The Forgotten - Chapter 3

Cull waited for Sigwulf to exit the room before speaking again.

“I swear that man’s father must have been a member of an Assassins Guild,” he mused then turned to see the tired expression of the blonde man.  “What’s wrong, Vance?  It’s unlike you to be this gloomy.  The company you’ve been keeping lately perhaps?”

“Sigwulf’s not that bad, Cull.”

Cull growled.  “Galadon Knights attract people like him.”

“We never volunteered for knighthood, remember.  They chose us.”

Cull ignored the distinction.  “Maybe your kind has changed, maybe you have not.  Either way, you Galadon Knights murdered the true Royal Family for Gods know what reason, and left us in the hands of the bloody Kalash Clergy, who are just as bad if not worse.”

“You believe that crap?”

“It doesn’t matter what I do or don’t believe.  The facts speak for themselves.  About 120 years ago the Galadon Knights murdered the Royal Family and were suddenly surprised when you were turned on.  They were disbanded, outlawed and now the public hate you for forcing the Kalash murderers to take control.  So your leaders of the time cook up this cock and bull story that your order was framed and pretend you are all honourable once again.”

“That’s a lie and you know it.”

“Do I?  It’s something I do so often that I know how the story goes.”

“What, framing people?”

“Fabricating stories to clear my name then put the blame on others.  People still hate me but they can’t prove anything.  The difference is that I know what I am and don’t try to pretend that I’m something I’m not.”

“Like Galadon Knights, you mean?”  Vance groaned and sat down in a chair across the desk from Cull, stretching his long legs out in front of him, crossing them at the ankles.  “You’re wrong Cull.  So very, very wrong.  But no matter what falsehood you choose to believe, it’s nearly all over.  We Galadon Knights are finally strong enough for true battle again.  The girl is being brought back to receive her training in statecraft, law, politics, and whatever else she needs.  Soon, very soon, we can come out of hiding to retake our rightful places again as legitimate knights of the realm of Kalthar and Royal Bodyguards.”

“Best do a better job this time,” Cull murmured.

Vance ignored the comment and continued.  “No more hiding.  We can have our families on public record again.  We will be real and not ghosts any more.  No longer will we be tales told to frighten children into obedience.  Our history and truth will be finally remembered, and the true story told.”  Vance sighed, a surprisingly boyish grin brightening up his face as he dreamed of the future.

Cull laughed.  “Ah.  The dreams of forgotten lies to become real lies,” he replied cynically.  “The true story is whatever the victor decides to write, and you lost.  The losers always rewrite their own histories to make them the victors so no one can ever truly know the truth, as if anyone cares.  So now you supposed honourable men can all soon become as corrupted as much as the rest of us again.  You know, I could make a tidy sum if I turned you over to the Clergy.”

“And have them find out you’ve had dealings with us before, and have knowledge of the last Katrall?  You’d be next to me as they bend us backwards over their blood alters just before they cut our beating heart out our chests, using dull knives I expect.

Cull gave a chilling laugh.  “Would you like some refreshments, despised outlaw?”

Vance shook his head.  “You’re the Lord of Thieves in this town.  I would end up paying for it one way or another.”

“That’s my boy,” Cull laughed.  “Shame that Sigwulf slipped as he picked at the purse of the disguised knight.  You just had to be standing there watching didn’t you?  Some great lookout you are.”

Vance gave his loud laugh again.  “I was as curious about what was in the man’s purse as much as Sigwulf was.  Besides, I turned out all right.  I can handle myself in a fight much better now.”

“I know.  I saw what you did to our Greely last month.  Very nice.  Exotic even.”

“That was Greely?  What happened to his face?”

“An argument with some sea captain down in Bunton I believe.  You know, you could have been a little easier on the man.”

Vance laughed softly.  “Me?  You should see what Sigwulf can do now.  I’m a damn lightweight compared to him.”

“Sigwulf always was a violent bastard.”

“I guess he had to be, both of us had to be strong if we wanted to survive here.”

“Perhaps, but Sigwulf would take it to extremes sometimes.  I’ve always wondered if his father was a member of one of the Assassins Guilds in Kalthar and if the man took an interest in the boy.  Sigwulf’s skills are little too good for just growing up here with the normal scuffles, and he’s too enthusiastic.”

“He still is, on the practise field, and no one can match his skill with a sword.  He puts our champion, Sir Russ, down regularly.  Sigwulf absolutely dominates the arrogant bastard.”

Vance gave Cull a small half smile.  He liked Cull, regardless of his crimes.  Vance had no parents he knew of and grew up in the streets.  Cull had seen potential in the youthful pickpocket and taught him some of the various trades within the thieving business.

“So where is the Princess anyway?”  Vance asked.

“Princess?  What have you been smoking out there?”  Cull snorted.  “All you knights really are delusional aren’t you?  How many times must you be told that the Katrall family died, before you accept it?  Your fantasy is  dead.  There are no Katrall’s left.  No princesses, no princes, no royalty.”

