A King's Revenge: Warlords Series Book 2 (3 page)

Chapter 6

The talks with the
Overlord went well into the night but Tarik believed the time and effort were
well worth it. Desani now had a solid treaty in place with Kaban and more than
likely one would be confirmed with the Raasa after Vaan’s mate, Mikayla, spoke
with the other neighboring Su-Su.

“Are you sure you wish
to do this?” The question taunted as much as the slight curl on the Overlord’s
mouth.

Vaan and his family
were heading back to Raasa this morning. Refreshed from a good nights sleep, Tarik
inclined his head and finished the buckles on the padded safety vest Hensel
insisted he wear over his tunic. Tarik’s attempt to go shirtless and without
the protective measure had been received with horror.

Vaan of course had his
chest bare, the black harness for his sword crossing his chest in an X pattern
that highlighted the fact that the Overlord spent as much time maintaining his
body as any of his warriors. His long hair had been pulled up into a warrior’s
knot emphasizing the harsh angles of his face. Dark eyes glinted, his stare
never wavering. The leather pants he wore gripped muscled thighs that rumor
claimed had once crushed a grown man’s neck.

Tarik had no
intentions of having that happen. “Absolutely. It’s all in fun remember.”

Vaan’s low chuckle did
not reassure.

His mate rolled her
eyes and rocked the sleeping child in her arms. “Both of you need to remember
that this sparring match is a ridiculous idea.”

Four Warlords behind
her grimaced. The one holding the other child who watched with bright green
eyes said, “It is a sign of trust among warriors to battle in practice without
fear of permanent injury.”

Vaan unsheathed his
sword with a metallic clang and spread his legs further apart. He pointed the
blade in Tarik’s direction. “Hard to injure a man when he’s covered in a
shield.”

Vaan’s men all laughed
and Tarik’s cheeks heated. His response to the jest would be important. This
was a tenuous alliance and one that would need careful tending if it was to
flourish. “Feel free to use your secret armor. We wouldn’t want anything to
happen to the mighty Overlord of Kaban. I trust your mate would be saddened.”

This time the Kaban warriors
and Tarik’s guards hooted. Mikayla’s light laughter spilled out. “I would be
more than saddened Tarik so do your best not to hurt him.”

Vaan’s head jerked
around to face his mate. His sword dipped to the tiled floor of Tarik’s
training room. “You are playing, yes? He will not get close enough to hurt me,
she-ma.”

The two exchanged a
heated glance that sent another sharp stab of envy through him.

“Weapon,” Tarik called
out.

Hensel tossed him his
personal sword and Tarik caught it by the hilt with his right hand. “Best
strike out of three?”

Vaan laughed outright.
“If I was a youngling, mayhap. As one warrior to another we will clash blades
until first blood.”

Tarik’s hearts raced
at the challenge. It wasn’t often he got to practice in sword play full on.
More often than not he didn’t have time and when he managed the time, his men
were careful to advance steadily for fear of harming their King.

His pulse sped up at
the thought of how much fun he planned to have. “Agreed.”

Mati gasped sharply
behind him. “Your Highness!”

He raised a hand for
silence. “The Overlord and I will match swords until first blood.”

Vaan’s dark stare
turned to one of admiration. Tarik hefted his blade and advanced. He might not
match his opponent in bulk and muscle mass but his skill in sword battles had
once been noted as gifted. Now Tarik would see how it held up against one of
the best warriors in the land.

Vaan didn’t back up at
Tarik’s approach. Instead, the Overlord waited for his attack. With a wicked
grin, Tarik leaped across the remaining distance and slashed out in a feint.
Instead of pulling back, Vaan raised his blade to meet his attack and with a
flick of his wrist twisted the two swords to the side and punched Tarik in his
mid-section hard enough to rock him on his feet.

Tarik danced back with
a wince. He’d bear bruises in the morning. “I see this match is to include
fists
and swords?”

A dark brow hiked. “In
battle do you ask your enemies for concessions and courtesy or do you fight as
if your life is on the line.”

Tarik’s laughter
caught him off guard and he saluted Vaan with his sword. “Forgive me for not
realizing that my life was on the line.”

Without waiting for a
response, Tarik attacked again and ducked to the side at the last second. The
flat of his blade aimed for the Overlord’s upper arm but Vaan spun on his heels
and blocked the strike with his weapon.

