Page 21 of Ensii
Chapter Six
Talitha watched the strangers—men and women who had lived under her rule for perhaps her entire life—rush into the dark to do her and Ashek’s bidding. She gave the order for their column to continue advancing and the warriors around her caught up in a moment. The ensaak and Ashek fell into step behind the first two rows of shields, not looking at one another.
“How did these people know you were coming?” Talitha ground out from the corner of her mouth.
“I don’t know. This world works in mysterious ways.”
Talitha grunted in response. “I’m beginning to feel I’m conquering my city, not liberating it.”
“The two are often interchangeable,” Ashek admitted. “Depending on one’s point of view.”
Talitha adjusted the band of her shield across her chest. “I just want Naram and Nehemian dead and my city back.”
“I just want a place where my people need not fear for their lives every second.”
“I can’t tell if you are rebuking me or not.” They were in earshot of the shieldbearers around them, yet none of the Hudspethites or Ilians acknowledged their words.
“I’m not. I want you to know we aren’t as different as you might think.”
“You’ve said that before.”
“It’s still true.”
They marched onward, down the streets and toward the palace. Up ahead, Talitha caught shouting. She and those around her tensed, then she caught the words.
“Ensaak Talitha has returned! Welcome our rightful liege!” The cry was repeated over the rooftops and curtains dragged back as sleepy heads peered out of upper story windows. There were screams of terror, but also cries of jubilation.
“Ensaak Talitha has returned! Make way! Make way! Down with the pretender!”
Talitha couldn’t see the crier and nor could she see how many of them there were. As her forces approached the palace, their column grew.
Dozens, then hundreds of city folk scrambled to join them, wearing their humble street clothes, still bedraggled with sleep. The villagers hung back, shouting that Talitha had returned, that she would cast down the weak pretender. They kept a good distance from the soldiers, but their cries could no doubt be heard across the city. From elsewhere in the distance, similar chants and cheers began to rise. So much for their original plan of stealth.
Up ahead, Talitha recognized the avenue that would lead them into the palace. It wasn’t far now.
“Answer me one thing before we reach the palace.”
Ashek tensed, as if bracing himself for a blow. “I’ll try.”
“How long as this plan been in place?”
“What plan?”
“To marry me and find a place in Ilios.”
Ashek was quiet.
“Hurry, husband. The palace draws near.”
“I didn’t plan to survive Radir, Talitha. I had hoped you would take them in.”
“Then when you did?”
“You weren’t in danger any longer. I had to put them first again.” Ashek spoke softly, but his words were flat, frank. He wasn’t shying from the truth as she had expected.
“I see,” Talitha said. She believed him. Talitha turned her attention ahead to where the ranks of the city folk were swelling. Some of them had picked up sticks, staves, and shovels, odds and ends that approximated weapons.
The city folk rushed ahead, screaming from every direction. Talitha heard her and Ashek’s names shouted again and again from the streets, the rooftops, and from inside shuttered houses.
