Caden took a deep breath and began his duty. �I, Chief Commander in Arms Caden Aminita, the appointed lord of this land hereby charge you with the following acts: conspiring against the King, conspiring against the local government, causing a riot, worshipping false idols against the One God, and participating and endorsing a function of false worship, the death of a cumulated 8 soldiers and 39 civilians due to your actions. I find you guilty of all charges and decree that the punishment be your death. What have you to say of these charges?�
�Please. I beg you. Don�t kill me. I denounce the Goddess and her false family. I spit,� he said and finished with a spit that stuck to his lips and bubbled as he continued to talk, �on them. I was wrong. I see how wrong I was. I have changed. Your wisdom and benevolence has changed me. I wish only to serve you and your glorious King for the rest of my life. I beg of you, my life. The life of your humble servant,� whined Ewald.
Unable to speak from revulsion, Caden dropped his hand in disgust. He turned his head as the axe fell upon the man�s neck with the thud of a butcher�s knife through a leg of lamb. The head rolled spraying its last blood, its expression forever frozen in his desperate plea.
Xandra felt a sudden rush and stood up from his seat. She stared at the head feeling sick but filled with purpose. �Know this. The king will not stand any longer for your disrespect. Nor will my brother. Today you look upon the face of your hero and know that anyone who dares to defy the King�s right over this land will share his fate!� she hissed. A cheer arose from the soldiers and it fueled the energy coursing through her veins. �Long live the King and forever may the One God the True God shine upon you!� Caden caught Xandra�s hand. �Enough. The point has been driven, let us retreat,� he said.
Xandra nodded. �It is far too hot to be standing in the sun. Quickly, we must go before my person stinks of this place,� she said. Xandra let herself be escorted by Commander Ifor away from the scaffold.
Caden turned to Nerys. �She is zealous. Imagine that. I expected her to swoon,� she said with a smile. �I must leave before I swoon like a child-women myself,� he said. Nerys looked at him sympathetically. �One can only hope this will bring peace,� she said.
Caden shook his head. �No. Violence never brings peace. I may control them out of fear for now, but soon it will become resentment and another will rise to take his place. A hydra these rebels are, for every one you kill his brother, cousin, lover joins,� sighed Caden.
Nerys shrugged. �Kill them all then,� she said glibly. �What?� he stammered.
She smiled. �I am joking. It is a good plan though. I heard it is even being considered at the table of the Great Ones,� she said.
�Ah, yes. Genocide. What a lovely little options. You know my soldiers have found killing young babes in the cradle has prevented any future criminal behavior, too bad the study started only a cycle ago and no results as of yet to report,� he said.
�Ah really? I�m sure it will prove most useful in the distant future,� said Nerys. �Besides, at least one good thing has come of it.�
�What is that?� he asked.
�Xandra has stop wenching like a cat locked outside in the rain,� said Nerys with a laugh.
�I, Chief Commander in Arms Caden Aminita, the appointed lord of this land hereby decree a execution to happen daily as to please my sister-wife,� said Caden.
Nerys laughed. �Caden, you go too far!�
�You really think so?� he asked startled.
�Yes! To think one execution will satisfy her majestic princess Xandra! You would have to execute one every hour for it won�t even be dinner when Xandra resumes her hatred for this dirty little hole!�
�Dinner! Yes! I have arranged for a dinner in honor of everything. Mostly your coming here, of course,� he said.
�Really? Where? At the fort?� she asked excited.
�Tree-top Tavern. It�s a quaint little place the soldiers are fond of. The architecture is amazing! It is a living part of a great oak, nestled in her branches, and every year they gain another inch of floor space! The ale is tip top not too watered down, noticed how I say not TOO watered down, and the food is delicious. The owner and his wife are friendly loyalists and the daughter�,� he trailed off.
�Daughter?� she asked.
�Will be serving us tonight as a special treat to show his support,� he said.
She nodded. �Well, I hope she is good at it. I care not for heredity as long as she keeps my cup full,� she said.
�Ah, yes, exactly,� he said.
Nerys looked at him suspiciously. �What aren�t you telling me?� she asked hurt. Caden shook his head quickly. �I share everything with you, Nerys. My friend. I am merely drained from the execution,� he said.
�I don�t believe you,� she said angrily. She stormed off after the retreating Xandra ignoring Caden�s arm. �
Nerys! Wife!� he called out. She didn�t even turn around. �Damn,� he said