"My head is at your disposal, your Highness, but this time I won't follow this kind of order!"
"I won't do it either!"
His advisors all around him were simply refusing to do as he said. In a way that made his heart feel warm at the thought that they were not willing to obey him for his own sake. He was sitting at a heavy table on top of which lay scattered all sorts of letters, maps and all sorts of things he didn't have the time to clear.
The smells of sweat and blood were mixing in the great tent, making him feel nauseous. He didn't even have the time to take the armor off after the battle. He was tired and his beard was itching, but he endured it. He shook his head still covered by the round helmet.
He looked at them. He really looked. They were his last loyal followers. Some followed him from the beggining, others joined him later along the way. He started feeling their faith in him was too heavy, pressing on his shoulders, making him feel weak and not worthy of them. What was he able to bring them other than killing and despair in the last year? They bled in his wars, some even lost their lives, others lost limbs or loved ones. And now he was tired.
But no matter how tired he was, he couldn't just give up the dream that brought them at his side during the times of his armies shattering his enemies everywhere he went. Because he knew that this was his final chance. He felt it in his bones. No doubt the emperor will make him disappear. He once again became a thorn in his eyes after his recent victory. He shook his head and sighed.
"Nephew, are you really willing to follow me, knowing the ending? My boy, you are the only male relative I have left."
"Uncle, I know what you mean, but I follow only the orders that leave me with a clear conscience."
"Cousin, what about you?"
"You're wrong, your Highness..."
"Uh-huh... And how about you, uncle?"
"Your Highness, what is that damned general doing here? What the Council willdecide tomorrow will have a great impact on us and him. Why do you think he rushed in our footsteps as soon as you got the aproval of being the governor? He still has many to impale and hang. Your Highness, we didn't spill so much blood in the past as he did since we crushed the rebel prince. He wants your life, no doubt at the behest of the emperor. He is jealous of your success. So we must not leave your side yet. Two weeks... Just give us two weeks so we can protect you until after the Council takes place. Don't trust neither the emperor nor the loyal hound that is the general. He was ousted by the rebel prince and he holds a grudge against you for winning. After the two weeks are over, we will obey you like before. We obeyed you faithful until now, so please, just this one time allow us to not obey your order... "
The old, hirsute man looked at him with eyes full of grievances. No man could think that bear of a man who could crush skulls through the helmets with his bare hands could make such an effort to change his mind. He couldn't even bring himself to hold it against him for the disobedience. He simply shook his head and sighed.
"Oh faithful ones, I know what you mean by that and I'm not holding it against any of you. You bled alongside me for years on the battlefield. But you are wrong, even though your advice for the ruler is sound and worth following, for the man who I am, the mortal made of blood and flesh, I can't follow it. It's already more than a year since I lost my son on the battlefield and my wife and daughter were taken as hostages and locked away. I am entrusting you with getting them back at my side where they belong. I can't endure even a moment longer than necessary. I'm sorry for the weaknesses of my flesh but I'm a husband and father first before being the ruler. I wish there was another way, but I don't trust anyone else who isn't here now. Many had forsaken and forgot about me since I lost the battle last year that ended with my son dead and the rest of my family taken away. So please, do it for me. If it costs it my head, so be it. I have many wrongs to atone for in regard to my wife. I wronged her by bringing others in to sleep with and relegated her to taking care of our children. And for my daughter, I have also wronged her. I wasn't at her side when she was hurt, I didn't alleviate her fears. Now she is already a grown woman and I am afraid she won't need me anymore in the future. So I am begging you to do this last thing for me."
He slowly started to rise from the chair and walked around the table to just feel a human connection with his last faithful people by his side. For a moment even considered kneeling, but thought better of it and abandoned the idea. He couldn't bring himself to discard the last of his pride to achieve his goals.
"So, will you do it? Don't worry, nothing will happen to me while you are gone. Don't forget how many times I faced death and it didn't want me on the battlefield. This time it won't be any different. And besides Simeon is at my side always. Nobody can face him with a sword in hand."
The silence grew heavy following his words for a while, then finally the old man spoke again. This time, it was more subdued. The reminder of the last year's war brought still fresh memories from the depths of his mind.
"Alright, we'll do it. But be careful while we're not at your side. A sword or a lance can be avoided on the battlefield but a dagger poised to strike in the dark is different."
He nodded, agreeing to the old man's words. In a little over forty years of life he faced quite a few assassination attempts. But he escaped even from the hands of the executioner before deciding to get the power in his own hands if he wanted to control his own life. Now, the memories unconsciously started to worm their way out of the depths of his mind where he thought he could lock them away. He was still young, a nobleman whose ruler was targeting his wealth and life due to the fact that he was an illegitimate son of a former ruler and so he had a claim to the throne. Then, when he was facing the executioner sent to take his head, he scared the man so much that he dropped his axe meant to chop his head off with and fainted. He still didn't know how he managed to do it. After a few months, he was the new ruler. Then he got rid of his creditors by burning them alive in the house after locking up the doors. That was the beginning of his rise. Then, the cavalry charges, the infantry holding the line, crossing the rivers during the winter and storm to catch his enemies off-guard. Conquering the territories, then the fateful day of the reckoning of last year's war of insurrection in which he lost everything he had dear. And now he was on the rise again.
"Alright, you can leave in the morning. I'll be waiting for you to join me in two weeks with my family reunited once again."
They bowed and after bidding goodbye, they returned to their tents to prepare. He remained silent for a while then turned his gaze to the shadows in the tent.
"Simeon, are you afraid? When are they going to make their move?"
A scraggly voice was heard followed by a shadow getting formed and a man stepped out of the darkness. His face was fierce with the criss-cross of former wounds that left their traces along the battles he won in the past.
"Milord, they will do it tomorrow night or early the morning after. They plan to execute everyone who has anything to do with you."
He snorted scratching his neck.
"It will be a difficult time ahead of us. At least, if we won't make it, my seeds are already taken care of and safe. I only regret not being able to be at their side in the future. I wish I could have done some things differently, some things I would have done them the same way."
He closed his eyes licking his parched lips.
"Go and get ready. Tell the guards to be vigilant."
Simeon nodded, bowed and left through the flaps of the tent leaving him alone.
"Don Guido, if you please, come in. I have something to entrust you with. A mission of sorts."
A red-headed man wearing a felt hat and a rapier at his side entered the tent. He saluted clinking his boots. He waited with patience for the ruler's words. He searched until he found a letter. He handed it to him after a short hesitation.
"You will accompany the others tomorrow. In case of something happened on my end, you'll hand over this letter to my wife. If everything is fine here, you will burn the letter. You can go now."
"Yes, milord." The man bowed and left without lingering.
"With that, everything is taken care of. Now that the end is near, let's see who is the final victor."
He let himself fall into the chair once again with a sigh. He closed his eyes while he rested his head on the back of his hand. For the first time in many years he dreamed of his mother who died of plague. She was beckoning him to hurry up and join her. She was scolding his son, her grandson. He started weeping in his sleep.
The end has arrived. He felt it.