by Cale Madison
When my eyes opened, I found that I was surrounded by thousands of arrows. Their black feathers were embedded in the blood-stained grass, rustling peacefully in the gusty wind. I graciously patted the dismantled trebuchet that had saved my life. Corpses of both hill-men and elves covered the Avenwood fields. I crawled to my feet, hardly able to stand. I returned Gwydion’s sword to its sheath at my side and surveyed the slaughter around me. The giant’s body had fallen upon a wide section of forest, uprooting great oaks and flattening entire hills.
I searched for Skalige, combing the field to find any trace of him. I scoured beneath bodies, lifted helmets and called his name but to no avail. The commanding leaders of the elves were speaking with the head of the Gorgon warriors, shaking hands and making peace. Inadvertently, we had halted a battle and saved more lives than deaths caused. I surrendered my search for my friend after I stumbled across his blood-caked sword in the grass. I collapsed onto my knees, entirely exhausted. The voices of soldiers were all that I could hear now as I held the baron’s sword in one hand and rested the other on my lap.
In every direction, heaps of bodies lay pulverized into the grass. The survivors solemnly buried the fallen, standing in wide circles as they prayed and gave thanks to their Gods. The mammoth-sized monster lay still as it basked in the heat of the midday sun, bearing hundreds of arrows and bloodstains from its many victims. Those who had not accepted death yet were crawling or limping across the battlefield, struggling to locate their fellow allies.
“Don’t get too comfortable with that, boy. I’ll be needin’ it back now.”
I looked up to see the baron standing atop the giant’s corpse. From head to toe, he was covered in dark blood. He cordially climbed down the monster’s torso, using embedded arrows and spears to help with his descent. Once he dropped to the ground, my friend snatched his sword from my grasp and stuck it into the grass with pride.
“Coward’s way out. At least he served as some use to us before the end.” he noted, gesturing to an overturned cage on the giant’s belt, containing Aldroc’s corpse. At least twenty arrows had pierced the old man before death decided that his suffering was enough.
The elf scout rejoined his brothers in the Avenwood army, respectfully nodding to us as we walked past them. We then advanced into the forest to find the hiding prince. Malachi stood behind a tree stump, eagerly bursting with excitement as he began rambling, “That was brilliant! First, the giant came down and then, crash! You lot were shooting arrows and then the catapult fired...the catapult was like, wham! Smacked him right in his forehead! One of the greatest things I’ve ever seen! Nobody will believe me back home!”
“You did good by staying hidden.” the baron noted and patted the prince on his shoulder, “Thought you’d be a fool again and charge at the beast.”
“Caine was right. This wasn’t my fight.” Malachi said with a nod, “The two armies...they just stopped their battle? Why aren’t they fighting now?”
Skalige looked back, wiped blood from his forehead and answered, “Because there’s no reason to. The settlers of Gorgon won’t need to relocate into the harsh forests of Avenwood anymore and the elves can now live in peace. Sometimes, all it takes is a common enemy, and theirs is lying sprawled out over there. The bards will sing about this battle for generations.”
“I see no bards here, Skalige. There’s no poets scribbling rhymes in the underbrush. No hidden maesters watching along from the wagons. I’m sorry but I doubt this fight will be remembered.” I said with a smile. The baron shook his head.
“One of those boys will return home to tell his people what happened, and some minstrel will twist his words to paint a more beautiful story. That story will become a legend. The minstrel will sing a song about the Baron of the Badlands, Scourge of the Seas who cut open the chest of the Goron Giant and ripped out its beating heart. My father would be proud.” he said as we began walking into the forest, “You don’t need another title to go to your growing list of names, Beast-Slayer. By the Gods, you’re selfish.”
“Wait...Beast-Slayer of Mercia?!” Malachi exclaimed, beaming with astonishment, “The Mercian who killed the werewolf, the imoogi and the vampire?!”
“So you’ve heard.” I said, rolling my eyes.
