Chamberlain's Struggles

Chapter 10

Some few more days later, Chamberlain was helping the builders again on the outskirts of the village.

Some other Gelflings had gone out to harvest more crops for the evening meals and then there was another Garthim attack. They began screaming.

At the moment, Chamberlain was alone doing the project while the builders had been at the market for the moment getting more supplies. Then, he heard the screaming.

He went to investigate the screaming.

The Garthim had killed all nine of the adults. One of the remaining ones was unconscious and one was a young one that was really afraid and down in the weeds, frozen with fear.

Chamberlain saw what was happening and he saw the Garthim. He went over and tried to protect the Gelfling child. He raised his hand and shouting at them to leave him alone.

Even in his new attire, the Garthim still recognized a Skeksis giving orders. They slunk away, not seeing any others.

Chamberlain then turned to the small Gelfling. "You ok?" He asked him, then he reached his hand out to help the child up.

The child was still frozen in shock after seeing his father killed and the others as well.

Then other Gelfling villagers came running up. "Get away from him!" They all had weapons in their hands.

Sil backed away.

"Look at what you did!"

"I not do this. Was helping small Gelfling."

"We thought you could be trusted. Now we see that you can't be! Come along, Bodo." A Gelfling woman said as she picked up the child and took him away.

"Just stay away, Skeksis!" Another shouted.

The Gelflings left Sil standing there, dumbfounded. He had managed to save that child and that was how he was repaid?

But he saw the bodies lying around and knew they would be back. He did decide to respectfully take the bodies back to the edge of town where they would be found. He could take two at a time.

When he was done, there was some blood on his arms and hands. He went back to Queen Athya's to explain what happened.

When he entered the queen's throne chamber, Suth appeared and then many Gelfling guards as well. "Seize him!" Suth ordered.

Chamberlain was caught off guard when he saw large pointed spears and crossbows aimed on him. "Agh!"

"You are in big trouble, Chamberlain!" He heard Athya. "For killing our kin!"

His eyes widened. "I not do it! I saved child." He said in shock.

"You have blood all over you. What does that say?" Suth demanded.

"I brought dead ones to the village. Not harm them." Sil said.

"Chamberlain, from what the villagers told me, you are to be taken to the prison for now. Just go peacefully or they can do you harm." Athya said. "This will be worked out."

Sil couldn't believe this, but with the weapons still on him, he went with them.

He was locked up in the prison area.

"I always knew there was something about you that was dangerous." Suth said before he walked out.

Chamberlain went to the bars and tested their strength. They were pretty strong. There was no way he was leaving.

He went and sat down on the straw bedding. It had been bad enough of his own kind treating him like he didn't matter, but he hadn't gotten this kind of treatment from Gelflings before.