Perquisite

Chapter 2.

The following morning. Birds were chirping, and the crystal clear river was bubbling in excitement. The sun had not arise but it was fairly bright. The lush green grass was wet with dew and thin blades of grass cradled his body. His eyes were wide and soulless, body almost as white and cold as snow. He must have been dead for a few hours. Rajdeep knelt beside the General's dead body. His men stood around him, unsure how to feel about the situation. All except one. Pankaj. It wasn't surprising, Pankaj was always the last to rise. Rajdeep examined the General, The right corner of his mouth had dried up froth.    

The general wore a dark cotton nightshirt and nothing else. The nightshirt wasn't long enough to cover his hairy horse c**k. His body laid dangerous close to Rajdeep and Pankaj's teepee. He was a mere foot and a half from it. The General's teepee was on the far left of the riverbank, near a canopy of bamboo trees. Their's was the furthest from the river, 10 feet behind everyone else's.     

The General's cause of death was....judging by a small bump on his neck, poison from an insect. His cousin, Salman, covered his body after Rajdeep closed his eyes. Good riddances. Each man paid their respects before Salman and the Bhatt brothers carried the body back to Jahrathaar. It would be a two week's journey. While everyone bathed in the river, Rajdeep crawled into his teepee beside Pankaj. Pankaj laid on the left side of the teepee, his eyes were closed but Rajdeep knew he wasn't sleep. He laid on his side facing Rajdeep. He had a thick white blanket wrapped tightly around his shoulders and feet like a cocoon. Rajdeep pulled down a thin cloth that covered the entrance of the teepee before laying down on his bear rug and his foul feathered pillow. He stared at Pankaj's innocent looking face. It was only a facade. "I didn't expect you to kill him so soon." Rajdeep said, in a low voice. Pankaj smiled, his eyes remained closed.     

"Neither did I but....what's done is done and I regret nothing." He stated, slowly opening his soulless eyes.     

"How did you do it?"    

Pankaj blinked, his eyes studying Rajdeep's face. "Are you sure you want to know?"     

No. "Yes." Rajdeep lied.     

"A dart laced in a king cobra's venom." He simply said. The two stared at share other. "Do I scare you, your Grace?"    

Sometimes. "No. Should I be?"     

Pankaj grinned. "No....the real real threat is beyond the river." He stated. "I just hope you know what you're bring us into."    

"They're just myths, I'm sure of it."    

"What if they're not? What if those things we were told as children were true? That demons are what inhabit Ghanna." His eyes became wide and it scared the s**t out of Rajdeep. Rajdeep was a master of hiding is emotions, being able keep his face neutral in any situation was one of his talents he's most proud of. He's afraid of what lurked in Ghana but he fears Pankaj more than anything. Rajdeep didn't know what about Pankaj that scared him the most. Could it be those dark soulless eyes, how agile he is or the fact that he had more hidden daggers around his person than any assassin Rajdeep has ever came across. "Raj?" Pankaj whispered, pulling Rajdeep out of his thoughts. He spoke Rajdeep pet name in a friendly tone that made Rajdeep uneasy.    

Rajdeep blinked. "There are no demons just stories to keep people away." He declared. Pankaj lowered his extremely dark, fine but long eyelashes. "If I'm not mistaken I'd say you seem afraid." He teased.    

Pankaj opened his eyes and said. "I'm not afraid of dying. I just rather not waste my life dying for a power hungry king." His words cut Rajdeep like knifes. He's really starting to piss me off.    

"You should be careful of what you say and how you talk to me." Rajdeep tone was dry and  hinted at his irritation but he kept his face neutral.    

"I should....but if I don't say it, who will?"     

"You bluntness is going to get you killed."    

Pankaj smiled." And I'll welcome that dumbass who thinks he can kill me with two daggers wedged deep into his ass." Rajdeep rolled his eyes and turned his back to him. Rajdeep heart raced when Pankaj rolled behind him and rest his head on his shoulder. "What do you intend to do with Ghanna when you 'conquer' it?" Pankaj didn't press himself against Rajdeep, which he was more than thankful for.     

"What do you mean?"     

