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Post by Sovereign on Sept 11, 2012 13:19:28 GMT -5
The Crow King Recorded here is the account of the Crow King rise to power, and ultimately the rebels who arose to fight him.
In the 30th year of His Royal Majesty Minkah the Just:
Malphas Azezel was a minor noble, with some skill in the sword, who was as close to the crown as rain is close to a drought. He was an evil and manipulative human being, though I stretch my imagination to call him that, from his teenage years but I honestly doubt that anyone could have predicted the countless atrocities that he would commit in his quest for power, that quest would lead him to wage a war against our beloved kingdom Aquitas, and would ultimately lead him to stand over the dead bodies of His Royal Majesty Minkah the Just, and the royal family.
But alas I have gotten ahead of myself, how could Malphas rise in power without followers and how could he wage war if he didn’t have means, and how could he get into the position to kill the whole royal family.
I could record all of Malphas’ life from birth but to save time, ink, and parchment I will begin with what I believe was the beginnings of his scheme to become who history now knows as the Crow King:
It was at the 20th Birthday of Rivaiz the youngest son to His royal Majesty Minkah, a joyous occasion by any means, but that celebration sealed the fate of the Yalown Royal Blood line.
As is the practice at such gatherings there was a tournament held in the Prince Rivaiz honor, where each and every noble was able to submit his own champion, the winner becoming the second to the Prince and his noble would be given a higher position than he already held. (His Royal Majesty was surely a doting father, but it would be his undoing) Champions were chosen from the cream of the crop, top of the line military, mercenaries from deep within the mountains, to drunken brutes found in a Tavern. All the champions gathered that day in the prep room. Some dressed in gifts from their noble sponsors, others dressed in simple farmers’ garb. But no one was as well armed as the champion of house Azezel. He wore a black leather out fit with a breast plate and greaves. And his long black hair made him look like a crow is what many of those men say, how appropriate.
To say Malphas played fair in this tournament would be a horrendous lie and insult to those who fought to dethrone him. He had small stones hidden in his gloves, a secret poison coated his sword that would knock a person out if it just came in touch with their skin, and many other secrets that we don’t know of. But when you have money as he did, the gamemasters can be bought. And buy them he did.
Now did he win every one of his fight by cheating in the ring? No. Some he bribed, many mercenaries didn’t show up for their fight and many farmers showed up too drunk to lift a penny. We would find out later that he had made a deal with the mercenaries to stay loyal to him when the War of the Family began. The farmers, he just bought them a lot of alcohol.
It is quite obvious that Malphas won.
Malphas was a noble and a champion so he was given a choice the elevation of seat or become the champion. I shouldn’t have to tell you that it came to many a shock when instead of advancing his own status he chose to become the Champion of the Prince Rivaiz.
Many praised Malphas for his astounding humility and to the people who knew him most he was praised for finally thinking of someone other than himself. No one, not even the king’s impressive spy network every suspected anything. How I wish they had…..
They say Yazat the enemy of our God, Elhanan, seems to be a beautiful bright light at times. Malphas made us believe that this is possible. The outside actions only follow what the heart wants.
Malphas and Rivaiz quickly bonded as friends. Malphas being just 25 years old to Rivaiz 20 years, Rivaiz quickly began to see Malphas as a role model. He believed every lie that monster ever told him. Soon the innocent and quick witted Rivaiz became dark and secluded from all but Malphas. I can’t tell you what Malphas said or how he poisoned his heart so much, for no one was ever allowed to be near them.
We do know one lie Rivaiz was told, that his father didn’t love him or care. And that such an uncaring man, who only cared for his eldest, should not be allowed to stay on the throne. How this lie was told, I have no clue but….
Less than a year after Rivaiz’ 20th birthday Malphas had completely turned him against his family. And those mercenaries, they became their army and many of the criminals of Aquitas joined them in hope of a new, much darker kingdom to emerge when they won.
The war raged for six long, bloody years, during that time Rivaiz made Malphas his heir, officially signed with his own blood.
Near the end of the conflict Malphas advised Rivaiz to call for a summit with his family, expressing forgiveness and repent for his sins. It was a ploy, get in close and wipe out his family, become a king, and bring an end to this senseless conflict and the selfish family that Rivaiz once called his.
But Malphas had darker intentions from the beginning. He had his mercenaries, now known as the Crows, assassinate any of Rivaiz’ nieces or nephews. He didn’t care whether they were grown or a babe. They were all slaughtered, not all quickly…the Crows were never known for mercy or their restraint……
We know now that Malphas and a select few of his Crows killed every single one of the Royals during that Summit. The story he told of how Rivaiz commanded his men to kill the family was all a lie. He was not a bystander. And by all Royals, I mean even Rivaiz….led astray by the spawn of Yazat himself only to be killed.
Malphas was the only heir left. And by our laws, it is heirs that take precedent, not blood. For there was many more royal blooded persons, but Malphas was the closest to the throne after Rivaiz.
He imprisoned all who stayed loyal to the royal family. He took the throne, sealed in blood by those he claimed to love. But our God , Elhanan, had a plan. Out of the slain blood of the Royal Family arose a prophet, a man who for most of his life was a coward. He would lay down his life for his first act of courage…but it would bring about the Light. Please, read carefully the story I have attached, for in it is the truth of Darkness’ rise and it’s defeat.
Sincerely, Anonymous.
Check out the OT thread for Character bio's and brief description. PM Zabby or I for any questions.
Hozai
It had been a long day, three prisoner's where executed and Hozai was requested personally by all three to perform their last rites. He did it with a bitter sweet attitude. They where about to be executed in an extremely brutal manner. They were tied up to to a post and before they where finally killed Malphas' little evil pet Crow feasted on their eyes and when it was done with those and they where screaming for mercy it ripped their tongue out. Then they were left there for six hours in the hot sun as an example to what would happen if you opposed the king. If they survived that, they where stabbed in the gut and left to bleed out. These two men and one woman had been apart of the resistance called the Hawks. While he shared the sentiments with these Rebels, for he had lost his whole family "Though technically I didn't have a family." Hozai interrupts his own thoughts. "I'm no warrior and I came dangerously close to facing that fate when Saudra refused to tell him my name." He says to no one but himself as he drinks him a cup of water and says his prayers, then goes to bed.
Sleep came surprisingly easy, given the events he witnessed today, waking on the other hand would be hard.
"Where am I?" Blackness slowly leaves his vision and he see's he's on a battle field, Hawks and Crows fighting. Well the Hawks are fighting, the Crows are winning. It's a slaughter. He see's a man who has some resemblance to one of his charges before she was placed in confinement..what was her name "Oh yes! He reminds me of Eve, she was accused of being a Hawk as a I recall." No sooner had he said that he saw the warrior impaled by a sword. The man had fought hard and killed many Crows but he had finally given out. Hozai screamed a warning when he saw who he had been protecting,though no one heard him, a young woman, maybe 17 years old. He knew what Crows did to beautiful women, they were not so beautiful on the outside after an encounter. He couldn't take his eyes off what was happening, he tried so hard too but he couldn't. He began to wail in pain screaming "ELHANAN DO SOMETHING I BEG OF YOU!!!" Then his vision went black.
He was back at the executioner's poles. He recognized all of the one's on the poles. There was Avan Wylder, son of the great Lucian Wylder. Eve Fouler, a gentle soul scared black by the Crows. She had so much regret and never seemed to forgive herself. Toma Firion, an amazing spy and assassin, he lost his faith in Elhanan after his friend the High Prince was murdered. There was sweet, young Samara Galen, she just wanted to bring joy back into the world. And then there was Saudra Turk, expert Assassin turned repentant sinner. She was about to die but why? Wasn't Malphas waiting for her to recant and become a viscous killer again. Then he got his answer from the black haired demon himself.
"Esteemed nobles, priests, and guests I welcome you to a celebration, just a fortnight ago my Crows slaughtered the Hawks. PEACE REIGNS ONCE AGAIN!" Many cheered at this, Malphas was still so charismatic. Then again, the Hawks got blamed for mostly what the Crows did. "And to celebrate, we are going to kill the last few rebels. These people have been in jail for many years. They all conspired against the crown, I have kept them alive for many reasons to do with the war. But now.." He gave an evil smile "They are no longer needed, they have been tortured much the past few days preparing them for this." Ghastly scenes pass before Hozai's eyes. He screams in horror at what the Crows did to each one of these people.
"SO NOW, MY CROW, WILL FEAST ON THEIR FLESH AND WE WILL CROW STRONGER BECAUSE OF IT! LET EVERY NATION KNOW THAT AQUITAS DOES NOT ALLOW CHAOS TO REIGN! WE WANT PEACE AND WE WILL FIGHT FOR IT!" The crowd roared as the Crow descended on Saudra first. Hozai screamed and reached out his hand only for it to be enveloped in light.
This time when he could see where he was, it was a garden full of roses. He heard weeping. Loud agonized weeping. The Garden was shaking from these sounds, then it stopped. And before Hozai appeared a man, his face enveloped in light, so he could not see it. "My child, Hozai, My faithful servant, Hozai, My man of mighty valor." Hozai was confused. This wasn't his father, he only served Elhanan, and he was a coward. "You don't know who I am do you? Your confused. Let me let you hear who I am." All of a sudden voices flooded the garden.
"Elhanan, please bring daddy home save. Mommy is sad."
"Lord Elhanan, please give me strength for the next battle."
"ELHANAN WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN US TO THIS EVIL KING!"
The voices went on for an eternity.
"My lord..." Hozai fell to his feet and began to cry. "Am I dead?"
"No, not yet my Child. But what I ask of you will bring your death about."
"Wait what? I don't want to die Lord. I could do so much good alive." Hozai cries.
"The good you would do would be great, but the evil done while you would live would be much greater than any good you could do."
"What do you mean....."
"I just showed you many things that will come to pass, if you don't become the mighty man of valor I created you to be." Elhanan says gently. "And besides when you pass, it'll be into this garden with all you loved." And suddenly Hozai saw his parents, his uncles and his cousins."They await eagerly for you," he laughs suddenly and its musical "They want me to tell you that they've always been proud of you and they love you." Elhanan sheds a tear. "Same goes for me."
"So if I don't do what you ask....Saudra dies. Eve dies. Toma dies. Avon dies. Samara dies. All the Hawks die. But if I do what you ask they won't die?"
"Oh some will, but not the ones you mentioned by name. They've been chosen for special purposes. One purpose they all share is-They will help turn the tides of battle and a new king will be crowned."
"But I die, and come here." Hozai says standing.
"Yes, but is that so bad, my mighty man of valor?" Elhanan reaches out and lays his hand on Hozai's shoulder.
"How do I save them Lord? How do I save those I love? How do I save the kingdom." Hozai says courage from his Lord flowing through him.
"You must release them child." Then the garden disappears and Hozai is in the prison. Where they keep the worst criminals in Solitary confinement, well not all of them are the worst, some are the chosen ones. "Let them all out, every prisoner in this jail. You'll be captured, and I'll visit you again with one final message. Please Hozai, for my children, release them."
Light exploded in his vision and he woke up. "That was real." He jumps out of bed, it's still night, grabs his priests cloak and walks out of his bedroom, out of the Church and into the night walking towards the jail. "I won't let that vision come true. I'll meet the Crow and die, but they'll live. I know what I must do."
OT: Okay guys, everyone make an introduction posts. Your in a jail cell if your a prisoner so, haven't had much contact. And if your a Crow...do evil stuffs or something. Hozai's to the rescue for the prisoner's. That'll be in my next post.
Saudra The young lady was sitting on the side of her bed, with her feet on the bed and her head resting on her legs. A great sense of loneliness swept over her. Saundra would get this feeling from time to time sitting here in solitary. She longed for the days when Hozai would visit her. They would always have such spirited, engaging conversation, but she had no hope of seeing him again. Not after she refused Malphas like that the last time. A sharp pain grew in Saudra's stomach when she thought of their last meeting. She closed her eyes and tried to turn her mind from thinking of that day, and all the days that had been like it.
For though Saudra had been sentenced to solitary confinement, she was never really left alone. Malphas would visit her periodically and try every means he could think of to get her to practice her trade again. He started off nice and sweet, trying to bribe her with any number of unimaginable things, but he found out this would not work. He then switched to more terrible tactics of torture, decorating her skin with scars. She took everything he had to throw at her the best she could though. It was what she truly deserved for all the lives she took and all the horrible things she had done. In the last session they had together, Malphas seemed to be at the end of his rope. He let out a frustrated yell and said, "If you do not accept my offer, next time I see you, it will be your execution." She still rejected him, but it was the first time he had threatened her with death, and now she expected it to come. She didn't know when or how, but Malphas was not the kind of man to joke about such things.
Sighing she let herself fall back onto the bed and whispered to herself, "Lord Elhanan, I have no concern about myself now. I will die if it is your will, but this world is suffering. Please, liberate this land from the usurper. Give them a reason to hope in You, as I have my hope in You."
Ben As Ben was taking a late night stroll through the outer walls, Ben thought over his good fortune. Never in a thousand years would he have thought that he would be anything more than a servant in the King's court. To see him now, his parents would be so proud. He was a solider and the right hand man to one of the highest ranking officials in the Army. He really was lucky to have such a good friend as Lucas. The day he saved him from the slums was one of the best days of his life.
While walking, the thoughts of his good fortune was interrupted by a strange sight in the moonlight. There was a guard in the middle of the courtyard, and it wasn't time for the changing of the guards. Ben quickly changed his course so that he would intercept this man. When he was in hearing range of this man, Ben said in an authoritative voice, "Solider, I'm going to need you to follow me." He started to walk towards the castle and assuming the man was following him, he also said, "What is your name, rank and why are you out here?"
Lucien
Lucien cringed as he heard a voice behind him speak. "Solider, I'm going to need you to follow me." Whirling around, he saw it was Ben Allett. Right hand man to his secret enemy, Lucas Kriess. And his superior officer. How he hated the two of them. Ben started to walk towards the castle and assuming Lucien was following him, he also said, "What is your name, rank and why are you out here?"
The elder did as he was told; he loathed Kriess and Allett, but he also didn't want to disobey a superior. "Lucien Wylder, sir," he replied with a heavy sigh. "I've been a night guard for some time now. I was just keeping my watch when I saw someone headed into the prison doors. I thought it imperative that I check up on this activity."
Ben The name struck a cord with Ben. He was one of the men that Lucas used to sneak in on and learn tactics from. He was a trained solider and knew better than to leave his post just because he thought he saw something.
"I see," responded Ben as he kept walking. He could simply reprimand the man and send him on his way, but for some reason, he wanted Lucas to be aware of this. He kept walking with Wylder following him, going straight to Lucas's room. He knocked on the door saying, "Captain (I don't really know the rank, so I'm just gonna use that) Kriess! I have a solider here to see you!"
Samara
Samara curled her knees up to her chest as she sat in the corner of the dark cell. She had seen people pass by earlier to be executed and she knew the dead had been done. She hugged her knees tightly trying to force the tears back, she had to be strong, so she could make it through alive. Even though she knew no one could see her, she was determined to keep from crying, somehow they would know, and they would use death against her. She could think of nothing that she would rather do then feel the warm breeze through her hair, or see someone's kind face, other than the angry ones that she saw of the few Crow's she would see pass by, or even the defeated ones of the prisoners to be executed. She rested her head on her knees, she didn't even know if her own voice worked, because she hadn't said anything to anyone since being put in this cell. How long had it been? She couldn't remember, it could have only been a few days, or maybe even weeks. Finally, Samara couldn't force back the tears any longer. She cried, silently, for the people being executed, for the other prisoners around her, and for the people still fighting to save so many lives.
When she had first joined the Hawks, she really didn't understand how bad everything really was. Now she knew more than ever that Malphas needed to be stopped. He was a tyrant, that found joy in people's pain, and sorrow. Samara sniffled slightly and pushed herself from the ground to go to the bars. She stood on her toes to peak out of the small barred window on the door. She wanted to catch a glimpse of any sort of life, other than a crow. It was hard for her to see out of the window, because of her height of only 5'1". She sighed and went to sit on the small bench in the room. She rested her elbows on her knees, and looked down at her tatered dress. She wished anything, whether it be death or safety, would happen. She was tired of waiting.
Daray
Daray leaned against the wall, and looked around at all of the different people. She pulled out one of her knives and picked at her nails. It had been boring since the execution, completely dead. Nothing exciting was happening, and this upset Daray. Sometimes she wished that she could just start a fight so she could make anything happen. She knew that if she threw a punch, multiple people would join in and she could slip away unnoticed to watch the brawl. She shook her head, no, she had done that before, and she knew that people would know it was her. Daray looked at the knife in her hand and a smile spread across her lips. She turned to her right quickly and threw the knife into a wooden pole holding, holding up the building. She smiled when it burried itself in the wood. Daray sighed heavily, the satisfaction of throwing the knife had already come and gone. She walked passed the pole, pulling the knife out. She would find something, anything, to do. Lucas
Lucas sat on his balcony and looked out at the moon. He could see the gaurds watching over every nook and cranny of the palace, the gardeners quenching the thirst of the plants once more before they retired to their rooms, and the prison to his left. The whole scene gave him a sense of superiority. It's not as if the feeling was new to him. Lucas was feared through-out the palace. The whole land knew his name. But there, under the moonlight, he felt especially powerful. "Like the King himself" He said to himself.
After embracing the scene for another few minutes, Lucas then realized how tired he actually was. "I'm glad the king is letting me have a day of rest tommorow. Maybe I could get Ben a day of relaxation aswell." The thought of his friend made a smile come to his face. The only person Lucas respected more than the King, was Ben. Memories of his childhood began to flood his mind. As these thoughts were coming to him, Lucas was tired enough to let out a small laugh as he remembered the time he and Ben snuck into the armory and played with the different swords and axes. He remembered looking at his friend with jealous eyes as he picked up a sword that was to heavy for himself. Lucas whispered to himself, "You were always better at athletics." Another memory came but swiftly passed as Lucas's eyes fell on a note he recieved from one of his spies.
The Pawn has fallen.
Whatever joy that had come upon him where destroyed with thes four words. "That Imbecile!" Lucas slammed his hands on his desk and stared at the note. The 'Pawn' was a hired assassin payed to kill a Hawk weapon supplier. "No matter, there are many more that could take his place." This attempt at calming down was interupted by a loud knock on the door. "Captain Kriess!" Good. It's Ben. He might have some good news." "I have a soldier here to see you!" A soldier? At this hour? "Come in." Lucas called. When the door opened he was glad to see Ben but even happier to see Lucien. "Ah, if it isn't my Predecessor." Lucas emphasized the Predecessor part. He loved seeing the old man squirm. "What have you done now, Lucien?"
Toma
Toma lay on his back. It'd been three years, three years since he had been captured. It was said that darkness had a negative effect on people, that it changed them. "It's one hundred percent true." He whispered to himself. But he'd already been changed by it. Part of his training to enter the order of Shadows was to spend seven hours a day in complete darkness, at first it was just setting there trying to improve vision. After that, he'd learned to fight in it. It given him a strength few had. The power to look the monsters in eye and send them running. So the Darkness was not what was driving him insane. No, it was something else.
Three things were driving him insane:
One, was the fact that he failed Cecil by letting himself be captured. He was the Shadow Hawk for crying out loud. He was supposed to move through the Shadows like the Hawk moves through the air. How'd they catch him then. There was only one other Shadow greater than in him in the kingdom and that was his mentor, Shadow Blade. "I wonder what master is up to right now?"
Two, he was just lonely. Toma had never been able to get rid of the need for others, his mentor had called him weak. And in this moment in time he believed him.
Three, those blasted crows had his two daggers. His talons. He'd get them back if it took him ten more years.
He quickly tired of his musings and jumped up from the floor and started to scan the room as he had done thousands of other times, looking for some weakness to exploit.
Eve
Eve lay in her cell looking at the celing, calm, now that the interregators were gone. When they were there, she couldn't be as calm as her trained mind would allow her to be--after all, she was suppose to be an innocent peasent woman, falsy accused, but trying her best to bravely outlast her impisonment because she was loyal to Malphas. And she knew it was working.
When she had first been arressted, they had been very harsh with her, yelling at her, hitting her, calling her names, and some tourcher. No doubt, if they had caught her running, or if she had confessed to being a hawk, she would have been even more brutaly treated, and perhaps executed months ago. According to her mental calculation, she had only been in prison for about three months. But she had never given up or given in. True, they knew who she was, so she had to admit to being Eve Fouler, who's family had been trators to Malphas. But she resiliantly kept up her story that that had been her family, and not her beliefs. She had played a falsy accused, afraid, submissive, but patient woman, everything that a peasent was expected to be. She had become the character, and with ease. The gaurds bought it. With each passing day and interrogation, they became more heasitent in their questions, softer with their blows. Truth be told, she was getting rather bored with it all, and just wanted to get back to the real world. Though, curse the crows, she would probably have to live as a peasent for another year after she was released, to keep suspision away from her.
No, for now, she would play her part. She would not scream, or struggle, or try and fight her way out, or even escape. All she could do was patiently wait.
------
Branson
The straw dummie lay a few feet away, hacked and limp. His sword was layed carefully on the ground, nestled in it's sheath. But Branson ignored them both, looking straight ahead at the target forty feet away. He took a steadying, deep breath, took aim, and relesed both his breath and his throwing knife as he shot his arm foward with grace and strenght. It flew dark as a shadow and quiet as whisper. A faint buzzing filled the air, as if by a bee, but then a dull thunk filld the air as his knife stung the targed, directly in the bulls eye. Branson nodded his head in approval. Then streached his relaxed muscles. The excercise of both his mind and body calmed him like nothing else he knew. He retreved his knives and sword and stripped of his armor so that he was in his regular tunic and leggings. He always insisted on practicing in his armor, even if he was only fighting a straw dummie or throwing knives because he wanted to be familliar with the same movments, even with in real battle. He attempted to right the limp straw dummie, but to no avail. It only proceeded to loose more straw, and bow down in front of him on the ground.
Giarc Rekedens
Giarc Rekedens sat in his cell, like he did everyday for the past... he didn't really know how long he was here. He guessed it to be around 6 years. His cell didn't have a bed, like the other prison cells had, so he sat on the dirty, grungy floor. Several more people were executed last night, their screams still echoed in this mind. His cell was facing the yard where people were exacted, curtsy of Malphas. Malphas had a special hatred for him, since Giarc tried to murder him.
Rekedens was able to communicate with someone in the next cell, as there were several small holes in the base of the wall. The female in the other cell rarely talked, he didn't know her name, but they made small talk and she often gave him food- as he was rarely fed. The guards must forget about me, he thought sarcastically.
A crow flew into the window and landed at his feet, looking at him. He lifted his arm, and it flew up to him and sat on his arm. It was his pet crow, which he named Crawk. He stared into the crow's eyes, and was able to communicate with it. He had been keeping track of enemy movements and events, which would be important when he escaped. He had no idea how he would escape, but he would find a way. After 5 minutes, the released the crow and it flew out the window and disappeared.
OOC looking for someone to be my cell-neighbor
Lucien
"Come in." came a voice from within. When the door opened, Lucien could swear that brat's eyes landed straight on him. "Ah, if it isn't my Predecessor." Lucas emphasized the Predecessor part. He loved seeing the old man squirm. "What have you done now, Lucien?"
With another heavy sigh, he readied himself for the onslaught. In his mind, he began flipping through a dictionary of words-- some he wanted to use, but knew he shouldn't-- to see what string of them might get him out of this as comfortably as possible. "Sir," he began, hating even having to waste such a title on Kriess, "is it not my duty as a night guard to protect the castle?"
He remembered from some five years ago or so, a story about the prison's most dangerous guest, Saudra Turk, receiving visits from a priest. Even if it weren't true, mentioning it might keep him out of trouble long enough to think of something better. Then again, if it were found to be untrue.... Still, it was the only half-way decent idea in his arsenal. "I was at my post, sir, doing just that when I saw the end of a cloak slipping into the prison entrance. Knowing that no one should be entering the jail this late at night, and thinking perhaps the cloak I saw bore the colors of a priest of Elhanan, I decided it would be best to investigate this crime. I hoped, sir, to alert further aid as soon as I was able. But a matter as serious as perhaps at last capturing the priest responsible for Miss Turk's sudden change of ways... it seemed to demand immediate attention."
It was a blatant lie, but what Kriess didn't know couldn't hurt him. Unfortunately.
Hozai
When Elhanan had touched him in his dream something had awoken within him. It was the willingness to lay down his life for Saudra, no it wasn't that. He had always been willing to. "I now have the strength to do so." He says clenching his fist as he opens the prison door, he had not gained will to do something but the strength to carry it out. "Courage." he whispers. He had a key, Malphas only let the Church remain to calm the masses. He needed the Church to seem benevolent. "But Elhanan has declared war on that Crow. And the scriptures tell us of what happens when Elhanan declares war. No enemy can stand against him." He whispers to himself as he walked up to the night jail warden. "Hello, Don, a beautiful night isn't it?"
"I wouldn't know father, I'm stuck in here guarding these dirt bags." Don says motioning his head towards the door that leads to the darkest part of the prison. Hozai had always saw it as Wasteland. (OOC:hell) But now he saw it as the Holy of Holy's. He smiled his disarming smiling. "Well maybe that will changes soon."
Don is now visibly uncomfortable. "What do you mean? And why are you here...visiting hours are.." he never finished it as Hozai threw the poison dart at him. It wouldn't kill him, it was just a poison the Church used to sedate the crazies that came in. He caught Don as he fell down. "Elhanan had to have been with that throw, I'm a terrible aim." He says smiling. He quickly took the keys and ran to the door and unlocked it. He ran too the first cell and unlocked it. The man who was inside he didn't recognize. "If you want to live, follow me." He wasn't in his dreams but he was told to free them all and he would.
He ran to the next one and unlocked it and flung it open. It was precious Samara "Your Samara right? Follow me if you want to bring joy back into this world." He kept running. She still had hope, he could see it in her eyes.
The next door he flung open held Toma, the Shadow Hawk. "Toma, right? Come with me if you want to bring honor back to the throne." His eyes where filled with determination. Hozai had to hurry, it wouldn't be much longer till they figured out what was happening.
The next door he flung open was to Avon Wylder's cell. He was young, yet he seemed so old. "Sir Wylder, if you wish to bring honor back to your name and fight again, get up and follow me."
Next was Eve Fouler. Her eyes where ready for everything, excepts perhaps his next words. "Eve, follow me and find redemption." Those word weren't his were they? They sure didn't sound like his words. In fact, every word he had said since he began opening these doors weren't his, didn't even sound like his voice. He kept running Elhanan was with.
The next person would be Saudra, how he missed her, but he wouldn't get to spend any time with her. He knew his dream was completely true-even the part about his death. He flung the door open. "Saudra! It's Hozai! Follow me and fight once again, but this time fight for Elhanan." He kept turned around and faced them all. "Ya'll need your weapons. For thus says Elhanan: I have equipped you for my will." They ran towards the armoury in the jail. He busted it open. "Quickly grab your weapons."
Toma
When his cell door had burst open he had thought it was his death that would be brought. But instead it was his life given back to him again. The Priest who had visited him from time to time stood their offering freedom from this prison. At first he thought it was another sermon then Hozai ran for the next door and more followed him. "Has he gone completely mad?" Toma asked but then followed him. Who was he to ask if the priests was mad. He was giving him back his freedom. After they where all free the priests spouted off some rubbish about Elhanan then they were heading towards the armory.
As soon as Toma entered the room he saw his outfit. His black padded shirt, his white bottoms, black boots and arm bands, his talons, and "MY CLOAK!" He rushed toward it, grabbed his equipment and changed in a hurry not caring about the others in the room. He needed his Shadows back on. "I'm ready." They all stared at him blankly. "We've been in jail for how long and you care about modesty, we're going to have to fight our way out."
Giarc Rekedens
Giarc was looking out the window when he heard a commotion in the hallway. What was going on? He hobbled over to the door, and peeked out the window cut in the door. He heard someone grunt and fall to the floor, then footsteps. He wasn't sure what was going on. He was to weak to physically fight the guard- or who ever it was.
The door opened, and a man unknown to him said said "If you want to live, follow me." It was the priest, he recognized the clothing... but why would the priest be releasing the prisoners?! The Priest left, and went to unlock the next cell, and he followed him: cautiously. He saw the guard on the floor, motionless. The Priest opened the next cell, and Giarc heard him mention the name Samara. Samara.... at last, a name to the voice he had been talking to though the hole in the wall. The priest then walked to the next door, unlocked it, and released that person, but Giarc didn't notice. He hung back and watched Samara, who looked very weak- perhaps as weak as he was. He made eye contact with her, and hoped she would recognize him.
Lucas
"Sir, is it not my duty as a night guard to protect the castle? I was at my post, sir, doing just that when I saw the end of a cloak slipping into the prison entrance. Knowing that no one should be entering the jail this late at night, and thinking perhaps the cloak I saw bore the colors of a priest of Elhanan, I decided it would be best to investigate this crime. I hoped, sir, to alert further aid as soon as I was able. But a matter as serious as perhaps at last capturing the priest responsible for Miss Turk's sudden change of ways... it seemed to demand immediate attention."
Lucas listened to the old mans story. Once he finished Lucas nodded acknowledgly. The last thing the Crows need is a prison break. The silence was broken by the sound of someone yelling, "MY CLOAK!" close to the prison armory. "Dang it." Lucas didn't know what was worse. Someone releasing the prisoners or Lucien doing some thing right. "Ben, Go get Daray Eyal and Branson Majestrad. Get them to the armory and cut the escapees off. Lucien, Get some men to follow you to the gate closest to the armory. I'll get some archers to gaurd the other gates. MOVE!" Lucas was not going to allow them to escape. Lucas turned and grabbed his Bow and Quiver. He looked out his balcony and fired an arrow to the small defensive tower where the archers were, they knew what an arrow fired from Lucas's balcony meant. In the distance he could hear the archers moving to their positions. Quickly running out the door with another arrow drawn he was making his way to the armory. He knew the prisoners would be too weak to fight. Lucas wasn't stupid enough to charge in there alone but there was a bunker not far from the armory. there Lucas could pick the escapees off one by one if need be. Once he got there all he could do now was hope that Ben and Lucien were doing their orders.
Samara
Samara stood slowly to her feet when she heard clattering from the room next to her. Her mind filled with thought of worry, what if the man next to her was being taken. She had never seen him, or truly met him, but he was the only person she had contact with in the weeks that she had been there. She ran to the door and tried to peak through the window on her door, but by the time she got there her door flew open. She stumbled backward, and was taken aback when she realized that the man in front of her was not coming to take her to be executed, but in fact releasing her. As the man ran to the cell next to her Samara stood dumbfounded for a second, until another man walked up, she assumed it was the man that had been next to her. She gave a faint smile and walked out of her cell. She didn't dare turn and look at the dark room behind her. Samara felt that somehow everything good that was happening now would become bad. That's when the man releasing everybody, said that they were going to get there weapons because they would have to fight their way out. She slowed her steps, slightly and felt her heart sink, she would be no use to the rest of the people in a fight. Sure she had a bow and arrows, but her aim wasn't great, and she didn't think she could bring herself to kill anyone. She swallowed heavily, and looked over at the guy who had been next to her in the cell. "Ummm, since we're going to have to fight, I might as well learn your name. I'm Samara." She tried to slow her breathing, and stop the slight shaking that was going throughout her body. She was weak, and couldn't fight. Maybe she should stay behind. There would be no way she would help them, she would only slow everyone in the group down. It wouldn't be fair for them. Samara grabbed her bow and put her quiver of arrows over her shoulder, as one of the men decided to clothe himself in the middle of the room. It was understandable, but it was still very uncomfortable. Samara looked around at the group, different in so many ways. She was sure they could all hold there own. She needed to find a way to help, or she needed to head back and relock herself in her cell. Samara looked back over the guy from her neighbor cell and whispered, "I'm scared. I know I don't know you very well, but you really are the only one here at all that I have any connection to. I'm sorry. You're proabably preparing yourself, for battle and don't want to hear some little girl's thoughts, but it helped." She wrung her bow in her hands and shuffled her feet nervously on the ground.
