1

Once Elwin was packed and ready to go, he led the refugees from Domara south down the road towards the caravan. The sky was overcast. It looked at if it might rain at any time. It was a welcome change from the smothering summer heat that they had lived with for the last week.

Elwin was familiar with the road since they had travelled north from Verant City upon it. Like most imperial roads, it was very well maintained. The crushed stone beneath their feet made a good surface for the wagons, carts and a few horses that had been taken as Domara burned, then became buried beneath layers of ash and debris.

Elwin was anxious. They were getting desperate. He needed the supplies that the caravan would provide. Flying high above them by griffin, he spotted six heavily laden and covered wagons heading in their direction just as the Emperor had promised. It would not hold them for long, he understood that much at least. But the next leg of the journey was to meet the ships at the Verant River Bridge. There they should be re-supplied again before heading southeast, down the Dragoon Road. It was a road that Elwin had only seen on a map in the great hall of the Imperial Palace, but he was pretty sure they could find it with little problem. It was a major road that cut east to west across the Dragoon Province. From there they would get the Vestillis Imperial Road heading south to the Palantine Road and head east again. It was not the fastest route, but it was the safest.

It was a monumental task, Elwin thought to himself. But it was not going to completely distract him from his other interests. For one, there was the infamous map that Elwin had found. It seemed like years ago when he killed the goblin that possessed it, but it had only been a few months. Gradin and his friends had reminded Elwin of the boy that tried to steal his map in Verant City, only to be killed by the powerful wizard Vask Fillius. It was a painful memory for him to recall, mainly because he felt responsible for the boy’s death. To make it even worse, Elwin was forced to watch the boy die right in front of him. What was that boys name again? He wondered. Elwin could not even remember it any more which disturbed him to no end. How could something that seemed so important at the time, escape him so easily now!? The mind was a strange place, he thought. The more he experienced, the stranger life became.

But the map was not the only thing weighting down Elwin’s thoughts. There was the ring. The Order of the Blood Chalice ring that Emerson had taken from the dead warrior had intrigued them both. The very same warrior that Rith was forced to kill in a bar fight in Golden Meadows. That had been another frightening experience for Elwin. He thought for sure his brother might die, but they took him to a druid who had presumably saved him. As for the ring, Elwin and Emerson had gone to a jeweller in Verant City who claimed to have made them. They never did find out anything about the order itself beyond the fact that about two dozen rings were made on commission. There was something about the house of Thaine? Elwin tried to recall what was said, but his memories were sketchy.

What did the house of Thaine mean to do with this new order? Elwin wondered. Were they plotting against the Emperor? An assassination plan maybe? Like the one that Zelmar Shadowwalker had instigated decades before? Elwin had a lot of questions, but virtually no answers. He also had a sinking feeling that their business with the Order of the Blood Chalice was not yet concluded. He thought, what if it was their version of the Order of the Red Dragon? He had not considered this idea before, but now it was nagging at him. He should have brought it up to the Emperor when he had a chance to talk to him, but his head was so full of other things at the time it had completely slipped his mind.

These were the things that Elwin was contemplating when they finally came upon the caravan. Elwin noticed that something was not right as soon as they approached. Riding their cart ahead of the mass of people behind them, Elwin and his friends noticed that the caravan wagons were parked at the side of the road. They were not moving north as they had the day before. Also, there was no one in sight, at least no one that Elwin and his companions could see.

“I don’t like the look of this,” Emerson said to him in an uneasy tone as they rode together in the front of the cart.

“Nor do I,” Elwin agreed. He noticed that one of the wagons was lying on its side. Some of the contents were strewn across the road and into the ditch on the other side.

“Something bad has happened here,” Rith added nervously from behind them.

Emerson pulled the cart to a halt. Elwin and Emerson jumped from the cart to investigate the scene.

Suddenly a short balding man came around from one of the wagons to confront them. He held a musket in his shaking hands. His eyes darted all over the place as if he could not decide what to focus on.

