Seal of the King

by Ralph Smith

  “I guess it won’t hurt to check it out. Once we cross the border I’m guessing the four of us won’t get a lot of rest.”

  At dusk, they approached the village where there were a handful of shops all closed for the day. Only the Inn had lights on; they could hear the sounds of guests coming from inside. Out front there were a number of horses tethered to the rail. Based on the gear, these riders hadn’t traveled a long distance, but they weren’t farmers either. Since they were in friendly territory, they decided not to bother with the dress clothes Aaron had packed for their trek through the dark lands. Wearing her travelling coat, Aurora put the gold she found in her pocket. David tethered the horses to a post, and grabbing their packs, they headed inside.

  They opened the door and felt a blast of warm air carrying the smells of food, ale, and sweat. They walked in to see a group of 6 men off to the right sitting around the table eating, laughing, and talking. They looked like hard men, and David immediately took note of their weapons, a mixture of short swords, knives, a mace, and crossbow. There were few other patrons, a couple keeping to themselves, and a lone man sitting in the shadows. Seeing them enter, a man with a leather apron approached, smiling at the arrival of new guests.

  “Good evening, good evening, I’m Horatio. Welcome to my inn. How may I help you tonight?” He said preoccupied, but in a jovial voice as he shot a quick glance at the group of men.

  “I’m David, and this is Aurora.” David said, noticing Aurora dissecting the room with her eyes.

  “Oh Aurora dear, I almost didn’t recognize you. Not in your usual attire, are you?”

  “Hello Horatio, how have you been?”

  In a softer voice, he said, “well things are getting a bit tenuous these days. I fear what the spring will bring.” Then shot another quick glance at the men.

  “Horatio, we’ll try not to add to your troubles. Is Andrew handy to stable the horses?”

  “Oh yes dear, I’ll go get him. Please have a seat over here.” Horatio guided them to a table near the other couple, but away from the men. As they sat he stood patiently watching them.

  Aurora reached into her pocket and pulled out a gold piece “Can we please get some dinner, and a drink, as well? We’d also like to see about a room.” Horatio’s eyes wide at the gold, looked at her and David.

  “My dear, why of course, I would never pry but is this man your husband?” Horatio asked in disbelief.

  Aurora staring at him with penetrating eyes in her no nonsense voice said, “Yes, that’s right. We were married yesterday.”

  Horatio a little flustered at the news said, “Well dear that’s terrific news! I have to say I thought it might never happen. Um I mean not that you aren’t lovely dear … um… yes you young man must be quite…. Well…. Um special, to have won this young ladies’ heart; my, my, that is something.” Horatio was withering under Aurora’s gaze.

  “Thank you Horatio, I guess that’s a compliment.”

  “Oh yes, yes dear. I’ll be back with your food shortly. Which horses are yours so I can tell, Andrew?”

  “There’s a carriage out front with two large quarter horses. Can you please stable, feed, and water them, and bring the carriage around back out of sight?” Asked David.

  “Why yes I certainly will.” Then still mumbling to himself as he walked off, they heard him saying, “Aurora married… I still can’t believe it.”

  David looked at Aurora, and broke out in a big smile, and she flushed brightly.

  “Not a word.” She glowered at him.

  David laughed “I wouldn’t dream of it. I told you being on your bad side isn’t my idea of a good time.”

  Aurora gave a small laugh “I have a reputation to protect you know.”

  “I noticed. Horatio was so nervous I thought he might forget why we were here.”

  “Ugh wait until he tells Matilda.” As the words escaped her lips, they heard her.

  “AURORA!! Oh my dear, Horatio just told me the news.” A stout woman with a broad smile came scrambling up from the back, her arms waving. “Oh dear, is it true?”

  They both stood to greet her, and Aurora said, “Hello Matilda, it’s great to see you too. Yes, it’s true, Horatio hasn’t drunk all the ale yet tonight.”

  Matilda gave her a quick hug then turned to David “Let me look at you” she said as she gave him a quick look up, and down. “You are a nice looking young man, but if I know Aurora you must be very stubborn too.”

  “I don’t know about that, but it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m David.”

  “Oh dear, it’s delightful to meet you too. Young Aurora here has been our guest many times, and she has helped us out on a few occasions. I’m terribly fond of her, and so glad she has finally met a man that she didn’t want to knock his front teeth out. You do have all your teeth still?”

  “So far I have managed to avoid having her knock out my teeth.” Then he said in a quiet voice leaning in so Matilda and Aurora could hear “But I always have my guard up because you never know she might just want to show me who’s in charge.” Then he gave her a sly grin.

  Aurora hit him on the arm, and Matilda laughed “oh dear, you may have met your match, Aurora.” Matilda said chuckling “He’s the first man I’ve met who wasn’t afraid of you. How about I get the two of you something to eat?”

  “That would be lovely Matilda.” Aurora said.

  “Yes, please, thank you very much Matilda.” David added.

  “Oh dear, and manners too, you two sit. I’ll be back shortly.” Matilda said as she bustled off.

  Matilda’s boisterous visit had caught the attention of the group of men, but David could see they weren’t getting up anytime soon. He just made sure to sit so he could keep an eye on everyone in the room, and so did Aurora.

