FARHAYVEN: VENGEANCE by S. K. Ng Page A

woman stared longingly at him and stroked one of his ears continuously. In front of the throne were positioned three banquet tables arranged in the form of columns, filled with numerous well-built, savage-looking men.
     
         The man on the throne grabbed a piece of barbequed limb from a table by his side and started to rip off chunks of meat from it with his teeth, chewing viciously before swallowing.
         “Progress report, Battlelord Constrictor ! ” he demanded.
         “King Fangstrike, the progress is good. My men, all five ‘heads’ of them, are well trained and ready for battle. My swordsmen can split wooden shields with one strike and my archers can hit a target 600 paces away. My Grand Catapult crews can launch massive boulders into targets 3,000 paces away and smash them into a pile of dust. All faulty equipment have been repaired or replaced. Sufficient provisions have been stocked up for the campaign as well. We’re ready to move on your orders, my king ! ” said the battlelord, who was seated on the middle banquet table.
         The other 30 savage-looking men paid no attention to Battlelord Constrictor, being too engrossed in the scrumptiousness of their dinner.
     
         King Fangstrike nodded his head in satisfaction.
         “Well done, battlelord ! You’ll leave at dawn, and don’t return without the slaves ! ” he ordered, ripping another chunk of meat into his mouth.
          “Your command will be my purpose, King Fangstrike ! ” acknowledged Battlelord Constrictor.
     
         King Fangstrike turned his gaze slightly to his right.
         “Battlelord Spitvenom ! ” called the king.
         “Yes, King Fangstrike ? ” answered a savage-looking man who sat back to back with Battlelord Constrictor on the table to the king’s right.
         “I’ve heard that you’re unhappy with this plan, is that true ? ” asked King Fangstrike.
         “It’s true ! ” answered Battlelord Spitvenom.
         “How dare you speak to your king in that tone ! ” yelled the woman who was seated across the king’s lap.
         “Queen Diamondboa, the affairs of the kingdom are for the discretion of men and are none of yours ! ” reminded Battlelord Spitvenom.
         “How dare you ! I’m your queen ! ” said the woman furiously.
         “Enough of that, my love. A battlelord is highly valued in our society. Let him speak,” said King Fangstrike to his queen.
         “King Fangstrike, as I’ve said earlier, this raid is unnecessary. We have plenty of nomads whom we can enslave. Why should we bother to conduct a raid into Free Falls ? The Fallsians will fight back. Our men will get killed. The nomads won’t fight back. They never have. It’s easy picking. Why waste our resources on Fallsian slaves ? Besides, Fallsian slaves aren’t durable. They die too easily ! ” said Battlelord Spitvenom.
     
         The other battlelords broke into laughter. So did the king.
         “Well said, Battlelord Spitvenom ! But you’ve forgotten that Free Falls was born from the nomads who dared to defy our predecessors. The Fallsians must continuously be made an example of, or otherwise, our nomads will be inspired by their ancestors’ example and rebel against us,” the king pointed out.
         “Very well, King Fangstrike ! I concede that I was erroneous in my thoughts ! ” surrendered Battlelord Spitvenom.
         “Is there anyone else who is unhappy with this plan ? ” asked the king.
         All the battlelords sat silent and still.
     
         Queen Diamond Boa nibbled at the king’s ear.
         “What of the old and the sick, my love. Surely they make poor workers in the mine and distasteful playthings in your bed,” whispered Queen Diamond.
         “Hold ! ” shouted the king.
         Everyone present in the throne room froze again. Now all eyes were upon the king.
         “Battlelord Constrictor, kill the old