The sleeping warriors jolted awake and had their weapons in hand as Drust warriors burst out of the surrounding woods.
“Anin!” her father shouted and fought his way toward her.
As several Drust warriors ran straight for her, she caught the movement of a dark cloak, slipping past a tree. It was the cloak of the King’s warriors. Someone had led the Drust to them.
Anin had nothing to protect herself with, so she turned and ran.
“Drop!”
Anin’s heart soared with relief at her husband’s familiar command and she obeyed, falling to the ground without hesitation. He vaulted over her, swinging his battle axe. Bog followed, his long, lean body leaping over her and straight at the Drust.
“Stay down!” Paine ordered as he took two Drust down with ease.
Anin saw her father take down a Drust and fight off another one as he ran toward her to join Paine in protecting her. She felt helpless lying there doing nothing, but she had no weapon and it would be of no use to her since she was no warrior. It was good she finally understood why and now she would learn a different way of protecting herself.
The battle ended quickly with many Drust lying dead and many dal Gabran warriors wounded and few dead.
Paine was quick to yank his wife up off the ground and tuck her close to his side, his bloody battle axe tight in his hand if anyone dared to try and take Anin from him.
“I am unharmed,” Anin said, knowing the question to how she fared was about to spill from her husband’s lips.
Comgall went to grab Anin’s arm.
“Touch her and you will lose your hand,” Paine warned and Bog jumped in front of Anin, baring his teeth. “Anin belongs to me and I keep what is mine.”
“My agreement with King Talon was that if you rescued her, I would pursue my daughter no longer. I wanted to know you cared enough to come after her.”
“I care enough that I will kill the remainder of your men and you if anyone tries to stop me from taking my wife.”
“After seeing you in battle, I believe you could easily do so. But I will have a moment with my daughter before you take your leave with her.”
Paine hesitated in letting Anin go. His concern eased and he did not stop her after she laid a hand on her father, then nodded to him. She confirmed her da spoke the truth.
Comgall and Anin took a few steps away, Bog following along with them and bracing himself against Anin’s leg.
“It is good that you not only have the protection of the executioner, but his wolf as well,” Comgall said.
“They are my family,” Anin said with a smile.
“You are pleased with your husband?”
Anin pressed her hand to her chest. “More than anyone would ever believe.”
“I am sorry to say I failed to protect your mum, and there is not a day that goes by that I do not remember that, which made me all the more determined to protect you. Your mum made it very clear that a day would come when I would need to make certain that the man our daughter joined with was the man who would never leave her side, always be there for her, always protect and care for her. I gave my word to your mum that I would see it done, so I struck a bargain with King Talon since he refused to let me take you. I told him we would go to war if he did not agree. When he heard the terms, he laughed at me and told me to be careful. That Paine would take my life without hesitation or regret if I stood in the way of him taking you from me.”
Anin smiled, pleased that King Talon had not betrayed his friend. “I had no doubt Paine would come for me.”
“I may not agree with your choice of a husband, but your mum would be pleased with him and that he would remain forever by your side. Something I should have done with your mum. I doubt our paths will ever cross again, my daughter. I am pleased to have known you if only for a brief time and proud to see that you are as strong and courageous as your mum.”
Anin stepped forward and gave her da a hug. Tears clouded her eyes when she felt his sorrow of not having known her and now having to let her go. She knew they would never meet again and her heart ached at the loss of never having known him or her mum.
Comgall walked with her back to Paine, Bog following close beside her. “I know you will protect her and keep her safe.”
“I swear on my life, I will never let harm come to her,” Paine said and reached out to take hold of Anin and ease her against him. “With the Drust on a rampage, I would leave Pictland as fast as I could if I were you.”
“There is unrest with the Drust?” Comgall asked.
“A small band of troublesome Drust that will be dealt with swiftly,” Paine said, not wanting the tribes south to think trouble was brewing within the Pict Kingdom and give them reason to believe they could forge a successful attack against the King.
“As soon as we gather our dead and see to our wounded, we will be on our way. Be well, my daughter,” Comgall said and with that he turned away from them and joined his warriors, busy with the wounded.
Paine hurried Anin away into the surrounding woods. A short distance in, he stopped abruptly and pulled Anin into his arms. “I should keep you shackled to me.”
“Fate shackles us. No one will ever separate us.”
“I wish there was time to,” —he kissed her quick—“we need to keep moving. A horse is tethered not far from here. We need to let the King know that you are still being hunted by the Drust.”
“You did not speak the truth to Comgall about the Drust,” Anin said.
“The King would not want him to know that there is unrest among the Pict tribes,” Paine said and hurried her along, keeping a quick pace.
“I saw someone wearing the cloak of the King’s warriors just as the Drust attacked.”
Paine stopped suddenly.
“I know why I am hunted,” Anin said. “It is best we hurry to the stronghold and speak with the King.”
