Ramse and Xander run thru the dark night forest. They came back to the secret river pas and entered one of the caves. Ramse and Xander stood in front of big a boulder. They moved it out of the way hardly.
"Uff, Sarcos did it with one hand. How strong was the man!"Ramse shook his head.
"If it is a bit heavier, we got no chance!"Xander chuckled bitterly.
"So, let's have a look at what he has prepared for our little queen."Ramse sighed.
They entered the cave and saw a long corridor with a line of boulders again.
"Do we have to move all of them?" Xander sighed.
"No, I think food is in the first one. Push Xander!"Ramse ordered and as they moved the boulder on the side and airtight seal hissed.
The strong kings came inside and stared at shelves full of stone jars. They all were marked with descriptions and dates.
"This is crazy. It looks like shopkeeper storage!"Xander shook his head.
"We don't have much time. Let's start packing."Ramse sighed.
Xander picked two big linen sacks folded neatly on one of the shelves. Ramse took smaller cotton bags with a tie-up string on them. He opened the jars with dry red lentils, rice and flour and started to pack.
"Find me some oats, dry fruits and nuts," Ramse noted to Xander."And honey is good for the nerves."
Xander chuckled."You have surely strong nerves. I was in awe of how good an actor you are." he nodded approvingly.
Ramse smiled."Mathyas is clueless about females. If he is not having magic we could save Sienna from him straight away. But now we stay and find his weakness."
"Do you think he got any?"Xander asked curiously.
"Everybody has, "Ramse noted.
"So what was Sarcos's weakness?
"Fairness and Sienna."Ramse chuckled bitterly.
"Well. I have the same weakness then."Xander nodded his head."And you?"
"I just want what is mine." Ramse grinned.
"But you surely love her, no? Or are you already obsessed with her?"Xander looked worriedly.
"Both!" Ramse chuckled. "I will never let her go."
Xander nodded."I will join you in that!"
"Lie, kill and steal the queen!" Ramse chuckled.
"You are so cunning."Xander chuckled.
"Let's hurry, we need to be fast, so Mathyas will trust us!"Ramse rushed the panther who was slowly filling the little quartz stone jar with thick honey.
"What about the other stones?"Xander pointed with his head.
"I will try to find some cosmetics for her and the rest we will check tomorrow night."Ramse decided.
"Cosmetic? How you are so thoughtful suddenly?"Xander asked a bit surprised.
"More we care for her, the more she will like us... well me as you have to be the pet. I want her to be dependent on me and miss me terribly when we go!"Ramse grinned.
"We really go?"Xander cringed his face uncomfortably.
"Yes, so we can come back to steal her."Ramse nodded."Preferably with some of her strong mates, who will get killed by accident in the process."Ramse chuckled.
"What about Darren's king?"Xander asked.
"We will get Mathyas to kill him first."Ramse chuckled.
"When?"Xander opened his eyes wide. There were no jokes with the strong Dragon King! He got the gift of hearing, so he could hear anyone who even mention his name or the word dragon!
"I will give Sienna a note with his name to say in front of him in the bed, so Mathyas will have no time to mate first!"Ramse chuckled."He will spring up and start to get ready for fire invasion!"
"What if Mathyas take Sienna before that?" Xander asked
"He gave his word. If he would not keep it, I will tell him she is sick if he insists."Ramse shook his head.
"Will Sienna play along?"Xander asked.
"She will do what I will say to her, I will force her if needed, besides she does not feel as mating Mathyas at all! She is scared of him!"Ramse bit his lips.
"Now let me finish the packing and go kill something! "Ramse ordered.
"Sure."Xander changed into a black panther and left.
Ramse packed the food and closed the stone. Then he went to another stone and push it strongly. The stone moved. The room was full of cosmetics, dresses and soft cushions.
Ramse took the silky turquoise cushion with an embroidered golden scorpion." You will need some colours in that prison," he mumbled to himself. He picked some creams, shampoos, soaps, perfumed oils and lip balms and went out. He packed it in a smaller separate bag and closed the stone quite easily. Ramse turned around and saw Xander staring at him in awe!
"How did you move it by yourself?"Xander was surprised at Ramse's strength.
"This one is not that heavy," Ramse shook his shoulders.
"So you are the strongest ape warrior for real then..."Xander chuckled."Why don't you tell me?"
"I don't like to boast as you!"Ramse shook his head.
