by Luke, Monica
**
Belon slept with his body draped across Aderac. It was normally the other way around, but ever since they began to march this was how they slept, and although he was heavy, Aderac relished the feel his body on him.
He knew Belon now slept with him this way as a way of protecting him. Offering his body as a human shield should assassins slip pass the guards and try to kill him, and if Belon for some reason didn’t wake in time, they would have to go through him to get to Aderac.
As both slept soundly wrapped in the other’s arms after Belon’s promised declaration of love, their bodies spent, they slept soundly until…
Belon leaped out of bed at the sound of rapid pounding on the bedroom door.
“Great king!” the guard called out, but he should have known who would respond.
“Speak!” Belon said gruffly, once he opened the door, still groggy from suddenly springing out of bed.
“A message.”
Aderac sat up when he heard the word message listening intently.
Immediately, Belon took the message to Aderac, who after he broke the seal and read it, looked surprised, relieved, and a little wary. “He is dead.”
“Dead…”
“She took his life.”
Belon took the message out of Aderac’s hand and looked at, but written in Latin he wasn’t patient enough to study the words to understand it.
“What does it read?” he asked, giving it back to him.
“She took his life by slitting his throat and stabbing him in the heart,” Aderac answered, as he sat up more. “Celgon’s gate will be open and his body will be lying in court for me to see when I ride in.”
“When you ride in?” Belon’s brows rose, as he looked at Aderac, “No.”
“Belon…”
Belon gave him a look, and Aderac knew it well. “What is your will?”
“I will go, and get word back to you of if a lie or the truth.”
Aderac sprang out of bed and into Belon’s arms.
“Honey,” he cautioned, “What if this is a trap?”
“Worry not.” Belon held him. “I will be more than careful.”
**
The rows of men stretch across the countryside on either side, and as both sides faced the other, Baric looked to his left and right.
Laad on one side, Ogorec on the other, he gave both men a nod and unleashed Laad on them.
Just as Laad reasoned on where beginning his attack, as if a sign, when he saw a hawk swoop down on a rodent that scurried across the grassy plain, he knew it would have gotten away if not blinded by the sun.
He divided the bowman to aim with the sun, so that when the men looked up, they wouldn’t see the deadly arrows coming towards them to get out of the way.
“Unleash the first wave!” Laad yelled.
Arrows sailed across the sky claiming men with deadly accuracy.
“Unleash the second wave!”
The men prepared for the second wave, put their shields in front of themselves, and after the last arrow fell, laughed loudly.
“Men of Worrlgen, they laugh! Shall we laugh back?” Baric cried out.
Returning their laughter by clanging their swords on their shields, while others chanted, it was so loud; it vibrated those from Hemrock’s eardrums.
“Dare they?” King Gegorad seethed, “Silence them.”
With a shout, King Gegorad’s first line of men charged, but just as Laad knew, the high sun would be in their advantage, and Worrlgen’s men charged to meet them.
Their swords bright, the sun reflected off them as they charged on foot into oncoming eyes, then almost as soon as it started, King Gegorad’s men lay sprawled dead, as Worrlgen cried out triumphantly.
“The sun was in their faces,” the other commander said.
King Gegorad’s jaws clinching, he looked up and squinted, then shielded his eyes, “Let it set.”
When Laad realized, they knew Worrlgen had the advantage of the sun and pulled back to let it set, he had other ideas.
“They now wait for the sun to set.”
Baric looked out. “Laad.”
“Yes, king.”
“Dare we be a thorn in the waiting for the sun to set men of Hemrock’s side? Do not let them be off their guard?”
Laad nodded, and looked at Loth.
“Taunt the men of Hemrock,” he said, as he rode beside his horse, “And, be careful my friend.”
As ordered, Loth and three bands of men taunted the men of Hemrock, and rode just out of range of their arrows, shouting war chants, while occasionally shooting arrows, and launching, rocks, decaying animal carcasses, and anything else they came across at them.
As they did, King Gegorad fumed, feeling they were insulting him, and after they kept it up for half the morning, couldn’t stand another second.
“Kill every last vermin known to Worrlgen.”
Hemrock commander’s head turned quickly to King Gegorad from his command. “Other than her…”
“Yes, other than her.”
**
Belon, Enek, and his horse guard entered the opened gates of Celgon. All within, lowering their heads to them, Belon made them raise them. Only one should all bow their heads to, and he wasn’t setting foot on as much as a pebble of sand until he felt it was safe for him to do so.
“Take me to your royal court.” Belon ordered one of the guards.
When Belon walked into court, he didn’t know how he’d feel, but when he saw Atorad’s lifeless naked body laying prone on the stoned floor, gratification wasn’t one of his emotions.
He truly had wanted to cut the man down himself, but gathered shamefully cut down by his own queen; instead of by invading force was just as good retribution.
“You did well,” he praised her.
Tagia simply humbly nodded.
“Hang him off the nearest wall,” Belon ordered. “That all know their king is dead.”
