Caymead

Epilogue

Third-person POV

One week later

Owen looks at the message with disgust. "I knew we shouldn't have trusted that peasant! Incompetent fool- she couldn't even encode a simple message correctly," he yells. The other lords pace anxiously around their meeting room.

"Calm yourself Owen, we don't know that it was Sang's fault," Sean cautions. Owen whips the message back and forth in anger.

"I don't care whose fault it was, all I know is that an entire town was destroyed because of it!" he hisses. The lords pale at his mention of the destruction.

Dakota freezes as a thought occurs to him. "How do we know that Sang messed up? What if she sent an incorrect message on purpose?" he asks coldly. Victor, Gabriel, Luke and Sean desperately try to remain calm in spite of the horrendous accusations being tossed around.

"Every piece of evidence said we could trust her," Victor says. Dakota raises his hands in victory at Victor's statement.

"Just like every piece of evidence said that she never messed up a code. So tell me brother, which one do you believe?" he asks. Around the room, heads start nodding up and down in assent.

"All I know is that because of Sang's message, three thousand Caymeadian people are dead. The sky around Whispton is black from burning all the bodies!" Silas states harshly.

Sean tries to salvage the situation, but deep down he knows that he has already lost. "What about the army? Where were they?" he questions. Owen merely grunts in response.

"They didn't make it in time. The Drathenians attacked sooner than we expected," North elaborates.

Owen finally has enough of the discussion and claps his hands together to gain everyone's attention. "Thanks to Sang, we are now at war!" he shouts. Murmurs run through the lords, only to be silenced by Owen's glare. "Tens of thousands of lives will be lost because of one little girl. We could have prevented this by attacking the Drathenians first, but instead we waited, exposed, for slaughter! There is only one punishment for people such as Sang."

Sean's heart starts pounding as he realizes what is coming. "Don't be too hasty Owen, let's think about this for a day or two," he urges his best friend. A manic light overtakes Owen's eyes and he laughs.

"The time for thinking has passed, Sean. I have already made my decision. As bestowed upon me by the Lords of Caymead, I use my power to convict Sang Sorenson of high treason!" he states.

"No, this can't be happening!" Gabriel mumbles. Luke grabs his friend's shoulder in support, looking sickened by the proceedings.

"Any person guilty of treason forfeits their right to live. No punishment is too harsh for the betrayal of Caymead! Sang has cost us thousands of lives- I only wish for one in return. As befitting her horrendous crime, I sentence Sang Sorenson to a horrendous fate- death," Owen finishes. A gruesome silence falls over the lords as they realize the implications of this statement.

Sean grabs his chest and falls backwards a step. I know we expected this, but I never anticipated how hard it would be to hear Owen say that, he thinks.

Nathan glances around the room with hard eyes. "Sang has already left Saninom. I find it very suspicious that she disappeared right after committing treason. It might be wise to inspect the palace for traitors- she had to have an accomplice," he says. Owen inclines his head in agreement.

"An excellent idea. I'm making you personally in charge of finding the traitor, Nathan," he states.

"They will be found and convicted by the end of the week," Nathan promises gravely. Owen gives a grim smile, contrasting Sean's sickly frown. Nathan swings his gaze around, letting it fall on the uncomfortable looking doctor.

"You seem nervous, Sean- why would that be?" he asks with suspicion. Sean shrugs his shoulders while attempting to remain calm.

"I'm never for killing people; it goes against my oath," he justifies. Nathan continues to regard him with barely concealed malice.

"It's always... refreshing to see a man with a conscious," he spits out, "I'll be stopping by your room first thing in the morning. After all, the traitor could be anywhere." Sean tenses at the threat, but limits his response to a nod.

Owen's hands jitter as he takes in the exchange. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he brings two fingers to his lips and blows sharply. Two guards rush into the room moments later.

"What do you need Lord Owen?" one of them asks. His partner takes in Owen's sweating face, Sean's pale desperation, and Nathan's aggravation with concern.

"I have a mission for you. Top priority, top secret- no telling anyone, not even your buddies at the tavern," Owen says. The guards nod to signal their agreement and wait for him to continue.

"I want you to locate and seize Sang Sorenson. She has betrayed Caymead and deserves death!" he declares.

"So, you want us to kill her?" the second guard clarifies. Owen shakes his head.

"No, I want you to bring her back alive. I want to kill her myself- it'll be my eyes she stares into as she takes her final gasping breath; my rage imprinted in her mind as her last memory! Sang Sorenson has cost me everything, and now she will discover what it is like to have the full force of the Lords of Caymead after her."

**********

Thanks for reading Caymead! 

Just as a bonus, 'Caymead' is an anagram of 'Academy'.

Ranvet = Tavern

Thawel = Wealth

Drathe = Hatred

Saninom = Mansion

Laeghin = Healing

Erstof = Forest

Galveil = Village

Whispton = Township