Pausing to take a pull of his mug, Klairuhnz would have taken time to relight his pipe, but Bili could not wait.
“And then?” he urged. “What then, Kinsman?” Vaskos spoke. “Apply you to your pipe, Bard Klairuhnz. Til try to finish the tale. True, I was not there, but as I said, I’ve friends who were.
“Well, Bili, when the Ahrkeethoheeks and his nobles became aware of just what had transpired in Gafnee that winter, they commenced to tremble in their boots, as well they should’ve. First, they scoured all of Gafnee for survivors and found not one living noble Kindred in all the duchy . . . nor did the searchers leave any living person behind them priest, peasant, or villager, man, woman, or child, those who did not surrender quickly died!”
“Good!” Bili nodded. “That was good work.”
Vaskos stared levelly at the young man for a moment, not noticing the odd smile on the Bard’s face. “Think you so, Kinsman? Then hear the rest.
“The Ahrkeethoheeks had hundreds of people put to savage tortures and got the names of all the lay ringleaders. All who were still living on that list of names, he cast into the town dungeons, along with the priests.
“With all the living Gafneeans completely disarmed and confined, helpless as babes in the city, the Ahrkeethoheeks gave the Confederation troops and his own complete freedom of the city for seven days allowed them to loot and burn and rape and torment and kill to the point of utter satiation. He and his nobles sent wagon after groaning wagon of loot back to Lohfospolis, as well as all the grain and livestock on which they could lay hands!
“It took the pitiful wretches who survived that week of carnage another week to breach their walls to their conquerors’ satisfaction, pull down their gates, and dig a long, deep trench just outside the city. Then the Ahrkeethoheeks assembled the couple of thousand Gafneeans under guard by all his forces. He had the priests and lay leaders dragged out and stripped naked, even the women!”
“Women?” Bill looked bewildered.
“Yes, Dili,” nodded Vaskos. “Some of the lay leaders were women. And right horribly were they treated.
“The priests and the male leaders were gelded, then pitch was poured on their wounds. That barbarity done with, the Ahrkeethoheeks set his guardsmen to striking the heads from every man, woman, and child of Gafnee, forcing the priests and leaders who had not died of their maltreatment to watch the butchery.”
“All of the female leaders naturally died of their sufferings, but some score of the priests and male leaders lived. They were set on the road, still naked and with their lips stitched shut, loaded with a manweight of manacles and chains, in two wagons and heavily guarded. Less than half lived to reach Kehnooryos Atheenahs!”
Failing to note the disgust and horror on Vaskos’s swarthy face, Bili commented casually, “Sewed their lips shut, did he? Well, that’s one march Lord Eevahnos has stolen on King Gilbuht. It was a good idea too, keep the bastards from spreading their poison along the way or from plotting amongst themselves. But, tell me, Kinsman, how did the rebel swine eat and drink?”
In lieu of answer, Vaskos asked in a tight voice, “Have you no feeling, then? That civilized men could do such things in the name of justice and our Confederation sickens me! To so mistreat conquered enemies . ..”
“Conquered rebels,” corrected Bili. “There is a considerable difference, you know. That, Kinsman, is the only way to handle the kind of rebellion you and Klairuhnz have described. You must put it down so hard and so thoroughly that no commoner or priest or noble will ever forget the fate of a rebel. I, for one, would like to make the acquaintance of this Lord Eevahnos. He sounds like a wise and most astute man. Why, King Gilbuht himself could not have done a better job!”
“But to slay women and children . . . even babes . . .” Vaskos began.
“Nits make lice, Kinsman!” Bili shrugged.
Vaskos’s visage darkened perceptibly, and he straightened in his chair. “I have been a soldier for above thirty years, and while I’ve had to put my steel into a few barbarian women, I’ve yet to slay a child. Nor will I, ever!”