After a while, Sienna slowly stood up and slowly walk towards the window. It had decorated iron bars, so there was no chance of escaping. She held the bars with her hands and stared at the huge black scorpion army. It looked like it will swallow the city."I'm like a Helen of Troy, apart from running from my own will."She thought. "How was Troy defeated?"Sienna asked herself."Then a serene smile crowned her lips."I need a Trojan horse! I need to write Sarcos a letter at once!"
Sienna sneaked out of the room and looked for the king. The guards at the garden entrance suddenly started chasing her. She screamed in horror and ran thru the gardens wildly.
She fell to the ground in front of the king's feet. "My king, save me, they want me to stop seeing you. My soul is cold without your shine, like a sunflower needs a sun, I need you."She smiled.
Thurssa liked Sienna's poems and gave her a hand to stand up. She looked at him with serene eyes."I'm asking your permission to write a letter to the Scorpion King. There is no need for a war. War is a waste of time we can spend partying."Sienna smiled cheekily.
Thurssa looked at her."How would you do it?"
"King Sarcos is upset because he thinks you hold me here against my will. The letter I need to send is a part of the parting ceremony I need to perform in order to stay just with you. I only need to inform the kings I chose to stay with you. They will send me three parting gifts. I will mourn for three days, one day for each king. Then I will be free for you and war will not need to take place."She smiled seductively.
Thurssa looked at her, it sounded interesting and simple enough. She would be not able to escape by writing a letter."Ok, but I have to find a proper messenger first."Thurssa nodded."Will it be really so easy?"He liked the idea.
Sienna nodded.
"Go to your quarters my darhling, you need to eat and rest to keep your cheeks soft," he ran his finger on her cheek. Sienna looked at him pitifully.
"Please my king, grant me the permission to walk in the gardens, I'm suffocating inside."Sienna pleaded. Thurssa nodded and left. Sienna stayed in the gardens hiding in one of the gazebos. She ate some fruit which Thurssa started to leave in gazebos for her. She looked at the peaches, grapes and fresh figs. "Samuel must tell him that," Sienna thought. "He is feeding me like a wild bird. With clipped wings!"She laughed bitterly in her mind. She closed her eyes and thought of her mates. How much she missed them. She would rather be in that Sharchan golden cage than here. But better with Sarcos in his gardens or with Tyrell in her Turqoise bedroom.
Thurssa was thinking about Sienna's letter and went to talk to Mehrat."Should I allow her to send that letter? What if she wants to trick me?" Thurssa asked his loyal advisor. Mehrat shook his shoulders."It looks simple enough. You can read her letter if you wish before sending it. But there is no rush my king. King Sarcos will surely not attack with the queen in our hands."Mehrat smiled confidently.
The deranged guard man suddenly barged into Mehrat's office and fell in the front of the king's feet on his knees." My King, King Sarcos is asking for a meeting." he said with a shaken voice.
"Give me the letter then! What he has written?" asked the Thurssa impatiently. The guard shooked his head. He loosen his top tunic and on his back were burned the words. "Tonight at the burning stone."
Thurssa looked at the men kneeling in front of him."What does it mean?"
The man shooked his head." King Sarcos started to lower our city walls. They are sinking into the ground. We are unable to stop him because we don't even see him or his soldiers doing it."
Thurssa became curious."Sinking city walls! What an interesting idea."He needed to meet with King Sarcos tonight and see his plans.
Sienna went to look for some bread buns in the kitchen, but the guards took her to a room in a harem instead. The concubines surrounded her and started to ask her questions."How was the king? Did you spend a night with him? Did you see the others?
Sienna looked at them with pity."They are all changed into immortals. The king is feeding off them."Sienna said sadly.
"Oh, how amazing!" they whispered. "That is the biggest honour," they claimed excitedly. Sienna thought they are brainwashed and were preparing for this all their lives. Sienna was sickened by this notion and decided to shut up about how she felt. She noticed the madame staring at her as well, so it was better if she came back to her pretending mode." The king is truly unique!" she smiled and started to make up simple poems about him. Easy enough for the other females to understand."The king, so brave and merciful, so strong he shines on us all. Like the sun he is granting life or death in his glorious hall. Happiness in his embrace is the essence of dreams to behold. Join me all in singing the glorious song, I wish the king was gracious to all."Sienna was reciting poetically. The concubines were in awe. The sky began to darken.
"Leave the queen now." madame said. "Go sleep, all of you to bed. "
Sienna was led into a room she was supposed to share with a few others, but she was too scared to sleep. She waited till the other concubines fell asleep. Then she stood up and wandered the corridors, till she bumped into a huge horse-like big spider. It blocked with its brown hairy body almost all wide corridor entrance. She screamed and ran till she bumped into someone else."Come with me if you want to live, the stranger held her wrist and pulled her to one of the rooms. Sienna stood in the dark shaking."I was just looking for some bread." the tears fell from her eyes.
"Why is it always trouble with you."Mehrat lit up the candle, to stop Sienna from shaking like a leaf. Sienna looked at the tall advisor.
"I wish I can just return you to your king's."Mehrat said grumpily."You are turning this place upside down. Not to speak about a huge army waiting to end us for your sake."
Sienna stood speechless. She was not sure about him and decided not to trust him.
"I can help you escape right now," he said.
"Will it save our luscious king, my dearest sun?"Sienna replied theatrically. She knew the king might be watching. He was like everywhere.
"I think so, if Sarcos got you he will leave, "Mehrat said a bit unsure. He did not expect this answer from her.