“Are you the wagon master?” Elwin asked him.

“Who wants to know!?” The man demanded. “Who are you people? Speak now or I won’t hesitate to fire!”

He levelled the musket in Elwin’s general direction. Elwin and Emerson both froze in their tracks.

“I am, Sir Elwin Birch,” he stated in a steady calm voice. He did not want to agitate the man any further. Elwin held up his hands to show he was unarmed.

“Oh, thank the Fire Lord!” The man exclaimed. He moved the musket away from Elwin. “Are you a knight then!?”

“I’m a knight of the Order of the Red Dragon,” Elwin replied.

“This caravan was supposed to meet some people heading south out of Domara. Do you know of them?” The man asked. He still looked very nervous. He nearly jumped at every unknown sound in the area.

“They’re a little way behind us,” Elwin replied. “I’m leading them to meet you, by order of the Emperor.”

“Oh, thank the Fire Lord again!” The man exclaimed. “We’ve been waiting for you to get here. There’s been trouble!”

“Obviously,” Emerson commented.

The nervous man slung the musket over his shoulder, out of danger.

“Tell me what happened here,” Elwin demanded.

“We were attacked by bandits! Last night while parked here for the night!” The man explained.

Elwin asked a series of questions. “What bandits do you speak of? Where did they come from? Was anyone hurt?”

“I don’t know!” The man said shaking his head. “They came down the very road you yourself just travelled down so you could understand my concern when I saw you.”

“They came down our road!?” Selby questioned coming up next to Elwin.

“Yes, that’s right,” the man replied. “They sacked one of the carts as you can see. They made off with some supplies, whatever they could carry with them. Food, medicine, gold and two muskets!”

“Have you no soldiers for protection?” Elwin questioned.

“There wasn’t time to gather them,” the man explained. “We aren’t coming from Verant City. This is Lyons Province. The nearest garrison is almost a hundred miles from here. At Lyons Gates.”

“Son of a bitch!” Selby exclaimed. “They got muskets.” He and Elwin exchanged knowing glances.

Elwin was angry. These were people for Domara. He was sure of it. They were not bandits. They were opportunist who used the cover of darkness to make off with supplies that belonged to everyone. It took a lot of gall to do something like that! He thought. Elwin knew that being in charge was not going to be easy, but he did not expect it to begin like this! It was madness!

Myra-Lynn burst through the group and said. “How many people are in your caravan? Is anyone hurt?”

“By the Gods! An Elf!” The man shouted. He pulled the musket back up and aimed it at her.

Myra shrieked in horror.

Elwin stepped between them. “Are you insane, man!? Drop the musket and relax! She’s with us. She can help you.”

The man hesitated for a moment. Elwin thought that he might just fire the weapon anyway and damn the consequences. Eventually he relaxed his grip. He lowered the musket away from her.

With lightning speed Emerson disarmed the man. He grabbed his wrist and twisted the weapon from his hands. The man screamed. He dropped to his knees.

“Please, don’t hurt us!” He shouted through the pain. “You must understand! We’re all scared! The wagon master was shot. Another man was cut badly. They’re behind that wagon over there!”

The man pointed to the wagon at the end.

“You can relax now. I’m taking charge here,” Elwin said soothingly to the man. To Emerson he nodded. “You can let him up now.”

“Oh, bless the Fire Lord!” The man rubbed his sore shoulder.

“Myra, you and Anna see to the wounded,” Elwin commanded. They did. To the scared man down on his knees he asked. “Where did these men go after they raided the wagons?”

“They headed south down this road,” the man replied.

“I know how to track Elwin,” Selby commented to him.

“Good,” Elwin replied. “We just might need that skill of yours.”

“Rowdy, stay here with the women,” Elwin said to the gnome. “Emerson, Rith and Selby come with me. Let’s find these bandits!”

