It was when Sule heard another of these patrols ahead that the day turned real sour. He, warning Kwesi to stay back, crept forward to see which direction to dodge the unit. Kwesi, waiting a little impatiently for his older brother with the three horses, was caught not expecting an attack from behind.
As the soldiers rushed at him, Kwesi pulled his short sword from its sheath, yelled for his brother, and pulled himself on to his steed. Sule turned swiftly to aid Kwesi only to meet a big man armed to the teeth with his sword outstretch directly at his throat. A sudden racket behind the man gave Sule the break he needed. He ducked away from the sharp sword and in the same movement had his own out. Kwesi called out to him to mount up, as Sule strove to do just that, sharp steel bit into his arm. He cried out, nearly dropping his sword and he swung out of the way of another swipe, yelling for Kwesi to go on.
Kwesi, however, started to comply with Sule�s orders, but as he urged the horse forward, a rather quick soldier flew at him out of the bushes knocking him from the horse. They rolled around in the dirt a little while, but the odds were definitely stacked against Kwesi, as he was untrained and only seventeen, the soldier was one of the kingdoms finest soldiers, trained exhaustively in the art of war. Needless to say, the fight didn�t last long. Sule lasted only a little longer with his injured arm.
Hurrying down the path Amala hugged her shawl tightly around her. The wind groaned into the crisp air of twilight as the first stars peeked out tentatively. Her cheeks were soaked with tears of worry, and her feet carried her with the swiftness of fear. The wizard�s house was only a little further ahead, and she could already see the faint lights. By appearance it seemed a usual night in the forest, but Amala could almost feel the tension and dread around her. She rushed on to his door and knocked quickly, shivering as she waited him to answer.
�Amala?� Dylan was surprised, only a hint worry crept into his expression. Outwardly, he managed a general air of calmness as he ushered Amala in. �What has happened?� Dylan led her to the table offering her a hot cup of tea.
Her tears began anew, �Sule and Kwesi--where are they?�
�They didn�t make it home yesterday?�
Amala shook her head, biting back more tears. Her hands were shaking as she clenched the teacup between them, only pretending to drink. She set the cup on the table and looked Dylan straight in the eye. Worry filled her face. �What if--� she broke off with a choked sob. �Dylan, I�m so worried about them.�
�I knew there was something amiss in the forest�� Dylan murmured to himself, to quietly for Amala to hear, and then aloud, �I will bring them back to you, Amala. I promise. I will bring them back.�
The band traveled for two days, before they arrived at the king�s luxurious castle. It loomed before them with a heavy sense of foreboding in the air. The line of gallows, some still with their last victims there, didn�t help to sooth their worried minds. Kwesi fidgeted nervously next to Sule as the guards ushered them forward without even a moment�s pause. Sule tried to remain calm and look unafraid, however, he only managed an angry sullen look that apparently amused the soldiers to no end. They were lead straight to the throne room, to Sule�s surprise, where the king was shouting angrily about some poor jester�s attempt at a joke. The outcome did not sound good for the jester. He was drug out of the room just as Sule and Kwesi were marched in.
�Commander,� the king nodded as greeting, his earlier anger still burning brightly in his eyes, as the heavily armed big man bowed in response. �Who are these filthy peasants that you bring before me?�
�One of my men received a tip about them from a blacksmith,� the big man informed King Egan. �They apparently mentioned someone with the name of Dylan, Your Majesty, as a friend of the family.�
The king stood at the name and walked down to glare directly into the brothers� eyes. �Their ages?� he asked, glancing slightly at the commander.
Staring straight ahead, the muscles in the commander�s face twitched slightly, �I don�t know, Your Majesty, but I was told they are three years apart in age.�
�Well?� King Egan asked Kwesi. �Is this true? Are there three years between the two of you? Answer me, Boy. How old are you?�
�Yes. I�m seventeen,� Kwesi�s voice was barely audible.
Kwesi doubled over as the king slammed a fist into his gut, �Speak up!�
This broke Sule�s stony countenance, and he struggled to break free of the soldiers� grasp. �Leave him be!� he shouted angrily as King Egan punched his younger brother again.
The king came to stare at an angry Sule, �Tell him to answer the questions then.�
�Didn�t you hear him?� Sule exclaimed. �He answered your stupid questions, you superstitious old tyrant!� The quiet throne room grew even more silent as everyone waited to see how King Egan would react to the young man�s shouted words.
�Commander,� King Egan beckoned, his eyes never leaving Sule�s.
�Yes, Your Majesty?�
King Egan glanced at Kwesi, �Hang the younger brother. Then find the rest of their family and kill them too. This one will watch.� He then turned to leave the room.
Kwesi�s eyes widened in fear and tried to pull away from the guard holding him. �Sule--� he cried out no closer to freedom than he was before.
His face contorted in rage, Sule called out to the king�s retreating back, �Are you too afraid to face a mere boy, yourself? You have to have your guards hang anyone who might even show the slightest sign of danger to your dignity! Why don�t you face your challenges like a man?� Really Sule was just searching for anything to prick the king and make him mad, but his words did an even better job than he had suspected they would.
The king had his sword out in a flash and was charging towards Sule, who grabbed a sword from the guard holding him just in time to block King Egan�s blow. The soldier, however, didn�t appear startled by this new development at all; he just stepped back out of the way of the clashing swords. Even though the throne room was filled with soldiers of the king, they all decided it was best if they stayed out of this fight. Although the king had the advantage of having more experience with the sword, and not having either arm injured in a previous battle, was however fighting against Sule�s desperation of keeping his brother alive. This gave Sule the edge he needed to win.
The two were still clashing swords in the center of the room when Kwesi felt someone push up beside him. �Dylan!� relief wanted to flood through him, but he was still worried.
The old wizard smiled down at him. �Don�t worry,� he soothed, �Sule has more to fight for than King Egan.� The soldier next to them bit back a smile at these words and they turned to see how Sule was doing. Sule had gained another wound in his shoulder and the king had a scratch across his cheek. They circled in a clashing of swords, and King Egan lunged forward leaving his left side unprotected. Sule took his chance as he felt the king�s own sword pierce his side and he stabbed towards the king�s unprotected side, just far enough in to be fatal. King Egan looked at him in surprise and dropped his sword before falling dead himself.