WEEK FOURTEEN
FIRSTDAY
I was crouched uncomfortably in the emergency escape, eye pressed to a hole, watching Father and Ti-Lung, together for the second time since our arrival. Father's dick was a piece of wood - a tribute to the magic of the visitors - rigidly prodding Ti-Lung's lesser form as they kissed and explored. That morning, and the night before, I had experienced the new Father, so I did not feel too bad about his having time with Ti-Lung. In the short time I had been here I had become very fond of my uncle, and could only wish him happiness. Before long Ti-Lung, wishing to experience what he had not experienced for a long time, was bent over the bed, Father kneeling and thrusting from behind. It seemed a comfortable position for the two, one they seemed to have perfected over years.
Father was starting to gleam in the soft lamp light, a sheen of his exertion, when a clamour at the door caused him to lift his head. Men burst in with massive swords raised at the ready, and with only a muttered "pervert" a sword swooped down at Father's defenceless neck.
This was the second time in my life that I lost consciousness. I did not see anymore. Maybe lucky, I thought a long time later, for I was defenceless and, despite this, I'm sure if I had remained conscious I would have burst into the room.
I woke to the smell of smoke, disorientated and puzzled. I then thought to look through my spy hole and almost swooned again at what I saw. Yellow flames licked and illuminated the room, glinting the red stains that covered every surface as well as the headless corpses of Father and Ti-Lung! Distraught I bashed through the secret entrance to stand empty and lost above Father's disfigured form. In malice they had also cut of his dick, sticking it back in Ti-Lung's arse from which the weight of his falling dead body must have removed it. Ti-Lung was still hunched over the bed - he must have had no time to react either. Flames rose and scorched me, pulling me back to the moment. In truth I wanted to through myself on Father and perish in the funeral pyre of the house with him, but I could hear his voice telling me to go, to save Mother.
Hardly able to see with tears of grief and smoke I launched back through the escape door, somehow finding the presence of mind to rescue my sword from my room before plunging down ladders and running along enclosed dark corridors, scratching and scraping myself on unseen objects and corners. The heat and smoke became more intense and I began to wonder if in truth this house was in fact going to be my pyre when I smacked once again into a flat surface. But this time it wasn't a turning but an end, my scrabbling hands found a handle that, despite trembling panic, they managed to open. I fell out into a damp night to find myself at the back of the stables, with an armed man standing his ground at its back door.
My battle reflexes came into play and in truth I don't think he realised I was there before his life ended. I then squatted against the wall, sheltering from the soft rain, breathing hard and trying to think. Father had informed me that Do-Si was not staying with the bulk of our guard in the quarter's provided by Ti-Lung, but rather with a man Father trusted. I had not given much thought to this when he had spoken, thinking that it was a present to Do-Si for his faithful services, but now I saw the wisdom of such a move. I didn't go to look but I had no doubt that the barracks where our guard was stationed was in the same condition as the main house, full of the dead awaiting cremation in evil flames.
So I needed Kito, and if I could Trugo as well. I struggled up and listened carefully at the back door. It seemed that the stables were untouched. Probably the horses had been promised as spoil for the marauders. With a guard at the back door I assumed there would also be one at the front, but all seemed quiet within so I carefully opened the door to peek in. A young man lay in blood on the floor, seemingly lifeless. Otherwise the stable seemed peaceful in the yellow light of its lamps, other than tense horses. I quickly located Kito and Trugo, stabled side by side, with their saddles hanging on pegs by the doors. I calmed them as well I could, loosely threw the saddles on their backs, then led them towards the back door. Kito gave a little whinny that I thought was going to give me away, but nothing happened and they both, understanding the seriousness of what was happening, otherwise remained silent and obedient.
