A hushed silence fell upon the men as they looked to Lord Haran for what was to come next.
“Of the heinous crimes against my people, I find you guilty,” he stated. Turning to Lord Hurrin, he said, “Execute the condemned.”
“Yes my lord,” he said.
The eight men began crying out and struggled to break free. Lord Hurrin’s men struck with their swords and ended their lives quickly and mercifully.
“Gather the bodies,” Lord Haran announced to his men.
“Uh,” began Kevik. As everyone turned to him, he said, “We caught two others sneaking away from the battle.” He pointed back to where they left the two men. “They’re back there.”
“Take us to them,” Bart said.
“Kevik, why don’t you stay here,” Seth suggested. “Soth and I can show them.”
“Thanks,” he said. Moving over to a nearby tree, he started to sit down against it.
“Maybe you could help with the wounded while we’re gone?” Bart suggested. When he saw Kevik turn an exhausted stare toward him, he grinned.
“He does have a healing gem,” Riyan explained to Lord Haran.
“True,” the lord replied. “It would save many lives.”
All Kevik wanted to do was sit down and possibly fall asleep. Instead, with the eyes of everyone upon him, he stood back up and made his way over to where they were gathering the wounded. Those taking care of the injured directed him toward the men in the most serious condition.
“It’s this way,” Seth said as he began leading them back to where they left the two men. Behind him came Lords Haran and Hurrin as well as six of their men, along with Riyan and the rest of their group.
“Kevik mentioned how he thought others would come and disturb the King,” he explained as they walked.
“I fear he may be correct,” replied Lord Haran.
“What can we do?” asked Riyan.
“Tell no one of what transpired here today,” Lord Haran said. Glancing to the dark clouds making their way from the west he saw a flash of lightning followed by the crack of thunder. “Once the rains come, they’ll remove all evidence of our presence here.”
“Not everything they won’t,” argued Chyfe. “What about the bodies?”
“We’ll bury them of course,” replied Lord Haran. “Before we depart for home.”
About that time, the two men held by Kevik’s spell came into view. “I don’t recognize them,” Bart said.
“Neither do I,” added Riyan.
“My lord,” said one of Lord Haran’s men, “I believe they arrived with the soldiers we recently dealt with.”
Chad’s eyes narrowed as he gazed at the two men. “My brother mentioned someone by the name of Daniel that was seen around Quillim for some time.”
“Yes,” agreed Riyan. “So did my mother. He told her he had come to help us.”
“I think he lied,” replied Bart.
“So it would seem,” agreed Chad.
The two men had taken notice of the group coming their way. One was taller than the other and had the air of being in charge. Lord Haran walked up to them, stopping several feet away. “Is one of you named Daniel?” he asked.
The taller one’s eyes widened slightly then nodded. “That would be me your lordship,” Daniel replied.
“You know me?” asked Lord Haran, somewhat surprised.
“Not by name, no,” he replied. “You merely have the bearing of nobility.”
“I see,” said Lord Haran. He didn’t offer to give his name. “What is your business in all this?”
“In all what your lordship?” replied Daniel.
“The attack on my person, the death of my people, not to mention the atrocities laid at the feet of your acquaintance Captain Glaver.”
“Merely in the wrong place at the wrong time,” he explained.
Riyan came to the fore and said, “You told my mother you were here to offer your aid in expediting matters with Duke Alric.”
“That is true my lad,” he replied. “Unfortunately I will no longer be able to aid you as you have murdered a number of the Duke’s men.”
Lord Haran gazed at Daniel, what he may have been thinking was unreadable.
“Will you please let us go?” he asked. “I’ve done nothing wrong.”
“Ha!” said Seth. “We overheard you and I quote: ‘We know the location of the Horde. I’ll use my influence in Duke Alric’s court and have the land rights to this area transferred to me. Then, we can come and strip the place of everything.’
“I never said such a thing,” Daniel replied with complete sincerity. “Like I said, events swept my friend and I along like a flower petal upon the water.”
“Lies!”
From out of the woods stepped Rupert. Eyes wild, clothes stained with blood, he made a frightful sight.
“Rupert?” exclaimed Riyan.
Ignoring everyone save Daniel, he came forward. “You murdered my father,” he accused. “Confessed by your own lips. You orchestrated everything, I can see that now.”
“I don’t know what this boy is talking about,” Daniel told those gathered around him.
“I trusted you!” Rupert said, anguish in his voice. Coming closer, they could see a slight madness in his eyes. Finally, he glanced to the others. “With my help he murdered everyone who was drawn to Quillim by the rumors of the Horde.” Pausing, he looked to his hands. “Their blood stains my hands.” Rubbing them together, it almost seemed as if he was trying to rid them of the imagined stains.
Glancing up again, he gazed at Daniel. “After all that I have done for you, your final act of betrayal was to try and take my life,” he said softly. “That was when my eyes were opened and I saw you for what you truly are.” Then almost inaudible he said, “And what I had done.”
“That’s true,” Seth said quietly. “My brother and I saw it.” Beside him, Soth nodded in affirmation.
Moving once again, Rupert quickened his pace toward Daniel and drew his sword. Silently, he raised it to strike.
To the others watching the unfolding drama, Daniel exclaimed, “You cannot stand by and let him kill me!” He looked to Riyan and said, “This is murder!”
Riyan shook his head. “No, this is a son’s justice for the murder of his father. And for all the hurt done to Quillim and her people by you.”
Daniel began struggling to free himself, but Kevik’s spell was too strong. “But I didn’t kill him!”
Rupert raised his sword as he came closer. Daniel’s eyes widened as he looked at the approach of death. “Father!” Rupert cried out as with all his might, he brought the sword down. Striking the shoulder blade, Rupert’s sword cleaved its way halfway into Daniel’s ribcage through bone and muscle before coming to a stop.
When the sword finally came to rest, Rupert remained motionless as he continued holding the hilt. Silence hung in the air as everyone waited for what he would do next. When he finally let go of the hilt, he turned about and glanced to Riyan. “I’m sorry for everything,” he said. Then without a word, walked to the trees and disappeared. Riyan and the others didn’t realize it at the time, but that would be the last time any of them would ever see Rupert alive.
Once Rupert left, Daniel’s man began begging for his life. But such was not to be. Chad accepted the duty of silencing him and with one thrust, it was over.
For the rest of that day, they sought and located an out of the way area where they buried the dead in a large, communal grave. Then in an attempt to mask the grave, they gathered individual plants from many different areas and planted them atop the grave mound. By the time they were done, rain had started to fall and began the job of removing the evidence that people had ever been there. In such a remote area, it was unlikely another person would stumble upon the entrance to the Horde. Above the entrance, they had woven the vines together to better conceal it. When spring came and the vines began growing once more, the entrance would again be well hidden.
