Chapter 10: Chapter 9

The arrow that pierced the creature's eye was followed by hundreds of others, shot in quick succession. The monsters found themselves in a kill zone. Rangers found the monsters, which ran under them, as a pleasant target practice. As they started falling one by one, fear crept among their ranks. Even these creatures, as ferocious as they were, did not wish to die a pointless death. The hold which their masters had over them started breaking and they began running away.

“No one leaves the woods alive!” Grendir shouted at the top of his lungs.

The shout from their commander reached all of the rangers. The beasts did their best to flee but even the ones which started running away first had no chance of escaping. Their bodies littered the forest floor. They looked like pin cushions. The strong monsters could survive several arrows, but the elves did not show them any mercy. Shooting them again and again until there were no more beasts left alive.

On the road a similar event was unfolding. The experienced dwarves and Alfred’s knights flanked the enemy who blindly rushed along the road following what seemed to be villagers. The dwarves' shouts caused several men to fall off their horses. These men were trampled by their own comrades and met a painful, dishonorable end.

“Get the knights off the horses, use the poles. Once down, pummel them with maces!” (Ulv)

Ruthless scenes were taking place on the road. Helpless, heavily armored men, with no one to help them get up, let alone assist them to mount their horse again, were turned into bloody messes by the forces of duke Alfred and Ulv. Some cried for mercy, others did their best to stand up, only to be once more tripped or tackled by their enemy. No mercy was given that day.

“Alfred, we got most of them, a few are running away, but they won't get far.” (Ulv)

“Sound the horn, let them know they have an enemy returning!” (Alfred)

With his order a horn was blown. “We won the first stage, time to clear out the rest of the trash.” A few hundred meters away the men lying in wait put on broad smiles at their commander's words.

 

***

 

“Damn, those cowards used an ambush instead of facing us like men! They are not men, they are trash!” A knight running away from the screams and the cheers, that got mixed up in a cacophony, cursed his enemy for outwitting them.

“My lord Aramel, those cowards will be punished, but right now we need to get out of here before they can send out a hunting party.” (rider)

“I know that! We will regroup with the infantry and set this damned forest ablaze!” Aramel was furious but not crazy, he had no desire to wait for his enemy.

Before they could continue their talks, the men riding before them suddenly fell down from their horses. Aramel managed to slow his charger down just in time. Unfortunately most of his men were not so lucky. Alfred’s final gift were metal threads tied to trees on both sides of the road. These threads sliced through their necks and their frightened horses carried off their, now headless bodies, further down the road.

“Curses, quickly move the horses out of the way, we need to pass”, but before his few remaining men could follow that order, their enemy had placed them in complete encirclement. “Boys I propose you put those weapons down and dismount. I don’t mind helping you dismount myself, but you would not like my way of doing things.” (knight)

“We surrender, I am a count Aramel von Arias and these men are my retinue, I demand fair treatment. Also I promise to pay full ransom as soon as I can deliver a letter to my homela....” before he could finish his speech, a pole hit him over the head. Similar fate had befallen the remaining 3 knights. “I said dismount! Are you idiots unable to comprehend civilized speech? Tie them up real good. Lord Alfred might have some questions for them.” (knight)

 

***

 

Aramel von Arias was a middle aged nobleman who came to this place mostly because he wanted to gain a few good stories to tell in social gatherings. He would gain a little bit of recognition by the royal court, he might even get some lands as a reward for participating, if he was lucky.

That was his plan, but now it all crumbled to dust, just like his body. His hair was disheveled, his beard and face covered in his own dried blood. He was lying on the ground huddled together with his men. The duke's men stood around them, he could see elves standing on nearby trees serving as lookouts. He knew that there was no hope of escaping, the commander of the infantry outside the forest would most likely pay good money to Alfred if the duke agreed to kill Aramel on the spot. There was no help coming, and all that remained was the hope that his glib tongue could get him out of this situation.

‘The man coming to see us is a duke after all. Even if he is descended from the border guard dukes he should still be a well educated man.’ Aramel thought to himself.

“Listen, let me do the talking, I won't leave you either, so follow me and we will soon be home.” With these words to his men, Aramel was preparing his mind for negotiations. “He will get a lot of money for us, so we might even get to bathe and wait for our ransom in a countryside villa.”

These words lifted a heavy load off his men’s shoulders. “Thank you my lord, as always you are generous to all those wise enough to follow you” A knight did his best to show his gratitude.

The praise continued for some time under the watchful eyes of their captors.

 

 

***

 

Half an hour later the man who would decide their fate arrived. He was surrounded by his soldiers. They all looked upon the tied men as if they were nothing more than scum. Aramel made sure to remember as many faces as he could.

‘I will have your heads for this, mark my words you peasants. Your entire lines will end for this insolence.’ Aramel's anger was barely being kept down. His men, on the other hand, had similar feelings, but fear was blocking them from even thinking about revenge.

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Alfred stood in front of the prisoners and asked in an indifferent voice. “Which one of you is count Caramel?” 

