He was lucky, however, a new title and lands as well as a royal blood wife or two or three for that matter. The king was eager to give them out, despite their royal lineage they were not in high demand. They and their mother were rumored not to be very beautiful having the appearance of the pagan breed. However, Caden had only to marry one and one was all he wanted. Her name was Nerys and despite not being beautiful, even to a pagan, she was the only one Caden could stand and the one who many believed wouldn�t marry. Caden like her easy open nature and loved her beautiful frequent smiles.
He sighed heavily. He was young and a recent graduate from the Academy of Soldiers. He had dark black hair and dark brown eyes. His hair was naturally curly and the shorn short way of upper class men created little unruly spikes on top of his head. He had pronounced cheekbones that were very much in fashion at the time. He had a lean muscular frame common to that of the One God men. He wore the uniform of the Chief Commander in Arms which was emerald green opposed to the black of the soldiers. Also, his chest had a flap that could be buttoned up with little onyx buttons to cover his heart and upper chest with a sheet of protective silver metal lined fabric or left open to expose the silver for decoration. Finding it slightly gaudy he always kept his buttoned.
A knock on his cabin�s door, made him nearly fall from his chair. He straightened his uniform and barked sternly, �Enter!�
His second in command Commander Ifor entered the room. �Sir, I have reports from a border patrol that there is a collum of smoke rising in the borderland forest. It may be evidence of the pagan festival,� he reported.
Damn, idiots, he thought. All they had to do was be careful and give him no evidence. No, they had to go and build a bonfire! He pretended to sit back and regard the information to delay the inevitable command. Even if it wasn�t a festival he was still honor bound to check out any unusual signs of smoke, in case of fire or demon disturbances.
�Sir. What are your orders?� he asked tentatively.
�I want a small squad of soldiers to accompany me to the site,� he said.
�Sir. I beg your pardon. Should we set up a perimeter in case it is a festival?� he asked.
�I would think a squad of trained soldiers could handle a few pagan. Don�t you, Ifor?� he asked as he stood up and straightened his uniform. �The king�s finest, of course, a mere field exercise like the hounds chasing rabbits.�
Ifor�s eyes widen with delight. �Would you like the hounds, sir?� he asked.
�Hounds? No, metaphor, my dear Ifor. A thing taught at court, I suppose, not in battle, eh?� he said as a sweat ball formed behind his ear.
Ifor gave his commander and chief a guarded look of dislike. �Yes, sir. In court, sir,� he said. �I ask for your leave to fulfill your orders, chief commander.�
�At once,� he responded. The door shut behind the retreating commander. �I am a jack ass,� said Caden to himself.
Silently, they entered the forest. The foot soldiers first and then the men on horses. The small squad was only 25 men and Caden himself. He rode upon his great palomino horse with it ornate breast plate and saddle. A wedding present from the king. The horse, Aithne, was not happy with the heavy gold and silver gaudy jeweled protection in the least bit. Caden agreed with her. Only five other men were on horses, while ten had swords, five had pikes, and five had bows. It was one of his finest units under his command and dressed from battle. He hadn�t meant to take them.
The sound of drums was heard as they approached the clearing and inward Caden groaned. It would be a bloodbath. They would not hear them approach over the drums until it was too late.
Badir gently placed Ailis on the ground beside him to watch the speech. Ailis leaned against his arm and he wiped the drool from the corner of her mouth gently so it wouldn�t get all over his best, although too big, clothes. He could see his cousin as she danced suggestively for one of the local farm boys. There family was poor and he knew she did some dealings of the flesh on the side. No one directly told him or he would of killed them truth or not. He could see Rhian and Cahira near the front of the mob as close as they could get to the great Ewald. Personally, he thought the great Ewald to be a bit of a moron. First, he spread the word that he was one of the outlawed heir to the Regent. The son who also passed the Trial, the one the soldier were looking for, and then was the one to spread the word of the festival. Some called him brave. Badir just thought he was a moron.