Chapter 12

Welcome back, here is this week's chapter, Please read the others if you have not already, and leave comments.
Thank you,
Rexpennae Kansas

Chapter 12

A single horse issued from the gates of El Intrivo, one horse, and it swiftly bore its rider south.
"Fool," Jack muttered to himself, "Unless they attack our score is not settled."
He swept from the throne room and descended the long curving stair that encircled the keep tower. When the keep tower met the main building of four stories Jack burst through the first door he passed. The soldiers in the barrack room jumped to their feet, and fell across the floor.
"Get up you lazy swine!" Jack roared, "To the walls, all of you, do you wish to hand your fortress to the rebels?"
The troops scrambled out of the room and ran to the wall top, fairly satisfied, Jack descended another floor and burst into the barracks, much to the same effect as last time.
"You all, Ready your weapons, throw the gates open, and dig trenches in the courtyard!" he ordered.
"You are not our king. You dare command his troops." Said the captain as he walked up to challenge Jack.
He received a ringed hand across his face, he picked himself up from the floor, bleeding from a long gash across his cheek, only to be knocked down again.
"In the absence of your king, you will obey my command." Jack glared at the captain, who quietly rose and ordered his men to do as Jack instructed.
**************************************************************************************
Clouds veiled the sun's rising that day, and the wind bit deep, cutting through the bodies of the standing troops at the outlet of the Salas River. They were waiting for their captains, and leaders, who were in a debate that could have cleared the sky.
The Rebels of the north had arrived in Salas, with their many machines of war, ballistae, catapults, towers, and the like. They were ready for war, but had long owed fealty to Princess Rose, and would not go without her consent. And consent was just what she was withholding.
"A rider left the castle last night, this rider matched well the description of Eravar, from what my scouts could see, and he bore away hard and fast. If Eravar has left the castle then there is no reason to attack." She said to the council of 6.
"And why not, Princess? Seize his throne, and put an end to him." Said Krethos.
"Because, Krethos, I cannot allow him to walk abroad. I cannot allow him to move and gather more support." She replied, and Krethos could see clearly her concern, and anger.
"And you, Commander of the northerners, will you not come?" Krethos asked.
"Lacking the Princess' consent I will do nothing, and were it not so, I see much better her view than yours. Eravar is a master orator, and to let him free would be a grave error on our part." Replied the commander.
"Supposing we forgo the castle, and capture the mystery rider, will you feel yourself a fool to find your cousin in his tower, Princess?"
"No." She answered, "And if we attack the castle to find the rider was my cursed cousin, will you feel yourself a fool?"
"My business is not with Eravar, but his guest, Princess, and You would do well to remember that."
The princess leaned back in her chair, her admiration for this man was great, near boundless. But she could not risk a victory, only to find herself in a trap, and finally defeated.
"Krethos," she said, " I cannot risk it, there are too many variables. I will bend all my forces to take the rider, and guard the cities he could be aiming for, from his arrival."
Krethos' mind turned, furiously his mind worked, gears turned and pieces were brought together. He was angry, angry at the withdrawal of promised aid, no matter the sanity and reason behind it. Princess Rose could see him thinking, she knew he was disappointed, but she didn't know to what extent.
"You break a promise, do you expect me to believe you will return to keep it?" Krethos asked, holding, just barely, his anger back.
"I will return to aid you, dear Krethos, I promise you that, and I cannot expect you to trust me." She answered.
"Then, how would an alternative arrangement sound to you?" Krethos asked.
Princess Rose tread lightly from then on, warily she had to proceed, Krethos was a good man, but dangerous.
"What do you propose, Krethos?"
"Send out riders, a dozen or so, leave them to catch your mystery rider, while the rest of us, take the castle." Krethos said.
"Krethos' idea has merit." Glaxon said.
His comment was met with agreement by the northern commander and the Princess' personal commander. The Princess thought hard for a moment, anxiousness could be seen in her eyes.
"Your idea does indeed hold merit, Krethos," she said, thoughtfully, "And I will agree to it, holding you responsible if we must fight again to out Eravar."
Krethos smiled, "Yes indeed, Princess."
**************************************************************************************
Stones flew at the first light of dawn, thick in the air. As they fell they laid waste to the walls of El Intrivo. But the men inside were not asleep, Jack Von Bondahar had roused them, and they returned fire.
Arrows rained down from the heavens, the dark fletched shafts buried themselves in the ground, and a few in their targets. Stones rose from the courtyard and flew high into the sky, rolling over men as they struck the ground. One caught a northerner trebuchet and the splinters flew far.
Krethos watched from a distance, as the walls crumbled. The tower keep's walls fell away, leaving the curving stair exposed, and the throne room at the pinnacle was laid open by a chance shot.
The Northern commander ordered his troops forward, and they obeyed swiftly. Sheilds held high they advanced, moving closer to the wall. They guarded ballistae of great strength, and when effective range was reached several deep cutting steel bolts were fired, and they sunk into the wall, and the Northerners pulled on the ropes attached to the bolts. The walls came crashing down.
At once a great cry went up from Krethos' allies, and they rushed forward, headlong into the castle, and Krethos was at their lead.