Cull paused and saw Vance was still waiting for an answer, his expression beginning to darken.  Though Vance had a long temper, he was not a man to you wanted to engage once angered.

Cull sighed.  “She’s in the holding pen.”

“Holding pen?”  Vance asked with wary suspicion

“Slave Room,” Cull translated.  “The room you walked through to get here.”

“Cull.”  Vance replied in a strangled tone.  “She is the crown Princess of the Kaltharian continent, and many others.  Not one of your whores.”

“I know she’s no whore, no matter want else you wish to call her.  Spirited too.  Bet her mother was a real little firecracker in the brothel.”

Vance continued to make strangling noises.

“I seem to remember that the last fellow that did try to get into her bed went swimming.”

“Swimming?”  Vance asked in a strained voice.

Cull nodded, an evil smile splitting his face.  “Swimming.  With his hands tied behind his back and a large rock tied to his feet.”

“A child did that?”

“Not her,” his grin was evil.  “She broke his shoulder, but the swimming was my refinement after I heard he may have had a romantic interest in her.”  Cull’s face became stern once more.  “Be very careful Vance.  She’s not like all the good girls you know at the stronghold who are dutiful to their mummy and daddy.  This girl has grown up in a hard environment, and a hard environment means a hard will, for all of us.”

Vance frowned.  “She’s still just a girl.”

Cull raised one eyebrow.  “Really?  The baby your Lord gave me is not just a girl anymore, believe me.”

“So what is she doing in your slave pens?”

Cull leaned back, a sly smile in his face and his fingers steepled in front of him with confidence.  “How much are you prepared to pay for her?”

Vance’s expression was puzzled.  “Pay?”  He shook his head at what he believed was just a silly question that needed no answer.  He sighed and decided to humour the man who was as close as a father to him as his Lord Draynon, leader of the Galadon Knights in the province named Hawthorn.  “This is your patriotic duty, Cull.  We need her.  The entire realm, our Kalthar, needs her.”

“Do you really need her?  I mean really?  Surely some other girl would work just as well?  I have some excellent quality in at the moment among the slaves in the next room.  Very pretty.  Pick one, for half price.”

Vance sat up straight and stared at the man with a penetrating gaze.  “What have you done?”  He asked as he spoke slowly, his tone heavy with suspicion.

“I’ve not done anything.  At least not yet.  As I said, she’s far too valuable to me to let anything untoward happen to her.  I’ve gone to too much trouble to keep her untouched by others, men especially.  Do you have any idea how much a virgin is worth these days, and a pretty one?  I’ve had some good offers in the past from men wanting to rent her on an hourly basis.  Very good offers in fact, and the offers are starting to become too tempting for me to say ‘no’ to these gentlemen for much longer.”

“Cull, you agreed to hand her over to us once we returned for her when she was first delivered to you for safe keeping.”

“I know.  I’ve changed my mind.  As I said she’s a stunningly beautiful girl and a virgin.  Astrid will fetch me a very high price at the slave auction tomorrow morning.  I’ve had quite a bit of interest already from some other very wealthy investors who may become regular clients.”

“Cull, we had a deal.”

“And now that’s over.  As a friend, I’ll offer you the discounted price of 200 gold pieces.”

“200 gold?  I don’t exactly carry that kind of coin on me.”

“Pity.  She was given to me.  I raised her.  Spent money feeding her, paid for a cage to be built to keep her in.  I deserve some sort of compensation.  If you don’t pay up, I keep her.  Give your outlawed Lord another.  It’s nothing personal Vance, it’s just business.”

Cull snapped his fingers and two large men carrying heavy weapons stepped out of the shadows.  “Young Vance was just leave...  no.  Wait.  Give him a loincloth and collar.  Bind him tightly and well boys.  We have a new sale item.”

Vance leapt to his feet and grabbed at the empty space where his sword had been.  He saw stars as he was hit across the back of the head.  Everything went black.

  A stocky man with grey eyes stared at his employer.  “I don’t think that was a good idea, Cull.  Let him go,” the rough voice advised.  “Knights have friends.”

Cull waved his concerns aside.  “Vance and Sigwulf are both boys, Osric.  You give them too much credit.  Besides, their friends aren’t here, I am.  Now bind Vance and be quick about it before I have you dragged out into the main room and let your friends have another attempt at killing you.”

“They were following your orders Cull, and not happy about it.  They won’t do it again, even if you threaten them.”

Cull glared at Osric.  “Tie the man and put him in the slave room,” he said slowly as though talking to a child.

“You’ve changed since you murdered your own son,” Osric replied with dead eyes.

Cull whipped his had forwards and sliced Osric’s cheek open to the bone.  “That could have been your throat,” he told the man, a slim, bloodied dagger in his hands.  “Now I gave you an order.  Follow it.”