>>5347414With the afternoon having turned into early evening and the sun had started to set, you stood on the rocky beach watching as several pyres were being set on fire. You couldn’t leave the bodies around the camp to start decomposing or attracting animals or worse. So you had ordered them to be collected and whatever spare wood that was around to be made into several pyres so that you could burn the bodies. The twelve dead Alteracis would be transported to Tarren Mill and then to Dawnholme, but these bandits would find their resting places at the shore of Darrowmere River.
Watching as the bodies started to burn, you found Malevus approaching you. You saw that she, just like everyone else here was dead tired, but she still carried herself with the poise you had learned she had.
“Prince Alric, may we speak?” Malevus asked you and brushed her deep red hair away from her face.
“Yeah, what is it Malevus?” You said to her and waved her to join you watching the pyres.
“I heard from Raleigh that you wouldn’t be executing any of the prisoners.” She said to you. “And I came to say thank you.”
“For if I am not consistent…” You started to say.
“How can my people believe in me and what I do?” Malevus finished what you were going to say. “I remember what you said to me in Tarren Mill and I am glad to see that you kept your word.”
True, Malevus had asked you to avoid unnecessary bloodshed and death. And allowing the prisoners to live had accomplished that.
“Prince Alric, it is an honour to serve you.”
“Thank you Malevus, but if you don’t have anything else to do today, you should go and sleep. You look awfully tired.”
“I will do that Prince Alric. Good night.” Malevus said with a tired smile on her face.
You were proud of her. While she had plenty to learn, she had done what she could. She had kept your back protected, even if she had some trouble with the two attackers.
You stretched your arms and back before heading back to your tent. You wouldn't have the luxury of going to sleep now as you still have work to do and there were still hours in the day.
…
Next morning you woke up early after just a few hours of sleep. You had continued going through the papers and looked at the map that the Kul Tiran had continued to draw and compared it to the map you had with you from before. If you returned here soon and kept your patrols up, you would have secured a small portion of the Strahnbrad Hills and managed to create a buffer to protect Tarren Mill.
Still looking at the map, it was quite clear how much work there still was ahead of you. Today you would start your return journey to Tarren Mill, but before that you would have to choose what you will do with the warlock Otto Wanz.
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