Jacob laughed aloud and grasped the lord from the south by the shoulders and raised him up. ‘My Lord Audemar, how welcome you are. This is Knight-captain Gymir of the Brotherhood of Light. He has command of the men-at-arms in the north. Gymir and I have discussed at length, with many others, how we shall meet the new threat from the Darkness. Your knowledge will be of great value.’
‘And you shall have it, my prince, Knight-captain’, Audemar said and bowed towards the two.
Gymir laughed and said, ‘We tend to the less formal here, my lord, and we knight-captains are neither noble nor of great rank. I am merely called captain by my brothers and Gymir by those who are not. Besides, you have rank here I am sure, though I would not expect the deference your rank normally provokes. The brothers here will obey you but will speak their minds as well.’
Audemar smiled. ‘I shall defer to your command freely, Gymir, as will my men. We are experts at hunting mountain trolls, ambushing pirate raiders and we have constant warfare with the wild-men of the deep wood yet, for all our skill we have little knowledge of the Orc menace or of combat with more than a hundred foemen.’
Jacob looked in the distance toward the jungles and spoke in a grave tone. ‘We have brought a little time, but the enemy will come and come in force. We shall use that time wisely, we shall build defensive trenches between the forts, train those villagers strong enough to bear arms and above all maintain vigilance.’ He turned to look at the two hundred men who would accompany him on the great expedition and continued, ‘I go now to the south and beyond, on this grand quest, but I shall return and with me I shall bring the fall might of the race of Man.’
King Kane the Cruel, first of his name, sat upon his great throne in the largest of his many halls and revelled in the suffering of his subjects as he watched them beg for mercy, knowing they would receive none. Six men had been found disturbing the king’s peace, speaking out against the crown and its tyrannical laws. Manacled to each other and to the ground before the king, they made mewing sounds and pleas of help through terrified sobs as they watched the executor prowl into the vast hall. A great forest bear, brought across the small sea from the island known as the Third Sister at great expense, walked into the hall sniffing the air as it swung its colossal head from side to side. Even now when the beast seemed calm, it was a thing from nightmares. Twelve feet in height as it stood on its rear legs, its snouted mouth agape with teeth strong enough to crunch through bone as easily as a man might bite through an apple. Thick black fur covered its heavily muscled body but did nothing to hide the strength it wielded. Clawed paws, able to wipe a man’s face from his skull with one casual swipe, tapped eerily as it stalked into the filled hall. A great harness criss-crossed the creature’s torso, a parody of those used to harness oxen, and a great chain of iron links circled the beast’s neck.
The creature could barely fit through the great double doors to the castle’s great hall, its width equal to that of two large war horse. It took a dozen men pulling on the great chain about its neck to encourage the beast in, whilst more prodded the creature from behind.
Finally, the great forest bear was within the hall, surrounded by the two dozen men who sought to control the beast and force it to do their master’s bidding. A full fifty of the king’s guard stood before the king, with nine-foot-long spears held low as they stood before the high dais, ready to protect the king at any cost.
The king spoke from his throne in a voice made high with excitement from those awaiting bloodlust and gruesome death. ‘You six men.’ He spat the word ‘men’ with contempt. ‘Are guilty of attempting to spread dissent amongst my most beloved citizens. A charge worthy of the hangman’s noose. But you, six.’ The king rose and with him rose the lords and their advisors who had been summoned for a great council of war. Over a hundred men rose from their seats that lay arrayed around the edges of the hall. The king pointed a finger at the condemned. ‘You six sought to take up arms against me.’ His voice rose in anger. ‘Sought to do harm to your rightful king! Planned and plotted to place yourselves within my walls and do bloody murder against me!’ Spittle sprayed from his mouth as he shouted. Then, as quickly as his rage had emerged, it vanished. He sat back upon his throne, calm and contentment evident on his face.
He motioned for the head beastmaster to approach, and the man, a tall, lean fellow with a potbelly and moustaches that were waxed and hung to chest, came and kneeled before the king’s throne. The king spoke to the man who remained on his knees. ‘An incredible beast. You can control such a creature?’
