Sanguine grinned as Lenally expressed interest in hearing stories. Many among the bandits had come from Nydewia, former warriors who had fled from combat or any number of other such disgraces punishable by death. He’d heard a great many tales of the hoard’s bloody campaigns to unite countless nomadic tribes under one banner, and the countless small rebellions that King Haidar had put down in grand fashion. Perhaps Lenally would like to hear the stories that San had been brought up on better than the watered-down retellings of her brothers.<br/><br/>“King Haidar of the Rampage, several years into his reign as king, was in the vast Nydewian Desert with only ten of his most trusted soldiers, investigating claims of rebel thievery was ambushed by over five-hundred rebels who had set up an encampment atop a steep plateau.” San began, speaking low and leaning close to Lenally, adding drama with his solemn tone. “Caught, outnumbered fifty-to-one and in the open, on the low ground. King Haidar led his honor guard straight into the teeth of the ambush. The King and his warriors hacked and slashed their way through the hail of arrows, taking catastrophic injuries as they ran but never slowing. They climbed the plateau within hours and began the battle which would last for three full days without rest for either side.”<br/><br/>As unlikely as the tale was, this was exactly how it had been told to San and he felt something like obligation to preserve the massive sense of hyperbole when retelling the tales of King Haidar. The gore was also not to be spared.<br/><br/>“By the dawn of the third day of battle, the entire stone plateau was soaked in blood. The bodies and gore spilled over and dragged down the cliff faces and formed a pool around the plateau. Those rebels who didn’t die by blade or axe were pushed off the edge of the plateau, falling to their death. When the last rebel fell, only three of the Nydewian warriors had died, though the rest were badly wounded, they still carried the bodies back to the Great Oasis. Those three were buried with all five hundred of the rebels’ heads.” San said dramatically as Henrik joined Lady Fool on the floor.<br/><br/>San sat back in his chair, taking another long sip of his wine and trying to enjoy the music.<br/><br/>“If we go see the city tonight, I’ll teach you a thing or two about real combat. The sort of things your brothers wouldn’t tell you.” San whispered softly to Princess Lenally. “Not to mention plenty more stories.”