Abased - The Exiled Warrior

Chapter 6.3 - Agreements

Ropes dug into Alam's wrists. He was tied to a thick wooden post taller than his height. Tied on the other side of the post was Clarisai. They were secured facing the post so that their arms went around the post and each other's backs. They only had enough movement to turn their heads from side to side and move their legs. Five or so paces away Tajar and Nurlan were tied in the same way to another post.

The morning was bitterly cold. Wind raced from the north, finding its way through gaps in clothing and bringing with it thick, gloomy clouds.

The posts they were tied to were embedding in the earth outside the Astaevka camp. All of the ten thousand inhabitants of the clan had come to watch. They huddled close together, necks craning to see what would happen to the enemies tied to the posts. Many sat on horseback so as to get a view. They created a circle of bare land in their middle that measured one hundred paces from side to side. On the outside of them the Astaevka warriors formed an outward facing defensive line. Weapons were drawn. Beyond them, facing them on impatient horses, were the one hundred and ten warriors that Nurlan and Shaleh had brought with them. They looked insignificant compared to the Astaevka forces that opposed them. They had appeared at first light when Nurlan and Shaleh had failed to return to their camp.

A third of the way around the human circle from Alam, Tajar, Clarisai and Nurlan, Rustam lounged in a raised chair. It was his father's chieftain seat and he sat in it grinning and lazily stroking the furs that lined it. Standing to his right was Liege Marext, the slave boy, and Gretch. Liege Marext cast his eyes around the crowd impatiently. Gretch stood beside him and the boy stood in front of him, both with heads bowed in respect.

In front of Rustam, Shaleh was held by two Astaevka warriors, each holding one of her arms.

"Bring him to me," Rustam shouted and pointed to Nurlan.

A warrior untied Nurlan and started pulling him towards Rustam.

"Let go," Nurlan commanded as he shook himself free of the warrior's grasp. "I can walk."

The warrior must have instinctively recognised the authority in Nurlan's voice, for he stood aside and allowed Nurlan to approach Rustam unhindered.

Rustam rose from his chair and went to stand next to Shaleh with his sword unsheathed.

"What do you want?" Nurlan projected as he walked towards Rustam. "Do you really intend to begin your chieftainship by killing more innocent people?" He looked around the Astaevka clan and met their eyes. "Is this the kind of man you wish to rule you? One that kills his father and then threatens innocent women?" Nurlan stopped ten paces away from Rustam.

"You have no idea what my people want, or need," Rustam replied loudly. "I am bringing power back to my people." He stormed over to his chair and picked up a wooden chest and dragged it in front of Shaleh. He threw open the lid and plunged his hand into the pile of silver coins inside.

"This is what we need! This is what my new alliance," he pointed to Liege Marext, "will bring. There is enough here for all!" He threw a handful of coins into the air above the crowd behind him. The people scrambled to grab them. "And there is more to come! Gold! Jewels! Weapons, have all been promised! We will soon be the strongest clan on The Plains. Our time at the top has come!"

"Don't be a fool!" Shaleh cried out as she struggled against the warriors that held her. "He," she indicated with a nod of her head towards Liege Marext, "will betray you the moment he is no longer needs you."

"Speaking of no longer needing, I no longer need both of you," Rustam's head turned from Shaleh to Nurlan. "Tell your warriors to bend their knee to me or I will kill all of you, starting with the baby in Shaleh's belly." Rustam raised his sword as if to stab Shaleh.