Doctor Abbott

by Michelle Laverdure

  Mâvis shoved through the crowed and grabbed the hand with the knife. He pulled upwards crushing Mark’s hand and snapping his wrist. When the knife was released, he snatched Mark by the throat. “He was not protecting me, human. He was protecting you.”

  The man wailed in pain as Ben shoved him from Mâvis’s grip and stood between the two of them, “You don’t need to kill them I was handling it.”

  “Very well, then handle it.” Mâvis shoved the knife at Ben’s chest and grinned menacingly.

  Ben rolled his eyes and turned to see Kevin already gone and Mark backing up towards the bar as he coddled his broken arm. Mark begged, “You don’t have to do this. I won’t bother you again, I swear.”

  Ben closed his eyes and took in a deep breath before nodding towards the door Kevin had escaped through. He turned back to face Mâvis’s icy glare and threw the knife at the creature’s feet. Mâvis uncrossed his arms and grabbed Ben by the shoulder to whisper in his ear, “You will answer for that later, wait by the door.” He gave Ben a painful squeeze and shoved past him to address Reagan, “Who did you bring?”

  Reagan winked as he turned looking out over the entire tavern. Several of William’s warriors stood up and walked over laughing and shaking Mâvis’s hand. There was a few he did not recognize and one man from Ormr’s village he did recognize as a childhood friend. “That is not all. It appears most of Vidar’s guard want little to do with him. You are looking at an army of defectors and more to come.”

  The rest of the room stood at attention as they realized Reagan was addressing them. One stepped forward, “I am Thomas, I serve Vidar but it is only out of compliance. He is a weak leader and leaves us vulnerable to attack from Ormr and Freyr. When we question him it is treason and he kills us or our families.”

  Mâvis grinned, “This is good, so should I challenge him there will not be retribution...excellent. I think you will find that my brother will make a great king.” He lifted his mug to toast the men.

  Avarr shoved his way through the crowd, “I will do no such thing!” A few growls could be heard in answer to Avarr’s protest.

  Mâvis responded with an angry glare, “Why not? Your men are already behind you.”

  Avarr got in Mâvis’s face and grabbed his shoulders to give him no place to go. He stared into his brother’s eyes so the meaning would be clear, “It is we who are behind you.”

  Mâvis shook off his brother’s grip and picked up his axe. He used the head of it to shove Avarr back, “It will never happen so get it out of your heads.” He pushed past his brother to leave.

  Avarr called after him, “We need a leader that strikes fear into our enemies Mâvis! No one is feared more than you.”

  The beast spun completely around on his feet and charged at his brother in full rage, “I will not make my family a target for retaliation! And if you think Vidar is scary as your leader can you imagine the damage I will do to those who cross me? The difference is I DO NOT NEED HENCHMEN to do my bidding. I will gladly do it MYSELF!”

  “Whoever crosses you, deserves it! You know you were BORN for THIS!” Avarr spoke harshly through his clenched teeth. Mâvis released his brother and watched as he composed himself. “You have warriors from across our world pledging themselves to serve you, Mâvis. Myself included! Look around you! We need this!”

  Thomas spoke again, “Vidar is in fear for his kingdom already, he sent for Ormr yesterday and means to confront you when reinforcements arrive. If you wish to gain the upper hand there is no time to waste.”

  Reagan pushed Thomas aside, “Hear me out, old friend, King William has pledged his warriors for your aid. We are here in full support and if you defeat Vidar, I will stay on as your guard. There is no one I would rather serve and surely you can see your wife protected in my hands.”

  Mâvis stood silently as he scanned the room in disgust. He turned to his brother and spoke, “I serve no one. I am taking my family out of here.” He pushed back through the crowd and shoved Ben out the door as he stormed out.

  They spent the evening packing up the necessities for a long journey. Genevieve stood in the doorway watching Mâvis sharpen his axe by hand. She held Jocelyn on her hip, “We should not run from this, Mâvis. If you can defeat him we will be safer here.”

  “We are leaving, woman.” His voice was quiet and overly controlled as he focused his concentration on the blade of the axe.

