The two servants in the driver's seat looked at one another before one responded, "We were told to await Uth Garenthil here, my lord."
"I am meeting you instead," Uth Vaedis informed.
Aerham stood with his hands grasping the bars. It seemed someone was going to free him, one way or another. This must be the will of the Blessed Lady.
"The order came from Uth Arthgrin, my lord," the servant explained meekly. "He said we were to wait for Uth Garenthil and no other."
"You can step down from that wagon or I can cut you down." Uth Vaedis stood straight and his face hardened to reinforce his threat. He meant it.
The soldiers behind the Brother immediately tensed, many of them exchanging concerned expressions and others shrugging to the soldier next to him.
The two servants quickly clambered down from the wagon and moved several paces away. Their faces broadcast the confusion shared by the soldiers.
Aerham wondered what Uth Vaedis intended. His shackles rattled as he turned to scan the courtyard for others. He didn't want the man to join him in chains.
"I will set things right, boy," Uth Vaedis promised. "This is wrong. Their mistreatment of you. There is no honor here." The large man turned to frown at the soldiers. "There is no honor here!" he bellowed at them, causing more than one of them to take a cautious step backward. One soldier fell against the gate.
Uth Vaedis walked to the back of the wagon and gave the cage door a tug to make certain it was locked. "Where is the key?" he demanded of the servants.
"We were not given a key, my lord. We were told to take horses to the wagon and bring it to the frontier gate." The middle-aged servant held up his hands defensively. "And to wait for Uth Garenthil," he added, wincing as he finished the statement. Apparently, even the servants knew how much Uth Vaedis disliked Uth Garenthil.
Aerham sat quietly in the cage. If Uth Vaedis set him free, would the Brotherhood just allow him to walk out? He doubted it. Uth Vaedis seemed ready to fight and he couldn't possibly win against the entire fortress. Aerham looked for more Brothers who might support the cause, but saw only the guards on the wall above the gate, watching the scene with curiosity. It was possible none of them would do anything.
"I will break the lock later," the Brother decided aloud, climbing to the driver's seat. The wagon lurched beneath his great armored weight, wood groaning. He started the horses forward and turned the wagon around, heading back toward the inner courtyard at a hurried pace. As they neared, however, the great doors began to close. Someone was inside the wall working the complex mechanism which controlled them. It was clear that the gates would be completely shut before they reached them.
"Open the gates!" Uth Vaedis barked, standing on the front of the wagon long enough to shout. He stopped the wagon ten paces from the gates.
"Open the gates!"
The great doors began to swing outward.
Aerham was surprised that someone had listened. When the gates had closed, he had assumed it was over. Then he caught a glimpse of the first soldier on the other side. As the opening widened, he saw more. There were at least thirty of Ravyn's Might on the other side with swords drawn and shields held ready.
Uth Vaedis laughed and sat in the driver's seat once more. "Clear a path, you dogs, or I will run you down!" He chuckled and added, "I'll probably run you down either way." His laughter sounded mad rather than amused.
"Uth Vaedis, don't do this," Aerham pleaded, pressing his face to the bars nearest the driver's seat. "I accepted their punishment. This isn't necessary." The situation had deteriorated and the Brother showed no sign of backing down.
"One day, boy, you will understand," the burly Brother said over his shoulder. "Maybe you already do. My honor is on the other side of those fools and I mean to go get it."
"Don't," Aerham protested and fell backwards as the wagon burst forward.
"For Ravyneira and the dogs she took pity on!" Uth Vaedis shouted as the two horses sprinted, bouncing the wagon along behind them across the cobblestones.
The thirty soldiers scattered like a swarm of insects as the mad Brother sent the wagon through the center of them.
The two-hundred soldiers from Saroken stood assembled on the left side of the inner courtyard. Captain Meagus stood before them, turning in surprise as Uth Vaedis raised a hand to wave as he rode by their formation. The Brother laughed like a mad man.
The great doors through the fortress were still open and the wagon lurched side to side as the horses hauled it through the first set. The set of doors at the far end of the tunnel swung closed immediately. Aerham hadn't known they could close so quickly. Uth Vaedis turned the wagon again and rode back to the inner courtyard. He slowed as they emerged into the morning light once more.
