Chapter 4: Duties of the King
Peasants, freemen, and merchants all fled across the fields and roads near the borders of Transjordan. The arid and mountainous plateaus that made up Outremer's easternmost borders were a mix of tan rock/sand and greenery in the form of masterful farmland made possible by irrigation techniques brought from France over a century earlier.
Near the farmlands lay various villages now set ablaze by dozens of horsemen in the distance, loosing arrows and slashing with curved kilij swords upon any man or aged woman in their path, showing no mercy.
The younger women and children proved no safer, as Sonn horsemen carrying lassos seized them like cattle rustlers, where they'd serve as slaves upon returning.
More Sonn scoured the villages for anything valuable, coin, metal, or trinkets, but most focused on ravaging or seizing human captives. All the while, those still capable of walking or riding made great haste towards the nearest castle, which lay only a mile away atop a plateau.
An eastern orthodox nun with an arrow in the back of her leg limped away, ignoring the pain as she desperately tried to reach the sanctuary.
"You there! Clergywoman! Come, we must go!" A Persian merchant on horseback raced towards her and extended his hand. The nun desperately reached out only to see blood splatter across her face when an arrow plunged into his face.
The woman shrieked and watched as the startled horse fled in panic. The nun collapsed to the ground and looked over at a group of Sonn riders as they approached. The small horsemen wore not metal armor, but colored wool jackets and light-helms wrapped in cloth, composite bows in their hands.
The nun felt tears in her eyes and clutched the crucifix around her neck before praying in Aurevitas. Yet as the nearest Sonn took out a lasso to make the woman his property, he convulsed violently and looked down to see an arrow sticking through his throat.
His companions yelped and looked back with the nun at several dozen horsemen approaching. These men were horse-archers, similar to the Sonn. However, they appeared Outremer or Aurevitas in descent and wore crosses around their necks.
"Saint Michael, protect us!" Their leader cried while drawing another arrow and losing it, striking the nearest Sonn through his left eye. The approaching Turcopoles wore padded gambesons and conical nasal helms, save their leader, who wore a mail shirt.
With masterful direction, the lead turcopole directed his horse-archers into three squads who unleashed a barrage of arrows upon the marauding Sonn with deadly accuracy. Each arrow struck at least one Sonn, though many of the raiders managed to raise their shields or endure through their jackets, though not wholly.
While the Sonn outnumbered their turcopole counterparts, they were also scattered and invested in pillage.
"Form up now!" Makucha snarled.
"Makucha!" A powerful voice cried.
Looking over, he saw the lead Turcopole and his furious expression.
"Sir Azaad, that's more like it! On me, men!" The Sonn Emir rallied his raiders and formed up to face the relief force.
Upon seeing this, Azaad whistled just in time, and all of his men fell back, narrowly avoiding a volley of Sonn arrows. The turcopoles loosed their arrows with much more accuracy, but the Sonn did so with unmatched discipline and order as a group. The invaders pursued the turcopoles, closing the distance and drawing their bows for another volley.
However, as the turcopoles disappeared behind a hilltop, the Emir's eyes widened when he saw another group of horsemen appear, only this time, it wasn't horse-archers.
Kion sat atop his destrier, lance in hand and face covered by a crowned great-helm. The King now wore a new sapphire surcoat with the Plantagenet lions, and Outremer Cross joined in the center.
Before long, the Baron of Transjordan, Lord Advik, appeared beside his King alongside his household knights, several dozen landed knights of Transjordan, and numerous mounted sergeants.
To Kion's right, he rode up Kopa alongside a few dozen of his Knights Templars and Sergeant brothers, who wore black surcoats with red crosses instead of the Knight brothers' white surcoats and red crosses.
Finally, behind Kion came his Lion Guard, alongside a few dozen of the Knights he'd brought from France and just as many royal Knights of Outremer, all wearing dark-blue surcoats with the golden Outremer Cross in the center, including Beshte, Ono, and Bunga.
"Gloire à Dieu!" Kion roared, lance raised.
"Allons-y!" Bunga added.
"Continuez, braves chevaliers!" Beshte huffed.
Kopa and his Templars crossed themselves and bowed their heads in prayer.
"Not for us, My Lord, not for us, but to your Name give the glory." They chanted in Latin before charging alongside the others.
All three cavalry squadrons charged in conroi formation in good order, though the Templars did so with the most discipline and cohesion of the Franks.
"Damn it! Fall back! Open your ranks!" Makucha roared, but it was too late. The Knights and men-at-arms fell upon them like a pride of lions. Although the Sonn still outnumbered them, light horsemen were no match for fully armored shock cavalry in a head-on fight.
