Word spread, and having the people carry was the best option. Fortifying their houses and aiding each other in doing so
While one was helping, he asked his friend "do you think the chief is saying the truth?"
Diggin underneath the bed he replied "If it is indeed true, he will live another day"
"And if it is not?" said the first
The man dug silently for a moment, after hitting a rock he stopped and said "Then a new chief will be appointed"
The air in the shelter was stiff, some wanted to believe it, others already did, most thought it another lie, but regardless they continued, knowing that either way they are not going to lose much, their time and a false king at worse
Inside the chief's tent Baro sat down with whom he trusted, thinking about he they will move forward with their plans
"Surely you did not come forward to the people while not having a plan?" said Ramo
The chief replied "We will raise a new generation from the ashes, the fire will drive their hate elsewhere, there where I wish it"
"If it is fire that we will use, then we need them to stay still, don't we?" said Pharam
"I did think about it, and Luckly it is nothing hard to do" replied Baro
At night the chief gathered as many as possible, this time there was much more awaiting his words unlike how many gathered in the morning
Once again by sunset the crowd gathered, more then ever stood right there before him
Whispers danced from ear to ear awaiting his arrival
The chief stepped up standing before the crowd who stood silent
"I have some bad news to share with you this time," Said Baro "Sadly, we don't know exactly when will they reach our walls, although we know of it not passing a week"
"Forget about these meaningless talks, when will you arme us?" a voice from the crowd shouted
"You don't expect us to fight with forks and kitchen knives" another spoke
The silent crowd went on, each spouting his own thoughts out with no one to listen
"Pls silence, my people, may I speak pls" said the chief Baro trying to get back the attention, lowering the commotion down he spoke
"I am deeply sorry to inform you that I can't do such a thing, we barley have enough to the guards upon the walls"
"But! I have come to you, with a plan" they started listening again
"For the days and nights to come, you are to stay still, continuing to fortify your houses and protecting your own, we will hold our grounds, the guards of the walls will make sure you get your daily meals in time"
They looked at each other in confusion, before they could ever start theorizing, he spoke shutting their brains down
"And as a sign of thanks for your patience, whatever you gain from the coming battle, shall be your own"
Worry and anger flipped to excitement in a moment, greed covered all else guiding them back home doing as he ordered
And soon, the grounds emptied up leaving the winds to roam them alone. Guards were guided towards the wall so they may help to fortify it
Some were worried, kept awake by their own thoughts, a few inpatients not knowing what to believe anymore, others held their children close fearing the dark of the night
A child told his mother "What if they break our door?" hiding under the blanket
"They won't do so, don't worry, your father and his friends shut it tight" the mother replied as the child looked at his father
Sitting with another man beside him, it seems family choose to stay together, thinking this act will give them a higher chance of survival
In other houses some were sharpening whatever they had, from gardening tools, to kitchen knives, forks, wooden spears, whatever a hand can use
No guard stood in the streets, the wall was their top priority as they tried building higher and higher, making the wall thicker and sturdier,
Once again, the chief's tent was full
"I have a suggestion, for what we should start with" said Pharam
The room stared at him
"I think we should burn the herb storage first" said Pharam
"With how little survivors there might be, and our lack of transportations? I don't think we will be able to hold both food and herbs, we need to sacrifice one"
"I agree with what Pharam said "replied Ramo moving his gaze from him to the chief "It will also work as a cover to use in the near future,"
"Then we need to distribute the roles" said Pharam
"What do you mean by that? What roles are there for us to distribute," said the chief
"We can't have people ask about our locations. I will be joining the wall guards until I am needed" said Pharam
"Do whatever you want, I will be taking care of the plan," said Ramo
"Not today," replied the chief "This is just the first night, with how nervous must be, any fragile mistakes will sell us out"
"Then I shall command the street guards" said Ramo "Pushing out any who's not under control by us"
"I am, pleased that you've come to your senses," said the chief as he stood up, smiling slightly at them "We shall commence with it tomorrow by mid night "
"But we still have a problem, your highness" said Ramo
"Wish is?" asked Baro
"You know, your daughter" replied Ramo "She knows nothing about the plan, and with the upcoming chaos harm might reach her"
"This is indeed a problem" said the chief Baro
"I do have a solution" said Pharam as they stared his direction "The chief will be guarded heavily anyway, so he won't be needing Noor, why not appoint him to Fara for the night?"
