***
Dawn’s eyelids grew heavier. She fought sleep, but she knew if she stayed still much longer that she’d lose the battle and drift off.
Caen’s snores lessened, and for a good long minute, he was silent. That’s when the floorboards outside the bedroom door creaked.
Dawn rose slightly on the bed, craning her head toward the bed while she listened. She was suddenly wide-awake.
Two men whispered in the hallway, and she immediately recognized the hushed voices to be those of Kaleb and Eegrubb. Had they been plotting to kill Caen while they sat at the table in the bar? The two seemed to have enough courage to only attack a drunken sleeping man. Kaleb certainly didn’t possess enough bravery to fight in the pits. The one-eyed man was a disgrace, and there had to have been more to his story of being ostracized from Legelarid. Whatever the two were conspiring to do was just another shameful example of why they weren’t worthy to be knights in any king’s kingdom.
Footsteps scuffed the hallway floor. Again the floorboards moaned. The two knights were heavy, and only someone with extra weight could cause the boards to whine and creak, so it had to be them. They stood right outside the door and didn’t seem to be moving down the hall. Their attention focused on this particular room.
Dawn slid her hand under her pillow and gripped the hilt of her dagger into her hand. Slowly, she slid it out. Her heart raced. For a moment she considered waking Caen, but in his present state, he’d be little help fighting off armed intruders, especially in complete darkness. He might stumble into the blade of an attacker and be killed.
She eased to the edge of the bed as quietly as possible. She let her feet hang over the bed and lowered them until they touched the floor. With a gentle push against the edge of the mattress, she stood.
Lighting the lantern was out of the question. She was certain the light would spill beneath the door, which immediately let the men know that someone inside the room was awake. She and Caen were safer if the men thought they were still asleep. They’d be less cautious.
Dawn couldn’t see exactly where the door was, so she stepped nimbly toward the whispering sounds. She walked about a dozen steps with her hand thrust ahead of her before she finally touched the wall. Patting blindly, she found the doorknob and placed her back against the wall at the side of the door.
A lump grew inside her throat that she found difficult to keep down. The back of her throat burned from rising bitter acid. She closed her eyes, trying to keep her composure, but remaining calm was impossible. Her hands trembled and her heart hammered against her chest.
Her sweaty hand gripped the dagger. She worried that she wouldn’t have a secure enough grip should she be forced to use the blade in self-defense, provided she was even capable of using it properly. Could she fight off both men and remain alive?
Metal scratched and clicked inside the doorknob.
“Let me try, Kaleb,” Eegrubb whispered outside the door.
“Shh! I know how to pick it. Now, hush and back off. If he awakens, we’re as good as dead.”
Eegrubb laughed softly. “He was too drunk to walk. Do you really think he’d be a threat right now or even awake?”
“Probably not.”
“What about the squire? Did Lord Waxxon want us to kill him too?”
“Yes, kill anyone who gets in our way. But make certain, after we kill the Dragon Knight, that we take his pendant. Waxxon has promised to reward us handsomely for it.”
Metal clicked inside the lock mechanism.
“I got it. It’s unlocked,” Kaleb said. “Prepare yourself.”
The doorknob turned and the door opened slightly inward.
Dawn swallowed hard, closed her eyes, and held her breath. Fear made her want to scream, to run, but she kept reminding herself that she needed to live. She needed to protect Caen and herself. Her future kingdom relied on her successfully killing these two disgraced knights before they had the chance to kill her and Caen. She just didn’t know if she was able to fight both men.
***
The floorboards above Sarey’s room creaked. She rose from her bed. No one should be roaming the halls at this hour. She half expected Kaleb and Eegrubb to act, but not so soon. She wondered where her father was. He was on alert, but he might be seated at one of the tavern tables in the darkness, waiting for them.
Caen and Dawn’s room was directly above hers. Since Caen had passed out, he probably wouldn’t be functioning at his best until the following midday. And she knew Dawn wouldn’t leave him asleep in the room alone.