The men picked up Atorad’s body and carried him away, and after they did, Belon walked to the throne and stared at it for what seemed a long time.
“Do you have a council of men or quorum?”
“He only wanted his words obeyed and felt no need,” Tagia answered. “He banished them, but in truth I believe he had them murdered, just as I fear he had my brother’s young son murdered.”
Belon didn’t comment on her remark, or even turn to look at her.
“Answer this Lady Tagia. Now that your husband, the king, his brothers, and the young heir are all dead, what do you want?”
Tagia was careful about how to answer Belon’s question. If a test and she failed it, she knew without a doubt that he would kill her right then.
“Beseech not him. Beseech the king,” her seer whispered quickly.
“I beg,” she said humbly, “Words with the king.”
Belon’s head slowly turned and his eyes scanned her face and the blind woman’s face beside her, then saying nothing to either, he walked away.
“Clear the halls and this court and line their fighting men,” he ordered several of his men who walked inside with him. “Anyone unwilling to bow put to death in a savage way.”
**
Aderac paced while he waited for Belon to return, then when the old woman came in with food for him, when he saw her secretly glance at his face, stopped.
“He loves you as much,” she spoke when he did.
Not offended by her remark, or that she spoke without permission to him, instead he gave her a smile. “What makes you believe so?”
“The hard look on his face softens at once, no matter what he is doing when you look at him.”
“Your name?”
“Aerma.”
Aderac nodded, and smiled again. For her kindness, he had already decided to give her the hall and the land around it, but now decided that for the rest of her life, he would see to it that she and her husband, along with all of her children, never wanted for anything again. “Thank you for your words, Aerma�
�
**
Their bodies so close the men could see the beads of sweat forming on the other’s brow. The men from Hemrock fought with fervor, but fighting with fervor is nothing against men fighting for the lives of their loved ones and homeland, which those from Worrlgen knew was at stake, and fought down to the skill of their very core.
The horse guards charging pass the fighting men on foot, cutting off limbs, heads, or whatever was in their path, with boulders and spears hurdling above, made for a spectacle of what war entailed, as men on both sides cursed, groaned, cried, and yelled out loved one’s names before dying.
The death toll high, as the clash of swords rang in the other’s ears became almost a deafening sound, all knew eventually would come silence and a victor.
“Arrerrr!” Loth groaned as he disemboweled one in front of him.
“Remain on your horse or on foot!” Laad shouted down at Laad, as he sliced open one about to hack into Loth.
“Both for me when it suites me!” Loth shouted, then jumped back on his horse and continued fighting.
Both knew they kept the other in their sight, ready to come to his aid if needed, and as the bodies now began to stack, the kills between them became to many to count.
Ovfren holding his own, he slashed, hacked, and plunged into many, glancing over to Ogorec whenever he could to make sure he was unharmed, while close by, Ogorec fought alongside Baric harder than he had ever fought before.
Baric’s groans and shouts encouraging his warriors, he kept his sights on one in the far distance to unskilled or cowardice to fight his way to him.
“I am coming for you Gegorad!” Baric would shout every time he advanced closer, causing those from Worrlgen to reaffirm his words with a thunderous war cry.
“They fight as would men under a potion for madness,” one of the men from Hemrock commented noticing the bloodthirsty look in their eyes.
“The madness of fools!” one shouted.
“Fools or not, they are driving us back.”
**
The anticipation was great, as all within court waited for the doors to swing open, and the king from the northern region to walk through them.
“I can feel him near,” the seer said tensing.
“Their steps are getting closer,” Tagia mentioned.
No sooner than she stopped speaking, the doors unlatched and swung open, before heavy walking echoed off the hollow court stones.
“Great king of the north,” Tagia bowed.
Aderac looked at them both, then around the enormous room.
“A grand court this is.” He noticed. “The stone must have come from quarries far beyond the sea.”
“It was not so, until my father died.”
“Ah.”
Inhaling softly, Aderac walked in front of the throne, observing the elaborate red plush pillows on shiny black and green marble, before frowning.
“I had them put new cushions upon it should you want to sit on the throne,” Tagia quickly said.
When she suggested he sit, Belon had already grabbed a chair and sat it in front of the throne for him.
“I have my own throne at Ivodgald, which suits me,” Aderac said tersely, and sat in the chair Belon provided for him.
Tagia quickly silenced.
“You wanted to speak with me.”
“I beg you king,” she immediately prostrated herself at his feet, “Do not enslave Celgon. The man behind this treachery is dead. I had no hand in it.”
Aderac frowned. The thought never came to him, nor did he want Belon having to deal with marching them across the plains. “Get back on your feet. You have my ears.”
“Celgon has fallen to Ivodgald,” she said humbly, “I pray you do not tear down the stones. I am, as well as, all within now loyal to you great king. We will pay a great tribute for your mercy with salt and gold from the mines; and spices and silk on ships that port here from vast lands.”
“All this you speak as if a gift to me,” Aderac still terse remarks, “And all, I can already take at my will.”