Copyright © 2008-2009 Robert W. A. Nance

All rights reserved

The Keyschnect: Chasing Bondahar chapter 11

Hello again, and welcome back to the Center for the Exhibition of Rexpennae Kansas' writing. We have scheduled posts to be put up every Wednesday, although we cannot promise what time, so check back on Thursday if you don't see something on Wednesday. Rexpennae envies your comments and welcomes your opinions, so feel free to leave them. And without further ado we shall present the next instalment in Chasing Bondahar.



Rexpennae Kansas

Chapter 11

He loosed the arrow…
Krethos sat up, the wind turbulence in his wake extinguished the candle and he stumbled around the small side cavern. The darkness was bound tighter around him than a blindfold, and he feared he would never escape from the black pit. He made his way slowly to the stone walls and felt his way around the room until he felt wood beneath his fingers.
Relieved, Krethos swung the door open and walked into the hall. He splashed some cold water on his face from a basin outside his door and smoothed his hair out before proceeding down the hall to the Princess' courtroom.
He had spent the last day and a half in the cavernous palace of Princess Rose and her followers. They were preparing for war, and he was growing impatient.
He entered the court, which he had left the night before full of weapons and armor, to find it cleared.
"Good morning, Krethos." The Princess said as she walked up to him, "I trust you slept well."
"Tolerably, through no fault of yours or your people." Krethos answered, and bowed.
The Princess lead Krethos to a wagon full of armaments, "We cleared the stocks while you slept, we are nearly ready, and will leave within the morning."
"Very good," Krethos answered, "We will meet with my men at Port Salas, where we will proceed to move on the castle of El Intrivo."
"And King Eravar the usurper." The Princess added.
"I am looking for Jack Von Bondahar, the king is of your concern." Krethos replied.
The Princess paid him no heed, but continued walking beside the last wagon. The emerged from a secret opening in the side of a hill and descended to the valley below, where rested the other hundred wagons of weapons.
The Princess stood up on the hillside, dressed in the blue of the river and her shining tiara on her head, every eye turned to her and held, transfixed by her beauty.
"My friends, and family," she called out, "This man, Krethos, has come to lead us forward, to victory, we will retake the kingdom from the usurper. Our friends in the North will join us with their machines, and we will be the tool of vengeance."
The crowd erupted into cheers, but Krethos was oblivious to the celebration, he was ready to go, and took up the head of the column when the horns were sounded. They would meet Meir in little over 8 hours.
**************************************************************************************
He leaned on his cane, trying to keep as much weight off his leg as possible, it caused obvious pain to walk, and even more to stand.
"They're late." He said to the dock worker.
"That they are." The dock worker replied.
"They were to be here yesterday."
"I would not begrudge them that, my friend, this is a radical thing they do, I would not be surprised if they are detained."
The strange man turned to look at the dock worker, "I must let my leg rest, please call me should they appear."
"I will do that."
The strange man hobbled back into the warehouse where he had been sleeping and lay down.
The dock worker went about his business and loaded boxes for just over 3 hours before he was startled by a voice behind him.
"Do you wish to join the Keyschnect in his fight to get the keys?"
"I cannot, but there is a man here wants to." Said the dock worker as he stepped into the warehouse and roused the stranger.
"Are you with Krethos?" Asked the man as he hobbled out.
"Yes sir, I am." answered Meir.
"Where can I find him?"
"He will be along soon, he went on a trip alone to get more fighters. Who are you, anyway?"
