Best Served Cold

Laughter filled the grand dining hall as everyone settled into their respective chairs and all eyes were on the bright-eyed couple that sat next to each other further down the long table that could’ve seated over a dozen family members. Mara beamed while holding Xander’s hand, despite the slight frown on her father Loric’s face. A set of servants shuffled around, expertly arranging the feast that had been so anticipated for weeks now.

“Oh stop glaring at them,” Elsa, Mara’s mother, said to Loric. “They’re married now and he is a member of our family!”

Loric huffed before looking down at the plate in front of him, fidgeting with his spoon and fork. His older brother Roden gave him a nudge and a nod. “If all else fails brother we can always just get rid of him right, like the good old days?”

Xander stared in confusion before Roden burst out laughing. “Ha you should’ve seen your face lad, acting like we’re some family of killers.”

Roden’s wife Isolde shifted uncomfortably next to him, chastising him quietly. “Sorry about that Xander, my husband has had a bit too much to drink already it seems.”

Xander just smiled and nodded. “I’m hoping to catch up to him soon,” he replied calmly and lifted his glass, taking a big gulp. Everyone cheered, it would’ve been a much more difficult time if he wasn’t a good sport about such moments with Mara’s family.

The servants were finally finished arranging every dish along with all the drinks and candles and other decorations before they stepped away and the head butler Marston cleared his throat. Xander watched him closely, noticing the older man’s calm and calculated demeanor. There was something formidable about Marston, and while he had been with the Tyrell family as a servant for most of his life there were rumors that he was far more than just a butler. He looked at the table with annoyance as most of them were still too busy talking to each other.

“SILENCE,” his voice boomed across the table, hushing even the talkative aunt Clara who just didn’t seem to stop talking to her husband about their new farm.

“The Tyrell Feast is a very rare occasion as you all know,” Marston started. “We have a newcomer so I’ll shed some more light on this matter for the sake of Xander.”

Xander watched with rapt attention, he’d only ever heard rumors about this feast and how rarely all members of this family gathered.

“Lord Alric, who is still healthy, prefers to keep social engagements to a minimum,” Marston continued. “There are only a few occasions he deigns necessary enough to warrant his attendance; this isn’t surprising considering how formidable he has raised his children to be in managing family matters and business.”

“Roden,” he says looking directly at the drunk man. “You were tasked with managing the family's factories to the north and you’ve made your father proud.”

Isolde gives her husband a pat on the back, however Roden appears discontent. “Well considering how we didn’t leave the Thorne’s much choice years ago…”

Marston glares at him which cuts Roden off. Alric’s eldest son plasters a wide smile on his face and raises his glass in a toast, seemingly returned to his gregarious nature. Isolde nervously sips away at her own glass, unable to look up from it.

“Loric,” Marston calls out. “You’re the second eldest and manage the fields to the east, there were some hiccups in the past few months but overall Lord Alric is satisfied with your work.”

Loric mutters under his breath. “Yeah preparing for a wedding would cause me to have less time for work-”

Elsa taps his hand gently and he lifts his glass in a toast as well before going back to fidgeting with cutlery.

“Taren,” Marston says, addressing the man in the quieter couple seated not too far from Xander. “You’re third and have been doing remarkable work in managing the family image, keep it up.”

Taren raised his glass and continues staring forward, at seemingly nothing.

“And finally Clara,” Marston said, a note of disapproval creeping into his voice. “You’ve done well in managing the family finances but don’t think your liberal use of some funds has gone noticed, something about a farm?”

Clara stared with her mouth shut and nodded. “Sorry sir, we thought it was a good opportunity for us.”

Marston stared for a few moments before nodding. “Yes it could be, but don’t pull any sneaky moves like this again without consulting me.”

Clara raised her glass in agreement. A feeling of relief descended on the room, Xander could feel it. As if they’d all been on a trial of some sort and had just been let go.

“Now welcoming the patriarch of the Tyrell family,” Marston announced, he stepped aside as the door near the back of the room opened.