The Tuskan prince said nothing for some time, falling behind as he continuously stared at me in awe. I fought hard to not smile as he stumbled over rocks, never taking his eyes off of me.
The three of us then traveled further away from the voices of the two armies as they revelled in their victory against the giant. A rushing stream separated us from the southern-half of the forest. The baron loosened his elven armor and tossed it aside, muttering under his breath, “I’m not walking another damned minute in that monster’s stink.”
Malachi and I joined him in the cold water, scrubbing away the dried blood as best we could. Clumps of red compiled on the surface before being swept away beneath the embankment. Small frogs leapt across floating sticks and leaves, desperately attempting to reach the other side of the stream. I asked the boy, “What happened that night, if you don’t mind me asking? The night you snuck out and left the palace?”
Malachi cleared his throat before he explained, “Athalos woke me up, said that the giant was spotted outside of Dadelberg. Krea was sick and her family was taking care of her in Bardford, which is only a few miles east from Dadelberg. I told Athalos we needed to tell father, but he said that would only make the situation worse, that the giant would seek revenge and crush the palace in seconds. Lord Gavin helped us find father’s armor and sword, then showed me the secret tunnels into the woods. Our priest was there, too. They both promised to start planning an attack, then ordered me to make sure Krea was alive and Bardford was safe. I was so proud. For the first time in my life, I actually felt like a knight.”
“You made it to Bardford, and then what happened?”
“It was dark, but I could see the monster. He was eating cows in a field while I snuck into Krea’s house. I found a farm boy who told me the giant had Krea locked away in the cage on his belt.” the prince continued to explain, “I found seven barrels filled with moon-salt behind a stable. Where the giant was sitting, there was this old shed behind him. Took me some time to roll the barrels inside. I used two slabs of flint to spark a trail that eventually led to the barrels, then BOOM!”
Malachi slapped the water as he imitated the explosion. The baron and I had halted from washing ourselves as we listened to the story.
“The fire was much bigger than I had expected. I guess giants are afraid of it. The coward ran off into Avenwood and I chased him. I hoped he would have left the cage but he didn’t.”
“You’re brave, kid. I’ll give you that.”
Skalige lowered himself into the stream to scrub away the blood from his shoulder. When he spotted the black box beside my chestplate, he said, “I’m curious to learn more about that box. The markings aren’t of any language I’ve read. Dark magic, it must be.”
“It was near the witch’s campsite...possible that they would’ve known.” I replied, digging my fingernails beneath chunks of dried blood on my legs.
“Won’t know now, will we?” Skalige replied, “The elves butchered them.”
“Good riddance.” Malachi interjected as he tumbled backwards into the cool water, “I hope to God they suffered.”
“You met the bitches of the wood, did you?” Skalige asked with a witch-like cackle.
“They nearly got me as I was chasing the giant. Told me that they were working on a spell that could shrink the monster to the size of a man. Stupid fool, I was to almost believe such a lie. How’d you two manage to best them?” he asked, looking up at us. His gaunt, skeleton-like appearance still pained me to look at.
Skalige shot me a glance and burst into laughter, replying, “Pretty boy here batted his gorgeous, blue eyes at the old fire crotch!” I waved it away as Malachi began smiling. We were nearly delirious from the day’s venture and this brief, sweet
moment weighed heavily on our weary hearts.
Rays of the midday sun gleamed through the tops of the trees above us, casting glorious beams of light into the dark marshes. I turned for one last look at the field behind us, almost expecting the battle to rekindle between the elves and hill-men. Clusters of soldiers continued burying their dead in mass graves or burning them on piles of dismantled catapults. Brothers wept over their fallen kin and fathers mourned their sons. I felt grateful to have survived such a battle.
“Just curious. How much am I worth to father?”
“What’s that, Malachi?” I asked, swatting a mosquito as it landed on my cheek.
“How much was my bounty? Did they even bother to set one?”