Tagia suspected merely by how each looked at the other that there was powerful emotion between Belon and Aderac.
“True,” she now used his want to be home with those he loved to sway him, “But such toil to crumble these stones, enslaving or executing many, when keeping them standing and those within alive will only add to your great wealth. Harsh colder weather is coming making such a march deadly and slow, delaying all from being warm and safe with love ones.”
Her words worked and Aderac immediately thought of home with Belon and the children.
“This is no longer Celgon. Remove any symbol or engraving, no matter how small off everything,” he said, as he stood, “I will give it a more fitting name when I am ready.”
Tagia nodded and offered yet another act of good will. “These I found hidden away”
Belon retrieved them; then after quickly glancing over the papers and deeply scowling, looked at Aderac.
“What is it?”
“Hemrock will be aided in their attacks by men from the west once the fighting reaches the river.”
“By what kingdom?”
“Not a kingdom. They are men bought to aid in feuds and wars for a price.”
Belon turned to two messengers.
“You will ride as swiftly as the wind with a message to WorrlgenHall and another to King Baric of this!” Belon ordered quickly.
Once two messengers hurried out, Aderac stood and walked in front of Tagia.
“You have won my favor and may sit at the table of the council of men I will send here. You may also keep your chambers and servants, but you will have no ruling power,” he said exact, “Do not cause me to regret allowing you to live.
Aderac turned once again to stare at the elaborate throne, then at the intricate designs of snakes etched into the marble. “And crush this eye sore into powder.”
Chapter 60
When Belon walked out of court and into the hallway, Enek was anxiously pacing waiting for him.
“He will be fine.”
“Do you believe so?”
“I do.”
Enek jaws slightly unclenched, but his worry was far from gone. He loved Ovfren, and knew no matter what Belon tried to reassure, in the end would go to him. “Grand Commander.”
Belon halted, when he heard his title. “Go, Enek.”
After giving Belon a quick nod, he wasted not even a second, and assembled those under his command.
“When will we follow?” Aderac asked, as they walked.
“Follow?”
“I know full well you will not let Enek fight alone against those from Hemrock, and you know full well, I will not let you go without me.”
Belon stopped and briefly put his hand on Aderac’s chin.
“You will stay far behind any battles lines,” he said in a soft, but firm tone.
“Yes, Belon.”
**
“Old men wearing robes are at the gate,” a guard informed Rulgesic.
“What do they want?”
“One speaks that he once lived here and seeks refuge for him and the others with him.”
Rulgesic went to the wall to look down at them.
“We are in a time of peril!” he yelled down, “The gates are closed to all outsiders when it is so.”
“Do you reason I do not know that?” The man snarled, “Look to the west, where we lived is ablaze. Men burned it as they passed.”
“The gates are closed.”
“What is your name?”
“My name is none of your concern.”
“What is your name?”
Rulgesic impatiently looked at the man insisting on knowing his name, noticing his clothes. “You are an Erlbanic priest?”
“I was not always.”
“How do I know you were not sent to spy, and are sided when those who burned the forest?”
“What is your name?”
“Rulgesic.” He huffed, no
w even more annoyed with the ornery old man.
“For the reason your grandfather is Adgor and your brother is Ogorec. I am who took a piece of wood out of your eye when it broke as you fought with your brother. I was once the high healer here.”
“Your name?”
“Apalgohor.”
Rulgesic had the men raise the gate.
“You were a pain then, just as you seem to be now,” Apalgohor annoyingly said when he walked pass him, as if he had never left.
**
The black smoke seen from far south caused the men to fear it was WorrlgenHall.
“What is burning?” one of the gruels in the back line asked when he saw a messenger riding in, after offering him water.
“The Forest of the Lost,” he answered, while he took a quick drink.
“With haste, get word to King Baric that it is not WorrlgenHall burning,” a guild rode by and said while moving him along, annoyed that he stopped to answer the question.
“Cowards!” Baric seethed when read the message, knowing now that King Gegorad would try any diversion to win.
“Cowards indeed,” Laad agreed.
“Have the men hold for a time before we force them to the river,” Baric decided, “This has been a long hard fought day.”
“Should we?” Laad questioned, “We have a strong hand on them?”
“The men are tiring,” Baric’s decision, “We still have the high ground. Let me rest.”
“Blow the horn!” Laad ordered.
When King Gegorad heard the horn, he was incensed. He too wanted the battle over, but to his own advantage. He knew the signal would come at the river, but since the men of Worrlgen held a good distance before it, the leader would not attack.
“Rile them to anger just as they have done to us.”
“Attack them?”
“No. Attack those innocent.”
From his order, two bands of men rode south to a peaceful farming village, and solely to rile those from Worrlgen, they forcefully took several of the elderly men.
Once they had them gathered, they made the line along the plains so those from Worrlgen could see them. They promised them freedom if they ran fast enough, but when they began to run, one by one, they summarily killed them by throwing spears into their backs until every one of them lay dead.