When it was all done, after the caravans had burnt at their highest and the horses that had led the caravans had been moved towards the camps, Galton addressed the remaining travelers.

"You have a choice, take what you can and leave back along the pass or die here." He took a step back and joined Prince Rathner and Jale where their soldiers had reformed into their strong and strict lines.

For the everyday person, the sight of the three different parties of men would have been terrifying, especially after witnessing what they had just done. There was no doubt they meant every aspect of that threat. They took the chance while they could. Tripping and running, they grabbed whatever belongings they had and took to the pass.

Prince Rathner saw Galton's head and shoulders drop as he watched them run away towards what would inevitably be a cold and hungry death. It was the first time he had ever seen the man express any hint of sadness, and he dared to reach out and squeeze the man's shoulder. "It had to be done," he said softly.

Galton lifted his head. "Yes, it had to be done," he agreed.

With that, Galton turned to Prince Tolder who had been brought back down the trail. He had been pushed to his knees on the cold ground and two soldiers stood on either side of him. Prince Rathner watched the man try to remain in control of his emotions. In his own mind's eye, Prince Rathner could still see the deathly sick girl lying on the stretcher. The image would haunt him for a very long time.

"You don't get the option of whether you can go back up that trail or not," Prince Rathner said, holding his sword out and pointed towards Prince Tolder's throat. "Your journey ends here and now."

Before Prince Rathner could continue, a loud, long shout suddenly came from somewhere inside of Jale's soldiers where they stood lined up.

Prince Rathner and Jale both turned in confusion.

It was a war cry.

A war cry to start fighting!

The men at the front of the group of soldiers also turned in confusion, and the Talbecan soldiers only a short distance away, moved back uncertainly. Prince Rathner tried to determine what was happening and then to his shock, he started to see the Keglan men fighting with each other. Swords were drawn and unsuspecting men who had not been aware of the coup, fell as swords were slain into their backs, and they met their untimely death.

As the regiment of soldiers parted, the men chose their destinations. Some Keglan men headed towards where Jale was standing while the rest stormed towards the Talbecan soldiers.

Prince Rathner lifted his sword. "Defend all Talbecan's," he yelled. He looked at Jale one last time. "What in all the Gods is this madness? I trusted you!"

Before Jale could respond, Prince Rathner lifted his sword back behind his shoulder and let it swing down.

>>

Jale thought he was going to throw up. Could this day get any worse? First the slaughter of these innocent people and now, it appeared as if his own men had turned against him. No, in fact, he thought as he watched Prince Rathner's blade come down towards him, it was the worst day of his life because in a few seconds, he was going to die.

A hard shove came from his left and sent him barreling to the ground, putting him out of distance of Prince Rathner's sword. He recovered quickly and rolled to his feet to see that it was Brelen who saved his life. The man had already moved on, taking a step back from Prince Rathner not wanting to engage. Prince Rathner was not a man who Brelen wanted to hurt.

In the blink of an eye, Jale was deep in the foray of it all, sword against sword, Keglan against Keglan. He dodged and blocked his enemies' swords. He attacked. His years of training ensured he moved without thinking or judging, and men who he had considered to be loyal to him, started to fall. Jale couldn't think about the betrayal on Prince Rathner's face. He ignored that for now. What he had to do was to find out who was still on his side and who was now his foe.

In his peripheral vision, he could see certain soldiers close to his side as he fought, including Brelan and Hoele. Trent was still down at the camp and in the middle of the battle, Jale wondered whether he was aware of what was happening. The disloyal had broken into two groups. A small group were attacking Jale and his group of loyal men, whereas the rest, a large formidable group, were fighting the Talbecans.

Jale caught a glimpse of who was leading the fight.

Uleron.

Jale swore. What was the man thinking? Was this some whimsical idea he had thought up since he had arrived at the pass? This was an act of treason. How did Uleron even get that many soldiers to side with him in such a short amount of time?

The man attacking Jale died, staining the snow with more blood. Jale looked towards the other men fighting and tried to spy Prince Rathner. It took a moment, scanning the crowd, but he found him with Galton close at his side. It was impressive to watch Prince Rathner fight. His power, his skill, his discipline.