Giarc Rekedens
Giarc could tell Samara was scared, the poor girl was shaking. She introduced herself. Samara, nice name. They moved down the prison hallway to the armory where the rest of them were. "Nice to finally meet you, Samara. I'm Giarc." He knew how she felt. In fact, seeing this girl gave him a small burst of strength. He studied the other people in the armory. Some of them looked able to fight, but overall he didn't see much happening with this small group, he knew he had to help get these people out alive. They were weak, unorganized, and without a plan... unless the priest has one.
Rekedens looked at Samara, and put a hand on her shoulder. "Stick with us... we'll protect you." It wasn't' a promise he was sure he could keep, but he was going to try. He entered the room, looking for a weapon. There were plenty of weapons to pick from, and he wondered who was fool enough to put the armory next to the prison cells. After looking, something caught his eye. A large battleaxe... it was his old one. He reached for it, and it fell to the floor. He barely had the arm strength to lift the axe, he was so weak. He grunted, but managed.
Saudra Hearing hurried footsteps coming, Saudra took a deep breath and said, "I am ready, Lord." She stood up expecting to see the jeering face of Malphas bearing down on her. She was taken aback when the door swung wide open and there was Hozai.
"Saudra! It's Hozai! Follow me and fight once again, but this time fight for Elhanan," he said unceremoniously and then turned to a scraggly looking group of prisoners continuing his speech. Saudra was stunned for a few moments, and then she realized that this had to be a dream. There was no way any of this was really happening. She must have fallen into a restless sleep when she was musing on things.
If this is a dream, thought Saudra. I need to wake up. I don't want to dream of fighting or killing. Not anymore. She closed her eyes and tried to wake herself up, but it was not working, and now she was loosing the group. Breaking into a jog, Saudra hoped to caught up to them. It was nice to jog and truly stretch her legs after being locked up in the same room for so long. She had tried to keep her strength up with sit ups and push ups, but those were only on days when she knew the Crow King wasn't coming to talk with her, and there was only so much exercise in a cell could do for a person.
When she finally did catch up, she realized they were at an armory. Okay, she said to herself. This is not a dream because if it were I would have woken up already, but how can Hozai expect me to fight?
While everyone else was looking to what weapon to pick up, Saudra walked over to Hozai and said, "Hozai, you must have been mistaken when you unlocked my door. You know just as well as I do that I can't do that anymore. It's been 10 years. Even if I wanted to use my...." She paused not being able to think of a proper word to describe what she used to do and finally said, "training again, I'm so rusty that I'm going to make rookie mistakes. Look, I've made peace with my fate. I know he's going to kill me now, and that's fine. Just leave me here."
Ben Wylder's story sounded wilder and wilder the longer he went on. Surely that has been assassin who couldn't even take care of the King and Queen wasn't the most dangerous criminal they had tucked away in the prisons. She had been inactive forever. Besides, if it was just one prisoner and a priest, surely the guard already there could take her. He was about to make a comment about it as Wylder's speech finished when he heard a cry from the prison. He couldn't make out the words, but his blood froze in his veins. He might have just made a dire mistake.
Before he could even think about the ramifications of what he might have caused, Lucas was barking out orders. No sooner did the words hit Ben's ears then he dismissed himself with a quick, "Yes Sir" and ran off. Knowing Daray and Branson, they would be out on the sparring fields doing some practicing. He ran there at top speed, his trust sword clanking at his side.
As soon as he caught sight of the two, one training in earnest while the other looked as though she was bored out of her skull, he blurted out, "Quick to the armory by the prison. There's been an escape and we need to stop them!"
Hozai
"Hozai, you must have been mistaken when you unlocked my door. You know just as well as I do that I can't do that anymore. It's been 10 years. Even if I wanted to use my...." she paused seeming to have difficultly thinking of the right word, or maybe she was remembering those she had killed. "training again, I'm so rusty that I'm going to make rookie mistakes. Look, I've made peace with my fate. I know he's going to kill me now, and that's fine. Just leave me here." Hozai sighed and gently lifted her chin to look at him. "Listen closely daughter," These were not his words yet again, but he knew whose words they were. "You are created by one who loves you with everything he is. And when you chose to throw down your weapons he rejoiced. But it wasn't poison or your darts that where weapons. It was your anger, hatred, and wrath. He rejoiced so much, knowing now he'd be able to see you in his kingdom. That in fact you'd be used to bring peace back to Aquitas, his chosen city."
"You'll make mistakes, everyone makes mistakes, that's why they rely on him, well those that follow him. Those like Malphas don't believe they've ever made a mistake and they deserve what they have. They've stolen it. I made no mistake when I opened your door. You've been chosen." Hozai paused, he had control over his tongue. He kept going. "Saudra, rely on him to guide you, that's what I'm doing now and I never felt so alive." Even though my life is now measured in days, not years. He thought to himself.
Daray
Daray raised her eyebrow when Ben ran up to her and Branson. She smirked and pulled her sword from it's sheath at her side, and took off at full speed. It had been far too long for a good battle, and she was ready. When they arrived at the cells, Daray knelt by the fallen guard, and placed two fingers right under his chin on the side, to check his pulse. "He lives, but there must have been something on this." She pulled th dark out of the man and threw it on the ground. "We need to go now. There can't be too many people in there that are in full strength. Obviously most of them have been in cells for long periods of times." Her smirk grew and she turned to Branson, and Ben, "Oh, but I'm being rude. I'm sorry, what do you two think we should do?" She tossed her long hair over her shoulder and stood to her full height from the fallen guard.
Samara
Samara looked up at the man who didn't even know her, yet was offering to protect her. She nodded and rubbed her hands along the edge of her bow. She watched the group prepare for battle, everyone so weak and not ready for a battle. There was so much she could do for all of them, if she had the time. She sighed and watched as Giarc tried to pick up and ax, and almost dropped it. How could anyone have time to protect her, and still live themselves. She wasn't worth it, there lives for hers. Samara nervously pulled her matted hair back into a leather strap trying to keep it out of her eyes. She looked around the room, afraid for all of them. That's when she heard the voices. Her eyes went wide, "Listen...I think their coming." She grabbed an arrow from her quiver, and readied herself for anything.
Avan
Avan's eyes jumped open at the sound of cell doors opening nearby and the frantic footsteps of someone--no, now it was several people-- hurrying through the prisonhalls. At last, the pandemonious noise arrived at his own cell door. On the other side was the priest that had been known to pass through on occasion, releasing him along with all the other prisoners. "Sir Wylder, if you wish to bring honor back to your name and fight again, get up and follow me," the priest said.
But... this didn't make any sense; Avan blinked a few more times to be sure he wasn't still asleep. Deciding it was real and not just a fantasy, he leapt to his feet. Stepping outside of this cell was madness, but what in their chaotic world wasn't just a little insane these days? He followed behind this fellow prisoners, uncertain of whether he could trust any of them, but knowing his mistrust would do him no good at the moment. At any rate, it just felt so good to see the outside of the four walls he'd become so accustomed to.
After releasing the final captive of the Crows, a woman by the name of Saudra, the priest led them off to the armory with a speech that raised even Avan's spirits. Once they'd arrived, one of the prisoners practically swallowed his old clothing whole with an ecstatic shout. If the guards weren't aware of their escape before this, they certainly were now. The man traded in his prison garb for some sneakier black garments and equipped himself with daggers that made Avan half-jealous. "I'm ready. We've been in jail for how long and you care about modesty, we're going to have to fight our way out."
"He's right," Avan agreed, taking up his well-missed axe, "we haven't got time for hesitancy. Find your weapons and we'll keep the priest's rescue from being in vain."
From a few feet away, he saw another prisoner, a young girl, visibly stiffen. "Listen," she whispered, "I think they're coming."
"Then it's time," he replied, adding his dagger to his belt, and strapping on his shield. He wasn't sure he was ready for what would happen next, but if there were any gods at all, maybe they'd find their way to benefit the pitiful few that stood here prepared to take on Malphas at all costs.
Lucien
Lucien couldn't suppress a smug grin as his plan began to take form all around him. No sooner had he told the lie than a shout was heard reverberating from the armory. He received Kriess's orders with a sort of glee he had to bundle up inside-- can't go looking to pleased or they'll think you're the one behind it. If things went just right, tonight, he still might be able to escape doing night-duty for the rest of his life.
He turned on his heel and sprinted from Lucas's room back up to the front edge of the outer wall, yanking every man he saw harshly by the arm until they got the gist to follow him. He figured it best to move as silently as possible. The element of surprise was always useful to have on your side. Once he'd gathered a substantial following, having left every other Crow he came to guarding the wall from above, he led them down to the gate as Lucas had prescribed. "Ready yourselves, men," he said quietly, drawing his own sword. "It seems tonight has turned more interesting than we could have imagined."
Eve
Eve looked toward the door casually as it opend, expecting the gaurds. What she saw was the only thing that had dumfounded her in months.
"Eve, follow me and find redemption."
Eve blinked aprehensively. What did he just say? And who was that, one of the preists? He looked like it. Eve hesitated. This might be her only chance to escape, yet if she wanted to maintain her cover, she needed to stay...unless she was being relised? Eve swung her leggs over the wooden cot and stood up. She cautiously peeped out of the door and saw a number of other prisoners running down the cooridors, all in various states of raggedness.Who knows how long some of them have been here...But Eve herself had not been there long enough to know any of them, or what they were charged for. Still, the words of her rescuer came back to her, odd and chilling to the soul. This was no ordinary happening. Shrugging, Eve saunterd out of her cell on bare feet. She was the last to exit her cell and could barely see the other prisoners down the coorider, but she could hear the padding of their feet. Eve cursed herself after only a few minutes of jogging left her winded: being locked up had not given her space for her usual exercises. Eve rounded the corner, trying to catch up with the others, when a dark shape intercepted her.
----
Branson
"Quick to the armory by the prison. There's been an escape and we need to stop them!"
Branson raised an eyebrow at Ben, then turned too look at Daray, who gave him a side long glance, then took off after Ben. Branson raised his other eyebrow before pursuring the others. Even after his late start, he arrived at the palace courtyard at the same time as them.
"He lives, but there must have been something on this." Daray pulled th dark out of the man and threw it on the ground. "We need to go now. There can't be too many people in there that are in full strength. Obviously most of them have been in cells for long periods of times." Her smirk grew and she turned to Branson, and Ben, "Oh, but I'm being rude. I'm sorry, what do you two think we should do?" She tossed her long hair over her shoulder and stood to her full height from the fallen guard.
Branson shook his head and smirked at Daray's drama, though he was glad that only torches lit the courtyard so that his smirk might be seen as just a shadow. He was all to aquainted with Daray's antics and refusal to live by the traditional feminie standerds of most of the women at court. Not that he cared, as long as she stayed off his bad radar. She was beautiful--but he all too wary of her to really think of much past that. She was on the training feild about as much as he was, which was no insignificant amount. He had no doubt he could beat her in any fight, but for now, her sarcasim amused him more than anything.
"Haha, Daray." his sarcastic remark adressed Daray's previous one, but he did not sound too annoyed. "Ben and Daray, head toward the armory and stop them. Ill head back to the prison and see if I can stop any stragglers." He raced off without another word from them. As Branson enterd the prison, everthing looked to be in order, exept for the faint sound of padding feet in the distance...He bolted toward the sound, and a little deeper in, he found many cell doors swung open, but their occupants were gone. "Curses!" Branson rushed down the cooridor, took a side enterance, and surfaced out before the enterance of the armory. He turned the corner to double back to the prison on the main route, and found himself running head on into a smaller, dark haird person.
"Oh!" she said, backing up and staring at his sword and armor aprehensivly.
"What are you doing? Where are the other prisoners?" Branson barked, then grabbed her upper arm. "Why are you escaping?" Her upper lip treambled.
"Someone let us out...I- I thought I was being relesed after all! Has Lord Malphas finely seen my loyalty?" she simperd. Branson did not allow himself to be swayed by her seemingly submissive mannor. Weather falsly accused or not, she was in prison for a reason.
"Well, where did the prisoners go? Who released you?" she stammerd, and he shook her slightly. "Well?!"
-----
Eve
Eve recoverd from the shock of running into the young noble. He must be a noble, she thought, for his armor and wepons were to fancy to be that of a common soilders.
"Well?!" he barked at her.
"I-I don't know." she fake stammerd, and pointed toward the armory. "I think they went..." The young man turned to look toward the armory, no doubt distracted by the sounds of bustle coming from it.
"The devils..." he cursed. Eve waisted no time. She grabbed his sword out of his sheath with both hands. She grimised as her slightly out of shape arms bent under the weight, but she managed to hold it.
"What the..." the young man's eyes went wide, but his suprise was all the time Eve needed. Before he could react, she kicked him in the croch. He doubled over in agony, unprpaired for the blow. Eve took the oppertunity to kick him in the face, sending him flying onto his back on the floor. Eve pointed the sword at his chest.
"Now, be quite." she said. She needed a miniut to think. Not that the winded young man would be talking in the next few seconds. The best thing would be to warn the others, and hold this man off.
"RUN!" she shouted into the armory, "Weve been discoverd!"
"Why you little..." the young man hissed.
Hozai
He heard both warnings, and cursed. "Guys, listen to me. You have to make it out of here alive, don't worry about me. It's you that matters, I'm destined to die for what I did tonight, but you have to escape. I know your weak." He says looking at everyone of them. "But fight you must, He who created the world will give you the strength you need, no matter how tired you are. He will be your light no matter how dark it gets. When your weapons shatter, he will fight for you!" The Shadow Hawk had already disappeared. Hozai had no doubt that he went to help Eve. "Find the Hawks, you may be the most disorganized lot of warriors this world has ever seen, but Elhanan has declared that you will bring a turning point in this war. I know many of you doubt him, he understands but if he hadn't spoke to me you wouldn't be free now." Hozai heard a scream from a man outside, the Hawk had found his mark. "Now let's go, and remember, don't worry about me. I will follow his path not mine." He grabs a sword. "But I won't let ya'll fight your way out alone." He says walking out the door. He knew nothing of the sword but Elhanan was with him. "Guide my sword, give them time to escape!" He rushed down the hall screaming a battle cry.
Toma
The Priest began his speech, and while Toma was sure it was important, he knew that the voice that had warned them was weak. Only reason he was in any condition to fight was his training as a shadow. He slowly lifted up his cowl and blended into the shadows and began running towards the sound of the voice drawing one of his daggers. Griping the hilt was painful, bringing blood from his palm. Three years had healed the calluses on his hands, the scars, there was a reason he called them talons. In each hilt was small, sharp points shaped like a hawks talons, wielding these daggars leaves a four pronged mark in the palm of the users hand. "Dang it. I was hoping it wouldn't have brought blood."
He came upon a young woman holding a sword to the chest of a cursed Crow. "Do you need any help with this scumbag?" He says, his voice laced with poison. The woman jumped a little, he couldn't blame her, he had snuck up on her.
Eve
She turned to the other man who had adressed her, slightly shocked. There had been too many surprises today. "Who are you?" she asked, warry, then "No thank you, I think I have this one under my contr-" Eve was stupid enough to one eye off her prisoner too look at the newcomer. Then the man on the ground grabbed the blade of the swoard with his armored hand and yanked it foward, causing Eve to be yanked foward. Dang, he learns fast!
Branson
Branson had no idea how the seemingly innocent woman could be so strong after being in prison. She must not have been there that long. Before her renforcement could react, Branson grabbed his sword and yanked. He did not get it out of her grip, but he did cause her to lurch foward, and used the mementom to launch himself to his feet. In a flash, he had out two throwing knives and directed them toward his two advisarys--he aimed only to wound, not to kill, but to drive them into the armory where they would be trapped.
Toma
He turned fast. His had positioned himself close enough to the the woman that when the man threw the two knives that the cloak caught both blades. Toma came back around eyes cold. "You'll have to do better than that." Then he darted at the man slashing with his dagger,he looked like a shadow rushing to envelop the light. He couldn't kill the man, he wasn't strong enough but by the Shadows he could wound him. "Run Stupid! I have this trash!" He says screaming at the girl.
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Post by Sovereign on Sept 11, 2012 13:30:26 GMT -5
Eve
Eve was offended. "I am perfectly capabal of handeling my own problems, thank you very much!" And I was fine till you butted in! She lunged at her enemy but she wasn't so lucky in dodging his throwing knife. The distraction caused the Young Noble to finaly yank his sword out of Eve's hand, drawing her in close with it. In one swift movement, he held her in a crushing grip with one arm, wihle placing his sword at her throte with the other.
Toma
He had connected but the woman hadn't left, and now she made a stupid mistake and was now in his clutches. Stupid, stupid. Now we're both dead. She should have run, our numbers mean nothing in this small of a space. And now she's hindering me instead of helping me. He made a sneer. "Your the worst kind of person, you know that? Instead of facing your problems you hide behind a shield." Toma says making a gesture with both his arms. Looked harmless but in all reality he had picked the two knives from his cloak the man had thrown. He then crossed his arms keeping the knives hidden. "You disgust me." He now had both knives hidden in one hand. "And I left my days of thievery behind me so you can have these back." He let both knives go, aimed at the man's eyes. He would dodge them but it would give Toma enough time to grab the girl and get out of here.
Eve
"Don't move." the young noble said, holding her in a painfull embrace.
"Your the worst kind of person, you know that? Instead of facing your problems you hide behind a shield." the other man said. Eve took the distraction to squeeze the young nobles arm hard and wriggle in an attempt to break free. He only pressed his sword harder agaisnt her neck, causing a line of pain to streak across her tender skin. Eve remaind still. "You disgust me." the man opposite her continued. Eve felt warm blood trickling down her left arm. She looked over too see the young nobles blood mixed with her own. Her arm contained his throwing knife. Staying completely still, she managed to wriggle it out of her left arm with her right hand, as it wasn't very deep. "And I left my days of thievery behind me so you can have these back."
Two knives went spinning toward the young noble's head, but Eve didn't see them. She was too buisy stabbing the young noble with his own knife. Which was good for him, because it caused him to double over, accidently dodgging the knives aimed at him. Eve didn't care though. She wriggled out of his grip and bolted at the other man, grabbing him by the cloak as she ran past. "Come on!" she yelled, not waiting to see if he would follow her as she bolted after the others. Whoever the other prisoners were, they seemd to want to help her--and self preservation was all that matterd at this point.
Branson
Branson doubled over as his knife lodged in his armor. He felt his charge break free of his grip, but he couldn't catch her in time. He bolted after her and the other man, but right before he could reach them, they slammed the door of the armory in his face. He grimiced, and pulled the knife out of his armor. It had not pierced his skin, but it would leave a bruise. As he put his knives back away, he noticed something strange in his hand. It was a pendent, a womans neclace. It was a square pendant, depicting a hawk in flight--no, wait, on closer observation, Branson noticed it was not a hawk, but a Falcon. A falcon purched on the gloved arm of a falconer, either taking flight, or landing. It had freash blood on the neck chain of the pendant. With shock, he realized it must have belonged to the dark harid woman. How she was alloud jewlery in prison, he had no idea. Then again, she had fooled and beguild him with her innocent act. There was no telling how she had seduced the gaurds into to let her keep the necklace. But if her tricks were so fluid, how had she not managed to escape before?
Branson shook his head. Time to think about that later. Right now, he called for back up. "Hey, get over here!" he yelled to any soilder who would hear. There were multiple doors to the armory, and the woman had closed this one. If the gaurds could manage to surround the entire armory before the prisoners got out, they would be trapped.
Giarc Rekedens
Two of the prisoners rushed into the room, and slammed the door shut, and he heard commotion outside. "Are you alright?" He asked the two newcomers, whom he had not seem before. They looked alright, but out of breath. Before they would answer, he asked "How many are out there? Can we take them out?" He knew there were other entrances to this armory, he had been in here before during training. He also knew the person in charge would send guards to the other entrances, to trap them. The best thing to do would be go out this door, take out the guards, and continue on. It would save time.
Samara
After Hozai's speech Samara took a stance that made it easy to duck or shoot. She jumped a little when two prisoners ran into the room and pushed the door closed. She swallowed hard, realizing that right outside of the doors, were crows waiting to kill all of them. She hoped that wouldn't happen, she hoped they all made it out, and that she wouldn't hold anyone back. She knocked one of her arrows and pointed it at one of the entrances into the armory, and waited for the signal to run, or fire.
Daray
Daray nodded at Branson and took off running in the opposite direction of him, toward another door, telling everyone that she saw to head to any door. "Don't leave any of the doors unguarded. These prisoners cannot escape. She stopped directly in front of one of the doors and tried the handle, knowing it would be locked. She grinned and motioned for someone to come help her. Then she took a running start and threw her shoulder against the door. She felt it cave slightly, but it didn't open fully. She cringed and rotated her shoulder, then did it again. This time she felt the wood splinter. "Help me, it's almost open. We're almost in. Just a few more pushes and we'll be to the prisoners. Try not to kill them, but if it happens....well we can't handle that."
Avan
The priest's speech was stirring enough for impromptu words in a moment of high tension. It at least provided some details to this seemingly random bout of good fortune that had smiled upon the newly released prisoners. Still, there wasn't much time left either to give praise or ask questions. Toma and Eve had barrelled back into the armory and a great commotion outside told them their location was no longer secret. In a matter of seconds, the Crows had every exit blocked and one of the doors was being bashed in with determined ferocity.
Avan stepped up beside Samara. "As soon as it's open, can you hit the first couple Crows that come through?" He turned to look at the crew Hozai had gathered, building a plan as he studied who looked capable of what. To the two who had just entered, he began, "Once she's caught the first two, we need to force our way out. My axe is trustworthy and good to me, but you two have more agile weapons. It makes sense to send you first; can you keep an eye out for a hole in their defense along the way?"
To Giarc, he proceeded, "I'll follow them out, can you help protect these last two (Saudra and Samara) as well as yourself? As we make a way out, I should be able to help you cover the path behind us. I mean... unless any of you have a better idea you can spill out in the next ten seconds?"
Avan addressed Giarc, asking him to take the rear. He quickly nodded while the enemy continued to brake down the door. Rekedens positioned himself at the back of the crowd. The other doors seemed to pretty firm for now, they should be able to escape before the enemy came flooding... at least he hopes so. He grasped his axe in both hands. He was going to ask Samara to get the bow ready and shoot the first enemies that came in, but she was shaking so bad he realized she had probably never been in a battle before. "Samara, are you able to lay off an arrow or two if the enemy comes though those doors?" He knew it was hard to draw enemy blood, he'd been there before.
Saudra The words that followed where nothing like what Saudra were expecting. This is not how Hozai normally talked. There was something rousing in his words, rousing and comforting. She gave a slight nod and a gulp realizing that she had to fight. Then she turned away from Hozai and the others. She needed to get her brain back into the game. Her mind had to be sharp like it used to be. She heard the hustle and bustle of people outside and everyone yelling out plans, trying to become leader.
None of this is helping. They're fortifying the exit. There's no way for us to get out now. Dang it Hozai! Why didn't you think this through? she thought. She started to pick over the armory. Most of it was unnecessary and useless things. A sword was as likely to get her killed ad walking in with nothing. The only thing she saw that was of use were a few push daggers, which she quickly pocketed. Then she came across something she knew she could use. A small smile spread on her face. This is what I'm talking about. She grabbed the marked box and quickly took it to the back of the room, hoping she still knew how to work with these materials.
Ben Entering the prison, a figure caught Ben's eye. He didn't have to command any troops right now. He was only in charge of Branson and Daray, and they could take care of themselves, so Ben decided to go after the figure. When he got close enough, he realized the man was a priest and he was fighting some of the the guards. Draw his sword, Ben yelled, "How about you lock blades with a real fighter?" Then he charged the priest. He was about to strike at the man when a loud boom came from behind him.
Saudra Using her push daggers to create a spark, she lit the explosives that she had been working for. She had a few precious seconds to get far enough away. After she got a few feet away and behind a shield, the explosives let out a roaring boom. It blasted a hole in the wall about 4 feet in high and plenty wide for people to get through. Luckily, the armory wall went straight to the outside. After the explosion she just kind of looked at everyone and said not very loudly, "This way." Then she slipped through the opening out of sight.
Eve
"Are you alright?" somone asked Eve and the man with her. "How many are out there? Can we take them out?"
Eve shook her head. "There was only one out that way." she jerked her head toward the door she had just enterd. But by the sounds of it..." There was loud crunching from the front enterance of the armory, followed by loud shouting from the back enterence Eve had just come through. "Were sourrounded."
Someone turned to Eve and the man next to her. "Once she's caught the first two, we need to force our way out. My axe is trustworthy and good to me, but you two have more agile weapons. It makes sense to send you first; can you keep an eye out for a hole in their defense along the way?" Eve's eyes narrowed. They were acctauly going to try and fight their way out? She didn't even know who theses people were.
Suddenly, an explosion lit the room, causing Eve to stumble back several feet. "This way," someone said, guestering toward the hole in the wall. Eve grabbed the nearest long knives she saw: she did not have her own wepons, as she had not carried any or hidden any in her house when she was living as a spy. Without waiting, Eve darted through the hole, into the fray. Her plan was to escape the palace as soon as possible; so she made a mental note to book it to the stables.
------- Branson
A blast pushed Branson off of his feet as a bright light blinded him and smoke filled his lungs.
Cough cough "My armory!" Cough cough. Curse those feinds! Branson leaped to his feet and barrowled into the door that had been slamed in his face, the wood now weakned from the explosion.
Daray
Daray glared at the soldiers standing behind her, simply staring at her. "Thank you all, for your bravery and courage. It's so helpful." She rolled her eyes and took an extra step back and ran at the door. This time she felt the door snap under her weight and crumble in. As the door broke she heard and felt the explosion. She covered her ears to prevent the ringing. She cursed under her breath and stood to her feet and pulled a throwing knife from her belt and spun it toward the closest person. She her anger boil over as some of the prisoners ran from the room. She turned behind her, "Well what are you waiting for! Get in here you cowards!"
Samara
Samara nodded when she was asked if she could hit a few of the people that came through the door. She also nodded slowly when Giarc asked if she could atleast release an arrow. She knew she could do that, hiting the target was the hard part. When the door caved in she released her first arrow and grabbed another one. As she did the explosion went of to her right. She covered her face, but when the explosion cleared she looked up to see what happened and saw the prisinors escaping. She released another arrow toward the broken door. She turned to Giarc, "We can get out of here, with no more bloodshed than necessary."
Giarc Rekedens
The explosion rattled the weapons hanging on the walls, causing most of the to fall down. There was a hole in the wall, and people started running though it. Excellent! "GO!" Giarc shouted. He pushed people towards the hole as several soldiers came though the wall. He engaged them, tripping one and hitting another in the chest when his axe. The blow didn't penetrate the armor- he was to weak, but he flew out the door and crashed into Daray. He ran into the hole and followed the others, trying to catch up. The axe was cumbersome, and slowed him down, but it didn't matter.
Thankfully there were no archers. Several of the soldiers were catching up to him, and he turned around to defend himself, but got hit with a knife in the arm. He grimaced, and dropped the axe. He turned around to run, tripped, and landed on his back, looking up at a sword point.
Avan
He'd just finished addressing the prisoners when he noticed Saudra concocting something close to the wall. He didn't even have time to ask what she was up to when his whole body was rocked by a blast. Shielding his face from any rubble that might fly through the air, he wiped sand and grit from his eyes and cautiously peeked at what had happened, finding a gaping hole to the outside of the castle. "This way," the girl spoke quietly.
"Alright, that'll do nicely, too...." Avan gathered his battered composure and steeled himself for the outdoors as several Crows came barging in. He grinned slightly as he saw one of them shot down by Samara's second arrow (OT: hope that's alright that I make one of your arrows a success-- and this doesn't have to be anyone in particular. One of the goons helping Daray would work fine.)
As the prisoners dashed through the hole Saudra had made, he followed them as quickly as his feet could carry him. This was it, this was freedom at last! But not far behind, he heard the sound of someone collapsing on the ground. Avan whirled around to see Giarc had fallen on the ground with a Crow holding him at point of sword. (OT: TJ's already called this Crow position, I think.)
He didn't think. As if thought would come easily at a moment like this. Instead, he charged forward and used his shield to bash the Crow backward with a loud crack. "Come on, hurry!"
Lucien
He'd been holding back, determined to defend the gate at all costs. But this, this was just too much. There had been an explosion in the armory and masses of Crows were heading in to follow the prisoners outside the walls. Lucien turned to one of the men behind him. "Go find some archers. Get them to the top of the outer wall quickly. We'll take as many out as we can from there. The rest of you, follow me."
He led the men through the doors of the armory and through the wildly destroyed bits of wall. "Go get them," he ordered, sprinting after the prisoners himself. But some fifty feet away, he saw something that made him stop in his tracks. A familiar mess of poorly kept red hair, an axe and shield that he'd fought against before, only in friendlier seasons. He shut his eyes tightly and continued to charge ahead despite himself. This was his only chance to move up in the ranks and he wasn't going to miss it for some insolent child from his past.
Hozai
The man charged at him but the explosion rocked the very foundation of the castle. "That'a girl Saudra." She'd be the only one to do something like that. He dropped the sword. "You know The Crow will fall." He smiled. "That explosion will have awaken from his sleep, don't you think?" He lifted his arms in a sign of defeat, but he knew he had won. "That explosion signals the beginning of the end for your king."
Toma
The girl had enough sense to use the distraction to her benefit. Well Surprise, surprise. He thought to himself before she pulled him by his cloak. She's stronger than I thought.
A man asked if they where alright right before flame appeared and the earth shook, but yet again something that should bring death brought freedom. The girl who had started the explosion said in a soft voice "This way." He laughed. "Don't have to tell me twice." He saw the girl who had tugged his cloak making her way to the stables but she was being followed by more than one Crow. He curses and runs toward her persuers killing them all with quick strikes of his dagger but he didn't see the one looming behind him, in heavy armor.
Shadow Blade
He had watched from the Shadows since the priest had entered the jail. It had intrigued him for a long time. He watched him free all of the prisoner's, even Toma. He was fine with this, there was no way they would make it out. Then they made it to the armory. "Well maybe they do stand a chance."
He watched as a woman stood against Brandon, and then Toma appeared out of the Shadows so effortlessly that even he was impressed. They had both engaged Brandon and survived. "That'a boy Toma" He says smiling to himself. If anyone defeated Toma again, it would be he. His teacher, not some little spoiled tick.
Then the explosion had rocked the foundation and he knew he had to move. He wouldn't engage Toma right now. But he wouldn't set by and let these prisoners escape either. He rushed silently towards a man who had just bashed one of the Crows in the back of the head with a shield. He brought out his blade and struck like a serpent, his blade had been poisoned. The man wouldn't die but he might lose the arm. The shield pulled him forward as Blade's sword connected. Not enough to sever the arm, just enough to draw blood. He stared at the fiery haired young man, his own eyes ice cold. "You'll die tonight."
Avan
Before he knew what was happening, he felt a stinging on his left arm and the warm, sticky flow of blood trickling down. He was face to face with yet another Crow, this one clothed in black like Toma, with eyes as cold and lifeless as the inside of that wretched cell he'd only just escaped from. "You'll die tonight," the Crow predicted, sending a small shiver down Avan's spine.
Avan backed away a couple steps. His arm was beginning to tingle a bit and he found he could no longer hold the shield properly. Instead, in his other hand, he gripped his axe more firmly and with almost all of his strength, heaved it up over his head and let gravity help him bring it back down on his enemy's shoulder.
Things weren't going well tonight. Not going well at all.
Shadow Blade
He laughed as the man made a very feeble attempt at hitting him with his axe. He grabbed the man's arm with his hand and slammed him into a nearby wall. He backed up slowly. "Is that all you have? Only able to raise your weapon and let it fall?" He moved quickly punching the man in the gut, backing away again. "Why Malphas thought you a threat I don't know." He laughed.
