Chapter 162

Hilcastle,

He could not fathom he was being heaved to the gallows. At the moment, Angus felt himself no different to Fierlo.

Fierlo might have betrayed him, told lies after lies but Angus realized there was one truth in it. Ser Anugs was a prisoner. Not by the walls but by the duties. And now, the duties and responsibilities had crumbled, offering him a clear sight of everything.

Two wide iron cauldrons rested at the corner of the room. One guard was emptying his bucket into the cauldrons whereas the other one ignited the flames.

In attempt to get on his feet from his knees, a punt on back of his head trashed him on floor again.

With his head on floor, he watched panicking Fierlo. He appeared a lot calmer during the trial but the sight of cauldrons drowned him pale. Every time Fierlo's eyes roll to Padraig.

Padraig who didn’t appear concerned.

Angus heard the screams coming out of Fierlo's gagged mouth. Nobody seemed bothered by his grunting but Padraig couldn’t keep hearing any longer. When he spoke, his words did not ease Fierlo, "Boiling will take too much time. Resort with burning them."

The man on the ladder paused pouring the water in Ser Angus' cauldron and the guard lighting fire underneath Fierlo;s cauldron walked to an iron pole. He layered wood on the base of stake for a while then he stopped, "The castle will smell horrendous."

"Yes." Another executioner said, "And the smell won't go for months."

"You take it as a smell. I perceive it as a warning to future traitors." Padraig said.

"No, counselor." High Priest interrupted, "Burning people here is an absurdity."

Ser Angus could see desperation in Padraig's face which others interpreted as impatience. Padraig wanted them dead as soon as possible.

Most of all, silenced.

Fierlo was forced to keep his words to himself but Angus still hadn’t been so humiliated like he would be gagged like a common offender.

"You manage to betray everyone, isn’t it Padraig?" Angus grinned.

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Padraig didn’t answer.

"You will regret it." Angus said, hearing the water bubble.

Water had already started spilling out of Fierlo's cauldron. The executioner dipped his finger in both cauldrons, ensuring the water was in right temperature. Little unsatisfied, he double checked heat then turned around, "Chain them."

Two guards rushed with the chains rolled on the pulley wheel which was affixed on the ceiling. The iron cuffs clasped tight around his wrist as well as ankles.

They hoisted Fierlo, first, and hung him above the violent water. Then they did the same thing with Ser Angus. Ser Angus felt the steam already burning his skin. And he was yet to go in the water.

"Padraig, do you know why I was born as Wernh'An's hand?" Angus paused feeling the droplets of hot water hitting his bare feet, "Because my servitude to him doesn’t end even after my death."

"LOWER." The executioner bellowed.

Guard holding the chain loosened it, letting the chain roll over wheel groove. Ser Angus' feet submerged in the bubbling water. Despite of the pain, he kept eye contact with Padraig. His eye did not go elsewhere until his head was completely submerged in the water.

Although Ser Angus was in, Counselor Padraig kept staring at the cauldron, trying to decode the message Ser Angus had given him. His thought ended only when the cauldron trembled.

The region where Angus was put in got occupied by violent air pockets. He thought he had heard his scream coming from the bubbles. Still, Padraig didn’t get to enjoy it because the sound was faint and nowhere near how a man being cooked alive would have sounded.

Unlike Angus, Fierlo's screams were far more audible despite of his mouth being tied. Most of all, he was just ankle deep into the cauldron. Padraig watched him for a second then shifted back to Angus.

He heard a splash and loud clamor like a bell tolling. The next thing he knew was that he was standing on a puddle of hot water.

Fierlo had freed himself and had knocked his cauldron over.