Hunted Queen

Chapter Thirty Nine • For the Queen

Warning - This chapter contains foul language, threat of violence and gore. 

**Very long Chapter**

-Ulf-

The wretched dogs could not pick up the queen's scent. The rag proved utterly useless since the scent of her had faded. Leaving the hounds' snouts and normally very keen sense of smell nothing to work with. It had been a shot in the dark, he knew it, but he had felt compelled to at least try. 

"Worthless muts." He snarled in frustration as the last of six hounds refused to sniff the rag when he held it up for before its nostrils for the third time. The hound had turned its face away from his hand every time he presented the rag. "All of you! Fucking useless!" He grunted and stormed off, throwing the rag away with an aggressive flick of his arm. 

"We split up into two parties from here on!" Ulf declared in a shout for those listening. His men were eagerly going through whatever they had managed to steal from the monks' home. The majority raised their heads when they heard him. Knowing better than to ignore him, they started to gather their new and old belongings, preparing for the journey. "Half of you bastards will take the road heading east!" He yelled, pointing in the direction leading away from the priory. 

Shouts of agreement came from the men and the air rapidly turned busy with the sounds of preparations being made. Those who were quick and had a horse, mounted up before Ulf as he waited with little to no patience. Those who traveled on foot started rolling their shoulders and necks. Some started jumping lightly where they stood. Limbering up for the long walk which they were about to take. 

When most of his men were ready for their next order, he remained silent and watching. Waiting for every last man to sit astride their horse or stand ready before he would move again. He wanted to make sure that those who dawdled knew they were slowing them all down. And once he had the energy for it, he would punish them. For now though, he would just watch as sweaty nervous faces found their places among their brothers. Each hoping that they were not the last one. 

A boy, merely fifteen years of age, had fumbled with his leather bag while trying to stuff a bulky candelabra made out of silver into it. Once he succeeded, he was the last man to get in line. Ulf locked his gaze onto him. The young whelp could feel all of his companions' eyes burning on him, growing paler as he became aware of the fact the he was the last one, and would be punished. Pressing his lips together, he turned his face slightly and met Ulf's stare. 

When Ulf did not hand out his punishment right way, but instead started speaking, the boy's eyes grew wide. 

"You will search every inn, every house and ragged hut you come across on your way!" He bellowed, catching some of the men off guard. The suddenness of his voice startled a handful of them. But he did not mind or care. "Stop every single person you meet! Man, woman and child or battered low life! Ask if they have seen or heard of a monk travelling with a woman. Make sure to tell them that she is dark of hair with eyes blue as the coldest ice!" His voice traveled over his men, carrying with it his searing fury. "If I hear that you have allowed anyone to walk or ride past you, I will give you the same treatment as him!" He roared over the wind, spit flying. His right index finger pointed up at the bloodied guide, hanging cold and limp from the tree above them.

None looked up. They did not need to. All of them had seen it as it had happened. Heard the frightful screams, the gurgling when his airways became constricted as he was hoisted higher and higher... the sound of his piss streaming from his boots down onto the ground. 

"What if someone has seen them?" A voice asked, coming from within the sea of men in front of Ulf. "What then?"

"Then you make sure to follow that lead until it is either dead or our prey stands before you. If you find yourself so lucky to find the peasant, you bring her back to the king and you send a raven to me." Ulf answered. "Do not return if you do not have the girl with you."