"My name is Glaxon, I would like to speak to Krethos when he returns."
"Mr. Glaxon, when he arrives you may speak to Krethos."
Meir walked away, to supervise the rest of the recruitment in the last stop before pressing to the castle. The people of this nation were desperate for deliverance from the oppression of the king, and many joined believing that the Keyschnect was to overthrow the king. Krethos didn't care about what they thought, only that they could fight, and would.
Port Salas was a large town on the Salas River, had Krethos' voyage gone smoothly he would have landed there. The populace of the town was reluctant to leave their homes for the battle so unprepared. Until the wagon train of Princess Rose rode to the army camp.
Citizens flocked from the town to see the Princess, she was their standard of freedom, exiled she fled and vowed to return when the time was right for revolution. It was then that every man who could hold a sword emptied from the city and stood behind the Princess, who stood behind Krethos.
As they were armed, Krethos entered the city, told by Meir that Glaxon wanted to speak with him, Krethos was in search of an old friend. He found Glaxon, waiting on a crate left in the exodus, his cane at his side. Glaxon stood and limped to his old friend, and they embraced as long separated brothers.
"Your leg, what happened?" Krethos asked.
"Unfortunately getting you to the keep was a hard feat, I am lucky to have escaped the courtyard with no more problems than the leg."
"So the others, they have died."
"I watched each of them fall."
Krethos sat down on the crate beside Glaxon's, so much to take in. All the people he had once cared for were gone, everything from his old life, save for Glaxon, was turning to dust as he spoke.
"Krethos, they died in pursuit of life, to find the keys, and bring back what was once dear to them. All is not lost if you are still whole and ready to fight for what they perished for."
"Did you know who I was?"
"No." Glaxon answered, "But it doesn't surprise me in the least, if there were a reason you lived, a reason that you sought the keys, it would be that."
" I have done much since I left you all."
"And I have seen it, this very day you were able to empty this town, you have raised up a country. On the far side of the seas your messengers have spread the word far and wide, people are listening, rising, looking for you. You are not alone, there is the whole of the world behind you. And they are ready to come to your aid."
Krethos could see the sun setting down one street.
"What's going to happen? Back at home you were a very wise man, what is to come of this?"
"Krethos, I cannot see, we are entering a dark and troubling new age, one in which the world will be irreversibly changed, that much is certain, but beyond that nothing can be discerned."
"I'm afraid."
"As am I."
**************************************************************************************
"…And what would you have me do, Jack?" Asked Eravar, concerned and irritated.
"Whatever you want." Jack answered watching from the throne as Eravar paced up and down the room.
"That doesn't help!" Eravar yelled, "Helen wouldn't attack unless she was sure I was here, but now that she's entered into the equation I do not dare stay here."
"And why not?"
"She is bent upon vengeance, when it was just your puppet I could do whatever I wished, and end my debt to you, but now, now my life is forfeit if I stay.
"Then go, save yourself."
"If I go they will not attack."
"Then stay."
"JACK!" Eravar shouted in frustration, "What do you want?"
"To speak to the boy, and you will do whatever it is that will get me that."
Eravar slumped into a chair, feeling as though he had just signed his own execution order.

Copyright © 2008-2009 Robert W. A. Nance
All rights reserved

The Keyschnect: Chasing Bondahar chapter 10

Hello all, do I have to say it, this will make no sense at all if you have not read the others, so please go back and read them, and please leave comments for me.

