On the Black Wind to Baldairn Motte

Part 27.

Basilides came to where the battle had been waged between the creek and brambles, but did not see the Earl nor any living amongst the bodies, so he kept moving on, following the footsteps in the mud past the brambles and up the hill toward the village and Lord Ryndor's keep. He heard the first of the screams as he passed between the thatch hovels. They grew more pronounced as he continued, and at the gates of Ryndor's keep he discovered the source. Four men—two of the Earl's men and two of Terryll's sailors—sat, bound and gagged on the ground, and another—the Earl's squire—was strung up by his feet, hanging upside down between the open gates.

Lord Ryndor stood in front of the squire along with an Ordained—a brother of House Ordryn. The Ordained wore a black cloak with a chainmail mantle. He was cutting at one of the squire's ears with a curved dagger. What remained of Ryndor's troops, a dozen men-at-arms and common foot soldiers apiece, mulled about, watching.

"What's the meaning of this?" Basilides asked.

The men all turned in shock, not having realized he was there. They were visibly relieved to see he was only a leech, and several of the men jested and laughed at themselves for having been startled.

"Be gone, leech," the Ordained said. "This affair does not concern you."

"But I am a healer. Are there not injured men here? Are you not further harming those men there? I thought Ordryn demanded obedience, not torture."

"He's following my orders." Lord Ryndor stepped forward from the other men. "Tend to my men if you wish, and I will be grateful, but these five traitors are none of your concern."

Basilides stared at him for a moment then turned to where Ryndor's injured men sat away from the others. Lord Ryndor and the Ordained went back to work on the squire.

"Where were we?" the Ordained asked. "Ah yes, your ear."

The squire screamed as the Ordained carved the outside edge of his ear off. "All you have to do is talk. Tell us where Toli Verk is camped, tell us where he means to go next, and I will release you into the sweet veil of death and the Passions will let you rest. Just speak."

The squire only gritted his teeth and groaned, so the Ordained jabbed the knife beneath one of his collarbones. The squire cried out again.

"Tell me!" the Ordained yelled.

"That's enough," Basilides said, his voice cutting through the squire's screaming. "I will not allow you to further harm these men."

Lord Ryndor snorted a laugh and one of his men advanced on Basilides with his spear, but the Ordained waved him aside.

"Let him approach." The Ordained brandished his bloody knife and pulled a black pendant from beneath his mantle to hang so all could see it. "The Passions would be angry if you were to strike down one of their chosen ones, even a lowly follower of Balin," the Ordained remarked to the soldiers. "I on the other hand am of the House of Ordryn, the highest Order of the Passions, and I may distribute whatever punishment I deem fit, to whomever I see fit. Come to me, brother."

Basilides halted two steps away from him and stoodunmoving.