He had to intervene with these words.
"Nice family lost their two children because of this decision!" he said sternly. "Nette came to you, and what became of Nerre, your comrades found out. Even if Nala gets to know her family. Grief brought her grandfather to the grave; her grandmother would never repeat that mistake!
"He can talk all he wants, I don't believe him!" growled Melasa, like an aggressive wolf, ready to pounce at any moment.
If something didn't happen soon, she would probably seize the weapon of one of the confused soldiers around her.
"I don't know if such a person can be trusted either," the brunette agreed with her friend. "But his words are true. He is a respected nobleman, and from what I hear, he is said to be a friend to King Selon. With that power, no one will harm them there. It would be the best for her!"
Melasa gave her friend a warning glance, then to the judge in front of her.
"We entrust Nala to your care," she surrendered to the urging of her comrade. "If anything happens to her, I will personally ensure that the judge loses his head!"
A growl, lost in the wind. Even the commander at his side was becoming impatient. It wouldn't take much for him to ask to arrest both women and the group.
There was still a wild desire glimmering in his gaze, to present these Amazonians to King Teron as a gift.
He didn't want to risk that. Just as the Amazonians couldn't dare to aim a weapon at him. Not now and certainly not in the future. The judge was always well guarded.
"Nala will be well taken care of with me!" he promised, hoping to appease both.
"We entrust Nala to your care, Judge." A smile spread across the brunette's lips, one he gladly returned. He had long been prepared for this demand. "I promised Nette to take care of her daughter. I have no intention of breaking my promise. Where Nala goes, I will accompany her."
"Good," he agreed. "As long as you don't raise the weapon against me, there will be no problems."
"Believe me." The Amazonian twisted her lips into a grimace. Even her bright teeth were bared. "It would be my pleasure to give you back what you have done to so many. For Nala's sake, I limit my task to being a good protector for her."
"Idiot!" the redhead judged. "You're insane!"
The judge was getting fed up with this.
"You're the fool, girl!" he called out with the stern tone of his office. "I could just as easily ask my escort to take over the negotiations. Many of them are eager to avenge their relatives and friends who fell in the war with the Amazons. I don't think most of them even know why I'm not having you killed on the spot."
"Melasa, you bring the others to safety, I'll take care of Nala." Once again, the young woman reached for her comrade's shoulder and once again she was rebuffed.
"Don't act so familiar!" she hissed. "If you do, you can't call yourself an Amazon anymore! I can already see that you're leading us to ruin, and with the innocent Nala."
"Please give them back their weapons." The brunette's voice betrayed nothing of the anguish of losing her friend. But her eyes did.
She had lost a lot in the past few days. Her friends, maybe even relatives, and now there was no turning back. Going with him meant being outcast.
The judge tapped one of the young soldiers on the armored shoulder.
Obediently, he looked at him, his gaze flickering with a fire of pure anger.
"Melasa," he addressed the Amazonian once again. "Especially you should take a detour to the east. There is a village there, which, as far as my information does not deceive me, which they usually don't, is led by your allies. You should dress there. It would be a shame if I had to encounter you again on my return home. Then I cannot show mercy."
Melasa was already looking for a way out of the soldiers when he stopped her. The judge's hand lay heavily on the shoulder of the young soldier.
"Be obedient and give your sword to my new companion, she will also take your horse," he called out sternly.
The soldier's eyes widened. It was not a look of confusion, as everyone had expected, but sheer fear, which soon turned into hatred.
"Tell your comrades to drop their swords," the judge continued unabashedly, ignoring the trembling hand of the boy before him.
It would have taken just one reaction, and the blade would have been plunged into his thick belly.
"How many are there? Five ... or six?"
Six soldiers sprang from the nearby army. Before another could even react, they were already gathered around Judge Beldor. Swords ready for battle, each hoping for a single chance to kill the judge.
But he remained as cool as ice, which would cover the world in a few weeks.
"I'm feeling generous today," the judge said confidently. "You may go. My only condition is to safely bring these women to your leader. I am sure he will be delighted to meet the former Amazon leader Alesa. With her travel her daughter Melasa, as well as her granddaughter, if I'm correct."
The Amazon snorted in response.
It was clear she wanted to curse him, but she held back.
"Where from?" the boy in front of him wanted to know, whose sword blade now sank to the ground. "How do you know we belong to Morlo?"
"I have my reliable sources," the judge said with a confident grin on his face.
Against their own will and on the instruction of the young soldier, the men lowered their weapons.
It took a sign from their leader, and they were off. Accompanied by the young Amazon Melasa. She cast a final glance at her comrade, which once again clearly conveyed the mistake she was making.
Nala reached out her short arms to the woman who no longer belonged to her family.
The girl didn't understand why she should be separated from them and the slightly older friend. Moreover, she was handed over to the older boy in the carriage.
"Before I put myself into the hands of strangers, I will investigate thoroughly," he growled deeply at the men. "I know the darkest secrets of each of you, and many of you could await prison should it ever come out. So forget what happened here, just as I will not bring my knowledge to light."
His men emerged from the crowd, surrounding the carriage closely. If anyone did anything wrong, they would have to get through them first.
After this speech, he sat back in the carriage.
Miri didn't seem reassured, rather the opposite. Not only was her husband taking an Amazon with him, he was also inciting the soldiers against himself. Men who were supposed to protect them all.
The boys, however, remained unruffled. Ero slid over to the little girl who had experienced so much in the past few days. First the loss of her mother, now she was being torn away from her friends.
Only the brunette Amazon was still with her, sitting high on the horse.
Her hand soothingly patted the child's head. Shortly after, the carriage set off again.
"What's your name?" Judge Beldor inquired.
"Marli," the Amazon replied.
He reached into a compartment in the carriage, where an old coat lay. Nothing he would offer to a guest. But it would suffice until they reached the next town to conceal the Amazon's armor for now.