“Elwin, I want to come with you,” Rowdy stated. “I have two pistols. We might need them!”

“I’m worried about leaving the women here alone with these people,” Elwin replied. His eyes shifted uneasily from the balding man, back to the gnome.

“I’ll stay here with them,” Rith volunteered.

“Are you sure about that?” Elwin asked.

Rith drew out his war hammer. “Yeah, I’m sure. Don’t worry.”

“Alright, you can stay here. Selby grab our two horses. Rowdy will ride with you. I’ll ride with Emerson,” Elwin ordered. To the man he asked. “How many were there?”

“Five all together. Four men and one woman,” the man replied.

“Damn it!” Elwin cursed under his breath. To no one in particular he said. “This just gets worse and worse, doesn’t it?”

2

“Looks like they put the woman on guard,” Selby commented to Elwin as the sat in the bushes watching from a distance of less than a hundred yards.

Elwin nodded in agreement.

Selby had been right about his tracking abilities. It was not something he learned as a child, but rather he picked up the skill later in life once he set out from home. Being a ranger of sorts, Selby needed to be able to track and had become quite good at it. As for the bandits, they knew nothing about covering their tracks and never bothered to anyway, probably thinking that they would be long gone before anyone even found out what had happened. How wrong they were! Elwin mused.

The woman, no older than thirty, sat on a large stone. She was partly hidden by low brush and a large oak tree that shaded her guard post. She looked tense and nervous. She looked around constantly, starting at every bird call or the scurrying of a squirrel in the nearby underbrush. She looked scared and clutched a musket tightly in her hands. Her ragged brown dress came to her ankles. It was torn in places, sewn, re-sewn and patched where possible. Dirt smeared her face, bare arms and curly blonde hair. In the heat of the afternoon, she had removed her cloak which sat on the rock next to her. Now she only wore an open sleeved vest.

“What do you think Rowdy?” Elwin asked the gnome without looking at him.

Rowdy knelt next to him peering through some branches at the woman. “Anyone that nervous and wielding a musket, is clearly dangerous.”

“Not to mention the four other men lurking somewhere around here,” Emerson added.

“They took two muskets and that’s one of them,” Selby said. “If we can somehow disarm her, then we only have to deal with one dangerous weapon.”

“True enough, but how do we disarm her?” Rowdy questioned.

Selby shook his head unsure of what to do.

“What if Emerson and Rowdy could get into a flanking position?” Elwin suggested. “Do you think the two of you could get around to the other side without being discovered?”

Emerson nodded. There were a lot of bushes in the area. Large clusters of sumac trees made excellent cover. “I think we can,” he said. “But then what do you want us to do?”

“You know me Emerson,” Elwin said with a sly wink. “I always prefer the direct approach. I’ll come out and confront her. Once her back is to you, you’ll know what to do.”

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“If you’re going out meet her,” Selby said. “I’m going with you. Multiple targets will make it harder for her to think what she should do or who she should focus on. She’ll be confused and hesitate, giving us the advantage.”

“What if she yells for help?” Emerson questioned.

“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,” Elwin said. “But I don’t think the four of us will have a problem with four men who only have one musket. Rowdy how do these pistols work?”

“Point and pull the trigger, just like a crossbow, but packs a kick like mule. You have to be ready for it,” Rowdy explained. He had one and the other was handed over to Selby. He told him. “It’s already loaded, but you will only have one shot. There won’t be time to reload it.”

“What will I use?” Emerson asked seeing the pistol now in Selby’s hand.

Elwin pointed across the grassy clearing and said. “Use hers.”

3

It took about ten minutes for Emerson and Rowdy to wind there way through the bushes unseen to the other side of the clearing. From there they could flank the woman. By the time she realized what was going on, it would be too late.

Elwin did not want to waste any more time. He told Selby to come out of the bush just after him, at least twenty feet way so she would have no choice. She would have to focus on one or the other, but not both.