Fifty of Ravyn's Might now surrounded the gate which they passed through, forming a semi-circle around the wagon. Many of the soldiers were still running to catch up from the gate on the other end of the courtyard, which was still closed.
"This is not good," Uth Vaedis mumbled. He stopped the wagon and stood in the driver's seat, surveying the courtyard and weighing his options.
"Just let them take me. They will either way. You have more honor than anyone here. There is nothing to prove. The Brotherhood is finished in another cycle anyhow," Aerham pleaded again. He knew Uth Vaedis wouldn't listen to him. The senate was passing the fortress to the Chosen Order of Justice and there was nothing any of them could do to prevent it. With or without honor, the Brotherhood was finished.
"No," Uth Vaedis declared. "It makes some sense to give up, but I have given it much thought. I don't like these fellows. Not in the least. They won't tell me what to do. That's for sure." He jumped to the ground, armor rattling. "One of you fetch me a key for this cage," he ordered, waving a finger at the nearest soldiers. They stared at him unsure, swords in hand.
"Vaedis, what are you doing? Have you lost your mind?"
It was the voice of Uth Arthgrin. He was a large man, but smaller than Uth Vaedis. He pushed his way through the soldiers, still wearing his blue robe with gold trim.
"Arthgrin," Uth Vaedis returned, turning to face his superior. His tone had been warm and clearly mocking.
"Cease this nonsense and let us finish our business with the senators." Uth Arthgrin pointed to the wagon and then towards the locked gates at the far end of the tunnel through the fortress.
"Just give me the key for the cage and the two of us will leave you to your scheming and defiling. You can hide from justice if you want. You can all change your names and even the name of the fortress for all I care." Uth Vaedis crossed his arms defiantly. "This boy is leaving here today, and through the south gate, not the north."
"Do not make me do this," Uth Arthgrin warned. He appeared genuinely concerned. "You are still a Brother of the Sun. This incident can be easily forgotten."
"Yes, forgetting incidents is what we do best," Uth Vaedis mocked.
"Please, stand down, Vaedis. We do only what we must to preserve our duties to Ravyneira. We must guard the First Flame and the other sacred artifacts below this fortress."
Aerham knew of the First Flame burning in the belly of the fortress, but he hadn't learned of anything else down there. The intensity of the moment made him swiftly forget any curiosity about what was hidden below the fortress.
"I thought we sold everything sacred," Uth Vaedis scoffed, "right down to the last shiny bit of honor." He reached to his belt.
A half-dozen soldiers drew their swords.
Instead of a sword, the Brother held up a leather pouch. He untied it and flung his arm, spewing the contents over the soldiers only a few paces away. Gold and silver coins glittered as they soared the short distance, clattering off of shields and caps to land on the cobblestones. The soldiers eyed the coins but none dared reach for one.
"When the Lady of Light calls us for the next battle, we shall stand naked and hurl coins." Uth Vaedis threw the empty pouch into the line of soldiers. "There is no honor here!"
Uth Garenthil emerged from the sea of yellow tunics to stand next to Uth Arthgrin. He had shaved his mustache but his dark hair was oiled and pulled into a ponytail. He wore a blue tunic with a golden sun emblem over a chain hauberk and a sword hung at his side. His temple still wore a yellowed bruise from the first stone which had stuck him in Sylvestyr several days earlier.
"Well, just when the conversation turned to no honor, look who appears," Uth Vaedis bellowed. His hand closed around the hilt of his sword.
Uth Arthgrin held up a hand. "Enough. Stand down, Vaedis." The Lord of Light turned to Uth Garenthil. "Take the wagon to the frontier gate."
Uth Garenthil hesitated then cautiously stepped towards the wagon.
"I knew you were a coward, but I did not think you stupid." Uth Vaedis laughed, drawing his sword and holding the blade out before him. "Even if I were going to surrender the boy, it would not be to you of all people!"
A rattle echoed through the line of Ravyn's Might as the soldiers tightened grips and held shields before them, many looking to the Lord of Light for guidance.
Uth Garenthil stopped several paces from either group and considered the blade pointed at him. He waved a dismissive hand to the soldiers nearby and drew his own sword. He intended to fight.