The man nodded energetically. ‘My king, the beast has intelligence, and we have trained it with splendid success through punishment and reward. With your leave, my king?’ The beastmaster asked of the king, who replied joyfully.
The beastmaster rose and came before the prisoners, who wept with terror. He took a white powder from a pouch on his belt and dubbed a white cross upon each of the condemned men’s heads. ‘My king’, the man called out in a loud voice whilst offering the king an exaggerated bow. ‘My lords.’ He bowed again. ‘And distinguished men of note.’ The man inclined his head at the last. ‘Behold, the mightiest of all animals. The ferocious and untameable, great black forest bear!’ He stood quietly expecting applause, but none came until the king clapped his hands once and a great cacophony of applause filled the great hall.
‘And yet’, the beastmaster continued once the applause had died down. ‘Bent it to my will, I have. And now it serves King Kane, the first ruler of men. Marked are these men, known to the monstrous beast they now are. Upon our great king’s command, the executioner waits.’
The king pointed to the man closest to the great bear and screeched. ‘Tear him to bloody ruin!’ The beastmaster made a few slight gestures with his hands and arms, and the beast advanced upon the man slowly.
The bear pawed the ground and sniffed the air as the handlers who held the chains and harnesses backed away and gave the bear room to move. It came slowly, swinging its low hanging head from side to side. A huge scar ran across the beast’s face from its forehead, down between its eyes and across the side of its snout. It came upon the first man, in a room of hushed silence. The pitiful crying of the man was so very loud. Slowly it moved, without a hint of aggression. It sniffed at the man, who stood shaking in a puddle of his own urine, with the rags he wore soiled by his own waste. A huge lolling tongue came slowly from between the beast’s open jaws. It licked the man’s face, seemingly relishing the taste of fear. Then slowly it moved its open jaws forward and engulfed the man’s face. Closing its jaws, the beast’s teeth sunk deep into the flesh of the prisoner’s face. Twenty long teeth punctured the flesh on both sides of the squealing man’s skull, as blood gushed out to darken the puddle on the hall’s floor.
Slowly the bear pulled its head back, and with no visible effort from the beast, the man’s face came with it. The man’s shredded face was pulled from his skull, sickeningly slowly, until the weight of the man’s body and the manacles that held him to the ground sprung him backwards. Lips, nose, cheeks, forehead and ears all missing as the bear retreated a step leaving a faceless skull gurgling and screaming noises as his fleshless jaw bones moved up and down. Small strips of skin, flesh and fat were all that remained upon the prisoner’s blood glistering skull.
The king screeched with delight whilst retching noises could be heard from the horrified lords and advisors. Some tried to make to leave unnoticed, but the king’s household guards barred the way.
The king stood suddenly, and all stood but a heartbeat later. ‘Behold the fate of those who would dare dream of harming their king.’ He turned to the beast with outstretched hands and gestured whilst talking to the beast as if it were just another of his loyal guardsmen. ‘Kill them all!’ The king screamed. ‘Kill them all.’
Again, the beastmaster made some commands, and the beast turned back towards his prey. It reared up on its hind legs and let loose his challenge with a roar so deep it filled the hall and re
verberated within the chests of those that watched on in fear, revulsion and awe. Its gaping maw revealed teeth and tongue dripping with bloody drool. And then it came.
With speed one would think impossible due to its size, it leapt upon the remaining prisoners. Its claws shredded flesh as huge paws shattered bone with the undiluted raw power of this gargantuan creature. It took one man’s torso in its enormous jaws, crushing his ribcage. It pulled with such force that the poor man’s manacled hands were dislocated from his wrists with a sickening crunch of bone. Within a minute it was over. Limbs lay torn from their bodies. Dismembered legs were still manacled to the ground. Bodies lay twitching whilst all around intestines and organs littered the hall floor like some storm ravaged abattoir.
The beastmaster made some quick movements of his hands, accompanied by a high-pitched whistle, and the creature lay down, a picture of calm, as it licked the blood and gore from its paws.
