Cleansing Fire

Callahn couldn’t quite keep the look of stern disapproval off his face, even when he was this close to the governor.

A grotesquely fat man, Governor Treilim could never control his appetites. He waved a half-eaten drumstick and chewed thoughtfully.

“Terrible thing of course, terrible thing. Arfor was a pillar of the community you know,” he said between mouthfuls of potatoes, “Mixed with the wrong sort though and look what it brought her. You say they’ve got the one that did it?”

“They’ve caught someone, your honour. Whether he’s the one that did it remains to be seen. I’m afraid he’s been rather badly beaten. The men who found him were a little over zealous in their apprehending him. Once he’s recovered enough, we’ll see him stand trial.”

Treilim put the latest morsel down and frowned at this plate.

“The people are angry Callahn. Very angry. This isn’t the first incident like this we’ve seen. Till now we’ve never managed to catch anyone near the scene. There’s a feeling that we’re not doing enough to protect the people. I’m convinced this man… Aah, Marius, is the culprit behind this fire. I’m sure you’ll come to the same conclusion if you give it some thought. Who knows, perhaps we’ll discover he’s been behind all the fires.”

Carefully smoothing his face, Callahn opened his mouth to speak but the words died in his throat. Surely the governor couldn’t be suggesting what he seemed to be. This Marius might well be innocent; there was simply no way of knowing without a proper investigation. Even if he was guilty of the latest atrocity, it seemed unlikely that he’d travelled all over the area setting fire to houses and trapping the people inside. What would be the motivation?

“Sir, you can’t be suggesting…”

Treilim looked up, opening his close-set eyes wide in a look of purest innocence.

“I suggest nothing Callahn,” he said, picking up his fork and using it to gesture, “It’s merely a thought that had occurred to me, that’s all.”

“I won’t be party to sending a potentially innocent man to his death just to placate a people grown hungry for blood!”

So much for keeping his anger in check today. Elise would be upset with him; she hated it when he came home angry. She understood that it was part of the job but it didn’t set a good example for Jacob. He was only nine and apparently the things his father did were very important to him just now.

“Of course not, that would be atrocious. But I think if you really consider it, the man is more than likely guilty. By the way, please send my congratulations to your lovely wife. This food is truly exquisite.”

He set his fork down on the now empty plate and met Callahn’s eyes.

“All I’m asking you to do is consider carefully. Imagine how terrible it would be if you decided this man were innocent and he escaped justice to kill again. What if this time it was your wife and child; Jacob was it? Yes, Jacob. Imagine if they were caught in the fire this time. So very sad for a man to lose his family like that, simply because a guilty man walked free.”

It took every ounce of his willpower to keep his hand off the sword hilt at his side and at that moment, he didn’t much care what his face looked like. He loved Elise and Jacob more than life itself. If anything were to happen to them, he’d lose his mind.

“I warn you, Governor, if you threaten my family again, we are going to have a problem.”

The Governor sat back, his eyes wide with feigned shock. He spread his hands in supplication, looking more than a little hurt.

“Oh my no! No, please Callahn, you have the wrong idea. I was merely thinking what a tragedy it would be if, in failing to do your duty, something were to happen to your family. I’m certain though that you will do as you are duty bound so the point is moot in any case.”

Callahn flexed his fingers, realising they were tight on the hilt of his sword.

“Marius will hang for his crimes, your honour.”

There didn’t seem much else to say.