Outside I peered around, wondering in what direction was the front gate. I should know, but my thoughts, now I had achieved my immediate goal, swirled uselessly like an eddy in the river. For want of better options, realising that I had at least had to get away from the stables, I slunk towards the slightly greater shadow of the defending wall, hoping to hide myself from the growing flickering light of the fires that spotted the compound. Obviously whoever was behind this had given orders to leave no survivors or anything standing. Bodies were strewn everywhere and I had to pick my way between them, stumbling into some in the fitful light. Seemingly an endless time later I came to the fence, to find that it had been breached by some massive force just near the point I came across it. So the assassins had not risked the defences of the front gate as their point of entry, but now must have felt enough confidence to leave it almost unattended. Only two men, and small young ones at that, were guarding it from the escape of the household staff.
Two men who were soon dead. Without any forethought I said that I had been instructed to bring these horses for them, and in exchange for the reins that I gave individually into the hands of each I took their heads with a swinging blade. Blood spurted, staining my already besmirched clothes. Trugo and Kito remained quiet as I took their reins again and cautiously walked them through the break and out into the open town. A very quiet town, people hiding in fear of the attack. Finding a back lane I snuck in, now pausing to tighten the saddles of the horses. I attached Trugo behind and mounted Kito, hoping that if anyone saw me they would think I was an invader fleeing with my spoils and give me a wide birth.
It was I suspect for the same reason that it took a long time for someone to respond to my frantic, muffled knocking on the door of the house where I believed Do-Si was staying. Just as I was giving the house up as empty a voice whispered from the other side of the door. "Who is it?"
"I'm looking for a friend, Do-Si."
"Who is Do-Si?"
It then occurred to me that he would be hiding in fear, and that he would be suspicious of someone being sent to kill him. How would I get the confidence of this unknown person behind the door? "I am a friend of Wi-Su."
This was met with retreating footsteps, and after a bit a bolt sounded and the door opened cautiously to reveal a scrap of an anonymous face in the dark. Then the door flew open and Do-Si had his arms around me! The relief I felt could not be described, though his warmth was only brief and he quickly became practical. "Now, get the horses around the back out of sight before anyone notices the disturbance!"
He hustled me to the side of the house, through a small gate and out the back where there was a small building that served as a storehouse. It seemed the owner did not have a horse, and there was little space in the building. Do-Si returned to the house to get a lamp, and together we quickly arranged what was there to make space for the horses. With a bucket we brought them water before leaving them.
Inside the house I was introduced to the owner, Ro-So, a tall man of indeterminate years. Do-Si must have already told him my identity for he immediately bowed his respect. "Sire."
"No more I fear." I got out before breaking down into painful sobs. I eventually got out the gist of what I had seen, what had happened, to the ever whitening faces of my audience.
Do-Si then took charge, without doubt saving my life, for my inclination was to curl up into a ball and sleep. "We cannot stay here - we must escape while it is dark. Tomorrow everything will be sealed up and it will be very difficult!"
Ro-So spoke. "I can take you out of town on back streets and small trails. Once you are further away you will be safer. I'll put some food together for you and some money - I have supplies in case of an emergency. Lord Srotyr warned me that there might be trouble and gave me a bag of gold to keep safe."
It seemed in no time I was out in the damp night again, but now with a pigskin coat over my dirty, wet clothes, and we were weaving between trees and houses and fences till we had escaped the town and were crossing rice fields. Ro-So certainly knew his way around. We eventually mounted our horses when we encountered the main road to NewTown, some distance from town, shaking hands with Ro-So first and watching him disappear back into the dark fields. Alone again, Do-Si and I fell into each others arms, trying to provide comfort and reassurance to each other, before mounting and galloping wildly into the night.
SECONDAY
I awoke wet and sore, rocks and sticks digging into me. It was still dark and still raining, getting heavy. But my physical misery seemed nothing beside my internal grief. I had woken so many times crying out, nightmares of Father's headless body plaguing. I pushed Do-Si awake and after a frugal breakfast we were again making good pace. The horses had been looked after well and were in good condition, and so far seemed to be coping with our rapid pace. I wondered if the road would be safe once daylight came, wondered how we were going to travel. We needed speed, but we needed stealth. We could travel by night as the road of the ancients was smooth enough that there was no risk that the horses would lose footing, but we would lose a day waiting for light to fade to do so. A day we couldn't afford. It was possible that NewTown was already under attack by these marauders.
