by Galen Wolf
William looked splendid in his mauve's general's uniform. It was hard to remember him as the decrepit doorman he had been.
Jeremiah was openly weeping as he listened to his friend's bold, fearless words.
Zventibold reached out and took William's hand. "William, you've followed me through thick and thin. Tell me do you have any regrets?"
William thought a while and then he said, "I'm sometimes sorry you made me sell my wife and children into slavery, but apart from that, I wouldn't change any of it."
Zventibold turned to Jeremiah. "And you my friend, what have I done to inspire such loyalty in you?"
Jeremiah said, "Jeremiah Foolscap knows what's right and what's wrong. And, even though you were temporarily evil, you represent honour, truth and justice in a way George and his autocracy never can."
The peasants cheered raggedly.
Zventibold looked at them all and said, "Go now, lads. Go before you lose your lives."
And it was then that William said, "I know we're all agreed. We'd rather die free than live as the playthings of the Autocrat."
Just then a shower of arrows hit the wall and killed two of the remaining peasants. The final peasant still stood. He had run out of all his weapons and now he was spitting at Geroge's huge army.
Zventibold looked down. There was George at the head of his Zimdagas, but they held back. They had lost many men to Zventibold's faithful warriors; they had not expected such resistance from ragged peasants, but the poor remembered him and his family and they fought for the right of their families not to be starved and executed on a whim. The mercenary commanders would not lead their soldiers into the Palace Berok as they were unaware that the defenders were nearly all dead.
Zventibold had had enough of the killing and the pain. He leaned over the balcony and said, "All right George. Stop the murder now. You can have me but spare my men." And when he looked down, he gasped as pain pierced his heart. There standing beside George, wearing her white flowing wedding gown, was Melissa. How keen she must be to see me dead, he thought.
George shouted up that he accepted the trade. "So renegade sorcerer, we will take your life and spare the pathetic old men who stand beside you, and the one remaining peasant who seem to love you so much."
"And me love them," said Zventibold emotionally. He turned to his friends. It was all he could do to stop the flow of his tears. There they stood - so brave, so unswerving.
"We will fight beside you, mas'er," said William.
"Ar, sure as a nut we will," said Jeremiah, for his part.
The peasant couldn't resist one more spit and the gob hit a Zimdaga mercenary on his headpiece.
"You have given enough for me, lads," said Zventibold. "The time has come for me to pay my debts."
William grabbed Zventibold's arm. "You know that we will die for you, if you give the word."
"I know that, William." Tears ran down Zventibold's face. "Come now."
The breeze from the open door, tugged at their clothes as they descended the steps and slowly walked out of the Palace Berok to face George. There they stood - four against thousands. George arrogantly waited there, twirling his ginger moustache, smiling his smug smile. Melissa stood there by his side, her eyes stony as she regarded Zventibold.
Zventibold spoke. "As I said, you can have me, but leave my men. Let them go where they will."
"That is our bargain," said George. "Have I not sworn it?" George laughed. "As you can see, we have already prepared your end." He gestured at a gallows which had been carried to the Palace Berok by his men and was even now being hastily erected. A hangman stood near, observing as the soldiers set up the gallows and made it secure.
"I want you dead now," said George. Soldiers came and roughly bound Zventibold's arms. William and Jeremiah went to resist, but Zventibold bade them cease. Zventibold did not struggle as they led him to the gallows. William, Jeremiah and the peasant stood there silently. Their grief was too heavy.
When Zventibold had the noose placed around his neck, George smiled and turned to William, Jeremiah and the silent peasant, said. "But first - these." And as Zventibold watched, a flight of arrows pierced each one of them - William, Jeremiah and the peasant - each of them went down with dignity, dying with a curse on their lips - a curse on George and his line.
None of George's soldiers had been brave enough to take them on hand to hand and so they had murdered them like the cowards they were..
The noose was tightened so that it held Zventibold's head, forcing him to look and see the death of his dear friends. "Arrrrggggghhhh!!!!" he screamed. "You traitorous dog!"
George laughed out loud. "Father always said the Beroks were too soft."
The hangman pulled the rope tight about Zventibold's throat. Zventibold looked toward Melissa. She was crying. With his last words he said, "Forgive me Melissa."
"I love you Alec Bjorn," she whispered, but he did not hear her words.
Minutes later ravens took off from their perches on the Palace wall and flew high over the city of Piraktesh, following the curve of the River Szerkia.
Zventibold Berok was dead.
****
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Table of Contents
Firstpiece.
A Finding.
A Rude Awakening.
A Frequent Visitor.
The Fleeting Years.
Good Times, Bad Times
In the Autocrat's Parlour
The Murder
A New Life for Zventibold
Trouble for Axtos III
Mavis has Problems
The Attack
Another Finding
Helena Lends a Hand
An Unexpected Lift
Mince for Supper
The Blow
A New Animal and a Bit of Bad Luck
Mango Lizard Cookery
A Date in the City of Death
Through the Mountains of Doom
The Realms of Wormoria
The Return
Echoes of the Past
Could it be this?
A Meagre Victory
Melissa's Question
The Breach
Happenings in the Imperial Palace
A Slight Improvement
Hard Luck Zventi!