"This dose seems like the correct solution" replied Ramo looking at the chief awaiting his decision
The chief thought about it for a second just to reply "Yes, why not" he stared back and order him "Noor, you shall accompany my daughter until further notice"
Baro gazed their direction and said "You may go and take care of your work now"
Pharam reached the wall of wood and stone, "What brought the chief's eyes here in the such a late hour?" said the one who was in charge over there while smiling, he was a little old, one who seems in his 40s, leaning on his shovel letting the rest continue digging
His hair and beard were of grey, drained by time, his face seemed to be an old map torn by time, his gaze calm and unaverred
"The chief ordered me to" said Pharam
"And here I thought you were humble enough" replied the old man, turning around continuing his work
"Ser?" said Pharam
"Don't ser me, my name is Kamir" said the old man "Do what ever you want to do, we have enough men already so just squeeze in somewhere"
¨Pharam walked by climbing up the stairs of the tower, he reached the top to see people making archer cabinets,
"You are the famous expeditioner, although we are not that short on hands, seeing that most of the guards are focused here," said a boy walking
"You can go and help them raise the towers up" said the boy leaving Pharam
Pharam picked some rocks and started carried them through the full stairs
The night continues to reign supreme, there was that one moment where he stood alone, looking behind and in front of him, his eyes grew sharper as he started breathing heavily
"Crack!" the sound echoed followed by a scream
The nurse sleeping in the dark, the door started knocking violently, she opened in a rush to see Kamir with some guards holding Pharam, his leg dripping with blood, Noor Stood by the side guarding her door step
Shocked she let them inside
"What happened!" Fara said
"This lucky, shattered his bones in the staircase. I guess he will be of no use in battle, nor anywhere else for a time," said Kamir
"This is not mush augh!!, I will be healed in no time" said Pharam seating himself in bed
"No, you will not," said Fara "You may leave to your work gentlemen, I will be taking of him"
They left him behind as Noor stepped in standing tall watching over the scene
Fara stitched his open wound as moving violently, she was not able to hold him in place
"Move a side," said Noor
"Place your palms on your chest" said Noor to Pharam
"Like this?" said Pharam gasping, both his hands open, he looked as if seated in a coffin
One hand pushed Pharam bending bed while binding him to it, the other held his leg in place
"Finish your work" said Noor keeping the shocked Pharam in place
Pharam smiling awkwardly said "Heh?!"
"Well, ahh, the thing is, I still need somethings" said Fara as Noor moved back leave Pharam gasping for air
"Stay here, I will be going to the storage to give you some painkilling herbs" said Fara but she was stopped by Noor
"Stay here, I will be doing so" while leaving
Ramo witnessed him from far away, he watched the big bodyguards walk towards the herb storage, his gaze unaverred from him while playing with the key he had in hand
By sunrise, the guars walked from door to door inspecting the number of people in each house while handing them food
"Do you think it is true, I mean the invasion" Fara said
"Do you not trust your own father?" said Pharam eating from his bowl
"I don't know what to trust anymore, I even started questioning myself, you know, with the rumours going around" Fara replied
Pharam did not reply, he merely stared his soup silently
The moon started to take over the sun slowly.
The night started and pain grew larger inside of Pharma's leg; he screamed in agony as Noor held him down not to harm himself or any other person
"Oh god did it start again?"
