Amarth

Chapter 5

I feel someone shaking me but I can't tell who it is. My eyes are closed and I'm still trapped in a world of darkness.

I hear a faint voice calling to me yet I can't discern  who it belongs to.
"Caran! Caran please wake up!"
Suddenly I'm thrown back to the night of the attack. I remember watching Elwin and Rilien die and Idhrenion branding me as a traitor.

"Among our people you shall be remembered as Amarth! The one who brought doom upon us all!"

Anger floods my mind.
I am not Amarth.
Idhrenion is a coward.
He let Rilien die.
I want him and every single one of those men who destroyed our home to pay.

"Caran! Wake up please!"
I know that voice, Anna.
My eyes flicker open and I wince as I put weight on my injured shoulder.

I see Anna kneeling in front of me. Her eyes are red from crying and she is trembling in fear.
She wraps her arms around me and I want to return her embrace, only to find that my hands are still tied behind my back.

I rest my chin on Anna's shoulder and close my eyes.
"Are you alright Anna? Did they hurt you?"
"No, but you have been unconcious for days."
Anna releases me and for the first time I realize that we are in a prison cell.

The floor is made out of cold stone and sand and straw cover a majority of it. There are no windows and the only light is the faint glowing outside the barred cell door.

"What are they going to do us Caran?"
Anna's voice trembles as she squeezes my arm.
"I don't know but I swear that I won't let them do anything to you."

Anna is silent for a moment and then she leans against me.
"They killed Rilien, and Elwin."
I choke back a sob as the memory of their deaths enter my mind.

"They will pay for what they
did."
I wish that I could hold her and comfort her with more than just words but it's impossible.
"Why did Idhrenion call you a traitor?"

Her question throws me off guard and I can't think of an answer.
"You didn't bring those men to us, right Canar?"
My mouth is dry and I can't answer her question.

Anna opens her mouth to ask another question when the sounds of footsteps approaching causes her to press even closer to me.

Two men approach our cell door and unlock it. They stalk towards us and I glare up at them in blind hatred.

The men ignore me and haul me to my feet. One man grasps my arm and the other grabs Anna. Without a word they march us out of our cell and down a dark hallway.

I gance back at Anna who is wide-eyed with fear.
You're going to be alright.
I want to tell her.
The man holding me forces my head forward and I resist attacking him.

If it were only me I wouldn't be going with them so easily. But I couldn't do anything that would risk Anna's safety so I stay quiet and conform to what the men want me to do.

We're led out of the dungeon and immediately I am blinded by the bright flames of the sun.
I squint and try not to stumble as I'm continued to be shoved forward.

Finally the light of the sun is gone and I am able to see clearly.
I look around and see that we are in a courtyard of some kind. Stone walls tower all around us and the ground is covered in sand.

We are standing under a pavillion that has a table with several men standing around it and talking amongst themselves.

My eyes burn with hatred as one of the men turns around and reveals himself as the man who murdered my son.

Never in all my life have I wanted someone dead as much as I wanted him to be.
He smiles and waves the other men, besides the two holding me and Anna, away from under the pavillion.