Never An Absolution - Chapter Two
Never an Absolution Chapter Two (c) cederwyn Whitefurr October, 2000 All rights reserved.
Ceredwyn shrieked and looked for cover, as all around her, the village militia forces were cut down like sheaves of wheat by the more skilled archers of the former King's soldiers.
"Katerina - " Lord Argent snapped. "Get Ceredwyn to cover...now."
Grabbing her terrified daughter by the robe collar, Katerina dragged the nearly hysterical Ceredwyn towards the cave entrance. Sickening screams from the injured and mortally wounded of the village militia seared through the young Doe's ears and she burst in to tears. Trying her best to be strong, Katerina blinked back her own tears - as she roughly forced Ceredwyn in to the cavern entrance and ordered her to stay.
"Mother - please...stay with me." Ceredwyn wept, clutching at her mothers robes. "please...."
"Ceredwyn - I can not do that. I am the village healer, and our people need us more." Katerina sniffled. "Please - be strong, as Lord Argent's blood runs hot in your veins, and you show skill at being a good healer yourself...but I need you to stay here, and care for the children!"
"I - " Ceredwyn wailed, falling to her knees.
"Stay!" Katerina snarled suddenly, then turned and made her way back towards the palisade walls, where she worked to save the lives of those she could.
Sickening splintering sounds came from the log gates, as a heavy ram was slammed against it; splintering the old timbers. Using large poles, the villager's tried to reinforce the gates, but they were forced back as the gate was broken down, and the cavalry charged. Hiding in the cavern, Ceredwyn saw and heard the agonizing screams from her friends, as the cavalry's charge swept them aside like leaves before a storm. Heavy hooves crushed both bone and flesh effortlessly, the mounted soldiers wielding their silver weapons hacked and slashed indiscriminately. As some of the fawns began to sob and wail, Ceredwyn felt her own tears well in her eyes, and she gathered the frightened children around her and tried to quiet them. There came the screams and sounds of the villagers pitiful weapons against the swords and armour of the knights...and within fifteen minutes, a deathly silence fell over the village. Pleading with the children, Ceredwyn snuck to the cavern entrance and peeked out through the concealed archway. All around her lay the dead or dying of her friends; and here and there, lay the unmoving body of one of the soldiers. Blood was splashed everywhere, and Ceredwyn bit down on her left paw, to prevent herself from crying out in horror. Standing bloodied but unbeaten, Lord Argent stood circled by a ring of the mounted cavalry, who leveled their silver tipped lances at him, surrounding him in a deadly thicket of silver weapons.
A faint clip-clop of an approaching horse broke the silence, and the wolf-headed human like creature rode in and cast his gaze around the decimated remains of the village...then paused and reigned in his steed. A soldier stepped forwards and seized the reins of the massive white stallion, and the armoured figure swung down from his saddle and stepped forwards.
"My - " Snarled the Wolf with a mocking bow. "it seems that your forces - were not as highly trained as you would had me believe."
Lord Argent stared balefully at the wolf creature, then spat in to his snout. With an upraised brow, the wolf sneered and wiped the spittle from his muzzle with a gauntlet covered paw. A cavalry soldier poked Lord Argent in the back with the lance, and Lord Argent shrieked in pain, then spun about and in the blink of an eye, had torn the Knight from his saddle, over the neck of the horse and had him flat on his back, the tip of his own lance pricking his throat. Incredulously, the Knight lay helpless beneath this strange anthro Stag, who snarled and threw the lance to the ground.
"Do not ever touch me again...peasant." Hissed Lord Argent.
There came a low growl of laughter, and Lord Argent turned to stare at the armoured wolf, who applauded mockingly.
"You fight well - for a beast." It sneered at Lord Argent.
"You will see just how well I fight in a minute - " Lord Argent seethed in rage, barely keeping himself under control, his long ears slicked back against his neck.
Laughs of derision came from the surrounding cavalry Knights, but none more louder, than that of the armoured wolf before him. With a gesture, the wolf waved a gauntlet covered paw and the young black furred stag that Lord Argent had struck, was dragged forwards and thrown roughly at Lord Argent's feet. One of his ears had all but been torn away, and blood had run down his neck and across his shoulders. Weak, near death and grievously injured, the young Stag still managed to rise to one knee in respect to his sire.