The brothers were up there. Their room was in the basement, and she didn’t believe anyone else would have taken the stairs to the upper floor.
Her mind raced to what Dawn had said about the two Legelarid brothers. She marveled at how well Dawn judged other people’s personalities. Regardless of what doubts Dawn held about taking the throne, she could read people quite readily. She would make a great queen once Waxxon lost Hoffnung.
When the two sets of footsteps scraped the floor above, she knew the two brothers were headed toward Caen’s room. However, they weren’t being quiet in their approach. They walked clumsily. Of course, they might be half tipsy from their drinking. And if their intent was to kill Caen, he wasn’t able to defend himself. Dawn would try to keep him safe, that much Sarey was certain of. But even drunken patrons had been known to kill people. Drinks made some individuals dumber and braver.
Sarey grabbed her bow and a couple of arrows, eased the door open, and headed through the back hall that led to the stairwell. Without boots, she crept softly like a cat, but she felt like she needed to hurry. She hoped to reach the brothers before they entered Caen’s room. They’d be easier to attack in the hallway than inside a small room.
Following her gut instinct, she picked up her pace, sliding an arrow into the slot of her bow.
***
Dawn stiffened where she stood as the door opened wider. As the brothers stepped across the threshold, the stench of alcohol and their stale sweat permeated the room, nearly making her gag.
Caen’s snores grew louder, boisterous.
“Who do you want to kill?” Kaleb asked in a whisper. He stepped ahead of Eegrubb and then stopped.
“The squire.”
“Ah, leave the big one to me?” Kaleb asked with amusement in his voice.
“You’re older. I thought you’d like the honor.”
“Gracious of you, brother.”
“It’s the best gift I can offer you.”
Kaleb said, “Do swift gashes through their throats. They might thrash around, trying to hit us, but after struggling a few minutes, they’ll be dead.”
Since Eegrubb was closest to her, Dawn pushed off the wall and blindly swung the dagger. The blade plunged into the side of his throat. He gargled an abrupt scream.
“Eegrubb? Something happen? Are you okay?”
Dawn yanked the blade from Eegrubb’s throat and slinked into the pitch-black room. Eegrubb collapsed to the floor with a heavy thud. His dagger struck the floor and clanged before sliding across the floor.
“Brother, where are you?”
Kaleb knelt beside his brother, placed his hand to Eegrubb’s neck, and pulled back with warm sticky blood on his fingers. He rubbed the tacky blood between his fingertips.
Caen snored.
“Where are you, squire? You killed me brother. Now, you’ll die a very painful and nasty death.”
The one-eyed man took a step and slashed his blade in the darkness. Dawn ducked. The air swooshed and the blade narrowly missed her.
Dawn squeezed into a corner, trapped. Kaleb’s attention was more focused on finding her since Caen was still asleep.
“Not much room for you to hide in here,” Kaleb said. “My blade will find you. Don’t you worry.”
“Donne, where are you?” Sarey shouted from the door. She set a small oil lantern on the floor beside her. The flickering flame partially lit the bedroom.
Kaleb turned toward
her with a wide eye.
“Here,” she replied, partially rising to her feet.
“Stay down!”
Dawn dropped to the floor. Sarey fired an arrow into the dark room, missing Kaleb. The arrow tip thudded against the wall with a twang.
“Wench!” Kaleb turned and slashed at Sarey.
She flung her bow up to block his swipe. His blade snapped the bowstring on her bow, so she retreated back into the hallway.
He came through the door at Sarey with his dagger raised. As he brought down the blade, she caught his right wrist, preventing him from stabbing her. She held him back for a moment, but he looped his boot around her foot and shoved her backwards. Off-balance, she tumbled. She would have fallen on the floor if her back had not pressed against the wall, supporting her.
Sarey tightened against the wall, gaining leverage, and pushed her weight and strength against him. He grunted and strained but she held fast.
Kaleb snarled but her strength was more than he expected.
Wary of the knife, Sarey kept her grip tightly around his wrist. She pressed her tough nails into his flesh and dug in. He growled in pain and reached with his other hand to break free of her hold.
