DAWN OF THE PHOENIX

by A. J. STRICKLER

  Raygan knew what he said was true, there was no army to defend Bandara and she had little coin, but the stubborn young woman would not give an inch. “We shall see, Eminence.”

  Milara smiled. “Yes, we shall see. You may even receive a visit from one of the Hands of God, Majesty. They don’t like heretics or children. Are you beginning to understand me? You have put your life and the life of your son at risk. You will learn what it means to defy God.” The lord justice slammed his hands on the desk to make his point. “Now, little girl, hand over the half-breed and I will forget your insolence.”

  The door slammed open. Kian stood in the doorway, a low growl issuing from his throat.

  Raygan watched as Lord Justice Dracen Milara leaped over the desk and cowered behind her. “Get out, monster, you have no business here,” Milara said, pointing his finger towards Kian.

  The queen stood and faced the man that was trying to hide behind her. “This is my chamber, Eminence, and I will decide who has business here. Now, Kian, is there something you need?” she asked sweetly.

  “Yes, Majesty, I need you to step out of the room.”

  The queen smiled at him. “I do need a glass of wine and I think I will get it myself.”

  Milara stomped his foot. “You can’t leave me in here with this thing, Highness, it will kill me.”

  Raygan turned and looked at the terrified man. “I’m sure God will protect you, Lord Justice. However, I do suggest you try to be polite.” The queen walked out and Ansellus shut the door, grinning from ear to ear.

  “What do you want?” Milara squeaked.

  “I have an offer for you, Eminence. I will forgive what you have done to me and my friend Rhys, if you leave Bandara now. Wish the queen well and return to your church in Tyro and trouble her no more. If you do not, I will seek revenge.”

  “She is a heretic and has broken God’s law. The queen must be deposed and put on trial, and it is you who has caused this, monster. Do you not think the Holy Father and I don’t know what you and you companions truly are? Because of you, the queen will be held accountable. All those you touch will pay for your evil. You and the others are children of the Beast and the Church will not suffer your existence.”

  Kian slowly walked toward the desk. Milara backed away until he was against the wall. “I don’t care what you think I am, priest, or what your Church believes. You have said your piece, now I will say mine. If you will not take my offer or if you harm the queen in any way, I will visit a war on your Church the likes of which you have never seen. I will let go the thing inside me and sate its voracious appetite on you, priest, and your precious Church.

  “I will go to Tyro and kill your pope and every knight or Church minion that gets in my way. I may be killed in the undertaking, but I can assure you that many will die before I fall. Think on what I say, priest.” Kian turned and walked towards the door.

  “I don’t fear you, monster. I have God on my side.”

  Kian whirled around and drew his longsword. The blade flew across the room and buried itself in the wall close enough to Milara’s head to nick his ear. “And I have that, priest.” Kian walked out of the room as the lord justice’s bladder let go.

  Endra and the others were standing in the middle of the throne room talking when the swordsman walked up. Everyone could see the rare look of satisfaction Kian’s face. “Where have you been?” Endra asked curiously.

  “I had a chat with Lord Justice Milara,” he said casually.

  K’xarr looked up at the ceiling. “Oh hell.”

  Lord Justice Milara rode out of Turill that night without a word to anyone. He would not try and deal with the half-breed alone. He wasn’t that foolish. He would return to Tyro and report to the Holy Father. Next time he crossed paths with the monster, he would be ready.

  The following morning was to be William Blackthorn’s trial. Raygan wanted to get any unpleasantness out of the way before the children returned from the Bluff.

  She already knew what the outcome of the proceeding would be. She would strip the duke of his titles and lands and banish him from Bandara for the rest of his life. K’xarr had offered to just hang the duke out of hand, but Raygan would uphold the letter of law. Even William Blackthorn was entitled to a fair trial, even though she already knew he was guilty. Some semblance of civility had to be maintained, even for the man who murdered her father.

