The High King: A Tale of Alus (57 page)

Leading the men of Rhearden, Gerid and Karma took six hundred mounted mercenaries, men the giant had worked with a short time before. Trackers could follow Merrick’s path with ease. The men were not bothering to conceal themselves. They were simply running from what lay behind them. Gerid grimly followed with his men knowing that Merrick sought the conceived safety of his homeland. The men of Marshalla, that he believed would follow his rule no matter what he did, were the king’s best hope, but they would not be there. The castle was in the queen’s hands.

The pursuit went on for days. Both groups were running as hard as they dared. On occasion, the men of Rhearden happened across a fallen or near dead mount. Those that could be saved, the giant would leave a man of his own to care for the animal. If it could not be saved, they put it down quickly and humanely.

Meanwhile, his own men pushed hard but made sure to move only within the animals’ abilities. There was little rush, since Merrick had nowhere to run, even if the man didn’t know it yet. They merely had to keep driving Merrick until he either stopped to rest or found himself before the barred walls of Hala and its locked Grimnal Keep.

After a week of running, Gerid could see the black walls of the capitol of Merrick’s broken empire. From a high hill, the giant could see both the city and a small band of soldiers looking ragged on their horses. His own men looked tired from seven days of hard travel, but they were fresher than the king who had pushed his men and mounts to the brink. In sight of the castle walls, the men moved quickly almost appearing fresh in their joy at seeing their apparent salvation.

“Open the gates, you fools!” the anger in Merrick’s voice rang against the cold iron and wood of the western gate. Gray stone loomed high above the horsemen as soldiers walked the parapets ignoring the king and his men. The sun shone down making the gray rock seem that much more brilliant and powerful.

After a time, a new voice called from the tower to the right of the gate. “Who do you think you are to order such a thing?” The voice was female and caused a wrinkle to the king’s brow.

Anger rolled in from deep within him as he yelled back, “I am the High King of the north, woman! Open these gates for me now! This is my castle and land. These are my people. Who are you to bar me from my own city?”

A woman’s laugh came joyously from above. “Your city? I think not. The white haired giant took the city nearly a month ago. The fact that you are here running from the red soldiers lets us know that you are beaten. You will have to face them once more, oh High King of the North,” sarcasm dripped from the final words.