  “So it seems you do have quite a reputation.” David chided her.

  “Oh stop it, I’m embarrassed enough.” Aurora said playfully now that they were alone.

  “They seem nice enough.”

  “Oh yes they are, but it’s a hard life this close to the border, and if it ever came down to it I think they’d probably sell us out.”

  David considered that for a moment, and filed it away, then asked “Do you recognize anyone else in here?”

  “No, but I’m keeping an eye on those drunk men over there.”

  “So am I. Tell me what kind of trouble have you helped them with in the past?”

  “Mostly the occasional unruly patron who didn’t want to pay for their meal. One time a man got a little too friendly with Matilda, and when Horatio said something to him, the man hit him. I showed the man the error of his ways.” Aurora said with an air of satisfaction.

  “Did you now, and how did you do that may I ask?”

  “I put a dagger in between his legs, and told him if he ever stepped foot in here again that I would find him, and finish the job.”

  “I’m sure he found your offer quite persuasive.” David said grinning at her.

  “I do have a reputation of keeping my word.” She said confidently.

  The next thing they knew, Matilda and Horatio where there with steaming stew, some hard bread, a couple of tankards of ale, water, and hot tea.

  “This looks like a feast.” David said cheerily.

  “Oh dear, you flatter me. I didn’t want to keep you waiting while I made something else, and the stew is fresh.” Matilda said.

  “It smells delicious.” Aurora said.

  “Andrew has taken the horses, and carriage around back as you asked. He doesn’t think anyone saw him either, so we’ll be discreet about it. I’m assuming you don’t want to attract a lot of attention?” Horatio said as he flashed another look at the men. They both nodded at him. “Very well, Matilda and I will prepare an upstairs room for you. We’ll give you the nicest one we have although it isn’t quite a honeymoon suite.” He said with a bit of a smirk.

  David said, “Not to worry, I’m sure it’ll be fine. We’re leaving at first light, and wo
n’t be up late” in an attempt to spare Aurora some mischievous looks from their host.

  “Oh that’s too bad. If there’s anything else we can do for you, please let us know.” Matilda said.

  “We will. Thank you again for such kind hospitality.”

  "Oh it's our pleasure, dear," Matilda said with a wave as they headed off.

  They hadn’t realized how hungry they were until they started eating. They agreed, having a warm meal after travelling all day, felt good. They didn’t have any ale, as they were afraid it would dull their senses, and they weren’t prepared to take anything for granted. The other couple had left, and only the table of six men and the lone diner were still in the room with them. After, having had several rounds of ale, the men began getting louder.

  “Should we go upstairs?” Aurora asked.

  “I don’t think so just yet. I’d rather not have to wonder who might be coming up the stairs. Let’s stay until these men leave.”

  “Yes, ale can make men do stupid things.”

  “Women too” David replied giving her a sly grin.

  “And what do you mean by that? Women don’t go bothering innocent travelers after they’ve had one too many tankards” She said, defying him to contradict her.

  “I suppose you’re right about that one.” He said smiling at her.

  She looked at him, her mouth half open, prepared to defend what she said, only to be thwarted by him again. Now a little flustered she said, “Well then…. Hopefully they don’t stay all night.”

  “I second that.”

  As Aurora was about to speak, David turned, and was on his feet in the blink of an eye. The lone man, who had been sitting in the shadows, standing now was startled by David’s sudden appearance and took a step back.

  Aurora having learned to trust his instincts immediately got to her feet too. Then remembering she was wearing the delicate blue dress over her traveling clothes wanted to swear, but held her tongue.

  “Hello there.” David said to the man in a causal voice.

  He was about David’s height, and had on a cloak with a hood pulled up partially covering his face. Hidden by the cloak it was hard to see his build, but for the moment David had the element of surprise on his side.

  “Hello.” The man said in a gruff voice.

  “I thought perhaps we knew each other.”

  "No, I don't think so."

  “Why don’t you lower your hood so I can see if I recognize you?”

  “I’m on my way out.”

  “Really it’s too hot in here to wear a hood. It will only take a moment I have an excellent memory for faces.”

  Aurora could see the man was nervous. David had him trapped in between two tables.

  “I just want to pass, please. I’m not making any trouble.” The man said with rising anxiety in his voice.

  Then to Aurora’s surprise David said in a kind voice, “I understand, but perhaps I can help.”

  The man stood frozen for a minute not knowing what to think, when suddenly he said, “Fine, you want to see under my hood here.”

  He pulled his hood back to expose his face, it was scarred with burns, and his bones were disfigured from having been broken. The hair on the right side of his face was all gone, his scalp looking as if it had been dragged over gravel. Aurora flinched it was not at all what she had expected. David did not flinch he stood there looking at the man calmly gazing at him, his facial expression unchanged.

  David spoke first “who did this to you?”

  The man had puffed up expecting anything, but that, and with those words seemed to deflate in front of them.

  “There was a gang of men they came to our home, raped my wife, beat me badly, and set fire to our house. I went inside barely able to see trying to save her, but in the fire and smoke I couldn’t find her.” At these words, he began to weep, and his legs gave out.

