Kingdom's Hope (3 page)

The mighty Lord Fairos lay helpless before his “slave.” Both men were breathing hard, and sweat poured from their faces.

“I will not plead for mercy like Keston, slave,” Fairos said with disgust between breaths.

Leinad stood over Fairos with the shining blade of his sword aimed at Fairos's chest. “Let the people go, Fairos,” Leinad commanded.

“I will never let them go. You will have to kill me!”

Leinad looked at the guards, overseers, and slaves—all stunned, waiting for his action. He didn't want any more bloodshed. If he killed Fairos, the loyal guards could turn the scene into a massacre of the slaves. He needed Fairos to order the release of the people. It would be the only peaceful way to free them. He looked down at Fairos and stared into his eyes.

“No, Fairos, I will not kill you. I will do something far worse than that to you. I will let you live. You will live with the shame that a lowly slave on a mission from the King defeated you.” He withdrew his sword and held it high in the air. He turned and faced the people.

“People of Nyland!” he shouted. “Let it be known that
by the might of the King's sword, mighty Fairos was defeated. I challenge Fairos to another contest tomorrow. If he defeats me, I will serve as a slave under his hand until my heart beats no more. If I am victorious, let this be proof that the King reigns and that He will bring judgment upon you for enslaving His people.”

Leinad sheathed his sword and glared at Fairos once more. “If there is any honor left in you, meet me here tomorrow.”

“I will meet you and kill you, slave!” Fairos said.

Leinad walked past him to his horse, Freedom.

T
ESS HAD BEEN WITH A
large procession of slaves returning with a new load of bricks for the castle when she first saw the crowd gathered about the drawbridge. As the slave caravan moved closer, Tess watched the last sequence of the fight between the two men and sensed something familiar about one of them, even from a distance.

She tried to move faster, but the nearest overseer detained her. Her mind dared not think the impossible, but she could not quench the hope rising within her heart. For weeks she had mourned the death of Leinad. Then, when he spoke to the crowd, she felt as though her stomach flipped within her. She broke from the other slaves and ran toward the drawbridge despite the severe punishment she knew she would receive. The mere thought that her dearest friend might still be alive was all she needed to abandon caution and seek out the truth.

Leinad had finished speaking as she passed Barak at the head of the slave caravan.

“Leinad!” she called.

Barak released the coils of his whip and unleashed a vicious lash toward her back. “Back in line, slave!” he bellowed as the tip of his whip tore into her back.

Tess screamed and fell to the ground in pain. Barak took a couple steps forward to execute more punishment, but Leinad heard her call and her scream. He drew his sword and quickly covered the distance between them.

Barak's whip split the air again, racing to tear more flesh on Tess's back. Leinad precisely crosscut with his sword just above her head and cleanly severed one-third of Barak's whip. Leinad slowed his approach but continued toward Barak with the wrath of a protective tiger. No one around challenged or stopped him, for he had just beaten the best swordsman in all of Nyland.

Barak retreated a few steps, then pulled back what remained of his whip and directed a lash toward Leinad this time. Leinad sliced the next third off the whip. Barak threw what remained of his whip at Leinad and fell back against a cart full of bricks.

“Stop him!” Barak yelled to the other overseers, but they did not move.

Leinad closed in on Barak and pressed the tip of his sword into the fat of Barak's neck. He glared into Barak's pale white face with fire in his eyes. Barak looked like a frightened cornered rat.

“Many slaves have died at your evil hands, Barak,” Leinad said. “If you ever harm another slave, I will hunt you down and bring justice by the edge of my sword. I swear it!”

Leinad turned back to Tess. She was already on her feet
and running to him. She leapt and hugged him with both arms locked around his neck.

“Hello, Sunshine,” he said, gently returning her embrace.

“I thought you were dead,” she said tearfully, still clinging to his neck.

“So did I. But the King brought me back.”

She stepped back and looked into his face as if to reassure herself that he was real.

“Let's get out of here, Tess,” he said, and they walked to Freedom.

Just before they mounted, Leinad saw Fairos walk over to Keston's body, pick up his sword, and return to the castle. The humiliation he had just experienced seemed to fuel his anger with every step. When he reached his guards across the drawbridge, he stopped and pointed to one of them.

“You! Draw your sword!”

The guard hesitantly drew his sword, and Fairos attacked him. The guard defended himself as best he could, but Fairos quickly ran him through, and he fell dead at Fairos's feet. Fairos pointed to another.

“Draw your sword!” he commanded.

Again, another fell. Then another, until all of his guards cowered before him. He threw Keston's sword to the ground and pointed toward Leinad.

“I am Lord Fairos! Tomorrow he dies! Double the work shifts of all slaves!” Fairos turned and entered the gates of his castle.

