Liang's Father arrived sooner than they expected. Zehan and Ryas requested that the Captains pitch a new tent for their meeting.
"Leave us Liang," Advisor Biah ordered his son.
"Yuliah is my Wife. I'm not leaving," Liang argued.
"She's no longer your wife. Leave before I have my guards drag you out," Advisor Biah snickered. Two guards approached Liang, and he reluctantly left.
"It's too bad I only have the one son," Advisor Biah turned to Zehan. "I hope my Son hasn't caused you any trouble."
"He's been nothing but pleasant," Zehan lied.
"I hear that you found her with a bandit?" Advisor Biah turned to Ryas. "I want to speak to Yuliah and the Man."
"Is that necessary?" Zehan asked.
"King Taeyer bestowed her marriage," Advisor Biah glared at Zehan and Ryas. "She went against the King's words. I'm the King's Advisor, how is it not necessary?"
"Captain," Zehan called. "Bring the prisoner and Lady Yuliah here."
A half-hour later Yuliah arrived outside the tent with Ward. They both looked at one another, confused as to why they were there. The Guard told them nothing.
"Wait here," he said and stepped inside.
"Ward!" A weight lifted from her shoulder. He's an asshole, but she didn't want to see him hurt.
Ward snickered at her. "You look well," he tried to hide his anger with a sarcastic tone.
When she turned to him, he had fresh bruises under his eye and a swollen lip, "I meant to see you sooner, but ran into complications. I'm worried about you," Yuliah touched his shoulder.
"Yea, I'm sure you were," his response was short, and he shrugged her hand off. "I helped you when I didn't need to, and then you fucken abandoned me. While you were making nice with your General, they beat the shit out of me," Ward pointed to his face.
How is this her fault? If she were sane and not poisoned, none of this would have happened. He had no right to blame her. Yuliah's face burned red. "Why have I not come to see YOU?" She stood in front of him; her neck craned up. "You don't remember what you made me DO? When you used me as a shield to protect you from the poison darts!" Yuliah pushed him. "I can't even live that down!" She remembered bits and pieces from those three horrifying days. They were some of her worst moments.
Yuliah continued to argue with him outside the tent until she couldn't take Ward's ignorance anymore and shoved him again.
"Don't push me, girl! I'm not in the mood," he chest bunted her.
Yuliah took a few steps back, but her ankle twisted. No! Her fingers snagged onto the collar of his shirt, "You bastard!" She held on tightly, and they both tumbled through the drapes of the tent.
"Ouuuuch," she whimpered when Ward's towering frame crashed down on top of her. "You're so fucken big!" She shouted. "You're going..."
Ward, looked up then laughed.
"You think this is funny!" Her fist slammed against his chest. "I'm going to wipe that grin from your face!" She lifted her sleeve, ready to release the Mark.
"BEHAVE," Ryas' voice boomed from behind her.
She froze and quickly lifted her head. Inside the tent sat Ryas and King Zehan. Great! The situation could not get any more complicated, Yuliah blushed. With Ward still on top of her she scrambled to get up, but he pinned her down with his weight.
"Yea, behave, girl," Ward leaned into her with a smile. "Your General looks upset."
Yuliah's eyes opened wide. He purposely anchored his body down on her so that she couldn't get up. She pushed him hard, but he didn't budge. "I know you're doing it on purpose!"
Suddenly his happy face disappeared when a foot landed on his shoulder, and he rolled back, and Yuliah jolted to her feet. The fingers around her arm dug into her skin.
"What are you doing?" Ryas' angry face caught her off guard.
"I - umm. It's not what you think." No, this did not just happen; she breathed but couldn't get out one word that made sense.
"We were having a conversation," Ward butted in, "She," he said it loudly. "Was so happy to see me she could hardly contain her excitement," he clicked his tongue at Ryas.
"Stop lying," she lifted her hand to Ward, but Ryas yanked it back.
"Don't play games with me..."
"General," Zehan called from behind them. "Have a seat, please." He sighed from across the room.
Both Men were locked in a stare off, with neither one backing down.
Yuliah could make out the crease between Ryas' brows. She'd seen it many times before. He was calculating what to do next. Worried she touched his arm but his feet lifted and struck Ward behind the calves. Ward buckled and dropped to the ground.
"Kneel, in the presence of Kings," Ryas turned and left.
"How come she's not kneeling too? You out to give her a quick little kick too," Ward called after Ryas. "He's just so charming, isn't he. I can see why you like him so much," Ward continue to mock her.
"You brought it upon yourself," Yuliah hissed at him. She was sure the ends of Ryas' lips were slightly curled when he strolled away. She brushed off her embarrassment, then turned to King Zehan and slightly bowed.
A loud cough came from across the room. Yuliah turned in that direction and paled. Liang's Father's already here? She stopped. "Advisor Biah," Yuliah bowed.
"How did you end up here?" Advisor Biah asked.
Yuliah's mind went blank. What could she say and not implicate General Wey or the Southern Kingdom? Advisor Biah could tell a lie right away when he heard it. She'd seen him do it many times before. "I ran away with a Man. He lifted the veil and consummated our marriage but died in the mountains. The bandits killed him. Then he found me," Yuliah pointed to Ward.
Ward hissed at her, "Don't get me, involved girl. I'm tired of helping you."
"Shut up and play along before I make you," Yuliah threatened under her breath.
