FSTR - Chapter 45

Chapter Forty Five - Parted Hair.

Morning broke, Zehra Flint could feel the warm but yet delicate May son, although she has no idea what time it is. Morning or noon? Either way it does't really pay a big important role considering that she found herself in an unfavourable position.

To get in to proper specifications, she isn't in her room although this place comfortable. The windows a couple of meters near her, seem to be coated with metal bars from the outside, and she can only see another wall a few meters behind them. Which gives a bit of a hunch that she is a prisoner here, considering that she doesn't remember how she got here.

Apart from all of that, this room isn't that bad. She woke up over a nice comfortable bed, on her right she found nice luxurious food such as hawk meat accompanied by sliced bread and boiled eggs.

"This can't be King Mendebal's work." She whispered among herself, as she tried to find a way out of here. Upon attempt, she found out that the door has been barred from the other side.

"Who the hell brought me here?" She thought to herself, afterwards debating if she did something unfavourable to anger the local Chapel Council or the individuals above them.

In other words, she doesn't exactly remember being hit on the head and kidnapped after. It isn't a surprise either come to think of it, as most of you might know that head damage occasionally can mess with memory although in most cases temporarily.

Considering Zehra Flint's overall brain capacity, it might not take too long to regain her memory. But for now, she doesn't have what it takes to get out of here or figure out what happened.

Afterwards, as if she was in her own private room someone knocked on the door.

Knock knock knock!

Subconsciously, Zehra has been taught to hide once a knock like this strikes. It isn't welcome in Zamerian cultures, especially in the council considering how vulnerable they can be due to their high status.

She snuck down under the bed she woke up from, but in her way there she was clumsy enough to bang her feet against the wooden plank flooring and even bashed on the bed a little bit.

In anticipation, she awaited if the possible enemy will knock again. The person from the other side of the door did not fail to disappoint, another knock was heard.

Knock knock knock!

Afterwards, a feminine light tone was heard from the other side. Stating, "Miss Zehra Flint, do I have your permission to come in?"

It is nice to ask permission, because in average cases a man or lady could be changing their clothes and it would be embarrassing to walk in of them regardless if they share the same or opposite gender.

But here? She is a kidnap victim, has no idea where she is and yet she is living here in standards worthy to be put in the high class category, "If King Mendebal brought me here, I would be in the Dungeon." She debated with herself as she tried to figure out where she is.

Seeing that Zehra flint doesn't show signs of coming out, the lady from the other side grabbed the key from her own pocket and opened the door. When coming inside she was accompanied by two men wearing suits of armour, specifically Castle Guards. It is easy to determine due to their physique and expensive armour.

"She's gone!" The maid pointed out the obvious, apparently she has been calling from the other side of the door.

"She can't be gone, I heard rumbling and loud foot taps after you knocked." Specified the Castle Guard, who obviously has been paying more attention here can possibly have a better sense of hearing.

"Right, I heard it too." Complimented the other Castle Guard, afterwards he took a glance at his surroundings to see if he can find her.

The maid decided to go towards this with a possibly easier approach, stating. "Miss Zehra, if the King wanted you dead you would be long gone by now. Please come out of your hiding place so we can all get over this task."

Seeing reasoning on the nice maid's words, Zehra slowly crawled out of the bed and the first thing she saw was this nice old middle aged lady, figuring out who has been trying to talk to her until now.

"So the King kidnapped me?" Zhera asked in curiosity, and already forming theories on why this happened once she remembered some plans.

But without anyone answering her questions, she was grabbed underneath the shoulder by the two Castle Guards and her feet started hovering above the ground. They all walked out of the room, and were heading towards the Royal Throne Room.

...

The first thing Zehra flint focused towards once she reached the throne room, is King Mendebal Griffin the sixth' hairstyle. It is nothing out of the ordinary, but "Man this hairstyle does not fit him." She thought but didn't care or dare to taunt.

His hair is basically short and parted right in the middle. Apart from that it has a golden blonde colour, and is greased on both sides. "A shame to blondes everywhere." Zehra continued to think, as she admired her own blonde hair knowing how well she can tie them in to a bun.