The move exposed the
side of his torso allowing Tarik the advantage. His swift kick to Vaan’s ribs
was met with a loud groan as Vaan jerked away. When he turned back to face
Tarik, he grinned madly. “Now you have the idea King of Desani.”

Thus the fight
continued. Swords clashing and fist swinging. At one point, Tarik paused to
swipe at the sweat on his brow, chest pounding and declared, “I’m glad we never
crossed swords in true battle.”

Rarely did Tarik have
the opportunity to lead his men in the skirmishes of the past when they met
against Kaban warriors.

Vaan replied in a
serious note, “It is good you never faced my right hand Argan.”

Tarik grimaced knowing
well the stories of the Warlord known as the Death Dealer. Argan was a fitting
warrior to have at the Overlord’s side. Together the two had a proven history
of decimating those that went against them. Where honor could hold Vaan back,
Argan’s ruthless nature under the battle rage Fenal was to be feared.

Before he could finish
the thought, Vaan’s sword came too close to Tarik’s head. He dropped and rolled
to the side, coming up on his knees. The glare he sent Vaan’s way went unheeded
as the Overlord laughed.

“You are a worthy
opponent, Tarik but your crown has made you soft.”

True only in the sense
that after his parents’ death Tarik’s days became full with matters of state
and not fighting. He was a just ruler and being King made him stronger not
weaker.

Tarik climbed to his
feet, determined to get in one good strike against his new ally. “I didn’t want
to show you up in front of your mate for worry that her eyes might turn in my
direction.”

Vaan’s roar startled
the sleeping twin who woke with a cry. Tarik bounced back from the wild swings
and barely managed to counter the subsequent strikes. Excitement strummed
through his veins, his dual hearts picking up pace to deal with the rush of
adrenaline.

Tarik needed every bit
of concentration as the Overlord’s eyes started to glow. He had one moment to
question the wisdom of his taunt before the sweet burn of steel meeting flesh
tore through his shoulder where the protective vest gave way to the cloth of
his shirt.

Tarik hissed, his own
sword lunging forward where he managed to pierce the skin of Vaan’s hip. The
Overlord pulled back immediately and sheathed his weapon. He clasped Tarik’s
forearm in a rough grip and pounded on his bleeding shoulder.

“Good fighting though
my blood clamors for more.”

Since he grinned as he
spoke the words, Tarik assumed he wouldn’t die today. Then Vaan leaned in close
to whisper in Tarik’s ear. “Well played but a dangerous game to push me when
you have the lives of many depending on you.”

Tarik conceded the
truth of his words but flush with his victory in getting a hit on the powerful
Overlord, he couldn’t feel remorse for his actions. “Many will use her against
you. Think on it.”

When they separated
everyone came forward to offer congratulations.

Mikayla frowned at
both of them. “Now with both of you bleeding, who’s to say who the victor is?”

Vaan grunted, accepted
a cloth from one of his men to swipe at the line of blood running down his leg
and his torn leathers. “You doubt your mate?”

She kissed Vaan’s cheek
as he bent over to search her eyes. “Congratulations, King Tarik.”

Vaan growled and
lifted her up in his arms. Her squealing laughter released any concerns about a
winner.

Mati shot him a heated
stare as he pressed down on Tarik’s shoulder with a black linen cloth. “You
should not take such risk in the future, Sire.”

Tarik ignored the
scold and accepted the congratulations from each of Vaan’s Warlords as they
came over.

Still holding Mikayla
in his arms, her hands clasped around his neck, Vaan ordered, “It is time for
us to take our leave.”

Tarik smiled. High off
what he considered the second victory of their stay when one included the
treaty. “I wish you safe travels to Raasa.”

“Thank you for the
honor of having us in your home.”

“The honor was mine, Vaan.
The alliance will strengthen the bonds among our people and for the first time
in years there will be peace between Kaban and Desani.”

Their group gathered
together and left the training room, Vaan never letting Mikayla down despite
her protest.

“I enjoy holding you,”
he whispered though Tarik following close behind heard them clearly.

Chapter 7

“Please wait, Your Majesty.”

Mati’s harried request
slowed Tarik’s strides. He hated space travel and while the ride on the battle
cruiser from the surface of Taka to the space station had only taken several
hours, it lasted long enough to strip Tarik of his patience.

Hensel and his other
four guardsmen surrounded him. The bay for visitors bustled with activity. The
roar and rumble of ships taking off and landing assaulted his ears. Everywhere
Tarik look announced the presence of important dignitaries.

