Dark Queen: The Cybelline Prophecies

Chapter 10

"Ma...Pa! Come quick! Voric's trying to kill Isthan!" Ceric's voice rang throughout the house as he crashed through the door. He was breathless as he flew into the house.

Ithos got up instantly, his eyes dark with rage, "That little git. He's be trouble since his family got here."

Myrai threw a shawl over herself, "Ithos, you go first. I'll be right behind ye. I'm going to give Miri to Sera first."

Ithos nodded and rushed out with his boy. Myrai was no less angry than her husband, but she had to take care of their young daughter. She hurried down the road and spied Sera herding her goats, "Sera, take Miri for a while. Someone's attacked my boy." Myrai called out. Sera's eyes widened in alarm.

"Miri. Stay with aunt Sera and behave. Yer Pa and Ma hafta go crack some heads open." Myrai said as she handed the five year old over, she muttered, "They just don't learn." She turned around and headed back to her house.

"Aren't ye going to the village Aunt Myrai? Why ye headin' home?" Sera called after her, Myrai turned to her, "I ain't going into town empty handed."

Sera shook her head and bounced Miri on her knee, "I don't know who angered this two, but whoever they are, they're going to be missin' limbs after this."

Ithos had just arrived into the town's square when he saw an incredible sight.

A gangly boy whose face was covered in filth, stood crying by a large, seething  man built like a mountain with a bulging stomach. In his ham fisted hands he carried a large butcher knife. He pointed that butcher knife at the face of a youth with black hair.  The big man swung his knife at Cybelline who didn't even flinch while everyone around her cowered.

The massive man was spitting and red from rage, "Ye filthy little shit. Ye broke my boy's collar bone."

Cybelline chuckled,  "How ironic, have you taken a look at your boy? Now that's what a filthy little shit actually looks like."

Voric's howls grew louder when he heard this as he tried to wipe as much manure off his face.  A woman rushed forward, her voice higher than an eagle's screech as she pointed to Cybelline, "I know ye, yer Ithos's new orphan. Do ye think ye own the place, bullyin' us poor villagers like? Everyone knows that Ithos collects broken trash and mongrels who mayhap have folk blood. We should burn ye where ye stand."

She grabbed onto the boy bully and started howling, "Look what ye did to my boy!" The crowd frowned and some turned away from the stench.

"Look what he did to my brothers!" Berin roared as he propped up Isthan, Ryion supported Isthan on the other side. Half of the boy's face was bruised and one arm hung at an awkward angle. Ryion's nose was entirely broken and blood poured down his tunic." 

Ithos stepped foward. A gnarled hand stopped him, he looked to his left. The headman of the village, Seithos, shook his head, "Let me try first?" He murmered to Ithos, "They're ignorant peasants. Ye would cut them into ribbons like last time."

"He's a filthy mongrel!" The woman's voice could cut glass as she shouted at the crowd, interrupting Seithos's quiet counsel, "And if my boy treats him as such, what of it?"

Voric whimpered and said pitifully, "They attacked me first. My friends and I were just playin."

"Lies!" Cried Berin, "He grabbed Ithos and Ryion by their hair and pushed them to the ground. Then his friends started punching and kicking them. If I hadn't got there, they would've killed them." 

"Enough!" The mountain of man glared at the crowd, "I'm going to cut off those boy's arms for what they did to my son. Anyone who dares get in my way, I'll cut ye too."