Lord Alric stepped into the room with a spring in his step, his eyes passing over everyone keenly. He made his way around the table greeting each member before finally reaching Xander.

“It is a pleasure to meet you young man,” Alric said, shaking Xander’s hand. “Out of all my grandchildren only Mara is old enough to be married off, shame the rest of you good for nothing brats had your kids later and they’re still so young!”

He laughed out loud, his mouth seemingly always twitching on some joke or holding something back. Everyone present was instantly pulled in by his magnetic personality and it wasn’t too long before the laughter that previously filled the hall to resume. Alric seemed to love laughing and he did it with abandon, he was always audible over the din.

“Well Lord I have to go pick up some supplies in town but I will be back soon,” Marston said before exiting. “Enjoy your dinner everyone.”

***

After two hours of dining and introducing himself to his new family, Xander was exhausted but he knew the night was far from over. Everyone was friendly enough and treated him well although he noticed the tension between his father-in-law and Roden. It seems Loric didn’t like the jokes Roden made in passing about the inheritance and while Alric laughed it off, there was something deeper there. The feast was going well and there were no issues until a brief moment of silence was broken by a loud scream.

All the men, save for old Alric, rushed down immediately to investigate. The shriek had sounded from the stables which were near the grand estate, the cold night air biting into their faces as they rounded the corner and discovered the servant woman looking on in shock at the collapsed horse in front of her.

“What’s the matter Tilda?” Roden asked, but they had their answer as they looked over the other side of the horse.

Butler Marston lay with his neck twisted at an unnatural angle on the other side, his eyes still wide open in shock. The horse appeared to have collapsed with him but thankfully it had avoided crushing the man, not that it made a difference. Loric knelt to check for the man’s pulse and shook his head.

“How could this have happened?” Loric demanded, he checked the ground nearby but found nothing.

Taren stepped forward quietly and looked at the saddle closely. “It seems like it’s been tampered with,” he whispered. “But Marston doesn’t allow anyone near his horse and prefers doing this himself.”

Tilda nodded. “Yes that’s true and just this morning he went for a ride it was fine!”

They ushered her back inside while pondering who would want to murder the butler of their family. As they reached the dining hall Alric looked up and for once the man was not in a laughing mood.

“Well out with it, what happened?” he asked immediately.

All the men stayed quiet, Roden being the eldest stepped up and decided to answer. “Father… Marston is dead,” he said softly. They sat down at the table at their assigned chairs.

“What? But how? How could he just have…” Alric fumbled for words, reaching for his glass which was empty. “Where are the damn servants?!”

“We sent most home and now Tilda as well after what she had to see,” Loric explained, sitting aghast before sharing what they’d discovered.

Xander got up and searched for the wine bottles before bringing the stronger one over and making sure to top up everyone’s glass, they’d need it tonight.

“Thank you dear boy,” Alric said absentmindedly. “We must get to the bottom of this…”

The women sat in silence and kept sipping while Roden spouted random enemies and theories that didn’t make any sense. Taren got up to step outside.

“Where are you going?” Roden demanded. “It’s freezing out there and some maniac is on the loose!”

“I just want to look at the scene one more time and I need a walk,” Taren said. “Plus thanks to this new coat Xander gave as a gift I think I can handle a bit of cold.”

He nodded at Xander before stepping outside. None of them realized it’d be the last time they see him alive.

Time ticked by quietly until Roden had waited enough and decided to check on Taren, it felt like he was gone for a moment before running back into the hall red faced breathing hard. “Taren has been killed by the feral dogs!”

Once again all the men save Alric ventured out into danger and found Taren’s corpse mauled not too far from Marston’s body. This time they decided to move the bodies to a room in the estate, unable to stop Taren’s widow from rushing to the body and shutting herself in the room screaming in grief.

Lord Alric had decided to walk out of the dining hall and his face was pale with fright. “Why is this happening to us? Why tonight?”

“Maybe it’s some kind of punishment…” Roden said quietly.