"Pain killers, bring me some" as he calmed down taking deep breathes
"I will just… hang on" she said reaching for the door
"You know it is dangerous outside" said Pharam as he held her hand to stop, he stared at Noor wanting him to volunteer
"Sigh, describe them" said Noor to Fara
"Ok, Ummm, you will be finding them on your left, inside the stone made jar" Fara replied
Noor picked his sword and walked outside, some eyes followed after him quietly, but no matter what he couldn't find the source of it
The moment he opened the door of the herb storage, he was sent to his knees, there he slipped into unconsciousness
Sarom sitting in the cold lonely cell heard the sound of its metal bars moving, some keys were thrown to him
"What the" said Sarom. Unchaining himself he walked out to find the door open
Baro walked up to the closed storage, checking his sides, guards stood by him ready with their torches, there was no soul in sight
"The moment my fire starts, you may do the same" said Baro lowering his gaze
"Fire!!! They are lighting your houses on fire, wake up people" a scream travelled across the shelter, the chief staring at the source, It was Sarom
"How did you leave— Guards! Apprehend him" said the chief, but it was too late, some people woke up breaking out from their houses they witnessed the guards' holding flames before their doors
People's screams dragged out one another, from peeking from behind shut doors to stepping out, the streets were full at last
Fara heard the noise of the people shouting and deciding to step out she said to Pharam who was fully awake
"Stay here I will be checking the outside"
The people were shouting at the chief
"Explain yourself!" one said
"The chief was the one who did the fire order" another continued
The chief raising his hands as his guards circled him trying to protect him from the crowd
"Calm down my people, this is all the schemes of criminals like him who are working with our enemies to bring us down" said Baro pointing at Sarom who wore clothes fit for a criminal
A hand in the dark lit the herb shelter on fire before disappearing off sight
The people started whispering, the king grinned again feeling he has a chance, Sarom noticing it his eyes boiled in anger, but where the king stared shocked him
There Ramo was walking through the crowd
"You all know the trusted warrior Ramo, he will provide the truth," said the chief
Inside the storage smoke started filling the air, Noor waking up noticed it, he desperately pushed the burning door just to end up with severe injuries, the rising smoke amount inside forced him to unsheathe his blade
"Help!" he yelled over and over
"Where is Noor?" said Fara walking by, she stood before the herb storage, hearing faint screams breaking through the loud noses of both the fire and the people
"Noor??!" she said shocked realising who was locked in there
As the crowd and the chief stood silent, Sarom in confusion
"How do you expect them to believe Ramo over their eyes?" said Sarom to Baro, but the noise did not allow him to be heard
"Now Ramo, tell the people who is the innocent one here," said the chief
"The chief Baro... is a Lier" Ramo said, both the chief and Sarom were shocked, Ramo pointed where the fire was
Fara was yelling and pouring water from the Well
"Somebody, help me stop it" they looked at here in confusion,
"The herbs are a lost cause, what I she seeking with this act" one said
From the door a hand broke out holding a heated blade, disparately seeking exit, its skin melted joining the dirt, it dripped like cursed honey
They saw the face and heard the voice for the first time
Noor was in pain as his face burned, they saw him for a moment, the place slowly crumbled as the roof fell on him, and before they could put the fire off, he was a lost to death's hand
Noor was burned and crashed to death, Fara moved back in shock falling on her back, as she wanted to stand up a hand held her by the hair taking her hostage
It was her own father, cold iron was placed on her neck, a sharp knife keeping her in constant movement
Men women and children watched in shock
"Nobody moves! I am not afraid to spill more blood," said the chief
"Dad? What are you--- augh" said Fara while being dragged out
"I will be leaving with her" he said, both the guards and the people stood in silence wide eyed, not believing what they are witnessing
He spoke in her ear as he took her "You brought me disgrace throughout the years, If I had a boy heir I would have threw you out already,
A limping foot followed by a normal one were aided by a stick, as they marched forth towards the chief from behind his back
" I don't care if you marry a slave, a Kazar or a Varish, I shall have the heir I wish for" said Baro blinded by madness pointing the knife towards who ever wished a step forward
Thud… Drug… Thud… Drug…
"The blood shall live on, it shall spread throughout mankind, that is the first king's words" Baro stopped his speech noticing their eyes directed behind him, he looked back in haste shielding himself with his daughter
A stab was followed by the sound of blood spilling down, cutting both the daughter and the father's gits
Pharam with a cold gaze was the one who held the sword
"You—" said the chief before the sword twisted through both of them
They fell down col
Ramo stared the red blood colouring the ground and spoke
" Red… So, he was no royal blood after all, well, it was expected after all"
Pharam stood with one working leg dripping his own blood that joined the chief's, his blade dangled from his hand, the moon light rained upon his body, colouring him as a honourable warrior of the people