A War Of Traitors( ARTK, Book 2)

Chapter 96

Anug 12th, 3329 A.G

For a long time, those sitting around the noble's table did nothing but stare. The two sacks layed near them looked like they'd been heavy- even for men who'd apparently trained most of their lives, and that told them all they needed to know.

  Just half an hour ago, they'd been enjoying a meal together- fresh fruits and old cheeses, while three hundred and twenty seven men approached their gates.

  "We'll stay long enough.... only to deliver his body." The one carrying his head gulped. "They deserve to hold a burning ceremony themselves."

  Two men stepped closer to the gate than the others, saying nothing. The Emeric guards on top of it looked down in disbelief- nearly as shocked as the family would be. Their lord had left with seventy two hundred men- and what stood before them was so much less. There was a silent understanding, no need to see what was inside of the bloody sacks- but it still took over a hundred moments for the six on that wall to bring the gate up. Two even cried openly, having served and been loyal to the Lord Raaf their entire lives.

  As the two Posani men walked down the paths of House Emeric, all the way to the main home- men and women fell silent. Some shielded their children's eyes, but most stopped what they were doing and bowed their heads. Though he hadn't been the most generous leader- he was far kinder than his father. They'd come to learn it in just three years... but now he was gone.

  In the square, busy for that time of day- the near instant quietness was eerie. The Posani men found that no guard stopped them and all commoners moved aside to make a path. Once in the main home, the one with his body only had to turn to a guard with a raised eyebrow.

  "The Emeric's are... having breakfast right now." He got out eventually. "Should I... take you to them?"

  "I've never been in here before-" He nodded. "You should."

  And so the guard had done just that. When the Posani stepped through the open doorway of the small hall- it took a moment for them to be seen, but then the laughing there stopped too. Avelyn had been the first to notice- but then her mother and grandmother's faces fell, the others soon after. Servants fell silent too, unsure of whether they should've offered to take it or not.

Eventually, the Posani met set both sacks on the closest table and stood near the noble's end- where Avelyn's father would have sat. Her mother shook, unable to form words. Lynette was calm enough, but none would have been surprised if Lady Rohesia died then and there. Lisa was the only who cried as anger took over his older children's faces- and Lord Segar gripped his wife's hand in support.

  "What.... happened?" Hal finally got out.

  "In my years alive I've never seen so much blood...." The one who'd carried Lord Raaf's head said. "We thought we had a chance of winning. We'd hear the Hilith stories, but none of us had ever seen giants in battle or a battle ourselves. And.... she has eight giants, not three. Her men and women fight so strongly that I'd.... go as far as to say they're nearly half as valuable. She....... killed him long before the battle itself was over and those of us left were forced to surrender. She stabbed him through a.... certain artery. That was how he went. The.... seperation of his head came long after. We lost six thousand, eight hundred and thirty seven men. She lost...seven."

Maryell nearly cried then, though she slapped a hand over her mouth. She would not cry in front of her children. Tears could be saved for later, when she were alone in her and Raaf's chambers.

Chambers that would become Hal's-

"Thank you." Hal forced out. "If there's anything your remaining men need- food or bed rolls, our servants will help you get it. Leave us now....please. And you....take Lisa out of here."

  The child protested and cried, though she eventually let herself be guided out by a guard.

  It took another hundred moments for someone- Avelyn, to rise.  Segar tried to stop her- but she pulled her hand away so fast it hurt. He would never love her in that way, but she was his best friend- and he knew better than anyone how hard it was to go on after looking at the lifeless head of one you loved.

  With a shaking hand, she lifted part of the sack up- and peered inside.

  Her father's lifeless eyes stared straight back. She dropped the cloth, stumbled back- and found herself in her husband's arms. He was better than most, but she did not want to be held. She wanted to kill something.

"Avelyn-"

"It's him. Oh my gods it's him-" her voice broke then, and that was all it took for Maryell's to break. The promise she made to herself became nothing.

Four children, twenty years- and he was gone just like that.

The sounds she made then were none  any had heard from her before- resembling that of a Narenian bear who'd lost their mate's scent. Slowly, Hal reached over to comfort his mother.

  Now, he was what he'd been educated for his entire life. He couldn't let himself feel- not as the new lord of House Emeric, and certainly not when another battle was so imminent. It became harder when he leaned over to hug her- though he somehow kept a blank face as he addressed the rest of his family.

  "We have nine hundred men and one blacksmith's building." He started. "We may not have time to make armour, but if we put each of them to it- we will be able to strengthen our walls. Buy ourselves some time by covering every single weak spot....so we can better plan.... how we survive this."

Lynette gulped. Whether the others wanted to accept it or not, a truth would remain: they would not all see the next year. History didn't work that way.