"Are you going establish a whole new city, market or whatever or is it just for the sake of having it?" Pankaj questioned.  Pankaj lifted his head when Rajdeep rolled onto his back.     

To be perfectly honest I've never really thought of about what I was going to do. My main goal is to conquer and when it has come to pass, I'll figure it out with the help of my councilmen.    

"I'm not certain." He confessed. Pankaj c****d his head. He frowned.    

"May I suggest something?" Asked Pankaj. Rajdeep nodded.     

"Leave Ghanna alone." He said, eerily. Rajdeep frowned. Excuse me? "All due.... um respect.... I guess.... your Grace..... there has to be a  reason for all those rumors. True or otherwise. It's not safe", Pankaj replied shortly after.    

"I told you they're just myths." Rajdeep insisted.     

"I don't believe they are....well the majority is but Ghanna is definitely dangerous."     

"Well if you're scared go back to Emery!" Rajdeep hissed. Pankaj rubbed Rajdeep stubbled head, sighing.    

"One of these days I'm going to slap some sense into you." Rajdeep's brows furrowed, "don't get angry with me...you damn well deserve it. And I can't go back to Emery until I hold up my part of our deal and you do the same."    

"I will—"    

"Not if you die you won't." Pankaj irrupted him.    

"I have you to protect me."     

Pankaj smiled and rested his chin on     

his palm. "Of course you do but I'm just one man and I'm a mortal, I can't only do so much."    

"I will be grateful either way." Rajdeep confessed. Pankaj sucked his teeth.    

"Being grateful doesn't pay taxes. You can shove that up your ass."     

-    

Two hours after dawn.    

The men stood at the river bank, in rows of six. They were dressed in the armor. The steel glittering in the sunshine. Rajdeep and Pankaj stood in the front. Pankaj glared at Rajdeep." For Ishvaal!" Rajdeep yelled.    

"For Ishvaal!" The men yelled except Pankaj. Pankaj rolled his eyes, cursing under his breath.    

"Onward!" Rajdeep yelled. The first row was the first to take a step into the roaring, freezing cold water. Rajdeep was about to take another step but  Pankaj arm pressed against his chest stopped him.    

Rajdeep looked at him. "I know we're going to die and everything but I would rather we die like intelligent men." Pankaj grumbled. "Everyone back on the bank." Pankaj ordered standing in front of everyone, pushing them back to at least ten feet from the bank. They muttered to amongst themselves. Pankaj unsheathed his sword and chopped down a bamboo tree. His sword wasn't as sharp as Ranbir's but it was definitely affective. The tree fell at their feet, missing Ranbir's head by a mere inch. Pankaj cut a two foot piece of the bamboo. He measured where the middle was, then tied the rope around the middle.    

Ranbir was the first to speak." What are you going to do with that?" He asked, pointing at the rest of the bamboo.    

Pankaj looked at what he was pointing at, he finish tying he rope to the bamboo." Nothing."    

"That's wasteful—"    

"That's wasteful." Pankaj said, mimicking Ranbir. "Shut up and hand me the ropes for our teepees. All of you."    

"If we give it to you, what we'll we use to set up our teepees?" Asked Ramesh Guha.    

"Do you want to drown?" He shook his head. "Then hand them to me."      

Ramesh opened his mouth to protest but Rajdeep said. "Do what he says."     

After tying all the roped together, Pankaj made sure each knot was secure before standing up.  He stood the the bank, surveying his surroundings. He began to swing the end with the bamboo, he swung it with a force that made the other men step back. He toss it but it missed his target. Two rocks protruding over the river by Ghana with a small space between them. It took him five attempts to get the bamboo anywhere near the rocks. After his fifteenth try he finally got the bamboo where he wanted it. Pankaj pulled on the rope with his strength, ensuring that it was sturdy. He tied the other end around his waist. Pankaj turned to his companions to see..... sitting. Some were huddled together, one was having a nap, some pulled blades of glass and the others stared back at him. Pankaj put his finger into his mouth and whistled. The napping man jumped up and soon ended up tumbling over. That one being, Bhuvan.  Ranbir cackled, pointing at the fallen man.     

