The Kazar inhabited the night once more, choosing it to be their time for a festival, the king stood above them all, silence roamed free as he spoke
"Today, marks it the second of the festival, behind you, the pit, today's event, where knights can be self-assigned, or other ways, to fight off against slaves"
The people started questioning it for the term Knights against slaves, was one unheard of
"I know already, a slave is no match for a knight, but tonight's are no normal ones," said King Gerdon
"With arrange from my heir, Prince Rafam" said king Gerdon pointing his way "And supply from the great reader of the Varish, Lord Brone" continued King Gerdon pointing beside the prince, they both stood side to side chatting
"They have managed to bring us, Ones of high status, ones that can't possibly be caught alive, the main line of defence and sturdiest of fighters, Vikings from the Vrish's side"
"You may have fun until it is time, for the knight will be bloody and long" King Gerdon finished his speech
Torden walked around with lady Rembya
"Killing a child in front of all those people, so barbaric, makes you wonder who really was the mad man there," said Lady Rembya
"Well, he did not manage to live long anyways, once we reached the village, we were ambushed leading to an axe being implanted inside his skull" replied Torden
"Ewe, even though it is deserved, imagining the scene gives you an ick, it is such a relief you managed to come back uninjured" replied Rembya
"Yeh, so relieving" said Torden, it was obvious he did not like it
Rembya trying to comfort him said "I guess you don't like it in here"
"Is it that visible?" said Torden
"Is it not?" said Rembya
"I am sorry if it came out rude or anything like that" said Torden "I did not mean anything bad with it"
"Don't worry about it, I don't mind such conversation" said Rembya "In fact, I don't like it either"
"You don't have to comfort me like that I'm no child" said Torden
"No, I mean it, the fancy clothes, the hair, the perfumes," said Rembya, with each word her eyes widened as if something started pulling them apart "Taking care of every little detail, every strand of hair, every step you take, every breath"
Noticing Torden began to worry about her she said "But it is my job anyways. Everybody has a duty that they must uphold, wither the like it or not, right?"
"Right" said Torden with a faint smile appearing across his face
From far away, Lady Elara, Torden's mother watched her teethes clenched, her gaze focused on Rembya, but once she saw how Torden was smiling she started to relax, understanding that this, is for the better
"Did you hear me? Lady Elara?" said a noble man
"I am sorry, I was just, so out of my mind" she replied "What did you say again"
Rembya continued to converse with Torden saying "So you don't feel like becoming an heir? Like at all? What does your father think of that?"
"I, haven't told him yet, I don't know how he'd respond to it" said Torden "Not even mother know of it"
"Wow, must be such a secret, I feel honoured hearing about such a thing from you directly" replied Rembya
"And what about you? What is your secret?" said Torden
"What do you mean?" replied Rembya questioning him
"I never heard of a lady who doesn't like parties, dresses, jewellery," said Torden
"Hmm… I don't remember, it is just, not me" said Rembya
"Well, we do have something in common, hating fate, that is one step forward" said Torden
"I guess so" replied Rembya
"And what about your relation ship with your father?" asked Torden all of a sudden, Rembya's smile froze in place, and so did her eyes
"What is wrong?" asked Torden
"No, nothing, I was just surprised by the question" replied Rembya
Torden not swallowing that as an answer said "So?"
"I, we don't talk much, he is drowning in his work, adding and removing laws, fixing the relationships between noble houses" said Rembya "We did not have much time with him growing up
"Same here, although I had my mother—" said Torden remembering she doesn't have one of her own "Oh I am so so sorry, I forgot about it"
"Don't mind it, I don't remember her clearly anyways" said Rembya
"Still…" said Torden
"Just skip over it" replied Rembya "I want to ask, how long did you had the idea of not fighting for the position of lord in your household"
A horn rang through the ears, people stopped whatever they delt with and walked back to their seats before the pit
"I guess this is our depart" said Torden
"See you after whatever this is" said Rembya
As Torden went to seat, on his left his mother seating herself to his father's right, a tradition of noble houses
A cup rang, it was the king
"I am sorry lady Elara but you'll have to seat yourself to your husband's left," said King Gerdon
The crowd was confused as lady Elara spoke up saying
"May I know why?"
"As you see, you son is engaged, he needs to set beside his fiancé, and there are many empty seats to the side ready for this occasion" replied King Gerdon
"But it is a Tradition?!," said Lady Elara shocked by "A married lady is seated to the right of the lord if she is not a widow, you are not questioning my honour your highness, are you?"
"I did not say such thing, everybody knows about your honour, but as you see, with my daughter being your son's fiancé she must seat his left" replied King Gerdon
"Your highness you can't just change laws that stood for years!" replied Lady Elara
"These are orders, from your king" King Gerdon faced the crowd and said "Everybody shall switch seats as well, this is the new rule now"
The seats were switched as Rembya came forth to Torden
"I am so sorry, I did not know of such a thing at all" she said
"Don't worry about it, it is not much" said Torden "After all, it happened to everybody, mother won't be overthinking about it"
"Now, now, silence," said King Gerdon "The carriages shall be opened"
"Now, this is an order to the knights, the warriors of tonight," said King Gerdon
"Your prey will be revealed, the night won't end until one side perishes"
Said the king before he continued with a smile "And just to make sure" his smile faded as he spoke the next line "Dare to refuse your duel, and you will be executed immediately"
The carriages opened and from them stepped forth the Vikings. As big as the ones from Jason's camp, some were even bigger, but fighting them was possible
King Gerdon leaned towards Brone "Although they look big, I don't see any EXTRAORDINARY, ones as you said"
"Your highness, there are still 2 carriages to be opened" said the reader Brone pointing at them
The first of the two got uncaged, from it stepped two Vikings, chained from head to toe, worth one and a half of the others in size, no inch of their body was left clean, injuries were a mark of pride for them, palms as big as a knight's head
The air was filled with worried whispers, before the second one opened up
The first to step from it was an armless, he was of similar size to the majority making him unfit in such place, but the second one was just like the other two
The king smiled and said "To the Vikings, if you end up atop, I promise freedom," he looked towards the knights seated to the side and said "And to you brave warriors, listen well and listen carefully. A good Viking, is a dead Viking"
"Let's colour this pit red" said the king raising his cup in excitement
The worried crowd followed after him downing the same, a cheep's mentality indeed