Rowena Daniells - The King's bastard

'There. It's over, King Unistag,' she whispered. And in that heartbeat everything returned to normal. Her Unseen vision faded, leaving her weak-kneed and bleary eyed. She staggered, falling to her knees on the steps near the dying warlord.

Steerden clutched her arm, fingers biting into her flesh, dragging her close to him. Bright blood bubbled on his lips as he fought to speak. 'Who are you?'

She stared at him, no longer able to see the taint of his Affinity.

He grimaced with pain. 'Who — '

'Are you all right?' Unace demanded, catching hold of Piro and hauling her upright.

She nodded.

Unace stood over Steerden, staring down at him. 'I wanted to see you suffer for killing all my kin. This is better. I'm not stained by your death.'

Seagrass gasped with pain as he reached for the horned staff. His hand closed on it and he struggled to lift it. 'Warlord Unace, take this.'

She blinked and accepted it from him with a smile of acknowledgement. Then she straightened up and raised her voice, turning to the others with the horned staff held above her head. 'The gods have spoken!'

There was a cheer. It startled the unistag, which reared, backing down the steps. Piro ran after the beast and went to rub its muzzle, but sensed the taint on her hands and stumbled, stiff-legged, to the well, where she hauled up a bucket and thrust her hands into its cold, cold water… rubbing, rubbing and whimpering.

From a distance, she heard someone sobbing. It took her a moment to realise it was her. She felt as if she could never get clean, yet there was nothing to see, just a feeling of sick miasma which clung to her.

The unistag nudged her, snuffling her neck. Its breath was hot and fresh with clean Affinity. It was trying to reassure her. She laughed with relief. Arms around the unistag's neck, she cried and laughed the evil away.

When Piro finally lifted her head to look around she felt drained, but refreshed. Everything was sharp and clear.

And everything had changed.

The evil warlord's body had been removed, leaving only a bloody patch on the steps. Unace was trying to convince Seagrass to go into the hall with the help of some of her supporters, but he refused to leave her side.

Unace's people must have rushed up into the towers and buildings that opened onto the courtyard, for now they escorted the warlord's supporters, who had all surrendered. Shoving them to their knees in front of Unace, the spar warriors stood back waiting to see justice done.

'Do you want us to kill them?' one of Unace's men asked.

'Spare us, warlord Unace,' they moaned. 'Spare us.'

The new warlord stared at them, her mouth set in a hard line.

Piro held her breath, sensing this was a significant moment. Her stomach turned at the thought of seeing thirty unarmed warriors slaughtered without mercy.

Leaning heavily on a shield-maiden, Seagrass spoke up. 'I know you, Bearclaw. I healed your wife when she nearly died birthing your son.' He nodded to another. 'I know you, Whiplash, I treated your toothache.'

'Yes,' Unace whispered, voice growing in strength. 'I know you all. Many's the time we dined at my father's feasting table. Why did you do it? Why did you follow Steerden? How could you kill innocent children?'

It was a cry from the heart. Some of the men and women dropped to the cobbles, heads on the stones, moaning.

'Kill me! I am unworthy,' one cried.

'I cannot live with what I've done,' another pleaded.

'Then why did you follow Steerden?' Unace demanded.

All shook their heads, unable to explain it.

Piro understood. They had been swayed by the warlord's tainted Affinity. The same might have happened to her and she hadn't even thought to use the wards Fyn had taught her. The heat of shame flooded her, then drained away, leaving her light-headed.

A moment before, Unace's supporters had been ready to slay their captives, now some wept openly, many looked confused but a few were still angry.

'What happened to my kin is too great a crime to let pass unpunished,' Unace said, her voice hard. 'By the laws of Unistag Spar your lives are forfeited!'

Piro shuddered. She did not want to see the paving stones run red with blood. Too much had been spilt already. The unistag nudged her as if sensing her distress.

'Wait.' She ran to Unace, tugging on her arm to whisper. 'Let the unistag decide the fate of these warriors.'

Unace fixed on her and Piro held her breath as the new warlord debated.

'Yes.' Unace glanced once to the bloody stain on the steps, where Steerden had died. 'Let the goddess decide.' She raised her voice. 'Bare your chests to the unistag's horn. If you are truly remorseful, the unistag will spare you.'

Eagerly, Bearclaw undid his sword belt so he could take off his chain mail. 'I cannot go back to my wife and child, after what I've done. Let the gods decide my fate.' And, with that, he pulled off his chain mail and padded vest.

His chest was broad, covered with slabs of hard muscle, the pale skin scarred from old wounds. Piro could see the pulse beating madly in his throat, but he did not falter.

Though Steerden's death was still fresh in their minds, the rest of them eagerly tore off their chain mail and opened their padded vests to reveal their hearts.

Piro became an instrument of the goddess, as she walked slowly between the kneeling warriors, with the unistag at her side. Too tired and stunned to try to use her Affinity, she had no idea what the unistag thought they were doing as it followed her, keeping close enough to touch. Each time she passed a warrior they stared up into the unistag's eyes, baring their souls, searching for something.

It took her a moment to realise they needed forgiveness.

Like her, they had been tainted by Steerden's Affinity. She had washed his blood off her hands, but he had turned them to an evil purpose and they needed to be cleansed. So this was why the abbeys feared untamed Affinity.

When every last one of them had confronted the unistag and lived, Piro looked up at Unace expectantly.

'You are all forgiven,' the new warlord announced. 'Go home to your families, plant your crops, build, don't destroy.'

Bearclaw placed his hand on his heart. 'I beg a boon, warlord Unace. I beg to serve you if you are ever in need.'

'And I,' echoed the others.

'I am honoured to accept your service,' Unace said.

In sparing their lives, she had won their loyalty. If Warlord Unace had begun her rule with the slaughter of these warriors she would have begun it in blood and so stained her leadership. Piro felt relieved that they had all come through this test, but now that it was over she was so tired she could hardly keep her eyes open.

Unace took Seagrass's free arm. 'I am blessed by good-hearted supporters. Come into the great hall, everyone! Time to forgive and feast!'

They cheered.

Once inside, Piro discovered she was hungry. She took her seat at the high table, hardly able to think straight. Unace ordered someone to fetch her baby and another to recall Byren Rolen Kingson. There was so much to think of when you were a ruler. Piro was glad she was not a warlord.

Servants came up from the kitchen with platters of cold meat, sliced preserves and day-old bread. Piro could just imagine the poor cook madly scrambling to serve up a breakfast feast without warning. Still, there was enough for everyone. While the others ate and talked, Piro slipped treats to the unistag. Having eaten her fill, she just wanted to curl up and sleep. The spot in front of the big fireplace looked good.

That evening Byren strode into the great hall of unistag Stronghold to see Lady Unace in her place as the new warlord. Clearly unhurt, she sat at the high table with her infant son in her arms. The healer still looked pale from his wound. Byren had been given a full description of how they won the day and, as soon as he had formally greeted the new warlord, he looked around for Piro.