"Come eat then."Xander and Ramse went outside and closed the boulder. Xander killed two deers for them and left them at the entrance to the river tunnels.
Ramse changed to a huge ape and Xander to a black panther again. They ate hungrily. Xander watched Ramse as he ate. He ripped the pieces of the dear as a piece of paper and stuffed them into his huge mouth with sharp teeth.
"You are really savage. I never saw an ape eating raw meat as you do."Xander noted.
Ramse chuckled."It gives me more strength, I just like it."
"Good. "Xander nodded."It is not many bananas here anyway!" he chuckled.
Ramse glared at him. They finished eating and hide their steps, then they picked up the heavy bags on their shoulders and went back.
"We look like slaves."Xander chuckled.
"I don't want her to starve. How she can eat lizards and snakes..." Ramse shook his head. "At least Sarcos thought of every possibility."
"Did he know he would die?"Xander asked.
"If you love someone you get ready for this too."Ramse nodded."But I still think his plan sucked. He could just go and kill Darren's king or use Mathyas to do that. But he wanted to be fair. He liked Mathyas too much and now Sienna will pay for it." he said upset.
Xander and Ramse were getting closer to the underground fortress, so they walked quietly. They did not want to be heard!
Mathyas sensed someone outside and went to check on them. Mathyas watched as the two warriors went to the kitchen. They cleaned an empty carved space in the cold rocky wall and attached an iron door to it. They placed supplies for Sienna there and locked them up.
"What are you two doing?" Mathyas asked them curiously.
"It is food for Sienna. Rice, lentils, oats, dry fruits and more." Ramse explained to him.
"Where did you get the lock and door?"Mathyas asked.
"I went to your blacksmith when the queen sobbed with Xander," Ramse said.
"Aren't you too ready?"Mathyas stared at the Ape King.
"I'm just very capable." he smiled innocently.
"I see! What is in that bag?"Mathyas pointed at the smaller bag Ramse was still holding onto.
"Female supplies, cosmetics and one cushion."Ramse showed Mathyas just the turquoise part."Her favourite colour to make her happy. Remember it." he chuckled.
"Where is it from? "Mathyas was getting suspicious.
"Sarcos prepared in the mountain cave for the queen!" Ramse noted looking really eager and honest.
Matyas nodded. That made sense.
"We can go there together with the queen when she is better, "Ramse noted.
"Sure."Mathyas nodded.
"Did you leave her alone?"Xander looked at him worriedly.
"She is sleeping and playing with her horse in a sweet dream."Mathyas chuckled.
"What? You invaded her dreams?"Xander was shocked.
"Just a little bit, well you two were there too..."Mathyas chuckled darkly.
"As what?"Xander asked.
"As my puppets!"Mathyas chuckled.
"Well, we are helping you willingly, "Ramse noted.
"And you can't make puppets from us anyway..."Xander noted.
"Sure."Mathyas chuckled."I don't need to waste my magic on two weak kings."
"Exactly."Ramse smiled sweetly."Go quard kitty."He sent the black panther away!
Xander Changed to a panther and run back.
"Why he is so panicky?"Mathyas asked Ramse.
"The queen is always in trouble. She always got missing. From the locked tower, from the locked cage, from Crystal City Castle, from Sand City Castle. You will see."Ramse said quietly."She needed to be guarded even in Sarcos's castle and still went missing. Twice what I know of."
"Here have one key too."You will need it when we go."Ramse said quietly as he gave thinking Mathyas a small iron key from Sienna's food space.
"Why did you lock it?" Mathyas asked.
"So nobody poisons it," Ramse said quietly.
"Aren't you a bit paranoid? My fortress is safe." Mathyas noted.
"Your mother wants Sienna's skull, you should be paranoid too and keep checking on her!"Ramse hissed suddenly."All your warriors talk about it! Some even bet how many days will she live!"Ramse was upset.
"Really? I was thinking she is exaggerating."Mathyas still could not believe it.
"Sienna is not a liar. She never slanders people. Keep your mother away from her if you want her to stay alive."Ramse bit his lips.
"My mother will never hurt her. She was just showing off."Mathyas chuckled.
"Rather keep checking her often!"Ramse shook his head."Mathyas is a bit naive about his mother!" he thought.
"Come, I will give you two rooms to rest as well, close to the queen so you can keep her safe."Mathyas decided finally. He showed Ramse the room for Xander and for him and left. Ramse went to check quickly on Xander who was guarding sleeping Sienna and went to rest for a few hours till sunrise...