Gods Of Blood And Fire (Book 1)

by A. J. STRICKLER

  The duke knew it was unheard of that royalty was executed, and he seemed unconcerned about banishment, the traditional punishment.

  If she had let Isabella tell her tale, everyone would be screaming for his head. Isabella offered to testify before the court, but Raygan didn’t want the girl humiliated before the nobles. It was a secret that should never be mentioned again, and after all there was no need, she was Queen, and she would see things were set right.

  The prisoner was brought closer to the dais. Rufio and two Royal Guardsmen stood behind him. The duke smiled at her. “I throw myself on your mercy, Highness,” he said, wincing from his wound when he gave her a mock bow. She wanted to leap off the throne and slap his face, but she remained poised. “My husband will not render a verdict because of the duke’s relationship to him. I will deliver the sole judgment in this case. I decree that William Blackthorn is guilty of murdering King Aaron Albana and inciting insurrection against the Crown. I sentence you to death, William Blackthorn. You have answered to me, now you can answer to God.”

  The smile faded from the duke’s face. And he exploded. “You can’t execute me, you little bitch, I’m the Duke of Braxton Bluff, the King is my son.” He looked at Talorn, his son closed his eyes, but the new King remained silent.

  “Rufio, get this vermin from my sight.”

  “You will pay you…” Rufio hit the man in back of the head silencing his protests.

  “Majesty, when do you wish the execution to take place?”

  “Now, Rufio, right now, I leave the means to you.”

  The Dragitan smiled. “I have just the thing, Majesty.”

  The duke struggled with the guardsmen as he was hauled from the throne room. As he went out, he glanced up in time to see a girl with a patch over her eye smiling at him from the crowd.

  Isabella ran out of the palace, she wanted to catch the men before they left with the duke. The Queen was satisfied, but she was not. When she got outside, the girl saw Cromwell holding the duke by a rope they had placed around his neck, and Rufio and K’xarr were loading their horses down with scrap lumber from the damaged palace. Isabella didn’t know the Toran well, but she had little choice. She walked up to the big warrior and touched his arm. “Cromwell, may I ask a favor of you?”

  “What do you need, girl?”

  “I want you to avenge me.”

  Cromwell looked at her dumbfounded. “Who is it you seek vengeance on little one?”

  Isabella fixed her one pretty blue eye on the duke. “Him.”

  The Toran grinned. “Be sure of what you ask of me. My people take oaths of vengeance very serious, girl. What did he do to you?”

  Isabella told him. When she finished, Cromwell stared at the one-eyed girl with a grim look.

  “I must know your full name.” Isabella didn’t ask why the barbarian wanted her name but she told him. He nodded and patted her on the head. “It will be done, girl, in the way of my people. You have my oath on it.” Isabella hugged him around the waist and scampered back towards the palace.

  William Blackthorn begged and pleaded, but the three men who took him outside the city didn’t listen. “I have heard of this, Rufio, but never seen it.”

  It’s called crucifixion, it’s used all the time in my county as a form of execution. It is said the Reaper taught the technique to men, so they could visit it on their Elven prisoners, but I don’t know how true that story is.”

  K’xarr noticed the Dragitan had become very solemn since they rode out of the north gate, but he did not question it. When Rufio stopped, they were still within sight of the city walls, maybe only a hundred yards away.

  “I thought we would be going a little farther than this.” K’xarr said.

  “This is it, this is where Vandarus fell,” Rufio said pointing to the ground. “You ordered his betrayal Blackthorn, so I‘m going to crucify you upside down on the very spot he died, like the treacherous bastard you are.”

  The duke howled as the men drug him to the simple apparatus they built. Two long boards were nailed together forming an x, and it in turn was lashed to a large pole. They stripped the duke of his clothing as Cromwell dug a hole, K’xarr and Rufio nailed the wailing man spread eagle to the boards. With Cromwell’s strength and some ropes, the three men hoisted Blackthorn up. He hung in the air like a slab of meat in a butcher’s shop.

