29 Chapter 29 (2/2)

Gasper stood up slowly. ”What happened after?”

”The matter got a little heated,” Erick said, slightly panting. ”Ornell wanted to search one of the rooms in the peasant's house, and the peasant didn't allow it.”

Gasper moved closer to Erick as the latter paused, but Master Rudolf signaled for him to continue.

”There was a little push and shove between them,” Erick continue. ”That's when the peasant's sick wife came out of the said room. She tried to separate them, but she failed. Eventually, the argument caused a slight chin injury to Ornell.”

”Isn't Ornell one of Djark's dogs?” Master Rudolf asked.

”Yes,” Erick nodded.

”Continue,” Gasper said, still tense.

”Ornell didn't take it well,” Erick said, growing silent for a moment. ”He . . . He killed the whole family.”

Gasper gulped through his dry throat. ”Family?” he asked. ”There were children?”

”The wife was with child,” Erick said, his face a little pale.

Gasper heard the words and his body felt soft. He watched his hand shake ever so slightly. ”Why did he kill both of them?” he asked, but he didn't give Erick a chance to answer as he followed with another question. ”Did you bury them?”

”Ornell d-didn't give anyone a chance,” Erick stuttered. ”He dragged their bodies into the shed and burned it down.”

Master Rudolf noticed Gasper's trembling arms and waved for Erick to leave. The latter complied hurriedly and left the cabin.

”Not even a burial,” Gasper inhaled with all his strength. For some reason, he just felt that his breath was short, as if he couldn't have enough air. With each breath, the trembling in his limbs would become more intense. ”The people I'm supposed to protect,” he said, staring at the old steward beside him. It wasn't a mishap. It wasn't by mistake. It was cold-blooded slaughter for a chin scratch. ”The people I am sworn to protect,” Gasper growled, his voice hoarse. He dipped his face in his hands, his nails nearly piercing the skin.

”It's Djark's doing,” Master Rudolf said. ”They are trying to undermine you, Gasper. You gave the command to not harm peasants, and they defied it. They are daring you to act rashly.”

”Oh, fuck them,” Gasper raised his head. Then he headed towards the door, but Master Rudolf blocked him.

”You need to be calm,” the old man said in a tranquil voice. ”You should wait and think.”

Gasper shook his head with a desperate smile. ”Please,” he said. ”Please don't stop me. I can't let this go. I won't. If I do, I will be everything I've hated about myself till this day.” Gasper's voice was pleading as he continued. ”They died because I wasn't competent. So let me be.”

Master Rudolf sighed and didn't move. But Gasper circled around him and walked out. The old man didn't stop him.

Gasper walked out of the cabin to the south of the camp. He spotted a crowd of men, mostly returning from collecting goods from peasants. There were guffaws and yells among the men but they quietened down as he approached. ”Ornell,” Gasper shouted. ”Step forward.”

A hairy man stepped out of the crowd in a leisure pace. He swayed a little as he stopped in front of Gasper. The shallow cut on his chin had already scabbed, and he had a mild smirk on his face. ”What does the chief comm—”

He didn't get to finish his words before his eyes widened in shock. Gasper drew his sword and swung it at his neck in one fluid motion. Before Ornell could react, the sword had buried itself in his neck. He eyed the handle of the sword gripped in Gasper's hand in disbelief.

Gasper jerked the sword loose from the profusely bleeding neck. Then he swung it again with all his strength. The sword continued its work on the previous cut and cleaved through most of the bandit's neck. Ornell knelt as his eyes lost nearly all life. Gasper pulled the sword loose again as the blood splattered out of the nearly severed neck, then he swung it one more time. This time the head finally came free and fell beside the body.

The surrounding men gaped at Gasper and his blood-soaked hands. There was utter silence as everyone seemed to be digesting the shock apparent on their faces.

Gasper looked around, sweeping his eyes over his men. ”I said,” he yelled as loud as his throat allowed him, ”no one is to kill the peasants.” Then he gulped a deep breath. ”And when I say,” he continued, his voice full of fury. ”You fucking OBEY!”

Ornell's blood had already formed a puddle below his feet as he panted, a few drops of blood running down his face. Nobody replied, but he knew that his words would ring in their heads for as long as they knew him. He turned around and slowly headed back to his cabin.

”Are peasants more important than us,” a voice stopped him in his tracks.

Gasper turned around and spotted Djark crossing his arms. He was the one that'd just spoken.

”Are our lives less valuable than a peasant's, chief?” Djark loudly asked while staring Gasper in the eyes.

Gasper stared at Djark icily then walked towards him. He closed the distance between them after a few steps. His face came within a breath's reach of the former soldier's face. He knew that his answer now would decide how the surrounding men would take his previous action. He couldn't just silence Djark with a blow of his sword either. He would just seem like a madman if he killed another of his men. ”No, Djark. Your lives aren't less valuable than a peasant's,” Gasper answered, his voice spreading to his men. ”But they are less valuable than my commands. So beware.” Then he turned around and left, uninterrupted this time.