"Oh wait, I recognize you now. Your Avon Wylder, Lucien Wylder's little brat. Well they do say, like father like son." He lunged at him this time with his blade close to his body then he extended it, fully intending to kill the man.
Avan
His move was quickly deflected; his vision dimmed momentarily as his entire body slammed against a stone wall. When he could see again, it was only a vision of this Crow sneering at him, taunting him. His opponent punched him hard in the stomach and he doubled over. Then the Crow said the one thing he shouldn't have: "...like father like son." The sound of it reverberated in his aching head for a minute until he finally snapped.
"YOU WERE WRONG BEFORE! IT'LL BE YOU THAT DIES TONIGHT!" he roared as he dodged to the right of the man's blade. He swung the axe now with more strength than he knew he had left in him, bringing it around toward the Crow's side. He tried to pull his shield up again, to block any attack from the left but his arm would hardly move at all now, sending him into full on panic mode. He swung at the Crow again and again, blind with rage, but he knew in the back of his mind it was getting him nowhere.
Daray
Finally all of the soldiers behind Daray started to pile in after the escaped prisoners. She grabbed her sword to pull out of her sheath when a man was thrown back into her, knocking her to the ground. She shoved him off of her as he stammered on the ground. She hated all of these stupid prisoners. All of them deserved to die, but she knew that would only end in her own death. Daray pushed herself up from the ground and pulled her sword out. She took off at a run toward the prisoners, who were heading toward the stables. All of them as fast as they could. Well, that was except for two who had to deal with Shadow Blade. She ran right by them, leaving them be and ran for the head of the group. Take out the man in the priest clothes, and the rest of the group will no linger have a leader. Ofcourse they could all handle themselves, but she was certain that they would have no where to go if they didn't have the man who set them free from their cells.
Samara
Samara's last arrow landed true, and she felt her stomach jolt. Every being in her body was telling her to apologize and go make sure his wounds weren't too severe. She shook her head and turned from the fallen soldier, she hoped tha the wasn't dead, and that she had missed any vital organs. She took off running away from the place that had been her prison for who knew how long. She stumbled a few times, knowing full well that she wasn't the most graceful person in the world, and not to mention she felt like she was going to just pass out any minute. Sitting in a cell didn't help the fact that she was already having a hard time catching her breath from running. She stumbled on a rock and it slowed her down enough to see Giarc and the other man who had told her to shoot at the entering soldiers, being attacked. She gasped and stopped, Giarc was on the ground holding his arm, and the other was being charged by a sword. She let out a slight cry and turned around and ran in the opposite direction of the stables. She came to a sliding halt next to Giarc, and looked up, knowing she wouldn't make it in time to help the other. She went to grab her bow, and almost hit herself when she realized she had dropped it when sbe returned. She closed her eyes and turned back to Giarc, his arm looked to only be cut, but something about the way the blood looked didn't look right to her. SHe didn't have time to look thoroughly, but she was sure he would be ok eventually. Samara patted Giarc's arm slightly and stood up offering him her hand. She didn't know how much she could help him, but some help was better than none. She glanced where Avan had been and her filled with relief when he had dodged the sword. She wanted to help, but she had to get Giarc to the stable as fast as possible, besides Avan looked like he was still able to fight.
Giarc Rekedens
"Uggghh" he tried removing the knife from his arm, but it sent spikes of pain up and down his arm. Thankfully, the person who was standing over him with a sword took off after someone else. Not that there was to much time. Samara ran over to him and helped him stand. Together, they went over to the stables and took cover. Giarc collapsed on a pile of hay. He grasped the knife again, and pulled it. It came out slowly, and Giarc tried not to scream. When it came out, he collapsed again and lay there for a few moments... but he realized that his axe was still on the ground by the hole in the wall- where he fell!
The prisoners were scattered around the court yard, and that was bad. Very bad. "We have to round everybody up... ugh." He stood, and looked out of the stables. The first person he saw was Avan up against the wall. "Samara... can you cover me while I go help him?"
Branson
Branson bolted into the armory just as the prisoners were leaveing it. But he knew they wouldn't get far. From the other enterence, he saw the crow soilders pouring in, Daray at the head of them. Branson leaped foward to attack the prisoners from behind, when a bolt of force hit him in the shoulder, sending pain down his side. He cursed and looked down at the blade prouding from his armor. This throwing knife had pierced his skin, and he realized he recognized the wepon--"Daray!" He barked angrily, then mutterd to himself, "women!" They had caused him enough greif today. Well, in the future, he would not allow himself to be so caught off gaurd.
And their they were, his nightmare from eariler, the woman with the curly hair, running toward the stables. Daray was in hot pursute, perhaps fifty yards behind. The rest of the prisoners were streaming toward the stables, the crow soilders fighting among them.
Eve
Eve booked it to the stables so fast that the people around her, friends or foes she didn't know, barely had time to notice her. She enterd the dimly lit stables and came across a stable boy. He saw her, blanched, then charged toward her, apparently determind to do his job and protect the horses. Eve stopped him with one hand on his chest, the other hand holding her knife to his throte. "If you want to live, get out of here." Eve saw the determination in the boy's eyes, as well as a spark of fear. The kid couldn't have been more than fourteen. She saw his eyes darting back and forth, debating. Then, from the numerous stalls and hay bales, more stable boys emerged from hideing. Some darted out as fast as they could, some eyed her warily. "Now!" she barked. She shoved her prisoner toward the door.
Eve survayed the stables. She opend the door of the nearest stall and coaxed the chestnut gelding out of it. She made a move to mount, but then her eyes looked back toward the battle. It was no going well. The prisoners were either being overwelmed, or chased pilly-nilly toward the stables, and more crow soilders were pouring out of the garasens as she watched. She would never get out of here by herself. Her eyes fell on the cloaked man who had helped her in the prison hall way. A twing of guilt touched her. She didn't know who these people were...but she couldn't just leave them here to be slaughterd. They might even be allys, though she doubted it.
"Hey. HEY!" she motioned to the cloaked man, "Help me with the horses!" Most of the horses were not tacked up, but a few had rope bridals. She hoped these prisoners could ride bare back. That was when she noticed the cloaked man was being attacked. She sighed. She apparently had to do everything herself. Guiding the horse toward the soilder attacking the cloakd man, Eve slapped the gelding's rear. The horse neighed, then charged right toward the two. "Hey, bird brain, I hope you like CROW PANDCAKES!" she yelled. Wait, that was it! Going from stall to stall, Eve opend all the doors and let the horses out. The four-hoved animals proceeded to prance into the battle ridden courtyard.
Saudra After exciting the prison, Saudra made a b-line to wooded cover. She made it rather easily, and then she turned around to look for her companions. Some of them were out in the open fighting. Some of them were down by the stables, trying to get horses, but all of them were engaged in some sort of combat. What's wrong with them? Saudra asked herself. Why don't they just disappear and scatter? Don't they know that's the only way to get away? She watched her fellow prisoners with amazement. Their desire to fight was astounding. Even the archers seemed to be getting themselves into hand to hand battles.
Do I need to join in as well? Saudra asked herself. She had never worked with a group before. The closest thing she came to was when she worked with the mercenaries who trained her, but the rule there was that if things went south it was every man for himself and if you were ever caught, you were on your own. She sighed and looked to what she could do, what battle she could join. She decided to help the ones in the stable when suddenly a charge of horses surged out of the door.
Saudra grabbed one horse. It took her a few awkward moments to gain control of it. Riding bareback had never been her specialty and then charged over to where Shadow Blade and Avan were fighting. She galloped past a man (Giarc) who was bleeding and had an injured arm and said, "Grab a horse and get out of here!"
Once she got close enough to the Shadow Blade she flung a dagger at him. She didn't expect it to hit because it had been a long time since she had needed to do anything like this. She had hopped to scare the man off so she could get Avan. Regardless of whether the dagger hit it's mark, she extended her hand to Avan and said, "Get on my horse!"
He used the distraction to slide the handle of his axe into the holder on his back before taking Saudra's hand with his one good arm. "Thanks," he said, as he climbed on, hoping the Crow wouldn't follow them.
Giarc Rekedens
As Saudra rode past him, she told him to get on a horse. He saw she was headed to help Avan, so he hobbled back to the stables. The field turned into a battle ground, and they were outnumbered. The other prisoners had made their way to the stables and were getting on horses. These horses were not equipped with saddles, so riding would be tough. He struggled unto a horse with one hand, helped Samara get on behind him, and headed out following Saundra. He had no control over the horse, but miraculously his horse knew to follow the other horses.
Daray
Daray's eyes widened as one of the prisoners released all of the horses, and they came running at the crows. She veered to her left and jumped out of the way just in time for an oncoming horse to come galoping by. She pushed herself up from the ground and grabbed her sword, her eyes on fire with rage. She let out a cry of anger, and pulled one of her knives out of her belt throwing it toward the girl in the stable. As she released the knife she ran at full speed toward her. Everything going on around her was outrageous, and it needed to be stopped imediately. She was growing tired of the prisoners lack of surrender very quickly.
Samara
Samara picked up her bow as they got back to the stables, and nodded to Giarc who was clearly not able to help Avan. She would do everything in her power to keep either of them from dieing. As Giarc headed to help the other, a girl on a horse distracted the attacking man and pulled Avan onto her horse. Samara feld a flood of relief wash over her, as more of the prisoners climbed onto the horses backs. She helped Giarc to a horse and let him help her onto the back. She was greatful for this, she had ridden horseback before, but not since she was a little girl, and most of the time it was on the back. Usually she was the one leading the horse with a hurt man or woman on it. She felt the horse begin to galop with the rest of the horses, and she looked behind them, seeing all of the crow soldiers scattering from the oncoming horses. She turned around and sighed heavily, maybe they would make it out alive, everything was going to get better, she could feel it. She turned to face the front of the horse and her eyes fell on Giarc's arm. She grimaced and wanted to reach out and examine it. "You have to let me check your arm when we get somewhere safe. It's the least I can do for everything you've done for me today, and every other day in those cells."
Toma
He saw the woman release the horses, then he saw the shadow of the man behind him and he rolled and dodged. "Not tonight" Toma said as the horse hit the Crow head on. Then another crow, a woman threw a knife in his direction and drew her blade, but her target wasn't him, it was the woman who he'd saved, and who had saved him. "None of us die tonight." He whispers as he brings his daggers up to his sides and runs at the crow. (Daray Cecil saved me and these brutes killed him, I won't let it happen to her. "Hey, you trash!" He screams as loud as he can as he slashes at her. He only could hope that his savior would duck in time to dodge the knife.
Shadow Blade
He smiled as Avon fought with all of his might not gaining any advantage over him. "Your just as weak as he is." He whispered lightly. Right then the dagger caught him in the arm. He looked at the woman, it was Saudra. "Oh isn't it the little Assassin who chocked at the mere mention of her family! Your weak." He screams and laughs as they save Avon.
Hozai
"Please, I'd like to meet this man who claims a throne not his." Hozai says flatly.
Eve
Eve nodded with satisfaction as the horse creamed the crow soilder fighting the cloaked man. But her victory was short lived. Over the back of a horse, Eve saw a feirce looking woman yell a battle cry, and something silvery flashed toward her. The good news: the knife did not hit her. The bad news was that it hit the horse in front of her, causing the animal to fall atop of Eve, screaming a high pitched whinny. "Crow brains!" Eve swore, more in irritation than anything. The horse had missed most of her, but her leggs were trapped under it's shoulder. The fact that the animal was screaming and thrashing was not helping at all. Eve struggled as well, attempting to get out from under the horse. Her only advantage was that the black mass in front of her blocked her from enemy eyes.
Branson
"No!" Branson shouted as many of the soilders aimed to kill. "Don't kill them!" He yelled to no one in particular. These prisoners were the king's property. Jumping behind some wooden debris from the explosion, Branson fitted an arrow and loosed it at a pair of prisoners, a man and a woman, on horse back. He aimed, not at the prisoners, but at the horse, at it's leggs, hopeing to down it, or make it dislodge it's riders.
--Three weeks ago--
The four-horse carriage rattled down the forest road trying to look more prestigious than it was. It belonged to a fat old landsknecht, a petty nobleman whose holdings consisted of a single ragged peasant village, ragged because it had to support his own "manor" as well as the King's onerous demands. A tree toppled down into the road, blocking the coach's path. It was an old, rotting deadfall that had been painstakingly pulled into position, raised, and held in place, then camoflaged amongst other trees. The coachman pulled the horses to a halt, and the landsknecht's one guard raised his crossbow.
"Put it down. We've already got a bead on you," a voice echoed from somewhere in the forest. An arrow hissed out from the trees and thudded into the coach a hand's breadth away from him. "You in the coach: toss out your money bags and jewelry and you'll be free to go. You don't even have to get out of your carriage. We want your money, not you." That wasn't entirely true, but the speaker knew that if the noble was killed, his village would be razed as a warning to anyone who dared strike at their betters.
"You'll not get away with this! The King will have you hanging from his castle walls!" the landsknecht shouted from inside.
"Yeah, yeah. But that won't do you a lot o' good right now, will it? Right now all you gotta worry about is a little road toll. Don't make us change our minds." The voice echoed strangely, making it difficult to determine the sex or age of the speaker. After a few moments of calculation, the landsknecht opened the door just enough to toss out a money bag, followed (after the sound of some high-pitched outrage) by a bracelet and a pair of earrings. If the bandit shot the guard or the horses, it would be more costly than the contents of his money-purse and a couple of his wife's lesser baubles. "The necklaces too. You an' your lovely bride wear 'em everywhere you go." Another moment of hesitation, then two necklaces made of small silver ingots with smaller gold ones in between flew out and landed in the dirt. Somewhere in the forest, a hand pulled a skip-knot loose, and bags of rocks hoisted over a tree branch were freed to fall, pulling another rope tied to the dead tree, which slid off of the road. "Off ya go then. Nice doin' business with you."
The coachman whipped the horses, and they took off at a gallop. Once they were gone, a figure rose from the undergrowth, bedecked in enough bush and fern to almost qualify as undergrowth itself. A half gourd strapped over the face helped camouflage the youth and femininity of the voice. Short bow at the ready, Shyahwyn emerged and quickly gathered the loot into a bag. Moments later, she had vanished into the woods as if she never was.
--Present day--
Coming to the Capital was dangerous, but the advantages were worth it. Shyahwyn could lose herself in the bustling crowds here, and fence her loot anonymously in exchange for other goods, which she could trade for food closer to the villages that would receive it. These would be different villages from the one whose lord she'd robbed, so that its people would not be suspect. She would pay them back later, after things blew over. Moving around the way she did, she would never become 'the notorious bandit of the Whitewood Forest' or some such, inviting the focused efforts of the King's men. If she had her way, she would not be thought of as a single bandit at all, and the Crows would never know where to go looking for her, or to start setting traps.
Before entering the Capital though, she wanted to get an idea of the city's mood. If the city had just had a riot, or was about to, the Crows would be on edge, and she'd have to go someplace else. If trade was going well and the people were content, the Crows would be as well. So, Shyahwyn carefully slipped up to edge of the forest beyond the city walls, just beyond the Presidio, the old fortification now being used as a prison. What better place to assess how ruffled the Crows' feathers might be? Carefully camouflaged, she was invisible to them as she settled in to watch. A smile slowly spread across her lips. They were as complacent as could be, going about their patrols with the occasional yawn of boredom.
Until the commotion began. Suddenly they started to stir, like hornets whose nest had just been poked with a stick. A few shouts, and then part of the wall exploded! Shyahwyn bit back a stream of grumbling. Now the Crows were sure to be extra-vigilant, not only in the city, but in the surrounding countryside as well. Even if none of the prisoners boiling out of the opening got away, whatever alchemies caused the explosion probably meant they'd had outside help, and the Crows would leave no stone unturned in their search. Which meant Shyahwyn's trip here was ruined, and she'd have to make the trek to another city, the more distant the better. That didn't stop things from getting worse. One of the prisoners was headed almost straight for her! Shyahwyn froze, slowing her breath. It was a woman with dark hair and eyes. She had a disciplined look that said she was not someone to tangle with lightly. Reaching cover only a few paces away from Shyahwyn, she turned to look back at her fellow escapees. These were getting embroiled in battles against the Crows, whose numbers continued to increase as more soldiers responded to the alarms. The woman stared at them with shock and irritation, probably for mixing it up instead of making it to cover like she had.
To Shyahwyn's relief, her presence went unnoticed as the woman ran back into the fray, grabbed a horse, and rode to the rescue of one of her compatriots. I don't know who these people are, but if they're willing to help each other instead of looking out for number one, they can't be all bad. Might as well get some benefit from being here, she thought, feeling a familiar rage rise to seek satisfaction. Archers and crossbowmen were starting to line up on the walls. If they had a chance to set up, the prisoners would be doomed. Ducking behind a tree, Shyahwyn shucked her longbow from her shoulder, slipped an arrow from her quiver and took aim. Thwack! The officer leading them, denoted by the black feathers on his helmet, fell. Then, one of his men. Then another, and another.
"They've got archers in the woods!" one of them shouted, and a ragged volley fell among the trees. Shielded by a tree, Shyahwyn backed up until the forest canopy was between her and the top of the wall, then she ran at a crouch to a new position, then advanced behind a tree to fire, remaining out of their sight while she moved. Move and shoot, move and shoot. She concentrated her fire on the archers so she could be sure not to hit one of the prisoners by accident, as she might if she fired into any of their melees. I can't stay here for long. I've got to be gone before the Crows can get cavalry saddled up... she thought, wondering if perhaps helping these people would prove to be a fatal error.
Giarc Rekedens
Giarc and Samara were riding fast, when the horse in front of them fell. Giarc noticed that as it fell, it fell unto one of the prisoners. Giarc tried frantically to stop the horse, else they would topple the fallen horse, but had no control over the horses wild movements. But all of a sudden, he felt a thud and the horse lurched, tossing both riders unto the ground. The fall almost knocked him unconscious, and he was a bit blurry for a few moments.
When he came to, he struggled to get up and pulled the knife from the horse and stuck it in his belt with the other knife- it could come in handy. He went around to the other side to help the woman trapped under, he lifted the horse as best he could with his wounded arm but it wasn't enough. He sighed.... tried again, but still was not able to lift it. He needed help.
Lucien
A fleeting moment of some paternal joy stirred within Lucien as he saw Avan escape a fight that would have only lead to his death. But any such soft feelings of fatherhood vaporized when he heard someone from the top of the outer wall shout, "They've got archers in the woods!" The archers above them moved their aim to the invisible enemy that was knicking them off one by one. Surely enough, the occasional arrow could still be seen firing from the dark depths of the forest.
He grumbled as he realized the Crows were wasting their arrows on a target they couldn't see. If this was going to distract them so much, he'd have to put an end to it himself. He disappeared into the edge of the forest, moving between the trees carefully so as not to get shot down. He tried to block out the sounds of battle and chaos behind him, listening only to the stirring of the leaves in the forest; this, too, proved to be difficult, as arrows flying about here and there produced their own noise. He'd have to listen more intently, for movement that lasted longer than just a second.
Avan
"Oh isn't it the little Assassin who chocked at the mere mention of her family! Your weak," he could hear his enemy shout as they rode away. ....Assassin...? Just who had he climbed on a horse with? But his ponderings were interrupted when the horse began to buck, dodging an arrow that whirred between its feet. He grabbed desperately at the air, looking for some way to maintain his balance, but his heavy shield and lifeless arm weighed him down on the other side, sending him rolling across the muddy grass wet with dew.
Daray
Daray smiled when even though her knife had missed the girl, it hit a horse that knocked her to the ground and had her pinned there. She charged full speed ahead and toward her. She saw the flash of black just in time to avoid the oncoming attack. The skidded to a halt with her sword held at the ready. It was about time she got to have a head on battle with someone. She just wished that she could kill the man in front of her, but that was not allowed. She sighed and flung her blade around quickly aiming for his waist, to cut but not kill.
Samara
Samara looked back in time to see a horse fall on one of the other prisoners. The next thing she knew, they were falling. She closed her eyes tightly and prepared herself for the impact with the ground. She flinched a little when she hit, but other than a few bruises she would probably get she was perfectly fine. She pushed herself up from the ground and followed Giarc to the girl under the horse. She watched as Giarc tried to push the horse off the first time and failed. As he tried again she ran to the other side and pushed, knowing full well that she would probably be absolutely usesless in this. She didn't care, she pushed with all the might she could muster hoping and praying that the horse would move just enough so the woman could pull her foot out, and that her foot was not crushed from the weight of the horse.
Toma
The Crow dodged his attack and followed it up with her own, he didn't see it but felt the blade cut into his midsection. ARGH! Dang it, I'm rusty. He looked down at the wound it wasn't life threatening. She had a long sword and he his two daggers, if he had landed his first blow he would have a better chance, but she had dodged. His only option was to flee, so he three one of his daggers up in the air, causing the Crow to look up. Does anyone ever not fall for that? He thinks to himself as he runs up the nearby wall flipping and grabbing his dagger. When he landed he was in the shadows again.Thank you full moon. He ran, right for the opening but then he saw the woman under a horse. "Do I run away or stay...."
He dodged a blade that went for his hand. "Hello Toma." He knew that voice. "Master..." He dodged another swipe of the sword he knew all to well. He couldn't figure out where the attacks where coming from. "Come on Toma, you should be able to see me." the voice said again as a the sword appeared at his collarbone, Toma saw the Shadow Blade then, at the other end of the sword. He knew that sword all to well, Serpents Fang was only used by one man. "Shadow Blade..."
Toma wanted to ask him why but he couldn't. That girl was crushed under a horse, and the longer she stayed there, the longer they all risked death. "I'm sorry Master but you taught me one thing above all others."
Shadow Blade laughed "And what was that?"
"Never reveal myself before I strike." Toma says bringing his palm up to his masters blade as hard as he could. The sword went upward into the sky as Toma rolled cutting a small cut in Shadow Blade's leg, then placing his palm right on the wound. Blade looked back down and went still with fear. "My leg." He couldn't feel it. "Yes, your poison is now going through your own blood stream, killing your leg." Toma smiles. "Do you stay and fight or do you get the antidote out of your jacket like I know you have." Toma blended into the Shadows.
Shadow Blade
I'm so very proud Toma, I taught you well. But that just means I'll have to fight with my full strength next time. He thinks to himself. He reaches in his cloak and takes out a vial and looks at it. "The antidote..." He brought his hand up to take the stopper off, and then he felt the kick from his side. "Never ignore your surroundings, even if you think no one can see you." He heard Toma say as he fell to the ground. He looked for the antidote but couldn’t find it. TOMA!
Toma He had known that his master kept a vial of the antidote on him at all times, just not where. So he goaded him into taking it out and then stole it. “No telling who he has attacked tonight. This could come in handy.” He whispers running off towards the horse at full speed. He thrust his arms out and put all his momentum behind the push. “Come on guys. Hold on.”
Giarc Rekedens
Giarc was thankful someone came over to help him move the horse (Toma). Together, they managed to lift the horse so the woman (Eve) could get out from under it. He helped her stand, he bet her leg hurt. "Are you able to walk?" He asked her. They were a sad bunch, most of them wounded, but thankfully gathering together into a group. And Giarc noticed for the first the archers on the wall, and his heart skipped a beat.... then he noticed something miraculous! They were facing the other way, something outside had them distracted. Thank Elha- he stopped himself.
"How do we get out of here?" The enemy was rushing them, and he was not armed. He depended on the able prisoners to defend the group, but they needed to leave. He hoped for a distraction, to bad they didn't have anymore explosives! He didn't believe in Elhanan- rather he wasn't at terms with Him- but he was starting to realize they needed Him if they wanted to get out alive.
He gulped. "We need a plan, we can not continue to be this unorganized mess of fighters. What'll it be?"
Saudra "Oh isn't it the little Assassin who chocked at the mere mention of her family! Your weak." Those words and that maniac's laugh rang in Saudra's ears.Ignore him, she reassured herself. Ignore him because he probably just heard your story and is trying to upset you with it. It has been 10 years. What you did to the King and why you failed must be common knowledge. Even for all her talk a small lump hadformed in her throat, and her hands were shaking slightly.
Then the horse bucked, avoiding an arrow. Saudra fell from the great beast's back, and this dismissed all the thoughts she had of her parents. She was luckily not harmed in the fall. After she had gotten up, she saw the boy she had just saved on the ground. He did not look like he was in any condition to fight. None of them where. Saudra felt the rage of who she was working with boil up inside her. I should have run! her mind yelled at herself. I should have left all these idiots here to be recaptured and die. Now our chance of escape is all but lost unless we can lose the soldiers in the forest! I can still run though. I can still save my own neck.
She was about to turn and run when a softer thought popped into her head. What happened to being okay with death for the sake of redemption? It was with this thought that Saudra realized that she wasn't here to save herself or to look after her own well being. She would at least save one of tese bunch of fools. Once she saved one of them, then she could distance herself from them for good and find out what Elhanan wanted her to do with her life.
Then she rushed to the boy and said, "Can you run? We need to make it to the forest. That's the only way out of here."
Ben Picking up some chains from a hook on the wall, Ben restrained Hozai's hands and said, "Come with me." He lead the man, holding onto his restrains while they slowly made their way to the King's chamber.
Malphas, Ben and Hozai
He stood in his throne room with a sneer on his face. "Ten years I've been king and no one has escaped my jail." He says calmly looking at his manservant. "Well, why wasn't I awoken sooner." He says threateningly. "Your highness...I don't kn-" He never got to finish the sentence Malphas drew his blade and decapitated the man. "Not knowing in this kingdom is a crime."
He walked back over to the window watching the chaos unfold. His long black hair and red eyes made him look like his Crow, and he didn't care.
*knock*
"Come in and please tell me that you have everything under control."
Guiding his prisoner into the room, Ben looked a lot more confident than he felt. If he had learned anything from working with the temprament King it was that he should never admit to messing up and always tell the man what he wanted to hear.
"My Lord," he said with a bow. "Captain Kriess is down there commanding troupes. If it is not already under control, it will be shortly. I have brought you the man who caused the break out, so you could do as you please with him."
Then Ben, none to gently, pushed the imprisoned priest towards the Crow King.
As Hozai was guided forward his fear returned. Oh my Elhanan what I have I done.You have done my will and for that you will be rewarded, stay strong my son. Don't show him fear. Hozai stood, he wouldn't bow to this monster.
Malphas saw the priest. "So wait, are you saying this Priest of Elhanan." He points at the priest. "Is the one who let the prisoners free and has caused so much trouble for my armies." He strode over to the window. "Impressive Priest, I give you cred-"
"It was not I, but Elhanan, he has declared war on you." Hozai interrupts the king.
Malphas walks over to the priest calmly and back hands him with enough force to send him flying to the floor. "HOW DARE YOU SPEAK OUT OF TURN! AND TO SAY ELHANAN HAS DECLARED WAR ON ME?!?! I'M A FOLLOWER OF HIS!" He roars.
"You are not hi-" He is kicked in the gut by Malphas.
"YOU! WHO HAS ALL ESCAPED!" Malphas points at Ben.
Internally, Ben flinched at the abuse this man was taking. He knew better than to show his feelings in the throne room of the King, but in his own mind, he did hope that the King would be more merciful to others. Surely this man was simply completely insane, accusing the King of not being a follower of Elhanah, and needed to be treated by the healers.
"It appears as though Saudra, the failed assassin, Tamo, called the Shadow Hawk, Eve, a peasant suspected of being a Hawk, Samura, the Hawk's healer, Avan, the son of Lucian, and Giarc, the man who attacked you, have all be freed," he spoke up confidently. One of the guards had relayed the report of the empty cells to him while he was bringing Hozai up to seen the King.
He kicked the priest again. "DO YOU REALIZE WHAT YOU MAY HAVE COST ME!" the man grunted. He kicked him in the head once and the man went still excepts for the breathing. Turning to Ben, he yelled "You! What's your name!"
"Ben Allett, Sir," responded Ben quickly and confidently. He was rather confused by what exactly was going on.
Malphas stepped close to Ben Allett. "Ben Allett" he grabs the mans neck and pushes him against the wall. "You better not come back to this room until those prisoners are back in a cell, and if they escape, you better follow them. And if you return before then. You will be executed on the charge of treason." He lets go of the man. "Is that clear?"
The air rushed out of Ben's lungs as he was slammed against the wall. He was winded and it was impossible to talk, but he heard and understood every word Malphas said. When Ben was finally let go, he fell to his knees, making horrid sounds, trying to gulp the air back into his lungs. He was nodded though and when he found the air to breath again, he said, "Yessir. Is that all sir?"
He stood up and looked the King in the eyes, he had no fear because he was confident in his best friend Luke's abilities to get all the prisoners back. As long as he was directing the soldiers, this would get done. He knew, deep in his heart, that he would be back in front of the King soon reporting the good news.
"Oh and do you know who was the commanding officer tonight?"
"Captain Kriess, Sir," replied Ben, noting to himself how the King had missed it earlier when he mentioned his friend was already mounting a counter attack to the prisoners.
"Please go relieve him of command and put him shackles." Malphas says flatly. "He is now Prisoner Kriess."
When those words hit Ben's ears, it was like a punch in his gut. His mouth gaped open a little bit. How could this man think Lucas was that expendable? How could he run a kingdom like this? But he quickly recovered. He knew he had a duty to the King and he could not simply throw off his orders. Not as long as he was wearing a Crow uniform. Then he responded, "Sir, where should I put him and who should take over in the mean time?"
"In solitary confinement, and lets give Lucien Wylder another chance."
A bad taste rose to Ben's mouth when he heard the name Wylder. There was no way he was going to live this down. Lucien was going to have him on night patrols and doing cleaning work for as long as he lived. But then again, that might not be an issue because with Luke out of the picture, he had no confidence in their ability to recapture the prisoners. He might be in for a long journey to track down those prisoners. "As you wish, My Lord," responded Ben with a bow as be began to exit the room.
Avan
He pushed himself off the damp carpet of emerald below him, wiping dirt off his face as he managed to stand again. The woman who'd rescued him from Shadow Blade had fallen off the horse, too, but she looked to be alright. Well, as 'alright' as one could be in the middle of a prison break. "Can you run?" she was asking him, "We need to make it to the forest. That's the only way out of here."
She was right; if they could get into the forest, they'd be better covered from the arrows raining down on them and there would be more places to hide. "My legs work fine; it's this wretched arm that's giving me trouble." He loosened the straps on his shield and pulled it off, choosing instead to carry it in his other hand. Eyeing the other prisoners in their various predicaments, he decided neither he nor Saudra would be of any use to them until some sort of advantage was gained-- and as she'd already stated, the only advantage left to them was in the forest. "Let's get out of here," he said with a nod. "Maybe they'll follow if they see us head off." He dashed off toward the forest, Saudra following behind him.
"Not that it matters," he shouted over the sounds of their feet hitting the ground, "but in case we die, I'd rather someone that isn't an idiotic Crow know my name is Avan." He paused to catch his breath, panting with the effort of running. "Yours is Saudra, right? I heard the priest say it before we left."
Eve
Eve's cheek and stomach brushed agaisnt the cold floor as she streached her arms out, trying to grab the edge of a stall door to pull herself out from under the horse. It didn't hurt--her leggs were only lodged under the edge of the animals shoulder, but it was nearly impossible to get free. Still, she thought she felt herself move an inch. That was when two others ran over to her in a silent attempted to break her free.
"What are you doing?" Eve barked, as she kicked and struggled. "Just get out of here!" The more they drew attention to themselves, the worst things were. Besides, she didn't want to be an anyones debt. Eve managed to get ahold of the stall door and made a vigours pull--and managed to dislodge herself farther than she thought possible. In fact, she found herself completely out from under the horse. She moved into a sitting position as soon as she dared, but sat there for a moment to assess for any breaks. That's when she saw the cloaked man had joined the other two in assisting her. Great, now i'm in debt...
The other man who had gotten to her first said, "Are you able to walk?" He made motions to help her up, but she shook off his hands and jumped to her feet.
"I'm fine." she breathed.
"How do we get out of here?" he asked. Eve hated to say she had no idea. He gulped. "We need a plan, we can not continue to be this unorganized mess of fighters. What'll it be?"
