Brian's Adventures

Chapter Six: Friendship

I do not remember much of that next day, I truly don't. Nor do I remember falling asleep the night before. I don't remember much of anything, its all a hazy blur to tell you the truth. I had resigned myself to my fate and just waited for the end to come. I had tried my best to show these people that I was a good person and not a spy but in the end, it mattered little. The fact that I drew breath and had set foot on Tania seemed to be my greatest crime. Death loomed inevitably on the horizon like a black cloud that billowed and festered, casting darkness everywhere.

Late the next day, a pair of strange guards came and got me. Without much fanfare I left my cell for the last time and walked toward my date with the executioner. As we walked down the few winding passages I still felt numb, even the blast of daylight did not brighten my spirits. It seemed strangely ironic to me that the first time I should be outside since my arrival would be the last time that I would see the sun, ever.

It was a small public courtyard that I presumed was behind the Barracks. It seemed to be the end of a dead end street and that seemed fitting to me somehow. There was a small platform set up in the middle of the end of the street. It was not that tall, about the height of a man, maybe a little less. There were balconies and windows that overlooked the courtyard and every place there seemed to be faces and people.

It seemed that word had spread about the execution of the Outsider and it had become a spectacle. There was similar curiosity and gatherings about the executions back home, but I never paid them any mind. I never found the fascination of watching some poor bugger loosing his head. It seems that wherever you go people are the same, for lots of people wanted to watch me lose mine it seemed.

I was roughly handled as I was directed up to the small platform and I remember taking those last few steps. I remember how heavy each foot felt as one by one I climbed those steps to the top of the platform. Standing there, waiting for me were two men, the Sergeant-at-Arms and the black hooded Executioner. The Sergeant-at-Arms looked pleased with everything, almost as if he'd got his way. The Executioner stood there waiting while holding a large axe that had a very long handle on it.

"Brian Westlock you have been charged and convicted of spying on the noble people of Tania. The Great Council of Tania has sentenced you to death. Do you have any last words before the sentence is carried out?" The Sergeant-at-Arms said dryly and I said nothing as I was still in a fog.

As far as I knew my life was only moments from ending and nothing mattered to me anymore. I still remember the cold damp feel of the chopping block on the side of my cheek as I laid my head on that block. My life was now only seconds from ending and my tension rose as I prayed for a miracle to save me.

Whoosh!! Twang!!

A dagger flew out of the crowd and hit the Executioner's axe in the handle just an inch above where his hand held it. He was still standing there waiting for the final order to carry out the sentence.

"Sweet Christ!" The Executioner shouted.

Out of shock and surprise he let go of the axe and it fell over and off of the platform with a series of loud clangs. I started to look around and notice things again. This seemed odd to me even in my hazy state and it was just what I needed to break me out of this depressed, dismal spell.

"If he loses his head, you'll lose yours not a moment later!" Shouted someone from the direction of where the dagger came from.

I looked and saw a number of people tossing their cloaks aside to reveal polished armour underneath. They had been hiding amongst the crowed and chose now to strike. Four of them rushed the platform and the first one reached the top of the platform only seconds after the axe fell away. I stood up and saw the terror on the faces of both the Executioner and the Sergeant at Arms and thanked God for my miracle. My miracle had four names, Jealile, Yeoline, Pellenica and Valencia and I kissed each one of them.

"Didn't I promise you that no harm would come to you?" Smiled Jealile proudly after I kissed her.

"I told you, we'd get your pretty ass out of this didn't I?" Smiled Valencia after I kissed her also.

"I told you all was not lost didn't I?" Pellenica smiled warmly after her kiss.

"I couldn't bear to let anything happen to you." Yeoline said with a tear after her kiss.

"Get out of here!" Jealile ordered the Executioner and he quickly and quietly agreed, leaving the axe where it lay. "As for you." Jealile said with an evil smirk. "Fetch The Council, it's what you're good at." She finished with a sneer.

"I most certainly will do no such thing." Sneered the Sergeant-at-Arms in defiant disgust.