I had no doubt that the power behind the attack was the Prince. And that more likely than not that the old King was now with his sires, and that the Prince would have crowned himself as King. Against the power of the whole Kingdom NewTown had no chance, and once it was known that Father was dead there would be no fight. What would be the point? I suspected and feared that I would again come across the head of Father, presented to the people of NewTown as evidence of his fate.
So we rode. Rode as I had never ridden before, along a deserted road. It was lucky Do-Si was astride Trugo as no other mount would have maintained the pace that Kito was managing. He flew as if he knew the urgency of our quest, whipping rain into my face despite my hood and bent head. I thought little, not of the rain, not of the discomfort of skin chafed by wet clothes, not of Do-Si behind me on Trugo. Not even of what I was going to do, or what had passed. My mind was a savage pool of hate, a swirling vengeance against a man I had never met, a man who had without pang destroyed my life. I vowed that one day he would pay with his.
As light strengthened I began to be concerned that we would be seen. We must be approaching the grounds of the inn that we had sheltered in on the last night of our journey to RiverSide. I did not want to be seen for even though in this state it would be unlikely that anyone would recognise me in these changing times it was unusual for anyone to be out and about and my presence may be remembered and volunteered by someone for reward. But we would need food, and the horses rest and pasture. We would have to stop. Maybe Do-Si, pretending to be a wandering simpleton, might be able to gain some kitchen scraps, while I tended the horses out of sight along the bend of a feeding stream. But I wanted to have passed the inn prior to stopping, which would allow us to start before full darkness that evening without fear of drawing attention.
My wishes were met as I became aware of smoke struggling with the wet air in the near distance. An early kitchen fire of the inn. I veered out onto the green of the river plain to avoid the attention of any early riser, forming a wide arc ending up back on the road. A suitable stream appeared soon and I sent Do-Si back to the inn, gold in pocket in case he needed it but with advice to beg if possible, while I walked the horses upstream, watering them, rubbing them down before staking them on a green pasture that was out of sight of the road. They were fatigued, trembling and in need of rest. We had not travelled that far but our speed had been great. I intended to ride all the next night, and into the day if necessary, expecting to make the two day journey in one of frantic pace. I hoped they had the strength to meet that need.
I had dropped off to sleep when a voice calling my name caught my attention. Do-Si looking for me. I had taken shelter in a small overhang, well out of sight of casual attention. Ever fearful I crept out to see what was about, but it was only Do-Si on his own. Still cautious I carefully drew his attention, but his joyous run in response to his awareness of my presence told me that he was not under any duress. He joined me under my shelter and we shared the poor provisions he had been given. I could not remember eating food that was so bad, old rice, smoked meat that had seen better days, stale vegetables. But it filled my stomach and I knew I would need strength for what lay ahead, so I suppressed my nausea and ate. Do-Si seemed less inclined, and on questioning sheepishly admitted that he had been given a bowl of hot gruel that he had had to eat at the back door of the kitchen, and that his hunger was no longer great. Though the thought of gruel was tempting, I had no trouble persuading him that he had done the only thing possible, and if he had not eaten it neither of us would have had an appetising meal.
We slept fitfully. Despite fatigue it was difficult to sleep in morning light. And of course my dreams still tore at me. But the day passed, and before it became true dark we got the horses out onto to the road and set off again.
FORDAY
We had crossed the river in darkness, and we were now crouching in the ravine on the far bank, the ravine where not so long ago I had visited with Wi-Su during the infancy of our intimacy. It now seemed a lifetime ago. And it was. The lifetime of Father, of Ti-Lung. Of all the guards I had befriended. I needed in, but there was so much activity at the gate that I dared not move for the moment. Life appeared to be as usual in NewTown. I feared that if Hi-Tui saw me he would make a fuss, but I could think of no other way to gain entry. The horses would give us away though, their power and breeding, as would two men returning to town, so I left Do-Si with the horses and started my way on foot back to town. It wasn't hard to look the tired field worker returning unwell to town.