Eve picked up the long knives she had commendeered. "Ride hard."
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Post by Sovereign on Sept 11, 2012 13:35:24 GMT -5
Branson It all happend in a wurl. Branson saw with satisfaction that his arrow had brought down a horse and it's two riders, but they wern't dispatched for long. He saw Daray throw a knife at his curly haird nightmare from earlier, but the blade felled a horse instead. Daray ran with full fury at the girl whom the horse had fallen on, but was intercepted by the man with the cloak from before. Then the two whos horse Branson had shot ran over to help the woman the horse had fallen on. He saw some more of the prisoners dashing toward the woods. He growled. The prisoners were NOT going to get away. With devil's speed, he began loosing arrows at the feet and legs of the prisoners who were getting away. He then launched himself at a giant bucket of pitch that was in the courtyard, and after a few attempts managed to nock it over, spilling the dark oil across the escape route. He grabbed a near by torch threw it into the pitch. The courtyard blazed with a bright light, casting bloody shadows on the walls. Shyahwyn: I gotta go--NOW! Shyahwyn thought, seeing the escape attempt start to unravel. She glimpsed a Crow in black armor running for the woods. Before she could get a shot, he'd made it to cover...then went silent. If he finds out where I am, he'll be able to come at me dodging from tree to tree and I might not be able to get a shot! Until now, I was smart enough not to attack real soldiers! Glancing back at the unfolding debacle, she saw one of the soldiers on the walls upset a cauldron of pitch and set it alight, blocking her view of the prisoners with a wall of flame. Oh, brilliant! Now the Crows won't be looking for escaped prisoners, they'll be looking for archers! She didn't know if the Crow in the forest wasn't moving, or if he just had really good woodscraft. She couldn't see him in his black armor, which probably meant he couldn't see her in her camouflage--until she moved, anyway. I don't have time to play cat-and-mouse... Looking for an opening through the trees, Shyahwyn aimed and fired an arrow at half-draw, hoping that as it smashed through undergrowth, it would sound like someone fleeing in a hurry. Then she started moving from tree to tree in a different direction, glancing back with squinted eyes to watch for the Crow's pursuit. Her face was painted in mottled green and brown to break up her outline, and with her squint, he shouldn't be able to see the whites of her eyes, or so she hoped. Giarc Rekedens "Get on the horses and make for the woods!" He shouted, while running towards the woods himself. He wasn't strong enough to climb back on a horse, it would just cost more time and risk someone else s life. He was so close, but it seemed so far. "There's a glade one mile to the north east, we can meet there!" Together, somehow, they would do this. Avan He tried his best to block Branson's arrows with his now-loose shield, but it wasn't easy to do while running, especially with one arm and from behind. But, aside from a couple knicks on his legs and bruises from the metal shield falling on him, so far it seemed to be doing the trick. A wall of flame erupted behind them as they scrambled through the forestline. He'd never cared much for fire and he wondered if it would spread and how quickly. But any thoughts of terror or escape were interrupted momentarily by the sound of a gruff grumbling coming from nearby. Lucien "Well, that's nice; just set fire to the whole yard," he growled, wiping some sweat from his brow. Then he jumped to alert, hearing the sound he'd been waiting for-- he began to approach quietly, one foot before the other, but two shadows in the distance and further brushing of leaves distracted him. A couple of the prisoners had made it as far as the wood; one of them, dragging a massive round shield at his side, was staring. The light from the fire outside flickered and the red hair could be seen brighter than anything. "Avan...?" The boy turned, glancing at something deeper within the trees; yet another figure. A quick look at the spot where he'd been heading told the seasoned veteran there was nothing there at all. Lucien bolted after this new form, eager to catch someone tonight, be they prisoner or trouble-maker. Avan If it weren't for the flames behind them, he might not have seen Lucien at all, but the sporadic flicker set things in the forest aglow, revealing his father's familiar shape and now recognizably cruel demeanor. Suddenly, his failing arm didn't matter as much, nor escaping, nor helping the others, nor destroying Malphas. He'd stepped into a world of tunnel vision but even so, he wasn't sure how to react. From the outside, he heard the faint noise of some shifting soil and fallen leaves, making him turn his head. A squirrel fleeing the midnight's fury? He saw Lucien take off after it, whatever it was, forgetting all formalities of caution. For his foolishness, he earned himself both an arrow in his shoulder and one in the back of his left calf-- friendly fire from the prison wall. The man fell to the ground, not dead, just injured enough to put a stopper in his movements. The fresh scene of violence jolted Avan back to reality. If they didn't move, and quick, that'd be him lying on the forest floor as well. Shyahwyn: Hearing footsteps crashing through the undergrowth in her direction, Shyahwyn glanced over her shoulder. The Crow warrior was coming at her in a full charge, weapon raised. She took off, knowing she would not be able to outrun him, and even if she somehow did, he would only call more pursuers to the chase. As she ran, she drew an arrow. If all I've got left is a choice of how I die... She stopped, planted her feet, and spun, nocking her arrow and drawing it back. Before she could aim, other arrows felled the man. The archers on the walls were firing at anything that moved. Should I finish-- Another man emerged from the shadows at a run, this one carrying a battleaxe, with a round shield hanging limply from a paralyzed arm. Shyahwyn thought she'd glimpsed him in one of the melees--but on which side? By reflex she shifted her aim, but then she realized: no armor! She lowered her bow and turned it aside. I still have a chance! audra Taking off after the injured boy, Saudra heard him say, "Not that it matters but in case we die, I'd rather someone that isn't an idiotic Crow know my name is Avan. Yours is Saudra, right? I heard the priest say it before we left." Saudra let out a half smile-half grimace at the man and nodded. She wasn't used to names being used in her line of business. In fact, she wasn't sure if the only three people in the world knew her real name. Now they all knew it. She let out a sigh and though, Well maybe everyone learned it after I was caught anyway. Just such a weird idea though, people knowing my name.... She was snapped back to attention when she heard and felt the wall of fire behind her. She was amazed sometimes, at the stupidity of Malphas's guards. Why anyone would think lighting a fire near a forest would stop their escape was beyond her. Saudra was about to turn to Avan to ask him what to do when he seemed to take off towards a crow solider. She followed him, but only caught up when he was standing across from a girl. Her bow was hanging at her side, but she seemed alert enough to still catch them before they made a move. "What are you doing here?" she asked, in a harsher tone than she intended. OOC: I'm going to gloss over Lucas's imprisonment and stuff because TOWR isn't here to rp it and I wouldn't do it justice. Ben After finding is friend on the wall with the archers direction the battle, Ben put his best friends in chains and drug him down to a prisoner holding facility on the other side of where the battle was. He was now slowly walking back to the battle, his stomach a little upset. He didn't want to have to find Wylder and give that man the smug satisfactions of having the position that Luke once held. He didn't want to take orders or be under his command at all. Maybe it would be in his best interest if the prisoners escaped. Realizing he had that though, he quickly shook it from his mind. Ben was a soldier. He knew the meaning of duty and he was not about to betray the rightful King of this land simply because he did not like the person in command. He had to do his best to carry out the orders given. It was at this that Ben picked up his speed and decided to look for Wylder on the field. Samara Samara felt a wave of relief flood though her as the horse was pulled off of the girl. The feelig of happiness was quickly reversed when she realized they were still in the fight. She turned around just in time to see fire ignite in front of them. Her eyes widened, and she followed Giarc. If they hurried they would be able to get before the fire completely traped them in. They just needed the cover of the forest. "He's right. We can't do anything here. We have to get out of here now." Daray Daray cursed when the man threw his knives in the air and she actually fell for it. She regained her focus, in time to see the fire separating her from the group. Her eyes narrowed and she glared over at Branson. "Did he not realized the fire was going to be a pain to fix, and the king would want it fixed. She shook her head, and ran toward the slight opening in the fire that the prisoners were heading toward. She had to beat them to it, and cut the off. How she would take on 4 prisoners she had no idea, but she had to do something. Giarc ran though the forest. There were some people in front of him, and some behind him, but he could not see all of the prisoners. It was to dark to see clearly. The glade was a mile away, it would be a long run. He hoped everyone knew how to get there- though he doubted it. It was out of his hands though. If Elhanan cared, he would see them to safety. Branson Branson cursed as none of his arrows found a mark--which was a very rare event indeed. He noticed that Daray was similarly limited. It was as if fate itself was working against them. Branson smelt a foul wind on their side, but he was determind not to give up. Most of the prisoners had taken too the woods, but a few still needed to get past the ever broading wall of fire. Branson stopped to think: they needed to stop meandering about like hooligans. They must regroup if they intended to recapture the prisoners. Branson cursed their lack off dicipline and ill lluck. True, the prisoners had the element of suprise, but with the soilders strengh in numbers and training, they should have overtaken the escaped prisoners by now. Branson scanned the courtyard for Ben and Daray, hoping to regroup and form some kind of line. He could not spot Ben, but Daray looked as frusterated as Branson felt. He looked at her, attempting to make eye contact as he gestured toward the prisoners, and began running toward them himself. His arm sill hurt from her miss-thrown knife, but right now they needed to work together. Toma raced after the girl who he had rescued, who had rescued him later. "Hey, wait up!"Eve had barly gotten her horse going when she heard the pitter-patter of footsteps behind her and a faint voice, drown out by the crackle of flames. Eve turned her horse around in annoyance. The others were grabbing horses and mounting, but the cloaked man was rushing after her. "What?!" she shouted. "Do not lagg, quick mount a horse!" He jumped on the back behind her. "I'm won't lets get to a clearing! We need a plan." He was coming back. Eve swore as the accosted horse reared, and she had to keep it in check. She turned it in circles to calm it, and looked over her shoulder, offended. "No, get your own horse, this one is mine!" She sincerly angry and unconfortable having a stranger so close. She didn't trust him, but he was right. The flames were beginning to close off the exit, and they would soon be surrounded by soilders. Eve pointed the horse foward, and shouted, "Ya!" They bolted into the night. He almost swore at the yeoman's stubborness. "I'd get me my own horse if possible."Illusion He looked back as it surged forward. "I'm coming back...." Eve urged the horse foward and they raced past a copse of trees. She rode it still further, untill she spotted a seculded clearing, coverd by some overhang, out of the corner of her eye. There, the dark sillouets of a few other prisoners stood. Eve sprayed them all with dirt as she pulled the horse to a stop. She looked over her shoulder. "Well, here is your stop." she informed the cloaked man. The horse pranced resltestly. He put a dagger to her back. "For now, you stop here too." He hated doing this to her but they needed a plan. And something looked different. "Didn't you have a necklace? Michael breathed softly and rhythmically with his eyes closed in a dark corner of the prison. Voices of far off guards made their way to his ears and Michael could interpret roughly what was going on outside without actually being outside. He was biding his time to escape, as most of the guards would go after the first runaways. When he heard that they had set the fire, it was most likely as last tactic of theirs, meaning they had all the guards they could spare. Michael concluded that the numbers of guards who remained in the prison would only increase from here on. He decided to make his move now. He pushed up from his leaning position against the wall and peered over the corner. No guards. Michael dashed forward and made his way upstairs, where the officials offices and living quarters were probably at. He was right. He looked around the guard-less chamber and located his missing clothes and weapons. Michael jumped into the headmaster's quarter's bathroom and dumped buckets of water on himself until he was soaked. He did not want to have to cross a wall of fire unprepared. Now it was time to escape. He made his way downstairs, being very wary of where he was leaving dripping watermarks. When he made it to the front doors, multiple guards were there, either running around or conversing with each other on tactical plans. Michael brushed a wet blade of hair out of his eyes and decided to find an alternative way out. He decided it was better to avoid conflict wherever possible. Michael unclipped his rod from his back and smashed a window he found on the side of the prison. He reattached it and fit his small child's body through the shards of glass that still remained. Wow, they really outdid themselves this time. The fire was huge! The entire forest was going to burn down at this rate. Somebody must have made a very rushed, very foolish decision. Michael hoped that what water his clothes had soaked up would be enough to block off this large fire. He took a dash into the forest, hoping to get to the other side, where he heard the guards saying that the prisoners were making their way to. Through the roaring fire in his ear, Michael could make out arrows whizzing through the air and horses neighing loudly. It was a battlefield out here. He had to rely mostly on sounds to make out what was going on, as his eyes were blinded by brightly burning fires, his nose was only taking in the heavy fumes of burning trees, and he could only feel hot heat radiating from the fires near him. Shyahwyn: The man with the shield didn't say anything; more importantly, he didn't attack, either. Then the woman Shyahwyn had seen earlier ran up beside him. "What are you doing here?" she snapped. "I was keeping those Crows on the wall from using you lot for target practice. You're welcome. Now, I'm getting out of here," Shyahwyn replied. Unhooking the arrow from her bowstring, she slipped it back into her quiver, then turned and ran. The forest cleared into a meadow, with another glade of trees capping a rise on the other side. Shyahwyn hurried for that, so she could use the higher ground to see what was happening with the fire the Crow soldier had set. If it moves into the forest, it'll make things more difficult for any Crow riders that show up, and the smoke will help me hide. But if the wind is fast enough, the forest fire could catch me as surely as any Crows... Reaching the glade, Shyahwyn was about to turn back and examine the plume of smoke when she heard hoofbeats. Ducking into some underbrush, she started to reach for an arrow again. Then she heard them talking. Not Crow knights, but a man and a woman. The other prisoners seemed to be gathering here as well. I guess I'd better show myself. It wouldn't do to have one of 'em spot me and then I get killed for a Crow, eh? Leaving the arrow in her quiver, Shyahwyn rose slowly, no sudden moves, and walked out where the others could see her. "Uh, hello. I plucked a few o' those Crows off the walls for ya. Now I'll just go my way an' not cause ya any trouble." Giarc Rekedens Giarc entered the glade, tired after a hour of running though the woods. Several of the other prisoners were with him, and the rest only a minute behind. They were all here, but he didn't take a head count because a human with a bow stepped out of the woods, startling him. "Uh, hello. I plucked a few o' those Crows off the walls for ya. Now I'll just go my way an' not cause ya any trouble." He could barely see her in the shadows, the moon cast enough light to show a figure standing in the glade. "Who are you?" He asked, reaching for one of his knives... just incase. Shyahwyn: Another brusque question, and this time the guy started reaching for a weapon. Really? Guess these people don't like anybody trying to save their lives. "If I was some Crow scout, I'd have picked you off from hiding the way I did their blokes on the walls or sneaked off to tell them where you are, not come out and said 'hello.' I'd really rather not have the Crows be able to torture my life story outta you if they catch you, and the same for you if they get me. So you lot and I are both better off if we don't bother getting to know each other. Since you're drawing on me anyway, how 'bout I take that as my cue to be on my way?" Shyahwyn said, starting to back away from the group. The cloaked man put a dagger to her back. "For now, you stop here too. Didn't you have a necklace?" Outraged, Eve ignored his comment. Through her outrage and adreniline, Eve was vaugly awhere of other conversations going on. A girl steped out of the woods. "Uh, hello. I plucked a few o' those Crows off the walls for ya. Now I'll just go my way an' not cause ya any trouble." Eve snorted with joyless humor. This party seemd to be teaming with misfits. Well whatever, as long as the girl didn't cause them any trouble...Eve narrowed her eyes at the girl. Perhaps she was a spy from the castle... Another man that Eve recognized as a fellow escapee from the castle spoke up. "Uh, hello. I plucked a few o' those Crows off the walls for ya. Now I'll just go my way an' not cause ya any trouble. Who are you?" He asked. "NO one is keeping me prisoner." Eve mutterd through gritted teeth. She gripped the knives she had stolen in both hands, then brought her elbows back hard at the cloaked man. Not even waiting to see what she made contact with, Eve wriggled and launched herself off of the horse, hitting the ground and landing in a roll. The suprised horse whinnied and shied away from her lumpy form on the ground. "Fine, mutton head, keep the horse." She popped back up on her feet, and without so much as a second glance at the others, headed into the woods away from the castle. She didn't want to think about how long it would take her to get back to her fraction on foot, but she would manage. She needed to get to safty, and she wasn't going to hang out with a bunch of people she didn't know or trust. Avan He stopped at a place just a few feet away from where Lucien was sprawled out on the ground grumbling and cursing under his breath. It had been a girl his father was chasing-- an archer, more like. She was standing there, poised to kill Lucien when she spotted him, redirecting her aim. He'd been in prison for ten years and was losing the use of his left arm; though the notion of escape had sparked a flame of hope inside him, it was a quickly fading one and the likelihood of imminent death was no longer a significant weight on his mind. He was relieved, however, when she decided not to shoot him after all and lowered her weapon. "What are you doing here?" Saudra asked, coming up behind him. "I was keeping those Crows on the wall from using you lot for target practice. You're welcome. Now, I'm getting out of here," the girl answered before returning her arrow to its quiver and dashing away. With one last glance back at his father, who was beginning to pull himself up off the ground, Avan decided it was time to go. He was just about to make a break for it, following the sound of horse's hooves galloping through the forest, when another distraction caught his attention (OOC: www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSUXXzN26zg&t=6s). There was someone else in the forest with them-- too small to be a Crow or even one of the prisoners the priest had released. "Go on and find the others," he said to Saudra. "I'll be along in a moment." He took a couple steps in the direction he'd seen the figure just seconds ago. "Who's there?" he called out, trying to stay quiet so as not to be heard by any Crows that might be in the wood searching for them. Lucien The pain in his shoulder and leg were nearly unbearable, but after uttering quite a few choice swear words, he had managed at last to raise his torso up off the ground in time to see the archer he'd been searching for run off into the brush. The others lingered, though, Avan having apparently spotted something else hiding among the trees. "HERE! THERE ARE PRISONERS OVER HERE!" he shouted as loud as he could manage, hoping someone would hear him and gather these stragglers up. Michael made his way through the billowing smoke through the trees, keeping his eyes half closed to protect them from the bright flames. He heard a male's voice saying something quietly. Michael tried to see the best he could, and could only make out a figure walking away from him. It had the shape a female, and took shorter, lighter steps through the dead leaves than what a male would take. She was most likely a prisoner as well. Michael was about to follow after her when another shape caught in the corner of his eye. When the voice directed a question to him, Michael was startled and half-reached for the knife on his left hip. However, he processed that the voice was not loud, like how Michael imagined a Crow's demanding, arrogant voice would be. Instead, it was quiet, only loud enough to be within earshot of Michael. Obviously to keep out any others who might hear. Michael interpreted this as proof that this was a safe person to approach. He just had to prove to the other person that Michael was, in fact, not dangerous to him. Another thought hit him while he was processing the last. The voice seemed familiar. He couldn't put his finger on who, but it was one of the Hawks that he used to see whenever he'd visit the camp several years ago. Michael took a few steps towards the figure, with his hands held out to show that he was not about to pull a knife on him. When Michael was close enough to see who it was, but far enough to ensure that this man was not going to attack him, he realized who he was. "Avan? You're here too?" Michael didn't know what Avan could have done to find his way into prison, but given that he was a Hawk, it wasn't hard to figure it out. Michael dropped his hands and approached Avan, "How have you been?" he inquired. Michael was really not interested in small talk like this, but certain people, Avan for example, did, as Michael recalled. Not that he believed now was the proper time to engage in it. Saudra "I was keeping those Crows on the wall from using you lot for target practice. You're welcome. Now, I'm getting out of here," she heard the woman say in an annoyed tone. Huh, well she seems full of herself. We never asked for her help to begin with, Saudra thought to herself. Then the woman disappeared into the forest. Then Saudra heard a rustling through the brush. Avan obviously heard it as well. He said, "Go on and find the others. I'll be along in a moment." Saudra just gave him a quick nod and rushed on into the open field. Hopefully Hozai would be there and he could explain to Saudra what was going on. She knew he had run a different way and might have mentioned something about death, but he had the protection of Elhanan. No harm could come to him. He must be safe and waiting for her just around these trees. As she burst through the tree cover, Saudra saw two men, two women, and the woman from earlier. Her heart sank that Hozai wasn't there. She watched the proceedings of the group with a disinterested eye. Without Hozai to lead them or anyone else taking authority, they were worthless. Saudra planned on waiting just long enough to see what happened to Avan and then she was going to go back to get Hozai. ---------- Post added at 07:51 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:41 PM ---------- Ben Ben finally arrived on the battlefield. He was appalled by what he saw. The fire was burning. The troops were unorganized. Everything was just a giant mess. He needed to find Lucien. After checking all sorts of organizations of men, he realized that Lucien was not going to be found with any of them.Off trying to seek glory in battle? He thought annoyed. Well, too bad you don't know this is already your mess. After talking to a few more soldiers, he caught wind of the idea that Lucien might be in the forest near the fire. Ben started to run forward and heard off in the distance, "HERE! THERE ARE PRISONERS OVER HERE!" He rushed to the voice and saw Lucien lying there in obvious pain with dangerous injuries. It was hard for Ben to maintain his hatred of the man when he was covered with those injuries and was so obviously helpless. Ben rushed to his side and took good stock of what his injuries were. As he started to treat the man's injuries, Ben said, "Sir, you've been promoted back to a Capetian in the King's arm. You have been given Captain Lucas' old position." He finished his bandaging. "What are your orders, Sir?" It annoyed Ben to have to address Lucien like this, but he knew it was his duty and this was not the time or place for political games. Avan The mystery figure approached through the smoky forest, revealing a fair-haired young boy with a vaguely familiar face. It was the sort of familiarity that haunted you until you placed a name with it. "Avan? You're here too?" he asked, revealing that he had faced the sense of familiarity as well. The voice was enough: he was taken back a decade previous to a man he'd known during the war. A man he knew to be dead. Then this... this was his son Michael. "How have you been?" the boy continued. From behind, Lucien began to shout for help, calling more Crows into the forest in their direction. "I've seen better days," he replied quickly. "Come on, we need to follow the other prisoners. Strength in numbers and all that." Truth be told, he didn't feel particularly comfortable surrounded by encroaching Crows while he was utterly defenseless. He tried once more to find the trail the other prisoners had taken but they seemed to be long gone. Instead, he followed the direction he'd determined previously and took off, hoping their path had been a straight shot. His energy was almost completely exhausted by the time he made it to a small glade where he found the others and the archer who had somehow found herself dragged into this mess. The group was a ragged band of next-to-nobodies as far as he could tell, beaten and broken from a dangerous battle; but they must have been arrested for something... maybe there was more here than met the eye. Still, they had no plan and not an ounce of trust among them. They needed desperately to band together with singular intent, or else the priest's daring rescue would inevitably come to naught. It seemed the girl (Shyahwyn) had set some of the prisoners on edge; one of them, a man, (Giarc) had his hand on a dagger, ready to strike. "Let her alone; she's not an enemy," Avan pronounced from the edge of the clearing. At least, he figured she wasn't, since she didn't shoot him dead earlier. Lucien As Avan and Michael made their way deeper into the forest, someone finally arrived at the scene to give Lucien a hand. He hardly noticed who was speaking to him through the mixture of dizzying pain and hazy heat. "Sir," the voice began as the new arrival began to treat his wounds, "you've been promoted back to a Captain in the King's army. You have been given Captain Lucas' old position." What? Have I begun to hallucinate from bloodloss? Having finally realized the news had come from Ben Allett, he decided it must be real. Ben completed his bandaging and asked, "What are your orders, Sir?" That has a nice ring to it, he thought with a smug grin. Still, as much as he loathed Ben for his friendship with Lucas, the kid had been kind enough to dress his wounds and man enough to swallow his pride and follow orders. He was a good soldier, Lucien had to give him that much. But by now the prisoners were long gone and the blaze on the prison yard was growing larger and larger. "Gather the fools out there and we'll split them in half. Form a search party with some of them and have the others put that fire out." Hopefully the escapees hadn't made it too far just yet. Michael nodded silently to Avan when he suggested grouping up with the other prisoners. Michael began to follow Avan into the forest but paused mid-step and hid behind a tree when he heard the voices speaking. While one of the guards, apparently Captain now, spoke of his plan, Michael eavesdropped. When he decided he'd heard enough, Michael dashed after Avan again. As they made their way through the forest, Michael hoped that Avan knew where he was going; he didn't want them to be traveling straight into a group of Crows. They were approaching the clearing and Michael observed what the prisoners looked like, none of which did he recognize, at least from the distance. He realized that his wet demeanor actually did serve a purpose, no matter how unnecessary: to protect his pale young skin from the harsh heat of the inferno. When they emerged from the forest and into the clearing, the first thing Michael noticed was the heavy tension of mistrust among them. He was glad that he found someone he knew, otherwise he'd be like them too. Avan called off a man who was readily placing his hand on his dagger, and Michael wondered briefly of how many of these people were actually bad people, and what they had done to get themselves into this position. Michael stayed dwelling in Avan's shadow, or of what remained of it from the growing fires behind them. Michael silently tugged on the back of Avan's shirt. He glancing behind them, in the direction from which they had come, "They're going to form a search party soon and begin putting out the fires. In fact, I'm sure they've already started." Michael motioned to the other former-prisoners and added, "we should get going soon, whether they trust each other or not. We can bond later. Anyone who refuses to comply is likely to be recaptured." He said quietly enough to be out of earshot of the escapees. Michael wasn't one for giving orders, or for even speaking very loudly towards others, so he used Avan as a sort of second party announcer. Giarc Rekedens "Let her alone; she's not an enemy," a man behind Giarc said (Avan). Giarc relaxed, and took a breath. "We should get going soon, whether they trust each other or not. We can bond later. Anyone who refuses to comply is likely to be recaptured." Giarc didn't see this boy before, but what he said was wise. He nodded, then made a suggested. "There's a village about 8 miles to the east. We can reorganize there, and then take the river south. If we hurry, we can get there first." He wasn't sure if he could make it 8 miles without medical attention, but he didn't want to attract unwanted attention when there were more important matters at hand. Shyahwyn: "Let her alone; she's not an enemy," a voice said--the man with the limp arm she'd refrained from shooting earlier. The other man stood down. "Uh...thank you sir," Shyahwyn said to him. Other people sticking up for her. That...basically never happened. "We should get going soon, whether they trust each other or not. We can bond later. Anyone who refuses to comply is likely to be recaptured." Giarc didn't see this boy before, but what he said was wise. He nodded, then made a suggested. "There's a village about 8 miles to the east. We can reorganize there, and then take the river south. If we hurry, we can get there first," the second man said. I think I'll head north. I'll be harder to track alone and I'll be able to hide. The Crows'll be lookin' for the group, not for one stray person, she thought. She opened her mouth to say goodbye, and stopped herself. Wait! This could be my best chance to get a band* together! I can only do so much by myself. And these people have been in prison for who knows how long, they'll need someone who knows the outside world. That poor guy doesn't even remember which way the river flows! "It would be better to go north, stay in the forest where we have cover, and live off the King's deer," she said with a mischievous tone. Why yes, shewould be happy to down a prize stag and feed it to these ragged prisoners rather than have its head hanging on the wall of some bloated, velvet-swathed, 'Friend-of-the-Crown' human tick's hunting lodge, than you very much! "The village is surrounded by open farmland. Too easy to be spotted and caught. Plus the villagers would notice a group of oddly-dressed strangers showing up in the night," she said, 'oddly-dressed' being a polite euphemism for 'ragged, filthy and prisoner-y looking.' "I wouldn't be surprised if the Crows sent riders ahead. They'd expect you to want to go there to get bread and clothes. But the forest can provide all our needs. I can show you. Oh, and the river flows north, to Midin and the sea.