Tyrant's Tantrum

"Inexcusable! Absolutely inexcusable!"

A pale, wrinkled hand slammed harshly down on the nearby table, jostling the plates and goblets placed on it. A messenger, clad in regal green attire, visibly recoiled in fear from the vicious display while an older woman wearing a long, flowing gold and green dress turned to face the perpetrator: an older man with a crown resting atop his head. The man's face visibly contorted into a look of unbridled rage, his brow tightly narrowed to form a fearsome grimace.

"To think that my men - my men - would be massacred by an intruder into my territory! And then to think they would allow a traveler to enter my borders unharmed, and begin to work alongside them without my permission! Inexcusable!"

"B-but my liege, working alongside the Lexians could more quickly bring this criminal to justice," the courier replied. "A-and perhaps even bring greater prosperity to both of us!"

"That is not what matters," the king snarled. "What matters is the principle of it. I refuse to work with those ignorant, backward, gold-haired savages! Their kind bring nothing but violence and pain with them, and I refuse to work alongside them!"

"Th-then when am I to report, my liege?" the messenger inquired, kneeling down before the regally-clothed man. "Am I to cancel their pursuit?"

The king thought for a few moments, allowing himself to calm down, before a sly smile spread across his face. "No. They are to continue their pursuit unabated. BUT... we will trail them. Tell the barracks to send out our gryphon riders."

"And what would you have them do, my liege?"

"They will trail their hunting party by a few hours. Be sure to tell the to avoid being spotted. This mission is to be of utmost secrecy. When they locate the murderer, let them have their fun, whether it be killing her or capturing her. If they succeed, take the murderer from them and kill the others. If they fail... ensure that they capture the murderer."

"B-but sir, these are our own men aiding in this pursuit!" The courier said, eyes widened in horror. "They did nothing wrong!"

"Then they should have thought twice before working alongside the enemy," the king grumbled before gesturing away dismissively. "Go. Don't come back until the gryphon riders have departed."

"Yes, my liege." With a quick bow, the courier ran off out of the palace, disappearing out of the great double doors and down the steps.

"Fero, you mustn't be so harsh," the woman beside the regal man stated. "These men are valuable; every drop of Draxon blood is sacred."

"Be quiet, Mildred," Fero retorted dismissively as he slouched down, taking a sip from his goblet as he spoke. After a quick drink, he set the goblet back down. "You don't know the first thing about politics. You're too pampered and self-absorbed to know the first thing about how to run this kingdom. Allies of our enemy are never our friends. They will ultimately only bring ruin to our kingdom."

Mildred sighed before she too took a sip from her goblet and taking a taste of the liquid inside. At least the wine tasted good today...