Gunpowder Knight
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Guessmyname
- Posts: 3301
- Joined: 28 Apr 2005, 21:07
Alex walked upright and without a crutch for the first time since the stabbing. The Source had resumed her rounds after a few more hours of muttering ├óÔé¼┼ôdon't├óÔé¼┬Ø under her breath, and her healing hand had banished what was left of the wound.
Alex touched the pale patch of his belly, rubbing it through his shirt. If it was healing, why did it hurt so damn much?
Alex sighed, leaning against the wall of the Fort. A knight that stood at the top of the wall looked down at him. ├óÔé¼┼ôDoing a workout?├óÔé¼┬Ø The Knight cocked his head.
├óÔé¼┼ôYeah.├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex panted. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis...this should be easy, damn it. I'm j-just walking.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôDon't worry.├óÔé¼┬Ø The Knight sighed. ├óÔé¼┼ôHealing does that to people.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôT-thanks...for...the...warning.├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex grinned.
├óÔé¼┼ôOy, whats this?├óÔé¼┬Ø The Knight stood, looking up at the courtyard. Alex looked down as well, his brow furrowing.
A Silverback was being manhandled across the muddy courtyard. The Silverback was slim, thinner than most Alex had seen. Not that he had seen many, yet. His tail wagged behind him, sprouting from a hole in his baggy prisoner pants. A leather cloth covered the Silverback's head, and the four men that trailed behind the Knight that pushed the Silverback against the wall left no doubt as to what was going to happen.
Alex gulped as he noticed the wall they pressed the Silverback against was riddled with bullet holes and old blood stains.
├óÔé¼┼ôWho is that?├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex asked.
├óÔé¼┼ôYou won't believe this, but scuttlebutt is-├óÔé¼┬Ø The prisoner's cloth was jerked off her face. Alex gasped.
It was the Silverback who had stabbed him. He walked over, his heart thudding as he did so. She stood, back straight against the wall. Her ears, wolf like and gray furred, were laid flat against her head. Her green eyes pierced right into Alex's, and her raven black hair framed a striking face. Not beautiful, it was too angular and pinched for that. Maybe if she didn't look half starved...
├óÔé¼┼ôHere,├óÔé¼┬Ø The Knight leading the execution squad offered a small smoker to the Silverback. She bared her teeth. The Knight gingerly pushed the smoker between her lips. He struck a small match and lit the smoker, which started to puff foul smelling smoke into the air. The Silverback drew a long drag, the smoker flaring brightly at it's tip.
├óÔé¼┼ôRead arms!├óÔé¼┬Ø The Knight called. The execution squad raised their flints to their shoulders.
The Silverback sighed, breathing out twin trails of smoke from her nose.
Alex gulped. She had stabbed him...but something told him that shooting an unarmed woman, even if she had stabbed an Imperial soldier, was...
├óÔé¼┼ôFIRE!├óÔé¼┬Ø
Four flints discharged as one. Smoke billowed from their barrels. The Silverback pitched back against the wall, biting through the smoker. The smoldering end of the smoker trailed to the ground as the Silverback fell to her knee's, then slumped forward. The mud beneath her turned into a slurry of mud, blood, and innards.
Alex looked away.
###
├óÔé¼┼ôAll right, the front has just pushed forward a few more miles,├óÔé¼┬Ø A smarmy, well kept Knight Lieutenant who had arrived a day ago, stood in front of the walking wounded. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe need to get there in three days, minimum. Silverback irregulars have been known to attack our caravans-├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôNo, really?├óÔé¼┬Ø Whispered the man who had arrived with a broken arm and was now standing next to Alex in the formation. Alex snickered.
The smarmy Knight Lieutenant started, looking around the formation. He didn't see who had spoken and resorted to just glaring at everyone. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe'll move out now. Anyone who falls behind will answer to me...or the Silverbacks who are just waiting to ambush a lone Knight. Understood?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôYes sir!├óÔé¼┬Ø The Knights shouted back.
├óÔé¼┼ôRight face!├óÔé¼┬Ø
The Knights turned smartly. Their wounds had been healed, and healed well.
├óÔé¼┼ôForward...MARCH!├óÔé¼┬Ø
The Knights headed out. Alex sighed, the feeling of his flint bumping against his shoulder and the way his pack dug into his back and yanked on his shoulders being entirely unwelcome.