“Eh, indefinitely priceless.” I replied, noticing that he hardly believed it, so I answered truthfully, “Twenty thousand crowns.”
“Shit.”
“What?”
“No wonder you both risked your lives.”
***
Castle Rock was a prison fashioned out of an abandoned military outpost on the furthest hill that overlooked the sea. Dozens of cramped prison chambers rested precariously close to the cliff’s ledge, continuously being splashed as the tide rolled in. Waves crashed against the castle ruins, soaking Aketa in her small cell as she sat, huddled in the corner. One guard stood watch while Gavin rapped his ringed knuckles on the cell bars, smiling as he gazed upon her. She turned away, repulsed by his betrayal. The guard swung open the door and allowed the Lord to step through to confront his new prisoner. He sneered, “Thought you could get away with this, didn’t you?”
“You can save your lies, Gavin. Once I tell the guards of your plan, this cell becomes yours!” she snapped.
“Hey, Tarnus,” Gavin called out to the guard standing at the door, who did not respond, “Tarnus, I aim to assassinate the king tomorrow! Did you hear me? I’m plotting the death of the king. Will you clad me in irons and lock me away? No?”
Still, no response from the guard, standing at full attention.
“See, they don’t care. They’re with me. Funny thing about desperate hands - they still take from the highest bidder. I supply them with gold and, in return, they do what I ask. You’re alone in here, darling. Better get used to it.” he said with a hideous smile.
“You’re a monster!” Aketa spat, “How long have you planned this? Did you kill the prince?”
“No, no, no. Malachi’s disappearance was not by my hand. I merely helped his brother give him a little nudge out of the door, is all. Showed him the right tunnels.” he answered, “Wasn’t too difficult. Little lad was itching to save the girl that he loved. I’m sure you can relate to such a...powerful feeling.”
“Caine’s coming back! He’ll find the boy and bring you to justice.”
“Keep convincing yourself of that.” Gavin said with a smirk, wiping dirt from his black
tunic, “Tomorrow, a new age dawns upon Tuskan. Athalos will take the throne after his father’s death. You will face charges of conspiracy and I shall serve under the new king as his eyes, his ears and his command. The wife of the Beast-Slayer of Mercia, jealous of her husband’s fame and driven mad by his death, plots to murder the Royal Family. The court case will be the swiftest in history.”
Aketa said nothing. She turned away to face the crashing waves.
“You were out of your element the moment you left Mercia, Aketa. I tried to warn you. You and your husband just had to keep digging. Eventually, you found yourself too deep to climb out.” the Hand said before tossing a rounded stone over the cell’s ledge. It careened for several seconds before becoming swallowed by the violent waves.
“Nothing will change once you’re in control.”
“You couldn’t be more wrong,” he whispered, drawing closer to her, “and once Arrigon crumbles and we rule the North, I will ensure that Mercia becomes a desolate battlefield. We will burn every swamp and village until there’s nothing left. I’ll leave Port Mercia a charred heap of embers. Years from now, nobody will remember it ever existed. I’m sure you’ll be able to smell the smoke from your cell.”
“Bastard.” she hissed.
“Once your soul has withered away, I’ll make you one of my wives...chained to my bedpost, eating from a dish no bigger than one I’d give to my hounds. You will serve my every command, obeying without question. I’ll torture you, pry your fingernails one by one until you learn to love me. You’ll forget your husband’s name and who you were. Mercia will be nothing but a vague memory. You will become my Tuskan woman, Aketa. One way or another.” he whispered through the cell bars, flashing his teeth, “I’ll break your spirit first. Then, when you’re obedient, I’ll come back to taste those sweet Mercian lips of yours.”
As he said this, he stroked her chin with one gloved finger. She bit down on his hand, filling her mouth with his blood before he let the other fist collide with her cheek. He rose to strike again but was interrupted by a prison guard who informed him, “My Lord, the court has called for you. Rehearsals for tomorrow.”