“Hail there, good lady!” Elwin greeted the woman. He stepped out of the bush with his hands raised defensively to show he was unarmed. He smiled as charmingly as he could.

She turned the musket on him. There was at least twenty yards between them. Elwin had a long conversation with Rowdy about two weeks ago where he explained how inaccurate some musket designs could be. Elwin prayed to the Fire Lord that this was one of them.

“Who are you!?” She demanded. “Speak now before I put a hole in your head!”

“We are simple travellers,” Selby said as he emerged over twenty feet away from Elwin.

She turned the musket on him in a panic. “Take another step and I’ll kill you where you stand!” She exclaimed.

“Good lady, we’ve been travelling many days without food and have come to beg for your mercy,” Elwin said calmly. He advanced a few more steps before she turned the musket back to him.

“You too,” she told him. “Not one more step. I’m not alone here. We have you out numbered and surrounded!”

“No, you don’t!” Emerson proclaimed before hitting her in the back of the head with the hilt of his sword.

Her legs buckled. The musket pointed wildly at the empty sky and discharged. The sound was louder that Elwin expected. The woman fell to her hands and knees dazed, but not completely knocked out. With swift hands, Emerson plucked the musket from her failing grasp.

“Damn the Gods!” Selby cursed and turned to Elwin. “There goes the element of surprise!”

A few moments later, there was the sound of another musket being discharged from out of the trees behind Emerson and Rowdy. Elwin heard a strange ping sound as the lead bullet flew past his ear, narrowly missing him.

4

The engagement was quick. It lasted no more than a minute or two. Steel rang upon steel, but the bandits were not skilled warriors, only desperate and starved men who had gorged themselves on the spoils without considering the cost. It was not hard for Elwin, Emerson and Selby to outmanoeuvre them in the fight.

Elwin had given the order to take the men alive if possible. The idea of killing needlessly did not sit well with him. These people needed to be punished, to be examples for everyone else. He would stop short of killing or executing these people unless left with no choice. Secretly Elwin prayed for the safety of all.

Rowdy took cover on the outskirts of the battle. He waited. Pistols held tight in his small stubby fingers. Elwin and Selby charged into the bush with swords drawn. Acutely aware that muskets were slow to reload, Elwin did not want to give the bandits enough time to prepare another shot.

Selby, ever the skilled warrior, unarmed one opponent and pinned him to the ground in a few swift moves. Emerson did likewise, only he knocked the man out with the butt of his sword.

Elwin struggled a bit with the man he fought. Half a head taller than Elwin and possession long legs and gangling arms, what the man lacked in skill he made up for in superior reach and speed. Elwin was hard-pressed to block the blows from the long sword giving him little chance to counter. The bandit battled frantically like a man possessed. His eyes, wide like saucers, looked mazy. His short cropped sandy blonde hair tousled around wildly.

“What have you done with my Connie!?” He demanded angrily. Elwin understood that he must be referring to the woman they already subdued. He became more panic-stricken as the melee progressed.

Not knowing the terrain very well, Elwin lost his footing on a loose stone. He tumbled backwards to the ground. His heart pounded. For a few precious seconds he was prone, unable to properly defend himself. Yet his opponent did not seem to care. Instead, the man fled from the scene looking for the woman he called Connie.

The man did not get far. Unable to see Rowdy crouched down low in the bush, the man tripped over him and tumbled head over heels to the ground. Rowdy had tried to dodge out of the way, but it had all happened so fast he was unable to get clear. The man and Rowdy eyed each other for a split second. The man came at the small gnome with his thick leather boot. He kicked the pistols from Rowdy’s hand before he could get a shot off. It drop on the ground, but still within reach.

Rowdy screaming in pain in such a way that it made Elwin pray that the gnome’s hand was not broken!

“Fucking gnomes!” The man yelled as he snatched his sword for the dries grass and got to his feet.

Rowdy’s eyes went wide as the man suddenly advanced on him.