Aerham helplessly watched through the bars. Having studied swordplay for so many years with his father, he understood the situation perhaps best of all. Uth Vaedis in his heavy plate armor was suited to fight on a battlefield, where his thick metal plates could protect him from the unpredictable blows of the rushing enemy. In a duel, the much lighter chain hauberk which Uth Garenthil wore would allow more flexibility and, most importantly, would not restrict movement as much. The heavier full plate armor would make it difficult to counter an uninhibited opponent and exhaust the wearer very quickly. Uth Vaedis would have to take the offensive and crush Uth Garenthil swiftly if he was to have any chance. Strong blows would fatigue the attacker but could crush the advantage out of the lighter defender.
"I do not believe it," Uth Vaedis cheered and unfastened his helm with one hand. He threw it to the cobblestones and it rolled until it hit the foot of a soldier. He realized the disadvantages of his heavy armor, apparently, and he pinned a gauntlet under his arm and removed it; allowing it to drop to the ground. He took his sword in his uncovered hand and removed the other gauntlet in the same manner.
Aerham nodded approvingly without realizing it. The larger Brother had maximized his visibility by removing the helm and greatly increased the ability to move his sword by freeing his hands and wrists.
"I am not a coward," Uth Garenthil smirked. His free hand rubbed his shaven lip, forgetting he had shaved his mustache. "I choose my battles carefully."
"Is that so?" Uth Vaedis held his blade before him. He walked sideways, keeping the other man where he wanted him.
The soldiers stepped back, giving the two Brothers a larger area to settle their differences.
Aerham looked to Uth Arthgrin wondering if he would stop the fight, though the thought of Uth Garenthil bleeding on the cool stones was appealing. The Lord of Light rubbed his chin nervously, an uneasy look on his face, but he took no action.
Uth Garenthil leaped forward, initiating a flurry of sword strikes, and Uth Vaedis took his sword in both hands deflecting each one.
The two men separated and evaluated the other's ability following the first contact. Aerham could tell by their attacks and parries that both had considerable training. Tactically, Uth Garenthil should make light attacks and use footwork to wear down his heavily laden opponent. Uth Vaedis should make a powerful onslaught and drive his hated opponent into the grave and do it quickly. With his plate armor, he could even take a hit or two in the process.
Uth Garenthil leaped forward once again. He made one feeble swing which was deflected and he moved backwards quickly as Uth Vaedis pressed him. Steel clang against steel a dozen times before Uth Vaedis stopped and allowed the other man to put distance between them.
"I thought you wanted to duel, not race!" Uth Vaedis bellowed. He wiped a river of sweat from his forehead with the back of one hand.
Aerham resisted shouting to Uth Vaedis to stand his ground and not give chase. If he were fighting in that armor, he would stand his ground or simply overrun his opponent. A long fight would not be winnable.
Uth Garenthil circled, keeping the burly man to his front. "I choose my battles carefully," he repeated.
"You don't choose battles! You are a coward who just realized that he has met his match!" Uth Vaedis lowered his sword and laughed. He turned his head to laugh again toward Uth Arthgrin.
Aerham squeezed the cage bars. How could Uth Vaedis be so foolish?
Uth Garenthil saw the opportunity and lunged at the other man's lowered defenses. It was a trick, though. Uth Vaedis sprang to action only after Uth Garenthil had fully committed to the attack. The burly Brother brought his blade up to deflect the potentially fatal strike, barely preventing it from piercing his chest cavity as the tip of Uth Garenthil's sword sliced his blue tunic and scratched his breastplate.
Uth Garenthil was left off balance and forced to follow through with his missed attack. Uth Vaedis wasted no time. His opponent was too close to bring the blade around, so he punched the other man in the face with his sword hilt, smashing him in the left cheek just below the eye. Uth Garenthil continued stumbling forward.
Uth Vaedis punched him with his free hand in the side of the head and brought his blade up. The powerful fist drove the dazed Uth Garenthil to his hands and knees.
Uth Vaedis raised his sword over his head and brought it down with all of his strength. It should have cleaved through his opponent's spine, but Uth Garenthil rolled onto his back and blindly held his blade above his chest. The tip of his sword braced against the cobblestones as Uth Vaedis' mighty blow crashed down on him. Steel met steel in an ear-splitting clang.
Uth Vaedis repeated a second downward slash and crashed against Uth Garenthil's blade again. This time, Uth Vaedis leaned forward and shifted his weight behind his blade. He dropped to one knee, keeping Uth Garenthil's blade pinned over the man's chest. His heavy plate armor was a great advantage adding much weight to his blade. Releasing a hand from his sword, he punched Uth Garenthil in the face. Again. And again.