His men cleared a path
for him through the melee. Armed guards lined the halls. Mounted screens on the
walls scrolled advertisements about the meeting and the agenda. When they
reached a transport lift, Tarik came to a complete stop and allowed his guards
to check for hidden danger before he entered.

Mati leaned over to
speak in his ear. “Sire, are you alright?”

Tarik shook his head.
Not sure. Ever since his meeting with the Overlord and his family, Tarik had
been on edge. He missed the connection that came from being with someone you
loved. A connection Vaan clearly shared with his Mikayla. “I’m fine, Mati. Just
don’t like space travel.” And that was the truth so he felt no guilt for
uttering the words.

Hensel waved them
forward. Another guard pressed the button for the main section and the lift
dropped at super speed. Gritting his teeth, Tarik endured though grateful when
the transport stopped smoothly on the designated floor and the metal doors
opened.

“We are scheduled to
arrive at the meeting room in less than ten minutes Sire.”

Tarik didn’t need Mati’s
warning. They barely had time to drop his things off at his suite before
hurrying. Only Mati and Hensel accompanied him. The standard rule dictated no
more than two could accompany each representative into the meeting rooms for
the United Alliance. Fewer personnel meant less opportunity for hostility among
members to escalate into an actual fight while they mingled.

Designated officials by
the alliance from each planet in the UA attended. The purpose of the gathering
was to confirm everyone’s commitments to peace according to the original
guidelines they’d set forth and discuss recent issues that could have political
ramifications among the countries on the planets where they all resided.

A slim UA guard
dressed in a gray uniform, armed with a blaster on his hip, nodded at their
approach. His shoulders were ram rod straight with a military bearing. The
patch on his chest identified him as simply Kapsun.

Kapsun gave a formal
bow and opened the door. Tarik had been assigned to a smaller group this year
thankfully. He scanned the conference room and noted ten of the seats around
the large square conference table were already taken. A small white placard
held the Sabarn and Desani designation in front of one of the two remaining
empty seats.

Looks like he’d
arrived close to last. No one stared at his entrance, too involved with hand
held units and monitoring the activity on their home worlds. Tarik sat and
waved Mati and Hensel off to a side grouping of tables where other guards and
advisors sat with refreshments.

The door whooshed
behind him and Jovan Onei, King of Pakar entered with a harried expression. Two
guards in blue livery turned to the left and joined the others without waiting
for direction from their king. Jovan dropped into the seat next to Tarik with a
grunt. “Damn space travel.”

Said in such a put
upon tone, Tarik had no recourse but to chuckle. “It’s good to see you here,
Jovan.” The two had formed a friendship of sorts during these alliance
meetings.

They both lived on
Taka and ruled their countries by fair practices but hardly had time to
socialize and make the trip to visit one another.

Jovan offered his hand
to shake. “You as well, Tarik. My regrets on the loss of your Queen.” They
gripped palms tightly, the King of Pakar’s eyes blazed with sincerity.

“Thank you.” Tarik
expected to receive many similar condolences during this trip. He’d missed a
couple of meetings due to Maliya’s death and while many here had attended her
journey home ceremony, there’d been little time to talk. Grief had consumed him
during that five day span. Mati had submitted his votes via proxy.

“Everyone, may I have
your attention.” Senior Commander Everett Green stood at the head of the table
signaling to the room. His black uniform with its red braided trim was
impressive without the scowl on the Senior Commander’s face.

The room quieted as
all twelve delegates spun in their leather seats to face the front, Tarik
included.

“We will begin today’s
meeting with discussions on the recent attacks by the Rekabians.”

Talk started
immediately but Green raised his hands. “Listen, listen. We don’t have much
intel yet. They’ve attacked two non-military vessels in the neutral zones
killing all passengers and launched a failed attempt to overrun Space Station
Orin.”

“Ridiculous. This has
been going on for months.” Councilor Jarvis spoke in the Standard tongue, gold
eyes blinking rapidly. “When is the United Alliance going to address the issue?”
In conjunction with his upset, his scaled skin glowed bright red.

“We are looking into
the matter now. Once a decision has been made, everyone will be made aware of
how the situation will be handled. Right now this meeting is to focus on the
agenda provided for today but we’ll make time to cover the Rekabian threat in
more detail over the next few days.”

Tarik glanced at the
tablet in front of him. Words began to scroll across the brightly lit screen. The
Senior Commander needed help on how not to start a meeting. Adjusting the thin
circlet on his head, Tarik redirected his attention.