Snarling in reply, Merrick cried out, “Who are you, woman, that you mock me, your king?”
“I am your wife, `till he comes to remove your head from your shoulders. It won’t be too long, Merrick, for I see your death chases you here even now,” Alyanna called down as the sound of horses’ beating hooves could be heard approaching from the west.
The men of the bronze rose saw the approaching crimson riders and worried looks exchanged between them. The king had lost his city. They were outnumbered by the troops that had destroyed their great army, and they had not fared well even when numbers had been in their favor.
The hooves beat closer.
Merrick turned his black stallion to face the oncoming riders. Black armor with the bronze rose emblazoned on his chest was scuffed by dirt from the road and blood still spotted the cloth with his general’s blood. The High King’s stare narrowed in anger as the giant held up a hand to the six hundred and approached alone.
“Who are you giant? Where have you come from and why do continue to vex me so? Why have you raised up an army against me for no reason?”
The giant stopped his horse facing the king and stated clearly, “I am Gerid Aramathea. I have raised a great fleet and brought an army that I might destroy you, Merrick.”
The lack of title made the king frown even more. “I am High King Merrick, Lord of the North. Do not speak as if I am some common man! Why have you come here?”
“Before you called yourself high king or conqueror, you decided to sick your new beasts upon my family. The problem is that you killed our servants and missed every last one of my family. That doesn’t mean there is no score to settle. Each of my siblings has worked to bring you down. Your rule is at an end. Your tyranny is over.
“When I returned with my army, I took your city from you. We called the resistance and those enemies you held in check and let them join us. With more than fifteen thousand men, we joined Sileoth, Maris and the remains of Cadmene. Before we fought at Calmaris, I sent your dragon and gargoyle allies away. Your generals then ran to our ambushes and were slain.
“Now you have no more army, no more allies, and no land to flee to either. So here we stand. The man who sought to destroy me stands in front of stone walls that he can no longer call home. My forces could be called to slay you and your men, but they’re no longer needed. I have come to do this myself.”
The High King laughed. “You are a fool then.” He gestured for his captain to attack. The man and two others drew their swords and charged forward. Leaping from his saddle, Gerid awaited the soldiers. As they approached at full speed, the giant caught two of the horses with blows to the chest. His great power stopped both beasts in their tracks sending the riders flying over the heads of their mounts. Looking a bit stunned, the horses wandered to either side, even as the captain was forced to avoid the animals.
Drawing his great axe, the giant watched as a handful of soldiers moved to surround him. The captain lowered his blade and attacked. Almost as one the rest of the troopers joined him. The axe swung around repelling blades. One man lost his hand, his blood splattering his closest comrades. The second arc of the great axe took the captain’s head even as the others retreated before the terrifying blade.
Mere seconds went by sending the soldiers of the bronze rose into a cautionary retreat.
“Get him! Don’t run from one man, you idiots!” Merrick cried frantically.
Gerid noted several glances between the men at the High King’s words. Even as he relied on these men to save him, he insulted them. They were swiftly realizing that following the High King was needless as well as a death sentence. He was just a man now and his cause was lost. Following him into death would be
meaningless.
Several of the men began to edge away. A few more joined the melee against the giant, but in the distraction, more slunk away towards the village towards the south. As more men fell, the remaining men lost heart and joined those headed towards the village.
It didn’t take long for Gerid to find himself facing the High King all alone. Merrick looked at several unhorsed men lying on the ground. Some cried with pain as they held new wounds, others made no sound at all. Merrick’s eyes grew wide with fear as he stared at the invincible giant, the hand of Turas made real.
“I am the High King,” he repeated, though fear tinged each word. “You must obey me,” even Merrick was disbelieving of his declaration.
The axe pointed at the king. “You are done here,” the giant decreed.
Face gone pale, Merrick turned his horse to run. The animal had taken two steps when the axe struck the rider from his mount. The blade sunk deep into his right shoulder. The crash of his armor on cobble stones echoed against the black walls unforgiving.
Gasping for air, the man tried to pull himself from the ground. On hands and knees, Merrick dragged himself towards the castle walls. Blood trailed along his path.
As the man crawled, the bars holding the gates closed could be heard moving from behind the giant doors. Creaking slightly from their great weight resting on hinges, the doors opened slightly letting the queen and her guards out into the noon day light. Arcturas, the sun and god of day, looked down as if in judgment.
Stalking the fallen man, Gerid caught the handle and yanked the head of the blade from his wounded shoulder sending a splattering of blood straggling from the metal. A cry of pain from Merrick was nearly followed by his collapse to the ground.
“My how sad you look, Merrick,” Alyanna said with a slightly sad cast to her face. The queen wore a dress of all black and no jewelry save a silver belt with a ruby set at the clasp. Like a beautiful mourner or Lady Death, Alyanna stood above Merrick deciding his fate. Baitrum was at her side with Serra trailing and Simon just behind him. His elder brother looked at the giant as if he had not seen his brother before. The avenger stood with his axe dripping and eyes only for the bleeding king.
Coughing, Merrick replied with a rasp in his voice, “Sad? Did I look sad the first night as I stood over you… my queen? Perhaps the tables have indeed turned, but what will you do with me? I am your husband after all? You can’t kill me or leave to die here.”
“I can’t?” the woman chuckled quietly. “You persecuted me every chance you could. You destroyed my homeland and so many more, Merrick. Then he came and his brother before him. I made love for the first time when his brother came to me, Merrick. I could have given myself to you if you had shown any care for me, but you wanted only to rule over the people and me. You didn’t want love. You wanted fear and respect, but fear rarely means true respect. Fear merely breeds hatred.
“I hate you, Merrick! Your people followed you because they had to, but I’d warrant most hate you as well. Gerid and his family hated you so much they raised an army against you from afar only to make sure that you were defeated.
“Now you ask, what will I do with you? I can let fate’s avatar finish what is started, of course.”
Alyanna’s eyes sought the giant and nodded.
Merrick’s eyes turned their hatred on the woman before following her gaze back to the giant. “Fate’s avatar? More like my own pet turned on me, his master. I created you, giant. Your hatred comes from me. Your strength and powers are from me!”
Shaking his head, Gerid’s eyes never left the king’s. “You may have brought me to your door, but the gods gave me this power. My strength and mind raised the army and the money to bring them here. My hatred for you expired long ago, Merrick, but justice brought me back to you to see your face, the face of a murderer. In justice, I will execute you. Before those you harmed and sought to enslave, I will give you what you have earned. Before the gods, you are finished.”
With a sneer, Merrick dared, “Do it then monster and see how the people reward you. Will you become king once I am gone? You will find ruling is harder than you think.”
“I don’t need to rule. I will return to my wife and son and live a long life serving Rhearden, I think, though the gods lead where they may.
“Now enough talk.”
Lifting Merrick with one hand, the giant suddenly found a stabbing pain in his chest. “Ha, you will die with me then, giant!”
Plucking the dagger from his chest in contempt, Gerid tossed the blade aside never releasing his grip on the smaller man. Carrying him towards the gates, the giant carried Merrick into his city. “You wanted back into Hala, your fortress. Do you feel the stares?”
Climbing the stairs of the right tower, the giant carried the king step by step followed by the queen and those with her. The view from the top was awe inspiring. The cliffs to the east revealed the ocean to the east. White caps were nearly too hazy to see from the distance. The village lay to the south. The mountains barely grayed by distance to the north.
“Take a last look, Merrick. The power of the Grimnal won’t move to save you, the last of your line. I checked with the queen. You have no more family. In your hate, you never sired a child, only enemies. Here you are. What more do you have to say, High King of the North?” Gerid asked still holding the man over his head. The stone of the wall came up to the giant’s chest here.
Setting his feet on the stone parapet, Merrick found himself standing more than seventy feet over the stone and earth of the outer ground. Again he looked angry. “I have nothing to say to the likes of you. You feel I harmed you. I ruled this land with a firm hand. If that means I am too cruel for the likes of you, I will not repent for you or beg forgiveness. The gods know me. I have no fear of you!”
Cocking an eyebrow in surprise, Gerid glanced to the queen a moment. The woman nodded. “Then it is over,” the giant decreed. Jabbing Merrick with his axe head, Merrick waved his arms fighting for balance. A second shove and his feet found only air. His scream seemed hollow if brief.
Looking over the stone, Gerid stared at the broken body for a time. It was finally over.

