by R W Caron
“I did not know these savages used names.” Andrew lied, trying to back peddle.
“You have met him before, he spared your life…” The tone in which the king used toward Andrew made him feel uncomfortable, as if he knew something. Andrew’s palms started to sweat and his throat felt as though it was about to close.
“Do you really think I would spare anyone of these animals? They killed my men.” Andrew growled. He stepped up into Erwin’s face. “I told you I would not fail as my father had done, but now I see there is no pleasing my lord.”
Erwin’s hand shot up with lightning speed backhanding Andrew to the ground. “Remember your place.” Andrew’s men went to step forward, but Andrew held his hand up to stop them.
“My apologies, my lord.” Andrew begged dropping to a knee and bowing his head. “The heat of the battle is still coursing through my veins it seems.”
“You will learn to hold your tongue.” The king responded. His face suddenly lightened and he extended his hand to Andrew. Andrew took it and pulled himself to his feet. Rage flashed in Erwin’s eyes as he suddenly drilled Andrew with an elbow. “You will learn your place or die.”
“Yes,” Andrew replied spitting blood onto the ground. “My lord.”
“Now,” Erwin started walking over to Shatina’s horse and pulled a body off the back, the upper half covered with a brown sack. As he pulled it off the horse, he let it drop to the ground and gave it a boot. “Since I do not see a leader among the bodies, one can only assume he did what anyone of these people would have done and ran.”
“He is close my lord. He would not leave her.” Shatina hissed as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
“Why do you say that?” Erwin asks confused.
“She loves him. He loves her. I’m sure he knows we have her.” Shatina replies with a smile.
“Her?” Andrew asked, as he slowly got to his feet.
“Make him do it, My Lord.” Shatina replies motioning to Andrew. “To prove his honour.”
“Yes.” Erwin responded and looked over at Andrew and he grabbed the sack with the body and dragged it towards Andrew. He dropped it at Andrew’s feet and untied the sack, sliding it off to reveal a woman’s face beaten and bloody. Andrew winced inside himself, forcing himself not to show any emotion but remembering the young girl that had been beaten in front of him. “Nahan!” The king exclaimed into the trees. “Nahan! I have something of yours. She is a feisty one, but my guard, my love and I broke her. She poisoned our water supply” He started with a smile then his voice turned to a growl as he looked down at her. “So, I shattered her nose! She killed scores of my men,” His tone changed again to one of a surprised tone when he said the words. His voice quickly shifted one of disgust as he sneered at her. “So, I let the ones she didn’t kill avenge their brothers in unthinkable ways!” His voice once again turned high almost in a laugh. “She attempted to kill my love, so we strung her up and whipped her and still she did not break.” He finished with a grunt and a minuscule amount of admiration on his voice.
Nahan’s jaw tightened as he looked on and listened. His hand rested on his bow with an arrow notched and ready to fire. Nahan fought every emotion he had trying to focus, trying to calm himself, trying not to reveal himself. He heart was in his throat and he felt as though he may throw up as the king moved aside and he glimpsed the beaten and battered face of Alina. His wind was gone from his lungs and in one smooth motion he drew the bow back and took aim at the king’s head. Ryukin landed on the branch across from Nahan causing him to look that way. Ryukin shook his head and Nahan gritted his teeth but did not withdraw. He continued to hold his arrow and take aim, resting his shoulder against the smooth bark of the tree to steady his arm.
“I truly think if he were still alive, he would not stick around here.” One of Andrew’s men piped in. He was about a foot taller than King Erwin and carried a heavy looking axe on his belt, his face was smeared with blood and dirt and his eyes stayed focused on the king. Erwin did not take this lightly looking over at the man with eyes that would cut through any man.
“Is that so?” Erwin responded and walked towards the man.
“My lord, forgive his rude nature.” Andrew begged trying to save his man’s life. “He wishes you to not look foolish by calling out to a ghost.”
The King stopped and turned in mid step. “You think I’m FOOLISH!” He bellowed in Andrew’s face like a bear putting a cub back in line. “You walk on thin ice Andrew.”
“Sir, I am merely saying if Nahan does not appear,” Andrew started. “The men will think you to be going mad by calling out to a ghost.” Andrew continued trying his best to rectify the situation. “I will punish him for his foolishness, but I wish you not to lose face with the men.” This spurred something in Erwin. The thought of losing face with the men that follow him struck a cold hard nerve. “Isn’t that what happened to your father after all?” Andrew asked pushing Erwin’s buttons. Andrew leaned in close and his voice was that of a whisper. “We wouldn’t want your men to lose face in you and have you come down with an illness, or worse a dagger in your back would we?” the tone of Andrew’s voice was dangerous.
The king stood emotionless then a slight grin crossed his face. “You know nothing.” He replied with a cynical grin. “You do make a point though; let us bring forth,” Erwin suddenly yells “The GHOST!”