While he fought to pull his wrist free, Sarey cupped her hand against his face and her thumb found the softness of his good eye. She rammed her thumb inside the socket. His eye squished like an overripe plum.
The knife dropped and clattered on the hallway floor. He wailed in anguish, falling to his knees. Sarey struck a match against the rough wall and lit a candle sconce in the hallway before grabbing the small lantern. She liked having more light in the hallway in case anyone else rushed at her.
Dawn hurried out into the hallway.
Kaleb held his hands over his face. Blood leaked between his fingers and dripped into a small pool on the floor. He whimpered and moaned.
Sarey grabbed his shoulder, pulled back, and flung the heavy blind man over and down onto the floor. His whimpers became more pathetic.
“Who sent you to kill Caen?” she asked, placing a dagger to his throat.
“Lord Waxxon,” he muttered through whines.
“He deserves no such title. As for you, death is a blessing for what we should do for your treachery.” She knelt and pressed the serrated blade against his throat.
Kaleb clamped his hands around his bleeding eye socket.
Dawn frowned and crossed the hall, standing over him. “He deserves no mercy at all.”
Sarey glanced up at her. “What punishment do you suggest?”
“There are many slow-acting tortures that could be performed.” Her lips curled into a smile. Her tone wasn’t cold and unpleasant, nor did her eyes hint of malice. Her voice indicated that she was only mentally making him fear the worst since now he was blind. Blindness in itself, for a man like Kaleb, was probably severe enough.
“No, I beg you,” Kaleb said. “Kill me. End me here.”
“Perhaps we should leave him at the gates of Hoffnung for Waxxon to decide his fate.”
“No!” he gasped.
Dawn crossed her arms. “Why not? Wouldn’t he kill you quicker for your failure?”
Still holding his hands over his face, he shook his head. “He’d do worse. Much, much worse. He’d make me die slowly.”
“Surely not,” Dawn said. “He’s new to power. He’d make a proper example of you.”
“Yes, but slowly.”
“I say we tie you out in the edge of the woods and let the ravens peel away the flesh of your face. That’s slow, too,” Dawn said. She winked at Sarey.
“No,” he said in a shallow gasp.
Sarey shifted her feet but didn’t move the knife away from Kaleb’s throat. In a quick jerk upwards, he pressed his throat against the dagger and slid his neck to the left, allowing the sharp serrated blade to slice through his soft flesh before she had a chance to pull the blade away. Blood filled the deep gash. Seconds later, the crimson line spilled out thick blood.
Dawn shook her head while Sarey rose to her feet with a disgusted expression on her face.
Kaleb tilted his head sharply to one side. Blood oozed faster from the gaping wound. He did nothing to try to stop the bleeding. He offered no struggle. His face softened, as he seemed relieved that death was coming. Perhaps he believed Waxxon would have done much worse. Slowly life fleeted from him.
“Sorry,” Sarey said. “I didn’t expect him to do that.”
Dawn shrugged. “He’s of no true importance to us now. At least we know Waxxon was using him and his brother as spies. There may be others in your hamlet seeking to do the same.”
Sarey nodded.
Dawn lowered her voice to a whisper. “Which is why it’s even more essential that no one knows about me.”
“You know I won’t tell anyone.”
“I know.”
Sarey stepped into the room and lit the lantern on the small table.
Caen’s snoring stopped. He flung the back of his hand over his eyes to block the flame’s rising light.
His bed sagged and squeaked as he turned and pushed himself into a seated position with one arm. He rubbed his eyes before glancing around the room. Seeing the pool of blood beneath Eegrubb’s head made Caen frown.
“What happened?” he asked with a slight slur.
Dawn stepped near the foot of his cot. “They came to kill you. And me.”
Because of his drunken fogged mind, a few moments passed before her words set in. His eyebrows rose. He glanced at Sarey.
Sarey nodded. “It’s true.”
“Waxxon offered them a reward for any Dragon Skull Knights they could kill.” Dawn said.
