A Battle For Freedom

- 3 -

Stepping out of the doors, the heat of the explosion struck him strongly, sending him back slightly, he raised his arms to shield his face. He squinted around searching for Kora. He could not speak as the air was too dry. He paced ahead, skipping between the flames of the inferno around him.

He suddenly noticed she had stopped not far ahead. He picked up his pace and attempted to reach out to her. Then he noticed something. As he got to where she was standing, he turned and realised the fire ball had only hit around the edge of the castle walls. Like a wall off fire, extending up towards the top of the castle.

His village people were untouched. They had dashed towards the fields once they had seen the fire ball coming. Apart from several huts, carts and stalls that were close to the castle, his village was unscathed. Several of his knights and watchmen rushed over to the Duke.

"It was a warning, so it seems Lugh," Kora said, she looked at him but her eyes no longer had tears, instead she seemed dull and detached.

Lugh wanted to embrace her, hold her and tell her it was okay, but by now he was surrounded in his people, the citizens, court and staff. Vard had reappeared beside him. He reached towards him to whisper in his ear.

Lugh raised his hands to capture the cheerful crowd's attention. Everyone became silent.

"My people, I must inform you, although we have all thankfully made it through this terrible attack, I must sadly have to stop this early for sadly, our wonderful, and loyal gardener Elliot Crosby has fallen victim to this tragedy." The crowd began to talk and cry out.

"He was my son!" A distressed woman cried, consoled by those around her. Lugh walked towards the old woman, the crowd all moved aside to allow the Duke by. He paused in front of her and reached for her hand.

"I am so sorry for your loss. We shall have a proper funeral," Lugh said to the weeping woman. The crowd agreed, sorrow lingered in the atmosphere and their voices. Lugh turned back and headed towards the castle doors, ushering his knights and watchmen, to take care of to the fire and care for the people whilst he arranged something for his gardener.

Vard followed quickly behind Lugh. He stepped up his pace to catch up. "Sire, I have stopped the fire in the gardens, Elliot is not in very good condition, sadly."

"Understood Vard, I suggest you let no one in, how damaged is the garden?"

"Pretty bad, most plants are done for." Lugh stopped by the closed Garden doors. He reached for the handle but changed his mind. "I'll get the coroner."

"Good idea." Lugh watched Vard rush off, at least his troubles had been divided but impending doom seems almost worse when you are sent a warning that it is coming. He sat down on the floor beside the garden doors. He watched as his staff scurried about, tending to the village people to put out the fire outside. The pressure was overwhelming.

The fire had been put out and anything burned and destroyed had been cleared away and disposed of from the castle boundaries. No one had noticed that the weather had cooled, the sunlight beating down was no longer too hot to handle. The coroner had placed the remains of the gardener in a medium sized wooden box and It was placed outside in the village square. By the evening, the whole village showed up to pay their respects. The knights, the watchmen, the court, the staff, everyone was there to pay their condolences.

They all waited in silence for the Duke to arrive. Lugh walked through the crowd to the square, all eyes were on him. He stood on a large iron step.

"...And this act of violence towards us will not stop us from living our lives. Elliot was taken too soon. I promise to keep you all safe, I promise this will not happen again." The crowd cheered softly at the Dukes speech attempting to show gratitude although they all felt despair and fear. He stepped down to allow other people to pay their respects and he stood in the crowd beside his knights.