The Sonn lost all sense of order and discipline as they felt the ground shake and saw the horde of faceless steel-men descending upon them with massive lances lowered. The horse-archers scattered and fled in panic, desperately hoping their faster mares could outrun the larger destriers, but they couldn't.
Kion felt the wind blow through the breathing holes and eye-slints of his great-helm, savoring the cool sensation. Within moments, his lance made contact, ripping through the torso of the nearest Sonn and taking the front of his weapon with him as he fell.
Without breaking stride, the King drew his sword and slashed at another horse-archer, decapitating him before moving on to the next. This Sonn managed to draw his kilij and strike at Kion.
The young King considered allowing the blow to hit for a brief moment, knowing his armor could easily hold against a curved blade. However, Kion simply blocked the strike with his shield and struck back, managing to stab through the Sonn's chest after two exchanges.
Nearby, Bunga and Beshte found similar success cutting down Sonn after Sonn after their lances broke. Along the Flanks, Advik's retinue and found identical success while the Templars proved even fiercer, slaying Sonn like angels of death.
Back at the base of the hill, the Nun continued to pray even as the battle raged on around her.
"Essayez de m'attraper!" The clergywoman looked up and saw Fuli riding towards her. Reaching down, the noblewoman seized her and pulled the nun onto her mount.
"Hold on!" The nun needed no further persuasion and wrapped her arms around Fuli tightly while Anga rode nearby, crossbow in hand.
"Keep close, there's still plenty of Sonn." She cried, downing a Sonn who tried to flank them.
Makucha desperately tried to rally his men, only to watch nearly half fall to a series of arrows. Azaad and his Turcopoles raced back in on both flanks.
"I'll send you to Hell, Makucha!" Azaad roared.
With this, the Sonn Emir spurred his turkoman horse and rode off with as many raiders as he could, though several more fell to loosed arrows sent by Azaad's persuing turcopoles.
"Damn it!" Azaad snarled as he watched the Sonn disappear on their faster turkomans.
"Let them go. Search for survivors." Kion eased his destrier and stroked his thick mane. Fuli and Anga joined the turcopoles, secular knights, and Templars.
In one wrecked home, Azaad grunted as he lifted the debris off a hidden cellar door. Anga noticed Fuli watching the turcopole captain with particular interest.
Turcopoles were local Outremer natives who'd adopted their own form of horse-archery to counter the Sonn as the Kingdom of Outremer's light cavalry.
Azaad himself was a handsome man in his late twenties of mixed Frankish and outremer descent. His long black hair and light goatee contrasting the man's green eyes. Azaad had served as Captain King Sahashi's royal turcopole company and even earned a knighthood after saving the King in one skirmish.
"Alright, let's see if anyone's home." Azaad said.
"Yeah." Fuli muttered.
"Fuli." Anga said, elbowing her.
"Huh!? Oh right, is anyone there? The Sonn are gone." Fuli spoke in native Outremer, but her thick french accent and basic comprehension of the local tongue made Azaad and Anga cringe slightly.
"What?" Fuli asked before Azaad patted her shoulders.
"You're learning. That's what matters."
Anga opened the door and looked down at a trembling family who tried to retreat further into the cellar.
"It's ok." Anga said, taking out a crucifix necklace and showing it to them.
Back outside, Kion handed his helmet to Bunga and then poured water over his head and savored the refreshing sensation.
"Ohh yeah, that's what I call a win!" Bunga declared, his sword raised high.
"Are you sure?" Beshte huffed, a sorrowful look on his face as he emphasized the nearby sacked village, half its buildings destroyed and the fields ravaged. However, this didn't compare to the lives lost.
Ono and two local priests, one catholic and one orthodox, gave blessings to the deceased villagers, as well as three sergeants and four turcopoles who'd died in the melee. Kion and the others crossed themselves and took a deep breath before feeling a firm hand on his shoulder.
"You did well." Kopa spoke in a warm and almost paternal tone that almost made Kion feel like his father spoke to him. The King smiled slightly and nodded with a grateful expression.
"Only because you taught us how they fight so well."
"Ahh, humility won't get you far here, your highness." Lord Advik laughed as he and his men looted the dead Sonn for anything valuable. A few even took out knives to remove any gold teeth they had.
"Dieu ait pitié! Don't do that!" Ono shrieked as he tried to stop one of Advik's Sergeants.
"Leave him!" The Lord growled.
"It's unholy!" Ono cried.
"So is that!" The sergeant growled, emphasizing the death and destruction caused by the raid.
Kopa took a deep breath, and Kion saw a tired look in his gaze.
