We were led chained into the governor's judgment hall. Rich gilded tapestries hung from the high walls around us. The ceiling of the hall was vaulted along the entire length of it in a display of powerful craftsmanship. Ornate chandeliers hung down from the center beam of the roof and illuminated the hall brightly, for there were no windows to shed their natural light on the scene. There was an elevated dais at the far end of the hall located under the ceremonial banner of the city of Cassis. Court guards were lined along the walls and it was through these we passed by on our way to the upraised dais and the figure that sat there.
Reaching the dais we were forced to kneel at the base of the steps leading up to it. Iraca, the governor of Cassis spoke in a smug tone of voice, "Well done Lent! You shall be richly rewarded for your invaluable services. You may go now to collect them." He said waiving Lent off with one hand.
"Thank you sire!" Lent said as he fairly bounded to his feet and made to turn to exit the room, only to be met with a sword that sliced through his middle upon him turning to leave. Half turning back to the governor, which tore the imbedded sword from the executioner's hand, he stared disbelievingly up at Iraca. As the fear of death clouded into his face he croaked out, "You promised me a reward! You promised!" He sank to the floor, as his disbelieving eyes remained focused on the governor.
The governor sneered down at Lent, "I've given you the only reward that every Valley Lander can expect at the hands of the Zoarinian Empire, which is death! Get him out of here! He's staining my rugs!"
The governor returned his attention to us as Lent's body was dragged away. "And now let us get down to business. It took some doing Roric, but I have to congratulate you on delivering the boy into our hands safely." Chuckled the governor. Puzzled, I looked over at Larc, who looked back at me blankly and shrugged. "You didn't think we knew about the boy's father spying on us and the supposedly valid intelligence that he had gathered on our battle plans for our conquest of the north did you?" The governor asked while laughingly he continued. "We fed him that information. It's all quite useless you see, with just enough truth added in to keep it believable. Everything you've done and risked for this boy has been for nothing!" The governor said clearly delighted with himself.