Forced To Love: Pierced By A Thorne

Chapter 3 - A Traitor in Temes

After traveling constantly through the unforgiving night, the Earle forces finally reached their destined village; Temes. The small town lay on the trail to London, and was a hive for travellers and armies to supply themselves. The regal troops hauled in by their numbers along the rugged track into Temes, and were greeted by crowds of the inhabitants.

As soon as the army of Earle was spotted and were fully in the town, hordes of the townspeople booed and protested at their invasion; throwing soft tomatoes and browned apples at Adam and his men.
"What are you people doing!" Adam demanded. His men dropped from their horses and the archers aimed their bows at the rowdy crowd. Immediately they died down, holding their tongues of any thoughts they may have had. Adam made his presence known and the people looked up at him in both fear and curiosity.

"I am Prince Adam of House Earle of Scotland" he bellowed to the people.
"Many years ago, my family was banished- unrightfully- to the highlands of Scotland. My grandfather was of royal descent, yet your noble King John took the English throne instead! Now, he is dead! I am doing what my grandfather and my father could not! I am here, for the crown as your new King of England!" Adam drew his sword and held it to the sky. The crowds snickered and jeered at his certainty. The archers drew their strings back and prepared to fire.

"You'll never be the King!" one woman sneered.

"The House of Thorne will overthrow you like the rats you are!" snarled another.

"You're no King of ours!" shouted a young man. "Long live Queen Elizabeth of Thorne!" He chanted. The crowd caught on to his chant and all began to sing: "Long live Queen Elizabeth, the true Queen of England!". Over and over the crowd chanted, and Adam's anger brewed like hell fire inside him. His anger grew and grew and soon he could not contain it. With a flick of his hand the archers aimed their bows into the swarm of people and fired, the speeding arrows spearing women, men and children. The archers fired repeatedly until the people ran screaming, children crying and women wailing at the brutality of the Earle's. Fifty or so lay dead on the floor, their blood connecting like a spiders web on the cobbles.
"Let this be a warning to you all!" Cried Adam as his horse manoeuvred through the carpet of dead bodies.

The people had ran and locked themselves in any place they could find. Many of the town's homeless lay quivering in fear in far corners of alleyways, intimidated and fearful of Adam's guards. Looking down on Adam's senseless slaughter was his own cousin, Thewlis Reaghar. Tears filled his eyes as he looked at what his cousin, his family, had done. Thewlis had always been loyal to his family and their cause, any man would be, yet seeing what was becoming of the cause- it sent an unnerving fear down Thewlis' spine. If this was the way that he was destined, he did not want to become it. He had to protect himself and the people that would be vulnerable to Adam and his army- even if it meant earning the title of traitor to his family.