"Such is war out here, Kion."
"War is war, Kopa. I've seen such things back in France..." Kion muttered.
"Indeed, so much time in Outremer has made me forget the brutality of Vikings and Routiers."
"You'll learn soon enough, your highness. But if this is how you conduct yourself as a commander, I'd say Outremer has the right man as its King." Advik said.
"Hmp, he's got that right." Bunga said as he finished placing a clear surcoat on.
"Really, Bunga." Anga said, noticing this. She rode ahead of Fuli and Azaad, who led groups of survivors towards them.
"What? Binga made me an extra. She says a Knight should always look his best." Bunga blushed slightly, thinking about Rani's lady in waiting.
"I think Bunga's in love." Beshte teased. However, Bunga's expression didn't change.
"Maybe I am." Kion and Anga laughed, but Beshte's eyes went wide.
"I was only kidding! Bunga, don't rush into anything!"
"Why not!?"
"He's not the only one rushing into something." Anga murmured to Kion and pointed to a giggling Fuli as she rode beside Azaad.
"Oh, to be young and in love." Kopa said. As a Templar, Kopa was confined to chastity and utter devotion to his duties.
"Did you ever have anyone special?" Kion asked the Templar, who gave a slow nod.
"Yes, for a brief time. But it was not to be, and I felt a greater calling. Still, that doesn't mean those outside our vows can't embrace such things. In your case, I'd prefer it."
Kion thought back to his new wife, Rani. Though their marriage was young, so far, it started off well enough and only seemed to get better as they spent more time together.
"Behold your new King." Fuli said to the villagers, who rushed forward and fell to their knees before Bunga.
"Your highness!" They cried with overwhelming joy.
Fuli blinked at this but only then realized Bunga was holding the crowned great-helm and wore a clean surcoat. Beshte, Anga, Advik, Azaad, Ono, Kopa, and even Kion barely contained their laughter upon seeing this.
"You came to our aid! Praise God for delivering you unto us, your majesty! We are eternally grateful for your intervention!"
Bunga covered his mouth for a moment but stood up tall with a composed expression.
"As you should be! For the mighty Plantagenet Lion has arrived to place you under his care! Tis the King's duty charged by God himself! We only regret not being here sooner! I pray you may forgive us!"
"No! You saved all of our lives, your grace!"
"A King must be humble." Kion said as he walked among the villagers, several shushing him.
"Forgive us, sir, but you cannot interrupt a King!" One scolded Kion.
"Indeed!" Bunga cried, slowly approaching Kion and handing him his helm.
"I would never think to interrupt the mighty Lion of France." The villagers' faces went pale, and they immediately bowed before Kion as his Knights and turcopoles laughed. Even the Templars joined in after a few moments.
"Forgive us, sire, we-"
"Rise, all of you." Kion saw an exhausted woman and helped her to her feet.
"I'm sorry we couldn't have prevented further death and destruction. But before God, I swear to defend you and this land to my dying breath!" Kopa smiled widely when he heard the conviction in Kion's voice.
The King's proclamation in Transjordan that he also made at his wedding proved more than just words. As less than three weeks later, his company rode hard through Perdidit, alongside a squadron of Knights Hospitallers in their black surcoats adorned with white cross-pattees, a group of cataphracts, and three companies of turcopoles backing them up. One from Perdidit, one from the Hospitaller's ranks, and the royal retinue.
The cavalry force raced past a lush and fertile countryside with vibrant fields of green along the banks of massive rivers and palm groves. However, local Perdidit turcopoles and riders moved the Perdidit peasants, freemen, and passing merchants into nearby fortresses.
Unfortunately, not all escaped. Kion tightened the grips on his reins when he saw the bodies of innocents and isolated Perdidit riders across the roads and fields, all skewered with arrows or hacked to pieces.
"Grrr! They're going to pay for this!" Bunga roared when he saw a pair of farmers hanging from a tree.
"Don't let the fires of hatred tempt you. Focus on our task." Talib, the Hospitaller Grandmaster, was a Norman, massive and broad-shouldered like Beshte.
"He's right, don't get distracted." Kion growled, doing his best not to look at the bodies, although he did intend to come back later to bury them. Another few minutes passed, and he saw Fuli racing towards them from ahead alongside Anga.
"We found them! A fishing village just up ahead! They're still rampaging!" Fuli roared.
"Alright, no time to waste then. Azaad, take the turcopole squadrons and divide up the raiders. Bog them down and keep them from regrouping."
"We can do that! Let's go, Saint George!" Azaad cried, he and the turcopoles racing ahead on their swifter horses.