Uth Garenthil released a hand from his sword and attempted to block the hammering fist but he was helpless. Blood stained fist rose and fell. Uth Garenthil's face became smeared with dark blood. A sickening thud sounded with each swing. Pressure lessened on the swords as the beating continued well beyond a dozen punches.
Aerham had no love for Uth Garenthil and knew the man deserved worse. It was still unnerving to watch one man pummel another like a savage and to see blood splatter the ground around them. He felt his stomach churn and a wave of nausea filled him.
Uth Arthgrin finally came forward and pulled Uth Vaedis by the tunic. "Enough of this!" he declared. "Your fight is done!"
Uth Vaedis panted hard as he stared down at the bloody mess of Uth Garenthil and backed away. He still held his sword at his side, right hand smeared with blood. Red liquid was splattered across his blue tunic and speckled the golden sword and lightning bolt emblems. For a moment, Aerham expected him to charge forward and shove his sword into Uth Garenthil, but the Brother looked to Uth Arthgrin and much of his anger appeared to subside.
Uth Garenthil coughed and choked on blood as he sat up. His nose was smashed and his lips were busted. The flesh over his cheekbones had been torn and blood trickled down his face. The bones in his cheeks didn't seem to be shattered since he still had a face. The restrictive armor worn by Uth Vaedis had likely prevented him from swinging with all of his strength.
"I was going to kill you, coward," Uth Vaedis bellowed at his beaten foe. "You did try to fight and I respect that. Even if it was in your own cowardly way." Uth Vaedis wiped the sweat from his brow, leaving a smear of blood.
"You!" Uth Vaedis turned a renewed burst of anger on Uth Arthgrin. "Get me the key! And open the gates!" He held a bloody finger toward the Lord of Light.
Uth Arthgrin stood silently, stroking his short, white beard. His piercing eyes moved from bloody Brother to burly Brother and back. He had made a decision.
"Kill 'im." Uth Garenthil spit blood as he spoke. One eye was already swollen shut and his teeth were red with blood; at least two teeth had been knocked out. "He is a traitor," he stammered as a trail of bloody saliva hung from his chin.
Uth Vaedis cast a menacing glance at Uth Garenthil but turned his attention to Uth Arthgrin, as he awaited the Lord of Light's final decision.
"We must obey the decision of the council," Uth Arthgrin said finally. "The boy must be exiled."
Uth Vaedis' shoulders slumped and he frowned. He had apparently hoped his savage display had somehow earned a change of heart in his leader. He approached the wagon and kicked a wooden wheel with his metal boot, causing the wagon to shudder under the blow.
"Curse you, man!" shouted Uth Vaedis. "Why can't you be reasonable?" It was clear that he was speaking to Uth Arthgrin. "You know the honorable path and yet you resist!"
"We must preserve our authority if we are to maintain our autonomy," Uth Arthgrin sighed. "We cannot yield to senators or kings in the least. Otherwise, we shall become servants to politics rather than servants of the Blessed Lady of Light."
"Is this the will of the Lady?" Uth Vaedis gestured to Uth Garenthil, who was struggling to his feet. "An indulgent liar who would send a boy to his death to hide his own cowardice?" He gestured to the Lord of Light. "Did the Lady tell us to hide the three Brothers twenty years ago? Did she tell you to wrongfully exile this boy? Did she tell you to sell the sacred armory? Is it better to have no honor and be a servant to lies than to serve a king?" Uth Vaedis held his blade before him. "It ends today. All of it."
Uth Arthgrin considered the man again. He sighed deeply. Had he changed his mind about something?
"Kill him." Uth Garenthil picked his sword from the bloody cobblestones and held it limply at his side. "He is against us. There is no turning back. Either he stands with us or he is an enemy. That Senator means to end us."
"We cannot fall to bloodshed among ourselves," Uth Arthgrin lamented. "Yet, neither can we disregard the council or our own laws."
Uth Vaedis was the last Brother with honor. The only one, it seemed. Aerham didn't want him to come to harm. Yet, Aerham was confident that they made their laws as they went along. He hoped Uth Vaedis' resistance would inspire something deep within the others, as his words had at the trial. Perhaps, the Lord of Light might finally see the truth.