** We won't have sails or oars, so that's where it'll take us. Midin's a trading city. No one'll notice a few rangers comin' in to sell pelts in the marketplace. An' by the time we get there, rangers is exactly what we'll look like." Moire They were scheduled to reach town in two days. That wasn't good enough. Unrest was stirring, and--having reached Moire's eager ears by virtue of whispers and rumor--it had drawn her in. They would keep moving through the night. Unable to sleep, Moire had begun taking inventory for the hundredth time. Until Hazel had fallen asleep a little over an hour ago, she had been reading aloud, providing entertainment, if not assistance. Value. Worth. Cost. These terms had always been lost in translation between them. Take inventory, little one. Take care. Take time. Take all you can. She had instructed Hazel day after day, Or have it taken from you. Moire started as something clattered to the ground behind her. The book had finally slipped out of Hazel's hand, jarred by the gentle movement of the cart. A weary smile flickered across Moire's face, transient as the lantern-shadows skittering off the wood and canvas walls of the wagon. She would learn, eventually. Yes, eventually, she would be everything Moire expected of her. But not now. Not while she was the girl who could fall asleep so trustingly next to swords, axes, and poison. Now, she was just Hazel, whose life was sustained by an innocent, untested heart of gold. Suddenly, Hazel's eyes shot open. Embarrassed, Moire ducked her head, afraid that her fond thoughts might leak into her expression. It would do Hazel no good to offer affirmation. She was weak. As long as she was that good-hearted girl, she would never be Sieve. "I smell smoke." Hazel scarcely more than mouthed. "Smoke. Do you smell it, mother? Something's burning." All fond thoughts were smothered for the moment in exasperation. For years, Moire had tried to break Hazel of her aversion to fire. It was a method of purification, not destruction. Hazel, however, could not differentiate between the two. She bore scars from her days as a slave, but even more so from the day of her liberation; she had seen the fire that destroyed her home, she had seen the death and the bodies consumed by flames. The memories did not empower her, but rather weakened her. The sight, the sound, the smell of fire haunted her in her dreams, Moire knew. But now, the phantoms seemed to drift from Hazel's perception to Moire. Suddenly, she fancied she smelt the same smoke, heard the same crackling, and felt the same heat. Was it her imagination? "Kel Veye." A figure slid in through the curtained entrance, very much real. "There's a fire ahead." "Are the roads blocked?" "We don't know yet. Fera rode ahead to see. What are your orders?" "We wait. Stop the cart at once." Moire said quietly, grabbing a satchel from a peg and pushing aside the curtain. The smoke-tinged air was otherwise cool. It wasn't the season for fire to catch without cause. Sparing a glance over her shoulder, she beckoned wordlessly for Hazel to follow. Horror read briefly on the girl's face with her first full breath of the tainted air. However, she obeyed. The two ventured away from the cart, closer to the fire. The trees became sparser, and the smell of smoke became a hazy orange glow in the distance. Finally, the forest stopped and a glade began, its boundary marked by a furious blaze on the other side. "I can't go any farther." Hazel whimpered. "I can't. The trees ringing around the glade will catch. And we'll be in the middle..." "Hush." Moire ordered, squinting to get a better view of what was happening at the other side of the glade. Silhouettes seemed to emerge from the flames themselves, sprinting, cowering. Now gathering in groups. Now the shape of a weapon would emerge and they would threaten each other, movements hellishly exaggerated by the fire behind them. And then, from what seemed to be the fire itself, a sound rose. Someone was screaming. Moire caught only one word. Prisoners. "Of course!" Moire purred, staring intently at the ever-increasing number of shadowy figures. "Prisoners. Escaped prisoners. Little hawks with broken wings, all of them. What better way to find their nest? Hazel!" The girl stopped crying with an abrupt sniffle. Hair disheveled from sleep, plain clothes, pale, tearstained face... She was a perfect fit. One might easily believe she had just escaped from prison. "Hazel, I have a job for you." Moire said. "See those people over there? I believe these are the ones we've been searching for, or at least can take us to them. I want you to hide yourself among them. Find out all about them for me." Hazel's eyes went saucer round, and Moire continued hastily, "I have never made you do anything against your will, and I will not begin tonight. I will not send you out, only for you to get yourself killed because you changed your mind halfway through. Can you do this for me, and can you do it in its entirety? Without regret, and without turning back?" Hazel stared out for a second, more at the fire than the escaped prisoners. Could she? She looked back to Moire. If she didn't, then Moire would. Among the young, bedraggled prisoners, Moire would stand out. She'd be found out in a second. There's no telling what they would do to her then. Hazel made her decision. "I will go." ----- Hazel Between the smoke and adrenaline running on high, Hazel was intoxicated. Moire's blessing had fallen on deaf ears; Hazel had only caught the part where Moire had promised to help her along the way, whatever that meant. She was vaguely aware of Moire giving her the satchel, before turning her back and heading back to the wagon. Hazel staggered toward the flames, skirting around the edges of the glade for cover. She had enough sense in her to know that she had to create the illusion of running from the same danger the escaped prisoners were, if she was to pass as one of them. "Gather the fools out there and we'll split them in half. Form a search party with some of them and have the others put that fire out." Had the man not spoken, Hazel would have run into him. She'd travelled too far back, right into the fray the others had escaped from. She crept back quietly, hoping neither the fallen man nor his companion had noticed her. She spun on her heel and sprinted towards the glade, where the others remained congregated. For fugitives, they seemed to do more talking than running. Without thinking, Hazel blurted out a warning. In the wrong language. Citizens of the kingdom all spoke a common language, uniform across the cities. Although Hazel could speak it fluently, she spoke primarily in her own language. However, she decided not to correct herself; the fluke might prove to be advantageous. If nothing else, it would spare her from explaining herself, at least for a little while. "Can anyone understand me?" She asked in her own language, flitting from fugitive to fugitive and making frantic guestures toward the forest. "They will be coming soon, I heard them! Can you understand? We have to run!" Michael snatched his dagger quickly when a female dashed into the clearing, shouting something in another language. Not only was she young, she was about Michael's age, though she was taller and more developed, as Michael was small for his age and also that girls matured quicker than boys. He pressed his dagger back into his sheathe when he processed that she was not a guard. She didn't much look like a prisoner either as she wasn't as dirty-looking and pale as the others were. However, he did not see her as a threat. Michael stepped forward when he heard her speaking the foreign language. Michael had heard this language before. He picked up languages extremely easily and could understand several languages that he'd heard before, even though he couldn't speak them. Michael's mind processed the girl's foreign language quickly as she jumped from one prisoner to the other. Michael pretended he didn't understand her language, as he might be pressured to speak it as well if others found out, which he could not do. He heard her state that they would be coming soon, which everyone already knew, so Michael brushed her words off as nothing important. However, her incessant speaking began to irritate Michael. She kept talking and talking and Michael's brain was forcing him to understand it. And she seemed freaked out too. The more she displayed her unsettled attitude, the more unsettled the others would be. Michael stepped forward from behind Avan when she got to him and reached out and grabbed her hand. He tried to comfort her, but didn't know how to twist human emotions to his liking. He patted her on the shoulder and lifted a finger to his mouth, as a universal symbol for silence. Then he spoke loudly enough for everyone to hear, which made him uncomfortable, "First things are first. We need to provide medical attention to those who need it. Right now, to those who are injured in their legs or at places making it difficult to walk. While we walk, we can fix up other injuries, even if just temporarily." Michael took a breath and settled down his slight social anxiety. "They're coming soon, we need to get moving. We can socialize later. We should move east. There's no point in getting comfortable up north with the many needs we have to get taken care of first. Let's go." He decided to restate the foreign prisoner's words without raising suspicion to the others that he understood her ramblings. Avan Avan listened to the suggestions as they were made: head east to a village, head north on the river, flee--flee if nothing else. One thing was true enough. The Crows would be hot on their trails, especially if what Michael said was right. He wasn't sure which was the better option, to travel united or to go their separate ways. To separate was the smarter choice, sure; if one of them were caught, at least not all would be. But he had a gut instinct to want to stick together. Maybe that was just the resurfacing of decade-old soldier's inclinations. Just then, another unknown entered the glade, a girl shouting a warning in some language out of the distant west. She was frantic, insistent that they leave at once. Michael reached out a hand to calm her then spoke to the group as a whole, a sense of nervousness about him the whole time. "First things are first. We need to provide medical attention to those who need it. Right now, to those who are injured in their legs or at places making it difficult to walk. While we walk, we can fix up other injuries, even if just temporarily. They're coming soon, we need to get moving. We can socialize later. We should move east. There's no point in getting comfortable up north with the many needs we have to get taken care of first. Let's go." "I'm not sure east is prudent," Avan spoke at last. "As our mystery friend has already pointed out, that will be the first place the Crows will look." Or at least it's the first place my father would look.... "If she's confident the forest can provide for us well enough, it'd be best to dig down into the brush. I don't care much about making a profit or anything of the like in Midin. But from there, we'd be a safer distance from the capital and it'd be easier to figure out what our next move will be. Besides, the river is on our side if we head north and to be perfectly honest, I don't think any of us can make it another eight miles in our condition. Not on foot." Giarc Rekedens A small girl ran into camp, shouting another language. Great, he thought. They had to move, and now. When the boy suggested medical attention, he looked down at his arm. The blood was still flowing out the wound, but had slowed down a lot. The knife that had struck him went to his bone. The mysterious girl with the bow told him going to the city was not wise. She was right, of course, but town had the medical supplies they needed. She had nothing out here in the woods to prevent infection from setting in... did she? He would prefer to take this chances sneaking into town, but he didn't want to desperate from the group. There was no way he would make it 8 miles alone. Though he hated it, he nodded and accepted what ever decision the group made. Michael was also reluctant to agree with Avan, partly because it would mean that Michael would be admitting that he was wrong. Which he sort of was. Sure, they couldn't travel eight miles, but it didn't take a tactical genius to know that a group was going to head north by river if most of the party is injured. They were at an impasse, and Michael didn't seem like he had any significant say in the group vote, most likely because he wasn't seen as any sort of leader, from his small stature. If only they had a couple or three horses for the injured to ride on. Of course, if they had horses, then it wouldn't be hard for the guards to obtain some either. The heat of the forest had caught up to them, and Michael felt the back of his clothes heat up considerably. "Fine, do what you will." he said bitterly. However, he wasn't going to stoop down low enough to rub it in their faces if their plan backfires because they're captured or further injured. "It sure is hot here." He proclaimed sarcastically, fanning himself dramatically. Toma He chased after the woman. When he finally caught up with her he grabbed her against the wall. "Stop flying alone." Eve Eve screamed in anger and fear as she felt herself being held captive once more. She just wanted to be away from these people she didn't trust. She wanted to be back at her home camp with Alaric. And she wanted this annoying man to leave her alone. "Get off, get off of me!" she screamed. Eve kicked and struggeld and thrashed, not with any particular planned movements, but like a caged animal trying to escape. "Let go of me! I'll kill you!" somewhere in the debts of her currently tumoiled mind, she found a spark of order. She grabbed at the knives she had hid up her sleves and slid them out, attempting to place one on the man's throte and force him to let her go. Shyahwyn: Now that she had a chance to hear some of the prisoners talk, Shyahwyn started having second thoughts about joining them. With their 'well-bred' accents, they sounded a lot more like the people she robbed than the people she helped. The young boy almost had to be some kind of little lordling, the way he spoke in commands and huffed when immediate obedience was not forthcoming. Suddenly, a girl burst into the glade, shouting in some foreign langauge. Shyahwyn didn't have to understand the language to understand the urgency. "Arright, if random foreign travelers can find us we need to get moving as soon as we can. Who's got bleeding wounds?" she said, shucking her pack off. "We need to bind them so we don't leave a trail of blood for dogs to foll--" "Stop flying alone!" "Get off, get off of me!" a woman screamed. "Let go of me! I'll kill you!" Really? REALLY?! We've got fire and Crows coming down on us, and this gobe wants to--GRRRR! "Let her go! Dragging a screaming captive along will only slow us down, an' draw Crows. An' if you kill her, I'll shoot you down like a dog," she said, dropping the pack so she could draw an arrow and nock it to her bowstring. I should probably put an arrow in him anyway. I don't need any slobbering rapist maniacs in my band. Guess here's where I find out if any of the high an' mighties like him... It all happened so fast. One of the female prisoners came into camp screaming in the grasp of a man and the mysterious archer girl drew her bow aiming at the pair. Everyone froze, and the glade grew quite for a few moments. Giarc felt sweat dripping down his forehead. Daray Daray noddedd to Branson as she turned toward the forest where all of the prisoners had dissapeared. She hated it, but she knew if her and Branson worked together they could atleast capture a few of the prisoners. She had to admit that he was a very strong fighter, and very dedicated to his work. She had seen him many times in the training arena. She caught up to him as they reached the forest, "Whats the plan?" Samara Samara was lost in all of the comotion. She tried to stay out of all of the arguing and fighting, everyone was losing it. She wished they would all calm down and let her look at their wounds, in someway or another each of them was hurt, and wouldn't be much good, if they were in another battle. She looked around the group wanting to back away as people started to fight amongst each other. It was insane, they were supposed to be on the same team and everyone was turning on one another. "Don't any of you understand?" She wasnt sure if her soft voice would be heard over the ruckus going on. "We can't fight with each oter, we need one another to survive. You're all insane if you think you can stand alone against the entire crow army coming after us!" Toma He turned and faced the woman who aimed at him. He calmly brought out the vial of medicine. "Where any of you struck by a man in full black, where he struck you going numb as we speak?" He looked around. "Then, I am your only hope." He turned back to the woman. "I am sorry for pulling my dagger on you." He bowed. "My mind was still in the shadows (what he calls it when he goes into fighting mode), I meant you no harm. Only..." He turned and faced the rest of the group. WE. CAN'T. DO. THIS. BY. OUR. SELVES. How did we get captured? I know I was flying solo and I bet every single one of you where too. I may not believe Elhanan cares about what happens to us or that he even exists..." But Cecil did didn't he. In fact it was his belief that saved you. He shook his head. "But that man back in the castle did. He released us for a reason, and we are selfish enough to throw his sacrifice away?" He turned again to the woman. "I ask again were you not wearing a necklace the first time we met?" Shyahwyn: The man Shyahwyn had drew on turned to her without the slightest hint of fear. Brandishing a vial of something or other that glinted in the firelight, he released the woman and gave a lordly bow, then started talking about--of all things!--Elhanan and faith and sacrifice and 'We can't do this by ourselves.' The hairs on the back of Shyahwyn's neck stood up. I have a bad feeling about this... Not so much the religion, as the man's aristocratic mannerisms. It was starting to look like these people might have been plotters in a coup, or losers of some political struggle in the Royal Court.Well...I've come this far... I can help them get clear and find out for sure who they are, then go from there. But it's lookin' like they'll be as like to want to string me up for a thief as join me. With the woman apparently safe from attack, Shyahwyn slackened her draw. "Right, we need to bind any bleeding wounds and treat what his medicine can help as quick as we can, then move! Who's got bleeding wounds?" she said, replacing her arrow in her quiver and reaching for her pack. "I've got some bandages and poultice powder that'll hold until we get clear." She didn't have a lot, enough to provide basic field treatment for herself if she got wounded in combat. I'll just have to make it stretch... Saudra Looking at the group assembled here, seeing the new comers, how they interacted, just everything felt so wrong to her. They didn't seem like they were going to be able to get anything done with this group. It was too chaotic, just like the mercenaries she was raised with, except more refined. Their goal wasn't money. They wouldn't be as easy to figure out. Their goal was a large number of things: revenge, power, compassion, dumb luck. They were all here for something different, and that would make working together almost an impossible task. The job seemed too large. Discomfort and hopelessness continued to well up inside Saudra. The growing discomfort and confusion over this whole situation came to a point when the she heard a man say, "I may not believe Elhanan cares about what happens to us or that he even exists... But that man back in the castle did. He released us for a reason, and we are selfish enough to throw his sacrifice away?" Then the female from the forest said, "Right, we need to bind any bleeding wounds and treat what his medicine can help as quick as we can, thenmove! Who's got bleeding wounds? I've got some bandages and poultice powder that'll hold until we get clear." Saudra stepped forward and said to the whole group in a stubborn voice, "Bandage yourselves up, but I'm not going far from the castle. We have to go back and get Hozai. He all of our lives. I am not going to leave him to die." This was really more of a selfish move on Saudra's part than a noble one to help the person who had freed them. She wanted Hozai back. He really was the only person she felt comfortable with. To have to find her place among these people was a daunting task and it would be much easier to save Hozai and have him lead them. Ben "Yes sir," replied Ben to Lucien's orders. He helped the man up and then rushed off to find some soldiers. He ran into Daray and Branson. "Officers Majestrad, Eyal. We have orders from the commander to round up as many soldiers as we can, divide them up and start a search party. Come with me, we need to regroup quickly. The General will be on his way shortly." Avan Things weren't going as well as they could have. Then again, just being outside the prison walls was better than nothing, so it was a start. The man that had only burst into the clearing moments ago, wrestling a woman to the ground, stood and offered an antidote to whatever evil had worked its way through Avan's bloodstream. "What... what was that he used?" he spoke, stepping forward, once the man had finished speaking. "That's the antidote?" The archer from the forest offered to clean up bleeding wounds but Saudra wouldn't have any of it. "Bandage yourselves up, but I'm not going far from the castle. We have to go back and get Hozai. He all of our lives. I am not going to leave him to die." "As noble as that might be, how do you know he's not already dead?" Avan asked. "If he hasn't made it here by now, he's lost." Lucien He'd managed to stumble out of the forest behind Ben in time to catch the end of his statement. Yes, this had gone well. He may have been shot twice, but the title only he deserved had finally been granted to him. "If you can manage to reign in some horses, that would heighten our advantage. This breakout isn't over yet. Wewill catch those prisoners!" When Michael saw the wrestling couple appear, he had planned to back up with the girl and hide behind Avan. He didn't follow through though because the back of his clothes were already seething hot, and he didn't want to go deeper in. It seemed the conflict was ended when the mysterious man apologized and offered up a vial, which seemed to be something Avan needed, as he reacted to it, paying careful attention to the limp arm that dangled at his side. As the man spoke, Michael had a terrible, feeling from him. He seemed too... proper. Too sure of himself. He also held possession of the antidote Avan needed. How did he acquire such a thing? Who was this man? Michael observed the man long and hard, noticing two black, fancy-looking daggers strapped to a belt around his waist. He needed to keep an eye on the man's hands; there shouldn't be any reason to reach for his waist area except to grab those daggers. Michael had to be very wary of him. Michael's observations were interrupted when one of the prisoners offered to patch up the injured with some supplies she had on hand. This was a relief for Michael, not because he himself was injured, but because after that plan he'd made about fixing people up, he'd had no idea what they were supposed to have used. However, one woman was belligerently refusing to go along with the group to flee from the guards. In fact, she was planning on going back into the dragon's nest. Foolish woman. Michael wasn't going to judge her though. Not aloud anyway. He, along with the group, had no obligation to help her escape. If she wished to be recaptured, then it was her prerogative. Michael released the girl's wrist, which he'd just remembered he'd been grasping the entire time, and headed towards the center of the clearing. He stood beside the archer and said to her, "I can help you patch them up." Michael had extensive knowledge in first aid, and even dabbled in some advanced surgery and disease control, none of the three of which he really needed if all she had was poultice and bandages though.
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Post by Sovereign on Sept 11, 2012 13:42:29 GMT -5
Eve
"I am sorry for pulling my dagger on you." He bowed. "My mind was still in the shadows. I meant you no harm. Only..." He turned and faced the rest of the group. "WE. CAN'T. DO. THIS. BY. OUR. SELVES. How did we get captured? I know I was flying solo and I bet every single one of you where too. I may not believe Elhanan cares about what happens to us or that he even exists..."He shook his head. "But that man back in the castle did. He released us for a reason, and we are selfish enough to throw his sacrifice away?"
Eve enthusiastlcy pulled herself away and stood several happy feet away from the cloaked man. She waited as he spoke, and narrowed her eyes at him doubtfully. Then he turned to ask her a question. "I ask again were you not wearing a necklace the first time we met?" Eve wanted to snap something back at him, but she felt her hand travel to her neck. Where her fingers would usually alight upon a fine chain, they only felt her sweaty skin. She wanted to swear. That was a sentemental object she would never be getting back.
"It dosn't matter." She said, more gruffly then she ment. Then, more civally, "Yes, but it dosn't matter now." The rest of the group started talking about bandaging wounds, and going back to the castle for the man who had apparently saved them. "Look," Eve told the group, "Has it occured to any of you that this whole break out might be a plot by the King and Crows? There could be a spy among us." Her speach was not nearly as carismatic as the cloaked man. She looked around one last time, then re-mountend the horse she had come on. "Suit yourselfs." She turned the horse in a circle and rode off away from the castle, but not in the direction of her camp. She would take a round-about way and cover her tracks well.
-----
Branson
Daray caught up to him as they reached the forest, "Whats the plan?"
"Officers Majestrad, Eyal." Branson turned to see Ben. "We have orders from the commander to round up as many soldiers as we can, divide them up and start a search party. Come with me, we need to regroup quickly. The General will be on his way shortly." Branson nodded his head at Ben and said to Daray with a stash of humor, "That, Daray, is our plan." He turned to Ben and nodded at the other young man. "I could not find you in the courtyard. It is good to see that your are not dead."
Shyahwyn:
While Shyahwyn got out her medical supplies, a question buzzed in the back of her mind like an annoying fly. Why is he so interested in her necklace, anyway. He asked her about it twice! Now that the guy had turned out to be some kind of aristocrat who just happened to be carrying antidote for some assassin's special poison, his interest in women's jewelry was an oddity that stood out like a deer with three antlers.
"Bandage yourselves up, but I'm not going far from the castle. We have to go back and get Hozai. He saved all of our lives. I am not going to leave him to die."
Wait, she's going back there? Well, this lot may owe 'Hozai' their lives, but I don't, so they'll just have to pardon me if I don't pay up, Shyahwyn thought. Though she thought the idea that the prisoners, who would be hard-pressed to walk eight miles, ought to go and what?--lay siege to the Capital, storm the walls, defeat the Crow legions and rescue the guy?--was completely moonbat lip-flapping insane, she still felt a grudging respect for the woman's courage and loyalty. Then the guy who had stuck up for Shyahwyn before tried to be the voice of reason:
"As noble as that might be, how do you know he's not already dead?" Avan asked. "If he hasn't made it here by now, he's lost."
"I'm not so sure your Hozai would want you dying for him, ma'am," Shyahwyn said, "but that's what you'll do if you go back there. If he wanted you free enough to risk what the Crows'll do to him for bustin' you lot out, he's not gonna be happy to see you dragged back in irons."
To her surprise, the young lordling approached and said, "I can help you patch them up." There being no time to ponder his sudden switch to a cooperative mood, Shyahwyn just said "Thanks," and started passing him some of her supplies. He took them with a swiftness that implied familiarity; no 'what is this?' examination. He looked like he was about a couple years younger than she was, and for all she knew, he could have been a court physician's son. Whatever he was, he set to work with the efficient professionalism of the well-trained. Shyahwyn had started in on the first bleeding prisoner to come to her when the woman she rescued spoke up about her necklace.
"It doesn't matter," she snapped, then switched to a more civil tone: "Yes, but it doesn't matter now." She paused, looking around the group. When she spoke again, Shyahwyn felt the metaphorical dagger slip into her back: "Look," Eve told the group, "Has it occurred to any of you that this whole break out might be a plot by the King and Crows? There could be a spy among us." Shyahwyn's jaw dropped. I saved your life, for THIS?! Of course they'll suspect me! I wasn't in prison with them, then I just happen to be here to help? If I try to leave, they'll suspect me. If I stay and try to earn their trust, they'll suspect me. If I stay and just keep my head down, they'll suspect me! And any proof I could give of innocence just shows how good I am at covering up, and that proves I'm a Crow spy!
Shyahwyn was busy tying off a bandage, otherwise she might have been sorely tempted to lunge and tackle the woman instead of letting her get on her horse and ride away. But...that would only make her more suspicious in the eyes of the others. If these people are worth Crows infiltrating with spies, they're Trouble! Who are they, anyway? Of course if I ask, that just shows I'm the spy! she thought, clenching her teeth in impotent fury.
"If there is a Crow in your group, my money's on the one that tries to get us to suspect each other, then leaves," Shyahwyn snapped. Suddenly, His Lordship's question made sense, and she felt her heart sink. "Oh. I get it now. There's no way they'd let a real prisoner have a necklace. She could have used it to commit suicide when they didn't want her dead, or to garrote a guard, or she could have pried some of the links apart and made a lock pick, and if it had a locket it could have held poison or whatever else. Sorry mister," she said to the man with the vial of antidote, "I think you probably had the right idea..." And she has a horse! She can get back to the Crows quickly and tell them where we are! "Right, change of plans! We can't do anything we've already talked about. Maybe the thing to do now is scatter. The Crows can't infiltrate a group of one, so each of you will be as safe from betrayal as you can be. If this Hozai rescued you lot for a purpose," she said with a nod toward Toma, "then you all must have something in common, like you know each other or something. So if you want to regroup, you ought to be able to think of some places Crows and strangers wouldn't know about, and look for each other there later, without saying anything about any places like that now. And best think of some place they won't be able to torture out of that woman that went back to rescue Hozai," she said, finishing up her first aid work.
There. Now, whether they think I'm a Crow or not, they've got a way to do whatever they want to do without me bein' a problem. So no reason to kill me before they go, right?
Shadow Blade
He walked with a slight limp, he had gotten himself the antidote but it was taking awhile to completely take affect. "Did Toma know that it was most dangerous applied directly to a wound or was it dumb luck?" He had been beaten by Toma, and it wouldn't happen again. "I'll make you see reason next time, or I'll kill you...nephew." He whispers as he makes it too the group that had been charged to capture the escaped prisoners. "Orders from the His Majesty." He looked around at all them, knowing that he could kill them if he wanted. "While you know that the capture of these prisoners is top priority, there is one the king himself wants captured above the rest. Her name is Eve Fauler, a direct descendant of the Royal Bloodline of the Falconers. If you know your history, they where once the kings and queens of this land until the Yawlon's took the throne after a corrupt king appeared from the Falconers line." He paused. "The Falconers gave up power and any claim to the throne, or so we had thought."
"Not long after his rise to power the King found a law. If there is not a eligible canidate of the Yawlon line, a Falconer who shows themselves of good character can take the crown..." He didn't have to say anything after that.
Saudra
"As noble as that might be, how do you know he's not already dead? If he hasn't made it here by now, he's lost."
Lost? thought Saudra to herself. As in dead? As in never coming back? No.. that's simply not possible. Why would Elhanan set me free only to take away the one person I trust? That doesn't make any sense. He must be preserving Hozai, and waiting for me to save him.
Instead of responding to Avan's logical thoughts and explaining anything to him, Saudra just shot him a blood chilling, but determined look and said, "He is still alive."
Then the archer's voice called out to Saudra, "I'm not so sure your Hozai would want you dying for him, ma'am, but that's what you'll do if you go back there. If he wanted you free enough to risk what the Crows'll do to him for bustin' you lot out, he's not gonna be happy to see you dragged back in irons."
Saudra's stare transferred from Avan to the girl. She wasn't doing it to scare them exactly. It was simply that she was had her mind set on this course of action and was not about to listen to logic about her safety or even consider the idea that it would fail. It couldn't fail. She wouldn't let it fail.
"How hard do you think," Saudra asked the archer. "it would be to get a military uniform now? To infiltrate the castle? To find out where they took the one prisoner they reclaimed and to get him back out again? These soldiers who are hunting us don't know our names or our faces. They wouldn't be able to pick us out from any other random guard in a uniform, not in this mess. I should actually go now, if I want to have the best chance of it working."
Then Saudra's attention was drawn by a woman speaking very loudly and forcefully about the fact that there could be spies among them. She seemed far too concerned about this. Didn't they know Hozai like she did? Didn't they have talks with him and understand that this was Elhanan's Will? They were not about to be delivered from captivity just to allow the Crow to win. Saudra was getting very sick and tired of this group, when the archer suggested they all part ways, she was starting to agree with her. If Elhanan gathered them for a reason, they would fulfill that purpose whether they split up now or not. They would find themselves back together soon enough.
Ben Ben returned Branson's nod when an old, cloaked soldier walked up to them and started talking about more orders. A deep pit welled in his chest as he talked about there being another heir to the throne, someone who had more legitimate claim on it than the current ruler. He remembered his parents and how happily they and once served the previous king. He remembered the fear that he had felt when his parents sent him away from the castle. He remembered the years he spent out on the streets before he came across Lucas again. If there was another ruler, would things be better? Would... But his thoughts dropped off immediately, he shook his head a little. This was no time to be thinking thoughts so close to treason. He need to find the prisoners and bring them back. Everything else could be worked out later.
Eve
The further away from the castle Eve rode, the more she could breath freely. Yes, there was a chance soilders would come after her, especally if the others managed to get themselves killed or captured which was likely. But still, her chances were better. She knew she would make it back to camp--she had too. As the dark forest swollowed her form, her hand once again alighted upon her empty neck. Crow Brains, she had lost her necklace. Had it been somwhere during the battle in the courtyard? Maybe when the horse had fallen? Or even when she had run into the young lord. It was too jumbled to know when she had lost it.
A weight dropped on her chest: her parents had given the hearloom to her. The tightness she felt from losing it was like loosing them all over again. Still, compared to her life, she would rather loose the necklace. And when she got back to the camp she would gain Alaric. Alaric! Her heart ached with longing for the warm smile and tight embrace of her cousin.
~ Days later~
She circled the camp for the third time. The gray clouds bunched together even as she rode, and rain had started to moisteruze the air. Finally she stopped by the entrance, a small glade, surrounded by trees, and tall rock faces on either side, and dismounted. She slowly led the horse forward, but something was wrong. There should have been archers hidden on either side of the rock faces, but she saw no sighn of them. She gripped a knife in one hand, the reighns in the other hand and slowly walked foward untill the rock walls on both side opend up to show another bigger glade rimmed with a river. Eve halted, swallowing hard. Where there had been camp fires, tents, an armory, a make shift kitchen, there was now nothing. Not a single charred log, a tent peg or stray arrow was left. Eve's gut cleanched. There had not been life here for months. Even the squirrls and birds flited around the camp, as if it had never been in habited by human life. Eve sank to the ground and squatted there with her head in her hands. The hawks here had either left, or been wiped our driven out by the crows. Her chances of ever finding them again were one to a hundered, unless...
Eve inhaled breath sharply. An inch away from her nose was a place on the ground where the dirt was darker, the fallen leaves crushed flatter--a foot print, miniuts old, by the look of it. Eve cursed and jumped to her feet. She turned quickly and put one foot in the sturrup in preperation to mount her horse. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a dark shape fall down from the rock wall. The blade in her hand was kicked yards away, and two arms wrapped around her as she was forcefully jerked away from her horse, which whinied and shyed away. Eve felt a cold blade pressed to her neck as the blood pounded in her ears. An eternity of silence, filled only with the pattering of rain which had really started to fall hard, perferated the air. Then a gruff voice said,
"What are you doing here, it's not safe!" Eve struggeld to take a shakey breath as the knife against her constricted her throte. More silence. She recognized the hand that held the knife to her. A white scar ran across the four knuckles of the right hand.
"I was just coming to pic elderberries from the medow beyond the glade!" Eve explained urgently. Another pause.
"No, the elder berries rotted in the early rains. Try gathering bluberries from across the river." the gruff voice explained. The knife left Eve's throte and the arms around her loosend. She whipped around to see a familiar face. As one, the two mounted the horse and steered it to the stream and rode up river. After several miniutes, Eve said mockingly,
"What are you doing here, it's not safe?!"
"Well, I had to say something." Alaric said. Eve punched him lightly, and showed him the other knife hidden up her sleve.
"If I had thought you to be an enemy, you would have been dead." she teased seriously. Eve couldn't see his face, but she felt him tense and pictured the pouty expression on his face.
"How did you know it was me?" his voice was no longer discuised.
"Scar." Eve tapped his knuckles which were resting on the reighns.
"Curse you."
"I love you too." Eve rode in silence as Alaric explaind how he had vollenteered to be a watcher, a hawk who stayed in a previously inhabited camp to watch out for potential enemies or friends who came back to it.
"As soon as they heard you were captured, they cleard out." Alaric continued. Eve understood. You never knew if you could count on even the bravest of your spies not to sucum to tourcher. "I volenteerd to stay. Figured if you managed to escape you would come back here. "
"You were right." Eve said greatfully. Alaric took a piece of black fabric out of his pocket.
"You know the drill." He said. Eve nodded as he blindfolded her and took the righns from her hands. No one could know if she had been broken by the crows or not, so she would have to be blindfolded as she was led into the new camp.
"Sit tight." Alaric said. "It's about a days ride.
After the stand down, Giarc sat down at the base of a tree. He didn't pay attention to what happened, he wasn't feeling good. One hand grasping his wound, the other supporting his head, he sat there. He noticed several of the prisoners helping the wounded but didn't think they saw him.
As he sat there, he heard a female voice slightly louder then the rest suggest there was a spy among them. He jerked his head up and saw her ride off.Interesting... could it be possible? He hadn't suspected any of them, but it was an interesting thought, something he would have to keep an eye out for.
When the woman was out of sight, the glade grew quite with some muttering and whispers. Giarc heard a craw, and looked up to see a (his) black crow circling the glade. It flew down and landed on his shoulder and Giarc closed his eyes and tried to communicate with the bird. He saw several blurry visions, things the bird had seen. The soldiers are on their way...
Avan
Saudra shot him a cold look. "He is still alive," she insisted.
Though the young archer proceeded to talk sense into her, she wouldn't listen. The woman was determined to return for Hozai, determined to save him-- and she seemed to have already begun concocting a plan for such an action.
The woman who had crashed into the clearing previously suggested there might be a spy among them before once again making a break for the wild unknown. It wasn't completely unlikely, but even after a betrayal as grand as his father's he felt naive enough to want to trust them. The archer, who had teamed up with Michael to administer first aid, proposed they divide their courses yet again and meet up later. Still, the idea of going solo didn't quite suit Avan and he found himself frustrated with his own indecision.
"I'm not about to try and stop you," he answered Saudra when she had put forth her ideas. He took the offered antidote and applied it to the wound on his limp arm with ample gratitude. "That stunt you pulled in the armory with the explosives... well, I imagine you know how to get yourself out of a sticky situation. That being said, if you'd like my help, I'll attend you. I do owe you a thing or two, after all. Otherwise, I'll be heading off-- I don't know where I'll go, but I'm not staying here."
Lucien
A cloaked man with a limp stumbled toward them with revised orders from the King. "...Not long after his rise to power the King found a law. If there is not a eligible canidate of the Yawlon line, a Falconer who shows themselves of good character can take the crown," he finished.
So... Malphas's try for the throne still wasn't complete after ten years. If news of this law made it out to the public, the Crow King would see an uprising like they hadn't seen for several years. The Hawks would grow with renewed strength. "That's enough, sir. This information doesn't leave this circle. Tell the others only that we're searching for the girl. The law is confidential."
He broke away from the group as they prepared to capture the prisoners, climbing as well as he could manage onto the back of a horse that had finally calmed itself. He would need the extra mobility to keep going with his injuries; there would be time to heal later.
Shyahwyn:
The crazy woman regarded Shyahwyn with an icy glare. "How hard do you think it would be to get a military uniform now? To infiltrate the castle? To find out where they took the one prisoner they reclaimed and to get him back out again? These soldiers who are hunting us don't know our names or our faces. They wouldn't be able to pick us out from any other random guard in a uniform, not in this mess. I should actually go now, if I want to have the best chance of it working."
"You mean, with the whole garrison on alert and moving around in units instead of dozing off on boring one-man guard shifts on a quiet night? Yeah, totally easy! They'd never think of putting extra security on the one prisoner they reclaimed. I bet you'll whip the lot of them single-handed! Why, if you could come up with a tin crown, you could disguise yourself as the King and take over! What could possibly go wrong?" she snapped. Like my plan to come to the Capital and anonymously fence my loot. Talk about things going wrong... She sighed. "Sorry. Just...be ready for when reality takes a great big dump on your plan, alright? Kinda has a way of doing that. Best of fortune to all of you," she said, then started to head out in the general direction of 'away from the forest fire.'
