Slave War. Juriy Tashkinov

the truth. I can call my brother if you want!

      I smiled, but I wanted to cry.

      – No, you don’t need to call Dominic. We’ve already said too much to each other. Enough. Moreover, he does not know the whole truth.

      – Maybe you still want some pies? – Jim winked. – My wife was baking. You know what I have! Skillful fingers! Whatever you undertake, everything turns out at the highest level! Come on, rate it!

      I swallowed a couple of pies without even feeling the taste.

      – Thank you, Jim. Very tasty. If father returns, call me.

      – Fine. Get some sleep. I have to get up early tomorrow.

      What a place to sleep! The moon was swimming in the black pool of the starless sky, and I could not drive away the annoying thoughts. I’m only twenty-seven! I’m too young! Although, leading such a life, I would hardly live to see thirty.

      Mentally called his father. Silence in response. Honestly, I wasn’t surprised by this – our mental connection has weakened lately. Sometimes I had his voice in my head. But more often I responded to his call, and not he to mine. A traitorous tear ran down her cheek. No, I will not be sad in the last hours of my life. I have nothing to regret. You can’t undo what’s done.

      Jim touched his shoulder.

      – It’s time!

      Still, I fell asleep.

      – Will you have another pie? – asked the jailer.

      “No, thanks,” I said.

      – And I’ll eat one, with your permission.

      It’s as simple as that: a man is about to be executed, but he eats.

      I walked to the scaffold to the hooting and whistling of those gathered.

      – Traitor! Traitor!

      – Zaymond, take you!

      They threw rotten tomatoes and stones in my face.

      “Father!” – he called again mentally. Silence.

      “For treason to the Fatherland,” said my brother, looking contemptuously into his face. – For the murders of our men, as well as their wives and children. For a betrayal of sorts. For dealing with dark forces. Rigvel, son of Corvell, is found guilty. Cut off his head!

      They say that before death your whole life flies by. I don’t know how the living learned this secret of the dying, but images from the past cascaded into my thoughts.

      ***

      I was ten years old. I remember that day more vividly than others, because then my life changed. Our father raised Dominic and me. My mother died during my birth, and Corvell never found a worthy replacement for her. Maybe that’s why he loved Dominic more than me? Maybe he believed that I was to blame for the death of his beloved? Or was it just my imagination? For a long time I tried to remember my father’s face, but now it appeared in the blackness.

      – You are an adult, Rigvel. Of course, many boys your age play pipes and fight with wooden swords. But there are always more demands on high-born people. I think you are ready to defend the Fatherland.

      All men, when born, must lay down their lives for the interests of the rulers. This is their fate.

      – Of course, father. As you say!

      – Dark times, son, have come. Many people don’t see this because they are stupid; others try not to notice, turn a blind eye to obvious things, but the evil is strong. Dark shamans will bring winds of death to our lands. And they are led by the new Dark Lord, Zaaron. He is of royal family, so he was able to gather a huge army, which would fall like an avalanche on the whole world. You must make a contribution to building a bright future and to the fight against evil.