Evil Has Many Forms

Somerled was startled awake by his horse kicking its feet to alert him, the sun was high in the sky and he could see that they have just approached the town that he was in before. He could feel the woman resting on his back and could hear her heavy breathing as she slept.

Entering the town, he was met again with stares and whispers. He headed straight to the stable and upon entering the fat owner called out.

“Back already? Don’t be thinking you are getting a cheaper price for repeat business!”

Not replying, Somerled walked his horse inside of the stable and upon spotting the woman on the back he asked.

“Who’s she?”

“None of your business.” Somerled bluntly replied.

Putting his horse into one of the stables, Somerled woke up the woman behind him.

“Come on, we need to get going.”

She grunted in her tiredness and Somerled assisted her off the mare.

Throwing five silver coins at the stable owner, Somerled shouted out.

“Just one night.” And then walked out of the stable and walked towards the inn he stayed at.

Once inside, it was as empty as when he left.

“Hello?” He called out.

A moment later the same bar maid entered the room, smiling at seeing the knight.

“I didn’t think I would see you again.” Then she obviously spotted the woman behind Somerled and said, “Oh I see, found a friend?” And gave a chuckle.

“That man that needed my help.” Somerled bluntly said, not in the mood for conversation.

“Petir?” She replied.

“Yes, where can I find him?”

“He lives on a farm just east of the town, it is only a ten minute walk to his homestead.” The bar maid said to him.

“Thank you.” Somerled said and then threw three silver pieces at the bar maid, “She needs a place to stay. Can you help her?”

The bar maid looked at the beaten and bruised women, with a sympathetic voice she replied.

“I will do everything that I can.”

Turning back to the woman, he could see the fear in her eyes as she spoke.

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“Please don’t leave me.”

Placing his hand onto her shoulder, Somerled whispered.

“You will be safe here, trust me.”

Her eyes were darting around his helmet, occasionally meeting the slits in his eyes and then eventually staying on the ground.

“Okay.” She whispered.

Patting her on the shoulder, Somerled passes the woman and starts his walk towards the homestead of Petir.

Walking along the icy fields, he finds the front door and knocking on it loudly eventually Petir answers. With disgust on his face he says.

“What do you want?”

“I am here to help you with Jarl Kitchner.” Somerled replies.

“W-why?” Petir replies in a stutter.

“He massacred a town south of here. I cannot allow that to happen again.”

Petir invited Somerled inside and once sat down his wife brought them both a warm brew with steam pouring out of the mug.

After telling Petir of what he witnessed in the other town, Petir replied.

“It is just by luck of the gods that he has not destroyed our town yet.”

“What do you know about Jarl Kitchner?” Somerled asked.

“Only the stories and rumours that pass through the towns. Who knows if they are true.” Petir says sipping on his brew.

“Tell me, the more information I have the better our chances are to kill him.”

“Okay, it is said he was a bastard child when the last Jarl had a secret affair with his sister. However this was never confirmed. He was raised with his true born siblings but as a bastard he had no right to gain land, except one by one, each of the siblings mysteriously died.”

“Did the last Jarl not think that strange?” Somerled asked.

“He was too worried about his bloodline!” Petir shouted.

Somerled remained silent and motionless.

“I apologise, but these high born live in their shining towers while we live in squalor.” Petir continued, then pointing at Somerled’s untouched brew.

“You do not wish to drink?”

Looking at the brew and then back at Petir, Somerled replied.

“No.”

Petir’s expression was confusion, but nonetheless he continued.

“Anyway, the Jarl named Kitchner no longer a bastard child. Less than a year later the Jarl and his wife were poisoned, and Kitchner became the new Jarl.”

“When was this?” Somerled asked.

“Maybe a year ago, ever since then the entire county has been suffering.”

“And he has an army?” Somerled questioned, wondering how he would be able to kill a high born, never having taken on such a task in the past.

“He only rules the county, he has a few hundred men at most. However, it is rumoured that he has a giant sized creature that can fly and can pick up buildings just with its claws.”

“Hmmm,” Somerled pondered, wondering what creature this Jarl could possess.

“Will you help us?” Petir asked desperately.

“I am not supposed to interfere with politics.” Somerled said, but then continued, “However, evil has many forms."

Petir let out a smile, slammed his brew down in delight and shouted.

"Gods be true, this is great news. How will you do it?”

Leaning back on the wooden chair, Somerled replied.

“We will need more men, we will have to have a force big enough to be a threat to his armed unit. I won’t be able to take him on alone.”

“I understand, there have been many of us from local towns that have been discussing this. Give me a few days and I will have them all hear.”

“Okay.” Somerled replied, “I know of a mercenary group not too far, I will send word for them. We will need all the help we can get.”