  Isabella sat on the bed watching her prepare. Rhys had done all he could for her severed hand. Raygan knew the stump still ached, but Isabella didn’t complain. Isabella never complained about anything. Sometimes Raygan wished she could be a little more like her former handmaiden, so strong and stoic.

  Sitting at her dressing table, she brushed her beautiful hair. It had to be just right for court. The nobles all expected her to look her best when she addressed them.

  “I will do that for you, Majesty.”

  The queen looked at her former servant. “I will not hear of it. You’re no longer my servant, Isabella, and besides, I’m sure your poor arm still hurts. And when we are alone, you must start calling me Raygan.”

  “Yes, Your… I mean… Yes, Raygan.”

  The door opened and Talorn came in. Her husband had said little since he had been released. The wounds to his body were minor compared to the wounds to his pride. She no longer hated him, she felt only pity for the defeated knight. Raygan knew she could never love Talorn, but she couldn’t hate the man that had given her Corwin either. “What is it, Talorn? I’m already going to be late for the trial.” She saw the knight bow his head. Raygan hadn’t thought about how this was affecting him. The pious knight must be beside himself with shame.

  He knelt down before her, taking her delicate hand in his. “I have come to ask lenience for my father. I know he is guilty, but I ask, as your husband, please show mercy.”

  Raygan stopped brushing her hair and slowly turned to look at her husband. “He killed my father and plotted against me at every turn, he deserves nothing.”

  “I know, but I had to ask. At least think on it. ”

  “Oh very well, I will think on it, but I can promise you nothing.” Talorn bowed and left the two women alone.

  Raygan looked at herself in the mirror. There were times she wished she wasn’t queen.

  Isabella stood and walked over to the dressing table, picking up the queen’s brush with her left hand and beginning to brush Raygan’s hair. The queen closed her eyes and relaxed. She always loved the way Isabella brushed her hair. She noticed no difference now that the girl was doing it left-handed. It felt just as divine as it had before.

  “Raygan?”

  “Yes, Isabella?”

  “Are you thinking of showing mercy to Duke Blackthorn?”

  Raygan sighed. “I don’t know. He is Talorn’s father, and I have no choice but to stay married to the man. Would it be unseemly if I merely stripped the duke of his titles and lands? I hate this. He killed my father and he should be punished for it. Maybe I should have just let K’xarr hang him after all.” The little queen opened her eyes and folded her hands in her lap. “Oh, Bella, maybe there has been enough discord and hate in Turill. The city needs to heal. My father would have been lenient on Duke Blackthorn, perhaps I should be too?”

  Isabella stopped brushing the queen’s hair. She gently laid the silver-handled brush on the dressing table and put her remaining hand on Raygan’s shoulder. The two women looked at each other in the mirror. “Majesty, I want to speak with you as the queen now.”

  Raygan turned around in her chair and looked up at the girl. She could hear the urgency in Isabella’s voice. “What is it, dear?”

  Fumbling a bit with her stump, Isabella pulled her hair behind her ears. “I want to tell you what Duke Blackthorn did to me when I was imprisoned.”

  “I already know, dear. The Dark One told me in the tower.”

  “You don’t know all of it, my queen. I will tell you the details of my imprisonment. You should know what he is before you judge
the duke.”

  Raygan swallowed, afraid to hear what the girl would say. “Very well, tell me.”

  When Isabella finished, there would be no mercy for the duke.

  Raygan tapped the arm of the throne the entire time the court formalities went on. She was furious. She could not stop thinking of what Isabella had told her about the smirking man standing before her now. Even wounded, the man was arrogant and smug.

  He knew that even with all the evidence against him, he was Talorn’s father and his son was technically King of Bandara. Talorn sat at her side now. It was the first time he had appeared in court as king. He had barely raised his head the whole time the evidence was being presented.

  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 and silenced 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 dragged him to the simple apparatus they had 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 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 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 Blackthorn's 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 watched 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 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 ho
w the duke had died.

  He cut the body down and rode several miles from Turill, throwing 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 the 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, but 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.