6 - Unforgivable Sins

Clutching the short stone walls of the bridge, he clambered along, barely able to stand on his own feet. His breathing was sharp and short, he had walked so far and still he could not rest, his message was urgent and must be delivered to the Emperor. His world began to become black around him, he felt his legs fall from under him. He hit the floor with an echoing thud. People screamed and jumped out the way, two passing fishermen picked him up and supported his weight and carried him the final steps to the golden gate of Paciadan. The guards looked up with a slight look of panic.
"Whats going on here" One said in a gruffly voice.
"I don't know sir, he fell and I think he has something you will want to hear" the fisherman replied with just as much confusion as the guard.
The guard approached the dangling man cautiously.
"So boy, what does you have to say!" He bellowed at the man as he lifted his chin with two fingers.
"Must.... See... The.... Emperor" His head dropped and he fell unconscious.

The next time he opened his eyes he was somewhere, the room was definitely not informal. Everything in it seemed to be plated with gold, making the room shine. He lifted his head to see a shield staring back at him, the Emperor's emblem of a wolf seems to be howling to wake him up. He heard footsteps behind him of three men. Each of them entered the room with some urgency, their armour clattered as they moved. One of the men stopped in front of me.
"Emperor, stop! We don't know what his intentions are" A guard exclaimed.
The Emperor rose his hand and the two guards stepped back slowly but not too far. He knelt before the battered and bruised man and smiled gently.
"You are a brave man, not many would have come straight to me if they had something to say" He consoled the scraggy man, putting a soft hand on his shoulder "What do you have to tell me son. It must be urgent for you to come before me in this condition"
The man looked up slowly, catching the Emperor's eye. He was expecting them to be dark, cold and scary but he found they were the complete opposite, he felt warmth and love from inside them, making him feel at ease and safe in his own skin for the first time in days.
The man tried to speak but his throat was dry and scratchy. He coughed, lowering his head quickly. The Emperor shot up quickly.
"Bring this brave soul some wine and water"
The guards did not need to be told twice by their commander and chief. One turned and left the room with haste and returned a minute later with two glasses in hand, one coloured red like thick blood and another clear like the calm winter waters of River Fluvius. The Emperor held out his hands and took the glasses from the guard, dropped down in front of his unexpected guest. Mecial gently pressed the clear one against the man's lips and tilted it. The man gulped it down, he only stopped when he reached the bottom of the glass. He let out a long wet breath and panted.
"Thank you.... My Lord.... That was much needed" The man smiled at his Emperor.
Mecial patted his shoulder and spoke gently "Now let's take it slowly and maybe start with your name, what should I call the guest in my office"
"My name is Dalton Hensley, my Lord" He replied.
"Where have you trekked from Dalton?" One of the guards pulled a chair round and the Emperor took his seat in front of Dalton.
"The town of Herra sire, I am a woodcutter there working for the local mill"
The Emperor looked Mr Hensley up and down, the man had obviously been through a rough time. His shirt was ripped to shreds, it just about hung to his shoulders, there were dark red stretches up and down my arms. His face was almost black with dirt and one of his eyes severely bloodshot while the other held a light blue colour. His feet would bright red with blood from broken blisters and jagged toes. The Emperor tried to maintain eye contact with his guest and gave him a soft smile.
"Please, Mr Hensley, tell me what happened to you"
Dalton struggled to collect his words, his eyes filled with tears, one slowly trickled down his face, leaving a trail through the mud on his cheek.
"They took us by surprise, we had no warning, we could do nothing"
"Who?"
"Spectres!" snapped Dalton, catching the Emperor off guard.
He jolted backwards and the guards moved in but he quickly raised a hand and they moved back, putting their half unsheathed swords away that were now tightly clutched in their hands.
Dalton let out a quiet cry "I'm sorry my Lord, I did not mean any offence"
He didn't seem scared by the guards, maybe he had seen worse things than the prospect of death.
The Emperor held his hand lightly "It's ok, I understand that you are in shock, please continue. Where did the Spectres come from?"
"They came over the hills to the north of the town, they swept through people like they were mere ghosts. They killed everyone, burning every house" He shut his eyes tightly and let out another long breath "They killed my wife and son, hacked them down and left them in the streets like stray dogs" He wept as he finished the sentence.
The Emperor bowed his head, placing a hand on the man's shoulder.
"I'm so sorry for your loss my friend, I promise that your family will be avenged and will have not died for nothing"
He rose to his feet, slowly almost with exhaustion of the heavy news he just received. He walked to the guards and one did not hesitate to speak.
