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Cold and Dark Chp10

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Chapter 10

"Chief! Chief!" shouted the rat who just ran in.

"I thought I said I didn't want to be interrupted," Zurzak growled, tightening his grip on his goblet.

The rat scurried over to the table, gasping for air. "There's - a - disturbance - down in - the - dungeons! Orrick - a villager- he was - crazed-"

Zurzak set down his goblet. "What do you mean? What villager-?"

Dernwyn, however, broke away from his seat and ran past the rat, ignoring the wildcat's shouts and making his way towards the dungeons.

The young marten's feet slapped painfully against the stone floor as he raced down the hallways, his heart pounding against his ribcage, and as he neared his destination, the sound of screaming and yelling slowly filled his ears.

When he arrived at the dungeons, it wasn't empty like last time, but teeming with life: soldiers and servants were huddled at the entrance, sounds of violent scuffling echoing off the walls. Struggling against the bigger bulks, Dernwyn squeezed his way past, pushing and jostling as much as he could.

It was very much like how whenever Kirin returned from some war: Dernwyn would push his way through the crowds to get to his brother, and the two of them would embrace amidst the cheering beasts. Now...

...now what he saw at the end of the forest of shouting beasts were three strong-looking soldiers, taking a hold of a wild-eyed weasel, who was screaming at the fallen, bloodied form of Orrick.

"He killed them!" the weasel was shrieking, foaming at the mouth. "He killed them! My children, he killed them! He stole them away and sent them to their deaths, he killed them, he killed them! He deserves to die, he deserves to die, let go of me, let go-"

"SILENCE!"

At Zurzak's command, silence reigned, save for the weasel's grunts as he tried to free himself.

Behind him, Dernwyn barely heard the heavy footsteps of the big wildcat. He barely felt the large paws rest on his shoulders, or heard the cold, emotionless voice.

"Now... what is going on here? Somebeast see to Orrick, get a healer."

"This weasel snuck into the castle, lord," said one of the soldiers, a fox, who was holding the weasel. "I don't know how, but he somehow got a hold of the keys, and came down here and..." He glanced uncertainly at Orrick, who was feebly moving as a couple of healer-foxes tried to see what could be done.

"He deserved it!" the weasel spat. "Its because of him my children are dead! My son and daughter are dead and gone, they died fighting his stupid war! All of our sons and daughters are dead because of him! He-"

"He was once your king," Zurzak interrupted. "A king you once swore your allegiance to-"

"Well no more!" the weasel shrieked.

"Orrick suffered his own loss," the wildcat replied. "He lost his son, and his wife. And now, you may have deprived his only remaining son of the only family member he has left."

The weasel turned scornful eyes on Dernwyn, and spat out, "What do I care about the crazy little-"

He got no farther, for Zurzak released his hold on the young marten, ran over to where the weasel stood, and snapped his neck, all in a few deft movements.

CRACK!

The sound reflected off the walls of silent dungeon, which somehow became even more silent.

The wildcat turned to the horrified servants and soldiers, and spoke in his cold, emotionless tone, "The weasel is no longer separated from his son and daughter. Are there any who wish to join him?"

Silence never seemed to reign heavier.

"Then don't ever let a thing like this happen ever again. You are all dismissed. And you three," he added to the three gaurds, who stood motionless over the weasel's dead body. "Dig a grave for him. Bury him next to his children, I suppose."

Within moments, the only creatures remaining in the dungeon were Zurzak, Dernwyn, and the two healers bent over Orrick.

After another moment or so, Zurzak turned to the healers, and asked, "Well? How is he?"

One of the vixens looked up slowly. "I'm afraid... I'm afraid his wounds are too grievous, my lord. He won't..."

A sound finally escaped from Dernwyn. It was a sound somewhere between a choked gasp and a sob.

Zurzak's eyes flickered from the young marten back to the vixen. "You are sure?"

The other vixen sat up, shaking her head sadly. "He... doesn't have much long to..."

"Get away from him!"

Dernwyn threw himself at his father's side, bony paws shaking like mad. The healers discreetly made room and left the dungeons, knowing their presence was no longer needed.