I was stumbling with fatigue as I arrived at the gate. I suspect my face was showing a decent measure of desperation as I lifted it to look at Hi-Tui. I think I saw a quick look of joy, a word caught without being uttered, but the tears in my eyes prevented clear vision and the first audible sound was Hi-Tui saying gruffly, "What are you doing back again! You should be in the fields. You are no more sick than I. Get into my office!" Which was delivered with a clout to push me on my way.
I entered the office and though my legs begged rest I stood as a humble field worker should, awaiting the representative of my owner to enter. My head was bent, so I saw nothing, but I could hear Hi-Tui's voice, but not clear enough to discern words. Eventually he entered.
"Where is Lord Srotyr?" was the first thing he said, but my tears and face must have answered for he continued, "The fucking murders!"
I had never heard Hi-Tui speak so. I don't think I had heard anyone speak so. My head lifted in shock, and Hi-Tui mumbled a quick, "Sorry." I just shook my head numbly, trying to indicate that he needn't be.
"You are not safe here. The Prince's men have entered and are living in your house, keeping the Lady hostage. You must be hidden. Do you know somewhere you could hide?"
I thought wildly, then came up with an idea. "There is a shed attached to the tool store, where Wi-Su stores his collection of rocks. I doubt if anyone goes there."
"I know it. Go there, I will get you food. Did anyone come with you?
"Do-Si is hiding in the ravine under the broken bridge with Kito and Trugo."
"I'll organise something for him too. He should be able to return without too much trouble. Somehow we'll have to sneak the horses into the stables. I will talk to Hu-Wi. He should be able to get them in without it being obvious. Now go, but let me give you orders outside that can be heard."
We stepped out into the open, and though I kept my head down I now saw the invaders. "Now, get a shovel and report back here. If you won't work in the fields you will work here digging pig shit!"
There was no need to fain dejection. I stumbled my way to the tool shed, then as carefully as possible that I not be noticed I slipped around the back and into the shed. With the door closed behind me I sank down in a corner with relief. There was nothing much to make a bed, but even the cold hard floor felt good underneath. Rapidly I was asleep. Stirring again when the door tentatively opened and Hi-Tui entered. He put down the pouch he had brought and almost lifted me from the ground in a hug of monstrous proportions.
"Cavon, how I feared for you. How good it is to hold you again!" His kiss was tender and loving, our tears mixing, our grief shared. "What happened to Lord Srotyr?" he asked after our lips separated.
I did not know how to recount it. The images that nightmared through my thoughts could not be put into meaningful words. Words could not convey the terror. I guess I must have go enough across for him to understand. He held me tighter.
"I cannot stay. My absence may be noticed and the King's men may investigate. I will talk to Yue-Sin, get him to bring some bedding. I'll see you later maybe."
"Do-Si?"
"I've spoken with Hu-Wi. He will take out a group of horses to exercise. No one will notice that he has two more and an assistant on his return."
I nodded to the closing door, opened the pouch and extracted an apple that I ate, savouring it's fresh taste, but before I managed more I must have slept again for the next thing I remembered was the door opening again and Yue- Sin entering, his belly shrinking rapidly as blankets where extracted from under his coat. Then he had me in his arms too. "Hi-Tui told me the news!" was all he got out before a bout crying silenced both of us.
"I want to see Mother," were the first words that surfaced.
"They are keeping her under close guard. But we can break in tonight. I want to kill every fucking one of them personally!"
"How?" I asked.
"They all hide away within your house after dark - they fear to be out. We can enter by my secret entrance, and take them one by one."
"I would like that."
"I'll come and get you after dark!"
And with a quick kiss he was gone.
I was now more awake. I finished the food that was in the pouch then looked through Wi-Su's collection, wondering how he was. Would he come back now? It was a weird feeling with which this thought infused me, mixed love and loss and hope and grief and emptiness. I curled up in the blanket to nurture it, and slept fitfully as there was nothing else to do. It was better than staring into space and hurting.
