The Bastard Beast

Smoke In The Distance

Nathan was inbetween the carriage and the two knights behind him. Uniquely he was physically the closest to Dyan. A small window was behind her, eloquently crafted of steel and embroidered with gold. It didn't take long for the lass to ask the exile questions. They were hardly an hour down the road before he heard her muffled voice.

"Is it true?" Dyan asked, "Have you killed children?"

"Yes." Nathan replied.

"Why?" Dyan asked, her voice trembling.

"They were in my way." Nathan answered.

"Then, you are worse than your father." Dyan said with anger, "You can't justify killing children."

"I never said I was better than him. Never tried to justify my actions. Doesn't change my mind and I'd do it all again just to feel my fingers around his throat." Nathan said coldly.

"Do you truly lack such remorse?" Dyan said astonished.

"I have no remorse and I've never felt remorse for anything I have done." Nathan confessed.

Dyan fell quiet. There was nothing left to say. Nathan was a monster. She wished she had not set him free and that she could just go back and change everything. How did he get her to trust him? Why did he have to save her life. That choice made this so confusing.

"So why." Dyan started after a few moments of silence, "Why did you save my life."

Nathan replied, "I didn't really have a reason. I just decide too."

"Why didn't you kill my father?" Dyan asked quickly.

"There was no reason too." Nathan replied. "He posed no threat."

"So you won't kill people who don't pose a threat, so long as they're not in your way?" Dyan asked, "What's your reasoning?"

"It's simple. I do what I want. I didn't feel like killing your father and I didn't see a reason to. I wanted to save your life, so I did." Nathan anwsered.

"Pardon me saying, but I have a hard time believing such. There must be a better reason for you deciding to save my life." Dyan stated, "You have a reason for everything."

"I've stated my reason." Nathan replied, "You are free to think what you will."

Dyan was once again quiet. This harsh, cruel man was inferiorting and yet, made her question her own motives. He was a demon in his own right, but she found his freedom, the apparent chaos of his actions, appealing. Despite his abominable nature, she couldn't help but be drawn in. Nathan Wolff may be a devil, but Dyan was a woman willing to talk with one. A woman who had made a deal with a devil.

"Milady, smoke in the distance!" Smith whispered furiously, turning his head to speak behind him.

Nathan glared up to see the faint smoke in the far distance drifting faintly into the air. He judged that the fire had faded leaving nothing but smoldering wood.

"Damn it all!" Sir Thomas shouted, his fist clenched tightly. "This is outrageous. They've attacked this far north? This cannot stand."

"This was coordinated." Sir Ammon stated, "An inside job, to be so close to the heartland."

"Agreed." Sir George replied.

"By the look of that smoke, it's left to only a smolder." Sir John announced. "Greyfields, the women there were young and fine."

"Wasn't that were we were stock our supply?" Sir Ammon said to George.

Sir George nodded in reply. Their situation becoming ever more apparent. Greyfields was not far off from the city of Gall, it made more sense to take the days travel rest at Greyfield and take stocks for the trip there. The path they took toured through the village, charting a course North. It was a longer route but over all safer to travel.