The Book of Terrus: The Wise and Powerful

Chapter 22 - The Punishment for Treason

It was a mistake; letting her live. Mahir knew that now. If only his marriage to Gwynnis had not so recently softened his heart, perhaps he would not have been so handily swayed. If only he had been stronger, firmer, more just, he would have allowed justice to carry out its course and Goran would have gone on. Perhaps all this unrest was his punishment for having bent the laws of their world for one unhappy wretch, all to appease his own love-struck heart.

Never again, Mahir decided. If it was indeed the BlackPearl here, in Utunma, then the king resolved that she would die this very day. And not only her, but all of her supporters too. There could be no question in Gorians' minds going forward; this world belonged to the heirs of Amenthis, both by birthright and by authority of will. By the time Hithon took the throne, Goran would once again know the natural order of things. This Mahir swore on the crown at his brow, the love of his living son, and the stars of his dead wife and second child.

"Lieutenant Vanti," Mahir called out.

One of the Utunman Guards, who had helped to retake the town after being put out of it, snapped to attention, leaving barricading the survivors inside the warehouse to other soldiers.

"Yas Your Grace" he was quick to respond in the thick, rolling southern accent. The man's bronze armor was darkening near the seams from lack of recent maintenance, but given the circumstances Mahir overlooked the lapse.

"Myself and my officers will be setting up a field headquarters in the former magistrate's office. Find the one the townsfolk have been calling the BlackPearl, and bring her to me, immediately."

"As you command, Your Grace."

Mahir left the guard to tackle the task of identifying one woman from a crowd of many packed inside the stifling warehouse. Meanwhile, he and Captain Sabin made their way across the square to the magistrate's office. It had been locked up since the death of its occupant, but Sabin made quick work of the barricade. Inside they found a mess of toppled shelves, scrolls unwound along the floor, and broken glass from the shattered windows. A handful of younger conscripts were called for, and soon the young men, in between nervous glances at the king out the corner of their eyes, had the furniture righted and at least enough of the mess cleared to make the space functional.

"Captain Sabin, I want a regular patrol set up in the streets, and a watch on both the docks and any paths no matter how small into the jungle. Anyone caught walking the streets without leave or trying to flee Utunma is to be executed on sight. Until we cull the Factionist ringleaders from the rest, no one comes and goes in this town without my express permission."

"Shall I entrust the Utunman Guard to maintain their own patrol groups, or shall we mix their numbers with soldiers of the Third to ensure order, Your Grace?" asked Sabin.

"I trust that those members of the town guard whose neighbors threw them out into the wild will not need any further questioning of their loyalties." Mahir tested the narrow wooden chair behind the magistrate's desk before sitting. A leg protested, but the seat held. "Oh and one more thing; set fire to any boats remaining at anchor by the docks. No sense leaving temptation for any would-be escapees who might by some luck escape their homes or the warehouse."

Sabin hesitated, a rare occurrence which prompted the king to raise an eyebrow at his captain. The northerner's marble-fair skin was already beginning to pink around the ears and behind the neck. Despite that and the sweat on his brown, Sabin spoke calmly. "By your leave, Your Grace, perhaps it might be considered to leave the boats? If they have not been used thus far, then it may be that their owners were loyal to the crown and remained in Utunma when they saw their king coming to restore order? Even if not, to leave these people entirely without boats will cripple their source of industry. After you have reasserted your authority here, it may send a positive message to other unruly communities that life will be good again once they return to the fold."