Wura sighed in relief when she found Liam not to far away speaking to a large host of troops that had just arrived. She was even more relieved when she saw Zuph, Luc and Elihu with him as well.
Wura felt like her entire life was coming crashing down all in one day.
"Liam." She called. Liam heard his name being called but he ignored her and continued to give his orders.
This simple gesture of his was quick to catch the attention of Luc, Zuph and Elihu who dismounted their horses.
"My queen, are you alright?" Elihu asked, he walked to her and she nodded.
"I am alright Elihu, I am just fine, how are you three?" she asked, she was trying to focus right now but her eyes kept on drifting to Liam, he was ignoring her as if she did not exist and it broke her heart more and more.
"We are alright, luckily your husband made such a dramatic entrance and saved us all." Elihu laughed.
Wura tried her best to laugh but it came out dry and more forced than she had intended it to.
"My queen, are you alright?" Zuph asked, he did not know why, but she seemed sad and Liam well... he was not acting in the manner they thought he would when they finally reunited. If you asked him, there was more distance between them than before.
"I am alright Zuph... I am alright." Wura said, they were in a dire situation right now. It was better she not tell them anything, she did not want to worry about them apart from that, she did not want them hating her just like everyone else did.
"Are you sure my queen? You seem a bit shaken." Luc asked.
"I am alright." Wura insisted.
"Leave her majesty alone Luc, she says she is alright so, she is alright." Elihu said. Luc frowned, he did not think so. There was something strange going on and he just did not know what it was.
"Alright... your majesty, where is Mero? I cannot find him anywhere." Luc said he looked around, up and down and Mero was nowhere to be found which was odd considering he and Wura were always together, always.
"Mero he... he..." Wura did not know how best to put it, she looked down at her feet causing the three of them immediate worry.
"He got hurt... he was shot by an arrow because he was trying to protect me." Wura said, she could not even say the words without tearing up.
Elihu, Luc and Zuph's eyes went wide. Mero never got hurt, he never, and even when he did, he would muster all his strength and continue fighting till the end. So for him to not be present, it meant that the extent of his injury was very grave.
"Where is Nora?!" Zuph instantly asked in a panic, his eyes darted around, he was scared, if Mero was down, what about Nora.
"Do not worry, she is fine, she was not hurt, neither of us were, only him." Wura assured quickly, she could see the panic and Zuph's eyes.
"Alright." Zuph sighed in relief. Elihu looked at him, he frowned and shook his head, instead of first asking for the wellbeing of their longtime friend and fellow knight, the first person his mind went to was Nora.
"And Mero? How serious is his wound?" Elihu asked.
"I do not know, but the arrow did hit him deeply, he is currently with the physicians and I am sure that if we have not heard any bad news by now, then everything is alright." Wura said in a quick breath.
"I agree, I am sure Mero will recover soon, he is a very strong man." Luc replied, he nodded.
"I hope so." Elihu said under his breath.
Wura walked to Liam as soon as he stopped talking to the troops.
"Liam." She called, he ignored her and continued walking.
"Liam!" She called again, she ran ahead and stood in front of him blocking his way.
"Please Liam, we need to talk to each other, please." Wura pleaded with him once again.
Elihu, Luc and Zuph were confused when they saw this interaction between Liam and Wura. Liam's attitude especially worried them. This was the complete opposite of what they expected his reaction to be.
"I have told you continuously, we cannot talk, no, not right now." Liam stated sternly.
Wura sighed, at least he did not say that they would not talk later. If she had to wait, she would wait for him until he was ready to speak to her.
"Wait." She called again.
"What? What is it again?" he asked, he sighed, he was not ready for this. The more he saw her, the sadder he became.
"Wait Liam, tell me what exactly your plan is?" asked Wura, she wanted to know. She knew that she could not stop him, but she believed that she would feel more relieved if he at least informed her about what he was going to do.
She felt more relieved once she saw the troops arrive as well as Elihu, Luc and Zuph were here.
Liam sighed, he looked at Wura, he knew that she would not leave neither let him be until she got what she wanted which led him to say what he preferred not to say.
"I cannot tell you that Wura, for your own good, but for this all to end, Olamide has to die, since you say he is the leader" said Liam simply.
Wura gasped, she knew that this was the only war for peace to reign, however, she was never a supported of violence.
"Liam, yes he is the leader, and I understand that this is the only way to end all of this." She sighed. "But Liam you cannot just go out there, you do not know what or who you are facing" said Wura.
"You know nothing about the way he fights, you do not know if he has planted traps out there, how can you be so sure it will be easy to kill him?" she asked, this was what worried her most. Liam had been gone for such a long time, she did not think he had engaged in combat for a long while and she did not doubt his skills, however, she did not think he was well versed as he used to be.
"Look Wura, I do not want to do this with you right now, we are not going to argue about this in such a delicate time like this" said Liam sighed. He covered his face with his hand. This was not how he wished for their first meeting to go. It had just been trouble, torment and sadness one after the other.
"I am not arguing with you Liam?! I just want to understand, and if that sounds like arguing, then so be it." Wura frowned.
"Every single moment we waste arguing here is more than enough time for the East to get an edge over us, and that is not going to happen again" said Liam.
"Fine, fine, and I agree, I agree completely." Wura said.
"But... can you just hear me for a moment? Let me make a suggestion." Wura said.
"Go on." Liam replied, the sooner they stopped arguing, the better.
"Since Elihu, Zuph and Luc are here as well as your troops, and this is just a suggestion. How about you send them to go ahead and you stay back?" as soon as Wura said those words his face contorted into an ugly frown.
"I mean, you have only just returned, you might not be as skilled as you think you are, you have not fought in a long time." Wura explained further.
"So you are suggesting that as king, I should sit here and send my men out there into the battlefield where danger is certain and I allow them go and I stay behind like a coward?" he sounded so offended. Wura had not intended for it to come across like that.
"It is for your own safety." Wura said.
"You really do not understand anything Wura! I am king, which king stays back and sends his men instead to get killed? Well a cowardly one, and I am not one of those kings. I am going out there whether you like it or not." He said gravely.
Wura sighed, it seemed that no matter what she said she was not getting through to him and she knew the reason why, he was hurt... she was hurt too, they were all hurt and there was no time for her to clearly explain everything and end all the negative speculations in his head.
"I am not sending anyone else out alone, I will follow my troops and lead them like a good king would." Liam said.
"Fine... then let me go with you." Wura said.