Shatina slides from her horse gracefully landing on her feet and walks over to Alina who is still laying on the ground, hands bound by rope. Shatina kneels beside her head and pulls her to her knees. She looks deep into Alina’s eyes and puts her hand under her chin tilting her head upward. “I know what you are.” Alina spat though gritted teeth. Shatina smiled and leaned in close to Alina’s ear.
“That may be true, but after they slit your throat, who will you tell.” She chuckles softly and pulled a dagger from her belt. She rolled it in her hand and extended her hand toward Andrew. “You will slit her throat.”
“Yes ma’am.” Andrew replied, trying with all his might to hold the quiver in his voice in check. Andrew stepped forward and took the gold and ruby handled dagger, rolling it in his hand. The engraving on the dagger was that of a snake, coiled around the handle with a bright red ruby in its jaws. The tail of the snake ran down the silver blade and curved into the back of the dagger to become the spine. Andrew looked at the blade and could see his own refection in the silver, broken with golden engraved writing. Writing Andrew could not read. Andrew stood puzzled for a moment staring at the dagger trying to figure out what the writing was then realised he was being watched.
He spun the dagger around and grabbed Alina by the hair tilting her head back. He looked into her eyes and as she struggled. “You will die today.” He said with a hollow tone. “Let your savior show himself.” Andrew replied, hoping Nahan would not take the bait. He adjusted his hand and laced it under her chin causing her to stop struggling. As he stared at her with trust in his eyes she stopped struggling and he realised she understood. “If he will not show himself, then you die.” As Andrew said the last word he slid the dagger across her throat and pushed her face down in the dirt. Her blood dripped from his hand as the king and Shatina smiled.
“NO!” Nahan yelled from the tree and let fly his arrow at the King’s head. The arrow stopped millimeters from the King’s nose. Shatina staring at it intently, used her magic to halt the arrow in mid-flight. The arrow dropped harmlessly to the ground and Shatina dropped to a knee. “There!”, she yelled pointing towards Nahan in the tree. Nahan had another arrow notched and let fly but this time Erwin was too fast, he ducked behind his horse as several of his men gave chase. Andrew looked over his shoulder at his men and nodded for them to follow.
“Are you alright, my lord?” Andrew asked.
“Yes, yes.” Erwin answers. “Still believe me to be foolish?”
“No sir.” Andrew replied. ‘Although some of my allies are’, he thought to himself. “Forgive me sir.”
�
�Shatina, are you ok my love?” Erwin asked looking to his lady who was still down on one knee. “Where did you ever learn to do that?”
“I am fine, my love.” Shatina replied.
“Yes, where did you learn to stop arrows with your mind?” Andrew asked.
“None of your business, pawn.” Shatina snapped at him.
“It is a valuable trait, I wish to learn.” Andrew replied.
“It does not matter where she learned it. Surely the clerics have been working with her on controlling magic or something.” Erwin defended her as he helped her onto the back of her steed. “No matter. We must get you back to the castle. You men,” Erwin ordered, pointing at a couple of guards. “Take those horses and make sure she makes it to the castle.”
“You must come with me.” Shatina replied.
“I will be fine, my love.” Erwin replied.
Shatina stared at him for a moment her eyes locked with his. “I cannot lose you.” She replied hissing. “You are sacred to me.” She continued. “Please, come with me.”
“Andrew, you burn this place to the ground.” Erwin responded in a monotone voice. “I will go with my lady.”
Shatina looked up and smiled at Andrew who stood there confused. “My lord?”
“Bring me the head of that man, or it will be your head I will be after.” Erwin added, then mounted his horse and rode off, his men taking the Nipawin horses with him.
As soon as they were in the distance Andrew looked toward the forest where most of his men had ran after Erwin’s men and Nahan. Suddenly he realised he was still holding the dagger that Shatina had given him. As he looked down at the dagger the writing still confused him, but the realisation that he needed to tend to his hand suddenly struck home. As he looked down at his hands, he noticed the dagger had cut him straight to the bone.
Nahan rushed through the trees, leaping from limb to limb, his body completely numb. He had watched his supposed friend kill the woman he loved moments after he found out she loved him back. He had failed her, failed Ryukin, failed himself. Nahan’s heart felt cold, felt empty, but his blood was on fire. His body falling into the motions of a predator stalking its prey, he was not running from them, he was forcing them apart to pick them off. He plunged himself onto a perch in a tree and stopped his momentum. Andrew’s men and the king’s men ran past. He dropped from his perch right onto one of the king’s guards, drawing his daggers on the way down and drove them deep into the back of the man’s neck, cutting through bone and silencing him. He rushed off before anyone could see him and positioned himself behind a tree about a foot from the body. One of the other guards stopped and looked back. He could see his companion down and quickly rushed to his side. Nahan sprang from the shadows sliding his blade across the man’s throat causing a fountain of blood to erupt. The man tried to yell but it came out as gurgles, as the hot liquid sprayed Nahan in the face.
