Broken Honour by Warhammer

Author:Warhammer [Warhammer]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

100

“Castration and burning at the stake,” Gunter replied with the cold certainty of a

man who had read that particular part of the holy text with a thorough interest.

There was another cry of anguish, but this time it was from the man who fell to

his knees.

“It’s not my fault, captain,” he wailed. “I’m a soldier. She led me on, she—”

“Stop making that noise,” Erikson told him. “Nobody is getting castrated or

burned. Not in my company.”

“Thank you, captain,” the man beamed. “You won’t regret it.”

“Don’t mention it,” Erikson said with a magnanimous wave. “After all, you were

one of the Gentleman’s Free Company of Hergig. Gunter, take this girl to her family

and tell them what’s happening. You two men, bind this man’s hands. And you, go

and tell Alter to assemble the company in the parade ground.”

“Why?” Traudl said, bewilderment writ large on his broad face.

“Silence from the prisoner,” Erikson snapped as the condemned man’s hands

were bound behind his back with a twist of baling twine.

“Come on,” Erikson said. “Get him on his feet. Let’s get this over with.”

“But why have you tied my hands?” Traudl asked as he was hauled along behind

his captain. “I am one of you. I’m your comrade.”

“Not anymore,” Erikson told him, and led the little party into the square of hard-

packed earth that served as the company’s parade ground. The free company was

already assembling, eager for any excuse to leave the blistering labour they were

carrying out on the stockade. Sergeant Alter hurried them into ranks and files as

Erikson waited, his prisoner behind him.

Behind the soldiers the population of Nalderstein assembled. He waited until the

sobbing girl, her face still wet with tears even as she stood within the safe knot of her

family, appeared from one of the narrow streets that led to the square.

“This man,” Erikson addressed them, “has abused the hospitality of the people of

Nalderstein. For this crime he will spend three days and three nights in the stocks,

after which he will be dismissed from the company The next man to commit such a

crime will be hanged. Any questions?”

“What did he do, captain?” Porter asked, his voice rich with morbid curiosity.

“Abused the hospitality of the people of Nalderstein,” Erikson told him.

“I meant what did he do precisely?”

Erikson repressed a sigh. At times like this he regretted making Porter

quartermaster. The man could never leave well enough alone.

“What he did precisely was inconvenience a young lady.”

“Inconvenience!” the roar echoed around the yard and one of the civilians, his

voice bellowing like a bull’s and his face as red as the rag which had enraged it,

pushed through his fellows. “He did a lot more than inconvenience her. She’s my

little girl, and she hasn’t even seen her fourteenth summer.”

An angry murmur rose up from the townspeople. It reminded Erikson of the noise

of a hornets’ nest.

“I am well aware of that, sir,” Erikson addressed him. “And as the girl’s father

your rage does you credit. But he will be punished.”

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