“QUIET!” I roar. The room goes silent. I wait for only a moment and then say, “I am going back for them.”
The room stays silent. Then someone brave enough says, “That’s suicide.” It takes me a second to realize that it was the captain.
“You yourself said that there was hope.”
“Yes, but I meant with reinforcements and a trained army. Not with a group of armed businessmen.”
“I am going. Think of it what you will, but I am going. He is my father and I will not leave him in the hands of the enemy. Neither will I let such a fate befall the Jarl.”
There’s another pause. “Then you’ll need these,” says the captain. He hands me the ring of keys.
“You will not join me?”
“The Jarl charged me with the responsibility of taking all survivors and travelling with them to Kera. We start in the morning. I must fulfill my orders, especially if those orders are the Jarl’s last.”
“They aren’t.”
The captain does not respond, but exits the room and walks up the stairs.
“How are Mother, Ethan, and Nicholas?” I ask Gunther. “Did you see them before you left?”
“Yes,” he answers. “They came to my house. That’s where they’ll stay. They’ll be safe.”
I give a sigh of relief.
“Rachel was with them when I left,” he adds. “I hope she’s safe…”
Having had no time to grab anything, I have no bedroll or food. Nathaniel and Gunther graciously share.
Frederick approaches me. He appears older now, as though the war has already taken its toll on him. He is smiling now, however. “It’s good to see you alive and well,” he says, shaking my hand.
“You as well,” I respond with a small smile. Even under the circumstances, I find myself contracting his positive attitude.
“Where are the others?” I ask Gunther. “James and Jericho?”
“They’re upstairs,” Gunther answers. “Probably sleeping. I’d leave them alone. Go say hello before they leave.”
“You’re planning on coming with me, then?”
He takes a deep breath. “I was actually hoping I could talk you out of it.”
“What?”
“It’s uh…” he stutters. “I won’t have you go to your death,” he says lamely.
“He’s our father. There are many men that gave their lives so you could save your skin, and so I could save mine. I’m merely returning the favor.”
“Yes, I realize he’s our father and that the Jarl is important and it’s possible for them to die, but Kadmus…” He searches for something to say and finally says, “Live to fight another day.”
“You think I won’t survive?” I phrase it like a question, but it’s really not.
He doesn’t answer.
“Nathaniel.” I look to my younger brother for support. “Will you come with me?”
He looks nervously between Gunther and me, caught between the two opinions of his nearly greatest role models. “I don’t know…” he finally leaks.
“Am I alone then?” I ask. The soldiers close by look away as I turn to stare them down.
Frederick says, “I fear for your life, Kadmus. Your actions are your own, however. You may choose to do as you will.”
Percival winces as he tries to stand. His father grasps Percival’s shoulder and says something quietly. Percival ceases his attempts to stand and says, “If I could, I would gladly stand behind you.”
“Thank you Percival,” I say quietly.
“When will you go?”
“What time is it?” I respond.
“An hour or two after dawn,” says a soldier. “We’re probably going to get moving soon. We’re not out of the fire yet.”
“Not ‘til night, then,” I say, answering Percival’s question. “Their soldiers will most likely clean up most of the mess this morning and then sleep all afternoon and night. We could use some rest ourselves.”
Percival and his father Darius are discussing something, though it’s pretty obvious what about. Percival is upset and begins to speak louder. Finally the conversation comes to an end and Percival says to me, “I cannot come with you. But I will be here, waiting for you.” He stands with the help of his father and rests his hand on my shoulder, though I am several inches taller than he. “I have faith in you. I will not leave until you return.”
Shortly after, the captains gather the horde of survivors and start off down the mountain path.
Jericho’s words bring me hope: “I have to go, to stay with those who can help me recover. I know you’ll do it. Every step of the way, I’m behind you.”