├óÔé¼┼ôMy name's Hank of Holden, by the way.├óÔé¼┬Ø The man beside Alex said, his voice soft.
Alex realized he and the man with a broken arm, despite having talked to one another for two days now, had never exchanged names.
├óÔé¼┼ôAlex of Tervathan.├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex whispered back.
├óÔé¼┼ôYou're lucky your parents didn't name you Tomas, or something. My siblings are Homer, Helen and Hogarth.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Alex whistled. ├óÔé¼┼ôMean parents.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôYou don't know the half of it.├óÔé¼┬Ø Hank muttered.
The march was as hard as the last one Alex had gone on. No, worse. The patch of his body that the Source had patched together felt half dead, tingling like the tips of his fingers after he had been sleeping on his hands.
The day passed, ended, and so did the night, with dawn dawning quickly. Alex packed up his small, one man tent, crammed it into his backpack and went back into the marching formation.
The next day passed much as the first one. And then, something happened. The smarmy Lieutenant pointed out several men to guard the camp through the night. One of them was Alex.
Alex stood at one corner of the camp, his flint in his hands. His bayonet, affixed to the tip of the barrel, gleamed in the firelight at the center of the camp. He looked into the darkness, making sure to keep his eyes away from the fire, to keep his night vision strong.
Motion, a faint rustle in the underbrush of the evergreens, drew the barrel of Alex's flint. He stepped slowly forward, his mouth dry, his heart thudding hard in his chest.
Alex stabbed forward with the bayonet, suddenly. The blade sunk into the underbrush and met something meaty and tough. Alex gaped as a weight dragged the bayonet to the side. A Silverback, his throat skewered by the bayonet blade. Blood covered the blade.
Alex jerked his bayonet back. A Silverback burst from the woods, holding an honest to Gods sword, yelling at the top of his lungs.
Alex skewered him too, this time in the gut. AMBUSH!├óÔé¼┬Ø He shouted. AMBUSH AMBUSH AMBUSH!├óÔé¼┬Ø
He fell back as the weight of the sword wielding Silverback collapsed against him. He wriggled backwards, thrusting the dead weight off his flint with his foot.
More Silverbacks came from the woods, armed with everything from flints and swords and clubs.
And they ran right into a full barrage of Imperial flints. Bullets tore through the air above Alex. Bark splintered and leaves were torn from the branches of shrubs and short tree's. Bullets also tore through flesh. Someone started screaming. But still, Alex saw many Silverbacks rushing into the camp. He charged in, roaring at the top of his lungs as he came into the camps.
A Silverback whacked him in the side with a small shovel. The flat of the blade whammed into his ribs, but Alex didn't feel anything crack. Alex hit back with the butt of his flint. He hit the Silverback's arm, and he heard something break.
He stabbed the Silverback in the gut with the bayonet as the Silverback yelped and grabbed his arm. Alex grinned savagely as the Silverback fell backwards, blood streaming out of his gut wound.
Then it struck Alex that he had killed four people in as many minuets. And he had...enjoyed it.
He was snapped out of his revelry by a Silverback with a flint pistol discharging it a mere two feet from him. Smoke filled the air and Alex felt the bullet scrape his cheek, stinging. He flailed around in the cloud of smoke, coughing. A dark form tackled him and he went down. A fist smashed into his face and Alex saw stars for a moment.
He growled and head butted the form above him. Something gave under his forehead, and he could hear the crunching cracking sound of a breaking nose.
├óÔé¼┼ôImperial dog!├óÔé¼┬Ø The Silverback growled...but it was the voice of a female. Alex gasped, eyes wide. Did he hear that right?
The Silverback made it hard for him to figure it out by grabbing his throat and squeezing. Alex grabbed the hands around his throat and fought back. The smoke cleared...and a ghost looked at Alex, her face filled with rage.
It was the Silverback that had stabbed him, the one who had been shot dead back at Fort Bronze.
Alex stopped fighting, eyes wide. The Silverback kept squeezing...and Hank kicked her in the belly. She rolled off Alex, the air whooshing out of her lungs. She landed on her back.
Alex sat up coughing. Hank stabbed with his bayonet. The Silverback held up her hand and took the bayonet in the palm, rather than the chest. She grunted, her eyes set, her jaw tight with pain.
├óÔé¼┼ôWait!├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex coughed as the sounds of battle faded.
Hank jerked the bayonet out of her palm. The Silverback clapped the hand to her breast, squeezing it with her other hand.
