Jigano trembled with relief as the fiery body of the firebird was removed from his side, even though the pain of the burn remained in smoking fur and seared flesh beneath. He would have been more worried about what that might mean about this being 'just' a story and whether they really could leave, but Samuel had found his voice, and something resembling confidence - in spite of how that voice shook.
The firebird cowered on the floor within her net, crying softly and shedding sparks all around. All attention was on Samuel, however, and the Vizier's eyes widened even as the King's narrowed. For a moment the bird's cries were the only sound in the echoing throne room, but then the King started to laugh. It wasn't a nice sound, but soon the gathered courtiers had joined in, even if uncertainly. The Vizier was chuckling as well as he nodded at the King, who reached into a pocket and pulled out the glowing, gleaming feather.
"You could have plucked one for yourself at any time," the Vizier smirked, crossing the distance to Samuel with gliding steps and blithely ignoring his plea. "But the king is generous to his loyal subjects so... here. The feather, in exchange for the firebird herself!" He handed the feather triumphantly to Sam and reached down to collect the weighted ends of the net, still cool to the touch. As he hefted his captive he looked past the woodsman and his horse, and gave a nod to someone behind them.
Jigano twisted his head back as the Vizier walked towards the throne, the firebird's sobbing growing silent as she froze in terror. The door to the throne room was just closing on someone's heels--
--and a moment later a guard burst into the room, red-faced and out of breath. "The gold!" he cried, clearly shaken. "All the the gold in the treasury that you let the huntsman borrow - it's all gone!"
A cry rose up from the gathered nobles and the King's gleeful expression turned thunderous. He took his eyes from the firebird and pointed a thick, be-ringed finger at Samuel. "Guards, seize him!"
"We have been betrayed," the Vizier chimed in immediately, looking over his shoulder with a glint of victory in his eyes as large men in armor with long pikes and swords moved quickly to surround Sam and Jigano. "He thought to use the distraction of the firebird to rob us blind and escape! Death is too good for him!"
Jigano tried to rear and lash out, but his burned flank buckled and he stumbled instead. As his head came down first one rope, then a second, was tossed around his neck and he was held fast by three strong men on each side. Though the courtiers looked at each other in shock and horror, none knew enough of what was now happening to protest. "Death is all we have," the King declared grimly, though there was a wicked glint in his own small brown eyes. "But it shall at least be painful! Guards, bring the cauldron!"
The firebird cowered on the floor within her net, crying softly and shedding sparks all around. All attention was on Samuel, however, and the Vizier's eyes widened even as the King's narrowed. For a moment the bird's cries were the only sound in the echoing throne room, but then the King started to laugh. It wasn't a nice sound, but soon the gathered courtiers had joined in, even if uncertainly. The Vizier was chuckling as well as he nodded at the King, who reached into a pocket and pulled out the glowing, gleaming feather.
"You could have plucked one for yourself at any time," the Vizier smirked, crossing the distance to Samuel with gliding steps and blithely ignoring his plea. "But the king is generous to his loyal subjects so... here. The feather, in exchange for the firebird herself!" He handed the feather triumphantly to Sam and reached down to collect the weighted ends of the net, still cool to the touch. As he hefted his captive he looked past the woodsman and his horse, and gave a nod to someone behind them.
Jigano twisted his head back as the Vizier walked towards the throne, the firebird's sobbing growing silent as she froze in terror. The door to the throne room was just closing on someone's heels--
--and a moment later a guard burst into the room, red-faced and out of breath. "The gold!" he cried, clearly shaken. "All the the gold in the treasury that you let the huntsman borrow - it's all gone!"
A cry rose up from the gathered nobles and the King's gleeful expression turned thunderous. He took his eyes from the firebird and pointed a thick, be-ringed finger at Samuel. "Guards, seize him!"
"We have been betrayed," the Vizier chimed in immediately, looking over his shoulder with a glint of victory in his eyes as large men in armor with long pikes and swords moved quickly to surround Sam and Jigano. "He thought to use the distraction of the firebird to rob us blind and escape! Death is too good for him!"
Jigano tried to rear and lash out, but his burned flank buckled and he stumbled instead. As his head came down first one rope, then a second, was tossed around his neck and he was held fast by three strong men on each side. Though the courtiers looked at each other in shock and horror, none knew enough of what was now happening to protest. "Death is all we have," the King declared grimly, though there was a wicked glint in his own small brown eyes. "But it shall at least be painful! Guards, bring the cauldron!"