Thank you all,

Rexpennae Kansas

Chapter 10

"Who is this?"
"His name is Krethos."
"Is he the one you've been waiting for?"
"Yes, my friend, I have been waiting for his for many years."
"What is your plan?"
"Ahh, I would be saying too much, at this point there are too many variables."
"What do you want me to do, Jack?"
Jack leaned back against the wall and looked out the window, "He'll be raising an army, thanks to my instruction. I care not what you do with your subjects, but I need him, I need to meet him."
"You shall have him, Jack, my subjects should know better than to rise up in such a manner, I shall wreak such death on them that they will think twice before letting their heart beat without my permission."
"Easy Eravar, the allure of a savior is much more than some can stand against, pray do not be so hard on them, as it is that I need them."
Eravar stepped away from his throne, his old friend could be so difficult at times, but Eravar owed the assassin for his life. Von Bondahar had saved the boy from a grim fate at the hands of an angry sow bear 24 years before, and had never asked anything in return, until now.
"So, Eravar, how long do you think it'll be until they attack?"
"I'd think a good three days, they're not armed yet."
"Then arm your troops, while I need you to let your guard down, there is always a danger to you."
Eravar nodded, and sent out orders, Ready all troops, an attack is eminent.
**************************************************************************************
Esmerelda stepped onto the deck, there was no one around, not a single soul. She ran to Krethos, and wrapped her arms around him, and he returned the gesture. In the peace of the moment a sharp, deep, and terrible pain erupted in Krethos' back, he cried out in a mix of pain and rage, Esmerelda stepped back.
"I love you, Krethos…" she said, her hand upon a bloody dagger.
She raised it high above her head and came forward, all the while muttering her love to Krethos. She continued coming closer, and every step she advanced was matched by a step in retreat by Krethos, until he met the rail of the ship. There, there lay a bow, and a single arrow, on the deck beside Krethos, and in desperation he raised it, "Hold there, Esmerelda, do not step farther."
As much as he wished her to stop, she continued forward, and in a motion more painful than anything he could have experienced, he loosed the arrow…
Krethos awoke with a start, Meir was pounding on the door, "Get up Krethos, we're leaving in an hour." Meir said.
Krethos grunted in reply, and lay back down, his dreams had been plagued by the recurring dream he had just woken from, since his escape from the pirates. He got up and dressed himself in the darkness of the shrouded room. They would be moving on today, he already had a force of 500, and he would gain more as the next few days ground on.
Krethos pulled his last boot on as he stumbled out the door. The sun was bright in the cloudless sky, and he could see the castle from where he stood, the towering pinnacle in the distance. However, his concern was not there, not yet.
Krethos strode through the little village, his disheveled hair and unkempt face drew some stares, but most dared not look at him. He made his way to Meir, who was standing with an older man who, it seemed, had been a military person at some point in his life.
"Ah, Krethos," Meir exclaimed as he saw Krethos, "This gentleman says that there is a weapons cache just west of here, and a large group of rebel fighters guards it."
"Thank you Meir, tell me, would these fighters be open to helping us?
"This man believes they would, but you would need to not go to them with an army, or an assembly such as this."
Krethos cogitated for a moment, "Then I will go alone," he said, which way, and where?"
The older man gestured off into the west, and explained some of the landmarks around the cave where the weapons cache was kept. So, without anyone at his side, Krethos departed. Meir led the rest on, their work could not stop simply because their master was gone.