"Sir if they really were Spectres then it could only be Yunoki. He's broken the truce" The look of panic and the need for assurance was plain to see on his face.
The Emperor returned his comment with a simple nod, thinking for a few seconds he tried to gather his thoughts. The other guard couldn't wait that long and quickly appealed for an answer.
"My Lord, what are supposed to do?"
The Emperor knew he couldn't let this slide but he had to be sure.
"Right, I want you to assemble a scouting team of ten Skaudids to meet me in the courtyard"
The guards stared at their Lord for a second.
"Now!" He shouted.
The guards scurried quickly and left the room to assemble the expert scout team with their Emperor's orders. He sat down in his chair behind his desk.
"Come!" He called out to a servant beyond the door.
One entered the room and give the Emperor a little bow and was a little taken aback by the damaged looking man in the middle of the room.
Mecial raised and eyebrow at the newcomer and spoke out "Please arrange a room for Mr Hensley and a hot meal. He will be staying with us for a little while" The Emperor walked out the room but not until he gave Dalton a sympathy tap on the shoulder and said gently "I'm sorry Dalton"
Mecial strutted down the corridor with authority and purpose, passing a few people who give him bows before continuing with their own conversation or journeys.
He looked out over the stone courtyard below and could see two ranks of five. His mind was racing, full of images of people dying throughout his kingdom without him knowing. He felt sick to his stomach but knew that an act of war would only mean the destruction of more people and probably his kingdom. He couldn't take King Yunoki without more information, he wouldn't risk that he could sending his men to their deaths. He reached the courtyard and the scouts in front of him stood to attention.
The Skaudids were a race of mutes. Their scaling skin put the shivers through most people's bodies but they were an almost harmless race. They would not hurt someone who did not hurt them first. They were great infiltrators, their quick silent movements allowed them to sneak into even the heavily guarded places. They're most highly known mission to date was the extraction of a kidnapped from within the ground of an army of fifty thousand of King Yunoki's soldiers. Most people only believed they were stuff of legends, someone muttered by people only in quiet conversation. Their black clothes enabled them to movie at night. Their skin also had the ability to change colour dependent on the strength of the sun beaming down upon them.
At the moment they had a slight yellow glow resonating from them as the Emperor look out over his secret force. He walked through them, up and down their ranks, not a single one moved an inch. They trained for years to become the best at what they do and they never failed.
"I have recently learnt of an attack on the town of Herra. I need to confirm that this is true. Send a raven to me once you know the answer. If it is true, I want you to look round the local area, see if you can see any traces of a force. I need to know before I declare war. This is a difficult mission but I have every faith that you will complete my task"
Skaudids were a proud race and always appreciated the chance to impress their Emperor. They were not for hire, they pledged an allegiance to the Emperor after Gorgon attacked Fort Goran. They did not condone the slaughter of innocent people and believed that soldiers signed up to only be relieved by their death and they thought that this was the greatest death that could be had.
They punched a fist to their chest and gave the Emperor a bow. The Emperor returned it.
"Find out their numbers, their troops and their commander. Go now and wish you bring back good news" he said with hope.
His expectations of them finding nothing were very low. He spotted his military commander, Sir Jaxon Barron, walking past. He hurried to be at his side, catching him by surprise.
"Jaxon?!"
"Oh my Lord, oh I do apologise, I did not see you there" He was startled but straightened myself to give his Emperor a bow.
"Please, Jaxon, I keep telling you, you are the only man who does not have to bow before me. You have done more for the Empire than anyone I know" Mecial smiled.
Jaxon tapped his hip "I fear that my fighting days are over Sire, no battles for six years have made my muscles weary" He give himself a little chuckle under his breath.
"Then I apologise because I must ask a favour of you, my most loyal companion"
Jaxon stood to attention, trying to show he was a man who would not lie down and let his old age take him lightly.
"Anything you ask of me my Lord and it will be done"
"I want you to collect five groups of your best and most discreet soldiers. I want them to travel to the five most outward towns on the border on this side of the mountains of Berg. Don't let anyone else know where they are going. I have reason to believe Yunoki has rallied his troops and is trying to take the lowlands secretly."
Jaxon Barron gave his Emperor "It will be done Sire"
He walked off as the Emperor looked round at the people slowly gathering towards the mess hall for lunch and began to wonder how they would look at him if they ever found out his secret.