STEEL AND FLESH

ROT IN PRISON OR PICK UP YOUR SWORD AND FIGHT

"What do you want Lauihnio you are disturbing my peace." Lord Mordian said feeling annoyed. King Lauihnio ignored Lord Mordian and continued his stare on the scrolls in his hands. after some time he heaved a sigh.

"Okay enough of the facade, uncle I need your help." Lord Mordian looked shocked, he turned his eyes to Lord Garthine Polion then returned them back to King Lauihnio, he started laughing. "I am serious uncle." King Lauihnio said chin up.

"Then I supposed you have come to the very wrong place." Lord Mordian muttered.

"Uncle - uncle Bauthinia is in trouble, the Quanians plan to attack us we seriously need all the help we can get." King Lauihnio bent towards his uncle holding his right shoulder. Lord Mordian stared at him for a while then frowned, he grabbed king Lauihnio and pushed him against the wall, pining him to the wall he held a short knife at the king's throat.

On seeing this Lord Garthine Polion quickly removed his xiphos sword from his scabbard and held it at Lord Mordian's neck.

"How dare you put your hands on the king, let go or you will go down to the underworld without a head." Lord Mordian ignored him.

"Ever since you locked me up in this place I never caused any trouble, I took no further actions to undermine your leadership, you had your peace with no other rival for your crown, now if you think you would step in here and make fun of me hereby disturbing my peace, I wouldn't mind sending you back to your palace half a man compared to how you came in here all healthy and hearty - listen, you may be the king and I may be your prisoner but you can never take away the fact that I am your uncle and I deserve some respect." King Lauihnio tried to free himself from his uncle's grip but his uncle was too strong. it looks like age was not telling on him even with the facial wrinkles and grey beards setting in. being unable to free himself from his uncle's grip he gave up.

"Uncle I swear by Oridon's mace I do not mock you." he whispered. "king Brothlander plans to invade our lands and we need all the help we can get - we could do with your wisdom to help us stand a better chance of defending Bauthinia."

"let go now or I will make you do so" Lord Garthine Polion scowled at him malevolentlly.

"It is okay Garthine Polion." Lord Mordian stared menacingly into king Lauihnio's eyes for a while, then he let go.

free from his uncle's grip he took some time to massage his neck. while in anger Lord Garthine Polion put his sword back in it's scabbard.

"Like I have said you have come to the wrong place - I have no interest in Bauthinian affairs as you can see I am a prisoner convicted for being a threat to the king's life. your life."

"Then we could get you out of here, you would be part of my caucus, I would restore your titles and lands back to you." Lord Garthine Polion squeezed his face and tried to understand what king Lauihnio just said because he found it hard to believe that king Lauihnio meant every bit of what he said.

"My king are you listening to yourself."

"Quiet Garthine Polion!" king Lauihnio snapped.

"No I deserve to be in this place I tried to take your life." king Lauihnio took hold of Lord Mordian's hand.

"Uncle do you know why I refused to execute you even while you were charged and found guilty of treason?" he looked innocently into his uncle's eyes. "It is because you are my favorite uncle, you were always there for me even when my father cared less of me, you always read me poetry, you taught me all I ever knew about politics, you taught me how to fight with the sword, and with the skill I acquired from you I achieved the highest feet at the arena, the highest in Bauthinian history."

Tears started rolling down his cheeks. "But I tried to steal your throne from you."

"Yes you did, you may even be planning so now but what I know is that you would never be a threat to my life - you once told me you always had a soft spot for me since I was born." Lord Mordian looked sober.

"You should go, leave me to my poetry." he took his scrolls, arranged the ones he had previously worked on and continued with his recent work.

"Uncle please we need you to help us fight this Quanians that are posing as a threat to our peace and security.

"My king you do not have to over emphasize on this, he is not interested in lending a hand, we have wise men, war veterans that had served king Rashur of Mocini, if he says no then we should let him be." Lord Garthine Polion whispered.

"Uncle I will ask you one last time would you help us out or not, would you raise up your sword and join us in chasing this Quanian bastards away from our lands, would you join your sword with ours and protect the people we love, to protect the land that was handed over to us by our fathers - or you would stay here and rot your old ass out with your poetry, I am giving you a chance of freedom, forgetting all charges that were levelled up against you."

King Lauihnio cleaned his wet eyes with his hands. "You were a threat to my throne, you may still be a threat to my throne even now but I am willing to forget all of that because I know how ambitious you are, but I know that even with your ambitions you are ready to give your life for these lands, these people that look up to us as their leaders - what is your decision uncle?" Lord Mordian heaved a sigh.