"Grandmaster Talib, take your Knights and flank left, Strategos Surak, flank right."
"Sire." Talib bowed his head.
"Sire." Surak also bowed his head. The Perdidit Lord looked much like his nephew Baliyo, only middle-aged. He wore cataphract armor with a scale breastplate over his mail.
Kion reached the edge of a hilltop and looked down upon the fishing village. Over half of the buildings lay in ruin or burned with a fiery blaze while Sonn horse-archers dashed across the settlement, killing or seizing anyone they could get their hands on.
However, all of this paled in comparison to one Sonn in particular. Judging by his gear, this man was likely an Emir and had a sadistic look in his eyes as he loosed arrows at villagers in the river who desperately tried to get away.
However, rather than hitting them with fatal blows, the Sonn leader struck the villagers in their arms or legs, attempting to make them drown.
"Ready the nets. It appears I'll be a fisher of men, just like your God!" He laughed. It took everything Kion had not to charge him recklessly and instead wait for Azaad. The turcopoles moved in, loosing arrows very precisely and downing over two-dozen Sonn.
The others scattered about, desperately trying to regroup around their Emir. However, Azaad's attack achieved its aim and hindered the Sonn long enough for the three squadrons of shock cavalry to execute their charges.
The results proved similar to the skirmish a few weeks earlier, and Kion's men swept over their light-cavalry foes with ease. All the while, Fuli and Anga reached the riverside before diving in to pull as many wounded villagers to safety as possible. Thankfully, a few Hospitallers soon joined them.
Kion, Beshte, and Bunga fought close together, slaying numerous Sonn when they saw an arrow embed itself into the eye of a nearby cataphract's mount, dropping the beast and his rider.
"Shetani!" Surak roared as he saw the chuckling Emir. Smashing a Sonn's head in with his mace, Surak spurred his horse and charged Shetani, who drew another arrow and struck the horse in its throat.
Surak tumbled to the ground and grunted upon impact, leaving him exposed as Shetani drew a mace of his own. However, as he came in for the kill, his weapon only struck shield.
Shetani looked up just in time to see Kion's sword and furiously parried it.
"So, you're the new King of the Franks. I've been looking forward to our first meeting." Shetani's sinister laugh almost sent a chill down Kion's spine, and he furiously slashed at the Emir, who proved surprisingly skilled, blocking or dodging each blow.
"I'm getting quite bored of hunting peasants. Perhaps I'll eye myself a bigger prize, such as your Queen-" Shetani almost yelped in a sharp pain when Kion bashed his mace-hand with his shield, sending the weapon flying.
Ducking under the next sword blow, Shetani spurred his horse and retreated out of sight alongside a few of his men. Seeing him disappear, Kion exhaled and dismounted to help Surak up.
"Are you ok?"
"No, that wretch got away!" Surak snarled as he threw his helmet down in frustration.
"Hmp, not for long. Justice will come for him soon enough." Bunga said as he rode up.
Another two weeks passed, and Kion rode through the County of Edessa with his royal company alongside a squadron of Templars based in the region led by Kopa and a contingent of knights/turcopoles under Count Vegter of Edessa.
Like Principatum, Edessa's Frankish population was mostly Norman, much to Kion's appreciation. Few people were mightier than Normans. Something Beshte proved again and again.
Kion tried to distract himself from the distant towers of smoke and dead bodies along the road by gazing upon the brilliant countryside. Beautiful rock formations flowing with greenery and radiant waterfalls.
Count Vegter narrowed his eyes and almost crushed his reins after every body they passed.
"Are you ok?" Kion asked the Norman Count, who growled like a lion.
"No." Vegter's voice felt like iron as he spoke.
"We'll find them, I swear to God. Anga and Fuli are master scouts." Kion assured him.
"He's right, big guy. We'll track down those Sonn and teach them a lesson." Bunga added.
Vegter remained silent and as cold as steel while he rode.
"He's always been a man of few words." Kopa said, coming up beside them.
"Strange, Normans are always talking, right Beshte." Bunga teased, earning a slight glare from Beshte.
"I wouldn't worry though, he's a capable commander and formidable Knight." Kopa assured Kion.
"Kion!" Anga cried. She and Fuli rode up from the direction of the smoke with frantic expressions.
"Did you find them?"
"Yes, but there's a problem. They've already rounded up most of a village's population and are leading them away into slavery."
Kopa grit his teeth, and Vegter turned red enough to boil alive in his armor.
"Azaad, ride ahead and focus fire on the slave-drivers-" Kion started.
"No!" Kopa and Vegter cried together.
"Huh?" Beshte asked.