The moment Zehra was brought closest to the King, the topic was quick to start. "You might be asking yourself why I brought you here?"

Getting a little flashback of what happened, once she saw two men standing close to the King's throne. She replied, with her tone gravelled in disgust. "I'm more asking how two believers dared to betray and attack a Council member."

Ensnaring her gaze from the and King towards the two "assassins", she added. "Do you realise what trouble you have gotten yourself in to for a couple of gold coins?"

She already figured out what happened here, although information was lended to her scarcely. Definetly out matches anything Chapel Master Andonil Wehe would be capable off.

One of the assassins, possibly the most word sensitive of the two answered. "10 Gold Coins each actually, the three gods wouldn't give us a hundred thousand Bronze Coins so we figured to get it ourselves."

Towards Zehra, these words felt sickening. She is a true believer, and apart from knowing what the Zamerians true intentions are she is still strictly religious. She spat towards them, although the spit could't reach them and answered. "You'll go through hell twice, worthless piece of..."

"Miss Zehra!" King Mendebal interrupted with a calm shout as he raised his right hand to calm down the situation and ensnare her focus too. "Can you figure out why you have been knocked out and kidnapped?"

"Well obviously because of the Bear Bloods." With a little piece of memory she put another part of the puzzle together although she doesn't even remember what happened last night or yesterday for that matter. "You don't want them killed."

"You really are gifted." He complimented, although that kind word play is planted with thorns. "If it wasn't for the fact that you would inevitably betray me, I would ask you to work for me."

"I guess you are a bigger buffon than I thought." She remained bold, if she had a Dagger on her hand she would charge towards the King. "Why would I leave my rank, with protection under the toughest Alliance too. Why would I work with a few dying domains?"

In any case he would snap, but now his face remained smiling and his wordplay already put together in his head. "See this is where you are mistaking Miss Zehra, we bagged 44 Gold Coins in one fight yesterday."

A smirk rising across his face, and his eyebrow jerked up he added. "The Iron Boot Alliance is far from dying now."

Considering the recent profit, the Army can be enforced with this expansive source. For example just the 44 gold coins income yesterday, can pay a month's salary for almost all of the 500 Patrol Guards in this Kingdom. This profit in other terms is the Kingdom's best friend and biggest source.

"Let me go, and you can keep one of your arms." Zehra threatened, once she saw the the previous topic reached an end.

"Miss Zehra, you aren't raped, naked or tied. I did not want to reach such measures, but I will also not let your Chapel tamper with my way of profit." He remained with his points, and even had enough content to out match the wise Zehra with these topics.

"Your way of profit is associated with Demons, the 3 Gods will not let this flow unpunished and neither will the Zamerians." Almost as if brain washed, she remained firm with her own points of view.

But of course, King Mendebal remained tolerant only at a certain amount. He shouted, "Fuck you and your 3 Gods, everyone needs to stay on their limits."

Calming down a tad bit, he used past references to aid his point of view. "First the Zamerians sunk a ship containing 300 people be it my workers or slaves, now you are messing with Arena affairs."

Afterwards indirectly talking about himself he added, "Do you realise that even ass kissers can stab you if you go too far?"

Seeing that she has no way of convincing her with what powers she and the Chapel possesses, she moved towards another rather more desperate approach. "You are digging graves for yourself and my Chapel, if the word reaches all the way to those of higher standards they will kill us all!"

"Are you talking about Chapels of in the Revolutionary Alliance?" King Mendebal asked to know more, and to calculate if he can face them or not.

"Yes, they can't know that our Chapel failed to keep Demons out. Otherwise they will proceed with violent measures, even out matching the recent Slave Rapes!" Here, like Chapel Master Andonil might or might not specified, she directly explained why the Bear Bloods should die. She added, "You can't handle a 10,000 Soldier Army!"

"I feel like we can." King Mendebal remained confident, and waved towards the two Guards who brought Zehra here. "But until I get everything together, your Chapel here must remain still."

Afterwards adding with a devious smile across his face, "For now you will be my guest."