“We have done what was asked of us.” Bevan announced.
“The children dead too?” Ysbrand enquired again, this time to Klax.
“Yes.” Klax replied.
Bevan felt the weight of the seer’s eyes on him. Shifting his weight from one foot to the other, he did not like Seers at the best of times.
“Some two hundred days since, just as you specified.” He gave.
Ysbrand smiled then frowned. “Did you cast the bodies out to sea?”
Bevan looked at Ysbrand, he hadn’t, but how could this seer know. “Aye sir.”
“Tell me…” Ysbrand countered.
========================
Two hundred days ago…
Kessa sat with her legs crossed, at the edge of the cliff. The breeze from the sea, was mild yet yielded a familiar fragrance - the crisp, salty texture of the sea combined with the gentle smooth pungency of the heather that grew by her feet. She loved that smell; it always seemed to represent hope. Every day she would sit atop the cliff staring out to sea, waiting for him to return.
The tangles of her long black hair danced around her shoulders in the wind, massaging the nape of neck, like her husband Arithmial had with his lips just six months before. I miss you darling.
She lifted her right hand, running her fingers through her loosely curled hair, pulling it back tightly then folding it upwards and with her two hands she began to braid her hair. No pleasures, she reminded herself, until he returns to me. I do miss you
She longed to hold him close once more, to feel his arms around her body, his hands in her hair, his lips first whispering gently in her ear the way he always did, then kissing her neck roughly, and firmly holding her tightly against him. Tears formed in her eyes, and began to lazily trace a route down her face into her lap. If only he would return. Soon. I do miss you.
"Arithmial," She called out, yet no sound emerged. The wind grew stronger.
Standing, and wiping the stream of tears from her face, she looked out to the calm sea, hoping for an omen or sign of his return, yet nothing. In the distance, the thunderous clouds of a storm were forming, and she would soon need to return to their home for shelter. Their home.
Far below her, her two children played together, laughing the way only children could. They missed there father, yet they were much more resilient. Tanis was five, tall for his age with copper-red curly hair like his fathers. Looking onto this beautiful boy, a copy of his father, had been difficult the past two years, for he was definitely his father's son. His sister, Mea, was older yet almost identical to her brother. The same copper-red hair, only in tighter ringlets, that fell from her head like the boughs of a willow tree, beside a river.
It had been some six months since her husband had left with the others. A messenger had said that a great army from the south would return and that ‘good men’ would be needed to fend them off. The army had never come. Invicta, the land she had called home for nearly thirty years, was safe.
But still, there was no news. No sign of his return. She refused to consider the worst.
She had heard the horses before she could see them, and called her children to her. They scrambled up the cliff, bent down, laying one ear against the ground as their father had taught them.
"It's three horses," Tanis declared, his eyes wide and excited.
"No, I'm sure it's five" his sister replied.
The children began to argue and Kessa raised her hand to silence them.
"It's four," a broad smile spreading over her face.
Four horses, if only... Arithmial had gone with three other men from the village."Father?" The children asked, scrambling to their feet.
"Let's see..."
The trio ran to the path and followed it down to the beach. Four riders appeared in the distance, the horses’ hooves thundering down like a great storm.
She heard a voice, her husbands?
“Kessa darling, run, take the children…” he screamed.
But it was too late the riders had caught up with them. Two of them circled the children. A flash of light against the stormy sky.
“No!” Kessa screamed, running forward.
Crack! The sound of an arrow shooting forth. Crack! Kessa felt pain, but still she ran forward. Her husband had fallen, wounded. The warriors had circled him again and it was too late.
She fell atop him; the arrow had struck her neck, blood falling between them.
“Darling,” She gasped, but her lips could not reach his.
=======================
“Very good,” Ysbrand smiled, “and then the bodies were cast to sea?”
“Aye sir, I will take my leave now.” Bevan said, making his retreat hastily.
As he left he could still hear the muttered voices of Klax and Ysbrand.