Executions
Not everyone, in the service of the Chaldean Royal Family, was willing to gave up their life for their masters.
Finally, a young lad, in fear for his life and his mother's, gave in to the demand of the elves. From then on, the hunt was made smoother. A total of 25 people had been identified as having some relation to the king.
They were then brought before Meldor, along with the captive, brought by Tholpiel earlier. By the time this was done, it was already early morn.
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"I have spoken against his plans, my lord. Fervently so." argued Frederick's brother on his knees.
The fat prince was caught in the fourth floor, after hiding in a cabinet he barely fitted in.
"I said to him:" he pointed his finger at the imaginary Frederick, "Stop! No! We will not betray the Atherdaine."
"The elven king had done so much good to us, brother! We will not do such a thing!"
His ardor ran in contrast to Meldor's seeming apathetic reception of his words. The prince sat cross-legged at a cushioned chair by the large window. On the bloodied carpet, arrayed before him, were the kneeling captives. Surrounding them were upturned tables, broken chairs, shattered paintings, and the corpses of some unlucky servants.
"Tell me young man." the prince directed the question to the conspirator who stood beside him, "Who was better in character: the king or his brother?"
The trembling lad was unable to immediately answer. He glanced at Meldor and then to his master, who looked at him intently.
"The…king, he was at least indifferent to the servants. But Lord Rupert, he would sometimes hit on the servants. He hit my mother one time because she didn't make his tea the right wa-"
"My lord, why do you listen to the rumblings of a child! And how is this relevant?" Rupert interrupted, almost standing to his feet were it not for the elf behind him.
Meldor showed his annoyance to Rupert's unwelcomed interjection. He gestured to the elf behind the nobleman.
"No, please do-" the elven executioner pulled his hair backwards as to expose his throat, and wasted no time delivering the sentence.
Rupert's body went limp, and lifeless, he fell face down to the carpet. He joined the other twenty-two, that had been executed before him.
Meldor then pointed to the next captive in line.
"That…" the lad gulped, not yet recovering from the previous executions. "that is his mother."
"I hate my son, my lord. He was the same as his father, foolish and impulsive. I am a merely a woman, lord. How would you expect me to stop them?" the aged woman reasoned.
"Noisy." the elf prince said with a dismissive wave.
"You wretched elf! I would-" the knife plunged into her wrinkly neck, rendering her incapable of finishing her curses. She, too, died with a single fatal stab.
"She is her wife." the lad informed of the next lady to be 'tried'.
"His wife, you say?" Meldor said, pursing his brows.
"I will not ask for forgiveness, as my husband had not sinned. You are accursed, and my only disappointment is that he had not succeeded in killing you." the lady spatted through gritted teeth.
Meldor stood up from his chair and walked towards the lady.
"You are brave, but a stupid fool." the prince removed his sword from the scabbard, "Nonetheless, you have proven yourself worthy to die by my blade."
"Boast of it when you meet your husband." the sword fell on her neck, and the blood splattered all about. Dropping forward, her head slammed against Meldor's boots.
He gently ratcheted his sword in the air, as to shake the blood off his blade. The prince took a few steps forward, and faced the captive last in the line.
Not giving the lad a chance to introduce her first, the young woman bowed to kiss his boots. Tears were streaming down her cheeks.
"We have sinned, Lord Meldor. We have taken advantage of the elven king's kindness, and my now we reap our rightful punishment." she said in between sobs, "But I plead that you find mercy in your heart and spare my life."
"You are one smart woman, but not smart enough to fool an elf." Meldor did not move from where he was, he leisurely watched the young lady's pleadings. "I have killed everyone you love, this is nothing but desperation."
"And suppose I spare you. Wouldn't you be forever a thorn in my side? You would surely seek vengeance after what you have seen today.
"I shall not! I shall make sure to forget and leave everything behind, even my status as a princess." the woman hastily replied.
Meldor chuckled, then laughed loudly. Much to the confusion of the woman. When he had caught his breath, his face assumed a more serious expression.
"We have talked enough." the elven prince lifted his blade.
The woman lifted her chin to expose her neck, but she buried her teary eyes into his. Hoping that her submission to his blade, would spark in him the pity to spare her at the last moment.
"Wait… you call yourself princess… then you must be Frederick's daughter." Meldor lowered his blade.
He pivoted his head towards the lad.
"She is his daughter." he confirmed.
The grin on Meldor's face widened, and he slowly squatted in front of the kneeling girl.
"Did you know that your father, at the start of the battle, gave an offer to give you to anyone who brings him my head?" he said almost whisperingly.
"Then, should you spare me, I am all yours to do whatever you will." she offered.
He did not answer. Instead, he stared deeper into her eyes. The smirk on his face slowly disappeared, and a much calmer expression took over.
He lowered his gaze to her reddish nose, which so proudly pointed at him. Then down to her pale lips, to her vulnerable neck, and to the depths of her collarbones. Before finally settling at the revealed crevice formed by the breasts that burdened her thin robe.
"Even though how hard I try, I find no charm from you." he whispered.
"Did you hear that, Tholpiel? She is the daughter of that dog." he sprung back to his feet and returned his sword to his scabbard. "The woman you pitied."
He approached Tholpiel, who was by the door, hands behind his back and standing upright. With the bravery, he was known for, Tholpiel spoke to him eye to eye.
"His father's sin is not hers, my liege. We are the elves, the noblest of all creation. Be it in anger, or in anguish, we should not stoop too low as to kill the innocent."
Meldor clapped sarcastically, and then took a step closer, until their faces were only inches apart.
"Why? Why do we have to be bound by such a code? Do we answer to the heavens? Do we have gods to obey? None."
"Now, do we do it for honor? So, that when we speak, our word is trusted? Then fools we are, for these creatures know nothing of honor!"
Tholpiel was silent, and with no argument to put forth against, he could not keep the eye contact and looked away.
"Now, unsheathe your sword." Meldor glared at him, and pointed at the woman. "You shall kill her here and now."
"Meldor, I cannot do what you-"
"Do it or begone. I have no need of the cowards, of the disobedient and the merciful." he thumped at his chest, and not so gently so because Tholpiel flinched at the punches.
"Naelif fled to the north, maybe to beg to the dwarves. Should you ride in full speed, you might still be able to catch up with him."
Greatly perplexed, Tholpiel sighed and raised his head upwards. After a brief moment of consideration, he drew his sword. The young woman, at the sight of this, panicked.
"Have mercy, lord elf!" she prostrated herself towards him.
He briefly looked at Meldor and then made his way to the woman. The princess did not give up in her attempt to save her life, but the elf had set things in stone.
After a deep breath, he raised his sword above his left shoulder. The woman closed his eyes.
"I shall make it swift."
Thwack.
"Our purpose here is done." Meldor announced. With that, the elves streamed out of the room, with Tholpiel tarrying a little longer, before the princess' corpse.
They descended the stairs towards the ground floor, to be briefly reminded of the bloodiness of their deeds. Then eventually out the keep.
Outside the door, the bulk of the elven force had gathered. They had successfully emptied the storage houses and the vaults. They then confiscated, from the stable, pack horses to carry the heavy loot.
Despite the success, none of them were in celebration. And Meldor was met with gloom. His guards were unscathed, but they were bloodied all over and never looked as tired as before.
"Two big chests and ten small chests full of silver. Twenty large sacks of grain, ten small sacks of spices." Orlem gave Meldor an account of what was before them.
"That is meager, but it will do for now." the elf commented, patting Orlem in the back.
"Is there anything else to be done?" he scanned the crowd, squinting at the rays of the morning sun.
"Then we shall leave for CrimsonWood."