"Dad! Dad!" the young pine marten cried, resting his trembling paws on his father's blood-covered chest. This couldn't be happening, it couldn't be, no, it couldn't...

Orrick's eyes fluttered open, and Dernwyn was amazed at their color: so dark and yet they shimmered blue. So beautiful, so... so sad...

"D-Dern-w-wyn..." the older pine marten groaned, his bleeding lips parting into a smile, but his eyes glittered with tears. "I'm... so... s-sorry..."

Dernwyn wished he wouldn't start crying now; he wanted to see his father's beautiful face clearly. "Dad, no, don't..."

"I'm sorry," Orrick repeated, his voice slightly stronger. "I never... should have... wished..."

The younger marten shook his head. "No, don't, don't even think about it, you're going to live, you can't die too, don't leave me alone, please don't leave me alone, not again..."

"I... can't... I... can't..."

"Please, Dad, just... just try. Please, please, just... just try..."

"I... love... you... son... my... wonderful... wonderful... son..."

"Dad..."

"Son - please... I ask... your... forgiveness. I can't... let... things end..."

"Then don't let it end, Dad, please..."

"Please... forgive... me... please... I'm sorry... so, so sorry..."

Dernwyn sobbed. A heavy lump had risen in his throat so that he was unable to speak.

"Please, son. I don't have... much... time..."

The young marten swallowed and choked out, "Yes - yes, I forgive you, Dad, I know you didn't mean it, I understand why, I love you too, please don't leave me, Dad, don't leave me... Dad? Dad? DAD!"

Orrick's eyes darkened. His body became cold and limp.

Dernwyn's whole body trembled violently. "DAAAAAAAD!"

His scream echoed off the dungeon's damp, merciless walls. His eyes were blinded by the water they produced. The young marten laid his head down on his father's chest, as though trying to find a heartbeat...

...but there was none. His heart would never beat again.

Dernwyn just laid there, his arms draped over his father's body, still not comprehending, still not fully believing, that his family, his entire family... was gone...

Then he heard footsteps.

Large, heavy footsteps, coming towards him.

"Dernwyn..."

The young marten slowly raised his head, and saw Zurzak towering above him.

Tears poured freely down Dernwyn's cheeks as he glared hatefully up at the wildcat.

"You," he breathed. "You MONSTER!"

The young marten threw himself at the big cat, screaming, striking out, wanting nothing more than to hurt him. To make him feel pain, to make him bleed, to make him wish he'd never been born!

Dernwyn's flailing arms were caught by strong clawed paws.

Zurzak's hollow voice tried to sound soothing. "I know you're upset, little prince."

Dernwyn screeched and struggled in the wildcat's grasp. "Upset? You killed my father! You killed him! It was you who turned the whole village against him! If it wasn't for you he'd still be alive! I HATE YOU!"

"Dernwyn, please..."

"SHUT UP! DON'T! Don't speak to me! Just let me kill you! I hate you! I HATE YOU!" The pine marten shrieked and raged, a frenzy overtaking his frail body, a wildness he never felt before driving him to sink his claws into Zurzak.

But no amount of insane anger could had added to Dernwyn's strength to make him overpower the mighty wildcat. Zurzak hoisted the fiercely struggling marten off of his footpaws and carried him out of the dungeon, managing to pin his arms to his sides.

The world passed through Dernwyn's eyes in strange haze: a sea of shocked faces as he was taken back up to his room; the sound of Zurzak issuing orders that Orrick was to be given a proper burial next to his oldest son and wife; the feel of the wildcat's smothering black robes...

Soon he was back in his room, being forced onto his bed before Zurzak turned and marched back out.

"This is for your own good," the wildcat said before he slammed the door shut, before Dernwyn could get back out.

Ca-clink.

The door was locked.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Miru, aren't you awake yet?"

"...yes. I'm awake now."
Disclaimer: Redwall is property of Brian Jacques. All OCs named in this fic belong to me.
© 2012 - 2024 Kelaiah
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