CHAPTER 6

A loud banging sound of a bell rang throughout the kingdom. 

In the palace gathered the soldiers of the kingdom. A proclamation was made by Robert declaring that no one in the kingdom should be seen outside their homes. The whole kingdom was quiet as the sounds of horses and soldiers marching towards the palace were heard.

As the crowd of soldiers stood waiting for the arrival of the king. The palace was so quiet that a drop of a pin could be heard.

Robert came forth and faced the soldiers, his eyes studying them one after the other. He wore armor along with the other soldiers who stood waiting for his command. Nicholas stood by his side, he looked up, it was still nighttime as the cries of crickets filled their ears.

"Soldiers Of Linerdo!" Robert announced the soldier's eyes fixed on him.

Slowly, Robert gazed around, his eyes hard and stern.

"The kingdom of Dunham has declared war against us and we can't sit and watch King Philip and his men ride upon us. Now, we will take charge of what rightfully belongs to this kingdom even if we have to shed blood" Robert said aloud, a stiff expression of danger on his face.

"Now it's time to fight, the battle line has been Drawn. Soldiers of Linerdo, Victory is ours!" He roared fiercely. 

The crowd of soldiers roared in unison as they held their swords tightly, their voices filling the palace.

Robert got on his horse filled with authority and resentment, his sword firm in his hand. Nicholas did the same, his horse neighing along with the other horses present. The soldiers followed suit, their voices chanting words of vengeance. With stern eyes, Robert kicked his horse which galloped away quickly, running violently along the path. Nicholas and the soldiers did the same, Robert leading the way. The galloping sound of their horses echoed around the kingdom as they passed through the domain and headed east towards the Kingdom of Dunham.

They galloped into the woods as the heavy sound of wild birds filled the thick woods, a cold breeze passing through them. The sound of their horses scampered on the ground, dust filling the air. Rober rode faster with an angry expression, the king of Dunham had insulted his authority and kingship and now it is time to put him where he belongs. 

He yelled at his men to be on alert, the soldiers of Dunham will be taken aback due to their attack. Fierce soldiers are guarding the gate of the kingdom, so they must attack without mercy.

They rode faster and got closer to the gate of the kingdom, their sound galloping faster as the noise startled the soldiers of Dunham whose eyes widened in shock.

With his men behind him, Robert rode towards the soldiers at the gate, swung his sword as he pierced into the heart of a soldier near him. The other soldiers of Dunham tried to attack but their strength was no match compared to the men of Linerdo who attacked them dangerously, piercing swords into them as arrows killed more men who stood by the gate. 

Together with his men, Robert rode inside the kingdom as the cries of villagers filled the air, goods shattered, their legs running for safety as the soldiers of Linerdo began to burn down the houses of the kingdom. 

More soldiers of Dunham ran towards Robert with arrows and swords in their hands. Filled with rage, Robert killed them all as they approached him, blood spilling around. Nicholas killed swiftly, his sword cutting the head of soldiers who ran towards him. His eye, endowed with nothing but danger, his powerful battle skills were no match for any soldiers in Dunham.

The men of Robert continued to burn down more houses, captured women and children who screamed begging for mercy. The war was so deadly as the body of dead soldiers filled the kingdom, blood shredded vigorously.

Robert fought, his eyes evaporating in rage as nothing can be done to quench the resentment in his heart. He heard horses galloping towards him, looking up, he sighted King Philp who rode powerfully towards him, his men following behind, his eyes filled with fury as his long beards added more fright to his face.

As Robert's eyes sighted the old king, intense wrath filled him, his whole body shook in anger as his veins were visible, sprunting out to his dismay.

Nicholas and the remaining soldiers roared in brutal anger and they began to gallop towards the army that rode towards them. 

With swords in their hands, the men of Linerdo killed their enemies showing no mercy. Blood filled the land as the dead men were seen sprunting blood out of their chests.

King Robert and Philip fought mighty as their swords swung against each other, their skin oozing out blood. Robert swung his sharp sword and cut the beards of the old King. Endowed in rage, King Philip tried to attack but Robert was smart enough to move away, his sword tightly in his hand. Seeing that he was no match to the young king, King Philip galloped into the woods, faster than he had ever ridden before. Robert chased after him violently, his horse cried out as it hunted the old king who rode deeper into the thick and dark woods. 

"Stop running away from your war King Philip, Face me and don't run, you blistering coward!, I will make sure I cut off your head and take it along with me to my kingdom as a sign of victory" Robert cried out as his horse galloped faster chasing the old king.

King Philip turned back and sighted Robert almost beside him. He hits his horse so hard that it runs faster into the dark woods, the sound of the night birds piercing through him.

Robert chased him more, his horse running at great speed. He noticed that the pace of the old king's horse began to slow down. With a hardened expression, Robert rode nearer, his horse closer to the old priest. Realizing he was close enough, Robert jumped on king Philp's horse gripping the old king by the throat. The horse neighed in fright as it threw them down to the ground and galloped away quickly along with Robert's horse. 

The two kings cramped against the ground, sand covering their faces. 

King Philip struggled with the young king but his strength was nothing compared to his.

Holding the old king tightly, Robert hits him across his face as blood trickles down his mouth, a tooth pulling out as more blood oozes out. With fury In his eyes, Robert hits him more across his face, King Philip begins to bleed profusely from his nostrils. The old king's strength began to hinder, his face filled with his blood. 

Blood trickled down his forehead, his strength dying slowly as Robert hit him, his hand filled with blood. 

King Philip coughed out blood as it spilled on Robert's face adding more anger to the young king. 

Slowly, King Philip brought out his dagger from his breast pocket, and before Robert would realize it, King Philip pierced deep into his heart as Robert's blood spilled on his face.

Robert's eyes flew wide open in shock. He stared at the old king who smiled revealing his blood-stained teeth.

Slowly, Robert looked down at the dagger in his heart, his blood pouring out to his dismay. An intense pain filled him as his veins popped up in great agony. He closed his eyes as he tried to fight the pain but the anguish in him was so fierce that his whole body shook in great misery.

He looked at King Philip who tried to stand up, his face beaming with smiles. Robert's heart pace began to lessen, his eyes flickering around as he tried to withstand the pain. He groaned loudly, his eyes shut as his teeth shattered, with the last strength left in him, he quickly took his sword by his side, and before King Philip could react, Robert cut off his head as thick blood splashed on his face. His head rolled down the grass and stopped near a tree, blood trickling down the grass as the ground was soaked in his pool of blood.

Robert's eyes glared in utmost pain, groaning, he held his chest as he tried to remove the dagger stuck in his heart but the severe agony that gripped him made him scream, his cries echoed through the dark woods. Slowly he began to crawl as his heartbeat began to slow down, his strength going away from him. With weak eyes, he looked up at the sky realizing it's almost sunrise. He held his chest, veins sprunting out as it became visible on his forehead.

Gradually, his heart began to drop, he was going, leaving this world for the other, his blood gushed out more from his chest, there was no time left for him anymore, his breath lessened as seconds passed by. Not able to hold it anymore, his eyes gradually began to close, with his body facing upward to the open sky, Robert breathed his last as he fell into a deep but departing slumber.