Chapter 12: Public Execution, It's very convincing

"General Conner!" A voice called from the front of the keep entrance. The setting is Jule as the morning brought forth a new day, and with it a new sigil hung from the keep and walls. The Bear of house Bruin. The fires were now extinguished and the soldiers of Dol had spent the evening forcing submission from any stranglers refusing to throw down arms throughout the evening. Now the task at hand was putting the remaining folks at ease, as well as removing the bodies of the fallen from the city lest they root and bring disease and a feral horde of scavenging animals. "We have gathered up what citizens we could to the front area of the keep." The voice said as he saluted the general.

"Good." The general arose from a chair in the hall. "Solid work Simon." The man rested his arm and folded his hands behind his back awaiting further instruction. "Ally!" Conner called to a priest amongst the wounded in the rear of the keep where they set up a makeshift hospital for the immediate needs. "Status report, numbers, how do we stand?"

"As far as the townspeople we do not know General." Ally tried to have the conversation relate to the people of the city sacked first, but she quickly realized that the topic was not one of major interest to Conner. "We entered with a standing total force 2,240, mixed through our various roles and equipment. In the battle to secure this city in full the squad leads have reported in and we sit with roughly 364 dead, 126 wounded, and 7 missing."

"How many of the wounded will be able to raise sword and spear again?" Conner seemed dissatisfied at the report, while it meant a strong victory with a low percentage of fatalities for his army, he seemed angry that the odds were not better.

"it is early but we expect about 40 will make full body recoveries."

"Focus all efforts on them then!"

"But sir!" Ally tried to get a recant of that order.

"What? We need our army at its best! Get those able to return to duty up and running and then you'll have less people in the infirmary care."

"Perhaps but people will perhaps die due to neglect."

"Such is chaff! Right Simon." The general wasn't fully serious in his tone but needed this conversation ended as they were far from their home base of Dol. Simon nodded in a rather quick fashion almost as if he had put no thought into his answer. The statement troubled Ally, but he did have a point that those only needing a quick healing spell or bandage wrap would quickly free space and manpower up for the more serious cases. Ally huffed in a low volume so as to not draw attention, she knew her role was that of a military priestess, and as such was her duty. The blood didn't bother her, but merely the callous nature of the general whose armor and sword stood claim over the keep yet held no signs of crimson life upon them.

"Henny bring forth our prized prisoner." The general called as he and Simon made their way to the steps in front of the keep. The steps were still red with the blood of both Bruin and Savoy men and fleeing subjects. The bodies of the brave souls from the stand made upon them though were thrown off to the side in a pile awaiting a cart to haul them to a burn pit being made outside the city walls downwind. Outside stood tow columns of soldiers at attention upon the steps with a crowd of battered and dirty and bloodied civilians, remnants of the prior days of Jule that while so recent seemed so distant a memory to these hardened survivors. Women with blood dripping from their thighs and lips, men with visibly broken appendages, children with faces black from soot from the fires. Jule was known to be a larger city on this side of the continent with a population over 2000 people. Yet, amongst the crowd there were maybe 300. Yes there were others amidst the rubble and homes still cowering or being mistreated, but this was the remains of the beautiful city. While the soldiers could have gone further in their sacking the general and leaders knew they needed a workforce for the daily job lest they be forced to have their own men expend energy to day city life roles.

"Ahh people of Jule, and my ferocious soldiers of Dol, lend me your ears!" Conner spoke with hands raised and a boisterous tone denoting instantly to all in attendance that while he was the general of the force, he was more nobleman than titan of combat. "I am Conner Bolden, a knight under the liege lord Chile of house Bruin." The general gestured toward the golden bear sigil now hanging from the front of the keep. "As may be witnessed from the scenery, house Savoy has been defeated, and you are no longer servants of the little boys of Savoy." The tone shifted to being more diminutive toward the former house holding the city. "I, at my liege lord's request have taken hold of this city to be ruled by myself Conner Bolden, under the banner of the Bear of Bruin. Jule is now a vassal state of the Bruin fiefdom."

The words stung the people's ears. For all their known history for those of any learning at all, other than the recent development in the north with house Valtrex annexing lands and towns, no other house had even tried to occupy additional towns and cities. It was unheard of. Especially that Dol was at least a 1 month march from Jule, and many many smaller villages and towns were between the two.

"It seems they need convincing General." Simon spoke as he saw the confused and reluctant faces of the commoners below him.

"Ahh there's Henny." Conner spoke as he heard the patter of feet from inside the keep. "Simon bring me chopping block!"

"Sire, are you sure? This is Hain Savoy!" the faithful soldier understood the command but thought the young lord was a good bargaining chip to hold hostage.

"Public execution, it's very convincing." Conner retorted. Simon paused for a second then signaled for a few men to fetch and setup the block. The men stumbled about with the large wooden block but quickly set it into place once the trouble of steps were no longer an issue. During this moment a shrill hush completely befell the crowd. The civilians weren't exactly making noise anyway due to the circumstances but now the level of quiet reached new heights as nearly every motion and jostle of men with the wooden block could be heard by all in the view of the keep entryway.