“I’m on my way out.” Gavin replied, letting the guard depart before speaking to Aketa again, “Try that again, I’ll have that delicate flower between your legs sewn shut, then I’ll dangle your naked body from a meat hook over the sea. Don’t test my power in this place.”
“Caine’s coming.” Aketa hissed, spitting his blood onto the rocks below, “He’ll come back and he’ll kill you, bastard. I hope I get to see it.”
She smiled with each tooth soaked in blood; she continued laughing as he departed and shut the cell doors behind him. The guard then returned to his post. Gavin bandaged his wounded hand before he and his ten knights mounted their horses. They then trotted down the one dirt path that led towards the city. Aketa counted every step from Brunson to Castle Rock, repeating the number constantly as she rested against the rocky wall.
“One thousand, two hundred and seven...one thousand, two hundred and seven...” she solemnly chanted to herself as she stared through the bars and over the horizon. From here, she could still imagine the peaceful tranquility of home as vividly as being there again. She whispered a prayer to Opheria for me and for herself before resting her eyes with her head against the hard rock. The design of her prison cell allowed the thrashing waves to occasionally splash her with freezing, salty water and keep her from drifting asleep. “One thousand...two hundred and seven...”
CHAPTER EIGHT
A DEBT TO BE PAID
“She’s here.” I said to the prince as we neared the Du’Bois Estate. He appeared very anxious and weary from our travels but also confused, asking us, “Why would the farm-boy tell me that the giant took Krea? Why would he lie?”
“I can’t wait to hear him answer that, myself.” I said, chortling under my breath, along with Skalige. The closer we came to the cabin, the stranger I felt - it were as if something wasn’t right with the village. No laborers were singing in the fields and there were no signs of farm animals in their stables or on the food plots. The door to the Du’Bois house battered against the wall as it swung open and shut from the wind. We entered the home cautiously, calling for the heads of the household but to no answer.
“Looks empty.” I said to the two beside me. We searched the vacant house, checking in every room for signs of life but discovered nothing. Pots and pans rested on the shelves but there wasn’t a sign of struggle to be found anywhere. Fresh meat, covered in flies, sat on a dining table in one of the rooms. The chairs were perfectly positioned with polished, silver forks resting beside washed plates. I noted this observation to Skalige, who then instructed to Malachi, “Stay here, kid. Hide until we find them.”
Malachi obeyed and disappeared into one of the bedrooms while we disembarked from the Du’Bois house. I turned to my companion and whispered, “This doesn’t feel right. Almost as if they cleaned everything and fled.”
“With the animals and left everything unattended?” Skalige replied, hinting that he didn’t believe in the coincide
nce. Before we continued to leave, I noticed a large stain of dark blood on the grass that led us to the other side of the house. The trail ended but gave us an adequate view of the village awaiting us in the valley.
“Fucking eerie, mate...” Skalige whispered.
We descended the vineyard’s hill and made our way to the village square, only to find no sign of life at all. The doors of the houses were open with nobody inside. Pools of dried blood covered different sections of the village, leading me to believe that it was a deliberate and malicious attack on Bardford’s people. The sun began to set in the western horizon, casting its last gleam of light before disappearing for the next twelve hours.
We cautiously swung open the door to Mira’s Courtesan House, finding that the rooms were abandoned. Skalige followed a blood trail that led through the hallway and said, “See how it snakes between the rooms? The girls were dragged through here...”
“Who would do this?” I asked, staring down at the red floorboards.
“I might’ve suspected pirates, but they would’ve taken the girls alive. They’re dopplers, for God’s sake. Imagine how much coin a rich man would pay for girls with their power. Pirates wouldn’t have left so much jewelry lying around either. I saw a pearl necklace in one of the back rooms, Caine, just lying on a pillow. Pirates are more thorough than that. Look behind the bar. See how many bottles of everluce are still sitting there? Those are worth thirty crowns a piece! Not to mention what they’d fetch in Skjarla’s open market. No pirate in his right mind would pass on gold like that.”