  Even upside down, the duke continued to try and bargain with the grim warriors. “Please don’t leave me here. I will do anything. I have gold, it’s all yours just let me go.”

  K’xarr and Rufio ignored the condemned man, silently picked up the tools they had used, and loaded them on the horses. “Cromwell, are you coming?” K’xarr asked.

  “Go ahead. I want to stay awhile.”

  “Suit yourself.” The two men mounted their horses and rode back to the city without a backward glance.

  Cromwell watched Blackthorn moan and whimper as he hung head-down on the pole. The Toran walked closer. The duke’s head was on the same level as the big man’s chest. Cromwell squatted down so he was face to face with Blackthorn. “You are a vile man. Rufio’s punishment was not good enough for you.”

  “I did nothing but rid my land of a weak ruler. If you get me down from here, I will make you the richest savage on the middle continent. Please, I beg you I can’t take much more of this, I’m afraid.” Cromwell stared at the old man saying nothing. “I don’t want to die. Oh God, I don’t want to die.” Blackthorn screamed out like a wild man.

  Cromwell smiled evilly at the helpless noble. “You did more than murder a King. Before we came out here today, the girl whispered to me what you did to her.”

  The duke laughed madly, his sanity was nearly gone. “That one-eyed bitch? She is nothing, little better than a slave. Who cares what I did to that little blonde whore?”

  Cromwell stood up. “I care and I promised her vengeance. This is the way we deal with men that rape young girls in my land, dog.” The Toran slowly pulled the razor sharp Voltakar from its sheath. He reached up and cut Blackthorns genitals off. The duke’s eyes rolled back in his head and he let out a terrible scream. Cromwell stifled it by shoving the duke’s gruesome organ into his mouth. The Toran held his meaty hand over Blackthorn’s mouth making the duke choke on his own bloody member. It did not take long for the Duke of Braxton Bluff to die.

  Cromwell removed his hand and stared down at the dead man. He slid the blade of the Voltakar over his forearm and watch as the black blood dripped onto the duke’s wretched face. “You are avenged, Isabella Levigeur. I have kept my oath.” The Toran reverently held the Voltakar up to the sky and said a prayer to the God of Vengeance.

  ***

  The Queen heard about the crucifixion later the next day. The order was given to take the body down. She did not want the offal thing within sight of her walls. Rufio told her that it was custom in Dragita to leave the body up until it rotted away. The Queen informed him this wasn’t Dragita and would hear no more on the subject.

  Cromwell volunteered to take the body down. He went alone, the Toran didn’t want K’xarr or anyone else knowing what he had done. They would have asked why and he didn’t want to tell the girl’s tale to anyone. Vengeance was a private thing in Tora. He had told Isabella, it was her right to know. The girl had seemed quite pleased when he explained how the duke had died.

  He cut the body down and rode several miles from Turill and threw what was left of Blackthorn into a deep ravine. The man deserved no better. Let the animals of Bandara have him, the Toran thought. Cromwell spit on the ground, turned his horse, and rode away.

  Nick Nock and the children returned to Turill, which kept Endra very busy. Kian helped her with them when he wasn’t teaching Isabella. She had asked him if he would teach her how to use a sword. Kian had agreed, he told her if she was going to carry the sword of the Phoenix Queen, she should know how to use it. The girl was surprisingly dexterous with her left hand. Endra and the Queen attended some of the lessons, both marveling at
Isabella’s aptitude for swordsmanship.

  As the people began to rebuild their city, the battle of the Braxton Bluff and the fight for Turill was the talk of the city. K’xarr and the others were still viewed with a bit of suspicion, but most of the people of Turill treated them as heroes, save Kian who was now feared by most of the city’s population after word of his deeds had spread.

  K’xarr busied himself helping Ansellus and Sir Ivan start to rebuild the army. Some weeks later King Talorn began to assist in development of the military as well. K’xarr respectfully resigned as General of Bandara that day. Ansellus tried to coax him to stay, but the Camiran would not work with the King.

