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.They rose the moment youdecided to spare me the humiliation of being captured.Let s faceit, all fine words that were spoken aside, that s what would havehappened.I always repay in kind, Anashantish.Always. Anaxantis studied the face of the Mukthar prince.There wasnothing there to contradict what he just had heard. Thank you.You ll find I very much agree with you on that. Timishi smiled reassuringly. I believe you, Ximerionian.You are a man of honor.Under thatsoft exterior is a hard kernel of steel.Oh, it will be so interesting tomeet you in the mravinshinohr. 474 Andrew Ashling What did Rodomesh want you to ask me? If you would still treat us as guests, once we helped youovercome whatever troubles you.Once we re in your stronghold ofLorseth.Once you re surrounded by all those people who see us asnothing but wild animals.Will you be able to resist their pressure? I gave you my word, Anaxantis said indignantly. I have but oneword. I know, Anashantish, and I told him as much.I never doubtedyou.On behalf of my beddurouwin I ask your pardon.He doesn t trustXimerionians. He paused. I can t keep secrets from him.Believe me,he will trust you from now on. Bonds of Fear 475Early in the afternoon Sobrathi made a sign to Emelasuntha tostop.The forty or so Tribesmen came to a halt.One of them rode tothe front of the group and, shading his eyes with one hand, gazed inthe distance. At least fifty, my lady, he said after only a few moments, butprobably more like sixty. That must be him, Sobrathi said. Good man, to me they re onlya vague blob.How far? We should be able to overtake them in half an hour, I guess, theTribesman answered.Emelasuntha gave her horse the spurs, and the whole group setin motion again.In a short while it became evident that they were noticed, as thegroup before them stopped, turned around and fanned out to blockthe Highway.Emelasuntha made her men stop at shouting distance. Your majesty, a voice boomed, there is a Royal Writ, bearingyour name and calling for your arrest, that I, as captain of the BlackShields am sworn to execute.Lay down your weapons, call off yourmen, and surrender quietly. You re even a bigger fool than I already thought you were, 476 Andrew AshlingDamydas, if you think you can intimidate me with a worthless pieceof parchment. Ha, my lady, but I also have the necessary swords to carry outmy duty.You re outnumbered three to two. I have your grandsons, Damydas.Little Gerrubald and littleWarrubald.Where do I send the detailed account of their final hours,Damydas? I seem to remember you revel in blood and gore, and Iassure you there will be plenty of that.It ll take days for them todie, Damydas, and I ll make sure you ll be able to read about everysingle sob, every anguished cry, every scream.I ll tear them apartlimb by limb, Damydas.You know I am as good as my word.Thinkabout it.About them.About little Gerri and little Warri.Picture them,Damydas.Then picture them without ears, without fingers, withoutballs. Damydas was hidden from view by his men.His mind was racing.He knew the queen was indeed capable of all she threatened to inflictupon his grandsons.With his mind s eyes he saw his two grandsons.Warri, sweet, cute, little Warri.That would hurt the most.They hadthis special grandfather-grandson thing going.Even with his sons henever had such a connection.Warri was too young to understand.Gerrubald on the other hand knew that being a Damydas hadconsequences.He had read it in his eyes.Not so little Warri.And yet,young as he was, he too was a Damydas.Already the Devil s Crown, still so far out of reach, was exactinga price.A heavy price.His mind raced on.Then he shook his head. My sons are young, Emelasuntha.There ll be other grandchildren.Another Gerrubald.Another Warrubald.But you are old, my queen.Beyond the child bearing age.You re barren.There will be no otherAnaxantis after I have strangled this one.Shall I send you a detailed Bonds of Fear 477account of how he screamed when I fucked him? How he moanedwhen I penetrated his princely ass.How he groaned when mysoldiers, one after the other, enjoyed his hole? How he begged me tokill him? Shall I send you his ears, his fingers, his balls? Emelasuntha s stony face betrayed nothing.It was Sobrathi whogave the order to attack, raging mad.She was the first to storm ontothe Black Shields, followed by Emelasuntha and the rest of the Tribe.With the first swing of her battle ax Sobrathi split the head of thehorse of a Black Shield
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