Bitter End

Sir Aeric and Alis meet with a delegation sent from Earl Redburr.

56.

Bitter End

 

 

 

 

Darkness fell, and the enemy across the bridge seemed almost oblivious to the other camp.    They made no offensive gestures and seemed to be genuinely tending to their many injured.   

Aeric could not get rid of the strong feeling that an enemy scheme was being played out   After wrestling with sleep for several hours, he finally gave up.   He stood outside his tent staring at the camp across the bridge for nearly an hour before dawn, until Alis joined him.

“Any changes?”  She asked, slipping her arm around him.

“No, they’re acting almost as if we were their allies.   What enemy camps within bow range of their foes?    Something isn’t right about this.    Aaron told me that when they charged their line, they didn’t put up anything but a token resistance.    We only lost three men today.    This is some scheme by Redburr or his Imperial advisors.”

“Perhaps they fear us and they’re only trying to delay us while the rest of their troops flee to Southgate.”

“I thought of that, but I don’t think the Emperor would give up Southgate.”

“Well, no matter what their plan is, you need to get some sleep, my love.   We’ll have to rise soon.”

Aeric sighed and kissed his wife, “You’re right, but it is nearly dawn now, so what is the point?   I just feel uneasy about this whole thing.    I wish it was all over.”

“It will be soon.   Come and get at least an hour’s sleep.”

He nodded and was turning to join his wife in rest when a guard ran up to him, “My Lord, we have a delegation coming across the bridge under the flag of truce!”

“Are they armed?”

“No, My Lord.”

“How many in number?”

“Three, Lord.   They asked to speak to you.”

“Very well, but search them for weapons anyway.   I will come to the edge of the bridge to speak to them.”

“I’m going with you.”  Alis told him as the guard hurried away.

“No need, my love.”

“Never-the-less, I want to hear what they have to say.”

“Alright, but be wary, this could be part of their plan.”

“At least we know they shouldn’t be using magic.”

“Yes, but make certain you have your autocaster on.”

“I never take it off.”  She replied, glancing at his finger to verify the presence of his matching ring.

***

A few minutes later Aeric and Alis, surrounded by thirty wary guards, walked to the bridge to receive the delegation.   

“They are unarmed, My Lord.”   A guard told him, and the three men - mere foot soldiers from their appearance- bowed respectfully to them.  In the east, the darkness began to slowly fade as dawn approached.

“I am Sir Aeric, commanding the forces of the Duke and Duchess of Dullerm and Westmark.    Why do you come to us under the flag of truce?”

One of the men stepped forward slightly, “Sir, we were sent by our Lord, Earl Redburr, to seek a meeting with you to discuss the terms of surrender.”

“Surrender?”   Aeric exclaimed, genuinely surprised.

“Yes, sir.” The soldier looked down at the ground, avoiding Aeric’s gaze, “Earl Redburr was injured grievously yesterday in the battle.”

“Redburr was with your forces yesterday?”

“Yes sir, he fears that his time is short and he seeks peace between his Kingdom and Westmark.”

“He has no Kingdom, soldier.”

“Those were his words, sir.   I am only repeating what was commanded me to tell you.    I hold a scroll from my Lord that I was instructed to give to you.”    He handed a scroll wrapped in a damp cloth to Alis.

“Why is it wrapped?”   Alis asked, reluctantly taking the bundle.

“He is bleeding from his wounds, ma’am.  He wrote it in his own hand, but dripped blood on it.   I wrapped it in cloth because of this.”

“He’s bleeding that badly?”

“Yes, ma’am.   He is dying and none of our doctors can stop the flow of blood.    It is urgent.”  

Alis looked at Aeric and he held out his hand for the scroll.  

“Very well, we’ll read it.”

“We will wait on our end of the bridge for your reply.”   The spokesman for the delegation told him.

“No, you’ll wait here while I read it.”   Aeric replied, and the man seemed to pale slightly upon hearing this, and shot a quick glance to his companions, one of whom gave a subtle shake of his head.

Aeric looked over at Alis, who was glancing at her hands which were moist with what looked like blood.   His own hands were also covered with blood.

“No, in fact, you unwrap it and read it to me.”   He said, handing the cloth wrapped scroll back to the man.

“B-but, sir-“He stammered.

“Read it to me.”  Aeric commanded, his head beginning to hurt from the tension.

“Alright.”  The enemy spokesman replied, and with visibly shaking hands, began to unwrap the scroll.

“If this is some sort of ploy…”  Aeric warned.

“Oh, no sir!”   The man responded much too quickly.

“Aeric!”  Alis suddenly cried out.   He spun to find his wife wide-eyed and covered with sweat, “Something’s not right!    I think its contact poison!”

As soon as she spoke, the three men from the enemy camp bolted into action, but were tackled before they had run more than a few feet.

Yet Aeric did not see this, for as he leaned over to assist Alis, he felt his chest tighten up and his throat constrict.   Gasping for breath, he fell on top of his wife.   The last thing he saw was her dilated pupils.   Then Aeric joined Alis in death.

Reviews

[Elina]

"Aeric could not get out of his mind a strong feeling of an enemy scheme being played out." Perhaps, instead, "Aeric could not get rid of the strong feeling that an enemy scheme was being played out." ?
"That was his words, sir." You'll want to change "that was" to "those were."