To Stand Beside Her

by B. Kristin McMichael

  Leila kissed him and then responded, “I’m fine. Did everyone make it back to Lexia? How are Macarius and Javed?”

  “Javed died before I left the palace, and Macarius was going to have surgery. We hoped Roger would make it in time to help out. One of Roger’s couriers stopped by to say he would be in Lexia by the afternoon, but we left before he came,” Nalick explained, finally setting her back on the ground. She held tight to his hand wrapped around her waist.

  “What are you planning now?” Nalick asked, seeing the wheels working in her mind.

  “I need to borrow Anatolio for an hour, and then you may do whatever you please to Aiolos and his men,” Leila explained as they neared Nalick’s makeshift camp.

  As they entered the camp, Nikias quickly ran over to them and bowed. “Surveillance has that we outnumber them two to one. We are easily set at the six points and are awaiting your command to enter.” Nalick had a much larger army amassed. He easily had the upper hand.

  “We will wait an hour,” Nalick said, and Leila squeezed his hand.

  Chapter 27

  “Will you fill us in on what you are planning?” Nalick asked.

  “Just a little pay back,” Leila replied, sitting down and beginning to lace her boots up. “How is Phillip?”

  “He is fine,” Nalick replied, obviously trying to control the anger at Aiolos for Phillip’s hand.

  “His hand is my fault,” she said without looking Nalick in the eyes. Leila continued to rummage through her bag. “I should have kept my mouth shut, and I suppose I should have not spat on Aiolos. If I hadn’t riled him up, he would not have tried to use Phillip to make a point.”

  “It is not your fault,” Nalick replied, proud of the fight in her. “Aiolos is the one who took Phillip, and this is something we will have to deal with the rest of our lives. There are many people out there that are desperate to get you, and the children are the easiest way to get to you.”

  “I hope to change that. All I need is one hour, and I am ready to go,” Leila said while standing. Nalick stood with her and grabbed both her arms, forcing her to look him in the eyes.

  “Come back unharmed, please,” Nalick said, trying to read her expression. Leila was calm and unafraid. Determination filled her eyes. “This is not your fault.” He gently kissed her forehead.

  Leila slipped her knives into each strap around her ankles and carefully put four vials in her pocket. Anatolio followed behind her entering into the forest.

  “Be very careful with these,” Leila emphasized. “We need to change the color of your hair since it is the obvious give away as to who you are. I don’t need you to be a target on top of me already being a target. Sit here.” Anatolio kneeled before Leila, and she quickly rubbed the dark color into his blond hair.

  “Was he mad?” she asked about Nikias.

  “Oh, yeah, when Nikias woke up and realized what we did. Lucky for us, he was with Theo and couldn’t get mad at him. Once he calmed down, Theo explained what you had said, and he understood. You gave him a way out, possibly saved his life, and at the same time made it so that Nalick could not get mad at him for not being with you,” Anatolio explained, “Though I think he might still be a little mad at me.”

  “Well he shouldn’t be mad at you. Nikias should be mad at me. I’m the one that told you to do it,” Leila said, finishing his hair. Anatolio stood beside her. With dark hair Anatolio looked like he could be Nalick’s younger brother.

  “You can say that, but really, can he actually get mad at his queen? It is much easier for him to take out his last frustrations on his half-brother,” Anatolio added.

  Leila and Anatolio slipped back into the camp easily. Leila quietly walked through the back of the tent, and Anatolio followed. Aiolos lay in the bed in the last area curtained off from the various women who were also asleep. Leila held herself from laughing out loud thinking of how Anatolio would react if he saw the topless women. Thankfully, the lights had been blown out and they were in complete darkness. Leila placed one vial between her gloves and easily broke it. Anatolio held Aiolos’ arms down, as Leila placed the wet glove across his face. His eyes opened briefly but then they closed again.