"NOW!" Jealile growled impatiently as she drew her sword and pointed it at his throat. An evil smile crept across her face as she moved her face closer to his. I could see that after a few seconds of this, terror returned to his face and he sputtered in protest.

"I . . . I . . . If you insist." The Sergeant-at-Arms finally managed to get out and then retreated down the stairs rubbing his uninjured neck.

"What now?" I asked curiously.

"Now we let everyone else know what's going on." Pellenica said with a smile and she whistled loudly.

I could then see two things happening, for one the Capitan of the Guards led twenty guards out of the Barracks. They marched over to the platform and formed a ring around the base of the platform. They stood with swords drawn and the tip on the ground with both hands on the hilt of their swords as they faced away from the platform. With a nod to Pellenica the Captain stood at the base of the stairs and watched everything at once.

The second thing I noticed was some movement in the crowd; someone stood forward and dropped their hood. Treabilla gracefully walked over to the platform and up the stairs, hugging me when she got near. I was still in shock because a little more than two minutes had passed since that dagger flew out of the crowd. Treabilla now stood tall on top of that chopping block where my head had been only moments before. She raised her hands and got the attention of the murmuring and mildly excited crowd. She waited for the noise to die down before she spoke.

"People of Tania!" Treabilla shouted at last. "A shameful crime almost happened here today. The crime of murder most foul! This man was sentenced to die by The Council but no trial took place, no evidence was presented and no crime committed!" Treabilla said with passion as she pointed to me.

"If that's true then why kill him?" Someone from the crowd shouted.

"When his ship sank at sea far from his home, and being the only survivor he clung to a piece of wreckage for dear life! Fate and God's will my friends brought him to our shore!" She continued with the passion and skill of a master storyteller. "Yet how did we receive him?" She said sadly and by now she had the whole crowd mesmerized.

"We locked him up as a spy before he even knew where he was! We accused him of spying on us when he had done nothing suspicious at all. Even as we treated him so unjustly he has yet to utter a single word against us." She finished and paused for effect. "I owe my very life to him!" She shouted with passion as a collective gasp came from the mesmerized crowd.

"And still The Council wanted him dead. When my Father, the Director granted him mercy, The Council overturned that just decision and ordered his execution! Not one piece of evidence was given! No trial was held! Only death was given to the undeserving stranger." Treabilla finished with a sad tone and paused again looking down at me for a moment before looking back up to the crowd.

"Are we so paranoid and cruel that we would kill an innocent man just because fate has delivered him to us? Is this the kind of people we are? To kill a man who has done nothing wrong just to feel safe? If they can kill him so easily, why could they not kill any one of us just as easily? If we get in their way will we not find ourselves on the same block?" Treabilla shouted to the now unnerved crowd while stamping her foot on the block.

"This cannot be allowed to happen! This must not happen! This is not the land that my forefather Augustus Teroncia founded!" Treabilla shouted and the crowed erupted in cheers and shouts; she had successfully whipped the crowd up into frenzy!

"My goodness she's good! Can she ever tell a story!" I said quietly to Pellenica beside me.

"Her Father taught her well." Pellenica replied quietly.

"Tell me something. How on earth did you talk The Captain into this?" I asked curiously and quietly to the ladies that had gathered near me and for a moment none of them said a thing but had sheepish smirks on their faces.

"Funny that." Valencia started out while the others still smirked and said nothing. "Mostly she was outraged at the injustice of it all. But what really sealed the deal was . . . um . . . well . . . She has been married five times and has been single for a few years." Valencia said and took a nervous pause. "She's still a woman and has needs you understand." She finished with a weak smile in my direction and I went white, as I understood. "We couldn't go without her support and we figured you wouldn't mind . . . doing your part." Valencia said fumbling with her words. "So . . . suffice to say you've got plans tonight." She said quietly as she leaned in next to me touching my arm.

I looked over at the Captain of the Guards as she stood there in her commanding pose and in her armour all polished and shined up. I could tell that she was still muscular and as tough as they come, she looked menacing and unyielding. However, somewhere under that gruff and tough exterior beat the tender heart of a woman, I could see it in her eyes. She kept it locked away most of the time, but our deepest secrets tend to leak out when we least expect them to. She looked over at me and saw the silly, yet surprised dumb look on my face. The usually menacing looking Captain of the guards turned into a timid woman as she smiled at me, blushed a bit then quickly looked away.

