Chapter 7

They all spent a restless night.

The only one who slept well, was Tony. He was up before dawn, preparing himself for the coming battle. He washed himself as thoroughly as he could. His clothes were cleaned, his sword sharpened and he was fed. He was ready. Dawn was breaking as they made their way to the chosen site for the contest. It was going to be a fine day, the air was crisp. Though he could feel it was going to get very warm later, it was a fine summer's day. As they arrived, Oswin was just emerging from his tent. They had captured some unfortunate woman on their travels, and it seemed he had spent the night with her. She was bloody, bruised and weeping.

"So you've decided to show up then," said Oswin sneeringly.

"You've raped your last woman, you pig," Tony spat at him.

He could feel the anger coursing through his veins, but he knew how to control it. He would master it and not allow it to master him.

They had chosen the top of a small rise, completely clear of trees and undergrowth, preventing anyone hiding and interfering with the duel. They stood facing one another on top of the hill, ringed at the bottom by their respective followers, each expecting to win.

They stood toe to toe. Tony could smell the man. The stench of stale sweat, sex and wine permeated from him. It was obvious that personal hygiene was not a priority with him.

"God, you stink!" said Tony, deliberately goading the man. "Don't you ever bathe?"

"I'll bathe in your blood!" he snarled in reply.

They stepped apart from each other.

"Let's get this done," said Oswin drawing his sword and charging at Tony.

Tony smiled, drew his sword and ducked under the big man's swing, parrying his blow with ease. Oswin looked a little shaken by this, but went back on the attack, swinging wildly with his sword. Tony blocked, feinted, and parried his blows with little effort as he took in the measure of the man he was facing. This went on for fifteen minutes. Oswin was getting more and more infuriated.

"Stand still and let me kill you!" he raged, as Tony once more slipped under his guard, this time catching him slightly on the thigh.

Blood slowly trickled down Oswin's leg, but he didn't seem to notice it. Oswin was tiring now, his swings were getting slower, and Tony was able to deliver more and more small cuts to Oswin's body. They could all see the life slowly draining from him. By now Tony was playing with him, cutting him at will. Finally, in desperation, Oswin just charged. He bulled straight at Tony, with the aim of just bowling him over. Tony saw the danger and decided now was the time to finish it. As the man made his last desperate charge, Tony slipped under his arm, swung his sword up, and severed the arm at the shoulder. His dagger then flashed in a back-handed flick, catching Oswin between the legs, and slicing into his testicles. Oswin's dying scream rang out across the hill as he collapsed, blood spewing from his wounds.

It was all over.

The slavers looked stunned. Their best fighter had been beaten, and his opponent didn't have a mark on him. Oswin hadn't been able to land a single blow. Tom and the others quickly disarmed the slavers before they got over the shock of what had happened. Very quickly they were rounded up, and led into the town. The slavers had managed to capture one unfortunate family, a father and daughter. These were now freed. The woman was traumatized by what had happened to her, and her father held her as she wept.

"Thank you, Sir," he said as Tony came down off the hill. "We'll never be able to repay you for what you have done."

"Take her to the hospital. They'll look after her, there," Tony told them.

One of the townsfolk stepped forward and led the couple away.

"Well done," said Tom as he slapped Tony on the back. "I'm glad we have removed this scum from our land."

"Our land?" questioned Tony.

Tom stopped and looked at him. "You know, more and more I'm thinking of it as ours. I feel a real sense of responsibility for these people. I feel that we can make a considerable difference to their lives. Where we can, we should help; not only here, but throughout the island. I don't want to see these people enslaved and their way of life destroyed."

"I know what you mean," a laughing Tony replied. "Now let's go and deal with the latest bunch of would be invaders."

They assembled the captives in the town square. They had been stripped of their weapons and their hands had been tied behind their backs. They stood around in a state of shock, still not believing that they had been defeated. Those survivors of the previous attack, those who could stand, were with them. Their wounds bore mute testimony to their defeat.

Tom stood before them.

"You have been defeated." he called to them. "You came here to attack and destroy this town. You came to enslave and rape the people here. Can any of you think of a good reason why I should let you live?"

Murmuring came from the group, but no-one spoke up.

"Very well. We will need labourers for the fields, herdsmen for our flocks, and cattlemen for our cattle. I will need to know what you all did before you became the sorry individuals you are now. Your heads will be shaved and you will work for ten years. Any who don't like this are free to step out now, and we'll simply chop off your heads. Like as not, that would save us a lot of bother in the long run; but the terms were that if you surrendered, you would be spared. Make your choice, now." he told them.

There was a lot of grumbling and muttering among the men. Each looked to one another and finally one of them spoke.

"Okay, we accept. We want to be kept together, though," he said.

