Trim rubbed his cold hands, trying to warm himself up. It was still going to be at least an hour before they could finish things up and light up the fire.

The place they picked for a camp was among tall spruce that shot up and large pine trees with branches going wide and low, the canopy of them both so thick that the only snow that made it to the ground was the one carried off the branches.

About fifty yards in front of them was a clearance with more than a foot of snow, pilling higher each passing hour.

Another hundred yards away and there was a complete clearance with not even snow on the ground, only bare rocks.

That was where the dungeon realm started, El told them, and they were not to go near it, but hide inside the cover of the trees.

All of this used to be a forest before the dungeon sprang to life and spread its even veins through the tunnels that borrowed deep into the mountainside ahead.

“El said that no fire can be visible. So, throw dark blankets over the tents. And snow as well. Then light a small fire inside and see if any light escapes,” the Prince ordered soldiers hustling around.

When the tents were almost completely set up, Trim went to get some fire food and the Prince came behind him.

“Are you going to be okay with your friend Holgar not being here to guard your back?” he asked Trim.

Trim stopped and thought for a second about the question, realized there was no malice in it, and smirked as he said “I’ll miss him. But it’s good he left for Twin Oaks. I know if something was to happen to my wife and me, he would take good care of my two children.”

“That’s a good friend to have.”

“More like a brother. We went through a lot together,” Trim said as he sighed. “Besides, he was never one of the better fighters. Even less so with the wounded shoulder.”

“So, I know you’ve been in a dungeon fight before. With my father.”

“Yes,” Trim answered.

“I was hoping you would tell me a bit about it,” the Prince said but then saw the look on Trim’s face, his eyes squinting, lines deepening, and decided that maybe he should not press Trim for a conversation.

So, he said, “But I guess you do not want to. I can only guess why, huh?”

“I do not know,” Trim said, trying to figure out if he would want to know bad things his own father did. “Do not want to judge our King. Not my place.”

“But if you had to.”

Trim nodded his head, not wanting to speak his mind, trying to find some truth in what could be said. “He is one brave Lord, that’s for sure.”

The Prince sighed. “You know, I was ten years old when I went to meet him for the first time, and… I thought he would never recognize me as his child. But, then, he proved me wrong. Not that he was ever of a father to me afterward. Steward Helfin was. But, that does not matter. I just never expected him to say I was his child. That was enough for me.”

“I know. He… always had a capacity to surprise people.”

“So, you knew him?”

Trim tilted his head to one side as if he needed that to see the world differently and to come up with the right words. He found none.

“You ever met him?” the Prince pressed.

He tilted his head to another side as if the other side was not good anymore. “Once he led a charge. Badly. Was taken down from his horse. Sergeant Gwein fought to take him back, the goblins all around us. I, Holgar, and a few others provided a back cover. At one point, I swung my sword, ready to cut off some goblin’s head, and then I realized it was your father’s. Stopped myself at the last second. His helmet got knocked off, and he had so much goblin’s blood all over him, I could not tell.”

The Prince chuckled. “Glad you stopped.”

“Yeah. Later he called me to his tent and said how he wanted to thank me for saving his life. But, in reality, I did not save his life. I was just fighting a fight, trying to live a bit longer, you know what I mean.”

“Still… I’m glad you did not kill that goblin.”

They both chuckled at that. “He must have offered you something. There in the tent. When he called you to thank you.”

“I earned the respect of people who fought alongside me. At the time, I was young and stupid and thought that was enough. But, yes. Your father offered me a job among his King’s guard. But I had other ideas. Then he said something that I want you to know. He said, and that is where he surprised me a lot,” Trim stopped, not ready to blur words out too fast.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

“What, what did he say?”

“That as long as he lives, the Twin Oaks will never have to pay any taxes. That… really surprised me. He said I earned it for all of them. Kind of reminded me of what you said, about him surprising people from time to time.”

The Prince chuckled. “No taxes? So, that’s what's behind it. And you still don’t like the man. I mean, you chose not even to pretend to like him.”

“I mean, he did me right. More than I could hoped to get. But, was it right to lose so many men just charging straight at the dungeon? Of course, it was wrong. So, I think what El is doing is a hell of a lot better. But then, we have not won anything yet. Maybe only a day, a right to live for another day, you know.”

“So, you think we’ll win in the end?”

