Page 26 - SagaOfBarak1

I might find some sort of a remedy, a cure for this sinister unspeakable tragedy,
this evil wrong doing that has befell you and your family. ’

Barak after saying this gently sat Aulric back down upon his carved wooden
throne from where he had risen.
‘There will be no more drink for you my friend, well at least not yet anyway,’
the giant said firmly as he placed a huge hand upon Aulric’s quivering shoulder.
‘You must first sober yourself up, and then next when your head clears a little
tell me all and everything. Please believe me Aulric I would know every single
little detail of this tragedy, aye all and everything mind you. You must take good
care Aulric that nothing you tell me is left out; do you understand me my friend?’
Barak had now discarded his shaky stool and he pulled himself up a good heavy
chair. With this done the ogre next sat himself down facing the broken forlorn
king. Aye and now the giant the meanwhile held Aulric’s gaze firmly with those
black eyes of his. Barak after another swig of mead next bade the king recount
the events of these last few sad grim days. For this outrage, well, it was altogether
a most strange sinister affair, aye and that was to say the least. Strange because
the King of the northern Britons he had no known enemies, why the King was
strongly allied to Rome itself. Aye and also as well as all of this, Aulric had the
respect as well as the friendship of every tribe from one end of the great wall to
the other.
From the Irish Sea to the west of the island and the cold North sea to the east
Aulric was most well thought of by both the rich and the poor alike.
And as for the foolish childlike blue dyed warring Picts, well, those fools
could be easily dismissed for any involvement in this black crime as their days
of savagery and fear spreading was over long ago, well at least for now it was
anyway. Barak, well perhaps he more than anyone else had most brutally crushed
these unholy savages into a cringing submission. So for now at least these blue
dyed fools were happy and contented enough to fight steal and butcher among
themselves far north of the great wall of Hadrian. Aye these savage simple but
brutal souls thrived in the cold far off snow-capped mountains feasting upon
giant deer and the abundance of salmon that swam the northern rivers. As for
Aulric, well the kindly King had wanted and hoped to end his days peacefully
with his children all about him, aye and in good time perhaps even their children
also. His wife alas was no more as she sadly had died giving birth to his young
daughter a dozen years earlier. So now in his most unexpected grief the good
king was all alone, the rest of his family all dead or gone on to who knows where
or what? Aulric suddenly shook his head as he stirred himself into some sort life.
Then while still in a drunken daze the King looked up blearily eyed and he
addressed the giant. His words though were however not overly kind, no they
were harsh and not quite complimentary at all.
‘Had you been here with me in this place Barak, here instead of being off
warring for the foolish arrogant pride of the Legions of Rome, my children might

30