Uth Vaedis' bushy brow lowered suspiciously and he continued to hold his sword before him. He cocked his head and asked, "What does that mean?"
"It means you should be sensible and put down your weapon," Uth Arthgrin shrugged. "Unless you want to use violence to solve this. I do not believe it will be a fair fight front this point forward." It was clear that the next fight would not be a duel.
"Give me the key for the cage and let us be on our way," Uth Vaedis ordered. "I assure you that you will never see either one of us again."
The Lord of Light hesitated for a moment.
"You can't be considering this?" Uth Garenthil stood before his leader, blotting blood from his face with a cloth. "Outrageous. Simply outrageous to even consider it."
Uth Arthgrin frowned at Uth Garenthil. "I should hand you over to those senators. Its less than you deserve for all of the grief you have brought us. I will not, however. We discipline our own. If you have a punishment coming, I will see that you get it."
"I did not kill that guard captain," Uth Garenthil quickly offered, speaking through his bloody cloth. "It is a conspiracy. By the First Flame, I swear it."
Uth Arthgrin pulled a large iron key from within his blue robe and held it in his open palm. He stared at it, frowning.
Aerham felt his chest tighten. Was he going to be freed? It seemed that the Lord of Light was finally going to free him. He had been certain that it would all end in bloodshed. The leader of the Brotherhood still seemed reluctant and it was far from over, though.
Uth Arthgrin closed his fist around the key. "Uth Vaedis you will be permitted to leave. Do it now, before I change my mind." He turned to Uth Garenthil. "You will take the wagon to the frontier gate and promptly."
Uth Vaedis clenched his jaw and stepped between the wagon and Uth Garenthil. "Don't make me embarrass him again." The sun was peering through the Dragon Mountains now, and his armor and blade both reflected the yellow light.
"Stand down. For the last time, stand down," commanded the Lord of Light with burning irritation.
Uth Garenthil approached slowly, face battered and broken. He held his sword up, staggering toward Uth Vaedis.
With a disgusted laugh, Uth Vaedis closed the distance to the bloody Brother and swung his sword. As the two blades met, Uth Garenthil lost his grip and his sword tumbled across the cobblestones, forcing several soldiers to dance out of its path.
"A waste of my time to finish you." Uth Vaedis held his blade towards the unarmed Uth Garenthil as the man fell and tried to crawl away backwards. Uth Vaedis followed him, keeping the tip of his blade a breath away from the bloody face. "I think it is time for you to turn yourself in. Be a man, just one time."
Aerham nervously cast glances at the fifty Ravyn's Might, but they watched as shocked as anyone. He wished they would do what was right and join Uth Vaedis, but he knew they wouldn't. There were another two-hundred soldiers from Saroken taking an interest in what went on, though they likely had difficulty seeing exactly what was happening. They would be recalled to Saroken before the day was done, but Captain Meagus might side with Uth Vaedis. He was a good man, though he likely didn't understand the situation well enough to take sides.
Uth Arthgrin stepped toward Uth Vaedis and the man stopped, allowing Uth Garenthil to crawl away from the tip of the sword finally.
"Take the key, if you must," Uth Arthgrin sighed in resignation. "If you do this, you will regret it." He held his palm open to reveal the large, iron key once more. The dark metal resisted the morning glow.
Uth Vaedis nodded solemnly. "I do what is right. What must be done. Nothing more."
"Then take it. But know that you seal your fate."
Uth Vaedis took the key from his leader's open hand. "I'm pleased that we could settle this without a real fight." He cast a glance at his defeated opponent before turning towards the wagon. "Perhaps there is some honor here after all."
Aerham smiled. It was the first time he could recall doing so since the first night of the training march.
Uth Vaedis turned to walk towards the wagon , holding his sword in one hand and the key in the other. Behind him, Uth Arthgrin removed something from within his robe. Light glimmered the length of a long, thin dagger. He lunged.
"No!" Aerham cried, knowing there was no time for real warning. Not him. Not the Lord of Light! Not murder!
Uth Vaedis smiled to Aerham and raised the key to show him. Then he read the look of fright on Aerham's face but the dagger sank into his back before he could turn or defend himself. His face twisted in agony and he gasped. The tip of the dagger clanged against the front of his breastplate from within.
