Tales of the Vangen: The Black Ministry's Betrayal (Book 1)

Chapter 49: A Cold Cuffed Reminder

The mead hall was alive with the sound of laughter and music. Men and women danced in the center, a chaotic whirl of bright cloth and furs twirling this way and that. Surrounding them were rows of tables filled in all manners of food and drink. Suckling pig and racks of lamb, various cheeses and heels of bread, roasted nuts piled high next to mounds of buttered turnips. All complemented with horns of mead and steins of frothy beer.

Regis sat on the throne with a beer in his hand, swaying to the drunken jig the bards were playing. The copper crown he wore sat crookedly to one side. The sapphire fixed into the center, glowing deep in the firelight.

Regis took a sip of his beer and adjusted the crown for the millionth time. Curse the forgemen for making him such an ill-fitted circlet, but there had been precious little time for a proper sizing ever since he'd won his fiefdom for the old King of Danic. Killing Kragon, the Wyrm of Hoscop had been a momentous task, one that Regis had won at the end of an ax. For a week now, he'd celebrated with everyone, drinking and feasting, and merrymaking. Well, almost everyone.

Gully sat glumly on her own throne to Regis's right. The mead in her hands had barely been touched throughout the celebration today. Her eyes scanned lazily over the crowd, looking thoroughly bored.

Regis felt a familiar tingle work itself up the back of his neck. That familiar feeling he always got when his wife was upset. He took a sip of his beer and sucked the bitter flavor off his teeth. "Are you enjoying the festivities so far, Gully?"

She craned her neck over to look at him, giving him a tired smile. "I did for the first few days, but don't you think this is a bit much? I haven't celebrated like this since I was a girl."

Regis smiled with relief. As long as she wasn't mad at him for something, then he had nothing to worry about. "That when ol' King Redbeard slew the Jotan of Karkof?"

"Oh, aye. Ate myself silly, I did." Gully slid into her throne, clutching her mug with both hands. "But my hangovers have hangovers now Herald. How much longer are we going to do this?"

Regis reached over and gave her leg a squeeze. She slid a hand over his, grasping at his calloused knuckles riveted with knots and scars. "Just for today. Then we can get back to the serious stuff then, Queen Gully." He gave her a playful wink.

"Oh, gods, don't start. Calling me wife was good enough." She pointed a scolding finger at him, smiling slyly between her gold spun locks of hair. "You be calling little Freya a princess, and it'll go straight to her head. Bjarni's old enough to know better, but the little un' will take it like sugar too a horse."

Regis gave a rumbling chuckle and looked over to his left. His children, Bjarni and Freya, sat at a nearby table with other little uns'. Bjarni was describing in great detail how his dah had slain the great Jotan Kragon, his knife plunging into the heart of an apple. Freya watched beside him, eyes wide with wonder, fingers grasping at her fork as if she were ready to slay her own Jotan.

"Just one more night. I promise." Regis said as he turned back to Gully. She gave an exaggerated sigh and sipped her mead.

"Fine then. One more night, but you're cleaning up the mess."

"Hah," Regis slapped the arm of his throne, the dense wood thudding loudly. "That's why we've got subjects now. They can clean up for me."

Gully opened her mouth to speak before a great boom echoed down the other end of the hall. The music stopped abruptly. Those that were dancing froze in their tracks, their drunken legs pitching over themselves to catch up. Regis rose slowly from his throne, beer in hand, and an ax in the other. Another boom echoed out.

The door crashed open, spilling cold light into the dimly lit hall. One of Regis' men came barreling through, beaten and bloody. "My Lord! Enemies at the....," A spear silenced him as it punched through the back of his skull. He dropped to the stone floor in an instant. A scream suddenly rippled amongst the crowd of people.