Darkness was thick and wet. Yue-Sin cupped his hand to lift me to the first metal spike. I gripped it and his strength then lifted me higher to the next. Soon I had a foot hold and was on my way. Laden with sword and cross bow climbing the spikes without sight was not an easy task. A couple of times my foot fell into empty space causing my heart to race but in truth I think I no longer feared death, and eventually I found myself safely behind the redpalm, awaiting Yue-Sin. I peered into our bedroom. A shape on the bed illuminated by flickering firelight. It must be the chief of the brigands to commandeer our room. I drew my sword, wondering if I should wait for Yue-Sin. Then the thought that this man might wake and give the alarm decided me. I crept into the room, ears alert for other sound. He was half on his belly, facing me. I stuck my sword in his throat and lifted. I suspect he didn't even wake, and there was little noise beyond a soft gurgle. Blood soaked the bed through, already filthy from the swine who had been sleeping in it. I returned to the door in time to see Yue-Sin descending, breathing heavier than I would have expected. He was out of practice.
Though not at assessing battle situations. He gave me a thumbs up for my act, then moved silently to the door to the rest of the house. I in turn quickly checked the rest of the rooms of our suite, finding them empty. This had all been planned before we left the hut, so there was no need for words when he opened the door and slipped through. I followed behind, not knowing what to expect. It felt very odd moving stealthily in my own house. It was pretty dark, and as had been planned if he couldn't see I took the lead. Our first goal was Mother's suite, but we wanted to make sure all rooms were cleared behind us. The first we came to was mine. From there I could hear some kind of noise, making my hair stand on end.
In the little light that came out from under the door Yue-Sin gestured for me to ready my bow. He would burst in and move left, and I would pick off anyone he wasn't able to cover. What I saw though when his form cleared the door almost left me unable to move. A man was fucking someone on the floor, another stood beside with his pants dropped and back to the door ready to take his friends place. This one fell to an arrow before he managed to cry out, the active one following quickly courtesy of the sword of Yue-Sin. But then I fell to the floor, unmanned. Beneath this brute was Mother. Naked. Clearly dead.
Yue-Sin quietly closed the door. I fought not to scream, but could not control the tears. With my swords I hacked at the bodies of the two men, slashing their faces, their bellies, their genitals. I fell down beside mother and touched her cold face. There was pain and suffering in her last look. My rage flared and Yue-Sin had to hold me back from bursting out of the room in search of every remaining fucker of the Prince. When he had calmed me a little we continued with our plan. He knew that the majority of the Prince's men slept in the common area of the dinning and sitting room, and here he wanted to repeat the strategy we had just used, with me out of harms way loosing arrows and he making sure no one would get to me.
I took a deep breath and let my first arrow fly, seeing it embed in the chest of the biggest body I could see before moving to another target. Yue-Sin was amongst them now causing havoc and the first of them were starting to stir and realise they had trouble. I took out those that were rising but soon there were many on their feet, fumbling for their swords. I kept letting fly arrows, but soon one was in my face and I had to lift my sword to defend myself. I think he was expecting little resistance, and he was soon dead. I launched into the room like a madman, fighting my way towards Yue-Sin. There must have been 20 but less than 10 had managed to get to their feet. My arrows had been fast, and Yue-Sin had wasted no time either.
None had any skill as a swordsman, and though we were heavily outnumbered soon the last 3 were racing for the front door to escape. The leading one threw open the door, to fall with an arrow in his throat that had come from outside. The other two jumped over the body, one going left the other right. I arrived at the door to see the form of the one that went left slump with an arrow in his throat, and hear the other cry out, "Lord Srotyr", before likewise collapsing to the ground.
Yue-Lin and Hi-Tui stepped out of the shadows to help us bring the bodies back inside, Yue-Lin stopping to clean his sword on the man that he had felled and Hi-Tui to remove and clean his arrows. We then nodded goodbye silently, returned inside closing the door behind us with its heavy beam, picked our way through the bloody devastation of what had been the sitting room and made our way to into the room where Mother lay. Wrath inflicted on all that was in reach but still frustrated from dealing with the heart of my vengeance, I looked down emptily on the mortal remains of she who had been all my life, who had birthed me, cared for me, and of whom I had only just learnt the difficulties that a living being could suffer just to survive. All her anguish and shame was now at rest. I didn't know which of the animals had taken her life, but I knew he was dead. There was only one more thing to do.