“First,” Green stated,
standing military straight, “We need to review our prior notes. As you’ll see
nothing’s changed from the previous meeting with the exception of the two new
treaties.”

Tarik did a quick read
and most of the information compared to what had been sent to him via secure
vid scans. He’d proxy voted on all of it. With a swipe of his thumb he advanced
passed that screen.

Green’s voice rambled
on in the background. Jovan leaned in his direction and murmured, “I tell
myself I’m needed at these things yet every time these meetings occur, I’m hard
pressed to understand why we must spend half the first day reviewing old news.”

Tarik kept his head
down and bit his inner cheek to keep from laughing at the put upon tone. His
fellow sovereign was right but unless someone spoke up, the nature of the way
these meetings were conducted would never change.

“The second day isn’t
much better,” Jovan continued. “Fortunately my son enjoys standing in my place at
home when I’m away.”

At this, Tarik
straightened. He’d been to Pakar and enjoyed meeting Jovan’s family. “How are
your sons?”

The older man’s smile
split his face. “Danir does well and I’m proud to call him heir. My younger son,
Emorys, is creating quite a name for himself as a battle commander onboard the
Roman ZII.”

Good news indeed. Rys
made no secrets of his love for his life in the military. “Congratulations on
your fortune.”

“And you, Tarik. How
goes matters in Desani?”

“The treaty with Kaban
is complete. In addition, Vaan’s mate is Su Su to a Raasa stronghold and has
committed on their behalf.”

Jovan’s eyes
brightened. “The Raasa border the land between Kaban and Desani.”

Tarik nodded. The
circumstances were fortuitous and if Mikayla Galip had her way the treaty would
extend to the other Raasa compounds making theirs a powerful force for any
enemy to reckon with. “I’m glad to call them ally.”

“It’s a good thing
what you two have done. I’ve always respected the Overlord. Bad business what
his uncle tried to do to him. I’m glad to see him back in his rightful place in
Kaban. A more honorable warrior I’ve yet to meet.”

Tarik agreed. Vaan
Galip was a hard man but none could doubt he stood by his word.

“Now, if everyone is
caught up,” Green interrupted, “I’d like to go into the next topic on the
agenda regarding members. As it stands we recently introduced a new world into
the United Alliance. Granu-Al consists of four bi-pedal humanoid races
currently living on the planet. They follow a government ruled structure
composed of several houses. This information and further detail regarding their
finances and culture has been uploaded as well.”

Jovan interrupted, “Are
the life forms on Granu-Al aware and in agreement with the non-threat policy toward
members of the UA? This seems to have moved rather fast and if we’re not
careful we’ll face another situation similar to when we inducted Rekab into the
Alliance and those Rekabian bastards would sooner gut you than be upfront.”

Tarik snorted and
several others chuckled. All knew that when it came to the UA they were more
concerned with increasing funds in the galactic empire pockets rather than
investigating a world’s true intent when requesting admittance into the
powerful ruling body for their part of the universe.

Senior Commander Green
cleared his throat and adjusted the hem of his uniform jacket. “I assure you
all, care has been taken. The Alliance understands the concern with the Rekabian
threat and takes the concerns of all of you under serious consideration.”

“That and a handful of
credits will buy me a drink.” This from General Ara as he rolled all three of
his eyes.

General Ara had visited
several years ago and Tarik learned that the blue creature with the three green
eyes could drink his weight in alcohol. Which was a lot since a Tregite weighed
more than two hundred kilos. The downside to that was their aggression. Once
they were under the influence, they liked to fight. Tarik had ended up with a
demolished library as proof during the visit.

“Anything will buy you
a drink, General Ara.”

Moro’s words agitated
the General who pushed back his chair as if to rise. Moro braced his four hands
on the table prepared to meet the General head on but the Senior Commander
approached the table with a smile and cautious eyes.

“It might be best if
everyone continues with their notes in their quarters and allow time to refresh
and relax from the journey here.”

Tarik stood so fast,
his chair scooted back. Ignoring Jovan’s muffled laugh, Tarik chimed in. “I
think that’s a great idea.”

The others around the
table got to their feet slowly. A few even looked disappointed to have the
potential fight avoided. Didn’t matter that each of them held a lofty position
on their own worlds, sometimes the nature of the strong was to test themselves
continually and prove their worth against others.

A fight would do just
that but Tarik had no interest in such pissing contests.