A Cautious Leader

 

The stars were spilling into the evening sky. 
    Across the city of Tavash, the ivory towers climbed into the heavens. The castle was large and grand, with ivy-covered brick walls that added to its grandeur. A moat circled the outer walls, with three inner gates made to protect the palace gardens. Terraces littered the towers with windows and standing ways for patrols and royals to observe the valley. Knights stood at posts around the clock. 
    On the highest terrace of the northern tower, a large man stood and watched his Kingdom. His bejeweled hands wrapped around the stone balcony. At his side hung a large gem-encrusted sheath. Dark magic flowed through the blade inside. 
    The man was a beast by human standards. He stood 7 feet tall, with shoulders the size of a normal man's head and arms strong enough to lift the largest of warriors. His fine silk robes were pristine and embroidered with lavish silk and gold thread. His dark-colored skin and shaved head were signs of stoicism and calm among his people. A crown of the finest gold and rubies sat upon his head.
    The King watched over his people. His eyes darted between the posted guards and the travelers across the valley. Torches filtered through the darkening streets, and sconces and lanterns lit the homes of the people he tended to. He was a strong king who held power unlike any other over his people. He exuded an aura that provided his people with a sense of safety and stability. No threat could attack their empire as long as he stood guard.
    Even with the entire battalion watching over the city, King Leonidas always considered himself the final defense against any threat. If any dares to attack him.
    "Any day now," He told himself. His deep voice rumbled in his chest as he spoke. His eyes kept to the horizon as the sun set upon the valley. The moon and stars finished their entrance as the sun bid farewell to Tavash. 
    He stood ready for any sign of threat or hazard. The royal seer was never wrong. Every foresight she had caught with her magic was always accurate. Never once had she faltered or given an incorrect vision.
    The seer had told King Leonidas a vision earlier in the day that worried him. Made his skin cold with anxiety and fear. Refusing to show it, he stood out in the moonlight to commit to his nightmare.
    The seer saw something in her nightly dreams. The same dreams that told them prophecies. Thread the fabrics of fate and reality together.
    A dream of disaster was soon to befall Tavash within three days.
    "I need to gather some people to investigate this matter," He said aloud. "If I explore alone, I may leave suspicion amongst my people. Nobody could protect this Kingdom without my presence. Yet, I can't allow any royal guards to speak of this. Too many prying eyes and open mouths amongst the close ranks of men and women who protected this city. Chaos would ensue for sure. His people would panic. 
    "Father?" A young voice asked.
    The King turned. Behind him, a young girl appeared in the watchtower's chambers. The moonlight broke over her skin, revealing her dark brown eyes and long black hair tied in a braid with a silk ribbon. She stood in a bedazzling white dress that skipped across her feet as she walked. She stepped toward the King and embraced him. "When are you leaving the tower?" she asked. I need my nightly story."
    The King chuckled. His nightmare stepped into the background momentarily as he embraced the girl and picked her up. Holding her in his arms with ease, he kissed her forehead. "Sazara, you should've been asleep by now. The sun is gone, child."
    "Not without my story, Father," She told him.
    He held her closely and squeezed her. "Then a story you shall receive." 
    Bringing her into the inner recesses of the tower, the King took one last look over his shoulder at his people. His Kingdom.
    Even as he left the tower through the castle door and descended the spiraling staircases lit by torches, a thought crept into his mind, making his spine cold.
    A threat was coming for Tavash. One that could ruin his Kingdom forever.