Krethos stole silently across the plains, not a soul was in sight. The gentle waving of the hip-high grasses mesmerized the traveling Krethos, he had not seen anything like it before. And yet he plodded on, watching for the river he was to cross.
Before long he came to the river, and crossed easily enough, and he continued on. At length he came upon a large, circular outcropping of stone, the cave lay on the other side of the hill on which the outcropping sat, but Krethos never got to go and see for himself the entrance. For he was ensnared by three men who had appeared out of the ground behind him.
"Why are you here?" the leader growled.
"I am here to enlist the aid of the rebels." Krethos answered.
"What for?"
"I am trying to get into the castle, I have an army, but I need arms, and good fighters."
The leader thought for a moment, "I cannot give you what you ask for," he said, "I have not the authority, but the Princess can. If you are serious about enlisting us, then I will take you below to see the Princess."
"I am serious, take me to the Princess." Krethos answered.
The men stood him up, and bound his hands tight, blindfolding him at the same time. When they were sure that Krethos was secure, the three led him to the mouth of the cave, and in.
The cave was damp, and cool. Refreshing from the long walk to get there, Krethos thought. He was led down for several minutes before the guards took his blindfold off.
He stood in a vast cavern, lit by torches, and as ornately furnished as any palace, but the centerpiece, and crown jewel, of the room, was the young lady sitting on a carved stone throne at the far end of the hall. Krethos walked slowly forwad and knelt before the throne.
"Who are you?" asked the Princess.
"My name is Krethos." He answered, still kneeling.
"What do you wish, Krethos?"
"Help, at the very least my men need weapons, and at the very most you could give us men."
"Stand up, Krethos, you shall tell me why I should give these things to you."
"I shall be more than happy to do so, but what, may I ask, should I address you as?"
"I am Princess Helen Rose, you may call me Princess, or Princess Rose."
Krethos stepped back a pace and said, "Me and my men are going to storm the castle El Intrivo, and rid the world of the king Eravar, who has caused such suffering upon his own people. We are many, and we are strong, but we cannot hope to overcome without tools of war.
"It seems, if I am correct, that the king has forced you here, to hide, would it not be grand to see you outside this cavern?"
The Princess sat back in her throne, and thought about what she had just been told. Her face broke into a wide smile, "Krethos, my dear, is that all? Or have you omitted something? Pray take care, My decision can be influenced by what you do not tell me."
Krethos lowered his head and ran his fingers through his long black hair, before looking full into the Princess' glittering eyes, "I am the Keyschnect. Eravar's friend, Jack Von Bondahar, has the keys, and is at the castle."
"So you wish to enlist my help, to take over the castle so you can take the keys from Von Bondahar?" asked the Princess
"Yes, Princess, that is my request."
"Krethos, my dear, are you sure of everything you've said to me? Are you sure that Von Bondahar has the keys, that he resides at the castle? And what proof of this do you have?"
"I am sure, I have no doubts, my proof is what I have seen, and what I have heard."
The Princess looked at Krethos with intent, he seemed to be telling the truth, or what he belived to be the truth. She removed her tiara and set it on the arm of her throne, before standing.
"Gentlemen, ready yourselves," she said, "We follow this man, the Keyschnect, to battle, and to our freedom."
**************************************************************************************
The ship came to the docks, and let the plank down. A middle aged man walked off, carrying a pack and a cane, for it was seen that he had a great limp.
He approached a dock worker, "I am looking for a man called Krethos, have you heard of him?"