Leinad mounted Freedom and pulled Tess onto the
horse behind him. “Have faith, people!” he called. “The King will set you free. Have faith!”

Leinad took Tess to the sanctity of the countryside to let her taste freedom once again … at least for a day.

HARDENED HEART

Leinad and Tess found shelter within a quiet grove of trees a few hours' ride from Pyron Mid. During the ride, they had talked about his experience in the desert and his training with the King.

Leinad dismounted near a brook that meandered through the trees. He helped Tess down from the horse and saw her flinch.

“How's that cut, Tess?” he asked.

“It'll be fine. It's just a scratch.”

She shrugged, but Leinad turned her so he could see the wound more clearly. It was on her lower back on the right side. Most of the bleeding had stopped, but it looked painful.

“It's not just a scratch,” Leinad said, wishing he had stopped and dressed the wound earlier. “We need to wash it and cover it. Come over to the water.”

Leinad washed the dried blood and cleaned the cut.
Barak was an expert with the whip … Leinad could testify to that. Although the cut was not too deep, it was as long as the span of his hand. He was quite concerned since he knew that unattended wounds could fester and even cause death. He applied some of the sweet-smelling salve the King had given him.

“What's that?” Tess asked.

“It's an ointment made from a rare spice found across the Great Sea. It's called the Life Spice. My father once told me about it, but I'd never seen any until I met the King.”

Leinad wrapped a clean cloth around Tess's waist and covered the gash.

“It feels better already. Thanks!” She grabbed Leinad's arm and looked into his eyes with a heartwarming smile. Tess kept her hair tied back, and she swept a few loose strands from her soiled face.

“I missed you, Leinad. I still can't believe you're alive.”

“I missed you too, Tess. Every day my hope was that you would be all right until I returned,” he said, returning the smile. Their temporary separation coupled with the possibility of never seeing each other again had caused them both to realize how important and deep their friendship had become.

Tess washed up in the cool water while Leinad built a fire and fixed some food. They enjoyed their meal together and talked at length about the King and their future.

“Well, Leinad, here we are again … the two of us with the whole kingdom to explore.” Leinad read concern on her face. She looked earnestly at him. “I want so badly to just leave this wretched place. I don't want to lose you
again, Leinad. Please don't fight Fairos tomorrow.”

“You know I have to go back, Tess. The King's people will die there unless I do. We are part of them now. Don't worry, the King will deliver all of us from the hand of Fairos.”

Tess looked solemnly at the ground. “I know we must go back. I couldn't leave them either. I just wish there was a better way than to see you face Fairos again.”

Leinad looked sharply at Tess. “
We
are not going back.
I
am going back, and
you
are staying here, where it is safe, until I return,” Leinad said.

Tess narrowed her eyes at Leinad. “I am going with you! I will run all the way to Pyron Mid if I must.”

Leinad shook his head and looked upset, but he loved her courage. “Get some sleep, Tess. We both need it.”

The weariness of slavery had taken its toll on Tess, and Leinad was exhausted from the sword fights earlier that day. Tomorrow was going to be another very intense day.

T
HE NEXT MORNING, THEY ATE
their breakfast in silence.

“You're not coming with me, Tess,” Leinad finally said. “I don't know how Fairos will respond, and it might get brutal. Yesterday he demonstrated just how barbaric he can be.”

“I suppose you're right,” Tess said. “It's much safer to leave a helpless young girl in the wilderness all alone.”

Leinad couldn't help the smirk, which turned into a smile. “You are an ornery lass and have been from the first time I met you.”

Leinad and Tess made their way back to Pyron Mid and arrived just before noon. The cool morning air was quickly
consumed by the sun of a cloudless day. At the castle, the entire entourage of guards, overseers, servants, and slaves were gathered around the drawbridge. Leinad and Tess dismounted.

“Promise me you will not die, Leinad,” Tess whispered to him.

“I promise, Tess. The King will be my strength and my assurance.”

Tess took Freedom aside, and Leinad walked through the aisle formed by the crowd leading up to the drawbridge. The slaves looked more worn than usual. Leinad tried to encourage them with a determined smile, but most of them looked weary and empty. The younger ones responded enough to fuel Leinad's drive. He walked to the middle of the drawbridge and waited.

Fairos soon appeared and approached Leinad. “As you can see, I have gathered everyone so that they may witness your death today, slave. Your futile attempt to rescue these pathetic people is over, and so is your life.”

“The King demands one thing from you, Fairos,” Leinad replied with authority. “He made a promise to free these people. If I die today, you can be assured that another will come who is much more powerful than I. Either way, your time is short unless you let His people go.”

“I am king here,” Fairos said, drawing his sword, “and I swear by the power of my sword that I will never let these slaves go!”