The Kingdom of Dawn

Chapter 21: Friends or Fiends

"Who may I ask, are you?" Lord Marten stepped forward, his cheeks red as a tomato. "And why do you stop those fleeing for their lives when they enter your lands?"

The elf motioned with his hand and there was a rustling of bushes. Estrella and Lord Marten were suddenly surrounded by a circle of drawn bows.

"How do I know that you are actually fleeing for your lives? We have let in people who claim to be in grave danger before, and they just wreak havoc in our lands. So it has been ever since my son, the son of peace, has left these woods for the human realm. And so it will be until he returns."

"I bring news of your son."

"Speak quickly." He made another move and the archers relaxed their bows. "What news do you bring?"

"Your son is dead. He died in a fire caused by Edmund. The last time I saw him, he told me to take Estrella here if all hope seemed lost. He was a great friend to me, and I greave his death."

"I too greave his death." I could not stay quiet any longer. "If it weren't for him, I would be dead. Yet it was my fault he died. I shouldn't have run!" Tears flowing freely down my face, I threw myself at the elf's feet. "Please forgive me, I beg you. Or if not, kill me swiftly."

He pulled me up, his gaze not on my face yet on the sun blade around my waist. "I would not dare to not forgive the ruler my son died to protect. I would also not call it your fault. I heard what happened. If you had stayed, he would have put his life before yours when Edmund attacked. He would not have allowed you to go, and would have died to protect you." He gestured at the trees around them. "Any friend of my son is my friend. Come and feast with me tonight, then tomorrow we shall hold a ceremony to honor Tarvill's life, and the oath he died to fulfill."

Tarvill swung his sword again and again. He cut through staff after staff, arm after arm. A dagger stabbed into his back. Blood flowed out, mingling with the blood already coming out of many other wounds. It pooled onto the ground, joining the blood of the dead lying all around him. He spun around, catching the last wizards dagger on his sword. A light emits from his body, and when it fades, all his wounds are gone. But not for long. A purple light heralds the arrival of yet another wave of enemies. His muscles quiver as he attempts to raise his sword for yet another fight. But the blade falls from his hands. His face tenses and his hands move frantically. A storm appears out of nowhere. Lightning whips out of the sky, striking the unprepared mages on the head. The wind rises to a blinding gale, blowing many enemies away. But, as quickly as it comes, the storm vanishes. Tarvill collapses to the ground, the last of his energy spent. He closes his eyes, welcoming the sweet relief of sleep.

The sound of a door banging wakes him up. Looking around, he sees only a rough straw mattress, a chamber pot, and a barred iron door. Light filtered in through a barred window high up the wall.

"Edmund says you are to have food, so here you go." The guard tosses several hunks of bread through the bars, then fills a metal mug with water and sets it on the hard stone floor. Chains clinked as Tarvill gathered up the bread, and he winced in pain as he reached for the mug. The chain drew tight and the shackles dug into his wrist, but he ignored the pain and grabbed the mug, gulping down the stale water like it was liquid energy. He glanced up at the guard, tossing the empty cup in his direction.

The guard sneered and placed the mug on the table behind him. "You won't need any more of that for the night. And don't let me hear you complaining about accommodations either. "You're not staying there long. Only till dawn." He turns away, shaking his head. "And then you die."