Sir Aldric Ironheart's Arc

Chapter 4 of 5

Two days east, the vine-choked castle rose from the trees. Aldric halted at the drawbridge and studied the thin garrison on the walls. He had planned a slow siege. But three armored fighters he had never seen broke from the treeline and charged the gate ahead of him. Their leader was a stranger in dented plate, blade already drawn. They wanted the throne too. Aldric spurred his horse to reach the drawbridge first. He was too slow. The three fighters hit the gate like a hammer. Steel rang inside the courtyard. The garrison scattered. By the time Aldric crossed the bridge, the strangers stood over the fallen lord. Their leader dropped into the stone throne and grinned. "Seat's taken, knight." Elara reined up beside Aldric and saw the dead lord. Her face went white. She had followed Aldric to save villages from cruelty, not to watch a throne stolen by force. She swung down from her horse. "Murderers," she spat. "You killed a lord for a chair." Then she turned, and her eyes found Aldric. "And you. You rode here for the same thing. You lied to me." Her spear leveled at Aldric's chest. "Sir Aldric Ironheart, I arrest you for treachery." Her voice shook, but her hands were steady. Kael edged back toward the horses, one palm on his coin purse, saying nothing. Aldric lifted his hands. "Elara, wait." She did not wait. She lunged. Aldric had no wish to strike her, so he gave ground. His heel caught something soft on the courtyard stones. He looked down. A person stood there, wearing only trousers and shoes, built entirely like a great bare backside. Aldric had no idea where the odd figure had come from. Elara's spear thrust struck the strange figure square instead of Aldric. The point sank into pink flesh with a wet thud. The figure toppled sideways into the leader of the three fighters. The leader crashed off the throne. His head cracked on stone. He did not get up. The other two fighters stared, then bolted for the gate. Elara froze. Her spear was buried in the odd creature. The throne sat empty. Aldric stepped over the groaning figure and stood beside the vacant seat. "You saved my life," he told Elara. "Whatever you think of me, you cleared this castle for me." Elara pulled her spear free and backed away, breathing hard. "I didn't mean to help you." But she lowered the weapon. She could not kill the man who had saved her village, even now. "I won't call you a saint again," she said. "But I won't leave. I'll watch what you do with this." Aldric sat down on the throne. The stone was cold through his armor. He held his first castle. Elara stood guard, loyal and no longer fooled. Kael counted the fallen lord's coffers already. The seat was his, and the girl who had almost jailed him now knew the truth.