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Legends Never Die: Insults Repaid (ch. 58)
🕑 Added 2023-10-18 14:04:58 +0000 UTCIt was a mistake. I knew that much after the first punch. I had let my temper get the better of me. I wasn't quite certain who he was, but I did understand that he was related to Chares in some way, thus making him someone of importance. The only silver lining was that he wasn't nobility, but at this moment, it genuinely wouldn't have mattered if he was and I knew that. His head snapped to the side, blood and shattered teeth erupting from his broken jaw in an arc before I grabbed hold of his tunic.
The first punch had knocked him out. All the same, I punched him with my other hand, knocking out the last of his teeth before I threw him to the ground. He hit with a thump and, for the briefest of moments, the others simply stared at me. So, I was the one to break the silence by grabbing Chares by the throat and pushing him against the railing. "Explain yourself," I snarled at him in Greek. His expression was frantic and his eyes filled with fear.
"L-Lord Seigfried, I-" Michalis began, his voice warbling from the panic he felt.
"The lout grabbed me and I gave him a smack," Astrid answered, holding up a wrist that was red. I don't know who he was, but he had not been gentle. With my wife. My pregnant wife. The thought sent rage through my veins like fire and I hated him. I hated him every bit as much as I did Horrik, and I didn't even know his name. "Couldn't understand a word he was saying, but I understood him well enough. Went to grab me again when you showed up. I was about to lay him flat myself." Of that, I had no doubt.
"My wife. Your kin put hands on my wife," I snarled at Chares, squeezing down on his neck and his face darkened as his eyes watered. I was a hair's breadth from ripping his throat out. "Explain, damn you!" I snarled, pushing harder as his hands frantically tore at my wrist.
Michalis was there a second later, "Lord Siegfried! He can't speak!" Michalis explained, and through the haze of my anger, I suppose that was a fair point. I couldn't fairly expect him to answer my questions when I was strangling him. However, I didn't find myself in a fair mood. Instead, I gnashed my teeth as the rest of the party became aware of the ruckus and the guards started to respond. I'd kill them with my bare hands.
I turned my glare to Michalis in a demand for an explanation and I could see how distressed he was. He was borderline frantic. You'd almost think he was the one I was choking the life out of. Speaking of which, Chares's attempts to dislodge my hand were growing weaker by the second. Michalis licked his lips, "Timon… Timon was quite drunk. He did not welcome your presence, and when you stepped away… he approached Princess Astrid to…" He didn't even have the guts to speak the words.
All the same, he found it fit to beg. "You must release him, Lord Siegfried. He is the head of the merchants alliance. We are already ruined, but if you kill him-"
I heaved and threw Chares to the ground. Unfortunately, it wasn't the ground some dozen feet below, but rather I threw him at my feet. I had to. Simply because if I had to listen to any more then I didn't trust myself enough to not throw him over the balcony. Chares heaved for breath on his hands and knees, sputtering as he gulped down air greedily. I spared a glance at the guards, who leveled spears in my direction. I could already hear the frantic panic from the guests below -- not out of fear.
They wished to see me skewered. Put down like the rabid dog they saw me as. They were panicked that they would miss the next part of the show.
"I was foolish," I said, admitting that much. Michalis seemed vaguely hopeful that I learned my lesson, and I had. "I was a fool to make the effort to pretend to be one of you. To think that I would be welcomed. You wish to be entertained?" I said the words in Greek, addressing the crowd that was gathering in the halls, all of them trying to peek at the display. I turned to Chares and kicked him in the ribs, rolling him over. "I challenge you to a Holmgang. A duel for the insult that has been levied against me. For the assault upon my wife."
Chares managed to gather enough air to sputter in indignation. "The insult against you?! You attacked my brother!" I could see his gaze darting to the guards, but he didn't dare escalate while he was in danger. Because he knew that I would kill him first if this turned into a fight. Coward. His entire bloodline was filled with weak blood -- men who would not insult me to my face. Men who would only approach my wife when I was not there. Men who were incapable of getting their own hands dirty with the blood of their enemies.
"I will allow you to name your champion and he can be supported by all the guards in this manor," I continued in Greek, and I saw that catch his attention. His face wasn't just red from lack of air but fury now, and yet he was still smart enough to spot the opportunity. And still foolish enough to leap on it.
These people did not know me. They did not know my skill in arms. All they heard were stories about my army in Greece. Without a doubt in my mind, I knew that they simply thought me an overconfident barbarian.