That question made Trim exhale a few deep breaths before he summoned the strength to say it. “I sure hope so. There are so few of us, and the enemy might be young if it’s true what El says. And, I would not dismiss El’s power either. Sure he seemed vulnerable. Sure he bleeds just like the rest of us. But, I think he is way more powerful than he himself thinks. Besides, if it was not for him, our village would all be gone by now. We would not have made it through that battle either, you know that. How he killed all those men, and that two-horned beast… I could not guess. And to think that… he did all of this after we ran him out of town.”

“I heard about that.”

“Not our finest moment. It’s good you killed the Prinicipal. When you see a mistake, and don’t correct it, it just grows to become a bigger one, I think.”

“Maybe. I bet I’ll have to answer about that.”

“You’re crazy if you plan to answer to anyone for… anything. Why should you? You’re risking your life here while they are sitting in comfortable recliners with their backs against warming fireplaces, in their halls of stones and huge hanged tapestries. You owe them no explanation. Maybe a dagger between their teeth. But no explanations, that’s for sure.”

The Prince chuckled. “You could be hanged for saying a thing like that.”

“Yeah. I could be hanged for a lot of shit. But the idea is not new to you. Don’t kid me.”

The Prince nodded his head, and Trim figured at last he knew why the Prince wanted to talk to him. “It’s not like I have not thought about it. But… I do not know.”

Is he baiting me? Sure seems like it.

“It’s your problem. I’m not a killer, and would not do it in your stead. But, if you do not kill people that are after you, then you have to move away. Are you planning to depart these lands of ours, my Lord?”

“Don’t call me that. Never.”

“Well, are you? Are you fighting this monstrosity just so you can leave? That would be a pity.”

“I…”

“Don’t tell me you don’t know. You already do. That’s why you are bringing these folks here. That’s why you hired them. That’s why you got close to all the soldiers throughout the years. Became one of them. That’s why you spared Sergeant Gewin and his family. You know. You’ve known it for a long time. And now… You are just asking me what I thought about it. And I told you. I’m not the one who needs to kill a lord. It’s you who have to do it.”

“I know.”

“But anyway, I will stand by you tomorrow and fight this dungeon. And let’s see what that brings us. So, before you decide how to deal with your uncle, you first need to worry to survive tomorrow. Or tonight.”

Back at the camp on the ridge, Scarface waited for everyone to fall asleep, then left the cabin and sneaked out of the camp.

It took him two long hours of riding toward West till he saw the small flickering light of a campfire and he approached it carefully, tying the horse a good distance away and then sneaked up to a single guard that had his back against the tree trunk.

He put his sword against his neck and told him not to make a sound, then reached and got his sword and a dagger out.

“You sleeping beauties should wake up now!” he said as he shoved the disarmed guard on top of a tent that was full of

“Scarface…? What are you doing here?” Ervir said, seeing his face.

“I thought you’d be glad to see me. After your fiasco at the camp earlier.”

“You saw that?”

“Yes, I did. You embarrassed yourself.”

“I…”

“No need to explain. I know what you want. And I’m here to make a trade. I can take you to the Prince. For the right price.”

“Don’t look around. You will never find him.”

“There are some good trackers among us.”

“Yeah, but, he’s hiding. He knows you’re sent here to kill him. You will never find him. You can try. Get lost. Get your luck with the goblins and the dungeon.”

“And you know where he is?”

“Yes. A rider came to the camp after you left. He told us where the Prince made the camp.”

“And what is your price?”

“Twenty gold coins.”

“That’s a steep price to pay.”

“That’s a whole lot of nothing if you cannot find him.”

“True.”

“And there is something else I want,” Scarface said, his eyes squinting, face frowning, not giving one iota of a signal that he was ready to negotiate.

“What is that?”

“He’s got a special dagger. I want it. No questions asked.”

“Why? What does it mean to you?”

Scarface slapped him over his face and he went backward to the ground. “You think ten of you can handle me?? Bring it on and let’s find out! But rest assured, you won’t all go back to the Castle. And you definitely will go empty-handed.”

“No need to get upset,” Ervir said as he started to pick himself up. “We’re, after all, all on the same side. Looking for the same prize. We can unite our forces. Put our pride aside.”

“Good. Now, as I said, no fucken’ question. I don’t care who kills him. But I want his fucken’ dagger. And twenty coins. Agreed?”

“Of course, Scarface. Now that you’re with us, and that you will take us to him, we have no doubt the job will be done.”

"So then, bitches, what are you waiting for? Pack up. We have to move now!"