├óÔé¼┼ôT-thats...that girl,├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex wheezed, getting up slowly.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Hank looked at Alex. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhich girl?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôThe one...at the Fort. The one who put a dagger through my gut.├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex glared at the Silverback. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe one we executed.├óÔé¼┬Ø
The Silverback looked up, eyes wide. ├óÔé¼┼ôZumi...is dead?├óÔé¼┬Ø She asked, her voice accented. ├óÔé¼┼ôMy sister?├óÔé¼┬Ø
Alex looked at Hank. Hank looked at Alex. They looked back at the Silverback. She wasn't where she had been a moment before. Instead, she was halfway to the first layer of tree's in the forest. Hank brought his flint to his shoulder. He pulled the trigger and smoke bloomed from the barrel. When it cleared, the Silverback was gone.
Alex walked over and saw that her corpse didn't lie on the ground, and blood had dribbled down on the shrubbery.
├óÔé¼┼ôShe got away,├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex said, rubbing his bruised throat. ├óÔé¼┼ôHank, my life has been Gods damned weird the past week.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Hank cocked his head. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow so?├óÔé¼┬Ø
Alex sighed. ├óÔé¼┼ôLets see...I've been stabbed my a female Silverback soldier. I've had a Source kiss me and spout some obscure advice for no reason, and I've just almost been strangled by the dead female Silverback soldier's twin sister...or something.├óÔé¼┬Ø He rubbed his temples. ├óÔé¼┼ôWas it this weird for your first week of the military?├óÔé¼┬Ø
Hank thought, biting his lip. After a moment, he shook his head. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo, not really.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Alex grinned. ├óÔé¼┼ôCome on, lets report in.├óÔé¼┬Ø
The two of them headed back into the camp, just in time to hear the shout: ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Knight Lieutenant is dead!├óÔé¼┬Ø
Alex looked around. There were two sergeants and a few corporals and everyone else was a private. The sergeants talked quickly and quietly to one another, then one stepped forward. His uniform was spotless, but his face was covered with scars and he had only one eye. The remaining eye was enough to intimidate anyone who dared to speak out of line.
├óÔé¼┼ôI'll be in charge now. Who called the warning before the fucking-├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex started, wondering what in the hells 'fucking' meant. He guessed it was some fringe territory slang or something. ├óÔé¼┼ô-ambush?├óÔé¼┬Ø
Alex looked around. Hank nudged him with his elbow and whispered, ├óÔé¼┼ôIt's you, you chowder head.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Alex stepped forward. The sergeant looked at him, his single eye baleful. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood work, Corporal Alex. Take this.├óÔé¼┬Ø He handed Alex a small golden bead. ├óÔé¼┼ôTurn this in at the next pay day for a pay increase. Congratulations.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Alex gulped and grinned. ├óÔé¼┼ôT-Thank you sir.├óÔé¼┬Ø He put his fist to his heart and bowed.
├óÔé¼┼ôAll right. The rest of you, good job, you fought bravely. Squad Three, burial detail. Everyone else, get this camp to rights. We move out in six hours.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Alex walked back to the rank and file. Hank slapped him on the back, grinning. ├óÔé¼┼ôKeep up like this, you'll make sergeant by the end of next week.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Alex grinned. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou know what...maybe I will.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Hank guffawed.
Alex touched the pale patch of his belly, rubbing it through his shirt. If it was healing, why did it hurt so damn much?
Alex sighed, leaning against the wall of the Fort. A knight that stood at the top of the wall looked down at him. ├óÔé¼┼ôDoing a workout?├óÔé¼┬Ø The Knight cocked his head.
├óÔé¼┼ôYeah.├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex panted. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis...this should be easy, damn it. I'm j-just walking.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôDon't worry.├óÔé¼┬Ø The Knight sighed. ├óÔé¼┼ôHealing does that to people.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôT-thanks...for...the...warning.├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex grinned.
├óÔé¼┼ôOy, whats this?├óÔé¼┬Ø The Knight stood, looking up at the courtyard. Alex looked down as well, his brow furrowing.
A Silverback was being manhandled across the muddy courtyard. The Silverback was slim, thinner than most Alex had seen. Not that he had seen many, yet. His tail wagged behind him, sprouting from a hole in his baggy prisoner pants. A leather cloth covered the Silverback's head, and the four men that trailed behind the Knight that pushed the Silverback against the wall left no doubt as to what was going to happen.