"Keep the healer handy tonight." I said under my breath to Valencia who responded with a chuckle. We both noticed movement in one of the vacant balconies above us at that moment.

The movement I noticed was some archers had now taken up positions on a number of the balconies around the square. The door to the barracks barged open and out marched thirty Guards who marched up to the square and formed two lines one behind the other and faced off against us. The Guards that had encircled the platform now quickly moved to form opposing lines and squared off to stare down the other Guards.

The crowd disbursed somewhat, but the bulk of it hung about hiding around corners and giving wide berth. It seems that the prospect of a battle combined with their curiosity and unsatisfied bloodlust kept them around and just out of harms way. I don't think that I would have stuck around if I was just part of the crowd. No matter how curious I would have been I would not have wanted to die by some slash that missed its intended target.

The two opposing ranks of Guards stood firm, snarling at each other, standing firm. The Sergeant-at-Arms commanded the opposing Guards and the Captain of the Guards naturally commanded our ranks. Five of our Guards put their swords away and took the bows off their backs and each picked an archer to aim at. There was a tense moment as both sides stared down each other. Nether side wanted to make the first move, nor wanted to yield the ground. A tense stalemate gripped the air for a horrendous few moments and nobody dared move. Civil War was in the air and I was ashamed and touched to know that it was over me.

It was just then that I looked up and noticed a man who was standing alone on one of the balconies. He was looking over the whole scene with unconcerned curiosity. I looked into his face and I recognized him as one of The Council Members that had remained quiet during my 'trial'. I looked up at him, as did other members of the group who stood there.

After a moment of looking us over he disappeared back into the building. A few moments later an unassuming door opened up and he emerged from it and without a word or further ceremony. As he made his way over to the platform he easily walked through both ranks of Guards unhindered. Soon after, he stood before me with a charming smile as he stretched out his hand to shake mine.

"Good afternoon Mr. Westlock, I am Councillor Brachous Palpetone and I am here on behalf of The Council. You are indeed more resourceful than The Council had given you credit." He said in the smooth, polished voice of a lifelong politician as he shook my hand. "You are certainly to be congratulated for your display of cunning and strength, let us hope that you possess wisdom as well."

"Thank you but it was . . . " I started out but Jealile cut me off.

"But a small mater for him!" Jealile quickly interjected not letting me reveal that I had little to do with this.

"You do indeed have a knack of acquiring allies from the oddest of places." He said with a curious smile as he looked at the ladies standing there around me. "You must tell me your secret sometime. That is, if we can find some way to settle this troublesome matter peacefully. Indeed you are a most curious fellow, you might have some merit after all." He said with a warm smile and a light chuckle.

"I have tried to conduct myself in the best way I knew how. I tried to show your people that I was a good man. In the end, all that meant nothing to you and your kind." I said with some disdain that had leaked through my cool exterior. "You'd kill me for doing nothing other than showing up unannounced!" I said with clenched teeth. I tried to keep my cool as I looked into the face of one of the men who had sealed my doom.

"Indeed we did. Regretfully that was a hasty decision. Thanks to this delightful display" He said motioning in the direction of the ranks of Guards. "We can't kill you without looking overly cruel. But the trouble is we can't just let you go either." He said and paused and mused with his hand on his chin. "It would reflect poorly on The Council and we can't have that." He finished and looked at me with his charming smile.

"No, we can't have The Council look bad." Treabilla said sarcastically while rolling her eyes. Councillor Palpetone looked disapprovingly for a moment at Treabilla but said nothing. "What do you propose?" I inquired, curiously, bringing his attention back to me.

"Well, I have the approval of the Council to commute the sentence to ten lashings in public." Councillor Palpetone said with a sensible look. "That way, you keep your head attached and The Council can save face." He finished with his best 'I'm you're buddy' look.

"Not a chance!" Treabilla shouted as quietly as she could, interjecting. "He's done nothing wrong!"

