WORRLGENHALL (18 page)

“
He looks this way.” Belon noticed, yet he still thought nothing of it.

“
The king is above us, he looks to the king,” Ogorec quickly commented now coming back to reality, and looked away.

**

As Nona’s heart sank the day nearing over, now down the ten men, as Irek rode in front of them, he stopped when he saw Laad riding towards them.

“
I beg forgiveness,” Laad said, as he lined his horse with the men, “For not lining the men when it began.”

“
It is not right,” Borek protested immediately, because he hated Laad, “That he comes and stands with us and has not vied all day.”

“
Such is true.” Irek said annoyed with Laad because of it.

“
Then I ask,” Laad offered, “To prove myself.”

“
How?” Borek boasted, “We have all had our chances and I lead.”

“
Speak what is Borek’s place,” Laad said confidently, “And if I do less than even one, it means I cannot line this row with you. If not, it means I can.”

“
I believe,” Irek said without dwell, “That as fair.”

When Nona saw Laad, she eagerly moved to the last ledge to watch him with their son in her arms, and just as she said she would, cheered as he joined the row of ten.

“Look,” Bayl said; then stood, “Laad joins them.”

Surprised and curious, Ogorec and Belon moved forward for a better view and listened as Irek told Laad what all the men had done most of the day to be able to be there now.

“Who did Laad serve under?” Ogorec asked.

“
He served under Lord Bayl.”

“
I reasoned him only a bowman,” Ogorec said, “I gather it will be hard to go beyond the others?”

“
He is gifted.” Belon already knew from watching him firsthand in many battles, “As you will see.”

Irek rode in front of Laad.

“Borek has gotten ten rings from ten with his lance, as Loth has,” he said, “Glen has hit the center of the straw seven times with his arrow from seven. Goren has stuck the lance into the center of the straw ten times from ten and all ten have fared even in all.”

“
I am ready,” Laad said, as he rode off.

His main priority above all, Laad rode off and looked into the crowd for Nona; then when he saw her, hurried over to her.

As she smiled at him, their son in her arms, as all watched, he sat on his horse in front of her.

“
Blow a kiss to me that I may do well,” he called out to her.

“
You will my husband!” Nona shouted, as she leaned and blew him a kiss.

After his wife wished him well, Laad hurried back and took his place in front of the rings, and as if nothi
ng, he took fifteen with no miss before moving right away to the straw. Already in command of the bowman, if he had missed, a great gasp would have come from many, but again, as if nothing, he hit his mark all eight; and two more.

“
Lances,” Laad said smiling to Irek, who pursed his lips amused by his haughtiness.

The lance stuck into earth, he pulled it up and balanced it in his hand.

“I have not made much use of lances,” he said, as he tossed it high in his hand a few times judging the feel and weight from his horse.

Ten times out of ten, Laad landed the lance in the center of the straw, and as all cheered, he only heard the cheers from Nona, as he looked to her and smiled.

“Laad,” Irek said, when the cheering turned to a dull roar.

“
Yes.”

“
Take your place in line.”

Borek
’s face snarled, now so angry that he could not look at Laad when he moved to sit next to him.

“
Haughty is your spirit,” he murmured seething, “As you lay face down in the dirt bleeding, I swear you will be humbled by me.”

From his threat,
Laad looked at him. “You speak as would an enemy; shall I treat you as one?”

“
I speak the words of truth,” Borek’s threat before he moved from beside him.

Irek rode down the line of ten, putting his sword on Borek, Goren, Glen, Laad, Danal, and Loth
’s head, then the others he sent away, and among those was Ovfren.

Each man paired off by Irek according to the lot pulled, secretly Borek had begged in his heart to pull Laad, and when he did, he could hardly control himself.

“It is fate,” Borek said, as he grabbed his sword, “That I drew you in this lot.”

Laad gave Borek a simple nod, then moved to watch as Danal and Glen fought, and their bout over as soon as it began, both respectful of the other, Danal pleaded for mercy with no cut upon him, and Glen wa
s the victor.

Next Goren and Loth fought, and just as the first was before, with no cut upon the other, Goren pleaded for mercy, and Loth was the victor.

As Laad looked over at Borek, who glared at him with hate, he picked up his sword.

“
Our fight, my friend,” Laad said in good spirit, “Is not as enemy to enemy. We fight for the king and should be as brothers. Let us fight fitting for place like the others have.”

“
Brother! Ha! That we will never be, and shall remain what we are.”

“
And what are we?”

“
Foes would be more fitting,” Borek spewed, as his raised his sword and got a shield.

Again, Laad nodded to Borek and got a shield too; but unlike the other four who fought, as Laad and Borek circled each other both with shields, silence filled the crowd.

As Nona sat, she breathed heavily, noticing the look on Laad’s face. Serious it was to Borek, whose face held a scowl and fear filled her heart.

Noticing they fought with shields, Belon looked at Ogorec and knew something was wrong; then looked up at Bayl.

“Their fight will end with blood, my lord,” Belon spoke concerned, “I beg you have Irek come between them.

“
One has set himself against the other.” Bayl resolved, “How can you have one who wants you dead, under your command in battle? It would be better to have him gut you openly that expect him to defend you.”

Once again, Laad tried to reason with Borek, curious what made him despise him.

