Raging Bulls?

"Raging bulls?"

"Raging bulls." Enistelle's most trusted advisor, Relan, confirms.

That might be the worst gift anyone has ever given her.

Besides the nugatory metal sailboat Tass got her all those years ago. The metalworker had specially made it for the young princess.

Queen Enistelle's birthday was yesterday yet there are still festivities and gifts going around. The Prince of Nesal, who's her age and has been trying to win her hand, gave her the weirdest birthday present known to mankind; raging bulls.

Very weird, but uniquely so. Everyone else has only given her useless ruby earrings and impractical heeled boots and pointless tapestries. Angry bulls are certainly irregular.

This, once again, reminded her of Tass. That stupid fool looks at everything like it's useful. No doubt the pest would've found a use for the enraged animals by now, Enistelle thinks.

But surely they must mean something. Prince Kasuv may try to be as manly as men can be, but he cannot help the thoughtfulness that comes with growing up with just a mother. His father died when he was three, and his mother took no king after that. Proof love lives on after death. Or maybe proof the queen just used him to have an heir.

Enistelle continues to brainstorm possible uses for the bulls, and but nothing comes up.

She takes another sip of her tea, and finally speaks to Relan, who's waiting patiently.

"Escort him here, Relan. Let us have him explain himself."

The tall advisor snorts as he strides out the door. "The poor satis probably thinks they will be useful protection for your majesty." He says, using the Layon word for fool.

The Queen chuckles. Relan hails from Layoino, a kingdom where humor is treasured... and men are slaves. He fled Layoino and came to Binhi, where he was taken in by the then advisor. Relan apprenticed with Saono and grew closer with Enistelle, and when Saono and the king and queen died at sea, Relan became the newest advisor and Enistelle's closest confidant.

The present queen ponders Kasuv's character. He does seem like the type to leave furious bulls as a present. But he certainly doesn't think they will provide protection against enemy kingdoms? Measily irate bulls?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That's exactly what he thinks.

"My toronas are splendid!" Kasuv says, using his Nation's word for bulls. "I believe they'll be a very valuable asset in your army and personal guard."

The young female ruler cannot help but laugh at the proposition.

"Truly?" She squeaks out, tears coming to her eyes. She can't help it. But when Kasuv's face falls, she realizes her msitake.

"I'm sincerely sorry my dear prince." Enistelle apologizes. "But you can admit it's rather funny suggestion, considering the new "nukes" countries are making." The nuclear bombs are a new character in the book called war. A dangerous character. They were introduced by Gano in the fight against Sorsis, and they wiped out 10,000 soldiers. Some of the soldiers their own. It's such a cruel weapon, and Enistelle would never resort to using it unless she has to. Even so, she has her scientists studying the material of the weapons and making them if that day does come.

"What are mad bulls to do against those?" She asks.

To her relief he seems to understand where she's coming from, and even starts to smile again.

"I'm really glad you asked that question your highness!" The prince draws in a breath, ready to launch into a long explanation like an excited boy telling his mother about his first day at school... and pauses. Kasuv throws a look to his superior, as if asking if it's ok.

Enistelle smiles with approval.

"Our bulls aren't ordinary bulls you see. Yes, they are extraordinarily apoplectic, but not just that." Kasuv pauses again for dramatic effect. "They're.... genetically enhanced!"

The monarch's eyebrows raise about 40 inches off of her head. Much like the nuclear bombs, if this got out to the rest of the world, if would mean chaos. Unless it's uselessly genetically enhanced of course.

Still, she doesn't believe him. Enistelle has seen many crazy things (most of them courtesy of Tass), but the prospect of this is just too much.

The queen consort knows the risk, but despite pushing most people away and not trusting anybody- save for Relan -she finds herself drawn to Kasuv. Similar to the way she was drawn to Tass. But look where it got the idiot.

"Could you show me?" She inquiries.

The male royal lights, and it looks like that's the exact question he wanted her to ask.