"They'll use the prisoners as human shields. Sonn have done so before." Kopa grunted.
"Dieu ait pitié!" Ono yelped before crossing himself.
Kion grit his teeth so hard they almost cracked.
"No more innocents die." Vegter snarled.
"They won't." Kion said before Kopa came closer.
"I have an idea." He said while waving Anga, Fuli, and Azaad closer. Kion listened closely with his companions and Vegter and gave his input until finally, they decided upon a plan.
"Alright, let's move!"
Several hundred yards ahead, a massive Sonn raiding party dragged hundreds of men, women, and children by ropes. Those who couldn't keep up were dragged across the ground in agony. These people, both Frankish, native Outremer, and Persian travelers prayed only to get whipped by the Sonn riders.
Fuli felt her blood boil when she saw a girl get backhanded by their leader. A terrifying Sonn with the left side of his head severely burnt, revealing the bone and flesh beneath it. The hair on his head sported a mohawk stained in dry blood.
"Emir Kuzimu, they call him the slaver." Azaad growled.
"Well, I hate him already." Anga said, aiming her crossbow at him.
"Easy, he won't hesitate to kill them. Remember grandmaster Kopa's plan." Azaad assured them before moving up with his turcopoles.
"Be careful." Fuli said, perhaps giving more away than she intended with her tone.
Azaad smiled back at her and winked, nearly making the French noblewoman tremble.
"Focus." Anga reminded her.
Azaad rode with half the turcopoles shouting Saint George. Emir Kuzimu didn't waste a moment and seized a little boy by the throat and lifted him up over his body.
"Go ahead, Isai! Loose those arrows!" Kuzimu challenged Azaad, who saw the terror and anguish in the prisoners' eyes, particularly those used as human shields.
"Lord, make me fast and accurate." Azaad prayed. He and his turcopoles raised their bows in unison.
"No! Please stop!" One of the prisoners cried as she looked up at her son held like a shield. Despite their pleas, the turcopoles unleashed a volley. However, the arrows didn't fly at the Sonn. Instead, they flew towards the prisoners nor used as shields.
Kuzimu blinked in utter disbelief alongside most of his Sonn, that was until they saw the arrows hit the rope, and rope only.
"Run!"
As if well-trained soldiers, the prisoners, now free, sprinted towards the turcopoles like their lives depended on it, which they did.
"Gaaah!" Kuzimu grunted in a rage. All of his Sonn held a human shield and thus couldn't draw their weapons to cut them down.
"Kill them! Another Sonn cried, dropping his hostage to draw his bow. The moment he did so, Azaad loosed another arrow into the rider's throat. Any Sonn who released their prisoner suffered the same fate. As such, Kuzimu was forced to watch his plunder of human flesh slip through his fingers as Fuli and Anga led them to safety.
"Filthy Isai! You want to watch a child die!" Kuzimu snarled.
"Kill him, and you die!" Azaad retorted.
"You overestimate yourselves, Isai. Your turcopoles are but cheap imitations of Sonn warriors."
Azaad smirked.
"Are you sure?"
Moments later, Kuzimu heard a bloody gasp and turned to the Sonn next to him, who had an arrow in his back. The other half of the turcopoles came up behind the Sonn and unleashed a volley into their backs.
The Sonn frantically turned to face the newcomers, only for Azaad's side to loose more arrows into their backs.
"Take your pick, Sonn, the prisoners or your lives!"
"Damn, Imani!" Kuzimu pressed his knife against the boy's throat, only to feel an arrow hit the weapon and send it flying. The boy, now free, ran like he never did before.
Fuli rode out with Anga and Azaad close behind. The French noblewoman snatched the boy into her arms and rode off while Azaad and Anga downed two Sonn trying to hit her.
"Gloire à Dieu!"
"Allons-y!"
"Continuez, braves chevaliers!" The ground shook, and Kuzimu's one eye widened when he saw over a hundred mounted Knights charge his dwindled company.
"Damn Imani!" He snarled, pulling the reins of his turkoman and racing off. Only a handful of Sonn escaped with Kuzimu, the rest falling to Kion's forces in a bloody melee, or rather bloody for the Sonn.
Kion exhaled deeply when he saw none of his men died, though a few suffered injury. The rescued villagers joined Ono and two other chaplains in a mass, alongside the knights and turcopoles. Kion and his Guard joined in at first but eventually broke away to tend to other matters after taking the eucharist.
"Will my share of the plunder cover the damage done to the village?" Kion asked his exchequer, who took a deep breath and shook his head.
"I'm afraid not, sire." The man said.
