Aaron looked to the other leaders. He knew most of them; they were all in the same hall with the last King. They
have bowed to his Queen. They were all great warriors, but loyal to the oath they served their King till his death.
They were all honorable men. He raised his appeal to them. They may hear him out for they have seen him witness
many of the events that happened then in the last King’s reign.
“If thou do this, I'll show thee wondrous things that highly may advantage thee to hear.” Aaron spoke to them. “If
thou wilt not, befall what may befall, I'll speak no more but 'vengeance rot you all!”
“Say on: and if it please me which thou speak'st thy child shall live, and I will see it nourish'd.” Lucas saw reason in
the appeal. The child was not a party to the crimes which they had all suffered.
“An if it please thee! Why, assure thee, Lucas, I will vex thy soul to hear what I shall speak; for I must talk of
murders, rapes and massacres, acts of black night, abominable deeds, complots of mischief, treason, villanies.
Huthful to hear, yet piteously performed.” Lucas sighed. For then, he saw his compassionate side; a nature tempered
with the child that was in his arms. “And this shall all be buried by my death unless thou swear to me my child shall
live.”
Lucas looked to the child; he saw Matthew in the image. His madness had dispelled with that thought. He nodded to
Aaron.
“Tell on thy mind; I say thy child shall live.” Lucas assured him.
“Swear that he shall, and then I will begin.” Aaron was not that easily convinced. He asked for the oath by the Gods.
“Who should I swear by? Thou believest no God.” Lucas retorted back. “That granted, how canst thou believe an
oath?”
“What if I do not? As, indeed, I do not.” Aaron believed only in his own God and not the ones worship by these
barbarians. “Yet, for I know thou art religious and hast a thing within thee called conscience, with twenty popish
tricks and ceremonies, which I have seen thee careful to observe, therefore I urge thy oath; for that I know an idiot
holds his bauble for a god and keeps the oath which by that god he swears, to that I'll urge him: therefore thou shalt
vow by that same god, what god soe'er it be, that thou adorest and hast in reverence, to save my boy, to nourish and
bring him up; or else I will discover nought to thee.”
Lucas agreed to it. He swore to the Gods that he will spare the child’s life if Aaron speaks the truth and all that was
done by him.
“First know thou, I begot him on the Queen.” Aaron smiled as he spoke. “You do recalled her.”
“O most insatiate and luxurious woman!” Lucas affirmed in a cynical manner.
“Tut, Lucas, this was but a deed of charity to that which thou shalt hear of me anon.” Aaron replied with every
intention to clear his conscience and redeemed his own honor among men. “'Twas her two sons that murder'd
Bastion; they cut thy sister's tongue and ravish'd her and cut her hands and trimm'd her as thou saw'st.”
“O detestable villain! Call'st thou that trimming?” Lucas quivered with anger on the knowledge of the identities of
the accused.
“Why, she was wash'd and cut and trimm'd, and 'twas tTrim sport for them that had the doing of it.” Aaron sneered
at Lucas for he liken the act to that of a slaughter of the prey.
“O barbarous, beastly villains, like thyself!” Lucas grabbed the shirt of the other.
“Indeed, I was their tutor to instruct them: that coding spirit had they from their mother, as sure a card as ever won
the set.” Aaron replied back. “That bloody mind, I think, they learn'd of me, as true a dog as ever fought at head.
Well, let my deeds be witness of my worth. I train'd thy brethren to that guileful hole where the dead corpse of
Bastion lay.”
“I wrote the letter that thy father found and hid the gold within the letter mention'd.” Aaron continued his
confession. “Confederate with the Queen and her two sons:and what not done, that thou hast cause to rue,
Wherein I had no stroke of mischief in it?”
“I play'd the cheater for thy father's hand when I had it, drew myself apart and almost broke my heart with extreme
laughter. I pry'd me through the crevice of a wall when, for his hand, he had his two sons' heads; beheld his tears,
and laugh'd so heartily.” Aaron laughed out at his achievement. “That both mine eyes were rainy like to his and
when I told the Queen of this sport, she swooned almost at my pleasing tale, and for my tidings gave me twenty
kisses.”
“What, canst thou say all this, and never blush?” A Goths leader confront the Moor.
“Ay, like a black dog, as the saying is.” Aaron replied like he was the outcast of the assembled.
“Art thou not sorry for these heinous deeds?” Lucas asked back for any signs of apologies.
“Ay, that I had not done a thousand more.” Aaron replied. Even now I curse the day--and yet, I think, few come
within the compass of my curse,-- wherein I did not some notorious ill, as kill a man, or else devise his death.
Ravish a maid, or plot the way to do it, accuse some innocent and forswear myself, set deadly enmity between two
friends, make poor men's cattle break their necks; set fire on barns and hay-stacks in the night, and bid the owners
quench them with their tears.”
“Oft have I digg'd up dead men from their graves.” Aaron looked to the disbelieving stares of the assembled
warriors. They were warriors, but nay were they ever the grave diggers. He even mimicked the act of digging and
righting the skull within the body. “And set them upright at their dear friends' doors, even when their sorrows almost
were forgotten. And on their skins, as on the bark of trees, have with my knife carved in Roman letters; 'Let not your
sorrow die, though I am dead.'.”
“Tut, I have done a thousand dreadful things as willingly as one would kill a fly, and nothing grieves me heartily
indeed but that I cannot do ten thousand more.” Aaron sighed to himself.
“Bring down the devil; for he must not die so sweet a death as hanging presently.” Lucas called to the warriors.
“If there be devils, would I were a devil, to live and burn in everlasting fire, so I might have your company in hell,
But to torment you with my bitter tongue!” Aaron knew his fate beforehand yet he wants to torment them with his
words.
“Sirs, stop his mouth, and let him speak no more.” Lucas turned away from the accused. Aaron was led by the
shoulders to mount the ladder while his son was hand carried by another warrior.
“Let him see thy hanging.” Aaron cried out. “He must know to what extend the punishment for my action.”
Aaron’ neck was placed over with the noose and tightened. He looked from above to the child.
“Farewell, my son. May you live ..” Aaron never got to complete his words when the ladder was kicked away by
Lucas. He fell down with the rope tightening around his neck but his eyes never left the sight of his son. Just when
he felt that his life was slipping away when the rope went slacked. He was lowered to the ground gasping for his
breath.
Lucas turned away from the writhing body and looked to the warriors. Every warrior turned away except the one
holding the child. The warrior watched the child whose eyes were on the man who had carried him for a long
distance. He yielded no tears but gurgled when the saliva overflowed.
“Come, my little one.” Soon the warrior carried the child towards the servant’s quarter, leaving the others to half
dragged the Moor to the detention cells.
“There might a nanny which would take you as her own. Live your life fully and never wield a weapon for there are
no peace for the wielder until death comes for him.” The warrior told the young babe.
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