"Sir here is the pup." Henny spoke as he pulled the little lord forward. Hain's hands were bound and his feet were in chains. He still wore his regal attire but the luster was completely gone as now dirt, soot, and blood covered the material from head to toe. Hain was only a young man of twelve years, and yet he looked so much older from the condition and dour disposition upon him. Conner gave him a good onceover while the men finished setting the wood.

"Good place the boy on the block." Henny nodded in agreement and even let out a quaint smile as the he drug the foggy minded boy over to the block and placed his neck over the chop. All in attendance puckered up as they recognized their young lord on the wood. The Savoy family had always treated the people well and were well loved by their subjects. Many broken out in tears as they watched helplessly as their young liege was laying neck exposed upon death's doorstep.

"I am sure you all recognize good Hain Savoy upon my block!" Conner spoke gesturing to the boy who began coming to his senses and was now visibly frightened with bubbling tears and snot spewing firth in terror from his face as he lay there helpless to sort his own fate. "Young Hain has forfeited his regency over you, by failing to protect you in your hour of need." The soldiers present began laughing while wails from the crowd of civilians became the prevailing noises. Conner strutted toward the young boy crying and weeping in fear of the moment. He removed his sword from his scabbard, it was a beautiful blade of silver polish and cleaner than anything else present in the city at the moment. "Are there any last words Hain?"

…."Please." the boy tried to find words through his tears. "PLEASE I DON'T WANT TO D.."

"SHUNNK!" Conner was not about to go about hearing some mutter teary pleas from the boy. He smacked his blade true into the boy's neck upon the block. The blade cut through most of Hain's neck and spine on the first slice, however it was not fully cleaved. The boy was silent yet the head was not fully severed. Conner winced in frustration at the failed chop and proceeded a second swing much to the continued wailing and fainting of people in the crowd.

"TONNNK!" The second strike hit high and completely missed the remaining tendons that were connected all together. Conner was more frustrated now, and slightly embarrassed two fail a second time in front of his men. Worse yet upon pulling the blade upward for a third try, the blade was stuck in the wooden block.

"STUPID SWORD!" He muttered with force as he now used both hands to retrieve the blade. Upon pulling it out he flailed back a few steps from the recoil force. He took a deep breath after a few seconds to regain his composure and see to it that this time he finished the job fully.

"CHUNK!" He closed his eyes as he grunted this third attempt into the remaining connected tissue. Opening his eyes he could see that he had once more failed, despite hitting closer, young Hain's head still was connected to his torso, though barely.

"BULL! GET LOOSE! STUPID SKULL!" Realizing that his silver sword was once again stuck in the block Conner fully lost his composure after another failed attempt and inability to retrieve his blade from the chop. He angrily began cursing the block and boy, and then proceeded to stomp the head free from the body.

"GET OFF! GET OFF! GET OFF!" The scene turned gory beyond the initial shock, women whom had faintly previously and came to suddenly found themselves vomiting from the scene on display, as their lord's head was now being stomped to bit rather than being cleaved correctly. Even several of the soldiers on looking were grossed out and found themselves fighting back vomit, some failing in that endeavor.

Four stomps in…Finally the head was separated as the torso flung back violently and spewed blood forth upon Henny and the two soldiers at his side. Conner was relieved to see the deed was now finally done. He hunched over for several deep breathes. Before regaining his visible dignity and quaffing his hair back, unaware that his gloves were maligned with wet spattered blood of the executed boy, smearing red upon his previously clean visage to show a more true character to those in attendance. Though no one dared make a comment. "Mount the head upon a spike Henny and put it on display for the townsfolk to see." Conner said huffing and pushing with his foot against the block to free his sword.

"What head General?" Henny retorted as Conner wicked the blade and returned it to his scabbard. The out of breath noble was confused by the statement as he knew Henny saw the action.

"Hain's head!" He pointed toward the block fresh with warm bubbling blood and noble flesh. "What else could I mean?"

"Sire." Simon called forth. "Look at the head." Conner moved to in front of the block and quickly realized the truth: in his raging fit of embarrassed energy he had completely smashed the skull of Hain to bits. There was no longer a solid head to display.

Without missing a beat, Conner had a new option. "Fine then display the body, hung upside down." Henny nodded and the two soldiers beside him and he took the corpse and made the arrangements as Conner moved inside the keep to find a washing bowl of water to clean himself, only now noticing the wet blood upon his gloves.

Simon ordered the crowd dispersed and tasks returned to as the cleansing of the city was a top priority followed by repair to structures damaged during the battle. The scene was a gross one, one that Simon did not agree with, but he trusted that it was a solid message that was sent to the people of the town that the Bruin force was the current law, and no longer the Savoy house.

Jule had fully fallen.