Deepest Betrayal

A Simple Truth

     Blair slowly took in the horrific sights before her. This was worse then anything her brothers have ever told her, far far worse. Bodies laid twisted and mangled, littering the hallways and courtyard. Piles of ashes were everywhere, and great big funeral pyres were being constructed. Funeral pyres? That was odd. The Scottish Slayer were not known for cremating their dead, especially since a graveyard was conveniently located right beside the church. She took a deep breath and walked on, the groans of wounded and dying man filling her ears. A hand shot out and grabbed onto her skirt. 

    " I'm sorry.. I.. I.. forgive me, forgive me. I failed ye Cora! I failed ye," he sobbed. 

   Blair took a step back aghast at the amount of blood staining through the old man's shirt. Colin knelled beside the old solider taking his hand.

    " Hush now, Cora's safe, lad. She's at home and safe. Ye have failed no one. You fought gallantly, but the enemy was strong. Rest now, you'll do no good to anyone upsetting yourself this way," He said and signaled for two men to hurry to his side. 

     " Take him to the hall immediately and see to it he is made comfortable. Do not let the old fool up no matter what."

      Blair looked at Colin as the men carried the old soldier away. 

     " Is he, is he going to be OK? Will he be able to return to his Cora?"

    " Aye, lassie, he'll be fine if he listens, the wound isn't as bad as it looks. Poor old chap is a bleeder, is all. He was supposed to be home, what with his daughter being close to birthing her first bairn, but oh no he wouldn't hear of it. Look what good that did him. Come along, I'm afraid there is one thing even more horrible than this I have to show ye."

   Colin slowly lead her through the throng of bodies and piles of ashes to the tree where Kendric now laid. Upon seeing him Blair let out a sob. His neck was at an odd angle and his long hair was matted to his face, but his face, his face looked so odd. It was deathly pale and frozen in a look of utter rage, but the one thing that her eyes focused on the most were his teeth. She didn't remember them ever being so long and sharp looking. She reached out with a single finger and gently touched the point of one of the fangs, instantly piercing it. She watched the blood drip into his mouth and for a few seconds colored returned and then slowly faded once again. She blinked, confused. She placed her hand on his face, tears streaming down her checks. 

    " What in the world are you brother?," she asked.  

She grabbed him and tried to sit him up to better cradle him to her and speak her goodbyes, as she did so his leg touched the hallowed ground of the crunch and his body slowly crumbled to dust. Blair was left shocked sobbing and wailing in to the wind clutching at the tiny piles of ashes that now rested on her dress. 

  "What? What? What?!," she screamed over and over, her hysteria rising. 

  Duncan must have heard her from across the field because he came running and clutched her to his chest, stroking her hair and making little shushing sounds. 

   "Shhh, it's alright love, it's alright. It's OK. Come on, can ye stand up. come on," He coaxed gently. 

 He helped her to her feet and slowly helped her across the field yet again to her chamber and sit her down, and watched her intently hoping that she would be the first to speak.

 She sat trembling, her sobs slowly subsiding,  and her face transfixed on her now dusty hands.

  "Why did he just crumble away, Duncan? Why?," she whimpered.

  Duncan raked his hand through his hair. He had gotten his wish of her speaking first but he still dreaded what he had to tell her. He took her still trembling hands in his and sat down beside her on the bed.

    " Blair look at me, I want you to know I speak the truth. Your brother is, or rather was, not human. I suspect he had not been human for years, maybe even before you and I were betrothed. Sadly, I also suspect the same of your other brothers. I know for a fact that one by one Kendric turned them into what he was."

   "And what exactly was he?!" Blair asked.

   " He was a vampire. He had joined a very powerful and very dangerous sect that worships something called The Void, and quickly rose in the ranks, becoming the right hand of this entity.  As to date, we do not know the true identity of this Void, we only know that he lures people in with promises of fulfilling their most desperate dreams and desires, then uses it to force them to do his bidding."

  "OK, so the piles of ashes, those were other vampires?" 

    "Aye." 

    "But the others, the younger bodies i saw stacked by the funeral pyre , to what clan do they belong? They are not wearing the black or red clothing your clan is known for, nor are they wearing the silver or green of my clan, or any colors of any clans that I know of, and why are we burning them?"Blair asked.

     " Those bodies belong to the Lycans. A poor group of were-creatures forced into servitude by false pretenses by the sect. I have received word that they have retreated and no longer wish to fight. Those who are well enough to travel will be allowed to return home or make their way to Sanctuary, whichever they see fit. The dead will be burned in accordance to their culture. We are paying them a kindness," Duncan explained. 