"Draw the rest from the royal treasury." Kion said with a sigh.
"No." Count Vegter said as he approached.
"Take my share." Kion and the Count looked over at the exchequer, who nodded.
"That's some nobility right there." Bunga said with a smile.
"We can't restore the loss of life." Kion said with a heavy heart, ending Bunga's smile.
Kopa placed his hand on Kion's shoulder and gave him a comforting smile.
"You've done well, my King." Kion, however, kept his head low.
"Not well enough-"
"Don't talk like that!" Kopa spoke more sternly and took Kion by his shoulders.
"As soon as you learned about their raid, you immediately sprung into action and did everything in your power to save lives! You're not God, Kion, and even a King can't be everywhere at once."
"He's right. Look at them." Beshte assured Kion while emphasizing the freed villagers.
"They would've been slaves if it weren't for you." Bunga added.
"No, if it weren't for all of us."
The city of Tiberias rested along the sea of Galilee and served as an important economic hub for the Kingdom of Outremer. Rani gazed out at the great lake from an open window in the citadel's council chamber and briefly imagined Christ walking upon the sea's water before his disciples.
"Your majesty?" Cadoc's distinct voice snapped the Queen back to reality.
"Ahh, forgive me, Cadoc."
"There's no need, your grace." He said, bowing his head. Cadoc was a skinny man entirely covered by thick robes, bandages over his hands, and a metal mask covering his face.
Everyone else at the table sat as far away from Cadoc as possible, but Rani sat right beside him.
"Where were we?" She asked Lady Jane, the Countess of Tripoli, and her and Count Vegter's sixteen-year-old son, Tamu, alongside several other important magnates, clergymen, Templar, and Hospitallers, to conduct herself affairs of state.
"We should build another two castles along the borders here." A Templar officer suggested, pointing to the border near the County of Tripoli.
"This would further hinder the Sonn's ability to raid our farmlands in the region."
"And who would garrison these castles? The Templars?" A local baron asked with narrowed eyes.
"There's little money to be made where we intend the castles to be. Our order can afford to support them for the defense of the realm."
Hearing this put the Baron at ease, and Rani took a deep breath before turning to Cadoc.
"Can we afford to build them?"
"Oui."
"Alright, sir Mortimer, the crown will finance the castles' construction, and the Templars will garrison and maintain them at your expense, agreed?" The Templar nodded.
"Good, any concerns?" Rani looked at her nobles, who remained silent.
"Alright then, what else is there?"
"We still haven't decided whether or not to send an ambassador to Aurevitas." Lady Jane muttered, earning a deep and hard sigh from Rani. Relatively recently, the Komnenos dynasty in the Aurevitas Empire was usurped by Isaac II Angelos, who secured his position by organizing a riot against the Genoese and other Frankish peoples living in the capital, massacring them and selling the survivors into slavery.
Rani's mother was of the Komnenos dynasty, and her great-great-uncle Manuel was quite sympathetic to the Kingdom of Outremer and even considered a joint expedition against the Sonn with her father, King Sahashi.
However, Isaac turned the people against the Franks and used them as scapegoats, despite making an alliance with the Venetians for support and funds.
"Our sources claim that the Genoese are planning a piracy campaign against the Aurevitas as revenge for what happened." Cadoc muttered, earning a facepalm from Rani.
"Great, which means a disruption of trade. Damn Aurveitas politics, ok send an emissary to Aurevitas and the Genoese to ensure our shipping isn't hindered."
"Yes, your highness."
Rani spent the next few hours going over state affairs and traveling around the city, visiting orphanages, hospitals, and markets. Whenever Kion traveled to deal with Sonn Raids, she traveled with him to administer whatever part of the Kingdom he went to.
By the late afternoon, fatigue hit Rani hard, and she returned to the council chamber with Binga beside her.
"Are you ok, your highness?"
"I'm fine, just tired." Rani sighed while looking at the long list of affairs that still required her attention.
"Look on the bright side. You can off-load a lot of this on Kion when he gets back." Binga giggled. Rani also gave a mischievous grin.
"Not a bad idea." A few moments later, they heard the bells ringing. Together, the Queen and her lady in waiting walked out to a nearby balcony where they saw the main city gates opening.
"Make way for the King!" Someone shouted.
"Speaking of which." Kion's party rode in alongside refugees from the pillaged villages who soon followed Kopa's Lieutenant, Obasi, alongside a local priest who'd arrange temporary lodging for them until the restoration of their homes.
Large crowds gathered along the streets and let out jubilant cheers for their King and his company as they rode past. Clergymen and women offered them blessings while men, women, and children cried out in praise or tossed flower petals before them.
