifying. She was taller than her father at fourteen and a better fighter than her twin brother Gandalf who at this age all he did was whoring himself around the city and drinking.

While Aryan grew stronger each day, Gandalf was getting more and more wasted each day. He was so weak he couldn’t even lift a sword for a long time without complaining whether it was too heavy for him, or too big for his taste. Lord Squire saw this in his son but there was nothing he can do to him, at least his daughter showed to be a brave soldier, for that he was thankful.

“The day my father gave me the Stormbreaker, Gandalf wasn’t pleased.” Aryan remembered her father and twin brother this day, she was alone with Olivia near the beach in Sweetfish Retreat. The sun wasn’t that hot but they were in their undergarments, what’s the purpose of living in an island if you can’t wander around without clothes.

They arrived yesterday after surrendering Prophis to Amabel without bloodshed, Olivia had never been this happy before. After all, this is all she ever wanted. A quiet life in a beautiful island with Aryan by her side.

“Why was he not pleased?” asked Olivia.

Aryan managed a small chuckle, “Because he got a book and a sword, while I, the whole ship”

“Why did your father give you a ship at fourteen?”

.....

“Because he knew that I was made for adventure and not to rule. He told me, your brother is weak but you are not. Help him rule, without you he will die sooner than we think” said Aryan, then she took a breather and exhaled softly.

She just came to a realization that neither her father nor her brother were alive anymore. The most important people in her life and they were all gone, only Olivia was left now.

Olivia understood what Aryan was going through in days like these, it’s not easy for anyone to lose people they loved deeply and fondly. She spoke to her with kindness and showed her that she was there for her, no matter what happens.

In Sweetfish Retreat, Aryan and Olivia had a whole manse to themselves which they bought for one hundred gold coins. When Aryan left Prophis, she cleared her coffers and the royal treasury, she knew she will need all the money and treasures along the way. They didn’t have servants or guards, Aryan didn’t want that royal life again in Sweetfish Retreat. This was a clean slate and it needed to be like that.

There was a cage however for the lions, all nine of them. They weren’t cubs anymore, with each passing day the lions grew more and more. Aryan prepared them for vengeance, to take out Lord Cregan Lawsend some day.

Aryan didn’t know that day was ultimately closer than she thought. One particular day she received a note from one of her friends in Prophis, Lord Howsley through a raven. Even though the Lord was now serving under Amabel’s rule, he claimed to only recognize Aryan as his true Queen.

The note spoke of Cregan’s current location which was Lydia. The Lord had finally returned to the city he took under siege after journeying around the Liberty Cities seeking out gold and allies. Cregan was famously known as the victim of the Wrath of Artodo since his city burned when Artodo travelled North for the first time.

Some of the wealthiest men in Liberty Cities called him a beggar, he was begging from city to city for allies and friends. Lydia wasn’t a poor city to make Cregan beg, but he did that because he wanted an ally. A strong ally to help him against Aryan when the time comes because he knew she’ll come for him.

And no truer words have ever been spoken. The day Aryan received the note from Lord Howsley, she started to prepare herself for vengeance. She had no army or a garrison to help her against Cregan, but she didn’t need any of those things.

Lydia was a small island, just like Sweetfish Retreat although Lydia was way more crowded than Sweetfish Retreat. Lydia was actually a city before Cregan took it and put it’s Lord to sword, then declare himself the new Lord of Lydia. His wife Laisa became the Lady of Lydia and their daughter Elizabeth, an apparent heir to the city.

With eighty thousand men loyal to him at his disposal and a fleet of thousands of ships, Cregan assured himself he can withstand any attack or ambush in his city. His men surrounded the island, if Lord Cregan’s enemies were to attack Lydia, they will need to cross the sea but he had the control of the sea too — thousands of ships under his name.

So you see Lydia was an impregnable island. Aryan knew that better than anyone else, going to the island with an intention of sacking it was a suicide mission. But it wouldn’t be a suicide mission if she enters as a civilian and makes her way to Cregan’s castle. “I shall slit his throat, like he slit my nephew’s and watch him die as I watch” said Aryan with an angry tone while pinching her jaws.

Olivia was against it, “But why do you have to go at all?” she asked. “We have everything we want here, can’t you really just let it go?” she insisted.

“Liv, can we not do this right now? I did everything you asked of me, you said let’s leave everything and disappear to unknown island. I did that, we are here and we are happy. I won’t be able to rest if I don’t kill him, I will never find peace of mind” Aryan said with a frown look on her face, she wasn’t playing games.

“Don’t let vengeance consume you my love, your brother and your nephew are gone. Murdering Cregan won’t bring them back”

“But it will bring my sanity back. I won’t be dwelling on him anymore, I will be all yours”

Aryan reached out for Olivia, she wanted to kiss her but Olivia pulled away. She didn’t like what Aryan was about to do not even one bit, she was scared for her life.

“Are you going to leave me here all alone?” asked Olivia. “You always leave me” then she started weeping and walked away.

Olivia’s tears didn’t stop Aryan from going to Lydia, she was used to the tears and wailing. But before she left, she assigned ten men to look after the manse and “The Lady of the House” that’s how she referred to Olivia since they were now legally married.

Even though Olivia chose not to even look at Aryan earlier, she couldn’t help herself from running to her before she left later on during the golden hour. Aryan liked to sail during that hour, she said it was good luck. Aryan pulled Olivia in a tight hug as if she wouldn’t let go, she never wanted to let go, not now not ever.

They wept for a few minutes, Olivia said she was sorry for what she said earlier and she will wait for Aryan to come back. But she made Aryan promise, “When you come back this time, no more wars. I want you to promise me Aryan, promise me you’ll never leave again. This time you will only be with me, promise me” she said this while cupping Aryan’s face in her arms.

“I promise” said Aryan with a smile. She loved how Olivia can be like a little girl sometimes, afraid of losing her father in the crowd or her favorite toy.

They kissed once more and then Aryan was off, to a city she has never been before. She only had hoped and dreams, hope that she may reach Cregan’s castle without being recognized and a dream of finally avenging her brother and nephew.

However, nothing could have prepared Aryan from what she will find out in Lydia. She made a promise to Olivia to never partake in battles again but this one was way too hurtful and too much for her to turn a blind eye. Maybe if she had stayed in Sweetfish Retreat, then things would have remained the same. But now it was too late.