"Of course milady! I would love nothing more!"

Kasuv gets up and opens the door to the room. He then calls out, "Come here Franles!"

Maybe he's not as different as I thought, Enistelle groans in her head while taking another sip of her tea. Getting his little servants to bring the raging and genetically enhanced bulls that he probably didn't help make to show and impress the queen.

What she didn't expect is a large, furry, and slightly orange bull to come lumbering in, and mildly vexed look on his face.

Kasuv pats the giant animal's head. "This is the one I made; the blueprint for the rest."

The sovereign dang near spits her tea out.

She coughs a few times before swallowing.

"So they listen to certain commands?" Enistelle asks.

The prince grins. "Yes! And on a command from my mother, me, and eventually you, they can follow anyone's orders in battle. The opposing team could ultimately be turning the tide on themselves!" Attack! is a very popular war cry. A kingdom could be ruining it's own chances.

The queen stares at the angry bull, the green glow of it's eyes reminding her of the green light Tass would shine on her window at night to wake her up for another stupid night adventure. With just words, this lone creature could wipe out twenty men in seconds.

"I already coded what to do when he hears your name." Kasuv breaks the silence.

"You did?" Enistelle asks, a slight smile coming across her face.

He nods, and averts his eyes, looking nervous. There was really no need to be. The worst thing she could do is reject him. And to her surprise, she didn't want to do that.

"Say it."

Kasuv's pretty golden eyes lock on her, confused. " 'Scuse me?"

"Say it. Say my name." Enistelle clarifies, sure of herself.

He bites his lip. His eyes look like they water before he blinks and they're clear again. "Uh... yeah."

Kasuv turns to the horned animal, now looking unsure. Franles doesn't move, doesn't even blink, waiting for orders.

The prince huffs a breath and mutters something the monarch can't discern, but sounds awfully close to sorry, before saying her name, voice cracking,

"Enistelle."

At first, nothing happens, and then all of a sudden the bulls eyes seems to have life, looking straight at the queen and charging so fast she doesn't have time to scream.

The very tips of Franles' horns impale her neck, and the plot finally comes to light.

This bull and Kasuv were sent to kill her, and saying her name was the invitation for her to die. The Dailan family has no other relatives, and once it is known that she's dead, her entire kingdom will plunge into chaos. They will try to find another queen, and while her country is vulnerable like that, the Queen of Nesal will attack. She will most definitely win, and once the throne falls to her, supporters of Enistelle (there are many) will never be safe. And Kasuv will probably wed some docile princess.

But Enistelle wasn't thinking of that. The only thought on her mind was how he never loved her. She was just the king to be taken in the game of chess. Much like Tass.

As all her memories run by, Enistelle's mind pauses on the night when she didn't see the familiar green light shining on her window, so she ventured out herself. Enistelle went to the place she knew she would find the blacksmith. And what did she see in the old stables Tass had specifically deemed their place? The imbecile tousling with another girl. The moron pleaded with her and tried to get her to understand the situation, but by the smirk the girl she couldn't remember the name of threw her, she knew exactly what the situation was. She ordered both of their (private) executions the next morning. And while she does regret loving the buffoon, she doesn't regret letting the buffoon love her, however fake it might've been. Those two months she made some her best memories.

Tears well up in Enistelle's eyes. She misses the stupid dolt. So much. And she thought loving Kasuv would fill the hole drilled in her heart. And it did, until she made the biggest mistake of her now ending life. She should've known that he didn't truly love her. Nobody does. They're all just looking for a way to the crown. You can never trust anybody as a monarch, Enistelle thinks, the poison filling her body and eating her from the inside.

But still, her last thoughts as the internal flames fully set her on fire, as the life drains from her, as Kasuv watches her, eyes wet, and as the raging bull looks up at her dully not really understanding what's happening, are:

I love you Kasuv. And I love you still Tass.

Proof love lives on after death. Or maybe proof love gets you nowhere.