With the passing of Merrick, the lands of the north entered a new era. Caldor and Marshalla had lost much of their noble lines. The new vacuum needed to be filled. War would have resumed once more. Maris wanted to claim much of the two kingdoms, but Sileoth and Cadmene stood in opposition wanting to either take much for themselves or finding a way to restore the two lands and the status quo.

Terris returned to his home, but decided to let his son, Relnar, remain king. Retirement for the man would be an active participation with rebuilding their armies of knights. He also pushed for a council of nations. In the council, Sileoth, Maris and even Staron worked to settle the lands.

Finally, it was decided. With the promises of land being given to the pirates, and two new cities popping up on the eastern shores to accommodate the new settlers, the men asked Gerid to take Hala and the lands of Marshalla for himself as king. It was his forces that had saved them after all.

He had never wanted to rule or longed for such a life. His brother would be a stronger king Gerid felt. He also had obligations to Rhearden. Leaving Simon to begin the restoration, the knight of Rhearden returned to his wife.

In the time he had been gone, the king had passed. A cure had been found too late from an Enswerian alchemist. Though the culprit of the attack never came forward to take credit for King Colona’s demise.

His marriage to Catiya followed shortly after his return. Wishing to honor his vow of never leaving them again, Gerid talked with his new wife and decided to return to Marshalla. Much of the fleet followed him. He gifted a portion to the new queen of Rhearden as he resigned his position as a knight of her kingdom.