Brother's Keeper

The prisoners were in an uproar. All except the hooded man.

Sounds of the battle above drifted down to the cells. The Saxon guards were frightened. Sigrid and his Dane warriors were winning. There was thumping on the door above. A guard staggered back. The hooded man was ready, stealthily as a shadow he grabbed the key from the guard’s belt and opened the door.

The hooded man followed behind the other prisoners who eagerly joined the fray. He found Sigrid and his men standing around a Saxon on his knees.

“Ah, Lord Gregory, your executioner has arrived,” Sigrid declared.

The hooded man stared down at Lord Gregory whose face was smeared with the filth of battle. Then the former prisoner lifted his hood.

Lord Gregory’s eyes narrowed, “Edward!”

“Greetings, brother.”

“You gutless traitor! I am lord of this castle and defender of the faith! You're no brother of mine, bastard!”

“Too true. We share a bit of blood, but no bond of brotherhood. Which will make what comes next all too easy. You may be a defender of the faith but with all your men cut down, who will defend you?”

Sigrid handed Edward an axe and then cut Gregory’s bonds.

“Run,” Edward commanded coldly.

Gregory’s eyes were filled with terror as he scrambled to his feet and sprinted toward the gate.

Edward drew his arm back and sent the axe soaring through the air.

There was a sickening squelch followed by a thud.

Author’s Note: This was written for the Summer 2024 Nanofiction Writing Battle.