  Sir Ivan sent word to Grand Master Cross, asking if he may be relieved of his duties in Ascona. He said in the letter that he wished to travel with K’xarr when he left Bandara. The Grand Master promptly answered the knight. He wished Sir Ivan good luck and told him he would always be welcome in Ascona and that he understood a man must follow where his heart leads him.

  The city of Turill and its people had begun to heal from the strife that had plagued their Kingdom. Things began to return to normal as the summer wore on.

  ***

  Two months after the Battle of Turill, the Queen summoned Rhys to her private chamber, they had not seen each other alone since the night of the battle. “I’m feeling unwell lately, Rhys can you please take a look?”

  The healer smiled at her and began the examination. “I have missed you,” she whispered in his ear.

  “Highness, you don’t have to say anything. I understand the situation.”

  Raygan cupped his face in her hands. “Do you? I love you, Rhys Morgan. I think I have since the first day I saw you. Remember? You came to fix my nose.”

  The healer blushed. “Of course, I remember.”

  This is killing me. I don’t love Talorn. It’s you I love, but I just can’t cast him aside, he is Corwin’s father and the people’s King.”

  Rhys looked at her sadly. “I told you I understand. It’s not your fault, it is just the way things are.”

  Raygan took him by the hand. “I’ve been thinking, we could see each other from time to time when the King was performing his duties elsewhere. We could find a country home and meet there. I must find a way to have you in my life.”

  Rhys gently touched her on the arm. “I’m leaving with K’xarr when he goes, Highness, and I suggest you find a way to start loving your husband, you are with child again.”

  “Oh my God, Rhys, are you sure?” Rhys quickly threw his instruments into his satchel. Raygan could see he was upset. He started for the door, then turned back to her. “I love you Raygan, I … I wish things were different.” He opened the door and walked out.

  A single tear rolled down the Queen’s cheek. She was a fool to think he would go along with a royal affair. Rhys was a better man than that.

  She decided then and there that she wouldn’t tell him she had not been with Talorn since he returned and the child she carried was his.

  ***

  Kian rode out alone from the city. He felt a need for solitude. K’xarr had asked him to leave Turill at the end of the summer. The Camiran still wanted to form a mercenary company. They had argued. Kian said he would like to travel with the former general, but didn’t want to be a mercenary. Fighting for pay wasn’t something he wanted to do. K’xarr had gotten angry and told him only fools fight for free. Kian had walked away from the dispute, leaving K’xarr brooding.

  The truth was Kian didn’t know how long he would stay with his friends. The vision from the forest still haunted him. The ghost had told him he would never know peace. Even now the people of Turill referred to him as the Slayer. Was death and blood all his future held? If he felt he was endangering any of his companions, he wanted to be able to leave without any obligations. He would not have any of them hurt because of what he felt lay ahead for him. He would go with them when they left Bandara, but staying was another matter. It would destroy him to leave Endra, but better that than having to watch her die. He needed to think on things before he made any decision.

  The Half Elf found a beautiful lake near a small stand of timber and sat down. The still of the evening made the surface of the water look like a mirror. He took a deep breath. His thoughts turned to Gildor, his mother, and Elu. All those he had lost. He had avenged none of them, and it weighed heavy on his mind.

  “You seem very melancholy, swordsman.” Kian didn’t turn, he knew the voice, and he hadn’t heard anyone approach.

  “My thoughts were with the dead, Syann, and deeds left undone.”

  The woman sat down beside him. She was dressed in a sleeveless white gown, and her light blonde hair fell loose over her sun-bronzed shoulders. Kian looked her up and down surprised how different she looked without her armor. The Goddess was intoxicatingly beautiful.

  “I don’t always dress like a warrior,” the Goddess said as if she had read his mind.

  “What do you want of me?”

  Syann leaned back on her hands. “You defied my mother. No one has done that in a very long time. You are unique, Kian, your very existence will change things.”

  He laughed sadly. “I’m a Half Elf who has been turned into an monster, what can I change?”

  Syann giggled. Kian thought it was not an unpleasant sound. “The world, Kian, you can change the world. You and those you travel with are rare people, you affect events wherever you go. You can’t escape it any more than I can escape the circumstances of my birth.”