“Don’t start with that boy,” Alric snapped. “There has to be an explanation for all this, we must have some new enemy.”

Loric had been watching Roden closely this whole time and he decided to grab his older brother by the collar and pulled him to the side. “This is all your doing right? Remove anyone who might get in the way of your inheritance?”

Roden looked shocked but instead of explaining himself he started to get angry and shoved Loric aside. “So little brother you finally say what’s on your mind, maybe you’re the one after the inheritance!”

Loric reached for two dueling blades hanging on the wall and tossed one to Roden. “Let’s settle this, there’s no use talking to someone like you.”

“Stop this insanity at once!” Alric bellowed, but it didn’t matter as both brothers took their stances across from each other in the wide circle.

The duel didn’t last very long, it was clear Loric was the better duelist and he was ready to let Roden go but at the last moment Roden forced him to react such that he had no choice but to drive his blade through his older brother’s chest.

“It… wasn’t me…” Roden croaked on the sword before closing his eyes forever.

Loric collapsed having taken a dangerous wound to the chest himself. Alric stepped forward in shock, tears in his eyes as he stared from his dead son to his fatally wounded one.

“I can try to help I have medical training,” Xander said quickly, helping Loric up and taking him to the other room. “Give me some time Lord Alric.”

Alric nodded. “Where are the women in all this commotion?”

He wandered back to the dining hall to see Mara rush towards him with tears streaming down from her face.

“What’s wrong child?” Alric asked. He looked past her to the dining table and saw the remaining members of their family slumped forward onto the table.

“They’re all dead!” Mara cried. “I don’t know how I’m still alive.”

Alric walked to each person checking their vitals as best as he could and his tears continued to flow.

“How could this have happened?” he shook his head crying as he sat at the head seat of his table where not so long ago he was laughing hale and hearty with his loved ones. “Is God punishing me?”

The door to the dining hall opened and Xander walked through wiping his hands. Mara rushed to him and he held her while she cried but he appeared to be detached from it all. Not just detached, he seemed to be shaking with rage. She withdrew from him in confusion, but the only one he looked at was Alric.

“Not God you old fool,” Xander said walking over to the old man and standing over him beside his chair. “Just the boy you thought was too insignificant to kill all those years ago.”

Alric stared at him and looked closely for the first time. “No, you can’t be the Thorne boy…”

“You killed my parents to make way for your own plans,” Xander said, pressing a blade to Alric’s neck. “Did you really think you were safe? Do you know how long I’ve been planing this?”

Mara collapsed onto her chair. “How could you do this Xander?”

Xander looked at her with pity. “My real name is Daren, and I’ll let you live but not this man’s immediate family.”

“But how…” Alric croaked as the blade kept him from moving at all.

“I cut Marston’s saddle after getting here in the evening,” Daren explained. “As for Taren, the coat I gave him had Howler’s Dust sprinkled on it and it attracted those beasts when he went for his walk.”

Daren pressed the knife further. “The wine I handed out I made sure to poison for everyone except Mara, and Roden and Loric taking each other out was just perfect for me.”

“You thought I was helping Loric?” Daren laughed. “I finished him off in that room with that wound he’d sustained, he never liked me anyway.”

Alric closed his eyes in prayer. “Son you’ve deprived my grandchildren of my parents and deprived me of my children, isn’t this enough?”

“Is it?” Daren countered. “I decide what’s enough, remind me what you said to me after killing my parents…”

Alric shook his head but then felt the blade nick his throat slightly. “I said you don’t need them,” Alric opened his eyes.

“Yeah I thought the same about your grandchildren, who I would have spared even if they were here,” Daren replied. “Guess they’re lucky to not see this scene, save for Mara.”

Alric started begging for mercy but Daren didn’t budge.

“What happened to all that laughter old man?” Daren said, nicking him again. “Laugh for me now and I might let you live!”

Alric was in tears and he opened his mouth to laugh but no sound came out. The only sound that filled the silence was that of him choking on his own blood as Daren plunged his blade in the man and avenged his family…