That would change. If I would not be welcomed into the fold, then I would simply stand out to the point that I could not be ignored. I would not honor their social graces until they showed me courtesy. And this would merely be the first example of why they should tread carefully.
"I accept your challenge!" A younger voice rang out, pushing through the crowd. And now I saw why the nithing seemed so familiar -- he was the father of one of my classmates. The one that sat beside me on the very first day. I never even bothered to learn his name. Though, I suppose he was the reason I was here in the first place -- he would be the one that had a child. "I knew it was a mistake to allow you within the Empire. The fall of the west proved welcoming barbarians into our homes is the same as welcoming poison."
I smiled, "The duel will be to the death. Is there a place you wish to die?" I asked him and I saw it. My confidence didn't shake him. His gaze held nothing but contempt. I would have thought him a capable warrior, but his arms were too thin, and he lacked callouses on his hands. He wasn't a warrior - he simply didn't think he was going to die.
"Agreed. Don't allow him out of your sights. I don't trust him to not attack with our backs turned," he continued in Latin, addressing the guards.
Astrid, however, was all smiles. "I thought this party was going to be boring. I feel bad though. I think Jill's going to cry. She was really looking forward to this, you know?" Astrid said, completely oblivious to the looks that we received.
Michalis looked as if his life were flashing before his eyes, "You've ruined me." He accused in the faintest of whispers as I followed the walking Deadman, some of the guards picking Chares up. "I will never recover from this. My name will be forever tainted for being associated with you."
"It already was," I dismissed him gruffly, in no mood to entertain his whining. Astrid was right -- Jill would be rather cross with me. I would have to find a way to make it up to her. To my curt response, Michalis fell silent as he lamented ever meeting me, most likely. I expected that his tune would change soon enough.
The manor was buzzing with activity and excitement. All of the guests were eager to see me put down. It was a shame that I couldn't simply kill them all, but I would see them ruined. All of them. No one would insult me to my face in the most cowardly way I could imagine and enjoy good fortune after. The Deadman led us to the gardens where a rough two dozen guards gathered up. The crowd gathered around a central area, which marked out a rough circle for us to fight in.
Chares had recovered well enough, though I noticed that dark bruises were gathering on his neck. Good. Let them be a reminder. Next to him was someone else, who leaned in while Chares whispered. It seemed he could barely talk now that the swelling started. Good. The man shouted out, "In the eyes of God and the Emperor, do all in attendance acknowledge that they are witnesses in this duel? That to lie about the outcome is to damn one's soul to hell?"
I was thankful for the reminder as the crowd gave their agreement. They said as much to the crowd to convince them to not try to say that I was murdered. After all, a duel against a champion and guards was hardly a duel to them. Now I had to worry less about them lying to say that I murdered the guards and the champion. It was rather convenient of them.
"Do both parties acknowledge the terms of this duel -- Siegfried shall battle against the combined might of Nico and the villa guards. That this duel shall be to the death of one party with the victor restoring their honor?" So that's what his name was.
"I do," Nico said from in front of the guards, taking a spear and shield from a servant. He glared at me with dark eyes, but I simply accepted a hand axe from Astrid, which she seemed to have had strapped to her thigh under her dress. It was smaller than I was used to, but with an experimental flip, I caught it easily.
How many official duels have I fought in now? Just the one? I almost couldn't remember.
"I do," I agreed and the servant raised his hand. And then it fell.
And men died.
The first five were dead before they really realized that the fight has begun. Another two died as they watched on in terror as I cut through them like a scythe through wheat. Four more died as they backed up, frightened by the onslaught of death as near half their number died in as many breaths. I knew exactly the effect I had on the enemy by now. I knew how to break them.
These men were not warriors. They were not soldiers. They were men that took pay to deter violence rather than to do violence.
By the time I killed the tenth, the small axe has broken under my strength, but I cared little. By that time I had a surplus of options and had all but scattered their formation, so I tore into them with whatever I had on hand. Some managed to survive with broken limbs, others would die of their wounds in short order. The crowd that had been eager to see my death now watched on in horror as I butchered their guards. Their only line of defense.
Some understood that better than others because some in the crowd outright fled out of fear I would turn to them when the guards were done. Others fainted at the sight of such visceral death -- being pampered rich folk that never saw what real death was. By the end of it, some of the guards threw down their weapons and surrendered. At that point, the only one that was cheering was Astrid.
The very last one was Nico, who was rooted on the spot in fear. His legs trembled as it dawned on him who he faced. His proir confidence gone like fog under the morning sun, simply dissipating until he was left with naught but the consequences of his actions. And he couldn't even move, much less fight back. I don't think he even had the courage to run.
