Suthrath's Vow

Suthrath did not respond immediately to the words of Magrun. He stared dispassionately at the greedy councillor.

Suthrath's silence brought an awkward unease among the member of the council and even among the people who were standing surrounding the platform.

"Councillor Magrun," Suthrath said after few tense moments of silence. "And the rest of the council."

"How low this body… this esteemed body has fallen," he continued. "At first, out of cowardice, you all betrayed me in a situation of crisis."

"And now to rise back in my eyes, you are willing to even murder innocent people."

"Pathetic," Suthrath muttered.

Although Suthrath had spoken in a low tone, his words reverberated in the ears of all the people present there. Magrun had his back drenched in sweat and no councillor dared to raise their heads out of shame.

"Do anyone of you have to add anything?" Suthrath said.

No one spoke anything and Suthrath nodded his head, "Good."

"We are in a situation of crisis and such situation requires few extraordinary measures," Suthrath said.

"Firstly," he said slowly giving time for his words to settle. "Starting today, all the forces which you all command will be under my direct command."

Suthrath's words left all the councillors in utter silence. They had their eyes widened in shock and were hardly able to believe to what they had heard.

"Is it clear?" Suthrath's heavy voice echoed again.

"Lord…" one of the councillors stammered. He was an old and frail man. He was in his early seventies and the hair and beard of the man had turned white out of old age. He was Fruntu.

He was the oldest member of the council and also one of the rare few people in the entire settlement who had an intellectual fervour. It was an age when learning, reading and writing were considered to be work of elites and thus Fruntu was a respected man and his words had carried weight.

Suthrath did not even let the old man finish his words as his cold eyes bored straight at him. The intensity of Suthrath's cold eyes made Fruntu almost stumble in fear. He shrank in his chair out of nervousness and did not say a word more.

"Is it clear?" Suthrath's steady voice echoed again.

The councillors did not have a lot of option and though they were not really willing they could only nod their head in response.

"Good," Suthrath said with a slight smile.

"I expect every man... every last man under your command to be present at the eastern side of our settlement by the next day period," Suthrath ordered. "I hope that I do not get to hear any pretence of any kind."

Each day in that era had been divided into 12 period, with each period equal to almost 2 hours of our time. The sunrise marked the beginning of the first period.

After giving his order, Suthrath stood up. It was a cue that the meeting was over.

As he got up, Lander was quick on his feats to approach Suthrath, "Lord... the councillors would want to know about the punishment for those people whom we had captured."

Suthrath raised his eyebrows and dismissed their curiosity, "They do not need to worry about all those things. It is my imperative and my right as the leader to decide their punishment. "

"Councillor Lander, bring the prisoners at the eastern side too," he added further. "If the councillors want, they can also come and witness everything for themself."

Lander gave a nod in acknowledgement and backed off.

Suthrath then walked up to the edge of the platform.

He gazed below and his eyes scanned the people surrounding him.

"A lot of people might have forgotten their duties but I have not," he said in a loud voice which echoed in the almost silent surrounding.

"I do not deny that we have suffered two consecutive defeats at the hands of our enemy," he continued. "I do not deny that that enemy took us by surprise."

"I also do not deny that this ambush or surprise attack succeeded not because of the brilliance of our enemy but because of our naivety and ignorance."

"I do not deny that I myself had suffered a grievous wound."

"But does that mean that the enemy has won?" Suthrath roared. "No. We are not the ones to be defeated so easily."

"I am standing in front of you. The wound which should have killed me has healed," he roared and adrenaline rushed in the body of the listeners.

The next moment, Suthrath pulled his robe revealing his bare chest to the onlookers. Loud voices of gasps and murmur erupted in the crowd. The wound on Suthrath's chest had not been a secret. A lot of people had personally witnessed an injured and bleeding Suthrath when he had been carried from the battlefield.

And now Suthrath stood there with a completely healed chest and no wound in their sight. This was a shock to them.

"The gods have blessed me," Suthrath boomed. "And I have a purpose... I have a duty."

He roared, "I am going to protect this settlement… our sacred land."

"I will annihilate the forces which have dared to set their eyes on our land."

"Who is willing to stand by me in this cause?" Suthrath roared and a massive cheer of acknowledgement erupted from the crowd.

Suthrath's voice had charged them and they felt their blood boiling.

"I make a vow in the name of the god," Suthrath said as he pulled the leather strap on his sword and raised his right hand.

He brandished the naked sword, "I am going to bring peace to our settlement. I am going to get revenge for our people who have fallen at the hands of the enemy."

"I am going to get justice for all our people," Suthrath roared and the crowd followed behind as they erupted in a massive chorus.

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