Carack

Carack Ch10 revised and complete

‘Leave her alone!’ shouted N’zar, leaping across the room and grabbing Gerent by the shoulder tossed him aside like a rag doll. Cam ran and put a foot on his chest to hold him down as Gerent lay where he had come to rest, against the wall. It was only then that Gerent realised what M’zera had done, that she had tricked him and he had been stupid enough to fall for it. His cheek stung and he was dizzy from the throw but he tried to protest.

‘I didn’t do anything!’

‘What is going on here?’ an anxious sounding Sancret demanded as he entered the room. In an instant M’zera had run to him and was resting her head on his chest, sobbing. Gerent could now see that the neck of her dress was torn and she was trying to hold the torn pieces together as she clung in a helpless manner to Sancret, who was stroking her hair.

 ‘Hugh attacked me,’ she sobbed, ‘I was here in my room and he just burst in and attacked me! I was so frightened!’

Gerent sagged as he saw a look of thunderous rage come down on the Warlock’s face, he held the girl tighter to him and glared down at Gerent.

‘Umberstan!’ Sancret bellowed and the Brownie appeared at once bowing and looking around, frightened and apprehensive. ‘Place him,’ he almost spat out the word ‘him’ as he pointed at Gerent, ‘in the cell, now!’ he shouted and the Brownie jumped. Umberstan gazed at Gerent with a look of bewilderment and then took his hand. In the next second Gerent found he was back in the dark damp cell that he had been in once before. Umberstan let go his hand and clapped, immediately a soft glowing light appeared above Gerent, which illuminated the pitch-black cell.

‘What happened Lordling?’ asked Umberstan kneeling to be level with Gerent’s head and he produced a hankie to mop the flood of blood running down Gerent’s face.

‘It was M’zera, she set me up,’ said a hopeless Gerent. He was thinking about Sancret holding the girl and knew that this meant that Sancret was not wearing the chamelian mail Gerent had thrown at him in desperation. He lay back and groaned, knowing that none of them would ever believe him again now and that he was lost.

‘I will leave the light, Lordling and go and fetch water to bathe the scratches,’ said Umberstan.

‘No, you had better just leave me, I don’t want you getting into trouble on my behalf.’

‘The Mage ordered you brought here and I obeyed him. But he did not stipulate what treatment you were to receive and so I may do as I wish. I shall be back in a moment.’ Umberstan was cheery and bowed before vanishing. Gerent lay back and looked up at the soft glowing orb above him. It reminded him of the light bulb in his room at home, he felt dizzy and sick, everything was going wrong. He closed his eyes and  didn’t know if or when Umberstan returned.

When Gerent awoke, he could still see the gentle glow of the orb bobbing above him and turning his head he saw Brunnstan sitting crossed legged on a stool beside him, reading a small brown book.

‘Hello Brunnstan,’ said Gerent, ‘I haven’t seen you for a while.’

Brunnstan’s smile was sheepish, ‘Yes well I, I’ve been in disgrace and ashamed, but it’s all clear soup now!’

‘It’s what?’

‘Clear soup er, alright, fine er, over.’

‘Oh I see, why are you here? Not being punished too are you?’ Gerent asked.

‘Not much punishment in a feather bed I’m thinking and not much punishment in being tended morning, noon and working time! Which reminds me, must go!’ Brunnstan stood up and disappeared with his book. Gerent touched his scratched cheek and then touched it again. The scratch had gone and he could not feel any sign of the injury. He sat up in surprise, still touching and prodding his cheek. He realised that he was not lying on damp straw like last time but on a comfy bed with a thick heavy cover. As he smoothed the silky surface of the coverlet he hoped the Brownies were not going to get into trouble for being so good to him. In the next instant Brunnstan reappeared holding a smiling Sancret by the hand. Gerent leant forward, wondering what was going on. He drew his knees up, closed his eyes and waited for whatever punishment Sancret was going to give him. When nothing happened and nothing was said Gerent cautiously opened his eyes to see Sancret was sat on a stool by the side of his bed, smiling at him.