“And just what does this assignment entail precisely?”
“Think of it as a glorified bodyguard position. Other than that you are on a strictly need to know basis. So, I need to know, are you in? Or would you rather spend the next thirty years in here?”
Vincent smirked. “I suppose I have no choice.”
“We all have a choice, Vincent. It’s the choices we make that determine who we are. I’ll see you first thing tomorrow morning. Though, before I leave, just one more question. Why is you hair white? It’s been bothering me for a very long time seeing as how the rest of your family had scarlet hair.”
“This…This is what happens when you look into the void. You look long enough and something is bound to look back.” Vincent clenched his right arm which was bandaged. “You just better hope whatever looks back at you is friendly.”
“What are you…”
“Doesn’t matter. See you in the morning, boss.”
The following morning, Vincent was given clothing fit for travel. Black studded leather chest, some hide trousers, and boots. They were a little tight, but they were clean. Vincent hadn’t been given a clean pair of clothes since he stopped growing out of his old cell garments.
The jailer then shackled him and escorted him to a transport wagon waiting outside. It was strange not going to the arena. He felt free, despite being in a caged transport wagon and having his wrists bound. It was early enough in the day so no one was out on the streets yet. Well, almost no one.
Waiting just past the gate was Piña with a handful of soldiers. They wore full steel armor. “Finally, our guest of honor has arrived.” Piña said.
The jailer helped Vincent out the wagon and unshackled him. He noticed the hateful looks the soldiers were giving him. It wasn’t anything he hasn’t seen before.
Piña handed Vincent a steel long sword. “Here. You’ll need this.” She said.
“Are you sure? Not worried I’ll turn it against you?”
“Not in the least. Also, if you do these men will cut you down without a second thought. You can already tell they don’t like you by the look on their faces. So don’t give them an excuse. You may be skilled with a blade, but even you can’t take down five trained soldiers. They aren’t bandits or highwaymen you are used to. Also, you may need it. Seeing as how I could not provide you with a horse. I suggest you keep up, Valentine.”
Chapter 3
The term cruel and unusual punishment comes to mind with describing this sort of torture.
For six hours, Vincent had been running to try and keep up with Piña and her escort. From time to time they would trot but then soon they would gallop as Vincent got closer. Vincent could see it on Piña face. She was enjoying this as were the others.
Yet, despite the burning blisters and the many calluses forming at the bottom of his feet, Vincent always stopped at every hilltop for no longer than sixty seconds to take in the scenery. It has been ten long years since he has seen the countryside of Avia. To see the sun rise from the sea, the fields of grain, and that first cool spring breeze rushing through his white hair. Amazing was such an inadequate world to describe this feeling. He truly felt free even if it was only for a short while.
Piña and her escorts pulled off the kings road to an opened field. There was a rushing river that cut straight through. Vincent joined up with them a few minutes later who then proceeded to immediately dunk his head straight into the river. He took massive gulps of the cold crisp stream and even emerged from it with a salmon in his mouth.
The soldiers laugh. “Looks like the fallen prince thinks he’s a bear.” One of the men said.
“Alright, alright, enough already. Get a fire going and cook up something. We are leaving in an hour. I take it you caught your lunch, Vincent.”
He spat the salmon out of his mouth. “Wouldn’t have fished it out if I wasn’t gonna eat it.”
Everyone prepared their own food. The soldiers had a roaring fire going. They place a pot over it and prepared some soup. Piña had her own meal. She doesn’t drink soup. She refuses to eat when it comes to soup. Soup is mostly water and not a meal. At best it’s just a flavored beverage. She ate a sack of jerking instead. “Nothing like the taste of deer.” She said.
Near the river, Vincent had prepared his own fire. The salmon was cooking but still he craved more. Piña was watching him. He was standing in the water, eyes closed. He moved his right hand over his left shouldering and with quick, almost lightning reflexes, grabbed two fish with one swing.
“How did you do that?” Piña asked.
“I caught fishes with my hand.”
“Yes, I saw that. I mean how did you do it with your eyes closed?”
“Simple. I felt them brush past my leg. After that, it was simple to grab them seeing as how I knew where they were. Fish get spooked with sudden movement so I had to be still.”
He emerged out of the water and jammed a stick into the fishes mouth and placed them on the fire. The more Piña knew about him the more confusing he becomes.
She sat next to him on the fallen log. “Your right arm. What happened?” she asked. As she did, she felt a malevolent chill run up her spine. As if something passed through her.
Vincent’s face was stern. He clenched his arm. “This…this is a reminder.” He muttered.
“A reminder of what?”
“Two things. First: My father. Second: My failure. It’s something that I will never allow myself to forget. Something that I won’t forget until…never mind.”
“No. Tell me.” She demanded.
“Sorry, but that falls under a need to know basis for you.”
Piña chuckled at the irony. “You have some balls on you to talk to me like that, fallen prince. You forget that I’m the princess.”
“Yes, how can I forget? The fact is I don’t see you that way. Your sword tells me all I need to know about you.”
“My sword?” she muttered.