Rekedens overheard the woman talking, and heard one talk about going back into the city. "That's actually a good idea.... they wouldn't think of looking for us there. They probably dispatched all of their guards and soldiers to look for us... if we can find a way.. to get back without being caught, we might be safer in the city. It's dark, we can hide just about anywhere." He coughed. It was a good idea, really. Even if they hid in the sewers, which he had done before during the war. "I know of an entrence to the sewers not far from here, down by the stream. It's a bit smelly... but it goes into the city. I used to use them all the time."
Eve
Crash! Two swords clashed together. The owners, a tall, muscluar, handsom young man in his early thirties and a tall, curvy but fit young woman with raven dark hair, held their wepons together for a few seconds. Then the man pushed the woman back several inches, and raised his sword to strike again, but the woman just simultaniously and gracefully twirled around him and blocked his blow, then offerd a strike of her own. The man raised his arm to block it, but was un able to strike again because the woman kept dancing around him in a circle with her sword locked with his. Then suddenly, the man changed directions sharply and nocked the woman off balance as his sword colided with hers. The distraction was enough: within a matter of seconds he had disarmed her.
Eve threw her empty hands up in the air. "Arg, fine, you win again." she said with an annoyed expresson on her face, but she did not sound displeased. She threw herself down in the soft grass and lay there panting.
"Never do anything predictable." Alaric chided, but then shethed his sword and plopped down beside his cousin.
"Well, I'm out of practice. Besides, the sword has alwasy been much more of your favored wepon than mine." Eve's voice complained, but she looked quite content. It felt good to be able to hold a sword again, to exercise and practice with Alaric. Eve fondly stroked the knives at her sides, not the ones she had stolen from the palace, but her personal ones that Alaric had kept safe for her. She was healing and regaining her strenght fast, and in only a few days since she had enterd the new camp she was almost as sharp as her wepons.
Lost in her thoughts, Eve attempted to fittle with the goast of her necklace, a common habbit with her. Alaric followed the motion of her fingers and realized what has missing. "Your necklace." he said with a hint of concern and suprise. "Where...?" He was right to be suprised. She had never taken it off before, so it seemed upsured to think she would remove it for that morning's practice. But what was more, Eve knew it was beyond a shadow of a hope to think she had managed to hang onto it in prison. Eve sat up, feeling a little more glum herself.
"I lost it. Sometime in the breakout fight. I managed to hide it before then, though." Alaric nodded, his eyes downcast. The neckalce ment so much to both of them, not because it had any partcular value, but because it had been passed down in their family for generations. It was a strong symbol of the bravery of the Fouler family, a reminder of all they had been through and accomplished. What was more, it was the last gift to Eve from her parents. Though the cousins felt it's loss, they knew it's meaning had not vanished. Besides, they knew what was more important was Eve's life.
"Shall we get breakfast?" Alaric said, changing the subject. "I'm starving."
------ Branson
"While you know that the capture of these prisoners is top priority, there is one the king himself wants captured above the rest. Her name is Eve Fauler, a direct descendant of the Royal Bloodline of the Falconers. If you know your history, they where once the kings and queens of this land until the Yawlon's took the throne after a corrupt king appeared from the Falconers line." He paused. "The Falconers gave up power and any claim to the throne, or so we had thought. Not long after his rise to power the King found a law. If there is not a eligible canidate of the Yawlon line, a Falconer who shows themselves of good character can take the crown..."
The soilders mutterd and shifted uneasily. Branson himself felt an intch at the back of his mind, as if reminding him of something important, but it was stifled by his present duties.
"That's enough, sir. This information doesn't leave this circle. Tell the others only that we're searching for the girl. The law is confidential." Lucien said. Branson nodded in confermation.
"Yes sir, we live to serve the true king, Malphas." He pledged loyaly. Branson sifted his gaze to Lucien, Ben and Daray. In the dieing fire, their eyes seemed to be rethed in flames. "We'll find her, and the rest of the prisoners."
It wasn't long before every former prisoner had been patched up by Michael and the girl next to him. After wrapping up what bandages and other primitive medical supplies they had left, Michael stood to his feet. He absolutely did not want to be here when those guards came. Whether the others were coming or not, or if they were going to doddle around as they have been, was not his problem. He had heard news of the enemy's forces coming to get them soon, and as of this moment, they were all sitting ducks.
The group had, unfortunately, came to the agreement that they were going to head along the river. They needed to stay together as a group, so it wouldn't be wise for Michael to separate from them. "Come on," He stated, and took the liberty of beginning the trip north, not looking back to see if they were going to follow him. He knew that they needed some sort of spark, something to get this adventure started. He knew they were going to follow, but leading in front of everyone was lonely business.
Toma
Toma looked at Saudra and Avian "If you two are done arguing, I'd say lets go save the priest." He turned and looked at the others. "If I where you I'd head to Damagra, the capital gets most of it's supplies from there you should be able to get supplies there." He reaches under his cloak and pulls out the money pouch that he stole from Shadow Blade and tossed at Giarc. "There should be enough in here. I ask that you wait for us for a few days in Damagra, at the Lamp inn." He looked at them. "My friend owns it, don't worry just tell Garret that Shadow Hawk sent you, he'll put you up for a few nights. But if we haven't made it back after two days, get out." He turned back toward the capital. "Lets go guys." He rushed off into the darkness.
Avan
"If you two are done arguing, I'd say lets go save the priest."
It wasn't the dumbest mission Avan had been a part of, but it might have been the most dangerous. It was like walking into a hornet's nest and if they were captured it meant certain death. Still, he hadn't lied when he said he owed Saudra for her help on the battlefield-- and he especially owed the priest if it was possible to save him.
Slowly his arm began to feel stronger and with it, his spirit strengthened as well. Though he was still fatigued from battle and weak from years in prison, the newness of his release had struck him like a bolt of lightening. There was so much to do now, so much he couldn't do before. The words of the priest echoed in his mind, 'I know you're weak, but fight you must... when your weapons shatter, He will fight for you!'
Toma told everyone of an inn in Damagra where they could meet up later before urging Avan and Saudra to follow him back into Tirh Ciaradh, back into the place they had been kept for so long. Despite his certainty he held over his course of direction, the idea of the mission still made him dizzy with anxiety. He could hardly find words with which to reply so he nodded instead, setting his jaw for the unknowable future.
Shyahwyn:
The voice of the man Shyahwyn had tried to "save" Necklace Lady from cut through the squabbling like a sword through flesh. It had two characteristics that rankled: an aristocratic accent of the Equestrian class, and an indisputable tone of command; a voice meant to be heard over the din of battle, and obeyed. Then there was the whole cloak-and-dagger aura of code names and pre-arranged secret rally points. Whelp. There's no chance these people are going to be any band of mine. They're already his, and they won't be interested in a little creative wealth redistribution aimed at putting bread in the hands of peasants. They must have been involved in plotting a coup or some other skullduggery havin' t' do with the Royal Court. Might even be Hawks if that code name is any indication. Well, they can rescue their priest and scheme to make 'Shadow Hawk' the new King if they want. None o' that is any concern of mine.
So now she had her choices: get to the River and head to north to Midin as she had proposed; take the sewers and slip into the Capital as the other man suggested, or take the hard trek to Damagra, directly south-southwest through the mountains or west through Kings' Gate Canyon* then south through the foothills. If not for the 'rescue the priest' mission, sneaking back into the Capital might have been a pretty good idea, with the Crows expecting the escapees to be headed as far away from the city as their feet could carry them. But if that mission failed as Shyahwyn expected, it would be a bad time to emerge onto the streets of Tirh Ciaradh with the smell of sewage as proof that she hadn't entered the city legitimately.
Damagra? If they caught even one of the escapees and tortured 'Shadow Hawk's' plan out of them, the Lamp Inn would be a trap. Midin it is, she thought, slipping away. Shyahwyn reached the river as the first hints of morning light turned dark to dusk. Glimpsing the prow of a riverboat coming around a meander in the river, Shyahwyn ducked back into the cover of the forest. The glint of armor in the moonlight and the hoofbeats of mounted patrols on each side of the river made Shyahwyn freeze and watch the Crow force pass through squinted eyes. They'll reach Midin first and alert the Crows there, and the City Watch. They'll be on the lookout for 'suspicious persons,' and probably searching people entering the city. Well, what else should I expect? They'll want to make sure they round up Lord Shadow Hawk and his cronies before he puts an army together.
Memories of the night's gathering returned, assembling themselves into a dire portent. That lady had explosives. This wasn't just some random breakout. It was carefully planned. And what if those foreigners were here looking for Shadow Hawk so they could make an alliance with him? There could be a war! Visions of armies ranging through the countryside flickered through Shyahwyn's mind, villages in flames, crops looted or burned, women being raped, their children left to starve... If Lord Shadow Hawk won, he might be a better King, he might be worse, but neither would matter to those who ended up in mass graves or maimed or mentally scarred for life.
Shyahwyn seethed in silence until the Crow force was gone. I should have been shooting at them instead of the bloody Crows! she thought, not quite meaning it. The prisoners didn't seem like a bad lot, and the best thing that could be said about King Malphas and his Crows was that they had to sleep. Still, kings and nobles were kings and nobles, and even the best of them took a lot of peasant toil to keep in luxury and grandeur. Maybe Lord Shadow Hawk and his friends won't be able to raise an army. Maybe they'll just buy passage to wherever their foreign allies come from and live there. A girl can hope, right?
--Days later, in synch with Eve's time--
"Stop right there. Put your bow down, slowly," a cool voice said, coming from above.
"Wha--?" Shyahwyn said, looking in the voice's direction. It took her a few moments to see him. A crossbowman, carefully camouflaged in a blind in the trees.
"Put it down, slowly, or I'll put a bolt through your eye socket," the crossbowman said.
What am I, cursed? I'm not anywhere near any roads or rivers, and I've got bandits waiting to ambush me?!
"Now look here, mister, I've got no quarrel with you or your band, but I'd rather not be robbed of my possessions and my womanly dignity right now. I'm no friend of the Crows, and I'll not be going to them with your location. A few days ago I helped some prisoners of theirs escape from the Capital, and I've got no preference for bein' tortured to death by them over bein' tortured to death by you." A sound of clashing swords distracted the crossbowman for a moment, and Shyahwyn took the opportunity to dive behind a tree. With her back to it, she drew an arrow and nocked it to her string. "Sounds like you might have bigger problems t' worry about than me. How 'bout you just let me go, and it'll be like I never was."
"Argh, fine, you win again," a woman's voice said in the distance. Oddly familiar...
"Never do anything predictable," a man's voice replied. Their friendly banter continued, revealing the clanging swords to be a friendly spar.
"Eve! Alaric! We've got someone over here! An archer," the crossbowman called out. "I've got her pinned down, but she's on the other side of a tree!"
"I mean no harm to any of you," Shyahwyn called out. "I was only lookin' for a place to lie low and stay out of the Crows' sight for awhile. You lot found this place first, so fine, it's yours. Now I mean t' just walk away and find someplace else. But if you mean to rob me and pass me around as entertainment for your men, I'll make you pay in blood for the privilege and I don't come cheap!"
*OOC: "Kings' Gate Canyon" is what I'm calling the place where the river cuts through the mountain range on the map. I'm picturing it as a spectacular canyon with high rock walls towering over the river, and maybe some gigantic monumental carvings like the ones along the river in (IIRC) The Fellowship of the Ring.
Alaric & Eve
"Eve! Alaric! We've got someone over here! An archer," Dan, who was on watch, called out. "I've got her pinned down, but she's on the other side of a tree!"
Alaric and Eve jumped to their feet, wepons in hand and ran over to Dan. The large oak his bow was pointed at indicated where the refugee was hiding.
"I mean no harm to any of you," a girl's voice called out. "I was only lookin' for a place to lie low and stay out of the Crows' sight for awhile. You lot found this place first, so fine, it's yours. Now I mean t' just walk away and find someplace else. But if you mean to rob me and pass me around as entertainment for your men, I'll make you pay in blood for the privilege and I don't come cheap!"
As the girl was speaking, Alaric silently motioned for Dan to stay put while Eve and Alaric snuck up on the girl from opposite sides. Eve tugged his sleeve and motioned for him to stay there, while she went alone. Alaric shook his head, but Eve persisted. Finally Alaric gave in. He probably came to the same conclusion as Eve: The girl was obviously young from her voice, and her words indicated she was probably a little scared. Seeing Eve might cause her to calm down. And if the girl turned out to be an enemy, Eve could be a distraction, while Alaric could eaisly overpower the advisary. Besides, something about that voice made Eve's hair stand on end, like a predition.
Eve took Alaric's sheild with one hand, and drew a long knife with her other hand. Slowly she snuck around the tree and jumpped out about five feet from the girl. "Stay where you are!" She barked, then, "We mean you no harm." Eve took in the intruder for a moment. Suddenly recognition dawned on her face, and it filled with suprise. "You!" she breathed. But suprise turned to suspition. "Are you following me?!" Eve took a menecing step toward the girl, shiled raised, and pointed her knife threateningly.
"What is it?!" Alaric asked in anticipation. "You know the archer? Eve? Eve!"
Shyahwyn:
Heart pounding in her chest, Shyahwyn focused on keeping her breath slow and even, and quiet as possible so she could focus on listening for sounds from her attackers. They had suddenly gone silent. That announced their intention as clearly as a battle cry. A wooden sound, something to do with the man's shield. A slow, metallic slide that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. They'll come at me from both sides, she thought, ever so carefully turning around to face the tree. If I can get one of them and back up fast, keeping the tree between me and the crossbowman--
Suddenly the woman jumped around the tree, sword at the ready. But luckily, she was about five feet away instead of in close quarters. "Stay where you are!" she barked, then, "We mean you no harm."
Shyahwyn snapped her bow up to aim at her right eye.
"Don't even think about it, Alaric," she called out. "You stab me in the back while she's got my attention and this arrow will spit her head like an apple!"Her?! Shyahwyn thought, her expression going from stiff tension to shock.
"You!" the woman breathed. But surprise turned to suspicion. "Are you following me?!" The woman took an aggressive step toward her, tensing for a lunge.
"Following you? Why would I want to follow you? Look, you may be against the rest of that lot, but it wasn't too long after you left that I realized that whoever they are and whatever they and you are fighting over, it's a matter for noble folk like yourself and that lordly bloke who was on about your necklace, not the likes of me. I live in the forest, Your Ladyship. I thought this valley would be a good place to hide out. Game's plentiful, and the hills are too steep for knights to surmount on horseback, so I could make a defensible camp up high and see anyone coming in long before they saw me.
"Now if you could please ask your friend to come out where I can see him. I'll be able to relax a bit from bein' ready to loose this arrow at the slightest sound, if I'm not expectin' his dagger 'twixt my ribs at any moment."
Alaric
"Following you? Why would I want to follow you? Look, you may be against the rest of that lot, but it wasn't too long after you left that I realized that whoever they are and whatever they and you are fighting over, it's a matter for noble folk like yourself and that lordly bloke who was on about your necklace, not the likes of me. I live in the forest, Your Ladyship. I thought this valley would be a good place to hide out. Game's plentiful, and the hills are too steep for knights to surmount on horseback, so I could make a defensible camp up high and see anyone coming in long before they saw me.
"Now if you could please ask your friend to come out where I can see him. I'll be able to relax a bit from bein' ready to loose this arrow at the slightest sound, if I'm not expectin' his dagger 'twixt my ribs at any moment."
Eve nodded toward Alaric, but she need not have. He had already bounded to her side halfway through the girl's speech.
"She followed you here?" Alaric asked warily, eyeing the girl with grudging esteem. "And...her list of talents grows."
"Alaric! This is no time for jokes." Eve was clearly ruffled. Alaric shrugged.
"Mearly an observation." he pointed out, but kept a sober face. Eve motined for Dan to keep a sharp eye on the girl, then turned her shoulder ever so slightly, as to have a private word with Alaric. Their shoulders brushed, covering them both with the shiled. But though Eve's eye was turned away, Alaric's was fixed unmovingly on the suspect.
"She was at the prison." Eve relayed bluntly.
"One of the prisoners?" Alaric wisperd back, moving his lips sparingly as to make them hard to read.
Eve shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe, maybe not. She might have been outside the walls before we got there." Eve lowered her voice even further, almost becoming inaudable. "It seems impossible that the mass breakout occured." her meaning was clear, but she elaborated. " The whole thing could have been planned to try and find the hawks. The man she mentioned, the one who asked about my necklace; He was ralling all the prisoners together to try and get them to go back in to rescue somone. I tried to leave and he used force to attempt to make me stay. Then she pointed an arrow in his face and told him to let up. As far as I know, I'm the only one who got out...Then she shows up here--you know how remote these mountians are." Eve's last sentance summed up what she was getting at. Of course she had told him all this already, but she summerized it again for his benifit.
Alaric knew this was no random matter, and Eve's voice was uncharacteristicly tense, almost worried. But no matter what, they couldn't be hasty. "I know it cannot be a mere coincidence: but we cannot act rashly. She may be guilty--or her story could be sound. Fifty-fifty chance. As much as you want to defeat the guilty and be cautious for our cause, we cannot neglect our duty to protect the innocent." Knowing that Eve's logic was compromised because of a history with this girl, Alaric took charge. Speaking autobly again, he said to the girl.
"I must agree with Eve's concern for you being here--but for different reasons. No matter what your story, you have entered our camp, and I am afraid we cannot let you leave." Alaric spoke civally, with kind eyes turned upon the young girl. "I swere upon my honor, if you are innocent, we mean you no harm. And weather you were our enemy or not, we would never allow you to be violated, as you suggested previously." He inclined his head toward her, without averting his eyes. "However I am going to have to ask you to put down your wepons and submit to our authority. We are all trained warriors, and our armor is thick: Attepmt at attack or escape would be futile. Please, come peacefully."
Alaric stood solidly. He maintained posession of his own wepons, but neither did he present them to the girl in a threatening way.
Shyahwyn:
The knight (for now that Shyahwyn got a good look at him, it was clear that's what he was) bounded to his woman's side in true 'Heeeeeere I come to save the daaaaay!' style. From his strikingly handsome looks to the fine quality of his armor, he was every inch a figure of fairy tale. Shyahwyn was startled by his sudden movement, but fortunately she didn't loose the arrow accidentally. Letting out a sigh of relief that she'd managed that, Shyahwyn relaxed her draw slightly and shifted her aim away from the woman toward a very near miss of the man's head. From the words she'd heard earlier, he probably won the spar, and he was physically the bigger threat.
"She followed you here?" Alaric asked warily, eyeing the girl with grudging esteem. "And...her list of talents grows."
"Alaric! This is no time for jokes."
Oh, I dunno. I think if I had a nervous archer training an arrow on me, that it might be a bloody good time for some humor, to calm things down. Then they started whispering to each other, which brought her tension back in full.
"'Scuse me, Your Excellencies," she said, a hint of sarcasm in her voice at the deferential pleasantry, "but whispering plots to each other isn't helping."Right, so how do I get out of this? They wouldn't be plotting if they didn't want me captured or dead. Or captured and dead, in that order. So they're not gonna just let me walk away--
Then the man spoke in chivalrous tones about honor and not harming the innocent, but the true substance of his speech was clear: We cannot let you leave. Submit to our authority.
"Sir Knight, I'm pretty sure those prisoners were Hawks, so if you and Her Ladyship are out to get them, that makes you Crows, and I know what Crows do to their prisoners. If I surrender, you'll just say 'You aimed an arrow at a Knight of the Realm. That makes you "guilty,"' and then you and your men will do with me whatever you like. I'll be tortured to my dying breath for whatever you think I know about those Hawks, and strung up in a gibbet in the nearest village as a feast for the crows. 'Thus for any who dare raise their hand against Elhanan's anointed!' an' all that.
"If I'm to die, I'd rather it be on my feet, by means of swords an' arrows, than on my knees beggin' for mercy where there is none." She shifted her aim straight at the knight's eye. "Now, a fine knight like yourself has to be worth at least a thousand peasant girls like me. So that means, if I loose this arrow, even if your Lady or your fellow warriors avenge you, the final tally goes strongly against your side. I suppose your men could raze the nearest village. But I'm not from the nearest village, so you wouldn't be getting anyone I know. And if they do that, they'd be doing your enemy's work for them, 'cause that's what your enemies 'd do in a war: raze the villages that support you.
"I'm not worth much, but like I said, I don't come cheap. So the sensible thing is to decide I'm not worth the price and let me go. What's the worst I could do? Go back to Lord Where's-Her-Necklace an' tell him where you are so he could gather his 'army' of half a dozen wounded and half-starved prisoners to lead an assault on your stronghold here? Would that even be a bad thing for you?"
Saudra
The longer the ex-assassin listened to all these people, the angrier she got. Everyone was arguing and yelling at each other, but no one was really ready to do anything. She was about to storm off on her own when she heard the cloaked figure say, "If you two are done arguing, I'd say lets go save the priest."
A rush of relief flooded Saudra. Finally, she thought to herself Someone here has some sense! After setting up the rest of the company with some plans, the man summoned them and rushed off. Saudra followed him quickly. Keeping stride of him, she asked, "What's the plan exactly?"
OT: Just as a head's up, I'm going to be writing Ben as skipping through time. Also, if anyone's not okay with his ability to do anything or where I've placed him here, feel free to tell me and I'll change it. OT: For Ben, I'm posting as if the prisoners have already left the clearing
Ben After Lucien's speech, Ben saluted and hurried to gather a group of soldiers. After he gathered a small group of people together, he lead them into the forest to try to find where the the escapees were. After searching for a while, they came across a clearing with blood and crushed grass, as if people had been standing there for a while. Examining the ground for a while, Ben found the signs he was looking for. It looked as though a large group of people had moved off South, but there were distinct hoof-prints that went off in another direction.
I looks like a lot of them went off in one direction, but these horse prints, it might be someone important. Thinking about this for a while, Ben turned to his crew. "It looks like all the prisoner's save one took the tracks to the south," he said. "We need to tell Commander Wylder about this. You," he pointed to one of his men. "wait here while everyone else goes off to find the commander. For everyone leaving, make sure he knows exactly what's here and where it is. If anyone gets lost track your way back to the one who's staying. I'm going to go off and follow the horse tracks here. It's probably just a distraction or nothing, but it has to be followed up on."
The soldiers responded well and took off to fulfill his orders. Ben turned to the horse tracks in front of him. Taking a quick drink from his waterskin, he set off after it.
--- Time skip to Eve's Time---
Ben had been following these horrific horse tracks for days. Whoever was riding really knew what they were doing. There were so many backtracks and confusing tricks that if Ben hadn't had some experience tracking with Lucas back in the day, he wouldn't be able to follow it. He was about to take a break when he heard a voice call out in the distance. He couldn't quite make out what the voice had said, but it might be a lead, so he walked towards it.
Soon, shapes came into view. It seemed to be two women and a man. The woman was holding a bow up to the man's eyes and saying, "I'm not worth much, but like I said, I don't come cheap. So the sensible thing is to decide I'm not worth the price and let me go. What's the worst I could do? Go back to Lord Where's-Her-Necklace an' tell him where you are so he could gather his 'army' of half a dozen wounded and half-starved prisoners to lead an assault on your stronghold here? Would that even be a bad thing for you?"
The poor woman seemed to be making a bluff to try to get out of there with her life. If she was caught by robbers or other disruptive townsfolk he needed to help her. Once he got a few feet away from the group and had his his sword drawn, Ben revealed himself by moving out from the cover of trees and saying, "Get away from that archer! You have no authority to threaten her!"
Eve
"I'm not worth much, but like I said, I don't come cheap. So the sensible thing is to decide I'm not worth the price and let me go. What's the worst I could do? Go back to Lord Where's-Her-Necklace an' tell him where you are so he could gather his 'army' of half a dozen wounded and half-starved prisoners to lead an assault on your stronghold here? Would that even be a bad thing for you?"
Alaric sighed. "Yes, I'm afraid that would be a very bad thing."
"And obviously we are not crows." Eve interjected, impatiently. "Why would I have been imprisoned if I were on their side?" she said distastefully, wrinkling her nose. Her knife gleamed in the morning sun. "If I were a crow, I would have convinced the others to go on that little suicide mission to get themselves captured again--assuming the whole thing was not a ploy to begin with. At least that it what I would have done. If i was a crow. Which I'm not." Just pounce on her, Eve thought, we are wasteing too much time on one girl.
"What can I do to convince you?" Alaric said. "As my cousin has mentioned, we are not crows. If we were nobility, as you suggest, then I as a knight would treat you chiverlrously--but I suppose then Knights where you come from are crude. Ill luck on both our parts, that. But robbers or Crows would have subdued you by now, instead of trying to reason." before Alaric could try to convince the girl further, a new voice called out, causing Eve to point her wepon at the newcomer, while Alaric stayed trained on their first enemy.
"Get away from that archer! You have no authority to threaten her!"
Eve squinted around the rays of sun at the man swinging his sword at them. She cleanched her teeth. It was impossible that so many people should come across them in these remote mountians. Then Eve's eyes focused on two familliar sights she had no desire to see again. The man's familliar face, and his uniform, armor traditional to the Crows ranks. Alaric must have seen her pale face, or knew the limites for intruders.
"ARCHERS!" he bellowed. In seconds, a dozen archers decended from the craggy rock faces and made to surround the two intruders.
Shyahwyn:
Wait, they're not Crows? But she was no friend of 'Shadow Hawk' or the other prisoners, and if they're Hawks, then who are these people?! The knight continued to talk in calm and reasonable tones, while the woman seemed to be losing her patience. But if I surrender to them, they'll search me, then they'll string me up for a bandit even if they don't torture me for what I 'know' about the pris-- A man stepped into view wearing the black and grey surcoat of a Crow. Shyahwyn was half-way through shifting her aim when he came to her defense. She stared in open-mouthed shock for a moment, when the woman called for archers, and squads of them came down from the heights to surround them, the creak of a dozen bowstrings being pulled back at once. The look on the woman's face when she saw the Crow said that whoever these people were, they despised the Crows.
Oh, frabjous day! The one chivalrous Crow in all the Land decides to take up my cause, so now I'm pasted with black feathers in front of these people!Shyahwyn's mind whirled, looking for some way, any way, to talk herself out, but it was looking very much like she was trapped, confronted with a choice of deaths. Wait, he said they have no authority to threaten me...maybe because he wants to arrest me? She still could hardly believe that he'd managed to track her at all. She'd gone to considerable lengths to throw off pursuit, switching back onto her own trail, walking backwards or backing into her own tracks, then jumping for a low tree branch to climb up and over and jump to the branch of a neighboring tree, going from treetop to treetop as far as she could before dropping down and heading off in a different direction. And the man didn't even have dogs!
"I've got no idea how you managed to track me, Mr. Crow, but it looks like you won't be clapping me in irons today. Unless you've got your own army back there somewhere." What if he does? Then maybe I can slip away in the melee... "Oh, wait--you followed her, didn't you? She was on a horse, so she'd have left you a trail of hoof prints and broken underbrush. Is she a spy? Is that why you let her have a necklace in prison? So your archers could be told, 'Don't shoot the one with the necklace' and she could infiltrate the prisoners after the escape? Except their leader figured you out, didn't he?" she said to the woman. "That's why he grabbed you and kept asking about your necklace. Then you tried to get them to suspect me as the spy with that 'warning' you gave, then you made your exit. Thanks for that, by the way," she said sarcastically. Shyahwyn relaxed her draw and lowered her aim, but she did not drop her bow.
Ben Ben's heart dropped when he heard the man call out for archers. It seems as though he was unlucky enough to follow a Hawk to their hide out. He should've stayed hidden, waiting until more Crows came, surveyed the area. This is why Lucas was always telling him that he rushed into things. A slight pain rose up in his stomach when he thought about his friend and the mission he had been sent on. How had things ended up like this?
Seeing all the archers around him, Ben lowered his sword, but he didn't sheath it. He tried to shake off the sadness about his friend and began to look around for some sort of way out to get back to the men who Lucien surely sent after him to tell them what was ahead. Looking around, Ben's eyes fell on the young woman he'd stepped forward to protect. She was obviously trying to talk her way out of the situation because of the way she kept twisting words and jumping to conclusions. He could tell she was scared and probably just stumbled onto something that was out of her league. It was in that moment that Ben knew he had to at least get her out of here. All his doubt and sadness dissolved away and were replaced by a resolve to help this woman.
Having his sword loose at his side, Ben stepped closer to the two Hawks across from him. "Can't you tell that woman has nothing to do with this?" he said. "She looks like a trapper or a ranger who accidentally stumbled too close to your headquarters. Let her go! If you do, you can have me with out a fight." He pulled up his sword again. "My name is Benjamin Allett, second in command to Lucas Kriess. Surely you know that man, the head strategist for Lord Malphas. Surely, capturing me whole and without incident is worth one lone woman." He left out the part where Lucas had been demoted because there was no reason to tip his hand yet. No one even knew if that was going to last. The Crow King was known for his capriciousness with these choices, so who knew what Luke could talk himself out of.
Alaric
Alaric nuddged Eve. "You are back for one day, and you bring in a haul of devoted followers." he joked seriously. Both the girl and the man lowered their wepons, but did not drop them. A stuborn bunch, them. The fact that this man had tracked Eve, one of their most skilled spys, and that the young girl seemed to be able to talk a hind legg off a mule made Alaric wish that these two were not his enemy. However that only made him more determind to subdue them.
"Oh not that again. Will you please give it a rest about my necklace? Why is everyone so interested in an old piece of wood? I'd never seen those other prisoners in my life, let alone mr. demanding." Eve said, turning on the girl again, but Alaric was more concerned about the man. He was obviously a Crow, and he spoke with importance. He was probably who he said he was. But why then was he defending the girl? Alaric's heart sank.
"You are not helping her cause by speaking for her. I'm afraid your words only rouse suspusion with us. Now, once and for all, drop your wepons. If you try to escape, I am afraid these archers will be forced to fill you with bolts."
There was a sudden clang!
--------
Eve
Alaric's joke would have been funny, if Eve had never wanted to see those two faces again. She was so angry at herself: for being tense, she had just tried to explain herself to that girl, she did not know what was going on, that made her afraid. And Alaric had it all together. What must he think of her behavior? That she was weak, compromised? Well she was not. And whatever her feelings about these two specfic intruders, they were intruders none the less. And intruders needed to be capture, and quickly. Eve aimed her cross bow at the Crow's sword.
"You are not helping her cause by speaking for her." Alaric was saying, "I'm afraid your words only rouse suspusion with us. Now, one and for all, drop your wepons. If you try to escape, I am afraid these archers will be forced to fill you with bolts."
Clang! Eve loosed her bolt and hit the blade of the Crow's sword. "I did not have to miss" she told him.
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Post by Sovereign on Sept 11, 2012 13:47:13 GMT -5
Shyahwyn:
What. Is. He. DOING?! Shyahwyn thought when the Crow offered to sacrifice himself for her. She would have been less surprised if he'd actually turnedinto a crow and flew away. Then, another thought that made her feel sick: What if the Crows I killed were like him? I can't even get myself out of here, there's no way I could do anything for him! There's only one thing left, she thought, feeling the last of her hope ebb away.
"Look...I know there's no way I'm ever going to leave your camp alive. If you think I know too much now, your minds won't change after I've seen how many men-at-arms you've got and what your fortifications look like. The fact o' the matter is, I'm not 'innocent.' I'm not just some ranger that wandered into your hideout. You'll find out when you search my pack: I'm a bandit. I hold up petty nobles an' make 'em hand over some of their baubles. I fence them and buy things like bread, dried fish, cheese...for peasants who've had the food taxed out of their children's mouths. I don't give a tinker's cuss about which flock of birds gets to sit in the lofty perches. I'm a creature of the earth. The mother that's got to look in the eyes of her children an' tell 'em she hasn't got anything for them--that's whose side I'm on. If I can make it so she's got enough bread and sausage to go around, and maybe some to store up--that's my victory, what I fight for and what I'll die for." Tears broke loose and ran down Shyahwyn's cheeks as it sunk in that her fight had come to an end, so soon and over such a pointless turn of bad luck.
