LOVE ME AGAIN PRIM

CHAPTER TWO

Razan sat tall and majestically on his horse at the top of the mountain ledge, scanning the horizon with his hazel eyes, his tiger sitting beside him lazily. Two cudanian soldiers dresses in full cudanian armor and also on horseback, stand watch behind him. His ear twitches to the sound of multiple hooves pounding on the earth and he looks to the east to find several riders dressed in ravian armor and carrying the ravian banner approach. 'Go to the King and inform him that the ravians are approaching.' he says to one of the soldiers, who bows and rides away.

'Have we heard anything from our spies?' he asks the second soldier.

'No my prince, they are yet to report any foul play.'

'Do not let your guard down regardless, I do not trust the ravians.Tighten the wedge and bring the spears forward. I want more archers stationed on the high ground, armed and ready before they arrive.'

'Yes my prince'

' Go.'

As the soldier rode away, another approached.

'Prince Razan, his majesty the king requests your audience immediately.'

Razan nods and turns his horse around and his tiger stands stretching himself before they all race back towards the royal entourage of Cudan consisting of his father, mother, sister, his betrothed, several members of his fathers cabinet all sitted in several chariots and surrounded by the Cudanian elite royal guards in a flying wedge battle formation. He stops and comes down from his horse and the soldiers make way for him as he moves through the foremation to reach the caravan his parents and his daughter were sitted. A soldier announces Razans arrival and the caravan door opens with the king coming out. Everyone bows at the sight of the king and he instructs them all to rise and carry on with their duties. The king smiles at Razan and and asks that they take a walk together.

'My king, its not safe.' Razan says

'I have lived through six wars and more than thirteen battles Razan, I practically taught you all you know, so do not fret; we are safe.' said the king to his son walking forward. Razan follows behind him removing the helmet on his head, exposing his thick, dark shoulder length hair, which is braided to the back and two diamond earrings adorning his ears. His face is perfect sculpted with high cheek bones and dimples. He sports a well groomed moustache and beard with a scar just above his right eye, giving him both an alluring but menacing look. Walking together both father and son looked like splitting images of themselves from different time lines. The king despite his age stood fit and tall at his full height of six foot, three inches. He wore his greying hair in an up braided hairdo to the center of his head with his crown covering the ends. He wore a light armor beneath layers of fine silk robes, held around his waist by a golden belt.

'The king stops and bends over to pick up sand. He looks at it for a moment and slowly pours it back saying to Razan, 'These lands have swallowed the blood and bodies of many soldiers, Cudanians and Ravians. We have fought for it, sent many sons to die for it. I stand here now thinking of the many lives I have sent to the heavens, and ask myself, why? Why did we chose to fight? What are we truly fighting for?'

'We fight for the sovereignty of Cudan, your majesty.' Razan

'And the Ravians?' asked the king

'I cannot answer for them my king'

The king exhales loudly looking into the distance, lost in his thoughts.

After a few minutes, a soldier whispers to Razan and he says to his father, 'Majesty, we need to return to the carriage, the ravian soldiers will soon arrive'. The king closes his eyes but still doesn't move.

'Father', Razan says moving closer and the king turns saying to Razan, 'I hope that the ravians seek peace. It is my dream that our kingdoms are finally united in my lifetime, so the poor souls who have perished here can finally find rest.'

Razan simply nods at his fathers words, not knowing what say. The king looks at him and smiles, 'One day, you will make a great king.'

'There will be no greater king in Cudan than you my father.' Razan responds

'Yet, here I stand before one who will far surpass me' the king responds looking at his son with pride. He places his hands behind his back and says, 'I wish to be present when they arrive. Tell the men to bring my horse.'

'Yes sir' Razan responds

Moments later horses could be heard neighing from the distance amidst the rumbling sound of the moving ravian army, covered in clouds of dust. Prince Razan got on his horse following behind his father who was moving on his horse towards the front of his army .The dust cloud dissipates to reveal the legendary Ravian army arranged in a strange formation that prince Razan had never seen before. Several cudanian soldiers murmur at the sight and the King holds a up his hand to to silence them.

Three of the ravian riders come down from their horses and remove all of their weapons before moving towards the king, bowing down to him.

'Life to you, your majesty, my name is Yukon. General of the eastern plains of Ravia. I will be your escort through the desert and lead you to our waiting ships which will take you directly to our Majesty's palace.

'We are only a days ride from the eastern gates of the first ravian town, why the change of plans?' asks the king

'We are indeed only a days ride away your highness. However, we have entered the peak of our summer months in Ravia and I fear your horses and alot of your men will be affected by the desert heat wave if you ride with us across the desert. Robbers and slave merchants often take advantage of this to waylay travellers. Taking our ships will be the best way to protect your entire company your majesty.'

'Take off your helmet soldier.' the king says and the soldier does as he is told, looking up at the king with his deep set brown eyes. His handsome clean shaven face is deeply tanned with a scar running across his forehead. His hair is cropped short at the back but deep black locks of hair Razan smiles in recognition of the man and the memory of the battle they once had which lead to the scaring on Razans eye and the Yukons forehead. Razan knows that Yukon is no ordinary warrior, for he is the first soldier to go against Razans spear in a battlefield and live to tell the tale, the only warrior to successfully cut Razan on the battlefield.

'You recognize him my son?' The king asked

'Indeed I do father, he is a formidable warrior. I owe him for my scar.' replied Razan.

The king looks back at Yukon in surprise, who is looking up at Razan, trying to remember their encounter. Razan takes off his helmet and Yukon gives his signature one sided smile.

'You wear it well Cudanian prince' Yukon says to Razan.

'As do you, ravian warrior. I hope one day we will have the opportunity of true combat to know who the better warrior is between us.'

'My hope is that your kingdom and mine make peace, so there will no longer be a need for combat and I may return home to my wife and my daughters.' Yukon responds looking at the prince.

The Cudan king smiles at Yukon words and says to him, 'How many ships will be waiting? As you can see I have brought with me a huge party.'

'The captain of our largest fleet awaits your arrival at the port Malagne your majesty. His ships can carry together an army five thousand strong excluding horses.'

'How do we know we can trust him, how do I know you can he be trusted?' Razan asks

'Because if I truly wanted to harm you, I would have sent your four spies to come for you and lead you through the desert knowing the risks.' Yukon replies raising his hand. Four men who are tied up on horses are brought forward.

'Release them', Yukon says and the men are taken down from their respective horses , brought forward and released from their ropes.

'I return your men to you in good faith your highness, kindly take them back.' Yukon says looking at prince Razan who is clearly upset at the embarrassing turn of events and simply nods his head. The men are taken by the cudanian soldiers.

'You have proven yourself a man of great intellect and honor general Yukon, I entrust our safety to you. My son will ride along side you with our army while I will retire to my carriage.'

'As you wish you majesty. We will head out as soon as you are ready.' Yukon replies bowing.

The royal train travels for half a day and reaches the port by high noon where hundreds of ships are harboured. The cudanian royals and nobles, some of whom have never seen such huge numbers of ships are mesmerized by the sight. General Yukon leads the king and prince Razan to the bridge of beautiful ship and there, they all see an extremely tall man with a feminine face and double pierced ears, no older than twenty and dressed in a captains uniform is standing at wheel and giving instructions to men old enough to father him.

'Captain Goron' The general calls out and the boy turns around to look at them. He walks gallantly across the bridge and towards them with a smile on his face. He pays his respects to the King and prince and exchanges pleasantries with the general. After discussing and agreeing on the travelling arrangements, the ships set sail to Ravia.