"Ya, I hiv 'eard of such a men."
"Where can I find him?"
"Hees follers 'll come 'round on the morrah, 'tis they're last stop."
"I'll be waiting."

Copyright © 2008-2009 Robert W. A. Nance

All rights reserved

The Keyschnect: Chasing Bondahar chapter 9

Hello all,
Here is Chapter 9, you won't understand it unless you go back and read the other posts in this series, and please, when you're done reading, post a comment for me.
Rexpennae

Chapter 9

Fog fell heavily on the sea. Krethos and Meir were enveloped in a shroud of gray, unable to see the bow of their longboat from the stern. They ran the sheet and tiller in shifts of three hours each, while the other slept in the bow.
The one blessing they seemed to have was a compass. Krethos found it tucked away in the sheet as he prepared it to raise. The land of El Intrivo was to the west of his starting point, but he had no idea where he was now, his days with the pirates had been unrecorded. So the only thing he could do was to go west and hope to strike land.
Neither Krethos nor Meir dared speak a word in the gathered darkness, for fear of pursuit. The silence was broken only by the wind or waves on the boat. Krethos' hand lay heavy on the tiller, staying the course they held. His other hand held the sheet taut and full, their pace in keeping with the wind, and he looked ahead and no where else.
Krethos' hands tired, as did his mind and body, and so he woke Meir with his foot and they traded places. Meir slid himself under the boom and took hold of the sheet line as Krethos slipped around the other side of the boat, handing the tiller to his friend. Krethos settled down in the bow of the boat upon extra canvas as Meir settled in for his turn at steering.
"Krethos," Meir said softly, "What's going to happen when we find land?"
"We'll continue the quest." Krethos answered, half asleep.
"Even at the cost?"
"They died doing what they felt was right, and what they believed in."
"But they're gone, they're all dead, and I daresay others will follow."
"Yes," Krethos answered, "But their loss can be amended if I succeed, if I take the keys."
"Are you sure that's what they do?"
"I have no reason to doubt it."
Meir sat back silent, he was despondant at the death of his friends, but Krethos, the Keyschnect, didn't seem to care. He didn't want to think about it that way, but he had his doubts, he had heard other stories of what lay in the Dark World. The nicest of which was the souls of the dead.
Krethos fell to sleep as Meir recalled the stories. Some said there was a cloud of death behind the hidden door, or a legion of demons to end the world. Meir stopped there, he would not go any farther, he could not think about those things, and so he turned his mind to keeping the sheets taut.
Meir began to doze at his post, only to wake moments later and adjust his course to be in line with their true course. But it could not last for long, Meir could not keep himself conscious, and fell asleep sitting at his post.
The two slept for hours, of fatigue and mental disparity. They drifted free on the surface of the deep, far off course, far to the south.
A sudden lurch woke the pair. After drowsily exclaiming their surprise they looked around. The fog was rolling back off of a stretching green landscape dotted by houses and cottages. Krethos took the last of his strength and jumped out of the boat onto the sandy beach as the waves licked the heels of his boots. Meir followed, handing Krethos the pirate's sword they walked off to the nearest seaside cottage, around a quarter mile off.
Pushing the sheep from their path, the two made their way to the door and knocked. A young, stout, man came to the door.
"Cin I h'lp ye?" he asked.
"Where are we?" Krethos asked in return,
"Yer een da lans o' King Eravar." The man answered.
"Have you heard of Castle El Intrivo?"
The man stepped back, "Da king rules frim dere." He said slowly.
"Which way is it?"
The man began to close the door, these strange men were looking for the castle, this could only be bad in his mind, "Ye seek da cistle, eet been to da sunset."
The man slammed his door shut, and Krethos could here him bolting it. Krethos turned around, the sun was setting to the west at that very moment.
"Krethos, that man feared the castle, How are two men going to storm it?" Meir asked.
Krethos thought for a moment, "Two men are not going to storm the castle." He said in a distant voice.
"What? What do you mean?" Meir asked.
"It will be closer to two thousand."
Krethos started walking into the setting sun, and Meir struggled to keep up with his friend's inhuman pace.
"What do you mean?" Meir asked, between breaths, "Where are we going to get all those people?"
"The same way I got you."
Krethos swept into a nearby village shortly before full dark. He sought out the center of the village and shouted, "I am the Keyschnect, come to save you all from death, but I require your services first."
The people turned to Krethos, some fell to their knees, and others stood, looking curiously at him.
"There can be no doubt!" Meir stepped up, "He is the Keyschnect!"
At this exclamation the whole village fell to the ground. One man stood up among his peers.
"What is it that You need, oh great man?" he asked.
"Jack Von Bondahar has the Keys."
"Jack Von Bondahar is in the castle." The man answered.
"Then I need to enter the castle."
"We are few, but willing to fight for you."
"Send out some of your own to your neighbors, spread the word, and you will have helped to save the world."
The man, who was now obviously the village mayor ordered three men to spread the word by night. And so Krethos began to ready himself for the battle of the castle El Intrivo, by first building an army.
Copyright © 2008-2009 Robert W. A. Nance

All rights reserved

The Keyschnect: Chasing Bondahar chapter 8

Again, if you have not read the other Keyschnect chapters, go back and read them first, and please, post comments,
Rexpennae

