17

Siofra gazed at Cirida, her sniffing paused, her breath held. She waited for her answer. She wanted to hear out of Cirida’s mouth who she was. She had met many peasants but never one like her before.

“I am just a peasant girl that was captured by bandits” Cirida said in a calm voice, blankly staring at Corc.

Corc started to look at cirida like he was looking at a distant enemy. Cirida did not waver. “Don’t look at her like that, she’s not an enemy. I owe her my life” Siofra said, her voice slightly nasally but calm and brave.

Corc’s eyes relaxed. He looked at Siofra then Cirida again “very well, sister. If you can testify for her, then I have no reason to suspect her”.

“Which village are you from?” Corc asked. “A village to the south” Cirida answered. “Alright…if you don’t want gold” Corc turned and swung his hand upwards tossing the gold bar fragment back to his bed, where a muffled cling was heard. “When my men get back from getting supplies, I can have them safely escort you back to your village” Corc said.

Siofra looked at Cirida, their eyes met. Siofra sniffed then blinked, pushing tears out of her eyes.

Corc turned to Siofra, he raised his hand to her face. His thumb glided on Siofra’s cheeks, wiping her tears that trailed down “father will be happy to see you again” he said.

Distant thundering horse hooves were heard rapidly approaching. Corc took a step towards the door, his eyes wide “dammit, they shouldn’t be going that fast, the road is too narrow!” he said, annoyed as he quickly walked outside the tent. As the hooves got louder, shouting could also be heard. Siofra and Cirida headed outside the tent as well.

As Siofra walked out, she could see the horsemen approaching, about seven of them. The men who were sent out for supplies. But some had bright red blood soaking on their armor. They went past the gate of the fort, galloping to where Corc, and several soldiers waited for them. “My Lord!” they shouted. Their horses heavily huffing as they approached.

They rapidly jumped off their horses as the gates behind them closed. They approached Corc, their faces deeply distraught, their head down. The soldier in front of the group had a river of tears flowing down his face, his mouth was turned downward, quivering. “My Lord…” he said, his voice weak and trembling, as he looked into Corc’s eyes and stepped to him in slow limping steps.

Siofra knew already, deep in her heart. “My Lord, King Tidwield has fallen in battle” the distraught soldier said. “No!” Siofra screamed as she collapsed to her knees sobbing.

“No, that can’t be…” Corc said. Tears started to flow down his wide open eyes. His chin softly clenched. “But, how did this happen?”

“We don’t know the details, my Lord. We just so happen to stop by this village and it was all they could talk about, my lord. Jorgon has already proclaimed himself king, he claims you were slain by Kelso” said the distraught soldier. “Could it all have been a mistake, perhaps you were lied to” Corc said, his voice fast and quivering. “I don’t think so, my Lord. Those village folk didn’t seem to be telling lies” the soldier said.

“Jorgon, that snake! Him and his jealous eyes when he would see father.He will pay, the Duesart will pay, everyone will pay!” Corc lashed out, flexing his body to a tremble, his veins popping out of his red flushed skin.

Corc wiped his tears and snot with his hands “what else did you find out?” he said, trying to calm himself. “Not much, I’m sorry, my Lord. As we were talking to the villagers some horsemen approached from the road. They charged at us without warning. We barely made it out alive” The distraught soldier said

“My lord, I got something!” another one of the soldiers said, his voice shaky. He slowly approached Corc, hunched, reached in his pocket and took out a rolled paper. He raised his sight to Corc. His inner eyebrows were raised, his gaze was tense and his mouth relaxed “One of the villagers gave me this, he said to give it to you and you only” he said as he stepped toward Corc.

“Beware of him!” Cirida yelled. As the soldier swiftly grabbed the hilt of a dagger hidden on his sleeve and pointed the tip towards Corc’s heart. He lunged at Corc with a big yell, putting his weight behind the dagger. “Corc!” screamed Siofra.

Corc rapidly moved his hand together, clasping on to the attacker’s hands just fast enough for the dagger tip to miss his heart. Instead the blade pierced his upper chest near the shoulder. They went down to the ground, the attacking soldier on top, Corc on the bottom groaning loudly, trying to push up the the attacker’s hands up.

Soldiers immediately drew their swords and lunged at the attacker, driving their swords into the attackers side. The attacker violently spasmed as he lost his strength. He groaned slowly as he fell on his back next to Corc, looking to the sky and coughing blood. Soldiers quickly disarmed him and checked on Corc. Siofra ran to Corc, her eyes leaving tears in the air as she stepped. She knelled down next to him “Corc, no…” she said, tears dripping from her chin. Corc wriggled in pain, his eyes squinted and his mouth clenched “He’ll be fine, its shallow” said the soldier treating his wound. “His thrust was light, like he didn’t really want to kill me” Corc said.

Corc stood, blood trailed down below his new bandaged wound. He gazed down at the soldier who attacked him. “I’m…sorry—-my Lord, Jorgon has my——my daughter…” The attacker said, as he gazed into the sky with empty eyes and blood ran down the side of his mouth.

Corc knelled down besides him. He reached his hand down to the attackers eyes and with his thumb and finger, closed the ever gazing eyes of the dead attacker.

In that moment, Siofra felt a change in Corc. His eyes had changed, they were peaceful but with a darkness cast over them. His tears had stopped, his eyelids were slightly dropped and his mouth was neither a frown or a smile.

Corc grabbed the dead attacker’s sword and stood “men, there is a snake who wants to slither himself into the throne! There are Duesart who walk the land, who will raid our lands again if we let them! Our king has fallen, but now——I will rise. By my hand, the snake heads will be cut across the land, the Duesart barbarians tamed. I will finish what my father started, and bring Dragon’s Den under my Sword. Follow me and I will bring glory to Genogem, I will bring you the heads of the enemy, I will bring——you——vengeance!” Corc shouted, his thick and tense. He clenched his jaw so hard he flushed red. A fire raged in his sharp eyes. He raised his sword high then with a swift, precise motion brought it down, piercing the ground beneath. A long, muffled groan could be heard coming from his tall standing, flexed body as his fierce eyes spewed fire.

A soldier slowly stepped to him, lowering his head as he approached and knelled next to him “I will follow you——my King” he said. “I too, will follow” Another approaching soldier said, then another. Soon all soldiers had surrounded him, knelling down to tall standing Corc in the center.

Siofra walked to Corc’s side, put her hands on top his shoulder. She looked at him through the side of his face. Her glossy eyes in between swollen and slightly red eyelids. “What are you saying brother? You almost got killed again and you want to go and try to conquer the world?” Siofra said, her voice fragile. Corc didn’t even turn to her, his eyes straight ahead into the horizon “Don’t try to stop me sister, my rage burns deep, it seers my insides as we speak. I will not back down, even if cost me my life”

“But what about me, you’re everything I have now. What will happen to me if you die” Siofra said, her voice breaking. Corc slowly turned to her, looking straight in her delicate eyes overflowing with tears. “I’m sorry, sister but I do not know…” he said, his voice resonant and slow.