Ahmed walked out of the room Phill had been in. His body was covered in blood and his breathing was rapid. He looked down at his hands and began to laugh. The Butler walked out soon after with the same appearance. He put his arm around Ahmed with a light laugh.
His face soon fell. "What do we do now?" It was a question that had stunned Ahmed. He had been so focused on his goal of revenge that he had not thought ahead of it.
"I don't know.." 'caw' His words were cut off by the cry of a crow that was all too familiar to him. At the end of the corridor above the open front door. It flew out with Ahmed giving chase.
"What is it?" The butler called following behind Ahmed, not getting a response. Ahmed ran finally arriving at a large outhouse. Opening the door his nose was assaulted by a sour smell.
Walking through and opening the doors he knew what the place was, seeing the frail bodies of people, some beaten black and blue. "I forget what type of Kingdom this place is sometimes." He said sadly looking at the slaves.
The butler looked at the people. He felt guilty knowing that all those years ago he didn't care about these people. Ahmed crouched down in front of the man in the room they had just walked into. Tapping the man awake he opened his eyes quickly moving to the back of the bed cowering.
"Shhhh. We don't wish to hurt you. The Duke is dead." His words got the man to peek through his fingers. Looking at Ahmed's bloody appearance terrified him but his calming voice slowly got the man to look at him.
"Gather all the others whilst we clean up. Don't worry. Soon you will be safe." Ahemd's kind smile got a nod in reply as he and the Butler left the room. "I know what we must do now."
The butler smiled nodding his head. "You allowed me to get my revenge. The least I can do is help you achieve your goal." His words got a chuckle from Ahmed as the two walked off to clean themselves.
In the courtyard, Ahmed and the Butler stood at the head of a crowd of slaves and ex-servants. He looked down at the people, many who came from his homeland. "The Duke is dead." His words blew through the night wind, getting all to look up at him. "We had not come to free you people originally, but now that you are free it is our job to look after and guide you. If you wish to return home we will help you." He took a pause and looked at all the faces. Many had grief written all over it knowing they had no place to return to.
"However, if you wish to help me and my friend here on our mission, our crusade against this practise, and free all our fellow brothers and sisters then I welcome you all with open arms."
His words were met with silence as he looked down at all the people. He knew he wasn't one for speeches. "I will help." A rough voice spoke in the back. Ahmed tried to see but couldn't. The path opened for a thin brown man in a wheelchair, his appearance betraying his voice. Ahmed gave a small smile towards him. "Despite my appearance, I at one point had been a great soldier. If you wish to attack and free the people, you need someone who knows a battlefield."
"What is your name my friend?" Ahmed asked as he walked forward sticking his hand out.
"Ali." He stuck out his hand in return. After Ali's agreement, many followed after to join the cause. They all thought that they would die on the journey but it was atleast better than becoming a slave again.
Ahmed walked off with The bulter to the side. "My friend. I know you wish to stay and help me up in the dukedom, but I need you to do something for me, that only you can do." Placing his hand on his shoulder Ahmed continued. "Go west, to the Barbarian forest, hire a band of mercenaries and start a wildfire, one of massive proportion."
The butler looked at him in confusion at the request. He knew that Ahmed wasn't sending him away for no reason, but the request was odd. Ahmed continued seeing the confusion, "The Kingdom is gonna stir after we take the dukedom. We need them to focus on another enemy. I had been teaching the kids about the forest and in every attempt the Kingdom made to move west, the tribes would unite and launch an assault. If we can use this as a cover, then it will be possible for us to subjugate the dukedom. Slowly we can spread our influence to other parts of the Kingdom and start a rebellion throughout."
The butler nodded reaching his hand out. "I understand. I will cause the greatest assault on the Kingdom, even if it costs my life. Everything after what happened in that manor is just extra time now. Don't mourn for me if I die, just finish what you will start."
Ahmed looked deep into the man's eyes and gave a soft, singular nod. He took his hand shaking it before giving him a hug. He knew that he was sending his friend to his likely death and the fact he didn't hate him for it, nearly broke him to tears.
"Safe travels my friend. No matter what happens, we will die warriors of Khors." The two nodded. The Butler took a single horse and rode off deep into the night. Ahmed felt his eyes tear up but quickly suppressed it. Turning back to the crowd of free slaves he saw Ali rolling over.
"What do we do first?"
"Mercenaries, and a lot of them. I also think the nobles deserve some dancers." He said with a smile walking back into the manor.