Kion humbly bowed his head alongside Ono and Beshte, but Bunga basked in the applause.
"Thank you! It's a privilege to fight for God's Kingdom and his children!" The Knight cried, making Beshte shake his head. Kion, Kopa, and Ono, however, merely chuckled. Rani smiled from the balcony and walked back inside.
"Draw a bath in our private chamber." She intrusted a servant.
"Of course." The young woman said with a bow.
Kion eventually came inside his chamber with the citadel where his pages awaited him.
"Welcome back, sire." The boys said, bowing their heads.
"Piere, Lucas." Kion sighed. His fatigue from days of riding and fighting finally caught up with the young King, and he struggled to stay upright. Luckily, Lucas and Piere had plenty of experience with their liege stinking of sweat, grime, and blood despite their young age.
Piere offered Kion a bowl of warm water and a rag while Lucas took out a jug of wine.
"I'm not ready for wine, Lucas, just water." Kion muttered while cleaning his face while motioning for Piere to start removing his surcoat and armor.
"Forgive me, sire, but I was instructed to bring wine." The boy said while pouring not one but two goblets.
"Who told you that?" Kion asked with his scarred eyebrow raised.
"His Queen, and yours." Rani said, revealing herself in the back of her chamber. Kion felt both his eyebrows raise when he saw his wife's devilish expression and silk bathrobe.
"I can take over from here, boys. Go now. Sir Perrin is waiting in the courtyard for your sparring lessons." The pages bowed and departed, leaving the King and Queen to themselves.
"Offering to do the duties of a page, that's quite kind of you." Kion said with a smirk as he felt Rani undo the knots on the back of his hauberk.
"Perhaps, mon amour." Rani said mischievously while pulling his mail and under gambeson off, revealing the young man's muscular chest with a few scars he'd earned through battle, including a few recent ones.
"I just thought they'd best not be here when we got down to our official royal 'duties'." Rani almost growled in a way that made Kion's heart race, particularly as the Queen emphasized her features beneath her robes and slowly picked up one of the goblets before handing it to Kion and stroking his mane-like hair.
Kion smiled vigorously and placed his strong arms around Rani before pulling her in closer.
"Well, I did come here to serve."
"I know, which is why we better get started." Kion leaned in closer only to look dumbstruck when Rani pulled out a small stack of parchment.
"Come on then. We've got guild requests to approve, castles constructions to decide on, and expenditures to go over." Rani said in a diligent tone but without losing her devilish smile. Kion's mouth dropped, and his Queen burst out into laughter.
"Are you kidding me?!"
"Sorry, mon amour, but a King's duties go beyond defending it in battle."
Kion took a deep breath and nodded wearily as he motioned towards a table. The King motioned towards a table only to feel Rani pull him in another direction.
"I don't think so. You still reek, mon amour. We'll discuss these matters during your bath." Excitement instantly returned to Kion as he eagerly followed Rani inside the bath chamber.
Sometime later, the King lay sprawled on his bed with only a towel wrapped around his waist, and Rani, in similar attire, cuddled up on top of him. The Queen giggled slightly as she brought one foot up and stroked Kion's muscular chest, noting the exhaustion on his face.
"Is being a King everything you imagined it would be, mon amour?" Kion gave her a slightly impatient look, much to the Queen's amusement.
"Have you forgotten that I was a Duke for several years and served as regent for the Angevine Empire for almost half a year while my parents were on pilgrimage and brother on Crusade? I've done plenty of administration work, mon amour." Kion retorted.
"Oui, you do have a knack for it. Like convincing the Hospitallers to finance and garrison that new castle on Perdidit's border." Rani said before planting a long and passionate kiss on her husband's lips.
"You should thank Kopa for that one. I don't think I could've convinced Grandmaster Talib without his help."
"Humility is a virtue, but it will only get you so far as a King, mon amour. Though I am glad you and Kopa are getting along so well, the Templars and Hospitallers are indispensable not only to the Kingdom's defenses but also helping us with our finances and hospitals."
Kion nodded with a tender smile.
"You don't have to worry about Kopa and me. He's practically family."
Rani nodded with growing interest.
"Oui, I've heard the story of your father, the story of the 'Lion King'. But I've never heard it from an actual Plantagenet."
"It's a long story." Kion warned her, only to get a playfully stern look from Rani.
"Tell me! Your Queen commands it!" Rani emphasized the point by giving her King another rather forceful kiss, to which he replied in kind.
"Very well." Kion took a deep breath and thought back to the first time his parents told him the story.