I gestured for Yue-Sin to follow and left the room. In the bedroom we bundled up the body of the chief of the animals and carried him and the bloodied bedding out into sitting room with the other corpses. Then tediously and methodically we mutilated each individual, separating their bodies into grotesque pieces, putting genitalia in mouths, in arses, putting out eyes, cutting limbs asunder. When we finished it looked as if a insane monster had run berserk. With blood we painted a crude sketch of the Srotyr arms on the outside of the entrance doors, sealing the house. Then we carefully carried Mother's body to the bedroom and laid her on the bed. I found that her clothes had been largely untouched so we dressed her in her finest, painted her face, placed a pillow under her head and clasped her hands together on her chest. In blood I again painted the Srotyr arms on the outside of the bedroom door and wrote above it "He who enters dies!".
I was at the end of my strength and on coming into the room I collapsed in a heap. Yue-Sin barred the door before gently helping me out of my clothes and carrying me to the awaiting bath that he had run while I was applying the art work to the door. He quickly undressed and joined me. The water cleansed the gore from our bodies and was soon red. Yue-Sin gestured for me to get out, rinsed the tub clean and ran a fresh bath. I lay back in his arms in the soothing warmth, falling asleep with a sense of security for the first time since, an age ago, a sword had fallen on the life of Father.
FIFDAY
Morning found me waking in my new abode, Wi-Su's shed. With the Prince's men dead I had thought I would wander freely in the streets of my town, but Yue-Sin had counselled me to remain hidden and think on the consequences of my being seen in the streets. He mentioned for my information that certain prominent members of the town had rejoiced at the news that Lord Srotyr had been deposed, Tie-Je being one of the most vocal and helpful to the Prince's men. Yue-Sin had had to remind me that Tie-Je was the merchant I had offended in court.
Knowing that my ability to think was rather compromised I took his advice and remained hidden, leaving it to morning to try to fathom my current situation and my future. What was my position? I was the son of a deposed and murdered Lord, but one murdered by the King so that the murder would be deigned as punishment for wrong doing. So in theory I do not possess the title of Lord. But the spirit of the deceased Lord has returned and vented his wrath on those who desecrated his house. Why can't his son arise and carry on the banner? Yue-Sin would support whatever decision I made, and he controlled the guards. But what would be the result of calling on his loyalty? He and his men would bravely do battle against whatever forces the King sent against us, but with treachery within there was no doubt that we would lose. And even if not killed in battle, I would be executed, as would Yue-Sin and his men for supporting me.
If I disappeared quietly into the wilderness though Yue- Sin could pretend allegiance to the new Lord of NewTown, and even if he was replaced by a crony of the new Lord there would be no excuse to execute him. Likewise Hi-Tui and all others who would be loyal to me. My declaring my Lordship would kill them all.
Where could I go? Disappear quietly into the wilderness and do what? Become a hermit? It seemed very desolate. And appealing. I could hide away and not worry about the world. Plot my revenge! Me against a whole Kingdom? "Yes, that is a great idea!" I thought facetiously. "Might as well just fall on my own sword and do the King's work for him." All of a sudden this seemed a very attractive idea. I had started rooting around looking for a way to support my sword so that I could pursue it when I was interrupted by noise at the door. My sword changed roles and now came up to defend me, but was halted by a startled "Whoa" as Yue-Lin entered carrying a bag presumably holding food.
"You are edgy," he said after greeting me with a bow and a hug.
"I think I have the right to be!"
"I have some bad news." In response to my mute look he continued. "Men of the King arrived just after light. They brought with them your Father's head and have mounted it on a stake above the town gate."
I sat heavily in the corner where blankets formed my bed. Curled in a ball I muttered, "Please leave me." I heard the door close and my tears moved to sobs.