It was a beautiful sunny day for the Public Games. Great numbers of people had come from all parts of the kingdom, and the smaller foreign cities of Leuz were flooded with all manner of folks.
The Generals were first to present themselves, as they waved their way simply and briskly to the applausive spectators who watched them take their seats. Following up were the two brothers who were lauded by their men in different styles, although there was a stretch of eerie boos coming from one flanks of the arena. This follow up with kings and queens of lesser kingdom, they were equally received by the crowds, and then,
Atlas, a loud peal of trumpets and beats of kymbala resounded, accompanied by some wild kind of horns, this was set to announce that the performance was about to begin. The folding-doors under the archway were flung open, and the knights were first to present themselves, they marched in slowly, two by two. In all the pride of their strength and bright armors, then the gladiators followed up with all their prowess and bearings as they walked a time round the arena, and salute the king. The performance began with some fights between animals, such as tigers and lions.
In the Imperial boxes where the kings and queens were seated, General Iroh restated
"When are we going to witness a real fight?"
Soon as time passed, the gladiators picked up their weapons and displayed their beautiful but dangerous prowess in the arena. However, General Iroh was looking displeased and bored, he reiterated.
"It's about time we see a real fight, how about a test of strength" He proposed to the king.
"I will fight one of the brothers, what do you say my majesty". He said while facing the direction to where the brothers were seated.
Looking frantic but excitedly defiant, General Iroh pointed to Pash, luring him to the interest of his blades.
"Okay, I will fight you". Pash accepted his challenge.
The crowd were spell-bound as they watch the two make their ways into the arena. The contest between the two had begun in real earnest, General Iroh was first to fiercely swing his sword, Pash dodged observing from a point that the general is taking the content so serious. However the crowd cheered now the one and now for another as they watch their swords clatters for a very long period of time. Looking tired, General Iroh switched to a defensive style as he defends himself closely from the harsh clanging swords of Pash. In that moment, it seemed the best way is to weaken his resolve.
"Is this how you intend to take the throne? Answer me… is this how you intend to defend it". General Iroh cunningly evade Pash's focus.
The spectators continue to boo Pash offensive attacks because they felt he is winning. But this couldn't stop the harsh swipe of Pash's sword.
"So tell me commander, is this how you win your wife back when another man screws her behind your back". General Iroh reiterated and laughed endlessly.
In bitter repudiation, Pash fidgets his sword in and out of General Iroh's hand and neutralize his weapon, he immediately kicked his left foot right up in the air and laid the poor man's back to the ground.
"How about that for a defense" Pash said in bitter flute of words. He noticed the markings on General Pash's wrist, it's the marking of his ancestors. He didn't take it serious that very minute.
"You don't deserve those markings" he said, gently pointing his sword to his throat. "Who else wants some, who is brave to experience the fury of the gods, Ahn!" he made a public challenge, facing the king disdainfully.
Everywhere except the arena, silence crept in, like an eerie shade under the sunny atmosphere, the spectators lips were shut indefinitely. Even the knights were worrisome to accept his challenge, because they felt the general was under the mercy of his swords, perhaps because of his royal position as the King's right hand and trusted admiral. Pash fling his sword away and spit on it just right in front of the king.
"I accept your challenge brother". Parah said with great invitation of excitement on his face. In that moment General Iroh was relieving himself of the embarrassment that has befall him, as he gently makes his way to the arch road of the folding doors.
"No, I am not going to fight you brother, you are under my covenant" Pash turn away in respite and decline to fight his brother.
"Don't you dare patronize me again brother, pick up the sword and fight like a warrior, common!" He said hesitatingly with cruel expression on his lips.
"You are scared I will win, right? Alright, I knew you'll win, if at all you do, trust I will also be under the mercy of your sword just like the General over there". He cackled without remorse and looked around, the general was not to be found.
"No!!! I'm not going to fight you brother" Pash garishly reiterated as he make his way to the folding doors.
Parah charged forward with rage and strike his sword midsection. Without friction, Pash bends down and skid backward to pick up his sword, pointing the direction to where his brother was standing. They displayed power-some moves as they mightily swiped swords in vilest of ways. At some point, Pash was fiercely forcing his brother backward, looking utterly petrified, the affluent people in the royal boxes were seen on their feet, minutes after minutes, particularly the princess who was constantly seen on the hand-rails.
