A Tale of Time: The Malice of Men

Chapter 6 : Cold

Cold is harsh. Cold is uninviting.

Cold is deadly. Cold is chilling.

Cold is mind slowing. Cold is searing pain.

Cold seem all hearts in times of trouble.

Cold. Teylin felt it even by the fire that was lit for him. The wound on the back of his head was healing well. The Royal healer, Assad, had applied fresh bandages on the king's orders.

Sadly though, the things that had happened the last few days were far from heart warming. To offer lordship to a blacksmith! What madness was that? Teylin took a deep draught from the cup of red wine laid in his hand. The night winds howled around Erastir, Royal palace and fortress of the one who claimed over lordship over Era. Teylin arose, turning to face the closed glass window, made in poor taste and craft, being a newer portion of the building. Even then, four shabby panes of glass held together by a couple of metal rods rusted in several places was better than nothing. Outside, somewhere amongst the dry, dead leaves of autumn, the corpse o the ex- commander of the city guard lay rotting, a message to all those who indulge in malpractices. This also led to the vacancy of the job which Teylin agreed to take up. His main duty was to ensure public order in Erastir and the town. Right now, it was a near impossible task. The streets were seething with unrest, the guards reported to him every day. Teylin would have a hard time explaining his new job to his old, ailing father, but it would have to be done. He hadn't approached him yet.

When Teylin had refused his offer initially, Asteryn grew silent. Being a prince, he was not refused very often. Slowly again, he had begun to find his voice. Twenty times again, he had asked Teylin, praising his competency and dedication to the realm that such few people had these days. Twenty times Teylin refused. Asteryn proceeded to offer lower and lower posts of importance. Yet again, Teylin protested: Knighthood (For what act?), stewardship (What Lord would accept a blacksmith?).

Their argument was interrupted when Bronstonn, chief of the city guard came to the King, announcing the arrest of a Joe Salsberg. Teylin recognised him immediately.

For sake of apology, Asteryn planned to personally liberate Joe. As it turned out, it was a big mistake. When they gazed upon Joe, he was in shackles and beaten to a pulp. His skin was all but blood red and he seemed to be missing some flesh at his left arm. Thankfully, he was unconscious. His mind could not take any more pain.

At this sight, Teylin completely lost the faculty of his better sense.

A chamber where captors were 'interrogated' is the worst place to antagonize a person, especially if said person is a blacksmith. Bronstonn found that out the hard way.

Teylin's breathing was deep and uncontrolled when Bronstonn had begun to speak.

"I'm sorry if..." That was all he could say before Teylin had planted a newfound hammer in his skull.

CRACK!

Pain. Bronstonn felt it for a moment or two before it was beyond measure or apprehension of any sort. His skull must definitely have been broken.

The carnage that followed was unprecedented. Bronstonn's skull was clearly broken. He did not have to grope around his temples for that. His knees gave way. Teylin though, wasn't going to let him go down so easily.

WHAM!

The hammer went up between his legs through to half halfway through his groin. Why was his King letting this happen to him?

Finally, mercifully, he went down.

The dry, stone floor drank deeply of the fresh, red liquid that was poured onto it. Bronstonn was receding into the shadows, but the process was too slow. Painfully slow. His thoughts went to his family, his wife, his children....