“Well, granted I can’t see the blade itself. You more or less had it reforged and cleaned of all it’s scratches in preparation for today, but you and many other soldiers tend to forget the hilt. The leather around the grip is worn and the pommel is showing mild signs of rust. Most likely blood. Problem is blood never gets that far down to the sword. That’s when I look at your right-hand yesterday. I saw fox talon on your hand. Mostly used for blisters. The blood was yours. Hours and hours of training does take it’s toll after awhile. So don’t tell me you’re a princess. You are much more and better than that. You are a leader of men.”
Piña mouth was ajar. Never before has someone manages to leave her so speak less before. “I…I…wow. I have no words to say to that.”
“Good. Care for a fish?”
“Um, sure.”
Vincent grabbed two fishes that were cooking and handed them one to Piña. It was hot, a tad overcooked, needed some salt, but it was delicious. She looked at Vincent who was busy eating his fish and noticed something. He wasn’t tired.
“How are you not tired?” she asked.
“Hm? Oh, because I ran for five hours while you all were on horseback? Yeah, that isn’t my first time doing that. My older brother was an asshole. He would tie my hands to a very long rope then tie it off to a horse he made go into a gallop. I couldn’t stop the thing and I’d be dragged all across the countryside for hours. Sometimes till dusk or until the horse dies.”
“Wow. That’s horrible.”
“This coming from the woman who made me relive my past. Funny.”
“Well, how was I to know?”
“You could’ve asked.”
“I just did.”
“True. Though in some regard, I have to thank my brother for that. I met someone one time when I was being dragged around. That woman changed my life forever. In fact, she’s the one who taught me about swords. Me and her daughter would play around. She had to have been my only friend in Avia.”
“I find that hard to believe.” Piña said. “You were the
youngest prince at the time. You can’t expect me to believe that you didn’t have a single friend.”
“If you are referring to the lords children who would often come to the castle, then no, I didn’t have one friend. First, had my brother had live and the coup fail he would’ve taken the throne. Me? I was just the little brother. No voice. No power.
That girl I met that day was my only friend. Though, I did almost manage to kill her once. We were so stupid. We found a sword and some daggers and started to play with them. I underestimated the weight of a full steel long sword and cut her jugular vein.”
“What happened to the girl?” Piña inquired.
“She made a full recovery, but I wasn’t allowed to see her anymore. I did see her once more. It was that day that I bandaged this arm. A fortnight later, I watched my family get cut down by the Black Knight. And here we are.”
One of the soldiers noticed Piña and Vincent talking and stepped forward. “Your grace,” he said. “I strongly recommend you not speak to him. Everyone knows the Valentine bloodline find their way to worm themselves inside the minds of the innocent and pervert it.”
Vincent laughed. The soldier was not amused. “What’s so funny?” he asked.
“These ridiculous rumors about me. Tell me, is the one in which they think I’m a bloodthirsty werewolf still floating around? Or how about the one where I snatch children in the middle of the night and have their skulls decorating my cell? Still it’s amazing as to what people believe.”
“Aye. They are. There is also the one about how all the guards passed around your sister and mother. They even sell painting down at the market. A striking resemblance. Too bad too. Your sister had a pair of big tits.”
The smile on Vincent’s face soon to turned into an angry scowl. Piña once again felt a chill run up her spine. She was getting goosebumps.
Vincent stood up and slowly walked to the soldier who had his hand on the hilt of his sword. Vincent looked him right in the eyes and said, “Take it back.”
The soldier took a step back. “No. Your mother and sister were whores. And you are nothing more than a whoreson.”
Once again, Vincent stepped to him and got right into his face. The anger in his eyes was like a twister set on fire. Sweat began to form on the soldier’s forehead. “Take it back!” he demanded.
“Tell you what, duel me and I will.”
“Fine.” Vincent coldly replied. “How about we make this interesting? I win. I ride your horse the rest of the way and you walk back to Avia. You win and I’ll tell you where my father hid his massive fortune.”
The soldier’s interest peeked. On the day of the coup, there was nothing inside the Treasuries vault. Not a speck of gold in sight. People said the mad king hid it somewhere, but never truly knew where.
“You have a deal.” He swiftly said.
“Good. But let’s make this even more interesting. No swords. We do this like the men of old. Only we don’t have ale and bears blood. Never the less, we will only use our fist.”
They both threw down their swords and took off their gloves. They circled one another for about five minutes. Piña didn’t feel like getting involved and decided to let this play out. She wanted to see if Vincent was as good with his fist as he was with his sword.
“The fist punch is yours, Fallen Prince!”
“Cocky bitch.” Vincent muttered under his breath.
The soldier dropped his hands. Turned to his men who were laughing. He turned back around to see a haymaker blow coming from his face. As the punch connected, Piña saw a small crackle of black electricity coming from Vincent right hand.
The soldier flew passed his friends and slammed hard into the tree. His eyes rolled back in his head and blood began to drool from his mouth. He was alive. Injured beyond belief, but alive none the less.
“So, anyone wanna go next?”
None of them dared approach, Vincent. They went to tend to his friend, but he could see the fear he instilled into their hearts. Which made Vincent a bit ill. His father said it was better to be feared than loved any day.
Piña approached him. “That was some punch.” She said.
