Vaehandre: Where The Stars Fall [Under Revision]

Chapter 42: The Marshal

"Argh, Where is he?" Henry blurted out. "Bollocks, nows not the time to be late."

As he stood there watching the crowd of people gathering to get their share of food, Distira approached him. "Sir Henry, when did you say the shipment of intatem flowers would arrive?"

"They should be arriving today," he replied. Shifting his body towards her, he asked, "Are you running out of healing potions?"

"No, but it's better to keep stock of healing potions while we can. "

Henry nodded his head dismissively and directed his attention elsewhere.

"Did you hear the good news? For the first time this week, we didn't have any deaths last night."

"Yes, Lady Cateline told us." Henry kept staring intently at the crowd in front of them. "I'd go look for Finnian, but I can't leave Aiden here unprotected."

The healer waited a second before she spoke. "I saw him leave early this morning. He's been doing it every day since he'd been stationed here."

Looking from one knight to another, the Knight Protector swung his head from side to side.

"Henry?" Distira asked.

"You'll have to excuse me, my lady," he said before leaving.

● ● ●

Rounding a corner, Finnian was five rows of houses away from the infirmary. The alley he was in was muddy and dark. The marshal raised his eyes from the mud to the end of the alley. A group of men came into his view. Three he counted in front of him. He turned around and there were two more of them. One man approached him the only one who had a red coat less muddied than the rest.

"Marshal of Rathorn."

Finnian straightened himself up.

"I challenge you to a duel."

"I don't want to fight you, Hesev."

The man scoffed. "If I win you deliver a message to the Lord."

"Come with me and tell him yourself," Finnian put in.

The hunter unsheathed his sword. "It's just a duel. I give you my word. I won't kill you."

Reluctantly, the marshal took out his sword and took a step sideways. Hesev did the same and they moved in a circle-like manner. The hunter took a step forward and Finnian swung his blade. Hesev parried and both were back to their fighting stance.

"Come now, marshal. I've seen you fight better than this."

Finnian swung his sword from the right then to the left. The last swing leaving him with an upward strike which he aimed at Hesev's head.

Hesev leaned backward, prompting Finnian to twist his sword in an attempt to disarm the hunter, but Hesev ducked under his arm and kneed Finnian on his abdomen causing him to gasp for air.

The marshal stumbled back and knelt on the ground. Hesev stepped on his sword before he could raise it again. "I win," he said. He stepped aside and let Finnian get up. "I challenge your lord next. We fight for the right to lead our people."

"Don't do this Hesev. Don't disrupt the peace. We're in enough trouble as it is with this plague."

"The way he's handling this plague is precisely why he needs to go. How many people dead? Hundreds!"

"He brought the healers, didn't he? The lord is young. Let him learn."

Hesev placed his sword in his scabbard. "He will."

Finnian took steps backward and walked toward the exit of the alley. Before he could round the corner. One of the Ursaignis shoved him back and stabbed him in the stomach and twisted his knife. The marshal fell to the ground desperately placing his hands on his wound.

"What are you doing?" Hesev shouted at the soldiers as he pushed him backward.

"If you want to send a message to the lord. That's how you get heard," the younger man retorted as he pointed at the downed marshal.

Hesev grabbed the collar of his coat and shoved him against a wall. "I gave him my word!"

"You said you wouldn't kill him. You didn't. I did."

Hesev glared at him. Looking back at Finnian he saw that his chest had stopped moving. He laid there in a pool of blood and mud.

● ● ●

Across the street where the commotion happened, a boy was trembling as he hid beside a staircase. He waited till the men in red coats went back to Bear Paw Pub. As per usual he went to them.

Hesev drew near him at the door. "Anything new?" he asked.

"What happened to the knight I told you about?"

"Don't worry about him."

"Is he one of your soldiers too?" Reeve blurted out.

"No," Hesev replied in a low voice.

Another man approached them. There was fresh blood on his sleeve.

Reeve took a step back. He recognized the man as the one who killed Finnian in the alley.

Emil whispered in Hesev's ear.

The boy balled his fist to stop them from trembling and hid them behind his back.

"You look pale there, boy. Are you okay?" Emil questioned.

"I just can't wait for you all to avenge my father."

Placing his hands on the boy, Hesev said, "He will be avenged soon."

Emil patted Hesev on the back. "I'm going back to my drink."

Hesev clenched his jaw and looked back at Emil with a forced smile. He scoffed immediately as Emil sat down. Turning his attention back to the boy, Hesev crooked his lips sideward. "That should be enough listening in for today. We can handle everything from now on. Stay with your mother, Reeve. If I catch you out the next couple of days, I'll ban you from the hunter's group you understand."

The boy simply nodded.