Lochlan

By Alan Bruce

"I want an extra copper for the bruise on me bottom, young fella." The innkeeper's daughter laughed as she spoke to the town elder and patted his bald head. She turned to Rowhan, the innkeeper, "Papa, please warn this young man to behave himself. Soon me bottom will be blue from--"

"That's enough Gwen, me lass. I saw you wiggling like a mare in heat. If you keep teasing the gentlemen I'll have to take the switch to ye."

The villagers all joined in the laughter, even Gwen, though her face was flushed from her father's words. Lochlan sat quietly listening to the good-natured banter. He was ever watchful. His eyes constantly followed Gwen's every move. She was his reason for being. In turn, Gwen had pledged to marry Lochlan as soon as he quit living by the sword.

Lochlan was the first to notice the door open and admit three of the Chief Justice's men. The leader of the three men, a burly man with a matted black beard, cleared his throat to gain attention. Several people turned towards the new patrons and in a matter of a minute the room became silent.

"Ah, Captain Rill. It is a pleasure to see you again. How may my humble inn be of service to you? A meal, perhaps? A tankard of beer?" queried Rowhan, using his best manners.

Captain Rill was a relative new comer to the village, but everyone knew his reputation for cruelty. He remained silent as he gazed about the room staring at each inhabitant in turn. Rill labeled Lochlan as a ruffian who would remain silent rather than seek the attention of the law. Rill's eyes soon focused on Gwen. His eyes were riveted to her ample bosom as he spoke, "Three tankards of ale and three meals. I find that keeping the King's justice is hard, thirsty work."

Rowhan noticed Rill's gaze and paled, "Certainly sir. Please, sit down, and your men too. I will bring your beer while my daughter sends to the kitchen for food."

"No." Captain Rill replied. His smile became cruel and hard, "You send for the food. I prefer that your daughter serve my beer."

Gwen glanced at her lover. She acted upon his overt signal, "Go on father. I'll serve beer to these gentlemen."

Rowhan also received a signal from Lochlan. "Gentlemen, I will see to your meals. My daughter will bring your beer." He moved out from behind the bar and circled around the room to pick up several empty plates. He stopped to pick up Lochlan's plate, and unseen, he slipped Lochlan a dagger as he picked up the plate. With his hands full of dishes, Rowhan headed for the kitchen.

One of the guardsmen yelled out impatiently, "Come on lass. Bring us our beer."

Gwen remained calm as she continued the job of filling the three large tankards that she placed upon a tray. She carried the tray over to the three men and placed a tankard before each of them. "That will be three coppers, sirs."

Captain Rill reached out and grabbed her hand. He used the table as leverage and pulled, bringing her onto his lap. "Hold on there lassie. You'll have to do more than serve beer if you want to be paid. Here, give me a kiss. There'll be time for more after I've had me meal."

Gwen struggled and managed to break free only to end up in the arms of another guard. "That's no way to behave with the Captain. I'll be teaching you some manners, bitch." He drew back his hand and slapped her across the face sending her sprawling on the rush covered floor.

The third guard placed his boot across her back and held her down while he caressed her bottom. Gwen struggled and managed to turn her head so that she could watch for Lochlan's signal. She saw him place his loaded crossbow under the table and nod, ever so slightly. Gwen began to struggle furiously. She managed to turn over and bite the guard's hand. He yelped in pain and kicked her in the head. "The Captain'll teach you some manners tonight. Then we'll see if you've got any fight left."

Rowhan re-entered the common room. He took in the situation at a glance and reached towards the bar for his sword. "Hold it old man," Rill commanded, "another inch closer to the bar and you will die. All we want is a drink, a meal, and the company of your daughter. Cross me and you will both suffer, but you won't be alive, at the end, to see the remains of your daughter."

"What is this? Are you threatening me? I'll call upon the Chief Justice."

The gurgle from a two day old corpse was more pleasant than Rill's chuckle. "I am the nephew of the Chief Justice. Tell your daughter to join us. Now!"

Rowhan remained silent. Rill yelled, "Tell your daughter to join us, or by God I'll send you to hell!" Rowhan paled. There was little he could do to protect his daughter and he dared not glance at Lochlan.