The king became increasingly animated as he paced the raised dais. ‘Behold!’ he called out. ‘The fate of mine enemies. I do not doubt there are those amongst you here that would relish in my downfall. Some may even wish it fervently and with open heart yet, I say to those with wickedness in their heart and foul deeds in their mind, behold, the fate of mine enemies.’
King Kane the first, known throughout the kingdom he ruled as Kane the Cruel, had undoubtedly earned his name. He took one last look at the carnage around his hall and with a look of pure exaltation upon his face he turned and left the hall through a door at the rear of the dais, leading to his war council.
The king now sat on another throne, this one facing rows of benches able to seat fifty men, flanked by Hamal, knight-captain of his household guard on his left and Colburn on his right. He sat impatiently waiting for his war council to assemble.
First came the great lords of the north and south. Lord Godwin entered, flanked by his son and a large, bellied man, the lord’s first advisor whom the king knew was called Tristan. Lord Beringer followed by his firstborn, Beringer, and his second born Berison. After the greatest lords of the north and south had entered, Lord Rowland, Lord Lichenton and Lord Aelinor came. Each of the great lords of the north were accompanied by two or three men of note, whose names the king did not know nor cared to learn.
Lord Armine and Lord Otelin of the south came after, each with sons or advisors unknown to the king. Of all the great lords, north and south, only Audemar was not in attendance. After the great lords came two dozen or so of the more worthy barons, who held land but still held service and oath to one of the great lords. Oswald was amongst these barons, though he was perhaps the lowest in political position in court. He gave fawning greetings to Lord Godwin, Lord Beringer, and the king, before noting Colburn and shrinking back to the rear of the room, and with eyes filled with hate he looked on at the former knight-captain.
‘My lords’, the king began, as he noted with humour that many of the lords had finery splattered with blood. ‘You are summoned, for the time of our great expedition is near. And now is the time for our last council. My nephew, the prince, will return from our northern borders within days. At his back he has two hundred men-at-arms of the brotherhood. The lords of the north will join their men to his and journey to the south where they will rendezvous with the armies of Lord Otelin, Lord Armine and of Lord Audemar.’
‘And where is Audemar?’ one baron of the north interrupted.
A huge brute of a man stood at the question. He was taller than all in the room apart from Colburn, with a shaved head, scarred face and cold stony eyes.
‘My Lord Audemar’, the man growled. ‘Has marched in strength to support the northern border.’ He looked upon the overweight baron in his finery with unhidden contempt. ‘He defends your lands whilst you seek glory and wealth.’
‘Enough!’ bellowed the king, slamming his hands down upon the armrests of his throne. He turned to look at Lord Audemar’s man, who in face of the king, bowed slightly and took his seat. ‘Captain Morris’, the king said by way of an introduction, ‘will command the Lord Audemar’s men. He speaks with the lord’s voice, so you, baron,’ the king pointed at the baron, ‘will afford him the same respect as you would the lord himself’.
The king became calm again. ‘You have discussed, argued, bickered like village whores and tried your damnedest to install yourself into my grace. Now the time for competing for prestige is over. Unity from here on out, or if you prefer, I am sure my newest servant would be ready to make your acquaintance.’ The king paused and looked from face to face before continuing. ‘No? Good. Now, that is clear. My nephew will lead the expedition. The Lord Godwin will be his first. The Lord Beringer will be second. You all have detailed outlines, but Lord Godwin will outline the mission.’
The Lord Godwin stood and bowed before the king. ‘My king, a great honour it is you do me.’ He took a deep breath and began. ‘Our fighting men will converge upon the harbour city, and together we shall be around one thousand and six hundreds, including two hundred brothers of the order. The warriors will, of course, fall under direct command of their lords or lord’s representative.’ He glanced slightly towards the king before saying, ‘I am informed that the prince himself commands those warriors of the order, yet all will follow the king’s chain of command or be subject to consequences.’ After today’s display, none of the assembled men needed reminding how grave consequences would be.