"Touching...isn't it?" Grunted the Wolf, as it stared at Lord Argent. "Here is your moment of glory - Argent. Take up your sword...and do battle against this pitiful wretch. Cut him down, and I'll let you go free...but you will never be permitted back within the borders of my Kingdom. Fail - and I'll use your skull as a drinking cup, your hide as a floor rug in my throne room, and your antlers - as a trophy."
Lord Argent's eyes narrowed, as he growled dangerously in his throat and stared at the wolf, who stared back impassively, not moving a muscle.
As Lord Argent raised his bloodied sword, the young Stag glanced up and choked up blood, his one remaining eye glimmering in terror. With a shriek of Cervine rage, Lord Argent reversed his blade...then drove it straight down, less than an inch from the nearly dead young Stag's nose.
"No - " Lord Argent spoke quietly, his voice low, and mournful. "I will not resort to killing my own people, as that would make me no better than you. I have a sense of loyalty and honor - sadly, it would appear that you do - "
Lord Argent's voice broke, as he felt the agonizing pain lance deep in to his unprotected belly...and his stared down incredulously, as the young Stag snarled, then grabbed Lord Argent's surcoat in a bloodied paw...and thrust the dagger he held up in to Lord Argent's chest. Like some great toppling elm, Lord Argent staggered backwards, then his white paws clutched at his belly, from which his precious lifeblood poured. Horrified and stunned, Lord Argent collapsed to his knees, then stared at his once loyal lieutenant, who rose and with a sneer, licked the blood from his dagger - his apparently 'mortal' wounds, proving to be nothing more than minor flesh wounds.
"Galandire - how could...you...." Lord Argent gurgled, blood flecking his furred lips, as he began shuddering, sweat soaking his body.
"You never respected me!" Screamed the young Buck. "I was never 'good' enough for you! I spent my life idolizing your every act and word, trying to live up to your expectations of your code of honor.... What did it get me? A rank of lieutenant in a motley village militia? What is that? Nothing! Nothing I tell you - you and your pathetic kind deserve to die...now, I shall realize my true potential...and I shall become greater than you ever were! You are but a fickle little noble born Knight - with no aspirations other than ruling this...this insignificant little speck of dust! I despise you - and your kind...."
Lord Argent fell forwards and lay convulsing and gurgling, a growing puddle of his precious lifeblood beginning to pool around his convulsing body. As Galandire turned around, he heard a soft chuckling laugh - then he barely began to scream, as the wolf leapt and sank his powerful jaws in to the younger Stag's unprotected throat. Blood spurted from the wound, and the wolf thrust sharply forwards, then locked his jaws around the Stag's throat, as Galandire began convulsing and bucking savagely. Seizing his victim in a crushing grasp, the Wolf continued his attack - then with a last choking gurgle from the stag, the wolf thrust forwards again, and there came a sickening wet snap from Galandire's neck...and his head slumped backwards. With a grunt, the Wolf held his dead victim by the throat for a few seconds longer, savoring the last of the adrenaline filled blood, then he let the corpse crumple to the ground. Stoically, the mounted Knights did not show their horror at their new lieges particular habits - but it sickened them to their very souls. More than one Knight came to realize, that this was no normal wolf creature - they had sworn to serve and protect.
"Lord Dorsnek - " Yelled a infantry soldier. "Sir - we've found what appears to be a secreted cavern complex - "
Angrily, the wolf creature spun around and stared at the soldier who had spoken, and gestured towards an ivy covered tumbled down ruin.
"So - that's their last stand?" Dorsnek growled. "Captain - smoke them out of their hole - "
"Yes sir - " Answered the human soldier, as he ordered his soldiers to begin stacking up the tinder dry wood and thatching from the villagers huts and tents.
***
Hiding back in the furthermost part of the small twisty cavern chambers she could easily reach, Ceredwyn pleaded with the offspring of her people to be quiet. More than one young girl or boy was pitifully crying, and the young Doe was nearly in tears herself from terror and frustration, trying to keep them silent.
