Traitors of the Realm - Kingmaker Book 1

Micah - Aftermath Chapter 25

Micah stood before the hole that was six feet deep, staring at his uncle's body that were far away from the rest of bodies that were being burned in heaps. A woman stood behind, singing soft tunes that sounded like peace. Lord Turick stood at the side, paying notice to Princess Elia as she held onto Micah's arm. Asher took notice as well, with Lord Turick gazing at the Prince.

"She's a grown woman," said Asher, in a whispering tone. "Why shouldn't she have her share of fun. It's unlikely we'll survive this war."

"I didn't say anything?" said Lord Turick, keeping his gaze forward, watching Arkron as he moved his hands, pouring the dirt into the hole in one try.

Micah knelt beside the dirt, while the others stood still. Sir Elroy came approaching, he stood in the opposite side of Micah. He started spreading purple flowers that grew wild all around them. He bowed his head in silence, while noticing Kaelan and his men were raising their folded fist into the air. "I'd like to say something," he then said, "if no one wants to." Micah looked up, his eyes red and dry. He nodded, while Sir Elroy gave a nod back.

"I knew the man for many years," Sir Elroy confesses. "He was the least complicated man I know, and the most interesting one I've met. If you placed in front of him a bottle of wine, and a naked women, and you say to him choose. He'd fight his desires and he'd choose the bottle." Micah laughed along with the rest of them when he heard what he said. "He was many things to many people. A friend to many, an uncle to two, and an oath keeper to his dead sister. He told me he had sworn an oath to her ashes. "To love her children as his own, and to always look after them. He kept those promises and now he joins her along with the rest of his family."

Micah took his time, getting up. Some of the women started sharing dozens of wine sacks all around, with some passing cheese and biscuits upon platters. Sir Elroy, grabbed two of the wine sacks, passing one for Micah as he stood before him as firm as one can be. When one of the wine sacks reached Joslin's grip, he didn't wait for them to continue before removing the cork. He started gulping down the drink, with some leaking down upon his chest. Kaelan took it away from him, before corking it back. Arkron gives him a light tap behind his head, smiling as the boy rubbed the back of his head.

"Still worth it," whispered Joslin.

"To honor, and for friendship," Sir Elroy said aloud, raising the wine sack toward the air. He then drank from the sack, with the men repeating the words. Micah took a mouthful in, passing the wine to Elia who took a few.

"I'd like to say something in general," said Kaelan, looking around, seeing many slain brothers who worked in the mines alongside him. He walked forward, noticing Sir Elroy taking a few steps back.

"In the Mines, everything is almost opposite to what you believe out here in the open," he admitted. "I'm not discrediting any of your pain nor your struggles and sacrifices you all had to endure along the way. Freedom means something different to many people. I know those men died as free men, but they were never truly free. Freedom to slaves mean death, to me it's what we've always wanted. Tonight you'll mourn because you lost a soldier and a friend. Tonight, me and my men will celebrate because our friends and brothers in arms are now at peace." When Kaelan was done speaking, he raises his hand upward, cheering aloud as everyone of his men were joining in.

The former captives of Echalon started dancing and moving in multiple dance sequences, moving their hands like a bird flapping their wings, with their legs hopping around as they followed each around in circles. Arkron entered in, with Kaelan laughing at him as he failed the dance. Elia took Micah's hands, dragging him along, with her brother Asher joining them with Griff behind.

When Micah was done dancing, he left the circle with sweat pouring out from him. He approached Kaelan who sat alone, away from everybody. He watched him as he drank alone, his eyes were fixed on the ground as he ignored everything around him. "I thought I was suppose to be the one brooding and sulking," said Micah, taking a seat beside him.