Looking at Sarey, Caen said, “You killed them?”
“Shh—Donne killed that one,” she replied, catching herself. “The older brother slit his own throat in the hallway, which proves how cowardly they were.”
Caen turned his attention to Dawn, saw the bloody dagger in her hand, and caught her even stare. “Well done, squire.”
Dawn shrugged slightly. “At your service, Dragon Knight.”
Caen sighed. “It doesn’t really surprise me that these two were bounty hunters for Waxxon. They hadn’t been honest in their actions. They certainly weren’t noble like knights.”
“No, they weren’t,” Dawn said. “While you drank at the bar, they sat at a table watching you. They acted like they were plotting to kill you, which it seems, is exactly what they were doing.”
“I suppose they underestimated you, Donne.”
“As did you,” she replied with a stern expression.
Caen weighed her words and nodded slowly. “You’re right. I did. My thanks to the both of you.”
Dawn set the bloody dagger on the small table beside the lantern. She crossed her arms and stared intently at Caen.
Caen lowered his feet to the floor, trying to stand. He wobbled, so he eased back onto the lumpy mattress and remained seated. “My apologies for my actions earlier today, Donne. And to you, too, Sarey.”
Sarey gave a slight nod of acceptance and appreciation.
“I shouldn’t let it bother me that you two desire to spend time alone together.”
Sarey rolled her eyes, placed her hands on her hips, and shook her head. “Trust me, knight, it’s not like that at all.”
Caen waved his hand. “Sorry.”
Dawn stepped closer, her arms still crossed. “So I can continue as your squire?”
Caen nodded. He flicked a glance at Sarey. “How’s Donne’s wound?”
“The hot baths and the magical salve have almost healed it.”
“Good.” He glanced to Dawn and smiled. “Let Sarey check your back early tomorrow morning. If it’s healed enough, I will begin training you the minor tactics in the morning. Nothing strenuous since we don’t want to cause new tears around your wound.”
Dawn grinned. Any training, however minor, thrilled her. And him saying that he’d continue training her was the best news she could presently hear. S
he wanted to shout from intense excitement and relief but she held it inside. She offered a gracious bow. “Thank you.”
Caen stretched, yawned, and then he turned back over on the bed, lying down. “While you two take care of this mess, I need to sleep the rest of this haze off.”
Sarey grabbed Eegrubb’s hands and dragged his dead rotund body through the door, leaving a smeared streak of coagulating blood behind.
“What can I do?” Dawn asked.
Sarey laid Eegrubb beside his brother’s corpse. “You stay here.”
“Why?”
“In case there are others we don’t know about. I will find my father and tell him what has happened. He also held suspicions of these two. He can get some men up here to haul out the bodies. I’ll get a mop and some old rags and return.”
“You think there might be others, too?” Dawn asked.
“We’re the closest hamlet to Hoffnung. These two showed up almost immediately after the Vyking invasion. So like you said, there’s a strong possibility that others have come. It’s good that you’re keen on watching your surroundings.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because Hoffnung nearly lost their future queen tonight without even knowing it. So be wary at all times.”
Dawn nodded. “I will.”
Chapter Fifty-five
The walls of the Icevale’s Royal Council Hall were polished plates of riveted steel with high ceilings. The room was a large square, several hundred feet in each direction. Heavy steel doors were directly centered in each wall, so huge and thick that it took several dozen Dwarven guards to open or shut them.
Along the walls lit bronze sconces hissed with red flames. Three magnificent chandeliers hung with yellow flames dancing off red candles. To each side of every door were weapon racks to allow guards easy access should an internal attack ever occur.
King Staggnuns and Prince Luxille sat at the head of the royal council table in Icevale. Both were dressed in their heavy plated armor and battle-colored capes.
Seated around the table were three elf ambassadors from Woodnog, two dwarves from Damdur, and the redheaded lady dressed in her emerald green gown. Dwiskter sat with his shoulder bandaged beside two knights from Oculoth, and Icevale’s chief medic.
Lady Squire- Dawn's Ascension Page 41
