Chapter 92

Eventually the burial party and the bearers emerged from the tomb, the great doors were swung shut and the procession began the march back to the Citadel. Crowds still lined the route but now when the Chieftain of the Hillmen passed with his retinue there was scattered applause and people shouted their approval. Whether Berthedir noted this or not I do not know, but it would not have been the first time he had been upstaged by a leader of the Hillmen. On our return to the Fortress we returned to the great hall where the feast was to be held in honour of the old King and this time I found myself seated with Turchon close to the front of the hall and the high table. There the Princess and her party were seated somewhat uneasily alongside the Chieftain of the Hillmen and his closest attendants. Belegon and Idhrethil were seated at our end of the table but as before we consciously avoided making eye contact or even looking in each others direction, for we both knew that to arouse even the slightest suspicion of any mutual feeling between us would court disaster. The food at this feast turned out to be quite acceptable, and in addition the stone jug of ale on the table was regularly replenished. After we had eaten and drunk our fill it was time for the eulogies to be heard, and I listened with interest as first Barachon and then various other aged lords and former captains spoke of the man Elion son of Eldaer had once been before age and chronic malady laid him low. As ever in these matters I suspected that not all of what was said was sincerely meant but was rather what those assembled expected to hear. I remembered the sick old man telling me he was surrounded by plotters and schemers and wondered what it must be like to spend a whole life surrounded by such people, where nobody could truly be trusted. It was a sad thought, and I did feel some sympathy for the man who had treated me kindly and who I could not forget had spoken for me at a difficult moment, but his reign had undeniably been marked by complacency and decline, and history might well judge him harshly.

Next to rise to his feet was Berthedir, and he too spoke in glowing terms of a man I could hardly recognise. It was clear Turchon, seated at my side, was of a similar opinion, and at one point he slammed his tankard rather too hard down on the table in disgust, attracting glances from those seated around us. Then to my surprise and dismay, for it would not normally have been deemed appropriate to do so at the burial feast, he began to speak of his own succession to the throne. He announced proudly that his claim had been accepted by all rival parties and that he was ready to accept the crown and succeed Elion as King of Rhudaur. The room erupted with cheering and chants of "Berthedir King, Berthedir King" but I could not help notice a look of shock and anguish on the face of the Princess as he stood by her side receiving the approbation of those in the hall. Then the noise died down and silence returned , and he prepared to continue. However it was Brodir, Chieftain of the Hillmen who rose to his feet and spoke next. "Princess Elien, we should be here today to remember your father and honour him, the debate over who shall follow him belongs to another day. But your husband has given me no choice but to reply with this declaration. I hereby state that my people will never acknowledge him as their King, and if he is crowned such then I say that the old oaths of loyalty and brotherhood that have bound our peoples together for so long will be undone. I urge you to reconsider this choice". There was uproar, and Brodir and his men rose from their seats and left the hall with insults ringing in their ears, but they were not alone for Turchon the brave old fool also rose along with a few others who had been of like mind on the matter and followed. I was proud that he had made a stand and I was pleased to follow him, but I was also secretly dismayed at my premature exit from the feast. I had naturally hoped that I might go out onto the terrace later on and perhaps have the change to exchange a few more words with Idhrethil, but it was not to be.

There was further disappointment in store for me later on that evening, for Turchon returned from an errand and instructed me to make preparations at once for our departure and return to Bearcliffe the following day. I had not foreseen this eventuality and it was a stab to the heart, for I had pictured that we would remain where we were until the matter of the succession and crowning had been settled. This was going to complicate matters greatly, for unless I could find some pretext to return south quickly I would have no choice but to desert and take my chances as a fugitive. I also knew it would grieve me sorely to abandon Turchon when he was most likely to be in need of me. Despite the lateness of the hour I set to the task as I had been bid, and visited my men in the dormitory hall to inform them of the change of plan where the news was greeted with less disappointment than I had expected. Afterwards I returned to the citadel and on the way back to our rooms happened upon Cenric who was returning early from the feast. We greeted each other warmly, and he expressed sadness when I told him that we would be departing on the morrow. I told him that I was sorry that Daeron had chosen to support Berthedir's claim, but that he seemed a very changed man. "The cares of lordship and his love for his family weigh heavily upon him" replied my old friend "but even though he has pledged his loyalty to one who has wronged my people, I must remain loyal to him, for not only did he offer many of us the chance of a new life in the south, but he has been a staunch friend and seen fit to elevate me to a rank few of my people have attained. For as you know I equal you in rank Young Lordling, and who'd have thought that would ever happen? I pray do not judge him too harshly". And with that we arrived back at our rooms and parted amicably.

