Daegond then continued, serving food to his new friends
“-There, don’t mind the cooking, I am not the best cook.”
He put the plate full of near-raw boar meat in front of a man. This was a man of Dunland in his forties with extraordinary broad shoulders. If his hands were not tied behind himself he could perhaps pose a serious security threat to the Order’s Hound. He looked at the plate before focusing his hateful gaze back to Daegond.
“-Suit yourself!” Daegond added and started munching his own boar rib in an unsightly manner. By the dim light inside the cave the captives of Dunland examined their captor. He was all polite and kind in voice but there was something seriously disturbing in his behaviour. Himself must have been a formidable fighter since he alone ambushed a patrol late in the night and brutally slain two others before capturing them two alive. Then he must have tugged them into a cave and gagged them with an old sock and now serving them food.
The other captive was badly wounded in the face and constantly bleeding. He was pale by constant hemorrhage for six hours and hardly had any power to speak and act. But he too was gagged and tied by a strong knot nevertheless. Hound had no trust to their kind.
Then Daegond finished his dinner while examining his captives and started talking about irrelevant things that Dunlanders have no idea about. Ancient wars, names that nobody remembers today, places that was ruined long ago. There was such a strange light in his eyes during the conversation that older and broad shouldered dunlandsman noticed something is not right with this elf. If he was planning to kill them outright, he would not have waited. If he was aiming for torture why was he serving food to them.
Then the elf in blood soaked black garments asked their names.
“-Hunulf” said the healthier looking one. “-I am prince of the clan”
“-Oh!” cried Daegond, “-Your majesty, if I knew your importance I would acted different”
“-What becomes of us Elf?” Hunulf asked uncertainly, he had absolutely no idea what was going to happen to them and their captor was a hard person to read. He was very… unpredictable.
“-We all receive what we deserve Hunulf, prince of the clan” Daegond added coldly. An awkward and disturbing silence followed.
“-What does that mean, do not speak in riddles!” replied Hunulf. Looking at his fainted companion in the meanwhile.
Daegond replied right away and very swiftly. “-I will set you free” followed by a smile.
“-Indeed? And you expect reconciliation with my clan?” said Hunulf, regaining his confidence and composure a little.
Daegond laughed in a cruel manner. “-Now now, prince Hunulf" he said, “-I never ask for reconciliation, I only ask for your safe and swift travel to where you belong”
He than threw the boar ribs he was munching away and licked his fingers quickly while standing up. “-lets set your friend free first, since servants should go first before the lord” He grabbed his hammer and bowed his head, then raised his massive weapon and hit to the near fainted Dunlander, the stroke landed between his temple and his chin. Brutally slained him and broken his body. The unhealthy sound of breaking bones and hopes echoed in the cave.
Hunulf watched all and did not move, there was blood splashed to his face. But he could not move, stunned. He set his eyes on Hound’s face and cursed him. “-You told that you were setting me free!”
“-I did indeed your majesty, you belong to the kingdom of death. That’s where you do belong, alongside all your race” he set his hammer to the ground and leaned on it, to involve into conversation more comfortably.
“-But what have we done to you or your kind?” asked Hunulf, slowly losing his nerves while his companion is still shaking next to him and spluttering blood from a terrific wound just two feet away.
“-Oh now that’s a question!” replied Daegond very coldly. “-Without your kind how many treacheries we would be spared of? How many elves would be alive? How many cities would be standing? To which dark lord are you serving now? Saruman?… Tell me son of Dunland, what else than death do you deserve?.” he raised his hammer while he spoke.
“-I did not betray to no one, no stop!” cried Hunulf in one last chance to survive this.
“No prince, I ensure now that you will betray to no one. This is how it should done!” said Daegond and he bashed Dunland prince’s skull in very brutally. He was shouting in excitement during his strokes and cave walls are soaked with Dunland’s warm blood. In the dim fire light the scene was gruesome. And The hound, numb in muscles and bones after what was done, smiled. Nodded at the scene with pleasure.
He tugged the bodies outside and planted them on a pike somewhat artistically. Thought if it would be any better if he did that before killing them but it was too late for that. Then he thought if the remaining of the boar is spared of the bloody slaughter inside. Since traitor blood was killing all taste and therefore apetite for him. When the work was done he looked at the remains of two Dunlander and then left a memorial beneath princes feet. He drew a hammer on a piece of cloth with charcoal and left it there. whispering to himself
"-Hound of Hammer, Dagnir Apanona". And the wind gusted coldly around him, like if he has woke something in the void.
Then he left the cave and started walking north with a song in his lips. His distress towards Veryacano’s relieving from Hammer's command was a little calmed down, and it was a beautiful morning that day. Hound spitted to the ground and walked on.
Without knowing what will happen afterwards.