  “There is no place left for us to go. You have made an enemy of every king and I will not raise our daughter in the mountains.” She waited and when she got no answer, she continued. “You can go, Mâvis, I will not.”

  He stood slamming the axe into the table as he swore through gritted teeth, “I will steal you away in the night, just like before, you belong to me!”

  She stood her ground unapologetically defiant, “I am the QUEEN, Mâvis. You spend your life protecting and serving men unworthy of leadership and then cower and run when your WIFE calls upon your service!” Her daughter squirmed on her hip as the conversation got heated.

  Mâvis reached for Jocelyn to calm her as he spoke, “You honestly wish to rule? Do you even know the danger you will bring upon her? Do you care?”

  Genie shoved his hand off her daughter, “Do you care? Do you want to see her grow up in constant war? Do you wish to see her spend her life secluded in the mountains, lonely? I will not allow that, Mâvis. I will defy you till my last breath.” She stopped to hear his reaction as he just stood reading her face. He reached up to caress her cheek and she slapped his hand off before he could touch her and stormed up the stairs with Jocelyn.

  He stood thinking long and hard on her words before he went outside to cool off. He sat on the stoop picking at his teeth with his claws in silence as Ben came out and addressed him “I need to return to Beatrice’s for some supplies for the trip, I’ll be right back.”

  “Stay Abbott.” Mâvis’s words stopped Ben in his tracks fearing retribution from the events at the tavern.

  Ben leaned on the fence post, crossed his arms over his chest, and noticed instead that Mâvis was deep in thought. “Would you like my opinion?” The comment drew a scowl and Ben thought hard on his words for a moment, “Had you ever met Diek before the challenge?” Mâvis shook his head in response and looked away almost dismissing the question. So Ben proceeded with the next, “You don’t find it the least bit remarkable that he knew who you were instantly?”

  Mâvis was now irritated over the questioning, “Of course not, everyone knows who I am.”

  Ben scratched at the stubble on his chin for a moment, “Exactly. You command a level of respect from your peers these leaders will never attain. Ormr and Vidar are not leaders. They fear their own people so much that they must muscle them into submission with torture and intimidation. The truth is no matter where you go or who you pledge your loyalty to, you will be seen as a threat eventually by those you serve. Well, with the exception of one leader…”

  Mâvis scoffed, “You speak of King William? I would never serve him.”

  “No, actually I was referring to your wife.” He swallowed back the chuckle seeing Mâvis meet the comment with a scowl but it melted quickly into a grin. The human was right, Genie was right. She deserved to be queen, and would he have not stolen her from Ormr, she would be queen now.

  Mâvis stood and grabbed his axe, “Go inside, you will not be safe out here tonight. I will send Reagan to stand watch.”

  Mâvis entered the tavern again, the entire room went quiet as Mâvis looked around and stopped when he reached Thomas, “If we do this I will not wait, we take the palace tonight. I have no time to decide who is loyal to Vidar.”

  The guard grabbed his spear and proceeded to the door, “The only guards left on his staff are those who are loyal to him. There may be eight or nine on tonight at the most. Vidar’s only hope is Ormr coming with back up and by the time Ormr arrives you will be king and with a full staff.”

  Avarr walked past slapping his brother on the back, “I kn
ew you could not resist.”

  Quietly the war party approached the castle, Avarr and a few others scaled the wall entering through the balcony as the two guards at the door were taken out by crossbow. Mâvis stormed through the halls taking out every guard he came across with ease. By the time he met up with his brother in the great hall they were both bloody and out of breath.

  Two warriors came in behind them dragging Vidar and throwing him to the ground as Mâvis grinned, “Hello, Vidar.”

  Vidar scrambled to his feet, “You will never get away with this, Ormr is on his way as we speak.”

  Mâvis swung his axe knocking Vidar back to the floor, “Good, I was hoping he would come. At least he can fight!” The next swing took off Vidar’s foot and sent the king screaming in pain as he fell on his back in delirium. Mâvis knelt over him and slapped at his face, “You honestly think you can steal my wife and see no consequence?”