Uth Arthgrin jerked his dagger free and used both hands to force the blade through the armor again.
Uth Vaedis staggered and dropped to his knees. His face twisted in anguish, eyes shifting to stare into space as he continued to gasp. His sword clattered to the ground next to him. He still held the key out, before him, as if he were going to unlock the cage.
"I am so sorry, old friend," Uth Arthgrin said with a sorrowful expression. His eyes grew wide when he looked down at the bloody blade in his hand.
"Well, I'm not sorry." Uth Garenthil lifted Uth Vaedis' dropped sword from the cobblestones. His face still bled and continued to swell, making him appear as some horrible creature from the stories. "Not so mighty now, are you? Stubborn as you were."
Uth Vaedis dropped to all fours, yet to draw a full breath.
"Garenthil, stop," Uth Arthgrin ordered.
Uth Garenthil smiled through bloody teeth, glancing at his leader before crouching next to Uth Vaedis.
"Trouble breathing?" he mocked. "I find all of this honor to be suffocating as well." He spit blood on Uth Vaedis' back.
"Garenthil-" Uth Arthgrin began, faced contorted in rage.
"I will stop," the gloating Brother responded. "As soon as I do this!" He stood and raised the blade high, plunging downward. With the sound of rending metal, the blade ran through the gasping Brother's back and emerged from his abdomen, dropping him on his side. His fingers bled as he grasped at the blade emerging from his stomach.
"Curse you, Garenthil," Uth Arthgrin growled venomously. "Such a spectacle." The leader gestured at the gathered soldiers.
Aerham clutched the bars of his cage so hard that his knuckles were bone white. He thought he might have cried out, but he couldn't be sure. There was nothing he could do, except watch through eyes blurred by tears. Uth Garenthil's petty revenge had cut short Uth Vaedis' suffering.
There was no justice in the Fortress of Light and now there was no honor. The last Brother with any sense of right had been murdered. Aerham felt all of his hope—what little he had -- drain away as he watched the pool of blood spread beneath the armored corpse. The Blessed Lady had allowed yet another tragedy to take place. If there had ever been a champion of Her cause, it had been Uth Vaedis.
"Now, we finish this." Uth Garenthil jerked the blade from the lifeless body and picked up the key where it had fallen. He moved toward the cage.
"What are you doing?" demanded the Lord of Light.
"Taking care of the last problem," Uth Garenthil promised, pushing the key into the lock, having to tilt his head so his good eye could line up the keyhole.
Aerham stood and waited. He was going to fight. His heart pounded in his chest. Rage consumed him. He wiped away his tears and blinked to focus his eyes on the door. When it opened, he would pounce.
Uth Arthgrin stepped quickly to the wagon, sliding in Uth Vaedis' blood. "He is to be exiled. Not murdered."
"What's the difference?" Uth Garenthil gestured to the corpse on the ground. "One death. Two deaths. It is all the same. They are both traitors, so it isn't really murder."
"His sentence has already been determined by the council. Uth Vaedis was a traitor killed in the act of betrayal. That is the difference." The Lord of Light seemed to be as determined to convince himself as anyone else.
Uth Garenthil didn't seem convinced, but he pulled the key from the lock and stared at it a moment. Then he shrugged and passed it back to the Lord of Light. "Fine. Exile to the frontier is much worse than steel to the gut anyhow." He spit bloody saliva.
Aerham collapsed. It was the hopeless. The Brotherhood was hopeless. Uth Vaedis had shown such promise as a true hero; a man who stood for what was right, no matter the cost. Instead of bringing out the honor in the other Brothers, he had inspired them to new heights of villainy. There was no good buried deeply inside of the Lord of Light, as Aerham had thought there had been. He was just a man looking to protect his own interests. The man was as bad as Uth Garenthil, perhaps worse in his own self-justifying way. And they were both murderers.
Aerham stared at the floor of his cage, immersed in dark thoughts. He hardly noticed the wagon moving. He wrestled with his anger at Ravyneira. He swore he would return and send both Uth Arthgrin and Garenthil to meet divine judgment. However, he wondered if Ravyneira would even judge her followers, since she did nothing to protect them. He was beginning to suspect that she didn't do anything at all. He still had the silver headband hidden beneath his shirt, but it was starting to seem like a mere piece of metal and nothing more.