"Sorry," said Tom smiling, "but that's not going to happen. You will be distributed out, and you'll either be alone, or at the most, be in pairs. If we kept you all together, then you would simply plan an escape or worse so no, you will all be split up."

"What if we don't agree?" asked the same man.

Tony stepped forward and drew his sword.

"You don't seem very bright. Any man who doesn't wish to accept these terms can step forward, now. I'll personally lop his head off. It's that simple. Do as you are told and live. Don't do as you are told and die. It's your choice. Make it," he told them

They looked at his sword, wide-eyed with terror. They could see from his face that he wasn't joking. If they disobeyed him, it would be 'off with their heads!'

"Very well, then. If you put it like that, then we have no choice, do we?" said their spokesman.

"No, you don't. We are giving you more choice that you would have given the people here, had you been victorious. They would have faced a lifetime of slavery. You, on the other hand, will only face ten years ... unless you do something stupid, like try to run away, or attack your supervisor. IF you do, it will mean a minimum of branding, and twenty five years. It's your choice. Okay, let's make a start, who's first?" said Tony

The one who had been the spokesman came forward and the barber started to cut his hair. It was a long process, as there were nearly one hundred and fifty men to be processed, and the barber did not have power clippers ... just scissors, and a comb.

Tom and Tony left the prisoners to be processed, and went to find Robert.

They found him in his stables, sorting out the horses, some of which had been brought by the slavers. Others had been stolen on their march across country.

"Hello, Robert," said Tom as he entered the stables. "How many horses did you acquire, this time?"

Robert looked up from the horse he was examining and replied, "Twenty eight. Most are fine riding horses, but not necessarily that good for farm work. Still, I'm sure we'll find a use for them. Now then, I'm sure you didn't come here to talk to me about horses, how can I help you?"

"We need to be moving on, soon. We need someone to be mayor, here. Someone we can trust, and someone who the people trust and know," Tom told him

Robert looked thoughtful as he said, "Well there's Corin the merchant, and of course, George. Can't think of anyone else off the top of my head, just now. Leave it with me, and I'll have a think and let you know."

Tom smiled as he said, "We already have someone else in mind. He is someone who has been doing it already, while we were away. We'd like you to take the job."

"Me? But there are people who are much better qualified than me! Why should they follow me?"

he stammered.

"It's easy," replied Tom. "People trust you. They trust that you will do what's right, and not just what benefits you. You helped put this town together. When we arrived you were the one who helped us. It was you who took on those women at the farm, and made sure that all of them had a roof over their heads. When the refugees started arriving, it was you who took them in, and made them welcome. I know you can do it. You need to keep the people safe. I cannot guarantee that the Brotherhood will not make another attempt to take this town, and if and when they do, I need to know that the town will be defended. I know you will not allow the defences to fall into disrepair. In fact I'm sure you will improve them. You are the man to take this town forward and keep it safe."

Robert was stunned.

"Well, yes, I did take in the refugees. But I couldn't just let them starve! As for the women at the farm; well, I married Sheila. I couldn't very well throw her kids out on the street. As for the others; well, the only one I had to get rid of was Amy, and then only because she was a thief. Her kids are a real help! Good kids, despite their parents. As for the town, well I was born here, and it's my home! I'm not going to let some jumped up prick take it from me now am I?"

Tom smiled at him and said, "That's exactly why you're the right man for the job. We hope to be away within the next day or so. There's so much that will still need to be done. The prisoners will need to be distributed among the local farmers, the ships have to be repaired, and we have to decide what we are going to do about Belariak. I'd like to liberate the place, but I feel we'd need a lot more men who had better training than we have available, at this time. We would have to develop strategies to take a place like that. At the moment, I don't feel we are ready. I will need to speak to Captain Peters about that. We need to move on, we have to see the Badger people, and all the Hunter tribes in the interior. We'll drive the slavers off the island once and for all. We need to convene a meeting of the town council, but I hope that when I make the proposal that you become Mayor, you'll accept."

"Well, as long as it has the backing of the council, then yes, I will," he replied.

The council was convened and after some arguing amongst them, it was agreed that a mayor was not only needed, but would be a good thing. Robert was amazed that he was voted in unanimously, and that he was now Mayor of Small Cove. They went down to the bar to celebrate his new status. They celebrated late into the night. The word went out around the town, and it turned into a victory celebration. Many of the townsfolk turned up, and the drink flowed. Several of the town's musicians played, and the people danced. Food was prepared and a good time was had by all.

Tom went over to Captain Peters, who had joined them.

"I need you to take over the ships that we captured," he told him. "We now have five ships in our little navy, so if you wish you may now call yourself Admiral Peters. I need you to crew these ships with the best men you can get. We will need food, cloth, well, all sorts of things, really. I'm not going to tell you how to trade, but I will need you to get to Bridgetown sometime before winter. Gather your crew, and train them well. I fear a dark day is coming, and I want us to be prepared."