“Treacherous little whelp!” The man exclaimed.

A shot rang out. The man stopped in his tracks. His sword slipped from his fingers. He clutched at his throat. He sank to his knees. Blood gushed from between his fingers and ran down his shirt. The man fell forward, clearly dead.

Rowdy sat on the ground staring in horror. The smoking pistol still held tightly in his shaking hand.

The woman, who had been left dazed and forgotten only a few yards away, came running into the scene with a cry so heart wrenching that Elwin thought he might be sick from the sound of it. “No! Hiberus, no!” She sobbed as she knelt at his side. She grabbed his limp body tight against her breast. Blood spread from his clothing to hers, but she did not notice. “No!” She cried again. “Not my husband! Not my dear Hiberus!”

“I… Elwin, I mean…” Rowdy tried to say. “He advanced on me… I had not choice!”

“No one is blaming you Rowdy,” Elwin said to him.

“I’m blaming you! You wretched little beast!” The woman shrieked at the gnome.

“Emerson, Selby, tie these others up before they escape on us,” Elwin said to his companions. He walked over the where the woman sat clutching the body of her husband. With a grim, almost angry expression, he grabbed her by the back collar of her vest in a tight grip and through her violently back out of the way.

“Enough with your hysteria, you stupid bitch!” He snarled at her. She looked up at him mouth open, unable to speak for shock. In his unchecked fury, Elwin swiftly backhanded her across the face sending her sprawling on to her back. Blood flowed from her lip and tears rimmed her puffy red eyes. Elwin shocked himself with the outburst, but he would not let it show. Instead, he advanced on her. With one knee, he pinned her to the ground. He gripped her throat and leaned in close.

“You people injured two the of the Emperor’s men, do you understand that!? You sacked a caravan and took supplies that belonged to everyone! What did you think would happened!? huh!?” Elwin demanded. “Did you think it would all be sunshine and roses!?”

The woman’s pale blue eyes stared into his dark ones. She was left speechless for what seemed liked endless moments. Tears flowed down her cheek before she finally spoke in a halting whisper. “I throw myself upon your mercy, my Lord!”

Elwin looked at her with great annoyance. “Consider yourself lucky that you get to leave here with your life. Not everyone was so fortunate this afternoon.”

Elwin got up off her. She took ragged breaths and shuttered as she wept in silence.

“Bind her hands and remove her from my sight. We’re heading back to the caravan,” Elwin commanded to no one in particular, yet all of them in general.

Elwin walked off into the field and stared up at the sky. He needed a moment alone to collect himself. He was aware that there would be difficult decision to make. Being a knight was not an easy job. The books and stories made it seem so easy, so black and white, good and evil, right and wrong. But every decision he made had consequences. He wanted Rith here and not Rowdy, but he relented and let Rowdy join them. Would things have played out differently if Rith had been here? Was it a bad decision to bring the pistols? The were no easy answers and the worst part of all of it… It was only just beginning. Was he really prepared for a lifetime of making these kinds of decisions?

Now he had a group of people that he had to punish. What would Jax do? Probably kill them an dump the bodies in a ditch may-hap. What would the Emperor do? A simple punishment and forgiven them? Who knows. Neither of these seemed appropriate.

He had some thinking to do, but one thing he knew for certain, whatever he decided to do, no one was going to be happy about it.

5

“My lord! I beg you for mercy!” The woman known as Constance, or Connie as her husband had called her, pleaded at Elwin’s feet.

“Does it really have to be this way!?” Myra said to Elwin. She looked distressed herself at thought of what was about to take place.

“You said yourself that the wagon master is luck to be alive, did you not?” Elwin said in replied. His expression was grim.

“Yes, I did, but…” she started to say. The words failed her. Her brow was furrowed with anguish. She was unable to make a good point against him.

