The Palace Beast

"That's good news but right now, I am concerned about Ambrogio. The sun is out and as a vampire, he hides from the sun. Find him and bring his head to me. The kingdom of Wex is no concern of mine," the king replied as he walked away from the guard.

He truly needs bed rest, and avoiding any discussions about the kingdom of Wex is the best way to give it to him. As far as Ambrogio is searching for victims or more people to turn into vampires, the kingdom of Wex is his least concern at the moment.

***

A light breeze carried fluffy white clouds that drifted lazily across the blue sky. When King Afa heard a loud knock on his chamber door, he was still sound asleep. He believed it to be a dream, but the knocking continued until he was able to open his eyes. With a yawn, he gets up from the bed and walks toward the door.

Upon opening the door, he noticed Gerald was panting heavily. Curious, he asked, "What's the matter, general?"

Gerald, gasping for air, remarked, "The kingdom of Wex is marching to Maxis with thousands of soldiers."

"Who is leading them into battle with us now that I've heard King Charles is dead?" With his hands spread in confusion, the king asked.

***

Kay wants to hurt King Afa because she felt taken advantage of. There is nothing that can compare to the hatred she has for Afa. Kay killed King Charles along with every noble who was loyal to him and his top general, Leo, with the aid of Abezethibou. With Abezethibou help, she was crowned queen of the Wex kingdom. The Wex people have never been fond of Kay becoming their queen, but since she has a one-winged demon at her side, they are forced to comply. As queen, her first action is to lead the whole Wex army into battle against the Maxis kingdom. Since he was informed that King Charles had died and that the armies of Wex were now advancing on Maxis to engage in combat, King Afa has never been certain of the true situation.

One of the guards hurried to meet with King Afa as he stood by the watchtower. "My monarch," the guard uttered as he collapsed to his knees. "The Wex army has already crossed our border and is directly approaching us." "Who leads the army?" the king inquired.

"Kay, my king," the guard replied.

On hearing this, the king thought the guard might be kidding because there is no way Kay can lead the army of the kingdom of Wex. "That's not possible!" the king cried. "It is true that King Charles did not have any successor but Kay can't take over the place of King Charles as queen of Wex," the king argued strongly.

"My king, I am afraid, it's true," Gerald said as he walks in on the king.

He had been out in the field with a dozen of his men to monitor the armies of Wex. "We just confirmed it now, Kay is with them. She leads the army of Wex to us."

The king was speechless for a while but the silence was broken by Gerald. "What do we now do?" Staring at the king to say a word, the king slightly lowered his head. "If Kay leads the army of Wex, and then I will go and meet her and have a nice chat with her," said the king.

"I don't think that's a good war strategy right now my king. She brings war to us, and then she will get the war," Gerald laments.

"I know Kay doesn't mean any harm to Maxis. She is probably not leading them into war with us. She knows what Maxis can do and she is aware our walls can't be breached," the king replied in confidence.

Looking straight into Gerald's eyes, he said, "Ready my horse, we will ride to meet with them before they get closer to us. The rest of your men should get ready in case anything goes wrong." "You heard the king, get ready for anything," Gerald echoed down to his men.

The soldiers of Maxis have gathered and surrounded the walls of Maxis as some of them match down with the king to meet with Kay and the armies of Wex.

Reaching a plain field the king ordered them to halt as he proceeds alone to meet with Kay. They have come in face to face with Kay and the armies of Wex. He could clearly see Kay.

King Afa rides on his horseback to meet with Kay. As Kay saw him riding towards them, she also ordered the army to halt as she rides towards King Afa to meet with him.

"What's all this?" King Afa asked glaring at Kay. It was so disappointing to the king to see someone whom he have made love with, share the love with, match down to make war with him.

"Don't think I am here for Maxis. I am here for you. To see you pay for the hurt you have caused me," Kay laments putting up a fake smile.

She has King Charles' sword strap around her waist. She was suited in the armor of a soldier. She has the breastplate, the helmet, and attached to her horse was the shield. Her feet were fitted with the leather sandal worn mostly for battle. After staring at her for a while, King Afa knew quite well that she is really ready for battle. "You dressed this way to make war against me because I called off our relationship?"

"It's not about calling off the relationship that matters to me now. But I want to see how Eva will feel if I do this..."

Kay quickly drew out her sword and pierced through the heart of the king. It was as if darkness has fallen upon the king as he coughs out blood. He fell from the horse. The king gleamed with horror as the night closed in on him forever. "No!" Gerald cried out.

He can see everything from where he was and all his attention has been on the king and Kay. He never expected Kay to commit a war crime. It is unethical in the rules of war to kill anyone during a negotiation. This has never happened before in the entire five kingdoms.

"This is a war crime," Leon said.

Raising his sword up the soldiers of Maxis charged against the soldiers' of Wex. "Slaughter them all!" Gerald cried out.

The remaining soldiers who surrounded the walls of Maxis heard the war cry and stood their ground but are very much ready for battle. The number of soldiers that matched with King Afa to meet with Kay is five thousand foot soldiers and a thousand horsemen.

Those surrounding the walls of Maxis are three times the number of the soldiers who matched with the king. Leon was also amongst those that rode with the king. As the king lies beside his horse, Gerald and Leon fights their way through to rescue the corpse of the king from being trampled upon.

Kay was surrounded by hundreds of soldiers, making it difficult for any soldier from Maxis to get to her. The soldiers surrounding her built a shield wall to protect her from any arrow or spears. She was still bearing the sword of King Charles. King Afa's blood was still dripping down the sword. Seeing that the battle is really turning against them as more of her soldiers are being slaughtered by the soldiers of Maxis, she went down on her knees with her head lowered, saying in a low tone, "Abezethibou, I need you now to fight my cause."