Chapter Eleven (Oblivion)
Kutor listened to his guard's report, smiling grimly. Geillard, once the bard had brought him in, had promptly been taken down to the most disgusting, least habitable dungeon the palace possessed. He was now unconscious, awaiting his trial. Or perhaps immediate execution, depending on Geillard's behavior and the Emperor's whim.
Kutor had been hesitant to believe that Geillard would be captured, but once again he was overwhelmed at Paedur's uncanny ability to do the impossible. The bard was truly gifted, and Kutor could not help but be grateful that he and the Katan had returned to Karfondal. Indeed, he would have had a high position at court- if Kutor had believed he wold take it.
But the bard was not one to sit in a palace all day long, telling tales to suit another's whim. He had changed since his last position at court, or so the other palace workers said. The bard was still enigmatic, still different, still unwilling to alter or embellish a tale to suit the master's whim. But he had changed, it was true. The Paedur that most of the palace had known was a different man. He was known to laugh with real humor, to eat and drink with others, and did not seem to melt into the shadows, wrapped in his cloak, feeling neither heat nor cold. The man Paedur used to be was just that- a man.
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Geillard was forsaken.
His gods were dead, he knew that now, after seeing the bard's eyes last night in the temple. It was always in his eyes. Always so cold, so flat and reflective. like the eyes of a dead thing. The eyes of a corpse with no life behind them. Eyes that would, on occasion, burn with an emotion that struck fear into Geillard's heart. The eyes of a killer. Geillard had seen that emotion when the bard had spoken to him. This creature was not human, was soulless.
The eyes of a killer.
Faintly, as if someone was walking quietly down through the dungeons, Geillard heard footsteps. He looked up eagerly, wondering if food and water had perhaps been brought to him. and drew back in horror.
The bard.
Paedur knelt down on the filthy stone floor, as if he was accustomed to such conditions. His hook flashed dully in the light of the torch he brought with him. Fixing his dark eyes on Geillard, he stared at him coldly.
"Why did you return to Karfondal? Surely you knew that you would be discovered, that I would find you."
Geillard, calmer now that he saw the bard had not immediately tried to take his life and that there were bars between them, spoke proudly, voice harsh and overloud.
"I knew that if I disposed of the imposter, if I sent him to Libellius, my Lord Trialos would avenge me and my followers. My gods will destroy you, bard! They will crush you into the earth like the arrogant little ant that you are!" he cried, faith magically restored now that he was not in the face of life-threatening danger.
Paedur listened to the deposed emperor's speech. And when Geillard had finished, he threw back his head and laughed. Geillard knew immediately that he had gone too far, because from this creature before him, laughter was a dangerous thing.
The bard stopped, suddenly, and Geillard started at the immediate silence. Paedur smiled at him, mouth thin and cruel.
"Your gods are dead, Geillard. Destroyed. The only religion now is that of the Pantheon."
"You cannot know that. You have no proof that the lords of Trialos are truly dead." Geillard said defiantly.
Paedur's smile faded. "Yes, I do. I killed them myself."
His hook shot out, hitting Geillard on the side of the head, and the captive man sank into black oblivion.
***********************************************************************
Katani sat high on the palace walls, studying the stars and naming each of the constellations in the ancient Katan language. She heard a loud clank behind her, and turned to see the bard pulling himself up onto the thick stone wall with his hook. She smiled slightly in greeting, then turned her face back to the sky.
"Uimfe displays his splendor well tonight." He said quietly. She nodded in agreement.
"Where were you? Kutor was searching for you, but he gave up and retired for the night."
Paedur smiled. "I had a small matter to attend to with Geillard."
Katani looked alarmed. "You didn't kill him, did you?"
He laughed softly. "No, though I'm sure by the time he wakes he will wish I would have. I have a feeling that Coulide will be toying with his mind this evening."
Katani looked up at the stars again. "Aye, Coulide has a great and terrible power at his command. I know from experience." She added. "Greater even than the Nameless God, if truth be told."
Paedur said nothing. Too many had gone to the Nameless God or even to Death because of him. In some cases, like his encounter with Geillard, the effect the bard had could be useful to him. But in other instances, it was not. He had, briefly, been apprehensive about returning to Karfondal. He had expected a similar reaction here as there had been in Badaur. But Karfondal was the capital, whereas Badaur was a small village centered around a bardhouse where everyone knew his name. and who he had used to be.
Katani stared at him, as if expecting something. He smiled at her.
"It is late. I must go inside. Good night."
"Good night, bard." She replied, attention already diverted to the sky again.