“Thank. It comes with having an asshole older brother.”
“Sorry about what he said about your mother and sister.”
“Don’t be. For once it’s not a rumor. They were whores. There wasn’t a cock in the castle that my mother or sister didn’t fuck. My brother and father included. Had I been of age I dare say they would’ve come for me. The only reason I knocked him out is because I’d rather people not say it aloud.”
“Surely you jest, right?”
“I wish I was, Piña. By the gods I wish I was.”
Chapter 4
Having knocked out one of the soldiers, the party would have to wait until he awoke. Although the thought of leaving him here had crossed Piña’s mind. She soon decided against it. Many things stalk these woods and this man is under her charge. They soon set up tents as the sun was setting. The soldier still hadn’t awoken.
Vincent had done quite a number on him with just one punch. His jaw wasn’t just broken it was shattered. They had to wrap his jaw with a piece of cloth in order to keep it closed. His lower jaw looked like a piece of excess skin with teeth otherwise. Doubt he would ever speak properly again.
Piña had her own private tent. She had a lit lantern inside the tent. Her shadow could be seen perfectly on it. Vincent is like any other man. He watched her undressed, even if it was only her shadow. Still, he felt his face become heavily flushed. He had to turn around. Gods only know what would happen if he continued to watch.
“Vincent?” Piña called out.
“Y…yes…” he weakly replied.
“For peeking you get first watch.”
“I…how did you…yes ma’am…”
For the first time in ten years, he wanted to die. Was it even possible to die of embarrassment? He wondered.
Vincent climbed a nearby tree and sat on the most sturdies branch. How long has it been since he has seen the night sky in all it’s wonder? How long has it been since he smelled wet tree leaves? The answer: Too long.
He leaned back against the tree and just stared at the stars for awhile. He was trying to find the sword and shield constellation. It can only be seen during that final week of spring. Sadly he could not see it. He was most likely too far south of the Dividing Line to see the constellation.
Vincent eyes soon became heavy as the night progressed. He started to count the stars to try and stay up, it worked in the past as a child, but sadly not on this night. He could no longer keep his eyes open and drifted to sleep.
Vincent saw blood everywhere, women screaming in the distant as his father cackled in amusement. His mother and sister constantly in their bed chambers with strange men coming into their rooms at all hours of the night. His brother strapping newborn babies to a spinning wheel down in the dungeon and shooting arrows at them. Laughing every time he hit one. It was how he practiced his archery. A nightmare for sure, but a nightmare Vincent has lived.
Everything goes dark. The smell of burning flesh was all too familiar to him. The sound of steel clashing against steel echoed in his head along with the sound of blood-chilling screams. All of Avia was in flames. Then…boom.
The red sky turned dark. A bolt of black lightning touched down at the heart of the capital. And there he saw him. The Black Knight. His arms moved like the wind. Unseeing but forever present. His attacks were like lightning. Swift and without mercy.
No one was at his back, he fought alone against a siege of over a hundred thousand men…and won. He stormed into the castle. Ripped the mad king from his throne and decapitated him. Soon followed the queen, then the prince, finally the princess. No one could stop him. After awhile no one dared tried. Everyone he killed was dismembered beyond recognition.
Vincent was next. There he was sitting in a pool of his father’s blood. The remains of his family everywhere. He stared into the frig
htful red eyes of the Black Knight then…boom.
Vincent awoke in a cold sweat. He was breathing rapidly as his heart raced. He thought for sure it might explode out of his chest at any given moment. “Not again…” he quietly muttered to himself.
For ten years, Vincent has suffered in silence as every night he is plagued with the memories of his past. A past he cannot escape from. Being locked in a jail cell was never his curse. This was. His right arm began to pain him greatly. It was like jagged daggers being thrusted in and out of his arm. He was about to jump down from where he was and go wash his face. That was when he saw one of the guards creep out of his tent with his sword drawn.
Vincent hid behind the tree to avoid being spotted. He peered out and saw the guard looking around making sure that Vincent wasn’t anywhere to be seen. When he assumed that all was clear he signaled for his other guards. They soon joined him with their swords at the ready.
“Where’s the fallen prince?” one of them asked.
“No idea. He probably ran off. Who among us didn’t see that coming? But it doesn’t matter. Once we are done there isn’t a place in the entire world he can hide. For Avia.”
The rest replied. “For Avia.”
One of the soldiers who had some rope in hand crept ever so slowly to the tent Piña was sleeping in. He covered her mouth with her hand, naturally this woke her from her slumber. He began to tie the rope around her ankle and wrist while another kept her from squirming around.
They dragged her out. Arms and legs bound.
“Do you have any idea who I am!?” she barked. “I order you to release me this once! And maybe, just maybe, I’ll make your deaths painless.”
“I’m sorry, princess. But what we do now we do for the good of Avia.”
“Good of…this is treason you fools! My father will have all your heads for this.”
“Not when all the blame is thrown upon the fallen prince he won’t. Look around you, princess. Notice that he isn’t here. Treason was letting that bastard out of his cell. Is it any wonder he ran away? No one was watching him. You will die and all the blame will be on his—”
The Blackest Knight Page 2
