Golden eyed raven

Half of his subordinates were asleep by nightfall. He twisted and turned on the straw bed. It was too quiet. Jafar had gone out under his command and did not return. He got up and drank water from a wooden bowl to relieve his parched throat. It was freezing cold. The small fire in the hearth needed the sustenance of fresh wood. He looked out of the window. It was dark outside. He needed time to adjust his night vision. He felt more restless. He grabbed his cloak which was wet from melted snow and demon blood and mud. It did not show much since it was black. Though the fur showed that it was in dire need of washing. He put on his leather boots and cloak and quietly left the inn. He could see the white wisps of his warm breath in the starless night. He was grateful that the lower parts of the mountains were not covered with snow which made plantation easier than in the upper parts. There was no light except for the fire torches lit on a pair of iron sconces outside stables where their mounts rested. He could see in far distances where tiny orange lights burned. He knew it was his fortress. Even though the buildings themselves looked pitch black. He wondered if she was secure. Before he brought her here, he did not bother about the safety of his fortress. He had nothing to lose. Even the looters found it the last place to rob or steal. He feared what would happen if word got out about her. How long could he possibly hide her? There will be a day when he will have this secret exposed to the world. How will the nobles react to his bride? He smiled just by recalling their lustful looks and jealous glare. By the time he walked to the stables, he suddenly saw something rushing towards him. It was too dark to see what it was. He suddenly heard Jafar's voice.

"Stop right there!" he demanded in a sharp voice.

He realized that he had been tailing the two men since they left the inn.

Erebus kept his stance and darted his hand at him. Jafar caught the other one as he fell on the wet ground.

"Not even the rats sneak around in a freezing desolate place like this one." he tightened his grip around his neck as he writhed in pain and suffocation.

"They look like plunderers by looks of it. They were planning on raiding the only merchant caravan that passes from this town."

"Just two?"

"I've tried to tail out any other of their accomplices but found none."

"Makes things more suspicious. If I recall there's another town that is larger and more remote. Snowcrown. Shouldn't they wait there when the caravan comes out of there? Not even the fortress is close to that one."

He loosened the grip a little and roughly took him into the stables where there were no eyes.

Jafar followed him inside. The garrons were half awake due to the loud screaming of the iron hinges of the stable doors.

"Judging by their movement, I believe they were eyeing at the garrons in the stable." he explained.

He took iron chains and sat on the wooden pail that lay on the ground upside down.

Jafar tied the two men to the pole.

"Now, your purpose of sneaking into this town. What is it?"

"W-why do we need to tell you?"

Before he could speak another word, he felt the cold metal slap across his face. Something warm fell on his cheek and the garrons grunted annoyingly.

Erebus caught the chain that wrapped around his fist after the impact.

"Perhaps this will make them come to their senses?" Jafar added and stood beside his master.

"You will pay for this!" the man's voice trembled in fear and rage as blood continued to seep out of his torn flesh.

But his words only cost him another taste of the rusted iron chain. The other one who looked more fat than bulky spoke up immediately.

"Treasure! We were told!"

"Treasure?" Erebus stopped before he threw another piercing whip at the bulky man who was almost losing consciousness due to the blows he received from Erebus.

"He lies, master. His eyes say so." Jafar winced and shook his head.

This time the blow was so painful that he could hear the ripping of the fat man's flesh to the bones. He screamed and writhed in pain until Jafar picked up a handful of hay and stuffed it into his mouth. The garrons grew more restless.

"Mercy! We were tasked to kill the one who owned the land."

Erebus had faced countless assassination attempts from mass murderers. But he was used to their petty trickery.

"At who's command?"

"We can't say! We were told to come into this land and once we see them we are to eliminate them. And the treasure yes they say that there is a treasure there. The Lord hides treasure.

Another slash through the face of the burly man made his mouth fill with blood making him lose several teeth.

The third blow made him unconscious.

"Speak!" he commanded unmoved by the pitiful sight of the unconscious man where his distorted face was now a torn flesh clinging to his facial bones.

Jafar winced at the men tied to the post. They seemed like humans since they could not regenerate. But their appearance was very much of the demons.

-"Fifth category." he guessed. Creatures that were neither human nor a complete demon.

"I-I don't know! They spoke from behind a screen. I know nothing! They promised us a noble title and riches!" he cried out desperately.

He sat without responding for a moment resting his elbow on his thigh and rubbing his chin.

"Jafar," he called his aide.

"At your service master."

"Take this one alive and dispose off the other. We'll move out soon."

"Understood."

By the time he'd gone out of the stables, he heard ear-piercing screams.

He looked around if anyone was spying on them at this hour of the night. It was already the third part of the night when most of the demons were fast asleep. His head began to throb violently. The pain became excruciating. He staggered off his balance trying to reach for the wooden plank of the stable to maintain his stature.

-"What is this feeling?" he suddenly looked up at the sound of the flapping wings passing by him in urgency. The messenger ravens only dropped by at midnight or mid-noon. Apart from that not even crows travelled in the territory at the last part of the night. He glanced a the raven flying over Ironfall towards the direction of his fortress.

"Golden eyes! " he realized.

He retracted inside the stables where he found Jafar feeding the carcass of the burly man to the garrons while the other lay unconscious.

"Jafar, I'm leaving now."

"Master?"

"No time to explain. Ready the men before dawn and proceed to the fortress. I've got a troublesome matter to deal with."

"And the garron?"

"Don't need one." he rushed out of the stables and ran using flight as fast as his wings could take him.