  Mâvis stood to watch the king squirm in pain as he ordered him to crawl. Vidar struggled to roll onto his stomach and make for the direction of the balcony. As soon as it looked like Vidar was able to make it to his knee, Mâvis belted him in the face with the broad side of the axe again sending the king onto his back. This time he took off the other foot and knelt down to watch the pain in Vidar’s face. Mâvis spoke softly, “Can you still crawl? I wish to see you try to escape me with your last breath.”

  Vidar was too engulfed in pain to respond or even try to move. He reached for Mâvis’s leg and looked as if he wanted to say something when Mâvis hauled him off the floor and over to the balcony. He shoved Vidar onto the ledge and climbed up taking a spear from Avarr. Mâvis stood over the king looking down into his eyes and heaved the spear up to bring it down full force into Vidar’s chest before jumping back to the balcony floor.

  Mâvis watched as the last traces of life left the king’s eyes then turned to Avarr, “The village will wake to a new king. I want the rest of this place cleaned up before my wife comes home.”

  Chapter 27

  In the morning, the village woke to find the racks on fire and the bodies of the dead guards laying in the square. Ben covered Jocelyn’s face with a blanket as he carried her through it to avoid her seeing the carnage.

  The bodies brought to mind the day Mâvis was tied waiting for the racks at Ormr’s island and then the warriors Mâvis had killed on the trail to King William’s. Ben was awestruck as he looked over the mangled mess. He shook off the image and turned to head into the palace only to look up and see the body of Vidar dangling from the balcony ledge in a gruesome mess.

  Mâvis was right, he was far more brutal than the other kings. Ben was shoved from behind by Reagan, “You admire his work I see, that is to bring fear into any who would be disloyal or wish to challenge him.”

  Ben retorted, “Trust me the message is clear on its own merits, no need to explain.”

  It took a few days to clean up the mess with Ben and Lúta left to direct in most of the work. Mâvis set about immediately to meet with King William as they took watch on the beach waiting for Ormr’s men.

  By the third night the small army made landfall with a few of Vidar’s remaining loyals in tow. Ormr’s men stood ready on the beach as Ormr climbed out of his boat. “What is this? Where is Vidar?”

  Mâvis readied his axe and answered, “He waits for you to join him.”

  Ormr’s guards took aim and Mâvis relaxed grinning as they quickly realized how outnumbered they were. Ormr sneered, “You are king?” he looked around at the battalion and pressed his lips together, “There is no need for us to fight, Mâvis. We were friends once, does that not matter?”

  “It may have before you sold my wife.” Mâvis kept his gaze fixed on Ormr.

  His anger took over, “Was she not to be MY WIFE FIRST? What gave you the right?” He stepped forward as Mâvis’s guards took aim and the entire beach broke into a well-meant standoff. Ormr put up both his arms showing surrender, “Why should I sacrifice my men over your ill-gotten gains? Clearly, you two conspired to overthrow Vidar. Why should I be next?” His disgust now turning on King William as he got back in the boat.

  Mâvis lowered his weapon and grinned as he rumbled, “Very good, Ormr, you know your limits at least. Run you coward.”

  As the boats left William turned to Mâvis, “Why would you let him leave? You should have killed him.”

  Mâvis shook his head, “His guards are loyal to no end, it would create retaliation with vengeance. Let me see how many of his men defect after learning I rule, then we make our move.”

  The two war parties made their way back into the village to see a massive celebration underway. The two kings pushed through the packed square to make it up to the palace only to find a feast waiting. Mâvis found Genevieve sitting at the table with Lúta and Beatrice. He pulled her off the seat by her arm leading her to the balcony and shutting the door behind them.

  She backed up to the railing never taking her eyes off him as she smiled mischievously. “Do you need something from me, My King?”

  His gaze was dark and nearly sinister in demeanor, “Say it again.”

  She bit at her lip smiling, “My King?” Her composure straightened quickly as he closed the distance between them and engulfed her in a deep and sensual kiss. He pulled away to see her eyes and she continued, “You did well, Mâvis. I mean to make this kingdom prosperous. Our daughter will never know war.” She searched his face for his emotions.

