The fate of Tedek

Writers: Estelle, Paula
Date Posted: 4th June 2019
Series: The Great Bandit Trial

Characters: Zandan, Tedek
Description: Zandan delivers Tedek's reward in name of justice
Location: Emerald Falls Hold
Date: month 10, day 24 of Turn 9
Notes: PG-warning

Tedek stood outside the main entrance to the Hold, his back to the
imposing building as he looked over at the guard barracks. Somewhere in
there, his former comrades were chained up in a cell, awaiting
transportation to the mines. There, they would toil underground in
brutal conditions, worked to the limits of exhaustion to satisfy the
ever-increasing demands of the Hold. Tedek had heard what it was like.
It could so easily have been him.

Instead, he was free, providing that he left Emerald Falls for good.
That was an easy condition to comply with. He planned to head west to
the lands beyond the Sea of Azov, where he'd heard new holds were
opening up. There would be opportunities there. He needn't be Holdless
any longer. By the time any of the others were released - if they
survived - he would be far away, with a new name and a new life.

And if he did have to steal a little, on the way, to get him where he
needed to go, he'd be careful. No more riverboats or trader caravans.
He'd seen what being that ambitious got you.

The former holdless man picked up his bag and started to walk along the
road away from the Hold, without any regrets at leaving it behind him.

Zandan was waiting him, some distance away from the residences. The
road bended here and the trees made it impossible to see him until you
reached the place where he was. Leaning against a tree, he was
cleaning his nails with a knife.
"Hey, Tedek. Did you got your reward already?"

Shock jolted through Tedek, the instincts he'd learned over many Turns
of holdless life warning him to run. He took a deep breath, calming
himself. He was safe now. He had kept his side of the bargain, and the
guards weren't hunting him any more. "Captain Zandan. Yes, I did. I'm
leaving the Hold now."

"I'm here to make sure you won't ever show your face in Emerald Falls'
area ever again," Zandan said. He sauntered over to Tedek. He was
seemingly relaxed and in a good mood.

"You don't have to worry about that, Captain," Tedek said, slightly
wary. No matter how reassuring the guard's manner was, he couldn't
forget that Zandan had threatened to have him beaten. He wanted no
quarrel with the man, not today. "I'm happy to leave. I'll use this
reward to start a new, honest life somewhere else."

"You wouldn't know honestly if she bit you in a nose," Zandan remarked
sarcastically. People like Tedek never changed.

Tedek frowned, but he was well aware that now was not the time to pick a
fight with the guard captain. He didn't want to end up back in the
cells. "Well, it's not your affair any more. I'll be on my way, and as I
said, I won't be back."

"That's for sure," Zandan grinned. Moving much faster than expected
from such a large man, he suddenly grabbed the man and wrapped his arm
around his neck. "Too bad this has to be quick and clean, I would have
so enjoyed raping you," he hissed to Tedek's ear.

The holdless man's eyes bulged in horror and he thrashed and
struggled, trying to free himself from the iron grip that held him.
"No! Let me go! I won't come back, I swear!" His fingers clawed at the
guard's arm. "Please!"

"Did you really think Corowal and I would just let you walk away free
after everything you did?" Zandan asked. His belt knife wasn't very
big but it was sharp. You really didn't need a big blade to cut
someone's artery.

"But I did what you asked! I gave you the others!" Tedek's eyes filled
with tears as he saw the gleam of the knife blade. He'd known as soon
as he'd heard the Lord Holder's name that he was doomed, but still he
pleaded. "I'll do anything you want. Anything..."

"It's about justice. Or so Corowal says so he can sleep at nights,"
Zandan didn't need any excuses for killing.
He slit Tedek's throat and turned the body so that blood wouldn't squirt
on him.

The thief tried to scream, but only a strangled gasp came out. As the
guard relaxed his grip, he staggered a few steps away, clutching at his
neck as the blood spilled between his fingers and stained the dusty
ground under his feet. Then he collapsed, and after a few last rattling
breaths, he was still.

Zandan waited until the body was still and stopped bleeding. Looking
around he made sure no one has seen them. Then he picked up the body
and kicked some sand over the puddle of blood to hide it. Some
distance off the road, runner waited. He attached the corpse to the
runner's back. Now he had to ged rid of it so it would never been
found.

Last updated on the June 24th 2019

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