"Surely you all realize that this is just a sample of the Guards that are loyal to The Council. Our ranks far outnumber yours and they would descend upon you with such force as to surely kill each and every one of you. What would that accomplish I ask you? You would still be dead Mr. Westlock and a great many others with you." Councillor Palpetone finished with a deadly serious glare that was masked by a smile. I could see in his eyes that he was capable of that and much more, I knew then not to press him. "Do you really want all bloodshed on your conscience as you meet your maker?" He asked with a look of distaste.

Jealile pressed the long blade of her sword against the neck of Councillor Palpetone and brought her face just an inch away from his. "You'll be the first to die, I swear it!" She spat with pure hatred.

Like the groan of a great beast from above we heard the archers draw back their bows. They were ready to fire at a half second's notice and had an arrow trained on each of us with heart-stopping skill. In response our archers drew back their bows in a silent threat to the archers in the balconies.

"What does it matter my dear if we're all dead!" He replied calmly.

I could see that there was not an ounce of fear in his eyes. There was a tense moment as the two stared each other down. Jealile growled and dropped her sword to her side, she knew he was right or at least not afraid to die. He rightly knew that we had no intention of dieing that day either, if it could be avoided. All the archers relaxed the tension on their bows and the release was like the beast sighed a sigh of relief.

"I'd rather put my head on the block than see any of you harmed." I replied just as seriously looking into the eyes of the five ladies that surrounded me.

"I sensed that about you, but I will not press it that far O noble one. I can see now that it would be a shame to waste such an interesting individual. Already your display has been quite entertaining and I must say I'm curious to see what you'll do next to liven up our little island." Councillor Palpetone finished with a warm and inviting smile.

"But why whip him!" Treabilla asked what was on the minds of everyone there. "Relax my child. I'll have the Captain of the Guard carry out the sentence. I'm sure she's skilled enough not to even touch him." He said to Treabilla with a condescending tone before turning to me. "But you'd better sell it to the crowd or I'll have someone else do the job and by God you'll feel it then!" He finished with a delightful sneer, shaking his finger in warning. "After which you're free to go." He finished with a warm smile, looking pleased with himself.

"I can't go home obviously. What then? Where do I go? To live on the street?" I inquired curiously.

"I'm sure one of these fine ladies would take you in but that may not be necessary." He said with a smile and leaned in a bit. "I am the Councillor in charge of Food and Farming. That means that the countryside Estates are under my control." He said with a pleased chuckle. "I may be able to quietly award you the Kincaid Estate without much trouble." He finished with an, 'aren't I so grand' smile as I considered his generous offer, but one thing came to mind.

"What do you want?" I asked with a discerning look.

"Nothing for now, but down the road you never know when I may need a favour. A resourceful man like yourself is always handy to know in such times, as I'm sure you'll agree. What do you say Mr. Westlock?" Counsellor Palpetone finished with his charming smile and waited for my answer.

"What about my friends, they have risked much today. What about them?" I asked genuinely, not wanting to see them in any trouble either.

"Well, since nobody was hurt I think we can just overlook this mater, provided they go away quietly." Palpetone finished with a smile and looked into the eyes of all the women there and each one in turn nodded their agreement. "Is it settled then?" Palpetone finished with extending his hand out and waited for me to shake it.

"It's seems fair enough. I'll do it." I said as I shook his hand and it was settled. "Excellent. You've made a wise decision Mr. Westlock." Councillor Palpetone said assuredly as he slapped my shoulder in a friendly manner with one hand while still shaking my hand with his other.

"Do you mind calling off your dogs now?" Valencia asked with a nice smile while pointing at the ranks of Guards who were still on the brink of starting a Civil War.

Councillor Palpetone agreed with a warm smile and half-chuckle just before he looked for the Sergeant-at-Arms. When their eyes met, it took only a look and a dismissive motion of the hand for the opposing ranks of Guards to start to leave. Jealile looked over at the Captain of the Guards with a similar look and a nod of the head. Our ranks then started to pack up and prepared to leave, the Captain however stood firm.