Ward looked over at Yuliah, "You're a fucken curse."
"Redemption that's what I am to you. Besides, I took that dart for you, and you'll do this for me," she whispered. She could not implicate General Wey or the Southern Kingdom.
"You are the bandit that found this woman?" Advisor Biah glared at Ward.
"Yes, I found the wench in the woods after my Men killed her husband. We were on our way to sell her to the Nomens when that fucker caught us," Ward pointed to Ryas.
Ryas scoffed from across the room.
Advisor Biah cleared his throat, "I see. Your story seems to collaborate with his, but there's still the matter of you almost killing my son and burning down half my Manor. Tell me what would be a just punishment?"
"I didn't burn your Manor. You have no proof that it was me," Yuliah straightened up. "Liang showed up in the wedding chambers drunk, and you know how much he likes his wine. Then beat me near death. The maids ignored my cries, and I only defended my life, as Liang did when he mistakenly killed Yujen," she answered. She didn't want to bring up his name because he deserved more than what Liang did to him, but she needed to remind Advisor Biah who the real killer was.
One day she would make Liang pay for it, but now was not the time to hash out revenge. "I have suffered at the hands of your Son since I was a girl of twelve. He beat and molested me regularly, and you knew about it but stayed quiet. Now tell me where my justice is? Where is Yujen's justice?"
"I am the governing King here," Zehan spoke. "Lady Yuliah acted within the Northern Customs. Another Man lifted her veil and consummated their marriage; therefore, she is no longer a woman of the Biah household. The Biah's received their justice when bandits killed her husband, leaving her a widow," Zehan looked at Advisor Biah. "The Gods have been fair, were they not?"
Advisor Biah gave Yuliah a scowling look, "The Biah's paid 1000 gold coins for you and the cost of the wedding. How will you compensate me for this?"
Yuliah swallowed, "Ward, do you have any money?" she whispered to him. Where would she get the money she had no one.
"No, you know how many girls I sold to get that money. I can't give it to you, and besides, it's not here," he answered.
"You better give it to me," Yuliah paused. "Or I'm just going to take it," she lifted her sleeve.
"CAPTAINS" Ryas called out. "Bring it in."
Two Men hauled in an ivory chest, adorned with red jewels, and dropped it at Advisor Biah's foot. The lid popped open, and inside, filled to the top were hundreds of shiny gold coins.
"2000 cold coins. Geneoshi gold. You know their worth. Yuliah is free now. From your Son and you. Tell your King she no longer has any ties to the North," Ryas spoke.
Yuliah's head turned up, and she locked eyes with Ryas. He just paid it, without any hesitation, and for her. He didn't have to, but he did. Her chest tightened, and each one of her eyes burned. He knew it already, that's why he went missing for as long as he did. Yuliah took a few deep breaths to stop herself from crying, and Ryas didn't show any emotion towards her but kept his eyes locked with hers.
Advisor Biah laughed, "You'd pay for her? Why? For this whor..."
Ryas cut him off, "I would," his face stoic. "She's a Geneoshi. I'm saving my people and choose your words wisely, Advisor Biah. You don't want to insult me."
"Where will you go?" Advisor Biah asked Yuliah. "You can't stay in the Northern Kingdom, and all the Geneoshi cities are gone."
"South with me," Ryas answered.
"You'd leave with a Man you don't know?" Advisor Biah turned to Yuliah.
"I'm indebted to him now, for his generosity. I'll follow him where he goes," Yuliah said.
"Just as your Mother did, and we see how well that worked for her?" Advisor Biah snickered.
How did he know about her Mother? Yuliah wanted to ask him, but it would not be appropriate. "I am not my Mother. My fate will be different," she looked to Ryas again. She wanted to run to him, to thank him, but she couldn't, not in front of Advisor Biah.
"We'll see how that turns out," Advisor Biah rose to his feet. "Guards take this," he pointed to the ivory chest. "Tell my son to be ready we're leaving. Before he left Advisor Biah turned back to Yuliah, "Do you have any last words for General Wey?"
"Tell him I won't forget his sacrifices, and I'm sorry," that's all Yuliah could say. General Wey treated her as well as he could.
"Take the prisoner back," Zehan ordered and made his way out of the tent with Ryas behind him.
Yuliah waited for Ryas, but he strolled right past her without as much as a glance.
"Ouch!" Ward leaned into her. "Someone's not getting any tonight."
Yuliah struck him with her fist, "Shut up."
Ward caught her fist between his bounded wrists and yanked. Yuliah tumbled right into him and shrieked. The commotion caused Ryas to turn around. Just great! Yuliah shook her head as Ryas glared at her momentarily and then left with Zehan. "Ryas," Yuliah called to him, but he completely ignored her. He was angry with her.
"You know what Ward," Yuliah stepped up to him. She stared right into his eyes, "I genuinely worried about you! I fucken care about you! I even fought with him over you, and this is how you treat me?" She pushed him, but he didn't say anything to her. He only grinned at her.
"You embarrassed me in front of everyone and then created this misunderstanding between Ryas and ME!"
"You care about me?" Ward smirked.
"YES, but I don't think you..." Before she could finish, his lips came down and around hers. It must have been one to two seconds before Yuliah stepped back, unable to say one word.
"Just how I imagined," he laughed.
Yuliah's hand struck him across his face before she stormed off.