Early the following morning we left the citadel and despite the early hour found the great cobbled courtyard already a scene of some considerable activity. The Chieftain and his men were there and I realised that Turchon must have arranged to travel back north with them. He and Turchon greeted each other with courtesy and some warmth and I wondered, not for the first time, whether his opposition to those who ruled in Lastbridge had clouded his judgement, for the enemy of your enemy is not always guaranteed to be your friend. Nonetheless I formed my men up ahead of them as an advance guard and we set off toward the gatehouse passing beneath the great towers that overlooked it. I felt very despondent, for I had been unable to think of any way to warn Idhrethil of my departure or assure her that I still intended to return to carry out our planned escape a week hence. All she would know was that I had suddenly marched off back to Bearcliffe, and I prayed that she would not assume that my words had been hollow, made hastily in a moment of passion and then quickly repented. I was tormented by so much uncertainty, but knew from long experience that at least the march ahead would give me time enough to think and plot a new course of action.

We began the steep descent towards the town that ran between the imposing walls of the fortress. In the distance ahead of us another company marched, and I thought it curious that there were so many men on the battlements at that hour, ranged on either hand and watching from above as we approached. A feeling of unease suddenly gripped me, the same feeling I had felt a thousand times fighting orcs in the forests of the north when I suspected we were walking into an ambush. I cursed myself silently for a fool, then watched with some surprise as the men ahead of us halted and turned to face us which was very strange and raised my suspicions further. I was just about to call a halt when there was a cry from above and then the air was suddenly filled with the terrifying sound of arrows whistling through the air and striking stonework. There were screams, and men running, and I instantly followed. One of the Hillmen stumbled across my path and then fell to the ground with a thud, a shaft buried deep in the small of his back. I threw myself tight against the wall on the far side of the road and looked out on a scene of carnage, with men dead and dying across the way, their blood pooling and trickling between the cobbles. Then suddenly there was silence again and the firing stopped. I saw that all but one of my own men were unscathed, standing dazed and barely able to take in what had just befallen them. However the Hillmen all lay dead or dying, Brodir among them, and I saw that Turchon who had been walking at his side when the attack began had also been slain. I strode over quickly to where he lay, his body lifeless and contorted and raised face to those above on the battlements in a rage. "What is the meaning of this?" I cried "Are Lords of the realm to be slaughtered like dogs in the street? What is the meaning of this outrage?" But I received no reply, and the soldiers reached us, their weapons drawn, and were joined by others coming down from the gatehouse until we found ourselves surrounded. I recognised the man in command as on of Belegon's . "Silence" he called gruffly "lay down your arms all of you, and you will not be harmed. You men, return to the halls and await further orders. You however Captain are off to the dungeons". I started at this and thought hard about drawing my sword and making an end of it then and there, but I knew my men would join me in the fight and I did not wish to have their needless deaths on my hands as well. Instead I mastered myself, slowly unbuckled my sword belt and let it fall to the floor. I was then seized roughly and taken down to the dungeons below the citadel where my fine gear and coin were taken from me. Once again I found myself alone in a dark stinking pit. I could still barely take in what I had just witnessed, or comprehend just how far all my plans and hopes had now unravelled, for I knew well that few who entered this terrible place ever left it alive. I lay in the stinking darkness and in the end my strength failed me and sobbed uncontrollably for a while, weeping for myself, my slain friend Turchon and for the storm that would now surely be unleashed on all of us as a result of this terrible crime.