Chapter 32: Forgiveness.

I stopped partway to Duke Dwayne's estates for a chance to regroup. I looped the reins over a tree branch and knelt. I cried for a few minutes before I settled down. The anger had kept me sane enough to do what I had to do. Now that it was gone, my actions left an open wound. I didn't like it. I didn't have to like it. I knew that I had little choice in the matter.

Still on my knees, exhausted from my crying, I prayed.

Bright Lady, please forgive me.

I felt her sad smile while her warmth encompassed me. "I guess that I can't just have the good without some of the bad, can I, Bright Lady?"

I didn't need Her to answer that. I knew that this wasn't going to be all roses the first time that I fought the slavers and rescued Kira. I just hoped that I won't have to kill anyone else in cold blood. One was more than I could bear.

Thank you for listening, My Lady. I don't know what I would do without you.

I reluctantly got up and mounted the horse for the continued journey to the Duke's estate.

It was just before dawn when I entered the estate and gave the horses to the soldiers that came to greet me. Sensing my mood, none of them asked me any questions or even looked my way. I could still feel the darkness that I was projecting radiate from me in a continuous aura.

One of the men escorted me inside to Lord Richard, who was sitting by a morning fire nursing a mug of tea. I plopped down next to him after removing my sword and laid it across my knees.

"Charles, what do I ask first? What happened last night, or what did you do to anger Duke Steven?" He grimaced into his tea.

"I took the Lady Megan away from him." I shrugged with a nonchalance that I did not feel, "I happened to encounter one of his lackeys, Squire Michael, ordering Megan around, and I took exception to it. Our disagreement led to a duel. I killed Squire Michael and proclaimed the lady to be under my protection."

"Steven, the little shit, disagreed with me on that and tried make a scene. I warned him that the next time that he threatened me, I'd kill him." Goddess I was still pissed.

"By all that's holy, man! You can't just go around threatening dukes, you're lucky that he didn't have you thrown in irons!"

I laughed bitterly. "I had just finished taking apart his champion in less time than it takes to tell you about it. Mother Browynn was the Arbiter and most of the nobility of the city was there. I had him trapped. Besides, there was not one man in attendance that would have crossed swords with me that morning."

"Harrumph, well that was well done, at least." He took a sip and made a face. "Why wouldn't they cross swords with you? That doesn't make sense unless..." He looked at me again. "Charles, are you that good with the beast that you carry?" He asked pointedly.

Laughing bitterly I answered honestly. "Richard, I'm good enough for a High Priestess of Kassandra to give me her most promising Postulant to train under me, so that she can find out how to counter my style." I figured that one friend here would be nice to have, so I told him the truth.

Richard just let out a low whistle.

"That was after I nearly killed one of her Sisters in a duel."

Richard choked on his tea when I said that. "Blasted stuff, it tastes vile." But he did look long and hard at me. His manservant came out to refill his mug and offered me one. I accepted it politely. It did smell vile.

"Here I thought that that beast that you carry was just for show. No one but a barbarian carries a blade that long. They're too hard to use."

"It did take me years to master, Richard. I'm also taller, stronger and faster than anyone that I've met here."

"As for the assassin, well I returned her to her temple. She was a priestess of Bane."

It took Richard a minute to catch what I just implied. "Was? Elizabit said that she was alive when you left."

"She was, the High Priestess left me no choice in the matter."

"Bane, you say. Ugly business dealing with them." Richard interrupted.

"We did have a productive talk though. I convinced her that it was in their best interest to leave us be."

"Eh? How did you get them to agree to that?"

"Simple. I just took out a contract on myself for them to kill me when I turn ninety." I sat back and took a sip of the tea. I almost spit it out; it was terrible.

"By the Great Mother's Tits!" He exclaimed. "You have a set on you, don't you?" His manservant came out to see what the commotion was about. Richard shooed him off.

"Goddess, this tea is abysmal, Richard. How can you drink it?"

"This stuff? It's not that bad, and after I drink too much it helps with the headache." He stared at the tea like it was a lifeline.

"How's Megan? When I left she was having a tough time of it."

"Elizabit is with her now. She'll take care of the lass."

"That's a relief. I still have to sit down with her sometime soon and have a long talk." I grimaced.

"Smitten, are you? She is a beaut. Smart, too. If I didn't have my Elizabit, I'd contest you for her hand."

I raised my tea as if for a toast. "I'm glad that I don't have that to worry about. There is enough on my docket as it is." I snorted.

"Now that I blocked his assassin, I wonder what Steven has in store for me next?"