The news of what happened in the Weston Dukedom couldn't be suppressed for long and after a month and a half, the news had spread about the complete annihilation of the Weston family. It however was quickly overshadowed by the random deaths of noble families all around the kingdom. No one knew where the assassins had come from, but it forced the royal family to mobilize fearing that it was the plot of a neighbouring kingdom.
After three months the rebellion in the Weston Dukedom was in fall swing. The mercenaries that Ahmed had hired had arrived. The vassals of the duke with slaves quickly began to revolt from within each house, throwing their lives at blades in an attempt at freedom.
On the battlefield the 'Crippled General' Ali, struck fast and hard on the open field, winning more than he lost. The sieges which could have lasted half a year, ended within months as the slave revolts within the castle walls got more intense. Those who didn't agree with the act of slavery rallied behind Ahmed bolstering his forces and with each castle and manor taken, more flooded to his cause.
After nine months, the fire in the great barbarian forest started. Ahmed got news of the fire starting and felt sad that his friend may be dead, but remembering his words pushed on. The royal family which had gathered the men to suppress the revolt soon found themselves having to re-focus their attention west. 11 months after the revolt began, the western horde invaded. In retribution for attacking their home, thousands of men and women charged into the kingdom, slaughtering and burning every village, city and castle they could come across.
After a year and a half, a quarter of the Kingdom had fallen to Ahmed and his revolution. It promoted religious freedom with the Followers of Khors becoming the main religion. Many cheered knowing they could finally practise their religion in peace whilst those who followed Sol felt relieved they wouldn't face persecution under this new rule.
Ahmed sat around with his highest advisors. "My friends. We have come a long way since the start. Whilst we still have a long way to go, we have finally carved a stable foothold in the Kingdom. It is here and now I establish the Safrid Emirate. My name had been long dead, but now it will rise and become a beacon of hope for all those who follow Khors and live under the thumb of men no greater than them." Ahmed said with a smile. Those around lifted their glasses in celebration.
Messenger birds flew around the Kingdom to hundreds of locations. The announcement of the Safrid Emirate was shocking news to most but quickly dismissed as the threat of the Western horde still terrified.
After four years, the west had been stabilised but the whole south and parts of the east had completely fallen. During that time Ahmed had taken a wife and had a son, named Hasan. His Emirate had become an established force in the region. Whilst its military prowess was nothing great, its capabilities for espionage struck fear. No one wished to die not knowing when it would come and so turned a blind eye to the Kingdom, only sending minimal support.
No longer a teacher but the great Emir, his people titled him, Ahmed, 'the Great Liberator' Emir of the Safrid Emeriate. His eyes soon turn to the rest of the Kingdom which was weak and tired after so many years of conflict with the Barbarians. Ahmed sent his messengers and dancers, to sow the seeds of chaos in the slaves.
The old King, grown paranoid from years of war, failed assassination attempts and rebellion struck the final nail in the coffin. His order was for all the slaves in the Kingdom to be killed. The people were shocked by his ruthlessness and the nobles not wishing to kill their property, refused, only those most loyal following it.
Ahmed's forces marched with a ferocity that had been unseen before wishing to save their fellow enslaved brothers given a death sentence. The people opened the gates for a kind liberator and few nobles bent their knee wishing to keep their riches.
Three years after the order had been given, the capital's gates had opened. Most of the territory of the Kingdom was under Ahmed's control. Ahmed walked through the palace gates unopposed as his loyal guard followed behind. Two years of siege and hunger had made the people and soldiers restless for an end to the war. The King's guard had disappeared and the old man sat alone on the throne.
In his delusion, the King barked orders at Ahmed, mistaking him for a King's Guard. Taking the step towards him Ahmed's face grew into a smile. 'I wish you were by my side, my old friend. But your sacrifice wasn't in vain.' The thought ran through his mind as he climbed the last step.
Standing in front of the mad king he plunged his sword through the old man's heart. Stealing his crown and placing it on his head, he turn to the people behind him who knelt.
"I declare the end of the Savon Kingdom, and in its place the birth of the Safrid Sultanate. May it have a long and prosperous life." His words echoed through the throne room.
"LONG LIVE AHMED 'THE GREAT LIBERATOR!'" The shouts resounded back as he walked down the steps, leaving the palace. Outside, he looked at all the people in front of him. The people seeing a crown on his head cheered.
"LONG LIVE AHMED 'THE GREAT LIBERATOR!'" The cry resounded throughout the city as food was quickly brought in for the starving people. Celebration spread throughout the Sultanate in the coming months as Ahmed looked towards the future.