“There he is.” Came the call from another one of the King’s guards. Nahan turned to face the attack but did not have to as a heavy axe carved into the lead attackers back dropping him. Nahan engaged the second guard, easily parrying the weak slash aside. Kicking out, he caught the man in the stomach with his boot. The two other guards turned and attacked Andrew’s men. The first younger man was cut down quickly by the King’s guards. The second of Andrews men, now did not have his weapon, quickly defended himself with a front kick to one of the guards sending the man flying. Nahan drove his dagger into the back of the guard he was dealing with and the man fell forward. Nahan rushed forward and pounced on the guard that had cut the young man down. The two rolled to the side and the guard came up on top of Nahan driving his metal covered hand down into Nahan’s face. Nahan did not feel the punch, he was in his own world, where pain did not factor in.
The axe wielder rolled out of the way of a downward slash and managed to grab his axe out of the back of the kings guard he had taken out with it. He turned and faced the last of the kings guards who was brandishing a sword and smiled. “Are you ready to die?” Andrews’s man asked.
“You treasonous bastard. I will see you hanged for your crimes against the king! ”
“No you won’t because you die now.”
As he stared at the man, Nahan slid a blade between his ribs, straight into his heart. Nahan twisted the blade and dropped the man to the ground then quickly ducked backward as the axe wielder tossed his axe at him. The axe clipped Nahan in the chin and followed through by driving into a guard that had gotten up and was now aiming a bow at Nahan. Nahan rolled over his shoulder and grabbed the now fallen guards bow notching an arrow and leveling his shot at the axe wielder. “Wait.” The man pleaded, holding his hands up.
“Why should I?” Nahan asked. “You are one of his men.” Nahan replied with disgust and pain in his voice.
“I know how you are feeling Nahan.” The man replied still holding his hands up in a defensive posture.
“Erwin murdered my family, Andrew is a good man. He helped me.” Nahan draw to full draw and stared at the man. “He did what he had to. One life to save your people.”
“Her life is worth more than any one of yours.” Nahan growled. The pure rage and hatred flowed through him. He questioned his decision on letting Andrew live those months ago.
“It is not us you want to fight. The man that ordered him to do it is headed to his castle right now. I can help you.” He replied taking a step forward. Nahan leveled his shot and stared at the man as he stepped back to where he was.
“If you want to help me, you will go back and kill Andrew.”
“I cannot do that.” The man replied. “If I must die for that, so be it.”
“What is your name?”
“They call me Coty.” He replied.
“I’m sorry Coty.” Nahan said as he leveled his bow. “Take this message to Andrew. After the King dies, he will feel my blade across his throat.” Nahan let fly and the arrow struck Coty in the shoulder driving the man back and to the ground. He grasped the arrow and sat up in a world of pain. He looked around side to side but Nahan was gone.
Chapter 8
The Settlement
The revolution was in full swing, just as Andrew had planned. Slowly his most trust worthy had been replying the guards on the wall and patrol. The plan had worked perfectly and of course the guard captain in Andrews settlement hadn’t noticed a thing. He could care less about the guards under his command, with Andrew away getting the Nipawin peoples support Tuck was in charge of the revolution. His back was barely healed from the guard captain’s assault with his whip but as he rested on the rooftop ledge watching the guard captain and his two lieutenants sweating and struggling from what appeared to be a cold; the smile could not be wider. Tuck knew the truth, had seen the poison of the Gakin flower work. He had used it in his time as a mercenary.
Mercenary was a ‘pretty’ term for what he did when he was a younger man. Tuck had been a killer just ten years earlier. The Gakin flower method had been his specialty. The Gakin flower was not poisonous to the touch but when crushed and consumed it was deadly. There was no known cure for its poison and no one ever really knew they had been poisoned.
The Gakin flower worked slowly, eating away at you from the inside. It starts out as a stomach ache for a day or two, then the fevers start. Thinking that they have gotten a common cold most people try to rest and let it pass. Over time the flower starts to make you weaker, your body hurts as it attacked your joints. Your movements become sluggish but you start feeling as though you are getting better. This is the worst part of the flower’s poison. It makes the infected person believe they have recovered and are just working off the aches and pains of resting. The harder you work to shake theses aches and pains the quicker the poison kills you. Slowly your body shuts down and you death looks like it were natural causes.
Tuck looked around and noticed his men and women getting into position. Tonight, was the night of change, tonight they strike and take back their Settlement. He couldn’t help bu
t smile as he seen the shadowy figures getting into position. Tuck moved to the edge of the roof and gave the signal to proceed, then slipped down the makeshift ladder into position himself.