"It began a long time ago. My Grandfather Mufasa was Count of Anjou, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Britanny, and King of England. When he married my Grandmother Sarabi, he also became Duke of Aquitaine, thus forging the Angevine Empire. He was wise, powerful, just, and loved by all his subjects. However, his brother Taka, also called Scar, did not."
"Scar?" Rani said while stroking Kion's scar.
"Oui." He said in a slightly irritated tone while Rani giggled.
"Go on."
"Anyway, my grandfather's brother was envious, manipulative, and greedy beyond means. When my grandfather went on Crusade, Scar made a deal with several Norse clans and orchestrated an assassination on sacred ground when my grandfather returned. My father was only a boy when it happened."
Rani heard the pain in Kion's voice and softened her expression before hugging him tighter.
"Parents told me King Mufasa was the Greatest King Christendom ever knew. I can't even imagine what he must've been like." Kion nodded with a somber smile.
"After he died, Scar tried to make himself King with the help of his Norse mercenaries. However, the Angevine people and nobility rebelled, and he only ever held England. My Grandmother was still recognized as Queen of the Plantagenet holdings in France but feared King Philip of France, who sought to take them for himself. Thus to protect herself and my father, she fled to the Knights Templars in France, who took them in."
Excitement returned to Kion's face, and Rani's soon after.
"The Templars practically raised my father, alongside my grandmother, of course. They taught him chivalry, leadership, piety, and everything else a Christian King should master. It was there he met Kopa, a young Knight and Templar apprentice. They underwent training together, and when my father came of age, he even joined him on campaigns, with the Grandmaster's permission."
Rani nodded.
"Go on."
"The Angevine nobility and common people in France immediately flocked to my father when King Philip tried to invade Normandy, and with Kopa by his side, they defeated Philip. To secure lasting peace, my father insisted on marrying Philip's daughter, my mother, Nala."
"Quite the ambitious man." Rani chuckled.
"My mother certainly thought so, seeing as she'd run away to my father's court a year earlier. In any case, Scar was still struggling with rebellions in England from the Saxon lower-class and Angevine nobility. Thus he raised a larger Norse army with promises of plundering Christian Holy sites in France."
"Not very pious." Rani almost growled, earning a chuckle from Kion.
"The pope seemed to think so when he excommunicated him and gave the Knights Templar permission to join my father in a campaign to depose him. Raising an army of Angevines, Templars, Saxons, and even contingents of Frenchmen from King Philip's domain thanks to my mother, my father sailed to England and met Scar on the fields of Hastings."
Rani grew giddish and kicked her feet in the air quickly.
"He won the battle and even found his uncle on in the midst of the fighting!"
Kion nodded.
"Oui, he and Kopa cut down his berserker bodyguards before my father challenged Scar himself, ultimately defeating him. Scar begged for mercy, and despite everything he'd done, my father forgave him. He intended to confine Scar to an estate in Northern England under close-guard, but Scar fled to Denmark. However, upon arrival, the remnants of his mercenary army caught up with him. Having never received their promised payment, they killed him and my father was formally crowned King of the Angevine Empire."
Rani pulled herself closer to Kion with a look of wonder in her eyes.
"It is something hearing that from the 'Lion King's' son, and it's even more exciting what that son is your King." Rani cut him off with another deep kiss.
Another few weeks passed, and Kion sat with Rani inside a council chamber within the city of Nablus's citadel.
"More Persian merchants are fleeing here ever since the Sonn conquered their Empire, swelling our coffers exponentially!" Constable Arnould boasted as he handed his monarchs parchment detailing the city's income under his stewardship.
The two looked it over with Cadoc and nodded, but only slightly.
"You've seized the opportunity well enough, but this boost may only be temporary." Cadoc corrected, earning a slightly frustrated look from Arnould.
"It won't be! Not when you approve of the new merchant's guild, your highness!"
"Oui, let's see the details of this new guild." Kion said. Just when Arnould extended another piece of parchment, the doors burst open.
"Forgive the intrusion, sire, but we have news from our agents in the Sonn domain!" A herald cried, covered in sweat.
Kion rose to his feet with Kopa and his Guard.
"Well?" Bunga asked impatiently.
"King Radcliffe has raised an army and plants to attack the Hospitaller castle on the edge of Perdidit before its completion." The chamber went silent as all eyes turned to Kion.
Taking a deep breath, the Kion hardened his expression.
"Send out messengers across the Kingdom. Tell them that their King has issued an Arrière-ban!" Kion roared.
"Oh yeah! Allons-y!" Bunga cried, Binga nervously placing her hand on his arms.
"Be careful."
Rani smiled at Kion but with a similar sentiment.