  Anatolio helped her carry the king to a nearby tent. Anatolio promptly used the same liquid to make the man inside also fall asleep. Leila quickly began tying Argo up, and Anatolio double checked each knot to make sure he could not escape. Then Leila tied Aiolos up, also, but instead of tying his hands together, she tied them to the base of the bed in the room. Anatolio gagged both the Argo and the king. Leila looked at the half naked king in disgust. Slipping the knife out of her ankle strap she quickly stabbed it through his right hand. Taking a second knife, she stabbed it through his left hand. Anatolio was surprised she could actually follow through with what she told him she was going to do. Leila kneeled before the king and slapped his face waking him up. Groggily Aiolos looked at Leila as his vision came to.

  “My children are not to be touched,” Leila said and stood. Aiolos gazed at her and didn’t understand the meaning until he realized he was tied down. Aiolos carefully looked to his right hand, and he finally understood. Aiolos tried to reply, but he could not speak. Leila turned one last time and stared at him. He could see the hatred in her eyes and was surprised. Through all the years of dealing with her, there was anger, but never hatred.

  “If you ever touch any of my children again, there will be no next time. Just be happy I was in a good mood and decided not to make a point by removing body parts.” Leila walked out the front of the tent with Anatolio close behind and back into the woods. Easily they found their way back to camp.

  “We need to make a statement to all other countries that think they can march in here and just take the queen,” Nikias said, and the second general nodded his head. “She obviously does not want to stay with them, so why do they keep coming for her?”

  “I would not have given up so easy if she turned me down,” Nalick said, understanding the attempts of his fellow kings in winning over Leila by any means possible. Leila walked silently behind him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

  “But I did turn you down,” Leila said from behind him, and he quickly stood and hugged her. “Your forces out number them three to one,” Leila added. “There are weak spots in their perimeter.” Leila drew a map on the ground and marked the gates. She indicated to several spots, “Here, here, and here. Teams of five or less can easily infiltrate and take out the guards at each entrance.” Leila sat down on Nalick’s lap, and he held onto her tightly. Gabor had promised him that if he was able to hang onto her long enough for them to get married he would not have to worry for the rest of his life. It was getting harder the closer they got to the wedding.

  “And Aiolos?” the general asked. “He is there with them, and he will not surrender without a fight. He is one of the best they have.”

  “That is why I will lead the men in,” Nalick replied. Leila shook her head and smiled.

  “He won’t be a problem,” Anatolio said from behind. Nikias stared at his newly dark haired younger brother and could finally see the resemblance between Anatolio and his father.

  “How can you be so certain?” Nikias asked suspiciously.

  “Even if you find him, I don’t think he will quite be in fighting form,” Leila said. “You might want to check the tents around the king’s tent when you finally search through the camp. There should be a man with him that is the one who actually orchestrated the whole kidnapping.” She did not tell anymore. “Be careful as you attack. There are people from the town here being put to work for them. The woman, children, and priests will not fight back. Do not harm them. Some of the men are also from the village, and I’m sure they won’t fight back. Please be careful.” All three men nodded their heads. They did not want to hurt their own countrymen either.

  “My lord,” Nikias said to Nalick, “We should get going as soon as possible to still be able to use the night darkness to cover our men.”

 
; “I’ll be right back,” he said to his men. Nalick stood and scooped Leila up in his arms, walking away with her. Nalick tried to savor one last moment of having her in his arms before he set her down beside a covered cart.

  “Anatolio will stay here with you and Phillip,” Nalick said, motioning to a cart that held Phillip as he slept.

  “I’d rather you stay here,” she replied. “No offense Anatolio,” she said to the young man who was standing near.

  “I will be back as soon as I can,” Nalick said. “Please stay right here and don’t run off.” Leila nodded and pulled him close. Leila did not like the feeling of him running off to fight a battle, and she could not be beside him.

  “Be careful, and don’t do anything stupid,” Leila said before kissing him. She finally understood the feeling he felt when she was kidnapped.

  Nalick wrapped his arms around her. “I promise I will be back soon and in one piece.” Leila nodded and didn’t want him to let go. The whistle behind him made Leila turn.

