Walking loudly he saw that Kaleen looked in his direction and stood to greet… the king’s champion.
Nodding arrogantly Kaleen greeted his superior, “Captain.”
“I could not sleep. I thought I would take a walk around the palace.”
“It is strange that you come near the cells when your men may be for the chop on the morrow?”
“Are they giving you any trouble?”
“No, I am well able to handle them.”
“They seem to be very quiet,” said Kendra as he looked through the gap in the door. In fact they don’t seem to be there.”
Kaleen’s face fell, “You jest!” he pulled Kendra away from the door and slid the bolt back. Throwing open the door he plunged inside to find it empty of the two prisoners. Looking back at the king’s champion he saw nothing. He ran to the door and looked either side of the passageway but Kendra was not to be found. “Curses be upon him!”
The next day Kendra was up early and waiting in the throne room. He saw the king come in and greeted him then a few minutes later Tarendon entered looking sheepish.
“What is it my brother?”
“It seems as though Kaleen has let Colman and Fech free and has run off with them.” For a second he shook his head then demanded, “Send someone after them all, to take their lives!”
Calmly the king replied, “No. What is done is done. I believed them to be innocent anyway.”
Slamming his fist upon the table Tarendon shouted, “But they laid their hands on me!”
“And you were in disguise visiting the fleshpots of the city. You want the guards dead because of your arrogance. If I should die you would not be worthy to rule in my place. Go and think on sin and do not visit me again until you have contemplated your folly.”
“But!”
Kendra stood and towered over Tarendon making it known that he should no longer be in the king’s presence.
Tarendon turned and left, his head down.
Looking at Kendra the king spoke, “I don’t know how you did it my friend but thank you.”
Smiling back he replied, “My king.”
“It gave me courage to rebuke my brother. With Kaleen gone then things will be less contentious around here.”
“I always wondered why you favoured Kaleen to guard you, especially as he was your brother’s man.”
“Keep your friends close but your enemies closer.”
Bowing Kendra left the king’s quarters and went to a quiet place to thence travel to the Bosom and be with his family.
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Kendra (Flash Fiction) Page 2