Lochlan spoke for the first time since ordering his meal, "No."

Captain Rill turned to face Lochlan. "Strangers should mind their own business."

"I'm not the stranger in this place, you are. Leave, now, before I send you to hell."

Captain Rill's two companions reached to draw their swords. The movement was never completed. One of the guards collapsed clutching a quarrel that suddenly protruded from his belly. The other guard crumpled, choking on his own blood, as a dagger blossomed from his throat. Lochlan lifted his empty crossbow and placed it upon the table beside him. He did not glance at the two men who lay bleeding out their lives on the rush covered floor. "You should have taught your men to have better manners. They molested a woman, and they interrupted our conversation."

Rill's face purpled with rage, "You will die for this."

Lochlan arose and drew his sword in one swift movement. He held his arm straight out with his sword pointing directly at Rill. A minute of silence went by, then two. No one had seen anything like it; it took great strength to hold a sword in an outstretched arm, and yet, Lochlan held the sword perfectly still minute after minute.

Lochlan's mocking action more and more enraged Rill. Finally, when he could take no more, he drew his own sword and charged knocking Lochlan's sword aside. His grin of triumph turned into a grimace as the unnoticed dagger in Lochlan's left hand entered his groin and tore up through his belly. He was dead even before his guts spilled out onto the rushes.

The room became still as the patrons stared at the three dead men. They were awed by the contemptuous ease with which Lochlan had ended Rill's life. Rowhan broke the silence. "It's not that I am ungrateful, but I would have preferred that ye left the bastards alive. There will be hell to pay once the Chief Justice hears of this. Man, oh man! What are we to do lads?"

The village elder spoke, "Lochan did what we couldn't do. I'm glad he killed the bastard." He stopped and spit in the direction of the cooling body. "The question is, 'ow do we tell the Chief Justice w'out loosing our own 'eads?"

The tavern was filled with a roar of yelling voices. Rowhan banged on the top of the bar and yelled to restore some semblance of order, "Silence! Silence, there! Does anyone have a constructive idea? Lochlan, do you have any suggestions? This lot has no more sense than a rooster."

Lochlan glanced around the room staring at each villager in turn. No-one met his cold penetrating eyes. When he turned towards Rowhan, and his daughter, his eyes had a friendly glint, "What would you have me do? I could no more sit still for their foul manners than you could."

"Aye, I know that lad, and I know how the pair of you feel towards each other. I'm glad you were here."

Lochlan scanned the room one more time. His eyes grew colder and harder, "You each have a family to support, and I do not. Tomorrow, after morning chores, you will gather and deliver me to the Chief Justice. Put all the blame on me, where it belongs. My fate will be decided by a higher authority than the Chief Justice's."

"You can't be doing that for the likes o' these men!" Gwen cried out.

Rowhan cut in, "Shut up, daughter. This is a business for men. Go to your mother." Gwen huffed and left the room.

There was an embarrassed silence. All eyes stared at the floor. Finally one of the villagers spoke out, "But, there be no 'igher authority 'ere."

The village elder cut in, "Be quiet you fool."

The silence dragged on as Rowhan pondered the situation. The other men would follow his lead. The weight of his decision lay heavily upon him as he broke the strained silence. "Lochlan, do you know what you are letting yourself in for?"

"Aye. The Chief Justice and his cronies will be giving me a hard time before they try for my head."

"They'll damn near kill you before they bring you before the public for sentencing and execution. There will be no trial. Their interrogation will ensure that you talk. Those bastards enjoy torturing people. They acknowledge no higher authority, not even God."

"They will answer to Death for their actions." Lochlan's cold reply ended all further conversation. The villagers filed out into the still night air allowing Lochlan to spread his blankets before the glowing embers of the huge fireplace.

In the middle of the night, Lochlan was disturbed by a rustling noise. By the dim light of the remaining coals he made out the image of Gwen as she slipped out of her shift. She put her finger to her lips, signaling for silence, as she slipped under his blankets. Their lips met and their bodies joined together in an animal like attempt to erase the image of death. Gwen left before first light. She smiled at Lochlan's still sleeping figure. There was comfort in her knowledge that even if Lochlan died a part of him would live on.