  “It’s time for me to go,” Nalick said quietly, and she let go of him. Aiolos’ camp would be easy to take over, but people would get hurt and some even killed. She sat and silently watched Nalick strap on armor that Theo handed him as he walked away. He transformed into the king people feared. Viewing the faces of the men passing, she knew for most it was the first time they had gone into a real battle. Leila regretted getting so many people involved, but there was nothing she could do to stop it. Beyond kidnapping the queen of another country, Aiolos had gone into Lior and set up a war camp. Nalick could not ignore this fact and had to respond.

  Leila began to scoot back in the cart to be next to Phillip after the last of the men passed, but Anatolio stopped her.

  “I almost forgot,” Anatolio said digging in his pocket. “Here.” He held up her necklace with her ring from Erich. Anatolio opened the clasp, and she turned and lifted her hair as he put it back on her. “I didn’t know you ever took it off.” Leila shivered as his fingertips brushed the back of her neck. Anatolio’s movements were always gentle with her.

  Leila moved back, lying down beside Phillip and watched him slowly breathe. He was deep asleep. Leila was amazed he could sleep so well after his eventful day. In the quietness she could hear the men talking around the fire but she could not make out their words. In the distance Nalick was fighting, but there was nothing she could do to help. Leila felt her eyes get heavy and she started to drift off to sleep.

  Leila rose at the sound of men returning. From the looks on their faces, everything turned out good for Lior. She cautiously watched each man pass. The men who had been left behind with her seemed disappointed that it was over so quick, and they did not get to participate. Man after man passed, but she saw no sign of Nalick.

  “He won’t be back for a while,” Anatolio said standing near the cart. “The terms of the surrender need to be agreed upon before he will come back. I will wake you if he returns.”

  Leila shook her head. She was not about to get much more sleep than she already had, at least not until Nalick returned. Leila watched as more men returned. Soon Theo returned, and she was happy to see him. Her happiness faded a bit when she saw Nalick was not with him.

  “Oh,” Theo replied. “I wasn’t the one you wanted to see. Nalick is fine. Guess he found Aiolos pinned to a bed with daggers in each of his hands. Seems Aiolos is not saying how that happened.” Theo winked at her, and she played innocent. “The area is secured and prisoners have been apprehended. If you want to join Nalick, he is at King Aiolos’ tent.” Leila stood, but then looked back at her sleeping son.

  “I can stay with him,” Theo offered.

  Leila slowly walked through the woods to the tents. She noticed the distinct change in the air. The eager brutes that had been waiting for a battle got what they wanted and were strewn dead across the way. Leila did her best not to look at the bodies she passed and headed straight to Aiolos’ tent. As she approached, Anatolio moved to open the door to the tent, and she cautiously walked inside. There were no longer woman on the couches but several men chained together. Inside the inner room of the tent Nalick sat with his back to the door Leila entered. Nikias quickly rose and bowed to her, and Nalick turned around and smiled. Leila walked over and quickly hugged him before sitting beside him across the table from Aiolos. Quickly, she checked over him. There wasn’t even a scratch on him. Leila was relieved and held onto his arm as he continued to talk. Nikias continued to write and then handed the paper to Aiolos.

  Aiolos seemed to be unharmed by the daggers Leila had put through his hands. She had purposely missed any major veins as it would do no good to make a statement that she wanted him to spread to his fellow kings if he were dead. Aiolos watched in envy as Leila sat holding onto Nalick. Leila was willingly staying with Nalick. Aiolos took the paper from Nikias. He agreed to give Nalick half the men he had brought with him including any officers that were not killed during the battle, which left him only with a quarter of his force to return home with. Removing the officers would have a lasting affect and keep the border between Lior and Enea safe for years to come.

  “So you turned down all of this?” Nalick asked, gesturing to the lavish tent as Leila and Nalick left together.

  “You know me, just a simple girl. I always kind of felt that this much decoration is trying to make up for a lack of something else,” Leila replied, and he laughed and hugged her. The warrior king was completely gone.