It hit Jale then. The hard truth of the matter. This was not about Jale at all. Who cared about him? He was so insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but there was someone else here who was very significant, who represented and was the future of his empire.

This was most likely all about Prince Rathner and the fact that someone had seen this post as an opportunity to assassinate the heir to the Talbecan throne. Just how much had Uleron and his men been paid and by whom? Who had so much coin that they had managed to bribe not only Uleron's men but some of Brelan's as well?

Jale hissed through his teeth. Seething.

There, a Keglan soldier had started to sneak up behind Prince Rathner while he battled two men at once. Jale started to run, straight towards his fellow man who was now only ten meters away from the Prince. Jale covered the distance quickly, adrenalin pumping through his limbs. The man approaching Prince Rathner was unaware, he was too focused on his target, too busy hoping that he would be the one to bring Prince Rathner down.

Jale's blade ran straight through the man's back. He stopped dead in his tracks and fell to his knees. Jale lifted his leg and pushed the man away from him, releasing his sword. Without another thought, Jale swung back again and this time, when he brought his sword down, he took the man's head off in one clean sweep. Blood spurted and the headless corpse fell to the ground. Jale stood in shock at the harm he had caused, covered in the man's blood. He blinked against it, and wiped his face clean.

When Jale opened his eyes again, Prince Rathner was staring at him. The other men around him paused in their fighting as well. It was such a vengeful act, an anger at their betrayal that had to be released. Jale turned to the men closest to him, his sword still held out before him, and they took an uncertain step back.

Uleron gave a shout to halt, and an eerie quiet fell over the entrance of the pass. Talbecan men huddled protectively close to their Prince, and Jale noted that Menelt and his men had also taken a defensive stance near Prince Rathner. Jale stood with a small group in the middle. Isolated and alone, they were a pitiful sight, ten men at best.

Jale took in the carnage. It was despicable and so unnecessary, and then out of the corner of his eye, Jale spied Hoele's body, dead and limp, lying on his back staring unblinkingly at the sky.

"What is the meaning of this!?" Jale screamed. "Traitors! Why have you fallen to such madness? These were not my orders. I never ordered anyone to attack Prince Rathner!"

Uleron sneered and took a step closer. "Well, it's quite easy when your cousin pays you handsomely to kill two men you've despised all your life."

Jale sucked in his breath at the fact that he had been right. Uleron wasn't behind this. Of course, he wouldn't be. He wasn't clever enough to plan such an act on his own.

"Which cousin?!" Jale demanded.

Uleron only sneered again. "Wouldn't you like to know."

Jale spun on heels back to Prince Rathner, hoping for a way out for his men, for Brelan and the small group of soldiers, who were still standing so faithfully by his side.

"I didn't know!" Jale said to Prince Rathner through the crowd of men standing protectively in front of him. "I swear, I didn't know! I just saved your life!" Silence fell on Jale's words. "You have to believe me!" he shouted, not afraid that his whole body was shaking. "Please believe me when I tell you I had no part in this."

Galton spat at Jale's feet. "After we've finished slaughtering Uleron and his men, you'll be next."

Prince Rathner stepped forward and blocked Galton's way.

"No Talbecan will harm anyone who stands with Jale," Prince Rathner said loudly for all his men to hear. He looked pointedly at Galton. "He did save my life even after I tried to take his own."

The sudden sounds of men yelling and fighting came through the trees in the direction of the camps. Momentarily distracted, Jale's stomach dropped. Had the betrayal also taken place in the camps?

The disruption was enough. Uleron gave another shout and Jale turned to see Uleron’s men charging into battle again. Jale shouted to those standing close to him. "If you still support me, stick with the Talbecans," he instructed over the din. "Uleron wants me dead too, and I will not let him hurt the Prince of Talbec. His death would mean war between our two nations."

The men nodded and bravely stood their ground, but they were not alone as the Talbecans moved forward and absorbed them into their crowd. Jale looked over his shoulder towards where Prince Tolder had been kneeling on the ground. There was no sign of him. He had disappeared. Just before Uleron's men reached him, Jale glanced in the direction of his camp and hoped that the one he cared for was still safe.