Alex gulped as he noticed the wall they pressed the Silverback against was riddled with bullet holes and old blood stains.
├óÔé¼┼ôWho is that?├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex asked.
├óÔé¼┼ôYou won't believe this, but scuttlebutt is-├óÔé¼┬Ø The prisoner's cloth was jerked off her face. Alex gasped.
It was the Silverback who had stabbed him. He walked over, his heart thudding as he did so. She stood, back straight against the wall. Her ears, wolf like and gray furred, were laid flat against her head. Her green eyes pierced right into Alex's, and her raven black hair framed a striking face. Not beautiful, it was too angular and pinched for that. Maybe if she didn't look half starved...
├óÔé¼┼ôHere,├óÔé¼┬Ø The Knight leading the execution squad offered a small smoker to the Silverback. She bared her teeth. The Knight gingerly pushed the smoker between her lips. He struck a small match and lit the smoker, which started to puff foul smelling smoke into the air. The Silverback drew a long drag, the smoker flaring brightly at it's tip.
├óÔé¼┼ôRead arms!├óÔé¼┬Ø The Knight called. The execution squad raised their flints to their shoulders.
The Silverback sighed, breathing out twin trails of smoke from her nose.
Alex gulped. She had stabbed him...but something told him that shooting an unarmed woman, even if she had stabbed an Imperial soldier, was...
├óÔé¼┼ôFIRE!├óÔé¼┬Ø
Four flints discharged as one. Smoke billowed from their barrels. The Silverback pitched back against the wall, biting through the smoker. The smoldering end of the smoker trailed to the ground as the Silverback fell to her knee's, then slumped forward. The mud beneath her turned into a slurry of mud, blood, and innards.
Alex looked away.
###
├óÔé¼┼ôAll right, the front has just pushed forward a few more miles,├óÔé¼┬Ø A smarmy, well kept Knight Lieutenant who had arrived a day ago, stood in front of the walking wounded. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe need to get there in three days, minimum. Silverback irregulars have been known to attack our caravans-├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôNo, really?├óÔé¼┬Ø Whispered the man who had arrived with a broken arm and was now standing next to Alex in the formation. Alex snickered.
The smarmy Knight Lieutenant started, looking around the formation. He didn't see who had spoken and resorted to just glaring at everyone. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe'll move out now. Anyone who falls behind will answer to me...or the Silverbacks who are just waiting to ambush a lone Knight. Understood?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôYes sir!├óÔé¼┬Ø The Knights shouted back.
├óÔé¼┼ôRight face!├óÔé¼┬Ø
The Knights turned smartly. Their wounds had been healed, and healed well.
├óÔé¼┼ôForward...MARCH!├óÔé¼┬Ø
The Knights headed out. Alex sighed, the feeling of his flint bumping against his shoulder and the way his pack dug into his back and yanked on his shoulders being entirely unwelcome.
├óÔé¼┼ôMy name's Hank of Holden, by the way.├óÔé¼┬Ø The man beside Alex said, his voice soft.
Alex realized he and the man with a broken arm, despite having talked to one another for two days now, had never exchanged names.
├óÔé¼┼ôAlex of Tervathan.├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex whispered back.
├óÔé¼┼ôYou're lucky your parents didn't name you Tomas, or something. My siblings are Homer, Helen and Hogarth.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Alex whistled. ├óÔé¼┼ôMean parents.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôYou don't know the half of it.├óÔé¼┬Ø Hank muttered.
The march was as hard as the last one Alex had gone on. No, worse. The patch of his body that the Source had patched together felt half dead, tingling like the tips of his fingers after he had been sleeping on his hands.
The day passed, ended, and so did the night, with dawn dawning quickly. Alex packed up his small, one man tent, crammed it into his backpack and went back into the marching formation.
The next day passed much as the first one. And then, something happened. The smarmy Lieutenant pointed out several men to guard the camp through the night. One of them was Alex.
Alex stood at one corner of the camp, his flint in his hands. His bayonet, affixed to the tip of the barrel, gleamed in the firelight at the center of the camp. He looked into the darkness, making sure to keep his eyes away from the fire, to keep his night vision strong.
Motion, a faint rustle in the underbrush of the evergreens, drew the barrel of Alex's flint. He stepped slowly forward, his mouth dry, his heart thudding hard in his chest.