"I was goin' to the capital to fence my latest haul. I saw those prisoners breaking out and...I didn't know who they were...I just decided that...I'm on the side of those gettin' trod on, as against the ones wearin' the boots. So I gave 'em cover fire from the woods, and...killed a few of your comrades in arms," she said to the Crow. "I'm sorry Mr. Crow. You picked the wrong girl to try an' rescue," she said mournfully, then she turned back to the man. "So...seeing as I'm an outlaw in rebellion against all rightful authority an' all, I know I'm gettin' strung up if I surrender to you, assumin' there's anything left of me after you're done wringin' whatever you can get out of me about those prisoners. All I got now is a choice in how I die. An' I'm sure that goes double for Mr. Crow here, seein' as he had t' go an' flap his yap about how he's all cozy with their master strategist an' all. Me, I'll take the arrows over the red-hot pokers an' flaying knives.
"Problem is, I don't hate either of you enough to try an' kill you an' force your archers to shoot. I don't even know who you are, an' with any luck I never will." With that, Shyahwyn drew back and aimed at the Crow. "Say the word Mr. Crow, an' I'll send you to Elhanan's Palace without pain, with your secrets and honor goin' with you," she said in sad, gentle tones.
Alaric
Eve had steped in the ranks of the archers, aiming her crossbow at the intruders.
"Problem is, I don't hate either of you enough to try an' kill you an' force your archers to shoot. I don't even know who you are, an' with any luck I never will." With that, the girl turned her back to Alaric and Eve, drew back and aimed at the Crow. "Say the word Mr. Crow, an' I'll send you to Elhanan's Palace without pain, with your secrets and honor goin' with you," she said in sad, gentle tones.
There was a slight creaking of bow strings as as every archer drew his arm back further, aiming at the young girl, their faces were tight, their fingers tense on their strings. Alaric saw the captian on duty open his mouth wide, and he knew what was about to happen a split second before it did.
"NO!" Alaric yelled, and dove between two archers, straight at the girl. A directly after he felt his shoulder barrowl into her back, seeking to simultaniously nock her out of harms way and disarm her, the voice of the archer captain yelled,
"FIRE!"
-----
Eve
Eve clenched her teeth. Who was this girl to think she could take the situation into her own hands, literaly? And yet, her bravery was (annoyingly) commendable. With a sharp wit like that, she would make a good hawk warrior. If she survived the day--every hawk archer had drawn their bow back as far as it could go, and aimed at the girl. Eve inhaled sharply.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a blond, muscular shadow dart through the archers circle. Alaric's actions made Eve sure of what the archers intended to do. Her scream of "Stop!" fearing for Alaric's safty, mingled with the yell of his 'no'. Eve forced herself to keep her eyes fixed on her enemy. While the other archers were reloding their bows, she kept her eyes and wepon trained on the Crow.
Ben
The young crow was still thinking of a plan to be able to get the woman out of this situation when she turned on him and said, "Say the word Mr. Crow, an' I'll send you to Elhanan's Palace without pain, with your secrets and honor goin' with you."
It was here when his heart broke for the poor girl. He had felt bad for her earlier, being mixed up in all this, but she had no duty to him to do any of this. He was trying to help her, to save her, but she seemed to view this as hopeless situation. He was about to reach out to her, quietly get her to put down her bow when the blonde haired knight cried a loud, "no" and jumped on the girl while other arrows were sent loose.
Soon, Ben felt an excruciating pain in the shoulder of his sword arm. An arrow had struck him in his bare shoulder because he had only been wearing light armor when he set out to follow the horse tracks. He did not know if the arrow came from the bow of the woman who had just been pointing it or one of the surrounding archers missing their target. Either way, the pain caused him to drop his weapon, fall to his knees clutching his shoulder, and let out a cry of pain.
Ben knew that now that he was injured and the girl was pinned there would be no more bargaining or arguing. He was furious with himself. He knew he should have handled this whole thing better. There was a way he could have gotten both himself and that woman out of here if he hadn't acted so rashly! Lucas would kill him when he learned about it. He simply made eye contact with the ex-prisoner archer who still had a weapon trained on him and said in a gruff, annoyed tone, "Congratulations, you've caught a wounded Crow and scared a woman half to death."
Lucien
It wasn't long before some men came forward on horseback with some useful news. They led Lucien deeper into the forest to an area with bloodstained, trampled grass, saying that Allett had gone off after one set of tracks.
He meditated on his course of action a moment. He chose four men to ride in Allett's direction; if Ben had chosen this path, it must be for a reason. And the fact that it was only the one set of tracks in that direction made him think it might be a trap of some sort laid by one of the prisoners. The kid might need help.
"You two, follow the other set of tracks," he ordered to another pair of soldiers (OT: these could be Branson and Daray if you want?) "Judging by the amount of blood here, I don't think the prisoners will give you much fight."
Benaiah
He had watched it all from his vantage point in a tree not twenty yards from the conflict. At first he was amused by their arguing. "Eve never has been one for trusting anyone has she?" He says to himself, but when the weapons where drawn, his amusement went away quickly. WHAT ARE THEY THINKING! If that man gets away from us he now could come back with a vengeance. "And why would they admit themselves Hawks in the first places? IDIOTS!" He jumped down from his tree and made his way over to the place of engagement but before he could make it there everything went to the Crows. "Blast it." He whispered while running towards it.
"HOLD YOUR FIRE NOW! OR BY MY FATHER'S NAME I WILL HAVE YOU THROWN OUT TO FEND FOR YOUR SELF'S!" He looked dead at Eve. "That includes you."
Toma
Two followed him, making their group three. He had to think fast, they were not that far from the capitol right now. "Well seeing as they'd have the priest in prison by now, that's where we are heading." He stopped. "And what better way to get into a prison than escort a prisoner."
He turned to the others. "I'm going to sneak into the castle gates, when I give the signal, you need to distract two of the guards. No more than two or this plan goes to the Crows." He flipped his daggers out. "Then I'll kill them." He looked at both of them. "Can I count on you?"
Avan
"Can I count on you?" Toma asked, his weapons out and ready.
"Not bad," Avan replied. Hopefully the majority of the guards would still be hunting the escapees, otherwise isolating only two guards might be an issue. He tightened his shield around his arm and retrieved his axe from it's home on his back. As expected, this mission was going to test them and he had to prove his usefulness and skill.
Shyahwyn:
Shyahwyn heard the creak of bowstrings, and her skin prickled. She could almost feel the arrowheads that were about to pierce her flesh. Then she was slammed from behind, and her arrow flew awry. She hit the ground, pinned by the weight of the blond knight. The last thing she expected was for him to bull rush her under a hail of his own people's arrows! Having no idea if he'd been hit or not, she started to struggle to get free when another voice shouted out:
"HOLD YOUR FIRE NOW! OR BY MY FATHER'S NAME I WILL HAVE YOU THROWN OUT TO FEND FOR YOURSELVES!"
Though her view was partially obscured by grass and dirt, she could see a handsome young man turning a scowl on Eve. "That includes you."
Bellowing orders in the name of his father like that just screamed 'Prince!' in Shyahwyn's ears--or at least, this group's equivalent. With him there to impose order, Shyahwyn realized she had no chance of squirming out from under the knight and escaping. Now that she was at these people's mercy, she would soon find out if they had any. Her heart hammered in her chest as she tried to prepare herself to endure whatever torments might lie ahead.Right, so...now I've got to stay alive as long as I can and hope I get a chance to escape. If that Crow left a trail, there'll be more on the way, so these people will have to move out if they don't want to be found. I'm baggage, so I'd better give them a reason to want me alive...
"Pardon me, Your Lordship, but would you be familiar with someone who goes by the name of 'Shadow Hawk?'"
Eve
"Congratulations, you've caught a wounded Crow and scared a woman half to death." The Crow moaned after he fell to the ground with an arrow in his shoulder.
"HOLD YOUR FIRE NOW! OR BY MY FATHER'S NAME I WILL HAVE YOU THROWN OUT TO FEND FOR YOUR SELF'S! That includes you." The last words were directed at her. Eve's dark eyes simmered at Benaiah. He was a good fighter, but the young whippersnapper thought he had all authroity just because his father was . Eve stiffly let her crossbow fall to her side. Some of the archers disarmed the Crow before detaining him.
Alaric sat up, looking apologeticly at the girl--though Eve thought he needen't have. He had saved her life, after all. "Pardon." he muttered, and picked up her bow and arrows and threw them a safe distance away. He looked back at her, then paused.
Eve snorted, then marched over to the pair of them, took the girl by the arm and stood her up, then commensed to pat her down and discard any more conceled wepons. Once deemed weponless, the two intruders were blindfolded, then surrounded by four archers to be escorted to the holding caves.
Eve snached up her fallen wepons and armor and marched past Alaric and Benaiah, giving the latter a look like, 'We had it sorted.' Then made to make her way back to camp.
----
Alaric
Alaric looked apologeticly at the young girl. "Beg your pardon." he said, after detaining her bow and arrows. However he was glad when Eve came to do the rest, because the young girl probably felt bad enough without having to be serched by him. As the others began to move away, Alaric picked up the prisoners wepons, and began gathering up the Archers stray arrows, to hide the scene of attack.
He was sure of the girl's innocence, but held his toung. The matter would no doubt come up when he and Eve were questioned by Melzikiah: judging by the look on Benaiah's face, that was sure to happen as well. Alaric nodded at Benaiah, then made his way over to where the remainig archers were keeping watch, to fill in untill the others returned.
Toma
Two followed him, making their group three. He had to think fast, they were not that far from the capitol right now. "Well seeing as they'd have the priest in prison by now, that's where we are heading." He stopped. "And what better way to get into a prison than escort a prisoner."
He turned to the others. "I'm going to sneak into the castle gates, when I give the signal, you need to distract two of the guards. No more than two or this plan goes to the Crows." He flipped his daggers out. "Then I'll kill them." He looked at both of them. "Can I count on you?"
Avan
"Can I count on you?" Toma asked, his weapons out and ready.
"Not bad," Avan replied. Hopefully the majority of the guards would still be hunting the escapees, otherwise isolating only two guards might be an issue. He tightened his shield around his arm and retrieved his axe from it's home on his back. As expected, this mission was going to test them and he had to prove his usefulness and skill.
Saudra "Then I'll kill them. Can I count on you?" the cloaked man said.
Sadura let out a huff. “I’ve never needed someone to do killing for me,” she responded annoyed. She pulled out a small throwing knife and set herself, begrudgingly waiting for the man’s signal. This whole thing was already taking too long in her mind and she really just wanted to talk everything that was happening out with Hozai.
Toma
“Don’t engage them, just distract them. Listen closely for this sound” He drug his dagger against the wall.Then he slipped through the bars of gate. And quickly melted into the shadows and ran towards the two guards he had in mind. This night has been crazy, why am I risking my life for this priest? He moved behind the guards, he could easily kill one right now but the other would raise the alarm. He drug his dagger against the wall.
Avan
Don't engage them.... He wasn't sure of Toma's plan, but he was more than willing to follow. As Toma slid into hiding and made the signal sound, he pushed his brain to think of how to distract the two guards without raising any alarm.
He grabbed a stone off the ground and chunked it toward the shadows where Toma had disappeared. One of the soldiers peered back at the shadows and went to investigate.
Then an idea struck him. He ran straight to the guards, doubled over, panting as though he'd been chasing someone. "Our brother was helping guard the prison when the prisoners broke out," he said, gesturing Saudra as his sister. "I tried to find him on the battlefield, but I couldn't find him anywhere. Please, can we get in to look for him? I only hope we find him alive...." He glanced back at Saudra cueing her to play along.
Saudra Saudra sprinted out after Avan and playing along with his ruse, said in a soft, breathy voice, “Please sir, our parents were killed by Hawkes in a raid on our village. He’s all we have left for family.”
The guard looked a little suspicious at first, but he softened after hearing about the fate of their “parents.” He nodded and stepped aside for them to pass. Saudra rushed past the guard, but as soon as she was behind him, she took a dagger and stabbed the guard in the back of the neck with it. With the same motion, she dragged the man back into the shadows where Toma was stationed.
The assassin had an odd smile on her face.This was something she could do well. It was something she excelled at. She had forgotten how exhilarated killing made her feel. Then the thought of Hozai flashed in her mind and she was suddenly conflicted. Am I just going to go back to my old self when I’m free and away from him? she asked herself. She was beginning to get lost in her thoughts and began to space out even though they were on a mission.
Toma Good job Toma thought as they were talking to the other guard as the other was walking towards the sound of the rock. then Saudra killed the other one and dragged the dead body where he was. “That wasn’t part of the plan.” He whispered harshly. Keep away from us. At least for now. He begged the other guard. He looked back at Saurda and Avan, and motioned them to stay hidden. He bashed the guards helmet enclosed head against the wall making a loud clank.
The other guard took the bait and turned around and headed back their way. Toma had to work quickly. He ran along the shadows till he was behind the guard, a few yards away. And he waited patiently for him to discover the others.
He didn’t have to wait long. “Fedric where ar...Oh Elhanan! You two will rot in the dungeons!” It was at that exact time that Toma surged forward placing his left hand on the man’s shoulder using it as a polevault to lift him higher than the guard. He brought his dagger down with his right hand and stabbed it through the man’s open mouth and yanked it up into his brain,not unlike a Hawk’s talon closing, killing him. Toma used his momentum to make the man fall into the shadows with him.
Avan
Avan was impressed with how easily Saudra convinced the guard that they were only innocent citizens. They were allowed to pass by and granted entry into the prison fairly easily, so he was shocked when he saw her pull a dagger and slaughter the man that had just given them passage. "What are you doing?" he hissed but received no reply as she dragged the body to the shadows with a smile that gave him chills.
"That wasn't part of the plan," Toma whispered harshly when they made their way to him. But it seemed Toma had already schemed up a new idea. Avan watched as the ‘Shadow Hawk’ worked to lure the other guard into the shadows and proceeded to claw open the man’s skull with his dagger.
“So... your plan is to dress up as Crows?” The idea wasn’t pleasing to say the least. He shuddered at the idea of looking like his worst enemies. But if it got the job done.... He began to unravel the knots holding one of the guard’s armor together.
Saudra In the far reaches of her mind, Sadura heard Avan’s question echo. “So... your plan is to dress up as Crows?” it asked. This snapped Saudra back into reality.
“There are only two costumes though,” she replied. “How are we all going to get past everyone?”
Toma “So... your plan is to dress up as Crows?” Toma looked to Avan as he asked and shook his affirmative. “There are only two costumes though, how are we all going to get past everyone?” Saudra asked. Toma smiled. “Two guards returning an escaped prisoner, on a night like tonight would be seen as normal. Now the question is, who is going to be the prisoner.” He began helping Avan loose the armor off of the one Saudra killed.
Avan
His heart jumped at the thought of not having to wear one of the Crow’s armor. But looking at the two dead men, the disguise wouldn’t fit right on Saudra. “Well, alright. So you and I.” He began donning the corpse’s gear and waited for Toma to do the same before creeping to the end of the entrance hall of the prison and peeking around the corner to see what awaited them on the other side.
“So, someone as high profile as this priest would be kept somewhere deep in the prison,” he whispered. “Maybe not too far from where we were being kept before.... Unless they have him guarded somewhere even more fortified-- the personal quarters of some higher up?”
Saudra “Would he even be kept in this prison?” asked Saudra concerned. She was glaring daggers at the men who were taking too long to change. “I mean, there was just a major break out. I imagine they would move all the prisoners here to a different location and try to keep anyone who was high profile there as well.”
Toma He was fully dressed now. “They wouldn’t risk transferring these prisoner’s while our whereabouts are unknown, especially at night. We could easily ambush them.” He grabbed ahold of Saudra’s arm and whispered “You're a prisoner now. Don’t act like we are friends.” He shoved her forward. He looked at Avan and gave him a nod to come on. “If he isn’t in the normal prison, Hozai will be in the deepest part of the prison. Deeper than we were.” He shuddered at the thought of the place they were going to have to go. “And if he is there...” He paused and looked back at the opening of the tunnel.
“We will have to kill again.”
Avan
Avan visibly winced when Toma shoved Saudra. Sure, she was a prisoner but.... Right, act the part. He listened as Toma explained where Hozai should be kept. It was clear the Shadow Hawk dreaded wherever they were going to go.
Above, on the ramparts, guards strolled around, keeping an eye out for anything suspicious. It was a miracle they had made it this far. How would they manage to get so far into the prison’s depths? He followed along, anxious to get out of the open, though he realized the courtyard might be the safest place to be at the moment.
Nevertheless, they had a mission to accomplish, a debt to pay to the priest who rescued them from these very walls. Something was nagging at him, though, a question in the back of his mind. “So where is it you expect he’ll be exactly?” he asked Toma quietly. “How do you know so much about this place? I mean, we were all kept here, sure, but I only ever really saw the four walls of my cell for ten years.”
Saudra Saudra was shoved over and she fell to the ground from his push. She got up, shakily, pretending that she was more feeble than she actually was. This isn’t my first time sneaking around and trying to fool guards, she thought to herself annoyed.
From then on, she hobbled in front of her two comrades, keeping her eyes downcast and her general aura defeated. She didn’t say a single word for fear of spoiling their cover. She simply listened to the two prattle on like fools, hoping no one overheard them.
Toma He looked at Avan. “I was once a member of the Shadows, the true kings spy network.” He entered the prison section of the castle. “We had a special place for the highest profile prisoners. My mentor.....” rage bubbled up in his body “betrayed us. He now works for Malphas, he was the one that poisoned you.” He squeezed his hand into a fist. “We were swore to be the King’s shadow, he even stopped the first assassination of the King by a former noble’s daughter.”
He turned them toward the Shadow Shackles, the place they more than likely would find Hozai. “Hopefully the poison I planted in his leg is still affecting him, if not we may very well see him. If we do, I want you two to run.” He looked up and saw the door with a four lines arranged on it to look like light shining. “Here’s the door.” He looked back. Where are all the guards?
Saudra Saudra’s heart dropped to the bottom of her stomach when Toma mentioned the assassination attempt. She waited for him to do something to her. To strike out in rage at her, but he just continued on with business as usual.
He doesn’t know? she asked to herself confused as her stunned feet continued to walk her forward. He was the apprentice of that man and he never found out. Malphas kept me that much of a secret? He must’ve had high hopes that I’d come back one day like a lost puppy.
Saudra let out a deep breath when she heard that they had arrived at the door. Her concentration had been broken for a while, but she felt as though she had regained it. She was ready to fight for the life of the only person who mattered to her. She was ready to go beyond the door.
Avan
At least I’m not the only one that’s been betrayed by someone close, he thought with a grudging bitterness. They turned a corner and finally came across a door with markings on the front. “Here’s the door,” Toma announced and Saudra let out a deep breath. Avan was struck with a fiercer brand of nervousness than he’d had all night. But he reached out to the doorknob and twisted it open.
Saudra
Saudra couldn’t contain herself any longer. As soon as Avan opened the door, Saudra sprinted through it. She saw a lonely figure in the middle of an empty room and, recognizing it instantly, she ran to it. Saudra embraced the man sitting dejectedly on the floor.
“Hozai!” she said softly as she held him. “Hozai! I was so worried I’d never see you again. I need you. I need to talk to you.”
It was only when she was that close to him that Saudra realized that his head was bandaged. She called out the men behind her, “Do either of you have any dressings? He seems to be hurt, and I want to change the bandage before it gets infected.” While she was speaking, she started to slowly peel away the layers of thin fabric that encompassed his head.
Avan
Saudra bolted through the door before it was even fully opened and Avan hardly had a choice but to get out of her way. He followed her through cautiously, watching for any movement in the shadows, when she called back to the others asking for bandages. “Michael might have giv--”
Saudra Saudra let out a horrible scream and sprung to her feet when she got through the last bandage. “Hozai,” she said in a shocked, scared voice. “What have they done to you?” She felt as though she could hardly breathe. This just wasn’t possible. There is no way that Elhanan would let this happen. Right in the middle of Hozai’s face, where his calm eyes usually looked at her twinkling, were two bloody, dark holes.
Hozai After being knocked out by Malphas, he had woke up in this dungeon. With Malphas standing over him. He couldn’t remember the conversation entirely but he did remember telling the Crow that “I’ve seen your downfall, the crow will be overtaken by the Rose.” At that Malphas flew into a rage and ordered a man in dark clothes to latch him onto a cross like object. While Hozai watched, Malphas put two very sharp talon like objects on his thumbs. You shall see by faith, my mighty man of valor. He heard the voice of the Creator. Then Malphas brought his talons to his eyes. Hozai screamed and blacked out.
For the past few hours he laid in darkness, praying desperately that he would die soon so he would be with Elhanan, if he existed at all. It didn’t take him long to get rid of that thought, he had seen Elhanan work miracles. He knew he would see him soon. He just wanted light, he missed it so much.
Then her voice, the voice he loved more than any other humans. She was happy saying that she needed him, needed to talk to him. Then she saw where his eyes used to be and he could hear her broken heart. He smiled and reached up and took her ahold of her face. “I’m glad I got to see you one last time Saudra.”
Saudra Hozai’s hands cupped Saudra’s face and Saudra was full of happiness, but when she heard his words, she couldn’t process them. She simply started to cry. Sadura couldn’t imagine a world without Hozai. She didn’t want to go back to that dark angry place she was in before she met him. She didn’t want the rush she had felt earlier when she had killed a man. She wanted this, to be with a person who understood her and cared for her without expecting anything in return.
Saudra reached up to her face, gently placed her hands around Hozai’s, and said in a shaky, strained voice, “What are you talking about? You’re coming with us. I’d never leave you behind.”
Hozai He smiled at the touch of her hand. “Saudra, my child. Rescued from the dark by my own hand. Hozai comes to set with me, and his family.” a voice not Hozai’s at all came out of his mouth. “I love you so much, as does Hozai. You who once assassinated out of hate, you will fight for life. You will fight so that this never happens to another human being.” Hozai stood up. “Avan, betrayed son. I love you, please believe in me, you will fight for families everywhere.” He turned toward Toma. “Toma, The Hawk that preys in the Shadow, who cast his faith aside, because Cecil died. You will fight for the honor of the fallen Royalty, for the honor of this priest. But that’s not what I’ve chosen you to do, you will one day pick up your faith again. Then you shall understand these words.” He then spoke in a language no one could understand.
Hozai fell to the floor. “Hide now! Malphas comes with his right hand man!”
Toma He set there listening to the ramblings of a madman, but he owed this man a debt so he would not leave him to hide. Then he spoke those words “Malphas comes with his right hand man!” He rushed forward and grabbed Saudra and motioned for Avan to help him. They pulled her into a cell and shut the gate and backed all the way into the corner, anywhere else someone could see you. But in this part of the dungeon, no light but torchlight reached it. And there was only a few in the main part.
Saudra When Hozai ordered them to hide from Malphas, Sadura was about to protest, to swear she would stick by him to the end, but before she could do anything, two strong arms wrapped around her. Another pair quickly followed suit, with one of the hands curling firmly around her mouth so she could not even shout. She struggled, but it was to no avail. She could not free herself from the ironclad grip. She soon found herself in the farthest corner of a cage with no way to get back to Hozai and protect him.
Avan
He felt slightly awkward as Saudra and the priest talked, like he shouldn’t be there listening in. But then the priest began to speak in a different voice, saying things that he couldn’t possibly know. The hairs on his arms prickled a bit when the priest turned to him and then to Toma, continuing in this odd voice.
When he was done, he gave them warning of Malphas’s arrival and everyone leapt into action. He helped Toma tote Saudra into a nearby cell and they locked themselves in, hiding in the darkness of the shadows. She tried to get loose, and though he felt ashamed for having to hold her still, it was the only way they would live. He held his breath for what seemed ages as the doors clanged open and the sound of two pairs of footsteps moved into the room.
Hozai, Malphas, & Shadow Blade Hozai stood up as soon as the Crow entered into the room. “So you fool priest, do you have anything else to say? Like swearing fealty to me and I’ll let you keep your life?” Malphas said sadistically. Hozai knew he had no intetion on keeping that promise. He stood there. “Do your wors...” Malphas cut him off with a punch to the gut doubling him over. “I intend to, trust me.” He then start to mercilessly beat Hozai to death. “The.....rose.....you.....think....you....destroye d....willl return....and.....be....victorious.....” Hozai spoke in between breaths. Malphas began stomping his hands, and feet. Kicking him in the gut, slamming his head against the floor. He then grabbed him screaming, “Get up you wretch.\!” He picks Hozai up and rams him into a spike about four foot long jutting out of the wall, head first killing him instantly. He pulls the body off and throws it on the floor. “Be sure to suspend this piece of trash publically for all to see.” He then walked out.
Shadow Blade began to pick up the body when he heard someone rushing towards him, he turned to see Toma ready to fight.
Toma After Malphas left he looked over at his commrades and seen tears. “I’m going to rush him, you two run for your life.” He looked at Saudra and said with a choking voice. “I’m sorry, I failed him.” He then ran at the door putting all of his weight behind the run, he wouldn’t be able to outmatch his master this time, the armor slowing him down considerably. He pulled his daggers out and met his master yet again, I’ll die before I let that happen again!
Toma & Shadow Blade
Toma raised his daggers far above his head planning on bringing them down on Shadow Blade (from now on in this post I'll refer to him as SB), but SB brought up his own hands and grabbed Toma's wrists. "Did you really think you could get the jump on me in that armor." SB says smiling before kicking Toma against the wall, and pulling out his sword.
Toma somehow managed to keep a hold of his weapons, and rise though he was holding his abdomen where he was kicked. "So I see that your poison has worn out." He smiles before charging back at his former mentor with his arms flayed behind him like wings, as he got close bringing his arms forward like and attempting to land a hit on SB but was blocked by his sword. "You are still too weak and slow to beat me Toma." SB laughed raising his arm high and bring his elbow down on Toma's arm which brought about a loud snap.
Toma feel back dropping one of his daggers, screaming and cursing. "Crows, I'd of thought that in your old age you would have became weak...." Toma says placing his dagger in it's sheathe and picking up his other one, That was my right arm he just broke! He thinks to himself as he readys himself for another attack but then decides to let the traitor to come at him.
SB laughs again. "Malphas will be dethroned the day you take me out! And he has an iron clad grip on his throne." He taunts Toma as he lifts his sword to a horizontal position at his side. "But sadly, we won't have to worry about you seeing that day." He leaps at Toma thrusting his blade at the last remnant of his past, going for the deathblow. He didn't expect for Toma to deflect it to his side, the blade still connected but it wasn't a death blow. Shadow Blade stood there astounded. "You've gotten bett--ARGGH!" He falls back taking a knee. During his moments of disbelief Toma had kicked him with all of his force, more than likely crippling him. At least for now, but Toma was now in a position to kill him, but he didn't feel the blade come down on him, instead he looked up to see Toma undoing his armor, revealing his usual clothing. "The poison will kill you Toma, I've won." Toma just looked back at him then walked out the door that was open WAIT! He was distracting me so someone could escape!
Toma slowly made his way out to the stables, the poison and broken arm slowing him down considerably, he found a black stallion and jumped on it and kicked it forward through the gates. It wasn't long till the pain overcame him and he fell asleep on his steed his last thoughts Elhanan bring me to the rose, if you are real....
He would later recall waking up just long enough to put some of the pedals of the Rose of Yalown on it, but that wasn't the antidote, it would just hold of the death the poison eventually bring about.
--time jump to Eve's time--
Benaiah
He was about to answer the young girl when a black horse carrying a wounded man came into the clearing. "Eve, Alaric! Help me!" He rushed toward the horse grabbing it's reigns. "This day is just getting better and better." He muttered. He heard the man moan in pain and fall onto the ground. "I...need...the Rose...of..Yalown...Antidote, I've...been...poisoned." The man said in between breaths. It was only now that Benaiah saw that the man was incredibly pale, with the first signs of an infection coming on. "HURRY!" Saudra Saudra redoubled her efforts to get away from the two men holding her after Malphas and Shadow Blade entered the room. She knew that with these dangerous men, this could be the last few moments of Hozai’s life. Unfortunately, it seemed as though the more she struggled, the tighter they held her.
Suddenly, the unthinkable happened. It was as if the whole world was in slow motion and she stopped her struggling completely and fell to her knees. She just stared open mouthed at the image in front of her.
Then Saudra saw Toma run past her. He might have said something to her as he passed, but she was too shocked to take anything in. She just continued to watch as Toma slammed into Shadow Blade and they began to fight. It was only there that an emotion began to rise up inside of her. Saudra sat there stunned until she could identify this unknown emotion. Rage, her mind told her. You want revenge for his life.
It was now that Saudra’s hand closed around her knife. She tried to stand up quickly.
Avan
He shut his eyes to try and shield his mind from the brutal beating Hozai was taking. It didn’t work. The sound of his body cracking under Malphas’s boot was still there. He opened them again just in time to see the priest’s body fly against the spike on the wall and Avan’s insides turned to ice. He noticed Saudra stopped fighting them to get free.
“I’m going to rush him; you two run for your lives,” Toma said beside them. “I’m sorry, I failed him,” he added before charging toward Shadow Blade and engaging him in a fight like Avan had rarely seen.
Saudra grabbed her knife and got to her feet so suddenly she nearly knocked Avan over. “What are you doing? He’s right, we need to leave.” As badly as he wanted to help Toma in his fight, this was no place for Saudra to be right now-- that was clearer than anything.
Saudra “What are you doing? He’s right, we need to leave,” a voice asked Saudra. She began to turn in the direction of the sound, her black, hate-filled eyes fell on Avan.
“I’m getting revenge,” replied Saudra with a smirk. “I’m going to take his life and then the Crow King’s.” She licked her blade, anticipating the blood that she was about to let flow. She then turned her back to Avan and began to stalk towards the fighting pair.
Avan
He was stunned by the expression she dawned when she looked back at him-- not unlike the one she'd worn as she killed the guard at the prison gate. And then that smirk.... "I'm getting revenge. I'm going to take his life and then the Crow King's," she said and licked her blade before heading toward Toma and the Shadow Blade.
He grabbed her arm, though he realized as soon as he touched her he'd made a mistake. Still, he forced himself to continue; he couldn't let her interfere. He had fought this enemy and he knew at least some of what Shadow Blade was capable of doing. "You can't. Come on," he coaxed, but he knew his voice was still too gentle for the assassin's rage.
Saudra As soon as she felt the pressure on her arm, Saudra took her dagger and brought it down trying to slash at the thing restraining her.
Avan
She cut his hand; not badly, but enough to make it bleed. Still, he couldn’t let go of her or she’d do something foolish. He took his axe in the other hand and held it upside-down so the handle was in the air. “Forgive me,” he begged as he swung it into the back of her head and watched her fall on the ground unconscious. He hadn’t felt sorrier for doing anything else in a long time. But it was necessary, he promised himself.
He picked up her limp form and tucked her dagger-- which had fallen out of her hand-- into his back pocket. He rushed past the raging fight between Toma and his mentor, glancing back at them when he arrived at the door. “Thank you. Elhanan be with you,” he muttered under his breath before sprinting down the corridor. He had to get out of the prison and quickly. If Toma were killed, the alarm would be raised and they would be spotted, regardless of the stolen Crow’s armor he still wore.
He looked once more at the girl he carried in his arms. An assassin... but at the same time, you carried such softness for that priest.... Just who exactly are you, anyway? He realized as he crossed out into the open courtyard that he was carrying an expression far too sympathetic for a prison guard, much less a Crow. He slowed his pace to what he hoped was a casual walk, but the guards still gave him curious stares. It was then he understood that prisoners weren’t often carried in the arms of their guards and he tried to imagine some way to make his position seem normal.
Before he could conjure up anything of the like, a man began to shout from the door he’d just left. “Trouble’s afoot! The prison’s been compromised!”
