An Axe in the Flames

The Spark that Ignites a Fire

The soldiers were pressing in from both sides now as Anese pulled Pela close to her.

"Pela...I don't know what is happening." Tears were streaming down her face, she was so confused. Her father was being arrested and had stopped fighting. He was on his knees in front of the King.

"Daddy, no!!!" She screamed.

Rikart turned his head towards Anese, his face defeated. What had she done?

"Lucan! I will not allow this. We demand a trial!" Yalina screamed from the doorway, she was holding a spear with both hands and had it leveled at Lucan's back. He slowly turned around, only barely regarding the point that was almost in his chest.

"A trial?" He laughed, throwing his head back.

"A trial? For why, Shield Sister? Here we stand, in the proof of all. The prisoner with your daughter, you with a spear leveled at the King. Your husband already on his knees. No, no. I think no trial is needed."

Yalina growled and pressed slightly forward, digging the tip into Lucan's chest. A trickle of blood running down his abdomen.

"We will not be labeled for things we have not done."

Anese continued to watch in horror as the nightmare relentlessly unfolded right in front of her. She understood almost nothing. How was her father being accused of treason? Who was the criminal he aided? She felt another tug on her arm, and it clicked inside of her head like a key unlocking a rusty lock.

"Oh Pela...were you the one who hurt the King?"

Pela's eye's were wide. She nodded her head vigorously again and pointed at the word she scribbled on the ground.

"Things you have not done?" Lucan questioned, as he took two fingers and pushed the spear point aside.

"We know that's not true. Don't we? The former prisoner stands in plain sight with your daughter. Don't we know? You and your husband have been planning on overthrowing me for months...we know. We all know!" He said, throwing back his head in laughter again.

"I tire of this talk though. Guards, chain up Rikart."

Four guards stepped forward, one of them producing shackles. He pulled on Rikart's wrists and pinned them behind him as he slid the cuffs on and locked them. Rikart looked up at Lucan, "I am alone in this. Leave my family be. Take the little girl if you must, but leave my daughter alone."

Lucan stepped away from the spear and towards Lucan. He reached a hand out and leveled Rikart's eyes with his. "Take Rikart to the dungeons. Kill the rest."

Kill the rest? The words seemed to echo from all around, to make the world pause. Anese's head spun, like rolling down a hill. How had everything she had ever known changed so drastically in one moment? Were they going to kill her too?

"Pela...I..I..."

Her mother screamed as two guards bound up the steps, she spun the spear in an arc and cut a deep groove into the cheek of one guard. He dropped his shield enough for her to side step a sword thrust from the other and drive her spear through the side of the soldier, catching him under his breast plate. He grunted and clutched his side. Taking her opportunity, she ripped the shield from his grasp and kicked him down the steps. She held the high ground now, spear and tower shield.

"Yalina!" Rikart screamed, as he struggled to get up. The guards held him back, every sinew in his arms straining as he fought to free himself from their grip. They had him tight and shoved him back down into a kneeling position. He thrashed at his captors, fought against their grip but he could not budge. He screamed wordlessly as spittle flew from his mouth and hung from his beard.