Elwin and his friends had returned an hour before with their captives in tow. They had buried Constance’s husband in a shallow grave where he had fallen. The woman stood by crying silently to herself to entire time. Elwin ignored her tears and went about his grim business. Now her hands bound before her, she pleaded on her knees for him to show her some sort of mercy.

“But what?” Elwin questioned Myra. He was not angry, but he did use a superior tone with her.

“It just that… I did save the young man,” Myra tried to explained. “I extracted the lead shot in time Elwin. He will recover.”

“I understand that Myra, but like it or not, these people must be punished for their actions,” Elwin explained. “We can’t have anarchy here. I’m the authority and my will must be respected.”

“I know that. It’s just… well, I can’t watch this!” She said unable to muster any real resistance.

To Emerson, Elwin said. “Tie her to that poplar tree over there.”

His voice was cold lacking in passion. His dark eyes were hard as steel. He looked around at the eager faces. Hundreds of people had gathered to see this spectacle. While Elwin was away, many people had arrived upon the scene where the caravan of covered wagons had parked on the side of the road. Luckily Rith had been there with Anna and Myra. They managed to keep the people under control long enough for Elwin to return with the bandits. The bandits were of course Domara citizens who had slunk off in the night to raid the caravan. Now hundreds of people stood around in a large circle to watch the punishment that was to be carried out. The three men and one woman were to be whipped. Ten lashes each upon their bare backs for the theft of goods and injury to the Emperor’s men.

Elwin did not want to do this any more than Myra wanted him to do it. He had to punish them. As he had said, he must maintain order here and this was the best way. He was well within his rights to punish them for the crimes, but he felt that people had suffered enough. They were scared enough. They did not need to see hanging bodies swinging from the nearest tree to get the message. So, Elwin decided a few lashes with the riding whip, one that the wagon master kept on hand for the horses was good enough in this situation to keep everyone else under his control. If this did not work, then the next time someone stepped out of line like this, he would have no choice, but to hang them.

They were out in the wilderness. There was no trial, no judge or jury. It was not needed. Elwin knew that the bandits had made their crimes loud and clear when they were caught red-handed with the goods. They tried to resist. Elwin and his friends were forced to subdue them. As far as Elwin and everyone else was concerned that was enough proof that they were guilty.

On the other side of the large circle cleared by Emerson and Selby was a large poplar tree with a broad trunk. Using a strong hemp robe each of the bandits had their hands bound before them. Emerson led the woman, the first to get the lashes to the tree. But she would not go willingly.

“No, my lord, no!” Constance cried out. “I beg you for leniency! Please don’t do this! They forced me to do it! I didn’t want to, but my husband and his friends are cruel they forced me to follow along with them!”

“She lies!” One of the other prisoners exclaimed. The stern looking man looked to Elwin and shook his head as if to say that he should not listen to her. “It was her idea. Don’t listen to her!”

“Strip her to the waist,” Elwin said coldly.

With a flick of his dagger, Emerson cut the vest from her shoulders and tore it from her body. Naked from the waist up, her teacup shaped breasts stood out in the breeze, her pale nipples taunt and at attention. Many people in the crowd giggled and hooted at the sight of them.

Selby smirked leaning against the tree with great leisure. In his hands he held another length to robe to bind her to the tree. “My, my,” he said. “Aren’t those cute!?”

Many people in the crowd who heard his comment laughed.

“I can’t watch!” Myra said. She buried her face in Anna’s shoulder. Anna face was a mixture of both furious and worry. She looked like she wanted to say some thing or do something. Instead, she just blanched and looked like she might be sick.

Constance’s knee buckled. She stumbled to the ground before the whipping tree. She wept openly, the tears flowing freely down her cheeks. She turned back to face Elwin, even as Emerson dragged the woman to her feet. Selby grabbed her hands and began to tie them to the tree.

“I’m begging you for mercy! What more can I do!?” She shouted staring at him with an intensity that made many people in the crowd uncomfortable. “I’m deeply sorry for everything! My home was destroyed. My husband is dead! I have nothing! Now you wish to take the flesh from my back!?”

