Cam's Connection

Betrayal Chapter 6 ~ Deadly Plans Buri and Raoul woke up in each others' arms. Buri smiled at Raoul and tousled his hair lovingly. Last night they had stayed up late and talked about their lives. Talked about the loneliness of being a military commander when you could never have a serious relationship, your sense of duty to Tortall and all the times in their lives when they just wanted to have someone to talk to. They had both learned a lot about each other. But Buri still had a sense of honour and she knew it would be embarassing if one of the new recruits found her like this. She peeled the blankets off her petite body and tiptoed softly to her pack which held all her belongings. She dressed quietly and left the tent cautiously checking to make sure no one was watching her. The camp was deserted. It appeared her riders wanted to get as much sleep as possible before they rode into battle. She didn't blame them. Buri lit a small fire and boiled some water for her breakfast tea. Since trying the beverage a few months ago, she had discovered it calmed her and cleared her thoughts. Raoul exited the tent soon after she had left. Apparently she wasn't as quiet as she liked to think. But on the other hand, Raoul had the ears and eyes of a hawk - that's why he was a knight commander. "Good morning, Buriram," he said cheerfully with a false sense of professionalism. "It's shaping up to a beautiful day isn't it?" Buri looked glum. How could he joke around at a time like this. But with a sigh she realized that was the way Raoul acted. Always trying to make things bright, even when dark storm clouds lay poised to attack in the near future. "You do realize today is the big day do you not?" she asked him. "Of course I do. That's why I'm trying to stay optimistic even when I'm quite worried." At those words Buri wanted to reach out and hug him. But she didn't because one of the lesser officials was walking quickly over with a stern look on her face. "Commander?" she asked coldly, her visage a mask of stone that refused to crack. "Yes, that would be me." Buri answered trying to smile at this grumpy woman. "Our scouts just reported the sighting of a dust cloud on the desert. It's fast approaching us and it appears to be a woman dressed in armour on a mare. Should we shoot?" Buri chuckled. "Are you new to the riders miss?" The woman stiffened instantly. "Well, yes, I was recruited last month. Is there a problem with that?" "Oh no, there's no problem. But I think I know who our mysterious guest is. Make sure the guards give her a warm welcoming and escort her to my tent." The woman nodded brittly and stomped off. "It looks like Alanna has decided to pay us a visit. Maybe she thinks we can't take care of ourselves in a war against Tyra?" Raoul asked. "Or maybe she has grave news about a formidable opponent?" Buri said. "You're so pessismistic!" Raoul said. "You should look at the bright side!" "Raoul, one of these days you are going to have a rude awakening when you're too trusting and you get betrayed," Buri said darkly. "It will be sad to see your innocence destroyed." She gazed off eastwards toward Sarain thinking of the land she had once called home. But she would never go back. They had turned their back on her and committed the ultimate betrayal. ~*~ Maggur and Delia sat on a huge warhorse and galloped through the gates of Tyra into the walled city. They reckless cruised down the middle of the streets forcing vendors hawking their wares and large wagons carrying goods to get out of the way quickly. "We're almost there." Maggur said with a cackle. "Then you can meet my good friend Ulric of Tyra. We have what you might call a special bond." Delia fumed silently, her thoughts racing. This man was obviously quite mad and intent on defeating Tortall in war. True, it was what she wanted as well, but he seemed to have an odd way of going about it. Why choose a tiny merchant nation to declare war on a juggernaut like Tortall? He would surely lose. And then she could pursue her own agenda. She was getting even angrier when her charms and flirtatious manners had no effect on him. How he could he resist her? Maybe she really was truly ugly. "Oh don't you worry about that, miss." Maggur said, laughing evilly. "Worry about what?" Delia asked. Surely he hadn't just read her mind again? It was silly and impossible... Yet everything about him seemed odd, he might be able to do it. "Yes if you're wondering about it, I can read your thoughts. It's a new type of magic my trusted mages cooked up. You're ugly now, but I wouldn't fret. My mages and I also have ways of reversing the signs of aging." Delia shut up after that and tried not to think about anything. This was going to be difficult. She forced her mind to run completely blank and banished thoughts from her head. Because of Maggur's insane riding they reached the Tyran palace in no time at all. It really wasn't much of a palace, Delia thought amusedly. It was more like a manor. Tyra was such a stupid country. "It may be stupid, but not when you combine it with the power of Scanra. When you take our advancec magic and add Tyra's money and economic power you get a worthy opponent to Carthak and Tortall put together." Delia mulled this over in her mind. If what the man said about his magic was true then it was possible to defeat Tortall. But he would need a good plan. Tortall had talented and brave knights who thought up clever and sneaky plans. "Oh don't you worry about our battle tactics, my sweet. They're definitely in good hands. Those blasted Tortallans won't know what hit them." Good. If he called her 'my sweet' it meant she was finally getting to him. Maggur decided to let her think this. She was a treasonous little slut, but she would definitely be useful if it was true she had once been King Jonathan's lover. The gates of the manor opened wide to admit them and they jumped off and let a hostler stable the horse. They climbed the marble steps in the entrance room and were guided by expressionless courtiers to King Ulric's private chambers. "Good afternoon my dear friend! It is nice to see you again. Are you ready to unleash your forces upon the King's Own and the Queen's Riders today in the afternoon? A dust cloud has been sighted close by and our sentries have confirmed that it's them and they are prepared for battle." "Oh yes, Ulric. Soon Tyra and Scanra will stand united and control all the powers of the lands. Tortall will soon be wiped off the map." Delia watched the exchange silently. She knew Maggur could hear her thoughts somehow or other, but it didn't seem to matter what she thought. He didn't care what she gathered from the situation. Or at least that's what he wanted her to believe. She better not make any slip-ups that would give him an excuse to be rid of her. How had he got the Tyran king to agree to this? It was absurd, although amusing to watch. Perhaps the Tyran king hadn't agreed. Maybe he just played along so Maggur wouldn't decimate his pathetic country. "Are the war machines ready? And do the mages have the exploding weaponry at the walls ready to use?" "Everything is as you asked, my lord." Ulric bowed low to the floor and grovelled befoe Maggur. Something was definitely up. A king bowing to a self-declared warlord? Perhaps Maggur could control people's thoughts as well as listen to them. Delia felt a shiver of fear suddenly ripple through her body. "Excellent. Ready the troops for battle. When the Tortallans approach they will ride out to meet them." "As you wish." Ulric left the chambers leaving Maggur free to enjoy the comfortable furniture or the decadent food left there on crystal platters. Delia knew she was hungry. She grabbed a fat apple and tore into it hungrily. Maggur nodded at her approvingly. "That's exactly what our forces will do to Tortall. Eat them alive!" He laughed and relaxed on a plush loveseat. "Your part to play will come very soon. After we win the battle you will have some detailed instructions from me to follow. Understand?" Delia almost choked on her apple but managed to nod meekly. Was this horrid beast just going to use her as a servant? "Oh no. You will be waited on by servants, but I won't force you to become one. You have a higher place. Would you enjoy taking the place as my mistress?" "I thought you'd never ask!" Delia stalked over and sat down beside him stroking his head. "Not so fast!" Maggur cried out. "You're an ugly hag. I'll get one of my mages to use some beautifying magic on you immediately." Delia nodded. "Perfect. I will be my pretty inner self on the outside as well!" Maggur chuckled. "Whatever you say." I haven't written anything beyond this point in the story. I probably will not continue due to a lack of interest on the part of myself and my non-existant readers.