The Girl and the Golden Mirror by Travis A. Chapman

Author:Travis A. Chapman
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Chronicles of the Way & The Darkness Prequel
Publisher: Thorium Publishing
Published: 2017-08-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

Ahmed swung in the dry breeze kissing the hills around Ghmam. The same breeze that kissed the cheeks of Saracens defending their homeland from white barbarians. That kissed the cheeks of noble Christian knights and pilgrims seeking to restore the man Jesus’ kingdom in this world. The Kingdom of Heaven, some said. Kissing the lips of peaceful women and children trying to survive in the midst of such great upheaval. It kissed the cold, dead lips and pale face of our prisoner, then passed on without memory.

Once I made the decision things progressed quickly. Neither Baldur nor Joram put up much fight. Joram recommended we use a tall tree outside the village. Most of the scrub here was low and prickly, myrtles and boxwoods, but the cedars and cypress grew tall. This one had a branch just high enough to display our trophy to any passing by, yet kept him out of the village proper. He wasn’t a lesson for these people. He was a lesson to his peers and a message to El-Salib.

Everyone gathered together at Joram’s command. My men formed an unnecessary shieldwall around the thick trunk of our gallows. Starchaser was saddled to pull the boy up when the time came, after which we’d tie him up there. Jody suggested we’d have a few days till his corpse would need taken down before it came down on its own. I knew the birds would announce our message to the road below. Crows circled above like black sentries scenting death nearby. They were an ill portent.

Everything happened without incident. I stood beside Joram and announced the reason for our coming, Ahmed’s involvement, the punishment chosen for his crime. Safyl’s search had revealed the identity of the girl, Amira. She had gone up to the well to draw the evening water and do some washing. Her parents were distraught when they learned of her loss. Her sister Reem wept beside her family. Her mother wailed like a thousand damned spirits unleashed. Hart had explained his actions to them, where they could mourn their daughter when the time came. He and Joram agreed not to tell them the whole truth of what took place.

Ahmed stood paled-faced and without protest as Joram translated my words to him and the village. It took time to say everything in multiple tongues, but it was right. No one would deny we had done justice. The boy tried to look stern, but he appeared to be lost in the pain of his wounds. I don’t think he really understood what took place. The dog lay beneath the tree, watching everything and everyone. I felt his eyes bore into mine, accusing me. Baldur said words over the kid, asking for forgiveness for his deeds in this life and the next. Wasted words.

Joram and I moved to the crowd and I signaled. Jody cracked Starchaser into motion. My warhorse pulled without issue as the braided leather rope slipped easily over the branch above. Ahmed’s body floated above us, finally coming to a stop.

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