  “It is going to take a few days to clean this all up,” Nalick said, maneuvering Leila away from the dead bodies. “I really should stay here, but you and Phillip can go home. Tim and Ruth are waiting,” Nalick reminded her.

  “Besides, you should have some guests arriving soon.” Leila’s family was coming to visit for her wedding. Her family arriving was making the whole wedding seem more and more real.

  “Are you sure you can’t come back?” Leila asked with a sad face. Nalick scooped her into his arms and kissed up and down her neck while she squirmed.

  “Why do you have to make this so difficult for me?” he asked carrying her back to their camp. Leila held onto Nalick around his neck and rested her head on his chest as he walked. His job was to take care of his country, and due to her, there was quite a mess to clean up.

  “I promise to return as soon as I can,” Nalick vowed. Leila reached up and pulled him close to her. Gently she kissed him and the soldiers walking by cheered. Leila blushed, letting go of him. He set her down in the cart.

  As the cart started moving and several men accompanied her back to Lexia, she climbed back next to Phillip and closed her eyes. She had not slept much the night before worrying about Nalick and the fighting that was going on, but she was more relaxed now that she knew everything was fine. Just before they reached the walls of Lexia, Phillip tapped Leila until she woke up.

  “Mom,” he asked. “Where’s Dad?”

  “He stayed behind to help get everything cleaned up and organized. He will come back as soon as he can, but it might be a few days,” she replied without opening her eyes.

  “So, I guess that means I don’t get my horse then,” Phillip said. Leila opened her eyes and stared at him. Phillip seemed to be unfazed by what had happened to him. She was afraid after he refused to talk, that he was stunned by the events that had taken place, but now she had the same old Phillip in front of her.

  “I promise nothing like that will ever happen again,” Leila said.

  “You were amazing Mom,” he replied back as she hugged him.

  Chapter 28

  Leila was surprised but happy to find her mother and best friend sitting in her home waiting for her to return. They had arrived with Roger and brought Kay’s son Luca with them. Leila had not noticed he was on the balcony playing with Ruth and Tim. When both children saw Leila return, they ran to her as she hugged her own mother.

  “Mommy!” Ruth called.

  “Where were you?” Tim asked as Leila picked up both children.

  “’l
ip,” Ruth sung out on seeing her brother sneaking up the stairs to his room. Leila set Ruth down, and she chased Phillip.

  “Where’s dad?” Tim asked.

  “He’s out with his army. He will probably not be back until tomorrow,” Leila told Tim. Tim contemplated what she said and responded.

  “Next time he should take me with. I’d make a good soldier,” Tim said hopping down and continuing to play with Luca who waved to Leila. Leila was still standing in her traveling clothing she had changed into the night before. Selma recognized her clothing as if Leila had gone on a run for Roger.

  “Go clean up,” Selma said to her daughter. “We’re not going anywhere.”

  “If you see the older one, tell him he should take a bath also,” Leila said, making her way over to the main bath. Elena quickly rushed in the room ahead of her and started the bath water. Leila bathed and returned to the main room to visit her mother and friend.

  “What’s so funny?” Leila asked as Kay began to laugh when Leila walked near.

  “Where did my best friend Leila go? What did you do with her?” Kay asked, jumping up and tugging at Leila’s dress. Leila looked down and laughed with her. Growing up Leila refused to wear dresses and only did so when she was in disguise. Kay had never seen her best friend in a dress if she didn’t have a wig on to go with the ensemble.

  “Does it look bad?” Leila asked, getting self-conscious.

  “No, actually, you look great,” Kay replied, and Selma nodded. “So you have a family now?”

  “Sorry about not writing about the children. Everything has been quite hectic the last two weeks and with yesterday, it just didn’t slow down,” Leila explained as both of her guests nodded. Leila never lived a slow life. They were not surprised in the least.

  “Are you two hungry?” Leila asked her guests.

  “Sure,” Kay said. Kay had been very impressed with their late breakfast and was eager to see what dinner would be.