"S-spare him!" Chares cried out in a raspy voice, his expression completely bloodless. "Please, I beg of you! Spare him! He has not wronged you!" He said, dropping to his knees and clasping his before him. He was begging openly, and I had to admit that he was right.
Nico's greatest crime against me was his malicious mutterings behind my back. He, personally, hadn't wronged me.
Perhaps, another time, I would be far more considerate of that fact.
"No," I replied in Greek, kicking out at Nico's knee and shattering it under my heel. He didn't even have time to register the pain before I grabbed him by the head as he began to fall. Twisting sharply, I snapped his neck, a loud crack filling the air.
This was not the time for mercy. Not the time nor the place.
None of this would be forgiven. Even if I spared Nico, Chares would not show any gratitude. More than that, sparing him would display weakness. That I would hesitate. That I could be reasoned with after the indignities that Astrid suffered.
Chares let out a wretched horrified scream and I grit my teeth to it. Grabbing Nico's head, I twisted again. Flesh ripped and veins popped, and with a third and final twist, I was able to rip his head free. I looked to Chares, a snarl on my face as Nico's corpse fell to the ground. I made sure he saw what came next as I shoved Nico's face into his own ass and left it there. Chares could only weep, and there was no cheering for my victory.
I didn't expect any.
"Take greater care who you insult. I am a barbarian, as you put it. I might lash out," I spat in Chares' direction as Astrid approached, kissing me passionately despite the blood splattered on my face. Her honor had been defended.
We left the party then, a stunned Michalis in tow.
…
I was correct. Jill was rather mad. However, she wasn't surprised, and I didn't know if I should feel offended by that or not.
"It was a possibility," Jill admitted once I was back at the compound in Constantinople some hours later. Enough time for me to cool down and start to regret my shortsighted actions. I wasn't wrong for what I did. However, I also wasn't blind to the fact that there would be repercussions. "I'm sorry. I didn't think it would be that bad. They should have at least observed basic manners." Jill said, looking to Astrid, who had been all smiles on the way back. She, at least, was pleased with the outcome.
"These people will not accept us," I told her, leaning into my seat in the war room. Even after my blood had cooled, that conclusion hadn't changed. "So long as we are not Christian, they will tolerate us at most." A bitter truth, but one that we must accept. Perhaps things would be different if I was willing to pretend to be Christian, but I wasn't. I wasn't any more than any of these people were willing to pretend to be a pagan.
Jill offered a slow nod, "I hadn't prepared for this possibility, but I did plan for being unable to make connections. Chares holds a great deal of sway with the merchants of the city, and beyond. I would expect we will find it quite difficult to trade within the Empire, and there will be a considerable mark up for our purchases." She began, her eyes flickering to Michalis, who sat at the far end of the table. He had managed to calm down some, but I could still see that he was shaken. True Vision didn't mark him as an enemy, but I did get the impression that he was reconsidering his choices.
"Michalis," Jill began, breaking him from his thoughts. "You will use your connections as proxies. Chares has become our enemy, thus it's in our interest to see that he is removed from power entirely." That caught his attention and he hesitated. Tellingly.
"That will be much easier said than done. Chares' family, what's left of it, has had a tight grip on the merchants alliance for more than two generations." Michalis explained, and I had a rough idea of this so-called alliance after dealing with them myself. They were a loose coalition of wealthy merchants that made beneficial deals with each other -- sabotaging other merchants in the city so that another member could sell for a higher price without competition, or recommending a member of the alliance over someone that wasn't.
There wasn't an official structure as far as I could see, but some members were clearly more influential than others with Chares being the most influential of them all. Merchants like Michalis essentially worked for one of the influential members, borrowing their connections for a portion of their income and being sent wherever their leader sent them to purchase or sell goods.
"The longer someone stands at the top, the more others wish to see him toppled," I ventured. My lessons with Alexios taught me as much, and my own experiences proved it.
Michalis inclined his head to me, "Of course, but in this business it is next to impossible to know who his friends and who his enemies are. Most often they are one in the same." To that, I suppressed a smile. It would be difficult, unless you had someone that could see the connections between people as if they were tangible things.
"We can handle that," Jill replied, having the same thought that I did based on her slight smile. "Your part in this is to connect with the allies we direct you to, and act on the information that we give you. By the end of this… I expect that you will find yourself filling Chares' shoes." She continued, appealing to his greed. And I saw that it had a great effect.
