During their rather casual exploration of the terrain, the group appeared insignificant at first, near a small grove.
His eyes narrowed, and now he could also make out the clothing of the women.
Quite careless considering that the Amazons are supposed to be clever.
The commander at his side followed the judge's gaze. In his eyes gleamed the determination to present the women as a gift to the King of Saron.
Judge Beldor instructed his coachman to stop briefly, just as the wheels hit another pothole. His command to the commander at his side was even sharper.
He shouldn't act hastily, especially since most of the women, unlike the two Amazons in their attire, probably never held a sword in their hands. They were simple farmers who sought refuge with the Amazons and were now fleeing. Nette must have foreseen it, otherwise they wouldn't have gotten this far on foot yet. Only a few horses stood with them, more like pack animals.
One of the Amazons, a redhead, put on a faint smile. She didn't look into the distance for possible dangers like her taller companion, who was also distracted by this spot at a short distance and had not noticed any of their observers. But she seemed more vigilant.
The judge was about to signal to continue driving when he realized what was the reason for their attention.
His lips also curled into a smile.
The head of a child disappeared in the tall grass.
No, there were two children.
One of the girls was barely recognizable. She was quite young with golden hair. Her friend could only be slightly older, not much older than his own son. Her arms wrapped comforting around her friend.
Why, the judge couldn't say. Had she experienced something during the journey or was it sorrow? She resembled none of the women, so it was conceivable that she lost her parents in the war.
Judge Beldor might have had a tough reputation, but taking the only support from these children, a caring hand, whether related or not, was too harsh even for him.
His hand rose to signal the continuation of the journey, but abruptly stopped in its movement.
"This girl," he spoke with doubt. "Doesn't she remind you of one of our friends' children at that age?"
Miri only cast a fleeting glance at both children playing in the distance, then she wrinkled her sharp nose in a way that he still found charming despite her almost 50 years.
"It's just dirty peasant brats," came her direct and condescending reply.
Judge Beldor laughed.
Not because her words amused him, but because of his wife's behavior.
All the while, she tried to hide her slowly graying hair under the wonderfully light brown shade he used to love to nestle his head against.
He saw much of his wife in their middle son. The equally wild tone of the hair, the green eyes. Yet Ero became their favorite.
The children were also intrigued.
"Father, the women are Amazons, aren't they?" exclaimed Per surprised. "They must have escaped Nerres' attack."
Immediately his younger brother crawled onto his lap, leaning his head so far over the carriage that there was a danger of him falling out. The child's eyes widened in amazement.
"Amazons?" he exclaimed. "What happens to them now? Are we taking them with us?"
"With you, I really have two clever boys," praised the father both children, although it was mainly Per's eyes that drew the right conclusions with sharpness.
Then he turned to the first row of his entourage.
"Bring me the child! But disarm the women at most. Nothing should happen to them!"
The men exchanged hesitant looks for a moment, then obediently followed his order.
As expected, the Amazons, despite their recklessness, were always vigilant. Especially when it came to the children, to whom four armed men were now approaching.
Both women positioned themselves in front of them with drawn swords and the fighting spirit of all their warriors. The children rushed into the protective arms of one of the older women.
No matter how bravely both women fought, they couldn't match the young soldiers. They quickly had both under control. Only one went for the child.
He hadn't counted on the stubborn old woman, who in her younger days had been one of the strongest Amazons herself.
With her still quite agile hands for her age, she drew a small dagger. The tip brushed against his hand as he tried to reach for the child.
She was no real opponent either, so the soldier wrested the child from her firm grip.
The little one screamed and wriggled in his arms so much that Judge Beldor felt pity for the child.
Before the soldier reached the carriage, the judge jumped out and hurried towards him. The child landed like a worthless doll at the man's feet.
"Keep your dirty paws off her!" shouted the tall Amazon at them, her lackluster brown hair tied into a thick braid. Her brown eyes, closing under a firm blow, then looked at him filled with hatred.
It had to come to this. This might be a rather rarely traveled path, but the women presented an unmistakable target in their uniform. If they didn't act swiftly and set aside their pride regarding their origin, they would sooner join their sisters than he would reach Telja Castle.
His hand rose far up for a clear reprimand to the men. After all, he had ordered them not to harm the women. This included possible blows.
Then he turned to the soldier in front of him.
"Hasn't anyone taught you manners?" he exclaimed.
Before the girl could wipe away her tears or flee, he crouched down to her. His hand, large for her, reached out to her, forcing the child to look at him.
"What is your name?" he demanded of the girl.
She didn't answer, just shed a few silent tears.
"Tell me your name!" His words were more emphatic, urgent this time.
The girl's teeth clamped down on her lower lip. She wanted to, but couldn't answer him. The Amazons must have ordered her not to.
"This filthy thing will just remain mute or too dumb to answer," came from his wife Miri, who devoted a slight spark of her attention to this scene.
It was different with the sons.
Per and Ero leaned over the side of the carriage to get a good look at the little girl. The older boy offered support to the younger one so he wouldn't lose his balance.
They wouldn't even listen to their mother's reprimand.
The judge realized it was futile with the child. If he couldn't find a switch in her to willingly unlock her lips, she would continue to remain silent. Just as the Amazons ordered her.
The fear that gripped the little girl's throat was too great.
His hand gently caressed her blonde head. Then he instructed the men to bring him both women.
Stubbornly, the Amazons set themselves in motion.
He knew the name of one of them.
Melasa, the daughter of the former leader Alesa. An old woman who was no longer a threat and who now pressed her only grandchild anxiously against her chest.
"Tell me the name of the girl!" he demanded of the Amazons. He let go of the child, who now fled behind the tall woman.
She would have liked to bend down to her, but a sword held by one of the soldiers prevented her.
For a moment, the two women consulted each other. They saw themselves as one big family, which is why the term sister or brother was often used in their village.
Their thinking was just as closely connected, understanding without words what was going on in the other's mind.
"Why does the executioner want to know?" The redhead spat in front of him.
Executioner of Ylora, a harsh term for the judge, whose authority mainly stemmed from fear of his judgment.
"I'm curious," he replied honestly and softer than in his demand.
"Cut the brat's and the geese's throats already and let us continue," Miri urged in a not too charming manner. A behavior that reinforced the two women's assumption that they were nothing more than animals or trash to the nobles.
"Silence!" he reprimanded his wife. She clearly pouted her lips and wouldn't even deign to look at him now.
"We'll lose our heads with our comrades!" exclaimed the redhead. "Why should we tell you her name? She's just the daughter of one of our comrades. And we surrender with pride to our fate. Don't think you can make us crawl in the dust before you."
Many others would choose a path that burned in the soldiers instead of waiting here for an answer. Judge Beldor, however, wanted to try it the good way. Without harming the women.
That's why he had chosen his path to the judge's block.
To spare his convicts the joy of some people's torment.
"An answer could save all your lives," he said. "If I wanted to take you to the judge's block, you would all be in custody by now."
Again, the two women exchanged a silent glance. And again it was Melasa who spoke.
"Should we trust the executioner to let us go?" she mocked. Her look expressed such disgust that she would have liked to seize one of the swords to judge him with it.
Her comrade didn't trust him either, but remained calmer.
"Tell me, why is it so important for you to know her name?" the brunette Amazon inquired.