~~~
It was well passed nightfall by the time Paine and Anin reached the stronghold and they went immediately to find the King. Paine sent Bog to his shelter after telling him he did well. The wolf reluctantly did as Paine commanded.
King Talon walked done the stairs into the feasting hall barefoot with only his long split tunic on, tied loosely at the waist. He was not at all pleased about being disturbed. “You rescued your wife, all is well. Why disturb me? You should be home busy filling your wife with a bairn.”
“The Drust attacked the dal Gabran and tried to kill Anin. During the attack she caught sight of someone wearing the cloaked hood of your warriors. Someone led the Drust to the dal Gabran.”
King Talon’s eyes turned wide with fury. “Comgall?”
“He survived, but some of his men did not, though the Drust lost more warriors. Anin believes she knows why the Drust want her dead.”
King Talon looked to Anin.
“It is not the Drust who wish me dead, but the man who has made them believe you have turned against them. He worries that I will learn who he is and of their plans and ruin their chances of taking the throne from you.”
“You saw the one who betrays me?”
“No, but I know a way to find out who it is,” she said.
“Tell me.”
“The one who betrays you would have had to hurry back to the stronghold before the gates closed for the night as Paine and I did.”
“That proves nothing, since sentinels drift in late.”
“I believe the man, who betrays you, sits on the High Council.”
“What makes you think that?”
“The High Council members are the only ones who would know the intimate workings of the council and the stronghold. They know the problems you face in finding a wife and keeping tribes content so that they do not rise up against you. They learn of things outside the stronghold and bring to you what is important. I believe one of your council members found out about me and fearing it would ruin his plans sent the Drust after me.”
The King nodded. “The first missing dal
Gabran warrior that was never found.”
Anin nodded. “I believe he was captured by the Drust and he had no choice but to reveal his mission, find Comgall’s daughter... a Wyse woman.”
“If what you say is true, it would make sense that the leader of this attempt to take the throne from me is a council member?”
“I do not know if he is the leader, but once we discover who it is, we can find out the rest with one touch.”
“I will call the council to the feasting hall, all but Tarn. He is not the traitor. He has been restricted to his dwelling since your departure and will remain there until I determine what to do with him. After you told me, Paine, of seeing him and Atas together, I spoke to them both. Atas wanted information about Anin from Tarn and persuaded him to tell her what he knew by means she is quite adept at, pleasing a man. She is in a prisoner chamber and after being there for a few days, she will be assigned a most unfavorable daily chore. But that is unimportant as to what goes on here. We will see who arrives and who is absent or arrives late. Anin you will wait in the shadows. ” The King summoned two of his personal guard and sent them to inform the council members that they were to come immediately to the feasting hall.
Paine found a spot consumed by shadows and left his wife there, after saying, “I will not be far from you.”
The members started entering the hall. Ebit, the Crop Master was the first to arrive. He was unsteady on his feet, wiping sleep from his eyes as he approached the King. The King waved him to stand aside and he did.
Wrath entered, his garments appearing as if he hastened into them and looked questioningly at Paine, then cast his eyes around the hall, knowing Paine would not be standing there so calmly if he had failed to bring Anin home. He went and stood alongside Ebit, continuing to search the room with his eyes.
Next came both Midrent, the Tariff Collector, and Gelhard, the King’s High Counselor. Gelhard looked annoyed that he had not been the first to arrive and grew even more annoyed when he went to stand beside the King and he waved him aside to join the others. Though, he knew better than to object.
When Gelhard saw Midrent acknowledge Paine with a nod, he reluctantly did the same.
The council stood quiet while waiting for the last member to arrive.
It was some time before Bodu, the Master Builder, hurried into the hall out of breath, his face appearing freshly scrubbed. He bobbed his head to the King and joined the other council members.
The King turned to the council members. “Wrath, go stand with Paine.”
Wrath did as ordered.
“A traitor stands among you,” the King said an angry rumble in his voice.
They all protested at once.
“Silence!” the King ordered and glared at each one of them. “I will not abide a traitor. Step forward and speak the truth or suffer for it.” When none moved, the King called out, “Anin, come here.”
Bodu’s eyes turned wide when Anin stepped out of the shadows, and he turned and ran. Paine and Wrath chased after him and were near upon him when he stopped, turned, and took the dagger he had already slipped from his sheath and shoved it hard into his chest.
Paine and Wrath grabbed him as he fell to the floor. His last words, “Death to King Talon.”
Anin hurried over to him and laid a hand on his shoulder as he struggled for a last breath. She had never felt life draining from someone. It felt as if her own breath was draining from her and she sensed she had to let go, but there was a small spark of light and if she could reach it, she could possible learn something. She reached out for it as her breath faded from her.
She suddenly felt as if someone had blown breath back into her and she gasped and coughed and looked to see that her husband had hold of her hand. He had yanked it off Bodu.
“You will never touch a dying person again,” Paine ordered. “You were gasping for breath yourself.”
