Chapter Text
Neric had wasted many rushlights, slaving over the map late into the night, and he still had not found a solution. There was no use, he would have to break it to his king that he had not been able to find a way out, that they were surrounded on all sides. He had advised against making camp here; having predicted that Lord Rone, the enemy’s general, would make ample use of the opportunities the location provided.
And in the evening, his returning scouts had informed him that he had been entirely correct.
He sighed and wiped his brow with a handkerchief. If only his king had listened to him! As the highest ranking general, it was not that his king did not usually trust his judgement, he did not understand why … no, he did understand. The location he had deemed better to make camp had not enough flat ground to put up all the tents, they would have had to share, and the king liked his privacy.
That was understandable, but, as a traitorous little voice in his head informed him, comfort was not a good reason to lose a battle. A battle that might lose them the entire war, considering there was nowhere they could retreat. Perhaps he could feint his way to an escape through enemy lines, for part of the army, but they would most definitely take heavy losses.
„You are better than the enemy general“, his king had assured him. „This small tactical disadvantage does not matter.“
Neric knew better. He should have been more forceful with his words, perhaps. Yet while the holy oath he had sworn to his king included his loyalty, it also demanded obedience. He had not thought, upon swearing it ten years ago, that the two would ever be at odds, but now, his obedience might see his king deposed.
He pushed his chair back and stretched his limbs, then left the tent. It was shortly before Night Prayer, so he would not inconvenience the king too much by waking him.
Seeing the king’s tent brightly lit, he breathed a sigh of relief. No waking would be necessary.
As he was about to announce his presence, he heard a strange noise from the tent, a muffled cry. As though someone were in distress, and wanted to scream, but could not.
Neric pushed open the tent flap and stormed in, sword drawn.
Only to see his king crouched over the broad bed, on which … was this not one of the servant maidens?
She could not have been older than twelve, and yet here she was, naked, bound, and gagged. Bleeding from between her legs …
Bile rose in his throat as he struggled for something to say. This was wrong, very wrong, and yet, there was no law, other than -
„Your majesty! What of your vows? Your queen -“
„Has teats that hang to her wrinkly old belly, and stayed behind in the capital besides. Really, Lord Neric, must you disturb me at this hour?“ His king turned around, not in the least ashamed, it seemed, of his nudity.
Had he had seen his king naked in any other circumstance, Neric would likely have spent the next hour in prayer, begging forgiveness for his sinful thoughts, but now, the bare chest, the soft belly and half-erect member just seemed a ridiculous sight.
Any other man, he would have struck dead for speaking of his queen like this.
„Your marriage vows“, he repeated. „They did not specify that you had to be faithful only until her beauty fades.“ There was a bad taste in his mouth. He ought not to rebuke his king. And yet …was this man still his king?
As though he had heard his thoughts, King Eldric reached for the blade he had put on a nearby table and lunged at him with a battle cry.
He had only seconds to react, and moved his own blade to shield himself. It deflected Eldric’s blade – and slid into his chest.
There he lay, on his plush carpets, slowly bleeding out.
Neric shook off his momentary trance and checked for a pulse. It was weak, then stopped entirely while he was feeling it. There was no use – not even a healster could have helped, now. He pulled his sword out and wiped it, mechanically, the way he had always done it. Sheathed it again.
Then he strode over to the little maiden, covered her with his cloak, loosened the bonds. „Poor child, what has he done to you?“ It took a while to remove the gag from her mouth, and she did not answer after he had done so, only looked at him, eyes wide in fear.
He had not expected an answer. He picked her simple dress from the floor and handed it to her. „I am sorry.“