‘When the armies are brought together, they will board forty-two troopships, and together with twice that number of supply ships we shall set oars and sails to sea.’ Lord Godwin then gestured towards the Lord Beringer and said, ‘My Lord Beringer is by far the most experienced seaman and will take command of the fleet, my lord.’
Lord Beringer stood. ‘Thank you, Lord Godwin. This time of year, the winds blow a southerly course. We shall set sail and let the winds take us wide round the islands known as the Three Sisters. Rocks and currents become treacherous round the isles, so we shall sail for three days by a south-west course before swinging round to a due west course. Once we are in the deep oceans of the east, we can furl sails and put the slaves to oars. It will be a six-week journey, with resupply from the provision ships at sea. It will have dangers but with prayer and perseverance we shall prevail.’ The Lord Beringer took his seat again and the Lord Godwin continued the briefing.
‘We shall land at a suitable bay or cove and build a harbour with the provision ships. They have been built for such a purpose and with some work they will become a stable harbour. Supplies will be winched ashore, whilst the troop ships remain anchored at sea. It is a full two-week march through the blistering heat of the desert. We shall raise tents during the heat of the day and take rest, whilst we march during the cool of the night. The slaves that man the oars will carry provision, and upon the return journey, the treasure.’ Godwin paused and looked hard into the eyes of his fellow great lords. ‘The slaves must not be so ill-treated that they will weaken before the journey’s end. Any disobedience will be dealt with publicly and with great cruelty.’
The king smiled his sickly smile at the word cruelty, and Godwin paused to let the assembled nobles dwell upon the word before continuing. ‘These creatures we shall face dwell deep within the earth and do not venture from their nest whilst the sun lights the sky, so that is when we shall make our attack. From all sides we shall swarm into their subterranean city and put all who abide there to the sword. None are to be left alive. To the child in the womb we are to distinguish this abomination of life, this insult to our great creator. Once all have fallen to our blades, the great treasure will be ours for the taking.’
The assembled lords and men of power stamped their feet and banged their hands upon the benches. The king allowed it for a full minute before commanding silence by standing. All stood with him as he called out in a voice devoid of its usual high pitch, ‘To war!’
The king allowed his men to revel in the excitement of adventure, glory and wealth before dismissing them. He summoned Colburn
to his side and dismissed Hamal.
‘I have a task for you, dog’, the king said, his voice filled with menace.
‘I live to serve’, replied Colburn in a tone that suggested he took no pleasure in his service.
‘You are to take ship on this great expedition. And in darkness and silence you will murder my nephew.’
Colburn betrayed no hint of emotion. ‘Why wait, master? The lords would care not if the prince found a knife in his ribs. They would fight for the privilege of orchestrating such a deed.’
King Kane looked upon Colburn impatiently and snarled, ‘The lords? Of course they would, but the common solider? No. It would sour the mission before it began. You will wait, and when all is done and triumph is ablaze throughout, you will end his life.’
Colburn was silent for but a moment, yet it was enough that the king could see he was thinking. He saw the king’s intense gaze and quickly said, ‘Of course, master, do you have a preference for the method?’
‘Poison.’ The king pulled a small vial from inside his tunic. Dark, smoky liquid lurked within. ‘In ale the colour is unnoticed and tasteless. It will bring on stomach flux and fever. Within a night, death. If the poison fails, use whichever method you deem fit.’ The king took Colburn’s arm and pulled the one-time warrior of honour down to his eye level. ‘If you succeed in this task I have laid before you, then I shall permit you to return to your brotherhood.’ Colburn’s eyes lit at the statement. ‘You may leave my service and die in whichever manner you wish. But if you fail me, Colburn, I shall kill all who fell under my protection on the day you came to my service.’
Colburn thought back to his brothers, those who had gone to fight beside him in a place of pure darkness and evil and gone had to their deaths with honour. He thought of their families who lived in community and safety with those of the order.
The Banner of the Broken Orc: The Call of the Darkness Saga: Book One Page 35