Anin took several deep breathes and smiled, grateful he was there with her. Her smile quickly faded and she grabbed her husband’s arm. “Bodu led the Drust to the dal Gabran, but he does not lead the traitorous group that fights to claim the throne from the King—it is Tarn.”
Paine stood, pulling Anin to her feet along with him.
The King had his sword in hand and was headed for the door. Wrath and his personal guard were close behind him and Paine followed, ordering Anin to stay close by him.
Flaming torches on tall poles lit paths through the village. The King’s personal guard kept pace with him as he walked with determined strides toward Tarn’s dwelling. A sudden shout halted their steps and changed their course.
Anin and Paine followed and Anin stared in shock as they came upon a King’s warrior who lay dead on the ground not far from the prison chambers and at Tarn, holding a dagger to Atas’s throat while several of the King’s warriors circled him.
Anin shivered, seeing the fear in Atas’s wide eyes.
“Help me, my King,” Atas begged, tears beginning to roll down her cheeks.
“Let her go, Tarn, the King ordered. “There is no place for you to run.”
“Give me your word I will have a swift death and I will let her go,” Atas said.
“You have my word. Paine’s blade will see it done quickly.”
Tarn nodded. “I am sorry I will not see the day the throne is taken from you.”
“That day will never come,” the King said. “Now release Atas.”
Tarn nodded and looked about to release her when he suddenly rushed forward with her and before flinging her at the King, he ran his blade across her face. Her screams pierced the night as sharply as the blade had pierced her face and she crashed into the King, taking him to the ground with her.
While everyone ran to help him, Tarn launched himself at Anin, screaming, “Die!”
Anin felt herself being shoved back so hard she fell to the ground and for the second time that day her husband leaped over her, swinging his battle axe, this time giving Tarn what he had asked for—a swift death.
Chapter Thirty-five
Anin curled around her husband when she felt him climb into the sleeping pallet beside her. Paine had hurried her away from the chaotic scene after he took Tarn’s head and made her promise to remain in their dwelling. She had no trouble giving her word. She was exhausted from the long day as was Bog who stretched out in front of the door.
She had dropped down on the pallet, her limbs feeling as if they could hold her no more, but she woke a few moments before Paine returned and hurried out of her garments eager to slip into his arms when he joined her.
“All is well?” she asked.
“For now,” Paine said. “Atas is being looked after by Bethia. Her wound is severe and will probably leave her badly scarred. Wrath is trying to discourage the King from sending him with the two Drust prisoners and supplies to the Drust village to settle any problems and reaffirm his commitment to help them.” Paine gave his body a good stretch before he continued, trying to ease the aches from it. “The King calls for a High Council meeting tomorrow to discuss who will fill the two seats, though he has suggested that my duties as executioner have dwindled with your arrival and that I might serve him better on the council as Master Builder since I have helped him build many of the small buildings he constructs before erecting the actual building.”
Anin sat up beside him. “That is wonderful. Death and suffering will surround you no more. You will be free. People will not avoid you. They will speak with you and call you friend and when it is time for us to leave here you can help my people to build fine dwellings.”
Paine wrinkled his brow. “What do you mean when we leave here?”
“I had no chance to tell you of my visit with Esplin.”
“When did you meet with Esplin?”
“I went into the woods for a private moment with two of my father’s warriors not far off, intending to run and meet you on your way to rescue me. Esplin warned me against it and told me to stay with my father until you came for me.”<
br />
“Wise of her since the Drust was on their way and if they had found you...” Paine grabbed her and kissed her. “Remind me to tell her how grateful I am that she saved my wife’s life.”
Anin sat up beside him again. “Esplin is my grandmother.”
He grinned. “I knew I was drawn to that woman for a reason. She is much like you. Is that why there will come a time you wish to leave here and go live with the Wyse?”
“It is more that it will be my duty to go. You see Esplin is the leader of the Wyse Tribe and I will one day take her place.”
Paine stared at her, looking as if he was about to respond then closing his mouth only to open it again until finally he said, “You will be chieftain one day?”
Anin nodded. “As will our daughter.”
“Are you...” His hand went to her stomach.
“Esplin says I am and I will know soon enough. You do not mind I will give you a daughter first?”
“I look forward to a little lass who will hug me and know without me saying that she has my heart.”
Anin leaned down and kissed him. “We will have a good life together and grow old together.”
“That is all that matters to me... that we are together always.”
“Never to part,” she whispered.
“Always one,” he murmured and eased her beneath him to join together as one.
THE END
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Author’s Note
There is little know about the Picts, the Painted People as history refers to them, though more is being uncovered through archeological finds. While I sprinkled some facts that are known or believed to be accurate about the Picts throughout the story most all of what I wrote is from my imagination. Though, it seems with some new finds about the infamous Painted People, they are discovering that the Picts were not the savages they first believed them to be, but had more of an established society.
The King's Executioner Page 28