Albrecht, Chapter 3

“Come out, my lord, come out!” *Albrecht shouted over the ditch toward the castle’s gate.* “I’ve got something to show you!” 
there was a brief shuffling noise on the battlements, before a grey-haired head appeared above the walls. “I’ve told you before, Albrecht, I’m not surrendering!” The old lord said. 
“There you are, Konrad, you old cunt! I’ve found something you might want to see! Something of great value to you.” one of the men behind him thrust a young boy forward. Albrecht caught him gently, and turned him to face the lord. 
“Father!” the boy said
Konrad’s eyes widened “Ales! Are you hurt?! Are you alright?! What happened?!” 
the boy began to speak, but Albrecht cut him off 
“He’s alright, at least for now. Found him on the road yesterday! No harm’s come to him yet, but that could change quite quickly!” Albrecht said, drawing his knife and pressing it against Ales’s throat 
“Ales!” the lord called desperately 
“Now-“ Albrecht stated calmly “-Should you want him to remain alive, you will throw open this gate, and surrender your castle to me!” 
Ales looked down at the dagger, slowly pressing into his neck. The steel was cold, piercingly so 
“Please, Father, please!” he pleaded 
“Hear the cries of your offspring, Konrad! He doesn’t want to die! And with the mere opening of a door, you can prevent that! It would be a shame to have such a handsome young man, die because his father didn’t care about him!-“ 
Albrecht turned to the boy, and whispered in his ear “-Hear that, little one? Your lordly father doesn’t care enough about you to open a door. Your father doesn’t love you.” Albrecht thought for a moment, before turning back to the castle 
“Perhaps I’ll give you some encouragement!”
He took the knife, and began to run it along the boy’s neck. 
“Ah! Father! Please help!” Ales cried out, in both pain and terror 
“ENOUGH!” the lord shouted over the commotion. 
“Have you made up your mind?” Albrecht asked mockingly 
“I will surrender to you! Just don’t harm him!”
Albrecht chuckled “I figured that would get you to change your mind pretty quickly. Get yourself, and all your men out of that castle, and I’ll give you your prize! Come out with no weapons, of course!” 
The castle’s defender’s were assembled on the hillside before the drawbridge of the castle. Some of Albrecht’s men had already entered the keep, and were throwing down Konrad’s banners. 
Albrecht stood silent, his knife still at Ales’s neck, before speaking. 
“Well, Konrad, you’ve held your end of the bargain, time to keep mine." *He lowered his dagger, and thrust the boy forward* 
Ales stumbled, before running into the old lord’s arms, crying silently, with a drop of blood on his neck where he had been cut. Konrad cooed at him for a moment assuring him everything would be alright, before standing back up and regarding Albrecht. 
“Well, will you kill us all, now?” 
Albrecht smiled “While I would certainly love to, milord, instead, for accepting my offer of surrender, you are going to be given safe conduct to the Ritterhrad in your fief. However, should you ever have thoughts of rebelling-“ Albrecht paused for dramatic effect, before pointing his knife at the boy, still huddled against his father’s leg “-The same mercy won’t be afforded.” 
Konrad nodded, before looking forlornly at Hrad Stur. 
“Well, run along now, don’t make me change my mind!” Albrecht taunted, before turning around and gazing at his new prize, the sound of the dozen or so men tramping off behind him
Albrecht smiled at the new castle. Each day, his power over Karred grew. More lords were coming to his banner, be it out of fear, respect, or both. Soon he would be unchallenged in the region. Yet not soon enough.