  Kian looked at his hands. “I didn’t want this any of it. This may sound strange but sometimes I don’t feel…” The swordsman paused, trying to find the right words. “I don’t feel my soul. I am no longer the person I was.” He clenched his fist until his knuckles turned white. “I don’t even know if I’m a person at all?”

  Syann stood up and offered her hand to Kian, he took it and hopped to his feet. “You are a preternatural being, a creature of magic and mystery. You are extraordinary, Kian Cardan. There should be no shame in your heart, no sadness. Revel in what you have become. You have shown that evil has no hold on you. If it did, you would still belong to my mother.”

  The blonde Goddess’s words gave him comfort, but it was the way she looked at him that lightened the burden he felt. It was a look of excitement and fascination. The look a child has when they have seen something new. And it was without fear.

  “Kian, there is something I want to give you. She pulled a simple black ring from her finger. It was made from a metal he had never seen before, dull and heavy.

  “What is it?”

  “A gift I want you to have. Remember my words, Kian. You can’t escape your fate, but sometimes you can cheat it.”

  Kian took the ring. He knew better than to refuse a gift from a Goddess. “I thank you, Lady Syann.”

  She put her hand on his shoulder. “I hope the day never comes that you need it.”

  Kian put the ring on his finger. “You have been kind to me and I hate to ask, but I need a favor from you.”

  “I don’t usually do favors for mortals, it usually starts one down a dangerous path, but for you I will make an exception.”

  When he told her what he wanted, she wished she had said no.

  ***

  That night as Endra lay with her head on Kian’s chest, she noticed the black ring he now wore on his finger. He was asleep, but she had to ask. She touched his face gently waking him. “Where did you get that ring?”

  Kian wrapped both his arms around her and pulled her closer to him. “A Goddess gave it to me,” he said still half asleep.

  Endra didn’t sleep well that night and when she awoke in the morning Kian was gone.

  ***

  “I knew you would come sooner or later, I just didn’t know you would appear out of thin air on top of my tower.” Tavantis slowly turned. The wizard had been taking in the morning air on top of his ancient spire.

  Kian stood not ten feet away, a long sword in his h
and. The swordsman glared at his twin, but said nothing.

  “Well, Brother, I don’t know how you got here, but I see you have come to kill me.” The wizard adjusted his mask and cleared his throat. “You have good cause, I can’t deny that. I have had my chances and completely failed in my attempts to kill you. Instead I managed to only make you stronger.” The sorcerer gave a gurgling chuckle and shrugged his shoulders. “Who knew?” Tavantis moved to the edge of the broken battlements where he and Kian had fought before. He looked down, then turned and faced his brother. “I don’t think you will fall for any of my tricks this time, will you?”

  Kian shook his head. “Why didn’t you just come with me? I didn’t lie to you. I would have done anything to help you. Why couldn’t you have just trusted me?”

  “I don’t like you, Kian, it’s simple as that. I will never be the brother you want. It’s far too late for that.” Kian thought he heard regret in his brother’s voice.

  The wizard’s finger slightly moved, Kian saw it. “It doesn’t have to be this way.” The swordsman pleaded.

  “My life is misery, there can be no other way.” The wizard’s hidden dagger slid out of his sleeve and in to the palm of his hand. The former assassin was smooth and fast, but Kian was faster. His sword flew from his hand. The wizard never saw it until it buried itself in his belly. The dagger fell from Tavantis’s hand and the crippled wizard’s knees buckled.

  Kian ran to him, catching him before he could fall from the tower. Blood dripped from the mouth of the leather mask. “I should have used a turtle instead of the panther,” the dying wizard joked.

  Tavantis collapsed into Kian’s arms. The swordsman held him so he would not fall from the broken edge of the tower.

  “Finish what you started, Brother. You have done the right thing. I would have never stopped coming for you and those you love.”

  Kian reached down and shoved the long sword deeper into his twin, then he let go. Tavantis tumbled through the air towards the ground. Kian thought he could hear him laughing.