His heart pounded in his chest as the sound of horns began to blow and the gates drew shut. To his amazement, the alarm functioned as a distraction for him. He positioned Saudra over one shoulder and scanned the scene, looking for a way out. The gate was shut and heavily fortified. And the armory... the armory still had a gaping hole in the wall, but with the horns blaring, that hole would soon be filled with soldiers coming to investigate. He wished momentarily he were an actual hawk, so he could just fly over the wall and out to safety. Over the wall.... A staircase to the ramparts was on the far southern wall but even if he made it, the fall on the other side could kill both of them. Then he saw, hanging on the wall not far from the foot of the stairs, some rope hanging around a long spike.
He gritted his teeth and sprinted for the rope, doing his best to seem like he was up to business as usual. He made it, grabbing the rope with his weapon and letting the entire weight of it fall down his arm onto his free shoulder. He was beginning to feel the burden of carrying not only Saudra, but his axe, shield and now the rope. He used what little energy he had to push himself up the stairs, Crows surrounding him as they prepared to capture whoever had trespassed onto the prison grounds.
He kept his eyes downcast, hoping they wouldn’t realize who he was. It was a miracle they hadn’t already. When he reached the top of the stairs, he found a corner in the shadows, praying he’d be left alone long enough to at least start their descent. He gently laid Saudra on the ground a moment while he tied a loop in the rope and fixed it to one of the battlements. He looked to see if anyone was watching and picked up the assassin once more, holding her close as he climbed over and began to slide down the rope.
They were nearly there, only ten feet or so left to go, when he felt the rope begin to shift. He looked up to see a Crow cutting the loop he’d made with a dagger. Avan tried to climb faster, but it only seemed to make the cut worse. The rope snapped above and the two escapees went tumbling down to the ground. He attempted to shield Saudra, to try and break her fall, and managed to twist his knee in the process.
He groaned in pain at the sensation of it, but he knew he didn’t have much time before someone started coming after them. He took a frenzied look around, searching for a new escape route, and found a Crow on horseback making his way over. He didn’t know what else to do, so he took Saudra’s dagger out of his pocket and threw it, aiming for the horseman. Perhaps Hozai was right; perhaps Elhanan did have a purpose for the escaped prisoners, because the dagger landed true and unhorsed the soldier.
In a pained and delirious panic, he loaded Saudra onto the back of the horse and took the front for himself, urging the horse forward and into the forest. The only path left for them now was to meet up with the others in Damagra....
Shyahwyn:
They got me now. Now they'll show their true colors, Shyahwyn thought, struggling to muster courage to face what lie ahead.
"Beg your pardon," Alaric said after he climbed off of her. Huh? Was he talking to me? Eve jerked her abruptly to her feet and patted her down, taking her pack and the utility knife from her boot. Though she hated to lose the pack, it was a relief to be searched by the woman rather than the knight, who actually had an apologetic look on his face. I guess it's...a good sign that they have her here as a warrior instead of entertainment--well, somebody else as entertainment, 'cause I bet she would start killing people in their sleep if they used her that way. Shyahwyn looked over at the 'prince,' but he was busy with somebody else who'd just ridden into the camp muttering about a 'Rose of Yowlown' or something like that. That sounded vaguely familiar, but Shyahwyn couldn't place it. Then she turned her eyes to the Crow, and winced. Her arrow had pierced his sword-arm. Even if the wound didn't turn septic and slowly kill him, there might still be enough muscle damage that he'd never wield a sword with strength and finesse again. On the other hand, he'd be incredibly lucky to ever hold a sword again. He had a kind face, and he looked close to her own age.
"Sorry," she said, looking away. A blindfold took away her sight, and she was nudged forward. Right, I need to concentrate. Listen. Smell. Learn everything I can. She could hear footsteps around her, the rattling of arrows in quivers. An escort of archers. One...two...four? Yeah...sounds like four.A clinking of armor and heavier footfalls beside her, faltering slightly. The Crow. "I'm sorry, Mr. Crow," she said, shame in her voice. "Why did you even try to save me, anyway? While they were distracted with me you could have slipped away and gotten back to your forces! The one good Crow in the whole world, and now he's probably gonna suffer and die because of me!"
Avan
They came to a secluded spot in the dark forest, near the foot of one of the mountain's surrounding Felgrove Valley and he elected to stop for a bit. It was possible someone might have followed them, but he hadn't heard anyone behind him for quite a while and he needed to check his wounds and make sure he hadn't hit Saudra too hard in the prison. He tied the horse to a tree before laying her out on the ground and taking a look at the knot on her head-- no bleeding was a good sign. He hobbled over to his own spot on the ground and examined himself. The blood from where she'd sliced at his hand was beginning to dry on his skin, as well as the spot on his arm where he'd been poisoned. But both wounds needed to be washed and wrapped. His knee was swollen from landing on the ground after their fall, not broken, probably just a sprain. But he wouldn't be out-running any enemies without the horse.
Leaning against the tree, he felt the full exhaustion of the night hit him; he tried to stay awake as long as he could but before he knew it, he had fallen asleep.
laric
A black horse carrying a wounded man came into the clearing. "Eve, Alaric! Help me!" Benaiah rushed toward the horse grabbing it's reigns. Alaric looked around for Eve, but she had already stormed off back toward camp. Alaric rushed to Benaiah's side just in time to hear him mutter, "This day is just getting better and better." The man promplty fell off of the horse
"I...need...the Rose...of..Yalown...Antidote, I've...been...poisoned." The man said in between breaths.
"HURRY!" Benaiah was right about that, the man looked deathy ill. And they couldn't have any intruders dieing on their hands--they needed to be questioned. Alaric dropped the debri he was holding, threw the man up over his shoulders and promptly sprinted into camp. He weaved between camp fires, jumped over piles of wood and wepons, and dodged other men and women wandering about their buisness. Reaching his destination, Alaric ducked into the healers' tent and laid the man down on a bare wooden table.
"This man needs the Rose of Yalown!"
-------
Eve
Eve gave the prisoners the evil eye, and was just about to wander back to her tent, when she was intercepted. "Eve!" Melzikiah gave her the evil eye. Clearly he had already been informed about the recent events. "How is it that you and Alaric decided to take authority over--these events?!"
"We were not--", She began, but he held up a hand to silence her and amazingly she shut her mouth.
"Never mind, I'll talk with you two later. Now why don't you just--" his eye fell on the wounded crow being escorted into the holding caves, "tend to that man." Eve's nostrils flared. "On second thought, just await me in--"
"No!" Eve interjected, "No, sire, allow me." Eve turned, cheeks burning, to follow the prisoner. Melzikiah was right to be tense and angry, particularly with her. The camp had moved in the first place because they feard a betrayel from her, intentional or not. Then she arrived and not a day later the camp was thrown into the biggest uproar since--since ever. However that was not Eve's reason for wanting to 'tend' to the crow.
She left all her wepons outside the cave end entered just in time to see the other prisoner, the young girl, being escorted into the cave next door. Metal bars were drawn across the small cave enterance leaving Eve and the Crow alone, save for the tools she needed to remove the arrow, as the gaurds stood watch outside.
"So, tell me." Eve began with clenched teeth, breaking off the end of the arrow throwing it aside, "Since you will be staying here long term," she wrenched his armor and chain mail off, barely avoiding the stump of the wooden shaft. She pushed him forcefully down on his back and wrapped a pair of clamps around the stump of the arrow sticking out of his upper arm. "How did you manage to follow me?" She stuck a leather thong in between his teeth. "Wait, hold that thought." With that, Eve pushed the arrow head out the other side of his arm.
OT: I hope you don't mind me commendeering Melzikiah for a moment, TJ
Ben The archers that surrounded Ben lifted him roughly from the ground. He let out a small grunt because of his shoulder wound. A blindfold was tied a little too tightly around his eyes and he was shoved forward. The command was obvious, he was to move along with the archers. He hobbled along, trying to to jostle his wounded arm too much.
Then he heard the voice of the girl next to him. She sounded disappointed with herself. "I'm sorry, Mr. Crow," she said, shame in her voice. "Why did you even try to save me, anyway? While they were distracted with me you could have slipped away and gotten back to your forces!" A smile creeped onto Ben's pained face and he let out a chuckle. "I used to be where you are," said Ben honestly. "I didn't have any family and was only living by stealing. I was saved then by a good friend of mine, and to honor him and what he's done for me, I refuse to abandon those who need my help."
Ben heard a few of the archers around him scoff at this speech. He knew being a prisoner of Hawks wouldn't be a cakewalk and it seemed like their hatred and judgement had already begun. Soon Ben and the young woman were separated and he was thrown into a small cave with metal bars in front. His blindfold was taken off and then the woman from the clearing came in with a few tools she needed to tend to his wound.
She began to strong arm him around the cave. He soon found himself being held, flat on his back with a piece of leather in his mouth to stop him from crying out. He heard her voice, but he didn't really process what she was saying. Then he felt the sudden pain of the arrow head being pulled out. He let out a muffled cry and clutched at his shoulder. While he was holding it, he spit out the leather and said, "You know, it's not hard to follow a horse through the forest. Don't get me wrong, the average infantryman wouldn't be able to, but anyone with some tracking ability is able to."
Saudra Awakening from a dreamless sleep, Saudra felt an incessant pounding in her head. She reached up and rubbed it. Where in the world am I? Why does my head hurt and how did I... And then the memories of the day before came back to her. Her heart sunk and she put her head in her hands.
"Hozai," she said sadly. "I was supposed to die not you!" And then she remembered the last thing that he ever said to her, "You will fight so that this never happens to another human being."
Saudra just let out a gulp. She remembered the last two times she fought. It was not pleasant. She practically lost her mind with the thrill of the kill. Scared, but excited chills rolled down her back. Saudra didn't want to be that person again. She didn't want to go down that path. "I can't fight," she said weakly. "I can't fight because of what it brings out of me." She shook her head remembering the guard she killed and the fact that she almost hurt....
"Avan!" she said suddenly looking around for the man who had gotten her out of there safely. Then she saw him laying against a tree, dead asleep. She shook her head at the boy. He had already done a lot for her, even though he knew nothing about her. "I should get lunch," she said to herself. "Although, it'll have to be just nuts and berries. I don't even want to kill animals right now." She went off to forage. After a few hours in the woods, she came back to where Avan was with nuts, berries, and water. She sat down next the man and waited for him to wake up.
Avan
He was running at full speed, his chest heaving with the effort, into the moonlit forest outside the prison; the flames were chasing him, devouring the grass at his heels, drenching him in sweat. But he had to get away. Just ahead he could see the moving waters of the river and he knew if he could make it to the stream's edge he could leave the fire behind.
Before he got there, however, the earth began to tremble beneath his feet and he fell face-first onto the ground. As he pulled himself back up to his feet, five mountains grew straight out of the surface of the earth, the trees bowing down out of respect. Horrified, he realized he was in Felgrove Valley all over again. The fire had moved in a circle around him, licking up the sides of each mountain as though to emphasize just how trapped he was.
Above, Malphas stood on the tip of a mountain, gazing down at him with piercing eyes as his ebony familiars swarmed about him. A second figure stepped out from behind the false king, a sturdy man with black hair and a greedy expression. "Why didn't you join me, son?" his father asked. Though he spoke in a normal tone, Avan found he could somehow understand him down at the foot of the mountain. "I was building a future for us and you destroyed it."
Avan was rendered speechless. All he could manage was to draw his sword, but he was paralyzed with fear. Then out of nowhere, a flurry of silvered hair and black cloaks-- the one Toma had once called 'mentor' had arrived and cut deep into his leg.
Avan woke with a start, the first moments of wakefulness spent soaking in his surroundings with wide eyes. Trees. A horse. A girl, Saudra, with a meager breakfast. His knee was throbbing; that must be what woke him.... Then he realized he was starving. He leaned forward, only to learn that trees made terrible beds, and he remembered the night before more fully.
"I didn't mean to sleep," he said, mostly to himself, frustrated that he'd let his guard down so quickly. "Someone's bound to come looking for us soon. And I don't imagine it'll be the other escapees." He pulled himself up to a standing position, but nearly fell backward, clinging to the tree to stay upright. "We should get to Damagra, whether the others are there or not. At least then we can find some basic supplies." Though I'd rather not become a common thief....
Shyahwyn:
Before Shyahwyn could remind the Crow that: A) she was not some piteous little urchin who stole to get by--she stole so she could help others get by; and B) she'd have had a much better chance of getting out of this if he hadn't tried to 'save' her (Alaric had said as much), he was dragged away and locked up somewhere else. She was shoved forward, and a metallic clank announced a door of some kind being slammed shut and locked behind her. After waiting a few moments to make sure she was being left in place, Shyahwyn slowly reached up for her blindfold, giving anyone who didn't want her removing it plenty of time to tell her to stop.
She found herself in a shallow cave, the entrance of which was blocked by a crudely-made, but solid-looking gate of iron bars. I think I remember these caves... she thought. The last time she had visited this valley, she had spotted caves, but chosen not to use them for shelter, as she had not wanted to wake up to the sounds of a bear coming home for the night. She couldn't quite place them in relation to the other features she remembered.Things are gonna be changed up quite a bit anyway. These people have a camp somewhere, maybe even a stockade. She stepped up and started surreptitiously examining the gate under the suspicious eyes of a guard. They've got a blacksmith to make this, so they've got enough men and horses here that they need one to keep up with making horseshoes and repairing armor and weapons. There's too many of them to sneak away from here in a group, and they're not gonna want to scatter. So they'll probably set up ambushes for any other Crow trackers. The Crows are looking for one person on horseback, not a whole army, so I can't bet on a big Crow force showing up and giving me a chance to escape in the confusion.
And...it's not just me anymore, is it? If I do find a way to break out, I can't just leave him here. But how long's it gonna be before all his nails are peeled off and his skin is hanging in ribbons? Even if they are gonna be all 'chivalrous' and 'honorable' with me, that's not gonna apply to him! Shyahwyn paced in her cell, wracking her brain for some way to help the Crow. Wait...that could work!
"Excuse me? Sir knight? Uh, Alaric?" she called out, hoping that he, and not some other knight would hear her. As if to emphasize the urgency of the situation, a muffled cry of pain echoed from somewhere nearby.
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Post by Sovereign on Sept 14, 2012 0:50:02 GMT -5
Malphas He paced back and forth out on his balcony while his intelligence officer was setting in a chair calm as ever, sometimes the man infuriated him but he was the best at what he did. “So you are telling me that not only did prisoners escape me this very night but they returned not even a few hours later.” He stared at Shadow Blade, the old man just nodded his head. “And they escaped! Again!” The made clad in black just nodded again. “Please explain how this happened?”
“The priest you killed.” Shadow Blade looks directly at the Crow King, who is pouring himself a drink and after the short pause spoke again. “He released some your most powerful enemies, Especially that Fauler girl.”
“You think I don’t know that!” Malphas roars and throws his glass off the balcony. He walks back his chambers as he is followed. “That priest mocks me from the other side, just like everyone else. They never thought me to be anything but I brought this kingdom to its knee’s with words more than sword. Oh used force in the end, but it’s my words that began the war!” He picked up his sword. “This time there will be no words. The crows of this land have gone hungry since my ascension.” He licks his lips as he looks at the man who usually a stoic is visibly uneasy. “My dear servant, it’s time to feed the crows.”
“Master…I don’t underst….” Shadow Blade begins before Malphas interrupts him. “I want you to begin gathering an army.” “For just a few prisoners? Sire that is quite excessive, give me my own unit and we could have them captured within a week.” Shadow Blade says trying to speak reason.
“This isn’t just about the prisoners anymore, I’m tired of those rebels mocking me. They act like they are better than ME!” He looks at the other man. “There is only one place for them to find safe haven, with the Hawks. We will follow them there, and then feed the crows of the land.”
“Sire, your wish is my command.” Shadow Blade bows as he begins to leave. “Get me every one of our most ruthless warriors. By the way bring me Lucas Kriess.” He hears King Malphas say.
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Ambassador
Full Member
Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidance of things not seen.
Posts: 130
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Post by Ambassador on Sept 15, 2012 15:13:58 GMT -5
Eve The Crow spit out the leather. "You know, it's not hard to follow a horse through the forest. Don't get me wrong, the average infantryman wouldn't be able to, but anyone with some tracking ability is able to."
Eve rolled her eyes as she began to thouraly clean out the wound with spirits. "Well obviously. No need to take me for a simpleton." she examined his wound none to gently. "But it would have taken a little more than just some tracking ability to follow me." Eve took out a bolt of clean white cloth and began tearing it into strips ominously, then eyed the Crow with begrudging respect for his abilities. Apparently mild tracking to him consisted of following her: in the wrong direction for the first ten miles; through dark, dangerous forests; over rocky crag gs; not to mention the fact she had walked through streams mostly the entire way.
Eve cut off the remainder of the crow's tattered shirt and tossed the bloody fabric aside, then began tightly bandaging his wounded shoulder. "Well, you have some skills--with bad luck I mean. You tracked all that way with no incident, only to be skewered now." She finished securing the bandage and handed the crow a clean shirt. She passed the healing kit along with the soiled fabric to the guards outside of the cell.
------
Alairc
Alaric left the healing tent after ensuring the wounded man was attended too. The healer, Hans, said that the man was weak but that he would recover in time. But Alaric knew that would not stop Melzikiah from questioning him as soon as he was awake.
"Alaric," Alaric was jerked out of his thoughts as someone a hand was placed on his shoulder and someone spoke his name. "There's a girl askin' for you by name--one of the prisoners captured this morning." Alaric nodded in acknowledgment and curiously made his way down to the holding caves.
"Miss...?" he approached the bars. Hoped Melzikiah would heed his belief that the girl really was an innocent bystander.
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Post by Zabby on Sept 15, 2012 16:15:46 GMT -5
Saudra After sitting in silence for a while, Saudra's companion finally woke up. He stood up suddenly and, after steadying himself said, "I didn't mean to sleep. Someone's bound to come looking for us soon. And I don't imagine it'll be the other escapees. We should get to Damagra, whether the others are there or not. At least then we can find some basic supplies."
Saudra, still sitting with her back up against the same tree, just shook her head and said, "You're too injured to go anywhere. Your knee can't even hold your weight. We'll wait here for you to heal up. Besides, we wouldn't make it in enough to meet up with the others anyway. There's not enough time."
Ben "I wouldn't really call that bad luck," responded Ben with a small smirk. "Trying to defend an innocent citizen from bullies has nothing to do with luck. Besides, I expect the Crows to be following me soon enough. They've got better trackers than little old me in their ranks."
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Logos
Full Member
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Post by Logos on Sept 16, 2012 4:11:19 GMT -5
"Miss...?" the knight said, approaching the bars.
"Uh...thank you for coming, Sir Knight," Shyahwyn replied. She was a bit surprised that he'd come, but there he was, being polite as ever. Well, here goes nothin'... "You want to get information outta that Crow, right? I think I've got a way for you to do it. If he was tellin' the truth about being cozy with their master strategist an' all, then the best thing he's got to offer you is that he can kinda pick the guy's brain, right? But to do that, he's gotta be able to think, and put himself in the Crow strategist's head. And that's not something he'll be able to do if he's getting tortured. If he's being tortured, then he'll just try to say whatever he thinks will make the pain stop, which might not be accurate or what you really need to know.
"So, instead of torturing him, what you ought to do is recruit him--or at least pretend to. And the man to do that is you, sir. See, when he saw you guys capturing me, he could have just stayed in hiding and then backed away, and he'd be well on his way to getting a Crow army after you by now. But...he decided to try and save me instead even at the risk of his life and mission. And...well, you did too. I mean, if one of your archers had fired just a little early, you could have took an arrow in the back. So, uh...thanks, by the way.
"Anyway, you and him have something in common, even if you're on opposite sides. So you could use that to get through to him. Maybe you could chain him to a horse and take him out, show him an impaling or gibbeting or crucifixion the Crows did.* I think you could relate to him, honorable knight to honorable knight an' all.
"Now I'm not sayin' you should trust him--he's still a Crow, and at least right now he'll feel all honor-bound to them. But if you're the one to work on him, I think you'd have a much better chance of getting good information out of him than your torturers would.
"Or you could let him 'overhear' things that aren't true, like 'We'll be ready to march on Damagra by the end of the week' and then let him escape, so when the Crows respond to what he tells them, POW! You bushwack 'em, or go attack somewhere else," she said, then suddenly realized a major flaw with her second proposal.
"But then they'd torture him...oops," she muttered. "Can you scratch that 'let him escape' plan?" Who am I kidding? These people would probably think that him getting tortured to death by the Crows would be poetic justice! Shyahwyn let out a sigh. "I guess there probably isn't any way you'll believe I'm not in cahoots with him now...it's just that...he put my safety above his mission and his duty to the Crows even though he'd never seen me before and hasn't got any reason to care if I live or die. I feel like...like I owe him, and the most I can do for him is try to keep him from being tortured. But I still think you'd actually get better information out of him if you try to turn him to your side than you'll get by torturing him. I'm not a Crow, so it doesn't bother me a bit if you get something you can use to give the Crows a good drubbing."
*OOC: Judging by the maniacal behavior King Malphas is portrayed with, I'm guessing he's had his men commit more than a few atrocities to keep people in line and paying taxes, and that Ben just hasn't been exposed to it yet. TJ, if I'm incorrect about that, please PM me and I'll edit.
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Post by Sovereign on Sept 16, 2012 23:28:46 GMT -5
Shadow Blade
“Samson Blake!” the man known as Shadow Blade heard the name of the man he once was being shouted and it brought him from his sleep. He hadn’t heard that name in years and it brought back memories, memories of a little sister running to him with scraped knee’s, a young woman looking up at him the last time she would ever see him, a baby in her arms. The memories where soured by the fact that she was dead, and she died before he could see her again.
“Who said that name?” He slowly opens his eyes, but he’s not in his room where he had been but in a rose garden. “Where am I?” He exclaims standing up and grabbing his sword.
“You are exactly where I need you right now, Samson.” A strong yet gentle voice reverberates through the garden. Shadow Blade swings his sword all around. “Come out and face me ghost!”
“I’m no ghost, and you can’t defeat me.” The voice speaks softly yet again.
“Says you.” Shadow Blade says defiantly.
“Knows me.” The voice laughs.
“You will not mock me!” Shadow Blade hisses searching for the shadows the man is hiding but to his shock there is only light, no shadows. “Impossible.”
“Oh it is very possible when everything is where it’s supposed to be. And by the way Malphas is the one who talks about one’s mocking him, not you.”
Shadow Blade looks around and then a man in all white just appears. “So you finally show yourself.” He says with a sinister tone as he swings his sword at the man, only for it to shatter before it even touches the man, and Shadow Blade is sent falling back. “Who…who…are…you?”
“If I just said ‘I am’ would you figure it out? No? Well then, I am the creator of the universe, I created you, I love your sister very much, and your nephew Toma Firion. I am Elhanan.” The man says gently.
“My sister is dead, and I probably killed Toma. He was an idiot for not seeing that serving Malphas is the only way to gain peace.” Shadow Blade says backing up.
“Your sister is no longer of this world but she is with me in the place I prepared. Toma is getting the treatment he needs at the Hawk camp but he won’t be ready to fight till after the Battle. Malphas will succeed where you failed. After all you are not a monster that you could ever kill your own family.” Elhanan speaks to him.
“If you where truly Elhanan you would know that I have tried to kill him twice already.” Shadow Blade starts to stand but Elhanan’s presence is too immense now.
“Yeah I know about that, I also know that if you had truly wanted to you could very well kill him. But every time you stopped yourself.” Elhanan looks into Shadow Blades eyes “Samson Blake.”
“I’m not SAMSON BLAKE! I AM SHADOW BLADE!” Shadow Blade screams.
“You are Samson Blake, Shadow Blade is just a mask you wear.” Elhanan moves closer and drops down to a knee. “I know you are Samson Blake cause I formed you in your Mother’s womb. And I know that you don’t believe Malphas is fit for the throne anymore.” Elhanan puts forth his hand. “He never was. And before you argue that I could have stopped it, I tried but I did know it would happen. That’s the pain of knowing everything, you can try to stop the man from beating his wife but it’s choice. If I didn’t give you choice, you wouldn't be alive.” Everything Elhanan said was making sense, Samson reached out and took the hand of the God he had shunned in favor of keeping his family safe, which he failed at.
Elhanan pulled him up. “You’ll need to go to the war council, you will need to enter the battle as Shadow Blade, but on that field Shadow Blade will die for once and all, Samson, you can tell Toma the truth.”
Samson Blake’s eyes shot open and he was in his room again. He looked at his blade, it wasn’t shattered anymore but there was a scratch running across the width where it shattered. “It had to be real.” He whispered but he had to get to the war council so he put on his cloak and headed out.
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Post by atlantis on Sept 16, 2012 23:53:55 GMT -5
Avan
He had woke with fresh stubbornness and a fear rekindled by the nightmare that left him unable to accept Saudra's reason. Even now, he felt sure he heard hooves approaching in the distance. He hobbled to the horse with a panicked determination and began untying the reigns from the tree where he'd left them. "We can't stay," he replied quietly. "We're still too close to the capital. They'll find us. My father will find us." He leaned on the tree where the horse had been tied, checking the saddle to be sure it was secure. "And nevermind my leg. It's just a sprain. We have transportation."
When he looked back and saw her still in the same spot, though, he realized how absurd he sounded. How tired he still felt. How quiet the forests were. He tethered the horse again and gently sat down on the ground. "Sorry.... It's just... I don't want to go back. Not after we've come this far at last."
Lucien
He had been summoned to Malphas's war council by none other than the Shadow Blade. Though, Lucien thought smugly, the king's intelligence officer hadn't been looking quite himself, bereft of his former confidence. I wonder what nasty bit of trouble he landed himself in?
Lucien had spent the night sleeping between the constant waking of nurses tending his wounds and soldiers reporting disappointing news. If something didn't happen very soon, he would be the one having to explain his shortcomings to the ill-tempered Crow King.
As to the whereabouts of his son, he had received little information. There had been whispers of a flame-haired young man escaping over the walls of the prison along with an unconscious woman, but he had clearly seen Avan heading westward through the forest with the others. Although he hated to admit it, this was a part of the reason he had maintained his focus so constantly on the searches in that direction. He wasn't sure what he would do if the only heir of Wylder was found, but he wanted very badly to know that his son had at least made it out alive.
Having arrived at the doors to the council chamber, he swallowed these thoughts, taking on his role as lead strategist. He turned the corner through the doors and stopped short at the sight he beheld. Lucas Kriess, unbound and walking free. So his promotion had been a dream after all?
(OT: if Lucas being there already doesn't work for you, Towr, let me know and I'll fix it. ^.^)
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Post by Bhunivelze on Sept 18, 2012 16:51:31 GMT -5
Lucas:
The smell of the palace. It was a heaven compared to the pits of the dungeon. He was back in his normal Captain clothing. His green over-shirt with intricate designs and white pants. So much better than the rags he had worn for the past days. He even had a bath. An actual, warm, bath. It was almost as he had never been put in prison. He was only in prison a couple days, but it was a horrid experience. Imagine his surprise, when the guard let him go. He thought he was about to be beheaded. But was allowed back into the Palace! It was a great feeling but the kind that made you think.
Am I worthy? I lost. I'm not worthy to be in Malphas' presence. Maybe the Hawks are going to win? What if I was wrong? What if the Hawks have a strategist on par with me? We could lose the war! I CAN"T lose again. What if... What if I Betrayed...? He could hardly believe he was thinking these thoughts but it was, supposedly, common to have thoughts like this in prison. But Lucas couldn't help but return to them.
He snapped back into reality as Lucien walked in the room he was in. A grin creeped to Lucas' face.
"Ah, Lucien. So bad that they had to bring me back already? Maybe what little respect I had for you was a bit too much?" He twisted the words perfectly, all he had to do now was wait for the man's response. No matter what side of the War Lucas was on, He would always love to antagonize Lucien.
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Post by atlantis on Sept 18, 2012 23:48:01 GMT -5
OT: because I never get to write funny things it seems.
Lucien had chosen four men to ride in Allett's direction. The four finest men of the crew available to him that bloody night of the escape. There were the triplets, Maka, Waka, and Laka, born of the ancient house of Fendras long forgotten by most. They were led by that most fearless of leaders, Ackbar Ballack, captain of the famous Battle Warriors of Alluska. These were the men the Lord of Wylder had commissioned to rescue Benjamin Allett if he needed rescuing, defend him if he needed defending, and poke him if he needed poking.
They rode through the wilderness for days, only stopping for breakfast, brunch, lunch, an afternoon snack, dinner, and a little dessert to hold them through the night. When it seemed hopeless that they should ever find their lost comrade, Ackbar never failed to find the correct path and lead them down the trail Allett had taken.
It was shortly after brunch one day that Maka Fendras heard a mysterious ticking noise in their forest surroundings. While Ackbar was working diligently on figuring out which way they would take next, the Fendras brothers ventured into the wood together, seeking the source of the sound. They wandered over fallen logs and mossy landscapes covered in mushrooms looking high and low for the maker of the ticking noise.
They were nearly on top of it, turning over rocks and leaves and sifting through water in their search, when Waka discovered a strange shiny object on the emerald floor. He was just about to reach out and touch it when a voice called out from behind.
"Stop, Waka, you fool! It's a trap!" Ackbar was standing atop a log, hands on his hips, watching them in their quest for the ticking noise. He picked up a stone and tossed it at the shiny object that had so entranced his fellow. Instantly, iron jaws clamped up and swallowed the rock hole. "We must be coming close to one of their camps," he said to the wild emptiness. Then, with a pause, he asked, "What's that ticking noise?"
Ackbar strolled across the wooded forest, pinpointing the sound almost instantly, and his men scrambled after him. He brushed away some leaves and found a golden pocket watch tick-ticking away. The initials B. A. were inscribed on its back. "Allett must have dropped this along the way. It seems likely he fell prey to the Hawks."
"Not one of us, sir," Laka insisted. "A Crow in Malphas's army could never be captured by such filth."
Ackbar hit his knuckles on Laka's skull. "And yet your brother was almost caught in a bear trap. Clearly your skill and cunning could overpower such that has evaded the Crows for ten years. Is that it?" The blank stares he received told him everything he needed to know. "Follow me," he commanded with a heavy sigh. Wylder's four brave men sneaked through the forest with stealth hardly matched by elephants, creeping along in hopes of finding the Hawk camp.
Lucien
He grimaced at Kriess's words, hating him all the more for them. "It's a shame you couldn't learn kindness from your man Benjamin Allett. Have they mentioned to you that he's likely dead or being tortured deathward in some Hawk camp someplace?" He doubted it was true, but he hoped it would lance the young strategist's heart just painfully enough.
"But enough of this childishness. There is yet a war to win," he added, changing the subject. Turning to Malphas, he said, "And I am ever your servant, my king."
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Post by purplemunster94 on Sept 19, 2012 0:33:07 GMT -5
Samara
Samara walked with the group up to Damagra Inn. She couldn't help but feel relief sweep over her. It had been so long since she had felt safe, and there only a mile away was refuge. A smile broke across her face as she looked at the others and quickened her pace to the inn. The joy of seeing something that meant safety, gave her a little more energy. The rest of the group must have felt the same because they all passed her. She was the smallest of the group, so her fast walk, was probably nothing to them.
As the group walked up to the Inn, Samara felt ready to collapse. The joy that had overcome her before was overwhelmed by the exhaustion that followed. They pushed the door open and walked to the innkeeper. Samara smiled brightly, "We were told to come here, and to see you." She didn't want to say too much just in case someone was listening.
OT: Eh...it's not great, but it's not too bad...
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Post by atlantis on Sept 19, 2012 11:30:59 GMT -5
Novorus
Daily life since he'd been stationed here was drab and tiresome. But out of respect for his duty he played out the part well, smiling when guests arrived, accepting their payments, making sure their meals were provided in a timely manner. Everything about this disguise had to be flawless.
So it was with glee one day that he received a ragged group of travellers looking very much as though they hadn't seen open air in some time. Two men, two women. One of the men was bleeding from his hand, the other was a boy-- not possibly anyone of consequence. One of the women was a foreigner and the other a young girl who looked as though she'd never known true battle.
Novorus bowed humbly, having perfected the role of gracious innkeeper. "My name is Garrett. How may I be of service to you?"
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