"Do what you must, you true servant of your master, who are you willing to save at the cost of your own life."Her eyes teared up."I will keep you in my memories forever grateful I could save your life, my dearest king."Sienna sobbed.
Mehrat nodded."Wait here," he sat her on the bed and was about going to leave. Just then the soldiers barged in their human form and dragged Sienna back to the harem. They chucked her on the bed and left. Sienna was expecting this. At least she was in the room by herself. She hoped they were guards in front of her doors too. She get off the bed and opened her door. The huge spider warrior and Samuel were standing there."Go to sleep queen Sienna." Samuel hissed at her angrily. Sienna smiled with satisfaction."Have a good guarding night, you better don't leave me alone again. And don't let anyone in apart from the king of course."She hated to add but had to keep her pretence.
The other guard asked Samuel" Is she threatening us? Is she trying to escape again?" Samuel shook his head."She ran because she is afraid to sleep here unguarded." The other guard looked at him." How unusual." and smiled under his nose.
Sienna come back to bed with a smile on her face. She can sleep safely tonight.
Thurssa was with Mehrat getting ready for a meeting with Sarcos. "How are we supposed to find this firestone?"Thurssa asked. Mehrat looked out of the window."Is there, my king!"Thurssa looked as well." How crude! The stone of red fire." he hooked his head. Mehrat looked at him."My king, stones usually do not burn. It must be something king Sarcos did. We should be wary of him."
Thurssa nodded, he took with him his ten strongest soldiers and went. The firestone was just behind the Market gate. Sarcos was waiting for him with his hand folded on his chest. The red fire was illuminating his muscular figure. He looked like a revengeful warlord.
Thurssa came closer to him." King Sarcos, oh, lala, how lovely to see you again." he smiled wickedly. He felt he had a top hand as he got Sarcos's queen.
Sarcos looked at him with his dark sparkly eyes. His rage was seeping from his skin like a black cloud and Thurssa saw he is hardly keeping calm." How is my queen?" he asked coldly.
"She is well, she is very happy. Lounging in my gardens, reciting poems for me. She is asking me not to leave her side all the time. She wants to be only mine. " Thurssa said victoriously.
Sarcos looked genuinely surprised," She can write poems?"
Thurssa nodded, "The poems fly freely from her heart with no paper needed. She just recites them as she rests her eyes on me. But, but I wrote one down for you." he handed Sarcos heavily decorated paper with one of Sienna's poems." I'm the only one who can open her heart fully to soft feelings of love."Thurssa smiled. He just brought the text over to show off to Sarcos and make him more furious.
Sarcos looked at the refined words. Sienna must be really scared if she is asking the king to stay next to her and is stalling her time with creating poems, "he thought.
"I do not believe it till she writes me a letter herself! Don't bring me useless rubbish next time!"Sarcos tore the paper in half and threw it away.
Thurssa scoffed. "I see you are too rude to understand her fragile soul."
"You have three days to prove she likes you only!"Sarcos decided."After that, I just flatten the city with no mercy."Sarcos said darkly with a scorpion of fire in his eyes.
"Are you not scared I could hurt your queen?" Thurssa smiled wickedly.
" If I can't have the queen, nobody will have her by force. I know she will prefer death, then living with someone forceful. It would be more merciful." Sarcos laughed darkly. He lifted his hands up in the mid-air theatrically." I will make from your city a burial site fit for my queen. I will build a magnificent statue of her and a vast complex of tombs on top of the ashes of your city. Something like this."Sarcos showed him a glorious design on the marble tablet."Ask her if she likes it."He grinned darkly.
Thurssa looked at him with unbelief."But the tomb will be empty, what is the meaning of this?"
Sarcos gave him an enraged look, crazy enough of a possessed mad man. "I will find her ashes and change them into a shining diamond which will be held inside the heart of her statue in her tomb."He recited with iron determination." Maybe I will find yours too and have it changed to a cursed black rock to entrap your soul into eternal suffering." Sarcos whispered dangerously looking at pale Thurssa.
Thurssa was feeling uneasy next to Sarcos. Sarcos looked more psychotic than him. Did he miss his queen so much, that he became crazy? Crazy enough to let her die? How does Sarcos even think he could kill him? He heard about the mystic powers of the scorpion tribe but he dismissed them as rumours. He took the tablet which Sarcos was giving him carefully and backed off to the dark. His mind was twirling like crazy. He held the cold marble tablet in his hands. Sarcos designed his own queen tomb over his city already." He must be more ruthless and dangerous than I thought. I underestimated him. It would be safer to let Sienna to write that letter." he decided and walked fast to his castle with shrunk feeling in his stomach.
Sarcos turned back to his soldiers. His closest generals were still turned to stone from his crazy mad man performance. Sarcos smiled victoriously. He fooled even his own generals. His plan was working.
Thurssa came back to his office. Mehrat was waiting for him eagerly. The king's spirit seemed low."How did it go?"Mehrat asked. Thurssa placed a marble tablet on his table. Mehrat looked at it."What a magnificent design." He sighed. "What is it?"
"A tomb! A tomb fit for the queen is to be built on the ashes of my city. "Thurssa looked at him with empty eyes. "Our only hope is the letter from the queen now." he sighed.
"I will go to her at once."Mehrat offered.
"No, "said Thurssa, "She will have to beg me for it. I can't look weak in front of her."
Mehrat nodded. The sake of their city is in hands of the little queen now. Thurssa picket the marble tablet and looked at the design, tracing the raised edges of carved buildings with his finger."How beautiful.Pity, that I'm immortal!"