In the crowd a silence had descended. Some of the women turned away. People began to murmur to each other. Still the other prisoners urged Elwin not to listen to her false words and fake tears. Yet even Elwin was starting to have his doubts. She may be telling the truth. Still, he thought. This must be done for the good of all.

“Wagon master,” Elwin said to the young man from the caravan who held the whip. His ribs were bound in bandages from the attack the night before, yet he was already healed enough that he could carry out this duty. Indeed, his eyes showed a certain fire and eagerness for the task. “Are you sure you can do this?” Elwin asked him.

“It would be a pleasure my lord!” The young man replied.

Some of the people in the crowd nodded approvingly as they looked on.

The wagon master unfurled the whip with stretched out menacingly.

“No!” Anna shouted. She could take this scene no longer. It was heart wrenching to watch the poor woman beg and cry, half naked before hundreds of onlookers who gawked and jeered her. Anna ran out between the prisoner and the wagon master.

“Elwin, you must spare her!” Anna demanded.

“Anna!” Elwin said angrily. He was beginning to lose his patience with her.

“Are we animal now!?” Anna exclaimed. She was just as angry, to the point that Elwin could see her own tears barely held back. “Whip the others if you must! If that will satisfy your lust for revenge!?”

“This is justice, not revenge!” Elwin shot back furiously. “Do you understand what these people have done!?”

Sporadic shouts of “Here, here!” could be heard from the crowd.

“I don’t care!” Anna shouted back. “She a woman, by the Gods! Can you not show some mercy!? What if she’s right!? What if she was forced into this against her will!?”

No one forced her to point the musket at him! He thought angrily. He held his tongue for a long moment while he thought about the situation. The woman had been very nervous when they met her. Was it possible that she really had been forced by her husband to commit these crimes? It was traditional for a woman to have to obey her husband’s will, but this did not necessarily extend to the committing of crimes. Exceptions were made under the law for such situations. Yet for a woman that had nothing and lost everything it would be hard to disobey a domineering man. Could losing her husband be seen as punishment enough? He wondered. If he had her whipped anyway, would people see him as cruel or just?

It was hard to gauge the mixed reaction from the crowd. Some people shouted for clemency while others demanded that Constance be whipped as the law allowed. The decision came down to Elwin. He stared down Anna. Her harsh expression slowly turned to one of pleading forgiveness. He hoped that he would not live to regret this verdict.

“Alright Anna, you win,” Elwin declared.

Her face broke into a wide smile. “Bless the Fire Lord!” She cried.

“Let it be known that I’m not a cruel man!” Elwin proclaimed.

“Bless you, my Lord!” Constance said as Selby reluctantly unbound her. He looked at Emerson and just shook his head in disappointment. Clearly, he thought this was a mistake.

Myra rushed to the woman’s side with a cloak that she threw over her shoulders. “Let her have some dignity at the very least!” She said in the face of Selby’s and Emerson’s leering eyes.

Myra and Anna untied her hands. Constance rubbed them trying to get the feel back into her fingers. They brought her to Elwin where the woman fell to Elwin’s feet. “Oh, thank you, my lord! Thank you!” She laminated repeatedly like a mantra.

“Don’t think your completely free Constance,” Elwin said looking down at her with disgust. He proclaimed. “You forfeit your rights as a citizen of the Verant Empire!”

“What!?” Anna cried.

Myra did not understand what that meant. She looked to Anna for an explanation. Anna was not paying her any mind. She just stood and gaped.

“I’ll determine how long later,” Elwin said to Anna. “In the meantime, I release her to your care.”

“I don’t understand! what does this mean!?” Myra Asked Elwin.

Elwin did not reply. Instead, he ordered the other three prisoners to be whipped now without any further ceremony or mercy.

Constance crumbled up on the ground in a crying fit.

“It means she’s a slave!” Anna told the Elf.