Lochlan arose with the dawn and stepped outside to greet the day. He washed in ice cold water from a nearby stream and returned to the smell of hot buns and eggs. As early as decently possible Rowhan and several of the village elders delivered Lochlan to the Chief Justice. They told their story and quickly departed.

Chief Justice Nihil smiled and signaled to two of his men to start the "questioning".

For three days the villagers waited; constantly expecting to hear that Lochlan had died during "questioning". Others, waited, hoping to hear that Lochlan was dead. On the fourth day the villagers awoke to the sound of pounding mallets. Lochlan was alive, else why would the carpenters be erecting the execution platform? The entire village was gathered around the platform before noon, except for Rowhan and his daughter, who were noticeable by their absence. As the sun reached its zenith the Chief Justice's guards climbed the stairs and arranged themselves to cover each side of the platform. They stiffened as Chief Justice Nihil strode out onto the platform and surveyed the crowd.

At a signal from Chief Justice Nihil, Lochlan was brought forward and placed upon the platform. Lochlan had been considered darkly handsome, but three days of interrogation had ended that distinction. He stood straight although several of his ribs were broken, along with his nose, and several teeth. His left hand was a bloody mass where his little finger had been pulled off, and his head rang from repeated cudgel blows. His arms were cruelly bound behind his back. Guards surrounded him, but he stood alone, proud, and defiant. He ignored the events around him; the jeering of the gathered crowd, the tenseness of the guards, and the smell of death.

"Citizens, I beg you be still so that the charges may be read," called out Chief Justice Nihil for the third or fourth time. Growing impatient, he made a signal to the archers surrounding the platform. The archers each nocked an arrow and drew their bows taught. Silence descended upon the crowd. Nihil waited. There was no sound, or movement. Sweat began to trickle down the brows of the archers who stood aiming into the crowd. Chief Justice Nihil gave another signal and the archers released the tension from their bows. The villagers sighed with relief. Death had brushed against many of them this day.

Chief Justice Nihil spoke again. "Citizens, before you stands a man found guilty of acts against his King. This man, Lochlan, murdered three of the King's Men who were assigned to my jurisdiction. Men pledged to enforce the King's justice. Fortunately, several law-abiding citizens barred his way and were able to deliver him to me. There is no doubt as to his guilt. The evidence cannot be denied. I possess several, voluntarily given, eyewitness accounts. As well, the prisoner has given a full confession."

Nihil paused to stare out at the crowd. He could sense their hatred that was directed towards himself, rather the prisoner. It was a common occurrence but, as Chief Justice, no one dared to act against him. The townspeople would condemn one of their own rather than risk a session with his questioners. He drew breath and addressed the crowd one last time. "This man is guilty. You know the law. I must ask you to set his punishment. Shall it be death?" The townspeople had no option lest the eyewitnesses be "questioned" further. Nihil smiled as the chant came back, "Death, death, death." He held up his hands for silence.

The crowd stilled as a giant of a man with a black mask covering his face came forward carrying a huge oak block weighing at least two hundred pounds. His muscles bulged as he gently placed the oak block at the center of the platform. He withdrew and returned a moment later carrying a large bladed axe. The blade gleamed in the sunlight. There was no dent, nick, or dulled spot that would prevent the executioner from performing his duty with one swift stroke.

Chief Justice Nihil motioned to the guards. Lochlan was brought forward and positioned over the block. A cudgel blow behind the knees dropped him to the platform allowing two guards to force his head upon the block. A second pair of guards came forward and lashed a rope around each arm. Each rope was drawn through a ringbolt and drawn taught; ensuring that Lochlan could not dodge the executioner's blade.

The executioner moved forward, positioned his axe, and raised it over his head. A shiver shot through the crowd. Death was present! Many of the town elders glanced about swearing that they could feel Death's touch upon their souls. The guards and the executioner also felt the chill of Death, but they hid their dread from Chief Justice Nihil.