Rajdeep watched as Pankaj walked over to help him up. Bhuvan saw it was him and pulled his arm out of Pankaj hands. "Don't touch me fresh blood!" Bhuvan hissed. Pankaj drop his hands to his side. Pankaj stared down at him but said nothing. Pankaj eyes then met Rajdeep.     

"Your people, your Grace." He mouthed.    

-    

The journey across the river was an success. A couple of the men almost drowned and or was almost was taken by the tide but when they worked as one they made it. Rajdeep and the others stared at Ghanna's undergrowth. They were dripping wet and was unsure whether or not or to go any further. Rajdeep turned to his men, he could tell they were scared. He was too. He unsheathed his sword. "For Ishvaal!" He screamed with his sword in the air.    

The men tore their gaze to his face. Ranbir was the first to draw his sword. "For Ishvaal!" Reluctantly, the rest followed. "For ishvaal! For Ishvaal! For Ishvaal!" The men screamed.    

Rajdeep turned to Ghanna. His face grew serious, lips in a sneer. For me. "Onward!" His screamed, pointing his swords at the undergrowth. He marched ahead and they followed. Once Rajdeep was inside, he let out a huge sigh of relief. It was beautiful and so green. He smiled. He looked of his shoulder to find Pankaj chasing a snake. Ranbir grabbed Pankaj, Pankaj hissed at him.    

"Your making it get away." Pankaj whined. Rajdeep chuckled.    

"Keep it together, Aden, you'll have time to add to your collection later." He said. Pankaj sighed. Pankaj looked around at the tree forming a canopy, above their heads. It was very humid. "I told you....they're myths." Pankaj looked at him.     

"My opinion is the same. We should leave while we still can."     

"Let's go." Rajdeep said, ignoring him. They marched ahead their eyes wondering in amazement. Sweat beading down their temples, bugs nibbling at their exposed flesh. An hour worth of walking later they stumbled upon a small water fall. The stream it fed was five feet deep. They stopped to fill their flasks. All except Pankaj. Pankaj stood in the middle of the stream staring ahead. Rajdeep looked up at him. Pankaj looked tense, his face was serious and eyes fixated on the other side of the stream. "Pankaj?" The wind howled. Pankaj flinched.    

"You scar—" was the last thing Ranbir said when an arrow tore through his neck. Ranbir spat out blood before collapsing back onto the bank.  Before anyone was able to draw the swords, arrows flew from all directions through the undergrowth. The men began to fall left and right. Pankaj had pulled Rajdeep to his feet and stood in front of him. Rajdeep was paralyzed in fear. Pankaj began to fall but Rajdeep caught him. Pankaj was already impaled by ten arrows. The arrows formed a line down his body, except for the arrow in his left eye. Rajdeep breath grew ridged as he broke off the end of the arrow in Pankaj's eye.

He saved me. 

Pankaj stared at the sky. He was breathing heavily, he coughed up blood." Pankaj?" Rajdeep whispered, his tone was filling with regret. It was as tho time had stopped "Pankaj....I'm sorry." Pankaj's eye shifted to Rajdeep's face. He looked at his king one finally time. His eye roamed his King's crooked nose that leaned slightly to the left, his strong and perfectly systematical jaw, the mole above his Cupid's bow. His broad shoulder hidden under his long sleeved, iron shirt of mail and iron crested breastplate.    

"Run." Pankaj croaked, coughing up blood. Soon the life crept out of his eyes and he became truly soulless. Rajdeep looked around at his fallen men with tears in his eyes. The arrows protruding from their bodies had long, beautiful blue and red feathers at the end.     

"Ah!" Rajdeep hissed, when an arrow like lightning torn through his right shoulder. He dropped Pankaj into the stream before running back where he came from. He pressed his wound in hopes of stopping the bleed as he ran as quick as he run. Adrenaline burst through his veins. An arrow to his left calf sent him flying forward. He hit his head on a tree tuck. The impact impaired his vision, briefly. The last thing he heard was what sounded like a stampede and howling. An ant on his hand was the last thing he saw before everything went black.