Chapter 8: King's Play: Part X and Part XI

X

Iritian entered the room, hoping to find Abigail. The room was empty, no, the whole house was empty. Everything that was important, she has taken with her.

In the middle of the room there stood a table. It was strange for him to see that table there. On the table there stood a letter. He opened the letter and read what was written inside:

My lord,

I have talked to Lady Joanna. You must know that all is well and she is in love with the king. She waits the king's move. I hope that you are well. We are all, only pawns in the king's game. I bet, that you already know this. Watch yourself, there are people that will kill for you position in the king's court. You have played you part, I will now, play mine.

I hope, that I will see you soon.

Yours truly,

Abigail

Iritian left the house with a smile, the first one in three years since his wife has left him for lesser knight. There is justice. One must only wait. A few months ago, she tried to return to him. Her clothes were rags; her hair was unwashed, if you can call it hair. She begged, she plied, but his heart was made of stone. He turned and walked away, leaving her in front of the door.

“I hope, you have good news.” a voice returned him to the present.

“I do.” he replied.

Lord Gertain appeared from the shadow. His clothes were different. He was dressed in more exotic colors.

“So, we have made progress?”

“Yes.”

“Abigail did her part?”

“Yes. Then, let's inform the king.”

They disappeared in the shadows of the alleyway.

XI

Olgierd looked in the distance. All he could see was snow, but something deep inside him, told him it was otherwise. He waited. Everything around him was quiet. Everything was silent. He waited. Under the weight of the snow, the branches, of the trees nearby, almost touched the frozen grass. He took a step back. He waited. A branch cracked under the snow. He waited. A rabbit passed nearby. He waited. The snow fell. He prepared. His double-sided axe was ready for the kill. He holds his breath. The braches crack. He moves three steps forward. The winds changes direction. His fur cloak moves to the right.

I have the advantage, he thought. The wind blows in the opposite direction. There is no way, he can smell me.

Riders appeared from the snow curtain. Behind the a giant wolf appeared from the snow. The riders readied their bows.  One of them took aim. He fired the arrow. The arrow penetrated the wolf's pelt. The wolf turned. With one blow of his paw, he dismounted the rider. The rider started crawling. It was too late. The wolf pinned him to the ground. The last thing that the rider saw were his fags. Hot blood sprayed the snow. The wolf licked his face.

A rider attacked with a spear. The wolf avoided the thrust. The rider attacked again. The spear broke on impact. The wolf lunged at the rider, taking the rider and the horse down. He stood up. The rider took his sword out. The wolf lifted him high in air. His claws slashed through the armor that the rider was wearing. The ground beneath them, became red like summer wine.

Olgierd stood frozen. He couldn't move. His axe stood still. He had the feeling that his own breath was chocking him. His arms were frozen. He couldn't feel his fingers.

What are you doing, fool? You can't even move, let alone kill that wolf. Wake up! There must be a way? There is always a way. I need to think. I see it, now.

“Lead him, towards me!” he yells.

“Aye.” the rider replied.

With his long spear the rider stabbed the wolf. In anger, the wolf followed him. The rest of the riders went sideways. Their only option was to aim for the wolf's legs. They cut, they stabbed, and they thrust.  The blows did nothing to the wolf. He continued onward. He didn't even stop when the rider stabbed him in the thigh. He jumped. Olgierd waited for the right moment. He waited. The wolf was above him. His chest was exposed. Olgierd lifted his axe. He cut. The wolf fell. His body hit the ground with such force, that the stone that was under him broke. The wolf wasn't dead yet. He tried to get up.

 Olgierd turned. The wolf looked him in the eyes. He freed the sword that hanged in his decorated scabbard.  He halted. The wolf turned. Olgierd readies the blow. The sword goes through muscles, bones and exits on the other side. Streams of blood flow around the oaken stump.

“You did it.” one of the riders said. “Do you know where are?”

“Where?” Olgierd asked.

“This the oaken stump that meant for sacrifices to the Volun.”

“The legendary stump?”

“Yes.”

“What now?”

“We count this as a sacrifice to Volun.”

“Where now?”

“To, the king.” Olgierd said distantly.

The king sat in his room. Lord Iritian and Lord Gertain entered, waited for the king to spot them, and decided to speak.

“You Grace, we have urgent news for you.” they said almost simultaneously.

“What's important?” the king said, rising his head from feather-filled pillow.

“It's about Lady Joanna.”

The king in a instance was up. He looked at them with shock. Words stop in his throat.

“What…”

“How to put it? She's in love with you.”

“You're sure?”

“More, than sure.”

The king face changed. In his eyes a glint good be seen. His self-confidence has returned. He's his old self again. They waited.

“I knew it.” the king said after a moment of silence.

Olgierd walked down the drawbridge. Only one guard was stationed at the gate. Olgierd moved closer.

“You have returned.” the guard said.

“I have.” Olgierd looked at him, measured him from head to toe.

“Were you successful?”

“I was.”

“Did you catch him?”

“I did. The king will be pleased.”

“So, the king is here?”

“Yes.”

“Shall I?”

“Lead the way.”

The two of them went up the stairs, through a large hallway, and continued up the spiral stairs. The guard, in front the door, looked at them with a distain.

“This man did it.” the guard said.

“He defeated the wolf?” the other guard asked.

“Yes.”

“You can enter.”

Olgierd entered. The king stood near his table. He was reading the papers that were placed on his table. He stopped and turned towards him.

“You have return?” he asked looking on the fresh blood that was covering his upper body.

“I've defeated the wolf.”

“I saw that. A lot of things could be seen from the balcony. The reward is yours.”

“More than earned, Your Grace.”

“Where will you go now?”

“We are a free company.”

“So, the possibilities are endless.”

“True.” Olgierd left the room. The king stood for a moment. He called the guard.

“Get him, before he leaves and buy that pelt. Here's the money.” the king tossed him the pouch. The guard bowed and went after Olgierd. After a few minutes, he returned with the pelt.

“It's bigger than I thought.” the king said, looking at the pelt that hanged on the guard's shoulder.

“Shall I give it to Lady Joanna?”

“No, not yet. That will be all.”

The king was alone.

I couldn't defeat you, he thought. At least I will have you as blanket.