At a nod from Nihil, the executioner put the axe in motion aiming to sever Lochlan's head from his body in one clean blow. The villagers held their breaths. The absolute silence was shattered by the twang of a bow. The bow sounded three times, faster than a man could turn his head. The executioner made a sound and collapsed dead upon the ground. An arrow had shattered each of his arms. The third arrow had pierced his mask and traveled through his skull. The axe, released from the executioner's grasp, passed by Lochlan's left arm, narrowly missing his body. The axe severed one of the ropes that held him before thudding solidly into the wooden platform.

An apparition became visible at the edge of the crowd. He was dressed all in black and the hood of his cloak completely hid his face. He was mounted upon a white horse with glaring red eyes. The eyes of the crowd were upon him including those of Nihil and his guards. The sightless eyes of the executioner had already gazed upon Death and paid the price.

Lochlan used the distraction to his advantage. He positioned himself before the axe so that he could cut the rope that bound his arms together. A few passes over the sharp blade and his binding parted so that he was able to bring his numbed arms forward. He was quickly wracked with pain as circulation returned to his numbed limbs. Grimly, he set to work, to free himself from the remaining rope that bound him to the platform.

As Lochlan fought against the pain, the black clad rider moved closer to the crowd. Rather than part, the crowd disintegrated. A crowd that had taken half a day to collect dispersed in a matter of moments. Only Chief Justice Nihil, his guards, Lochlan, and the dead executioner, remained.

The guards shuffled nervously, ready to break. Nihil stood his ground as the rider approached. At the edge of the platform the rider stopped and pointed at a guard. The guard paled and dropped to the ground, dead. The black rider pointed four more times and four more guards died.

The rider turned to survey the town square seemingly disinterested in those around him. Nihil ran, and the remaining guards followed suit. Lochlan remained propped against the chopping block watching the black rider. His abused body could no more run than the executioner or the dead guards.

The rider turned towards Lochlan, "Your fellow men have run, why do you remain?" The black rider's voice reminded Lochlan of the time he had shouted in an ancient cemetery. The echo had come back sounding hollow and empty. The black rider spoke again, "Where are your manners? Has your tongue been ripped out?"

Lochlan found the strength to reply, though his tongue felt thick and his jaws ached where teeth had been knocked out during his questioning. "I beg your pardon. You find me a bit ill used, at present. I would thank you, but I do not know you."

"Every mortal knows me." The rider reached out a gloved hand and pulled back the hood of his cloak to reveal a gleaming skull.

"Death." The named forced itself from between Lochlan's smashed lips.

"So, you do know me, mortal?" questioned the Reaper of Souls.

"Yes."

"That is well for we have ridden together many times in the past. You have helped me bring an end to many soldiers. At times, you seemed almost inhuman in your desire to vanquish your enemies. Fifty times I have gone out after a man, only to find you at the scene. Fifty times, mortal, you have been in the presence of Death."

"Aye. I am not one to run from a fight. I will not run from you, either. Take me if you must. At least I won't die by the blade of an executioner."

Death raised his hood back over his face and gestured in the direction of the inn. "Foolish mortal, I came for the executioner. Do not rush Death when you have so recently created new life. "

Lochlan gazed in the direction that Death indicated, and his eyes fixed upon a woman running towards him. It was Gwen. Death pointed a finger at Gwen.

"No!" shouted Lochlan as he struggled to his feet.

"Silence, Mortal. Do you see the glow?"

Reluctantly Lochlan turned and looked towards his lover. Lochlan had discovered fear. "Do you see the glow, mortal?" Death repeated the question.

"Yes."

"For your past services, I pay you with knowledge. The glow surrounding the woman, Dei gratia, is the sign of new life. The woman is with child."

The significance of Death's words struck home. Lochlan had made a place for himself. He had outfaced the Chief Justice, and he had survived in the face of Death. Now, he had a future, and he had a family. He tumbled down the stairs of the platform and fell into the arms of his bride to be. His wandering days were at an end. Death would have to find a new companion.

Death was satisfied. The wait would make the harvest all the richer.

About the Author.

Back to the top of this page.