"Please...don't cry little ones - " Ceredwyn stammered, her own tears misting her eyes. "Please...."
"We want to go home - " Wailed a little Doe fawn, and her wail rang out loudly and echoed through the caverns.
Ceredwyn snapped and sharply struck the fawn across her cheek, then gasped and clutched the child tightly against her breasts, as the fawn burst in to choking wails. As best Ceredwyn could, she forced the child's head against her ample breasts, trying to muffle the fawn's wails. Her sensitive nose detected the first hints of smoke, and within moments, the chambers air was filling with the acrid, oily scented smoke. Their eyes burning and lungs shrieking - Ceredwyn struggled to keep control and made them drop to their knees and crawl towards the exit. As they emerged blinking in to the harsh sunlight, the soldiers snickered and seized them roughly by their clothing - or in the case of the fawns - by a leg, ear or neck. As Ceredwyn staggered forth, her eyes streaming tears and her lungs shrieking, she heard the low menacing growl - instantly accompanied to the hiss of unsheathing steel.
"My my my..." Growled Dorsnek menacingly. "So you're the last...of this pathetic village? I thought they would have had something a little more...worthy...of my time."
Ceredwyn screamed as a halberd's haft was slammed in to her belly, making her drop to her knees. Dorsnek snorted and glared hungrily at the children, then smiled.
"Captain - " He barked.
"Sir!" Answered the human Captain, as he approached and saluted.
"Have the fawns...taken to my castle, and secured."
"As for the human children sire?" Asked the Captain.
Dorsnek stared at the filthy and painfully thin human children held captive, and he grinned evilly. "Captain - have them put to death...by impaling them on pikes."
"Sir - " Stammered the Captain.
"Obey me!" Dorsnek snarled viciously, his bloodied muzzle wrinkling, the dewlaps curling and revealing the yellowed fangs.
"Yes - sir!" Swallowed the human Captain, as he saluted once again, then issued the orders to the sickened soldiers.
"No...please...." Ceredwyn pleaded. Without a single word of comment, Dorsnek spun back and savagely backhanded Ceredwyn across the cheek with his metal gauntlet covered paw. Ceredwyn shrieked and was driven on to her side, where she lay shrieking and sobbing in agony.
"Get up - " Dorsnek growled softly.
Ceredwyn continued lying on her side, and she choked up bloodied phlegm from her throat. With a snarl, Dorsnek bent over, then seized her slender ears and savagely pulled her back to her hooves.
"When I tell you something - peasant - you will obey me...do you understand?" Dorsnek snarled, his fetid breath gagging Ceredwyn.
Ceredwyn wailed - then as he released his tight grasp of her ears, she lashed out and her kneecap slammed heavily in to his groin. Without a sound, Dorsnek dropped to his knees and Ceredwyn whipped around, preparing to run...when his vice like paw snapped like a hobble around her ankle and tore her hooves out from under her. With a shriek of agony and pain, Ceredwyn slammed down heavily against the ground, and Dorsnek snickered, then with one sharp twist of his paw, he shattered her ankle. Ceredwyn had never experienced such agony...and she convulsed wildly, then went limp. Dorsnek grunted and rose back to his feet and stared down at her unconscious form, drinking in her curves and he knelt over her and pulled her head backwards, and ran his nose up her neck and smiled cruelly.
"Mmmmm...you'll do - just fine." He smiled softly to himself, then let her unconscious body slump back to the ground. "Yes - you'll do quite well...."
Turning away, he whistled and his stallion trotted over to him, and he vaulted easily up in to the saddle.
"Captain - bring me Lord Argent's head...and his pelt. Also, have the healer tend to that Doe, and bring her to my castle..."
"Yes...Lord Dorsnek." Stammered the sickened Captain, as he watched the mounted wolf wheel his horse around, and gallop down the pathway, that had been formed from the impaled corpses of the villages children...and as the sickened human watched, his master rode out of sight, his horse and himself obscured in dust....
To Be Continued...