  David grabbed the man, and helped him to sit at their table. They sat quietly for a moment giving him a chance to regain himself. They gave him some tea. The man sipped it, giving himself something to focus on until he could think clearly again.

  “I’m sorry. I should go.”

  “No, I said I would help.” David said, “Are those the men that did that to you and your wife? Is that why you’re following them?”

  “How did you know?”

  David felt Aurora’s anger build, so he gently placed a hand on her asking for patience.

  “It’s enough that I know. What would you do to these six men? They are heavily armed, and you’ve been hurt.”

  “It doesn’t matter what happens to me. They need to pay for what they did to my wife.”

  “I understand, but your wife would not want you to jump off of a cliff, and attacking these men by yourself is as sure a death as that.”

  “Are you telling me that I should do nothing? I should just let them get away with it? How can I dishonor her like that?”

  “When did this happen?” David asked him ignoring the man’s question.

  “It was a little over a month ago, I’ve only recently been well enough to come find them. They’re so vile they don’t even hide after such a crime.” The man said, his anger rising again.

  “Where did it happen?”

  “Just over Grey Ridge on the other side of the river where we have….. Had our home.”

  David stood, and looked at the man with such authority he froze. “Stay here.”

  Aurora sprang to her feet she had no idea what he was going to do, she was furious for what they did to this man, but she was frightened for David.

  David marched over to the table where the men sat, and fearlessly looked them in the eyes. Before they could speak he said in a casual voice “Excuse me gentlemen, but were you on the other side of Grey Ridge across the river about a month or so ago?”

  One of the men turned to him and said, “What business is it of yours?”

  Through a mask of total calm David said, “my friend over there said six men, who looked like you, came by his home a month or so ago, and took something from him. I told him he must be mistaken because you do not look like the kind of men who would take something that doesn’t belong to you.”

  A couple of the men were eyeing Aurora, and she returned an icy glare. Then the boldest one of them stood.

  “Are you accusing us of taking something from that freak over there? You can’t prove anything, and neither can he.” He stood facing David trying to intimidate him.

  David, the fury in him building, spoke in a tone of absolute authority without a trace of fear. “That man’s wife was raped then she was burned alive inside their home. He was beaten badly, and burned trying to save her from the fire. You tell me who the freak is him or the men who did that to him?”

  The other men began to rise while their apparent leader said to David “now you listen to me, you’d better get your hide out of here before you end up looking worse than him. And just to show you what gentlemen we are, leave your woman here, and we’ll show her a good time, and what a real man is.”

  The men began to laugh, and as one of them took a half step toward Aurora, David exploded into action. The air cracked with the energy coursing through him. He hit the man in front of him so hard in the chest that it lifted him off his feet sending him sailing over the table into two of the others. In an instant, David spun around, and grabbed the man who had moved towards Aurora pulling his arm so hard they heard it break as he fell to the floor. The remaining men stopped dead in their tracks.

  David motioned to the lone man to come over now. Then he turned to the men standing before him saying “now let’s try this again. Do you remember this man? Do you remember what you did to his wife?”

  One of the men fell to his knees and said, “Please. Yes, it was us, please forgive me.”

  “It isn’t for me to forgive you. What about the rest of you?”

  One by one they started getting down on their knees. As the man on David’s right, knees were just about to t
ouch the ground he pushed up and lunged at David. Another on his left started to move around the table, and in one fluid motion Aurora spun pulling out her dagger, and slit the man’s throat before he made it two steps. David turned to the side, and as the man came up from the ground reaching out for him David grabbed his head, and snapped his neck. Neither of the other two men moved.

  “Now you two, it is not my forgiveness you must seek, it is that of this man, and our Lord and Father. I say to you right here, and now, if you are truly remorseful you will live, but your life belongs to this man. You must serve him as payment for a debt you can never satisfy. If you are not truly remorseful, you will fall before you reach the door. What is your answer?”

  The first man to fall to his knees said, “I will serve him. Lord, please forgive me.”

  The second man said, “Yes I’ll serve him too.”

  David still filled with the power he drew in, turned to the lone man placed his hands on his face, and let the energy flow into him. As the power moved from one to another, the light was too bright for them to see. When it stopped it revealed the man’s face healed, and whole again.

  The man stood looking at David in astonishment. David looked at him kindly, and said, “I’m truly sorry for what has happened to you. Please do not dishonor your wife and your Lord by becoming what these men were.“

  “I won’t. Thank you for what you’ve done for me.”

  “Don’t thank me, but give your prayer of thanks to the Lord for I can do nothing against his will.”

  “I will” the man said. “You never told me your name.”

  “I’m David. Perhaps we’ll meet again someday.”

  The two men stood, and picked up their comrade with the broken arm. As they made their way to the door, the second man fell to the floor, causing the man with the broken arm to fall to the ground. The first man reached down to check them, and said, “They’re dead.”

  David looked at him, and said, “Remember the gift you have been given here today, and do not squander it.”

  “I won’t,” he said. Then he turned and hurried out after his new master.

  Horatio and Matilda peered out from around the rear door. Horatio asked, “is it alright to come out now?”