Chapter 8

The pirates sailed over the misty deep for days, and for those days Krethos lay alone in the corner of the brig, refusing food, but not drink. Water slid across the floor of the brig with the rocking of the ship upon the swells, and the food was less than edible, but it was food, and they ate it anyway.
The pirates, it seemed, reserved their debauchery for the port, and remained quite sober and alert on the ship, but even this did not prevent them from dragging prisoners from the brig at all hours of the day or night, and beating, forcing them to work, or worse.
On a particularly calm evening, the breeze blew in the sails, and the prisoners could see the stars past the ropes and canvas through the hatch to deck, Esmerelda took some of the food given to them as their meal for the day to Krethos.
"Eat, my dear, you shall not die upon this voyage."
Krethos opened his eyes and looked into the pale, concerned face looking into his, "I, do not wish to eat, there is no reason for me to continue." He answered.
Esmerelda's green eyes flashed with a deep, but brief, anger, "How dare you!" she cried out in a whisper, "You, the Keyschnect, give up! Hope is not lost, Meir, Freidarae, and many others, they still believe in you, they still believe that you will save them."
"And you, what do you believe?" Krethos asked, in a low whisper.
"Look at Meir, he thinks you'll find a way out of this for us…"
"I didn't ask what Meir thinks," Krethos cut across, "I asked you what you think."
Esmerelda leaned back against the wall, and was quiet for a moment, "I… I have believed in you since the moment I laid eyes upon you, near dead at the bottom of the mountain." She said finally, " And I have loved you nearly as long."
Krethos was taken by surprise, he laid back down speechless, and Esmerelda stood, leaving the food and walked to her pallet on the other side of the brig. Krethos sat up and began eating, slowly, as the sound of heavy footfalls could be first heard on the stairs to below decks.
Three men entered the brig, looked around for a moment, and hauled Esmerelda to her feet and pulled her out of the brig. She went willingly, but it was no surprise to the other prisoners, seeing the difference in size between the smaller Esmerelda, and the massive pirate fighters.
Krethos stood for the first time all day, and went to the gate, watching as Esmerelda was hauled up the stairs to an unknown fate. He returned to his seat and finished his meal, his mind racing, puzzling, over a way for escape. There was no sound from the upper deck for well over two hours before Esmerelda was returned to the brig, nobody bothered to ask her what had happened, they did not really want to know, but after the guards left, Esmerelda produced a key to the brig.
"Be glad, it was not an easy thing to procure." She said of it.
"We'll use it in the morning, just at dawn." Krethos said to his companions, "Rest easy, for on the morrow we'll find hard."
They did just that, and rose at Krethos' bidding early the next morning. Krethos pushed the key into the lock and turned the prize, the gate slowly swung open at Krethos' direction, and the party of four crept from the prison and to the top deck.
The morning was cool and calm, the wind had died and several pirates slept on deck. Krethos slipped across the deck and started to untie a longboat, the others came to help, and they slowly lowered it into the water. Meir stepped first into the boat, and Freidarae followed, Krethos held out his hand for Esmerelda to take and swing below to the waiting longboat, but as she took his hand an arrow head appeared in her neck. She dropped to the deck and behind her was the pirate captain.
"Escaping? And what gived you the idea you'd be able to do that?" the captain called out as he knocked another arrow.
Krethos looked down at the choking body of Esmerelda, and back up in time to see the captain release his arrow, Krethos dropped to the deck as the arrow flew over him. He stood back up, and cut the long boat loose before taking up the sword of the sleeping pirate beside him.
Krethos moved across the deck like an arrow, swing hard at the captain, who pulled his sword out just in time to block it.
"Revenge does not seem to suit you, it blinds you." Said the captain as he threw Krethos off.
Krethos came again, and again, and every time he was parried and thrown off, he did not notice an archer on the rail, firing at his escaping party. Only after hearing Freidarae cry out in pain did he finally see the situation. He was alone on a deck of fast waking pirates, and his friends were leaving into the mist.
He took a step back, and ran for the rail, he sliced the bowstring and fingers of the archer, severing them all, as he ran, and dove from the ship. Krethos swam hard under intense fire, and he reached the longboat, only to find that Freidarae had perished.
They pushed her body into the sea and raised a sail they found in the bottom of the boat, the pirates did not persue, but nevertheless, Meir and Krethos were alone, on a sea they knew not, sailing to where they could only imagine, and still entertaining a sliver of hope under their mantle of grief.

Copyright © 2008-2009 Robert W. A. Nance

All rights reserved