  His voice was soft almost purring as he ran his hand through her hair, “You do as you wish, love. You will have no defiance from me. You will, however, be guarded until we know there is no retaliation.”

  She swatted his hand off, “I thought that was over with the death of Vidar. You will not make me a prisoner again.”

  “I gave the general’s house to Avarr but he will be here in the palace to escort you full time till things quiet. I figure at least that way you may roam the village as you wish.” He brushed her hair out of her face and stared at her in the moonlight.

  Genevieve turned to look out over the village and avoid his heated gaze. “And what will we do for Ben?” She narrowed her eyes and looked back at him from under her lashes waiting for a response.

  “What do you mean, what will we do? There are plenty of rooms in the palace. He can take what he wants and we will never know he is here.”

  Genevieve snapped back around, “No, Mâvis. Ben is married, he is going to want a family. You will give him a cottage and a position.”

  “He already has a position as my slave. He has everything he needs here and I never said Lúta had to go.” He averted his gaze to avoid her now burning glare.

  She snatched his chin and spun his face back to her, “He saved our daughter and did it at great risk to himself. I will not tolerate him being degraded.”

  Mâvis’s look washed into anger, “You will not have to worry about it if he continues to play my wife against me.”

  “You would break your promise to me, Mâvis? To your WIFE?” She stormed off to the door before stopping to retort, “You owe him, Mâvis, and you will pay your debt or I will.” She left him alone to stew in his thoughts, slamming the door as she went back in.

  The next day Lúta was sent to the square to pick up goods for the evening’s dinner. Ben trailed behind her carrying the basket. They stopped to look over some soaps when Kevin approached. “Good day.” Ben rolled his eyes as he yanked the soap from Lúta’s hand and put it back on the vendor’s cart before grabbing her elbow to leave. Kevin hailed after him. “Wait, please.”

  Lúta snatched her arm back and stopped to face the man, “What do you want? You know you almost got yourselves killed the other night? Not to mention the danger you put my husband in.” She narrowed her eyes on him and her words were practically growling off her tongue. “I should kill you myself.”

  He dropped his eyes to the ground for a moment then looked up apologetically, “I’m truly sorry. Listen, Mark has a family to feed. He is not doing well si
nce that night, I don’t think he is going to live if he doesn’t get help.” Kevin peered past Lúta looking directly at Ben, “I will understand if you are afraid to help, but if you can…didn’t you say you were a doctor?”

  Ben stood silently for a moment his back still turned as he looked up at the balcony and closed his eyes, knowing this would not sit well with Mâvis. He drew in a deep breath as he thought back to the night of the brawl, that arm break was brutal and he was surprised they had taken this long to seek his help. He turned to address Kevin. “Bring him to the square. I’ll return shortly. Bring whatever you have for tools, bandages…and straps. If I need to operate he will be in pain.”

  Kevin scowled as he gestured up towards the balcony, “But he will see you helping us.”

  “I won’t hide my actions or lie to him and I won’t take my chances on this being revenge for the fight. If you want my help we meet here.” Ben shook his head in disgust before leaving to get supplies.

  As soon as he turned to head back to the palace, Lúta snatched him back around, “Are you crazed? You are not just defying Mâvis now. He is your king, his guards can put you to death Ben and they only need to think you defy him.”

  “Lúta, being a doctor is not a title I take lightly. I became who I am because I can’t turn my back or close my eyes to suffering. I’m not afraid of him or his guards. I am, however, afraid of the demons that this world draws out of me every day. I won’t succumb to them.” He pulled her close and kissed her, “I mean to stay the good man you married.” She struggled with trying to understand his willingness to help a man that nearly cost him his life. As much as she wanted to fight him on this, it’s the reason she married him. He is anything but Joutone and that humbleness was both his strength and weakness. She agreed and they proceeded to the palace.

  A few hours later Ben sat by the cart Mark was strapped to. He set about cleaning and sterilizing what few tools he had at his disposal. Lúta stood by him boiling sutures and what substitutes for clamps he could come up with.