   " And this Sanctuary you speak of, what is it?" 

    "It is a well hidden and holy city, established by my father when The Void was first summoned. It offers a safe haven to those repentant of their ways and for the innocent children that are left behind when we purge the clans of those who have chosen to serve the sect. As far as we know, The Void cannot reach them there, and it remains sound against outside attacks."

   "So, the horrible deeds my brother told me that you did, they were just you destroying these creatures?"

    "Aye. I'm afraid that is the truth princess." 

 Blair removed her hands from his and took a shaky breath. 

   " I want to believe you, Duncan, I really do , but you must understand this is a lot to take in, I need time to think. Time to come to terms that my world is not at all as it seems."

   Duncan nodded, " I understand, I'll send Camilla in to tend to ye, try to get some rest."

 With that he exited the room and quietly ushered Camilla inside. They shared a look of resignation and he slowly turned away to join Colin at the end of the hall.

  " So, she knows everything now?," Colin asked.  

   " For the most part, aye,"  Duncan nodded and spat onto the ground. He hated what this attack meant. It meant that they had been followed, and he had been caught off guard. Like a fool, he had let his mind wander and drift to thoughts of things to come, and it had almost cost him dearly. He spat again and decided thoughts of his and Blair's consummation will have to be shoved to the back of his mind until their safe return to his lands. That thought didn't set at all well with his manhood, as lurched upwards seemingly in protest. He gritted his teeth and reminded himself it was for the greater good. The needs of the clan far outweighed the needs of his libido. Surely, he could restrain himself for a few nights. 

   " What will be our course of action now, my lord?," Colin asked, bringing him out of his inner brooding. 

   " It is quite clear what they wished to accomplish here. We are reduced in numbers, our guard weakened. We cannot risk travel by nightfall. Even with the Lycans abandoning them, they still have other allies that gain their power from darkness. We shall tend to the wounded as quickly as we can and ride for Sanctuary in two hours time. Those well enough will ride upon their horses, and those not will be secured in wagons with the ladies and children. Once there we will secure more provisions, and ride as fast and as hard as we can for home. Let us pray we make it in time. Forgive me for thinking this trip would pass uneventful, old friend."

    "Chin up Duncan, there has been no evidence he acted on orders of The Void. Nay, it would seem he acted out of his own selfish and disgusting longing for our Blair. Still the sooner we see the flags of ye castle the better, I say.." Colin grumbled and shambled off to inform the troops. 

 Duncan turned around and sighed as the first funeral pyre was light aflame. Too much had transpired in these last 12 hours. He was tired and sore. He passed the horses tied steadfastly to the old hitching posts and patted his stallion lovingly on the rear. He would not be riding him as he so often did, today. No, he would entrust the head of the procession to Colin and his guards. Today, he shall ride in his carriage with Blair, and god help anyone who tried to impede their passage.

   He walked over to the tiny graveyard located at the side of the church and bowed his head, offering a few words of prayer for those who had made the ultimate sacrifice for the clan. Twenty-five souls now laid buried in hastily dug graves, with only their swords thrust into the earth to mark where they lay. The weeping of the widows could still be heard. Widows whose care now fell upon his shoulder. He made a solemn vow to each of those who laid below the cold, frozen ground that not so much as a single hair shall be harmed upon their heads. He walked and knelt upon each grave, whispering a few words to his fallen brothers, promising to return to erect proper monuments in the spring. He heaved a heavy sigh and motioned to the guards to escort them and their children back to their respective carriages, and wagons. 

He wished he could have let them stand and grieve for a while longer, especially the children but the sun had already reached it's highest point in the sky signaling midday. The sooner they were on the road the better. He sauntered up to his carriage, Blair had already been escorted inside and now lay peacefully dozing against Camilla. The latter had her arm around her and was singing a lullaby soft and low. He climbed in and took the seat opposite of them, reached out the window and gave the signal to head out. 

    "How is she, Camilla?," he asked. 

    "Poor thing cried the entire time, she hasn't said much. I think it's best we don't press the matter, and just let her rest, Duncan." 

     " Aye she'll need all the strength she can muster when we reach our destination. She has no idea the fight ahead of us."

     "Hush now, lest you wake her," Camilla chided and went back to singing her quiet lullaby.

  Duncan was tempted to try to close his eyes and be lulled to slumber by the soothing words, too bad Camilla's magic didn't work on him though, he desperately wanted a nap. He felt the carriage lurch forward. For better or worse, they were on their way.