“Sir, I assume you are the famous duke Alfred. While I do not wish to correct you in our first meeting, I must do so reluctantly. My name is Aramel, Aramel von Arias.” Aramel wanted to spit straight into Alfred’s face, but he bit his tongue and used all the mental strength he had to keep a calm face. “I now surrender to you duke Alfred, you have defeated our forces splendidly…” Aramel was about to continue but the duke stopped him by raising his hand.

“Count Caramel, I have a few questions. Before we can discuss any future arrangements between us, you will have to provide me with information.” (Alfred)

“Sir, I assume you know that a knight should never betray his master or his plans. I must regretfully refuse to provide any information about our forces.” Aramel was tempted to give Alfred every piece of information he could but that would probably lead to the annihilation of the remaining forces sent here by the king.

‘The lives of those peasants and the idiots leading mean nothing to me, but if we are the only ones to survive, the king will suspect me for cooperating with the enemy. I shall play the role of the loyal knight. It might even impress these country bumpkins.’

“So, you have nothing to tell me?” (Alfred)

“As I sai…” Aramel’s voice just regained some strength but it immediately left him. Alfred cut the head off of one of the imprisoned knights.

“Count Caramel I will ask you three more times, each time I do not get an answer I will take a head. Understand?” (Alfred)

Aramel could only nod his head and quickly drop his chivalrous act. “There are 800 infantry, 2 tamers and a few of their minions. There are 3 barons leading their knights and a count, he still has his whole retinue of 30 knights with him.”

“Count Caramel you were of great use to us, if only you were as useful to your own men, they would now be celebrating a victory, instead, they are food for the wildlife of these parts. I praise your ability to sell your allies out and truly hope to have such genius level enemies in the future.” (Alfred)

‘You bastard, just as the rumors say, you have no class or manners. Your brain is that of a footman levy.’ Aramel wanted to scream these words into Alfred’s face but he knew it would be the end of him.

“Duke Alfred I trust I have proven that I am a cooperative prisoner, please, I agree to pay any ransom you might ask.” (Aramel)

“Money? Ulv am I so poor to need the filthy coins with the head of the rat king of our neighboring dumpster on them?” (Alfred)

“No need to stain your treasury with their coins, they are probably putting more iron than gold into that ugly currency of theirs.” (Ulv)

“Sir! What is it that you want, I will give it to you!” Aramel was doing his best to survive. His status did not mean anything if he was dead and buried in a hole in enemy territory. He needed to survive, then he could plot his revenge.

“Caramel my boy, is there anything of value you can give us? Plan, map, something we might find useful. At the moment your life is not really worth our time.” Oliver spoke for the first time and gave a hopeful smile towards the count.

“But I gave you the information about the rest of the forces.” Aramel’s voice was no longer as strong as it was in the beginning. He planned to cooperate here and buy his freedom, but these barbarians were still not satisfied. They wanted even more. In his mind they were like a pack of monsters circling him and preparing to devour his soul.

“Sir Alfred I trust you will inform your king that you have captured me.” This was Aramel’s last hope, if the king found out that a upper middle rank noble was captured he would use him as a bargaining chip with his homeland. The money was always good, but he might even swear a secret oath to the king and feed him information from time to time. Unfortunately for him even those hopes were shattered with a single sentence.

“All nobles I capture not belonging to the so-called royal line are mine to do with them as I please. Now do you have something for me or not?” (Alfred)

Aramel was lost for words, ‘what kind of a contract is that, are the kings of this place insane to give such power to a single man?’

“It would appear he has no more value to us?” Alfred asked this question to his men. Some laughed, others just kept staring at the men quivering on the ground. They knew their fate was sealed. The duke saw them as pests, they saw them in the same light. No man here would waste words to support their survival.

“Well count Caramel, you were useful in the end, just to the wrong side. If you were a soldier I might have given you some mercy, but why should I show any leniency to you just because you say you are a noble? Caramel you are a brigand, and the punishment for people like that is death.” (Alfred)

Before count Aramel could say a single word a silver light flashed before his eyes. His vision rapidly moved and the sight before his eyes was the sky mixed with tree tops.

Thus ended the life of Aramel von Arias, one of the two men given the honor of leading an incursion into the enemy territory.

His men met the same end not long after.

 

***

 

“Lord Alfred, we usually hand these guys to the kingdom, they are worth some coin if nothing else.” (Oliver)

“Did you see Henry’s face, Oliver?” Alfred’s eyes were looking into the sky, “My son was scared, I saw him put on a brave face, but I am his father, I know his true feelings. Eli is home waiting for me, she worries too much as well. I understand her, each moment I spend here, away from them is torment. I am losing precious time with them because these morons thought it was a good idea to pillage my domain, to harm my countrymen.” (Alfred)

Oliver was well aware of how much Alfred loved his family, and how much they loved him. ‘I pity those who try to mess with this family. Each member is a monster and will devour any obstacle standing before his loved ones.’

“Anyway he had nothing of worth to us and we don’t have the time or the men to waste on him. Let us clean this up fast and head home. I can’t wait to see how much Henry has grown.” (Alfred)

As he said these words Alfred wore a bright smile.

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