Page 30 - SagaOfBarak1

Know you this now, without my children I am nothing, nothing my friend Barak.
No I am nothing at all, I am not a king, I am not a man and I am not even a father.
Though father I would choose any day over being a king or anything else for that
matter’ said the heartbroken Aulric. For a moment the king paused as he gathered
his composure then spoke once again. ‘But know you this Barak, I will build for
my only son Kye a great funeral pyre. A pyre higher than even the great wall of
Hadrian itself to send his ashes off to the gods of my fathers’ Aulric said this
while placing a hand gently upon his son’s forehead. ‘But as for my beloved
daughter, well who knows where my child Ellena is, or what has become of her?
Is she alive do you think big Barak? Indeed does she still live and breathe the
cold crisp air? Do you think my child, she still walks the earth? Aye and anyway
my old friend, why oh why did this accursed outrage happen to me and my
children in the first place? Can you tell me that Barak? If not I am lost, as no man
I know has ventured further or knows more about the way of things than you do,
so tell me then, why has this foul crime transpired?.’ Aulric asked this question
with his voice shaking with emotion. ‘I am at war with no one Barak. I have no
enemies left to fight with, remember, you killed them all for me. Well for me
and also for the glory of Imperial Rome of course - do you remember my friend?’
the King asked solemnly before continuing. ‘This thing, it is an outrage I tell
you,’ Aulric declared his rising anger now taking over from his grief.
Barak sighed most deeply then the ogre grunted and growled a low rumbling
growl, it was a growl like that of a wounded bear, then the ogre spoke. ‘No more
of an outrage than it would be to suffer the good noble and handsome Prince to
the flames Aulric’ Barak said this in a slow matter of fact fashion. Aulric stared
up at his towering friend in both horror and sheer disbelief at these unbelievable
words. As slowly there across the giants scarred tattooed face there next crept
just the very faintest hint of a crooked smile.

Now the king felt, well rather he fumbled for his sword for the second time
since Barak’s return. Aulrics brain at this time was still addled with both drink
and grief but the King neither understood nor liked what Barak had just said to
him.
Was he being mocked now the king thought dimly to himself? Aye and was
he being mocked by the very man he trusted more than any in the whole cruel
world. As ever the ogre well he apparently could read Aulrics very thoughts.
‘Be still, be calm with yourself my old friend, and leave your blunt sword
where it rests. And then listen well to me, listen carefully to what I say to you
Aulric.’ Barak demanded this as the ogre once again repeated that which he had
just said to the dumfounded king.

‘Your boy is not a dead thing, oh no, oh no he still lives Aulric.’ Barak went
on with his voice sounding firm and also most convincing. ‘The good prince like
I have said is not dead at all, do you understand me Aulric? Your boy, well he
for now merely sleeps the very deepest of slumbers.’

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