"I don't care if I deserved this. At least I will die contented to know that he is dead and deserved to die. Especially by my own hand." Spoke the brown-leather hooded man calm, who was on his knees and had his wrists shackled in chains behind his back. Kneeling on a wooden platform that nearly represented as an island that the public surrounded. Some shouted for the hooded man's blood while others shouted for freedom and few were silent.
"Why?" Asked the man who had a long, broad bladed sword in his hands that pointed to the ground. Dressed as black as death itself with a leathered mask.
"He killed my family; the entire clan. All that I loved and knew was gone within a night. As if the night itself swallowed everything but it was the king; an old friend I once knew. An old friend who turned against me, blinded by his own greed for power."
Quickly the executioner removed the hood of the kneeling man.
The hooded man had long coffee-black wavey hair tied to a loose ponytail. His cheek bones were protuding to his lean figure and a long scar was visible across his pale left cheek. Although very pale by complexion his deep set ocher brown eyes glistened with life.
"Lorcan! Lorcan MacDonald!" Whispered the executioner astounded and took few steps back.
Lorcan looked confused to the executioner, trying to see his eyes behind the mask. Searching for a familiar face.
A greater uproar came from the public that thirsted for Lorcan's blood or rather becoming any moment a head shorter. Suddenly a man from the public climbed upon the platform and grabbed with both of his hands to the great sword and raised it slowly above his head.
Immediately the executioner charched with his strong hands towards the man's hands holding the sword in the air. With a quick twist at the wrists and a kick at the man's feet the man fell. Quickly while the man was falling and the public focused upon the man; the executioner cut free Lorcan's shackles. "Go back to the cells. No one suspect's you there." He whispered to Lorcan and then turned to the public. "No one touches this but me, the executioner! If anyone gets his hands on this, you will be a head shorter!"376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLKUmd7mESL
Suddenly few men called out and pointed to where Lorcan once kneeled. Immediately the public paniced and ran in every direction, mostly women and children fled to savety while men drew out their swords and spears at hand to search Lorcan. Searching everywhere but the cells without suspecting the excutioner.
He paced briefly with few men and vanished to the cells unnoticed alone. He looked in every cell but found no where Lorcan. He soon gave up and began to hope he is in a safe distance. As he entered his room which nearly resembled the same like a cell, a sharp blade was placed at his throat. Instinctively he slowly raised his arms. "It's alright; you're in savety for the time being."
Rapidly the blade was gone from the executioner's throat and his mask was removed. Firey red wavey, shoulder long hair almost glowed from his dark clothes. The executioner had many freckles over his nose and cheeks and grass green eyes shone of compassion in Lorcan's eyes. He was a bit taller and broader built than Lorcan.
"Whoever you are, why do you let me live?"
"Firstly, the king is dead so I can choose who should be executed or not. Secondly, your bravery facing death no matter the consequences is something rarely found in a man and thus you've shown great courage and loyalty to your clan that was sadly killed by the king. Any man from a different clan should acknowledge and respect that."
Lorcan blinked of astonishment. "What is you're name and from which clan are you?" Asked Lorcan while offered his hand to shake.
"The name's Angus McGregor." Said Angus and shook heartily Lorcan's hand.
"Well Angus, from now on I owe you my life."
"Don't get ahead with yourself. The others are still searching for you and you're not exactly in the most safest place." Spoke Angus while unlocking with a key the shackles open of Lorcan's wrists.
"For the moment it is. I best get the move on when the sun has set. Until then I have to wait." Gave Lorcan while rubbing his wrists.
"Well while you wait you could entertain me by telling how you got to the king last night." Grinned Angus while picking up a bottle from a dark corner, placed it on the wooden table and offered a stool to sit while he seated at the opposite of the table.
"Before I begin with my story, I have to ask; how do you know my name?"
"The king shared his secrets not only with his henchmen. He shared them also with me. That's how I know your name and thus was surprised when I saw your face with the-"
"Scar? He did it to me as we had our last argument before he became king. In a way I was marked." Grinned Lorcan.
"So you knew what will happen?" Wondered Angus surprised.
"Alas no. I wish I did. I misjudged him for a greedy fool. Since the accident's happened he's changed. He almost drowned in a loch. Before he was the man I knew and grew up with. We were friends since we were wee lads. Although we were from a different clan we understood each other like brothers. After the long unconciousness from the drowning, something snapped in his head or heart. I don't know why or how but it just did. Started to talk about power and ruling like a king. 'Bring order into the land' were his exact words."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be Angus McGregor. My life continues thanks to you and it will have a different ending. Now to the part of last night, it went so..." Explained Lorcan and gave a friendly pat on Angus' shoulder.
"Reaching the castle and sneaking in was no big favour. Especially when trained from the best and knew the king personally.""Please! Have mercy! I'll pay a sum you desire but please have mercy! Think about my people!" Called a middle-aged man. His face was pale and cold sweat of fear trickled down his brow. His grey blue eyes wide open in awe while his mouth trembled along with his short curled blonde beard. The golden crown trembled upon the man's or rather king's head. Staring at the hooded man before him that appeared into the light from the darkness like a dark ghost. The king clutched at the arms of his great chair, his throne while the dark hooded figure took slow and steady steps towards him. The golden crown slipped off the blonde curly hair of the frightened king and rolled on the ground like a coin to a dark corner of the room. "Have mercy; who ever you are!" He whispered.
"Your people! How dare you give such an accusation! You killed my people! My family; my clan! You knew the risks when you became king! For what reason! Just to sit on the throne all day, possessing all that power and pay me off with money that I don't need! Sqeezing it out of the poor to pay me; above all that I won't kill ya!" The hooded man paused and removed his hood. His ocher brown eyes shone of hate and fury. "First trying to kill me and now paying me off. I'm not a fool! Here I am to repay the dept. An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. You took my family and now I will take your life that I once saved." He snarled and drew out of his belt a dagger.
"No! Lorcan! Have mercy! Think of the consequences!"
"I already did. You will be dead as I will be soon enough. A death of a king is rarely pleasant; especially when betraying an old friend." Whispered Lorcan close to the king's ear and pierced his dagger into his stomach.
The king cried out in pain.
Lorcan quickly twisted the dagger and stepped back. His face was stern and angered while the king choked to a slow and painful death.
Rapidly the soldiers stormed into the room with their swords and spears at hand. Immediately Lorcan drew out his sword and took a deep breath. Prepared for the consequences and let his sword drop. "The king is dead! I killed him! I have no quarrel with you men!" Called Lorcan stern and calm while raising his arms as a gesture of no ill intension.
"He deserved to die; and I am not ashamed that I've done it."
"Believe me Lorcan, I too would have done the same in your position. You're very loyal to your name and clan."
"But a shame that I am not a member of your clan?" Smiled Lorcan.
"I didn't say that." Remarked Angus.
"But you were hinting to it."
"No! I didn't-" Angus stopped. The continuous grin of Lorcan said everything. No matter what Angus says from now on they will always hint on what Lorcan thinks. "I was just giving you a compliment." Sighed Angus lightly annoyed.
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