“What have I done to you?” he asked, as they circled, “That you long to spill my blood.”

“
You breathe,” Borek’s answer, while charging towards him.

“
My beloved watches me,” Laad again tried to reason with him, as he moved backwards to avoid being cut, “It is not my wish for her to see you cut wide open, as she saw with Uded.”

“
You vermin!” he blared from Laad’s words, “Such words from you are why I care not if you live you die. Uded was my uncle!”

“
Then we have no more need for words.” Laad resolved, and with that he charged him too.

As their swords clashed such were their sounds each time it did, Nona flinched, then as Laad fe
ll to the ground, as Borek’s sword came towards his face, she thought she would faint, but their child in her arms stayed strong.

Laad
’s shield blocking his forceful blows including the one towards his face, all knew they now fought to the death, and the once cheering crowd now silently watching, Laad looked over to Nona who stood frozen with fear with his son in her arms.

His heart anguished she had to watch, to spare her torment, he set his mind to end the spectacle Borek created and charged him fiercely
making each blow stronger than the one before forcing Borek to pull backwards unable to strike back.

“
Uuuhhh!” He groaned loudly when one of Laad’s blows slashed his left wrist forcing him instantly to release his sword.

“
I have drawn first blood,” he said, his sword pointed at his throat, “Ask it, I will grant mercy.”

“
Mercy,” Borek’s false plea through lying teeth, and as Laad turned to walk away, he quickly picked up his sword.

With sword again in hand, the crowd
’s silence broken by gasps as he ran towards Laad, who swiftly turned and with just with one effortlessly sway cut off Borek’s hair on his right side with his sword.

“
Beg! Laad ordered, as Borek angrily grunted annoyed, before grabbing his head, and looking down as his hair cascaded to the earth, “Or I will take the other side.”

“
Mercy!” he cried out, “I beg, I beg for mercy!”

Believing their battle over, Laad turned his back to Borek and began to walk towards the garden wall, bu
t just as he had done before, Borek hurried towards Laad again to try to strike him down.

His hateful grunt revealing his intent as he approached him, Laad turned wielding his sword this time taking off three of Borek
’s fingers on his left hand making him again drop his sword, and as Borek fell to his knees, Laad stood over him.

“
Leave WorrlgenHall now and make yourself nameless,” he clearly threatened this time, “And if I have the unpleasant fate to see you again, I will slice you open like the filthy swine you are just as I did your uncle.”

Borek scurried away groaning and bleeding, and as he did, Glen and Loth, witnessing first hand Laad
’s mercifulness, as well skill no longer cared to challenge for Lord Helm.

Believing one more deserving already stood i
n front of them, both men looked at the other and simultaneously stuck their swords into the earth yielding with no protest, then nodded to Laad.

“
Laad has won!” one cried out in the crowd, “There are none to challenge him,” the others followed.

Saying not
hing King Rone raised his hand to silence the crowd and motioned for Laad to stand before him.

“
I ask you guild!” King Rone shouted from his square, “Should the stars fall from the sky onto WorrlgenHall how will you defend it?”

Laad looked to Nona, his lo
ve; then raised his chin with certainty and looked back at the king.

“
With my blood, heart, and very soul,” his answer, as he bowed his head.

King Rone nodded pleased with his simple, yet profound answer and with
that, Laad won the challenge.

As if he were
his own son, Irek walked over to Laad.

“
Under my wing you shall be,” he said truly proud, as he put his own specially made sword sideways over his head, before he presented it to him as a gift, “Just as I know it would have been of your father, I to am proud to put it in your hands, as a father would a son.”

“
Such a well made sword,” Laad said, before he took it, “I am not worthy.”

“
You are more than,” he spoke with certainty, “Take it and with it bring about honor and wrath to those deserving.”

Humbly,
Laad nodded as he took the sword and held it high; then right away kneeled in front of the king, and held it sideways in his hand after he kneeled; then once told to rise, he raised his sword to Nona and blew her a kiss before he left the garden.

The crowd
’s attention now on Nona, she felt herself above all after Laad blew a kiss to her when she noticed envious eyes upon her.

“
What is he to you?” a woman asked, whom just one of many as they watched Laad fight had tried to get his attention, “Twice he has sought you out over us all.”

“
He is my husband,” Nona said. Her heart swollen with pride, as she watched him walked away. Her body now burning for him, she longed for dusk when she knew he would to come to bed, so she could please him.

**

That night, as the men drank to Laad, who had left them early to go to Nona, Ovfren, who normally didn’t drink much, drank and remained to sullen; then after he had finally had his fill, when he walked away Ogorec, who was there followed him.

“
Such a glum face you have to lose to those men,” he said, as he walked behind him after watching him the whole time, “They are among the best, and I would boast to lose to Laad. He is gifted.”

“
Such glum yes,” Ovfren admitted. His words slightly slurred. “But for what you reason.”

“
Then, speak of it,” Ogorec urged, as he walked alongside him now.

“
The time is not for such words.” Ovfren gathered.

Ogorec stopped, as Ovfren walked ahead, but as he watched him walk, he mentioned what he noticed earlier in the garden.

“I must ask you,” he said, although hesitant, “Did you set yourself to look to me when you did well as you vied?”

“
I did.”

“
Why?”