Kutor listened to his guard's report, smiling grimly. Geillard, once the bard had brought him in, had promptly been taken down to the most disgusting, least habitable dungeon the palace possessed. He was now unconscious, awaiting his trial. Or perhaps immediate execution, depending on Geillard's behavior and the Emperor's whim.
Kutor had been hesitant to believe that Geillard would be captured, but once again he was overwhelmed at Paedur's uncanny ability to do the impossible. The bard was truly gifted, and Kutor could not help but be grateful that he and the Katan had returned to Karfondal. Indeed, he would have had a high position at court- if Kutor had believed he wold take it.
But the bard was not one to sit in a palace all day long, telling tales to suit another's whim. He had changed since his last position at court, or so the other palace workers said. The bard was still enigmatic, still different, still unwilling to alter or embellish a tale to suit the master's whim. But he had changed, it was true. The Paedur that most of the palace had known was a different man. He was known to laugh with real humor, to eat and drink with others, and did not seem to melt into the shadows, wrapped in his cloak, feeling neither heat nor cold. The man Paedur used to be was just that- a man.
************************************************************************
Geillard was forsaken.
His gods were dead, he knew that now, after seeing the bard's eyes last night in the temple. It was always in his eyes. Always so cold, so flat and reflective. like the eyes of a dead thing. The eyes of a corpse with no life behind them. Eyes that would, on occasion, burn with an emotion that struck fear into Geillard's heart. The eyes of a killer. Geillard had seen that emotion when the bard had spoken to him. This creature was not human, was soulless.
The eyes of a killer.
Faintly, as if someone was walking quietly down through the dungeons, Geillard heard footsteps. He looked up eagerly, wondering if food and water had perhaps been brought to him. and drew back in horror.
The bard.
Paedur knelt down on the filthy stone floor, as if he was accustomed to such conditions. His hook flashed dully in the light of the torch he brought with him. Fixing his dark eyes on Geillard, he stared at him coldly.
"Why did you return to Karfondal? Surely you knew that you would be discovered, that I would find you."
Geillard, calmer now that he saw the bard had not immediately tried to take his life and that there were bars between them, spoke proudly, voice harsh and overloud.
"I knew that if I disposed of the imposter, if I sent him to Libellius, my Lord Trialos would avenge me and my followers. My gods will destroy you, bard! They will crush you into the earth like the arrogant little ant that you are!" he cried, faith magically restored now that he was not in the face of life-threatening danger.
Paedur listened to the deposed emperor's speech. And when Geillard had finished, he threw back his head and laughed. Geillard knew immediately that he had gone too far, because from this creature before him, laughter was a dangerous thing.
The bard stopped, suddenly, and Geillard started at the immediate silence. Paedur smiled at him, mouth thin and cruel.
"Your gods are dead, Geillard. Destroyed. The only religion now is that of the Pantheon."
"You cannot know that. You have no proof that the lords of Trialos are truly dead." Geillard said defiantly.
Paedur's smile faded. "Yes, I do. I killed them myself."
His hook shot out, hitting Geillard on the side of the head, and the captive man sank into black oblivion.
***********************************************************************
Katani sat high on the palace walls, studying the stars and naming each of the constellations in the ancient Katan language. She heard a loud clank behind her, and turned to see the bard pulling himself up onto the thick stone wall with his hook. She smiled slightly in greeting, then turned her face back to the sky.
"Uimfe displays his splendor well tonight." He said quietly. She nodded in agreement.
"Where were you? Kutor was searching for you, but he gave up and retired for the night."
Paedur smiled. "I had a small matter to attend to with Geillard."
Katani looked alarmed. "You didn't kill him, did you?"
He laughed softly. "No, though I'm sure by the time he wakes he will wish I would have. I have a feeling that Coulide will be toying with his mind this evening."
Katani looked up at the stars again. "Aye, Coulide has a great and terrible power at his command. I know from experience." She added. "Greater even than the Nameless God, if truth be told."
Paedur said nothing. Too many had gone to the Nameless God or even to Death because of him. In some cases, like his encounter with Geillard, the effect the bard had could be useful to him. But in other instances, it was not. He had, briefly, been apprehensive about returning to Karfondal. He had expected a similar reaction here as there had been in Badaur. But Karfondal was the capital, whereas Badaur was a small village centered around a bardhouse where everyone knew his name. and who he had used to be.
Katani stared at him, as if expecting something. He smiled at her.
"It is late. I must go inside. Good night."
"Good night, bard." She replied, attention already diverted to the sky again.
