Forty three

“They what?” I asked Elison who was reporting to me with fury in his eyes, he wanted to attack these people.

“They set a pyre, they are demanding for Themis claiming she is a witch and they want to set her ablaze.” Elison repeated himself as I got out of my seat like lightning and left my tent as I growled. “They think that they have a say in the affairs of my army? I have been too fucking lenient on these people.” I marched to front of my camp where a line of my warriors were attacking as a barrier from allowing the villagers from entering into my camp and searching it for my wife.

“What should we do warlord?” Gwenn asked through her clenched jaws.

“Surround them with warriors Gwenn, they have incur my wrath and none of them are leaving without suffering from it.” I said as Gwenn nodded and left. I took note of the people around me and when I saw Boan, a red haze covered my eyes. “Where is my wife?” I demanded as I got into his face.

“She is in Dyane tent with a dozen warriors are them acting as if it is their life only goal to die before letting anybody aside from me, you, Commander Gwenn and Elison into that tent.” Boan said as his jaw ticked, he was just as angry as I was about the actions of these people.

“Good” I nodded. “Keep them there but get as many whips as possible, it looks like we will be doing a mass whipping today.” I tell him as he gave me a stiff nod then left to do my bidding.

When I saw that the people were surrounded I moved closer to them. “Silence” I thundered and at once the noises made by the crowd reduces. “What is the meaning of this?”

The village chief cleared his throat as he begins to state their requests. He chose to be the scapegoat, good. “We want the witch sire.”

“You will only refer to me and my wife by our titles.”

The sharpness of my tone quickly made him correct himself. “We want the death of the witch warlord.”

“My camp abhors no witch.” I tell him fully aware of who he was referring to, I need him to dig himself into a trench he cannot claw his way out of.

“The silver haired one is a witch, warlord. Give us the order and we will kill her for you.” He said as various voices rang out supporting his words.

“How sure are you that she is in fact a witch?” I asked with my face twisted with fury. “What claims do you have?” the chief opened his mouth to talk but I was not in the mood to play mouse and mousetrap with this man. “Silence.”

The chief swallowed his words. “The silver haired one name is Lady Themis, she is my wife and I will not condone disrespect to her name. She is also not a witch.” I stated.

Cries arose from the crowd with different statements of Themis bewitching me and that I am under her commands and other more vile things which I could not stomach. I want to tear them apart but I cannot, I cannot have a civil war within Dar right now especially when our enemies are amassing.

“Silence, you held a protest in front of my camp, have murderous intents for my wife and also said demeaning words against those in power. These are your crimes and they must be punished.”

The people voice rose up in a cry or refusal as I looked at them, they were going too head strong trying to go against my wishes. It would not be long before they butt heads with the capital.

“Flog them.” I ordered as the warriors nodded and soon there were cries of pain renting the air, I didn’t give them the honor of watching their punishment. I left there to visit my wife. When I saw Themis, my heart went out to her, she had tears down her face as she paced the room.

“The punishment will soon be over.” I say to her as she nodded then met me by the tent flap, her next actions were nice but it shocked me to immobility, nothing has ever done that to me before, I always reacted but Themis case was different and all she did was to hug me.

When I could regain my senses, I wrapped my arms around her hoping that my presence alone was comfort to her because I didn’t know which other way that I could show her comfort. It was not needed though because she collapsed in my arms in tears and I sat us down and started to stroke her hair while waiting for her tears to dry up.

“Thank you.” She said glancing at me with her tearstained eyelashes.

“I did what I am supposed to do?” I grumbled, uncomfortable with the soft tone and look of gratitude in her face.

“And what do you think that is?” Themis asked me with a smile on her face as if she knew something that I didn’t.

I contemplate telling her what the real reason was to me and the one that was expected and made up my mind to tell her both, after all I am not supposed to be keeping secrets from her. “Defending your honor, nobody is allowed to curse at you not unless the person wish to challenge me in a fight to the death.”

“Orel.” She whispered my name on her breathe but I added more “And I am supposed to dry your tears and do my best not allow anything hurt you.”

I finally brought my eyes to see her face when she didn’t make a reply to my statement. What I saw in her eyes was enough to bring me down on my knees if I was still standing. Right there, in her gaze was love shining through. The kind I see in the eyes of my warriors when they chose to settle down. The kind that was in Gwenn eyes when she looks at Baxter before it was snuffed out. The kind I feel in my chest when Themis smiles at me after showing her love for me in small minute ways that wasn’t supposed to mean anything but meant the world to me.

“I love you.” She whispers to me as my heart tried to escape my chest. I wish that I could tell her the words too but I could not, not yet.

I framed her face with my hands as I kissed her. “Thank you for your affection.” Her body tensed and I knew the words I whispered to her was not what she wanted to hear but I needed to be sure. I waited in tense silence for her eyes to open, they closed on their own accord when I kissed her. When her eyes opened, what I saw before was now muted and another strong emotion was shining forth. Determination. She was determined to make me love her, to possess my heart the way I possessed hers.

“You will love me.” She informs me. “It might not be now but it will be something soon.”

I already do. “I know.” I chuckled trying to hide what I wanted to say. I could not say it until I was sure, until I knew that I would rather die than hurt her, until I knew that she was the best thing for me and that I will never stray.