Soon after, Pash neutralized his brother's weapon. Luckily, Parah slid away and draws a dagger from his gauntlet and sliced it through the back of his skin like a hot knife through butter, leaving a gaping laceration that ripped through his skin like a gruesome tear. Upon trying to avoid consequent precision of his dagger, Pash immediately turned back and loosed his sword to another precise cut on his fingers. In the process, Pash hold on to his wound, he was so strong that he was able to neutralize Parah's dagger, he mercilessly pummeled him to the ground and released a barrage of brutal punches, each blow landing with a loud stud. Even the ground section they were on was shaking. Few minutes later, he rolled away on top from his brother, as they both lied defenselessly on the ground.
In that minute, a glimmer of stirred compassion and hatred flickered through the brother's eyes, particularly Pashs who fleetingly had a moment surge of sympathy and regret for the suffering he has inflicted on his brother. Albeit, it's not the same for Parah his brother.
Unexpectedly, on sight of these brutal actions in the royal boxes, the princess eyes were softened from the stands, as she continuously released endless tears. This got the king and her father worried. In that moment, Parius quickly steeped in and renders her tears in vain.
However, in one of the camped hideaways in the arena, General Iroh diligently observed the situation and released a dangerous smirk on his face as he makes his way to his chambers.
The next day, the horsemen picked up their wings again, as the royal guests moved in numbers to find their cantles. Princess Clema was observing patiently like as if someone she was expecting would come by, but she was disappointed to the order of her father, who declared they should set off at once. On that morning dawn, there were broody and frantic faces around, compared to the hot blended faces they wore on account of their invitations.
One of the members of the elderly council who resented the king by asking what does he had in mind approached gently to where the king was standing and biding ingenuinely to his emissaries.
"May his royal majesty live long and may his wisdom never go empty". Said the man, looking almost blind and vague.
"I cannot find my wife anywhere, before you go… help me keep an eye on her and see what she is up to". The king whispers privy into his ears as the man nodded and set course back to the palace with his polite steps beating gently on the ground.
The spies again observed the multitudes who were gathered to return their course back on the sea. Later that evening, it would seem naked diamonds where dancing on the river as it is almost very late, so they hurriedly report the situation to General Iroh, he was so keen on every little details, so keen that any new information arriving at the steps of the palace-has to get to him first before reaching the king. Besides, he is the general in charge of the palace, in fact, he grew up in the palace, and the history and heritage of the imperial residence were surprisingly not new to him.
He set out at once to the chambers of the king. Behold, it would seem when others were frantically picking up their pieces, the king was still busy with another rounds of splendor with his wife.
"My lord, it's a matter of quick urgency as it involve Pash and his brother Parah" General Iroh said, throwing the devilish crooked smile on his face again.
The moaning releasing from the wooden door was so loud that he fears if the king did listen to a word he said. He was about leaning his ears to the doors, when the king opens the door widely and immediately orders his wife to get dressed and leave the room at once faintly in the presence of General Iroh.
"What do you have to say to me general" the king asked in fury.
It seemed in that moment that General Iroh has conceived a plan to make a surprising attack on Pash, considering the nature of the situation.
"Great joy beckons our kingdom my lord, more than half of our enemies troops has departed with Parah, Pash younger brother, it is appellative we strike now when the tiger is wounded. General Iroh said with a formidable smile on his face.
The king cackles for a second as he ties his robe around his waist.
"Have you ever had the tale of a wounded tiger with a tattered coat and bloody stripes, unyielding spirit? Have you general". The king asked bluntly.
Looking confused, General Iroh exhaled upon the comment of the king.
"I just felt…"
The king abruptly cuts him short.
"That's pretty low general, even for you. Now listen carefully, I want you to keep an eye on Clema... I want every information on her whereabouts, who she mostly talks to, her maids, even concubines, if there is. I want information on every single one of them, is that clear general." The king asked with conjuring deep voices.
"Yes sir". General Iroh replied and watched the king made his way out of his chambers.
To him he felt, the king might be conniving and smarter than he think, as he rubs his hands viciously and called upon that devilish crooked smirk on his face again.