The picture is generated by @wakeupkitty host of pic1000
"Oh not this woman again," muttered the old man guard at the city gates watchtower, squinting at the distant figure trudging through the sand. "It's always bad news and trouble anytime she comes around"
"I wonder what news she has this time around," the second guard said.
Just as they said, in a distance a figure can be seen, gradually as she approaches the city gates it becomes clearer to be a woman, cloaked in tattered fabric, moving with purpose. Her ravens circled above her, their caws echoing across the desert. She was the king's spy in distant villages. And in all her visits back home, she brings bad news. She reached the sand-swamped palace, its once grand walls now weathered by time and neglect, so she noticed.
"Identify yourself woman, or face the consequences of my spear?" the old guard called out, his voice croaked from the dry air.
"It's me, Leena, the king's servant," the woman replied, her voice trembling with urgency. "I must speak with the king immediately because it's a matter of urgency."
"Open the gate!"
There was a slight hesitation, then followed by the metallic sounds of the gate opening, allowing her entry.
"Stay!" Leena commanded her ravens as she hurried through the gate into the courtyard, past the sand crumbling statues, until she reached the grand hall.
"Your Highness," Leena gasped, falling to her knees before a weary-looking man with a crown of tarnished gold, he sat upon a throne made of sands and stones "I bring you dire tidings from the outskirts of the kingdom."
The king raised an eyebrow, intrigued despite himself. "Speak, woman or have your tongue cut off. What news do you bear this time?"
Leena took a deep breath, her hands trembling as she remembered the events that had unfolded beyond the village walls.
"Speak! I command you!" The king yelled.
"I saw in the neighbouring village a marauding band of nomads, increasing in numbers with each passing day. The raid and plunder lands, crops laid to waste and homes reduced to ashes and lives lost" she paused gasping for air "they're headed this way my king".
"And who are these marauding nomads? Which tribe are they from?"
"The tribe of the Green zone my king. The land with bountiful harvest but still seeks to conquer the tribes with low harvest."
The king's face immediately grew pale, his knuckles white as he gripped the arms of his throne hard. "Not on my watch?" he whispered.
There were murmurs across the courtyard.
Leena raised her head a little "Your Highness. I advise that unless we act swiftly, our village will be in ruins. For the posses a large number of warriors capable of over throwing a kingdom"
With power, authority and charisma the king rose from his throne, and gave a command . "Tell the General to gather the warriors!," he commanded, his voice coated with authority. "There's an enemy coming our way, but we must fight to defend our home with all we have.