"And naturally, I would be thankful to those who aided my ascension," Michalis replied, seeing the game that Jill was playing. She was certainly better at it than me. And I very much liked the idea of supplanting Chares, not only because of the wealth it would bring -- better prices on both what I purchased and what I sold -- but because it would see him brought low by those he dismissed.
With that, Michalis stood up. "I think it would be best for me to depart… and perhaps it would be best to pretend we did not part on the best of terms. I am thankful for your help in this, but…" He trailed off, looking at me with some reluctance.
"We will contact you discretely," I replied bluntly. What I intended to do was good for me, but it was not good for him. At least, not until I established myself. Likely after I conquered Crete.
Michalis bowed his head, taking that as the dismissal as it was and the doors closed behind him. As soon as he was gone, I looked to Jill. "I'm sorry," I offered, knowing that this was less than ideal for her.
I could tell that Jill was upset, but she swallowed it down. "The situation isn't ideal," she admitted. "A lot of my plans anticipated us managing to blend in to a degree. While the duel was lawful, I expect that the tales they will spin will portray it as anything but. However," her eyes narrowed at me. "I did expect you to have more self control. You did the right thing, but there are better ways to have done it."
My lips thinned as I leaned forward, "I saw Morrigan at the party." I said, and Jill didn't seem surprised. "You sent her?"
"She told me that she was going," Jill corrected.
I suppose that explained that. "She told me that Astrid is pregnant," I told her and that did get a reaction out of Jill with her eyes widening. "And that she-"
"Has feelings for you," Jill interjected, making my eyes narrow. Had she- "Siegfried, I thought Morrigan was the last to realize it. But it seems you were if that comes as a surprise to you." To that I scowled -- Jill had been spending too much time with Morrigan and Astrid. "She told me, but it was up to her to say something to you."
I let out a sigh, feeling drained after a long night. "This changes things," I told her and Jill offered a small nod.
"Less than you think. Morrigan doesn't believe in marriage," Jill remarked offhandedly. "Though, I imagine she would be quite offended if you called her a concubine." I could see that too easily. None of the women in my life could be called simple.
I looked at Jill for a long moment, searching her expression to see how she felt. If she was jealous or angry, she hid it exceptionally well. "What about you?" I asked her, and that seemed to catch her off guard ever so slightly.
"Me?" Jill echoed, as if she wasn't certain what I meant. Or to buy herself a moment to think because she seemed to know exactly what I meant after a moment. "It… seemed unwise for us to be married while we were here. The Christians would not acknowledge it and it would be a point of contention. They would be far more comfortable dealing with a… mistress rather than a second wife. The former, they can at least understand."
I could see where she was coming from. The Christians were rather… prudish, if I had to call it something. Would it not be better in their eyes to be married than to have a second or third lover? One would think so, but evidently not. "It seems like a moot point now," I ventured. "I will not pretend to be one of them. We will never be anything but outsiders to them."
Jill's lips started to tug upwards into a smile, "When?" She asked, and I fought off my own smile. I had waited entirely too long for this, I realized in hindsight. I should have married Jill before we set sail. Perhaps it wouldn't have been courteous to Astrid's family, but I had made Jill wait entirely too long. And one of those things was far more forgivable than the other.
I gave it a moment of thought, tempted to say here and now. But, I knew that she would not accept such a thing. Not anymore. "On Crete. After we establish ourselves there and have lands to hold it on," I decided and Jill's smile grew until it all but consumed her face. It would be a few more months, perhaps sooner, now that I had complicated things for us.
"I look forward to it," Jill said, her joy seeping out despite trying to keep it in check. "But, before you do anything, you should speak to Morrigan. You'll likely have to corner her at this point." She remarked, and that was likely true. Morrigan had stunned me before with back to back revelations, and I needed to speak to her about it. I needed to know how we moved forward because I couldn't stand the current circumstances. "And I," Jill continued, standing up, "Will check with Astrid to see if she knows she's pregnant. I wouldn't put it past her to simply think that she's late."
I nodded as we both stood up, heading for the door. But, before we parted, Jill reached out to brush her hand against mine, her gaze tender before we walked in separate directions.
Things were going to change. I was going to be a father. I was going to have a sea of enemies and I couldn't simply kill them on a field… I was in every bit as much danger as I had been in Francia. Perhaps more, since then I could at least kill my enemies.
Yet, all the same, in this moment I couldn't help but feel like everything was going to be okay.
Comments
RJKY
Byzantine Politics are like a Gordian Knot, and our boy is another Alexander.
Moonkiller24
RIP AND TEAR, RIP AND TEAR!!