Alex stabbed forward with the bayonet, suddenly. The blade sunk into the underbrush and met something meaty and tough. Alex gaped as a weight dragged the bayonet to the side. A Silverback, his throat skewered by the bayonet blade. Blood covered the blade.
Alex jerked his bayonet back. A Silverback burst from the woods, holding an honest to Gods sword, yelling at the top of his lungs.
Alex skewered him too, this time in the gut. AMBUSH!├óÔé¼┬Ø He shouted. AMBUSH AMBUSH AMBUSH!├óÔé¼┬Ø
He fell back as the weight of the sword wielding Silverback collapsed against him. He wriggled backwards, thrusting the dead weight off his flint with his foot.
More Silverbacks came from the woods, armed with everything from flints and swords and clubs.
And they ran right into a full barrage of Imperial flints. Bullets tore through the air above Alex. Bark splintered and leaves were torn from the branches of shrubs and short tree's. Bullets also tore through flesh. Someone started screaming. But still, Alex saw many Silverbacks rushing into the camp. He charged in, roaring at the top of his lungs as he came into the camps.
A Silverback whacked him in the side with a small shovel. The flat of the blade whammed into his ribs, but Alex didn't feel anything crack. Alex hit back with the butt of his flint. He hit the Silverback's arm, and he heard something break.
He stabbed the Silverback in the gut with the bayonet as the Silverback yelped and grabbed his arm. Alex grinned savagely as the Silverback fell backwards, blood streaming out of his gut wound.
Then it struck Alex that he had killed four people in as many minuets. And he had...enjoyed it.
He was snapped out of his revelry by a Silverback with a flint pistol discharging it a mere two feet from him. Smoke filled the air and Alex felt the bullet scrape his cheek, stinging. He flailed around in the cloud of smoke, coughing. A dark form tackled him and he went down. A fist smashed into his face and Alex saw stars for a moment.
He growled and head butted the form above him. Something gave under his forehead, and he could hear the crunching cracking sound of a breaking nose.
├óÔé¼┼ôImperial dog!├óÔé¼┬Ø The Silverback growled...but it was the voice of a female. Alex gasped, eyes wide. Did he hear that right?
The Silverback made it hard for him to figure it out by grabbing his throat and squeezing. Alex grabbed the hands around his throat and fought back. The smoke cleared...and a ghost looked at Alex, her face filled with rage.
It was the Silverback that had stabbed him, the one who had been shot dead back at Fort Bronze.
Alex stopped fighting, eyes wide. The Silverback kept squeezing...and Hank kicked her in the belly. She rolled off Alex, the air whooshing out of her lungs. She landed on her back.
Alex sat up coughing. Hank stabbed with his bayonet. The Silverback held up her hand and took the bayonet in the palm, rather than the chest. She grunted, her eyes set, her jaw tight with pain.
├óÔé¼┼ôWait!├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex coughed as the sounds of battle faded.
Hank jerked the bayonet out of her palm. The Silverback clapped the hand to her breast, squeezing it with her other hand.
├óÔé¼┼ôT-thats...that girl,├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex wheezed, getting up slowly.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Hank looked at Alex. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhich girl?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôThe one...at the Fort. The one who put a dagger through my gut.├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex glared at the Silverback. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe one we executed.├óÔé¼┬Ø
The Silverback looked up, eyes wide. ├óÔé¼┼ôZumi...is dead?├óÔé¼┬Ø She asked, her voice accented. ├óÔé¼┼ôMy sister?├óÔé¼┬Ø
Alex looked at Hank. Hank looked at Alex. They looked back at the Silverback. She wasn't where she had been a moment before. Instead, she was halfway to the first layer of tree's in the forest. Hank brought his flint to his shoulder. He pulled the trigger and smoke bloomed from the barrel. When it cleared, the Silverback was gone.
Alex walked over and saw that her corpse didn't lie on the ground, and blood had dribbled down on the shrubbery.
├óÔé¼┼ôShe got away,├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex said, rubbing his bruised throat. ├óÔé¼┼ôHank, my life has been Gods damned weird the past week.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Hank cocked his head. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow so?├óÔé¼┬Ø
Alex sighed. ├óÔé¼┼ôLets see...I've been stabbed my a female Silverback soldier. I've had a Source kiss me and spout some obscure advice for no reason, and I've just almost been strangled by the dead female Silverback soldier's twin sister...or something.├óÔé¼┬Ø He rubbed his temples. ├óÔé¼┼ôWas it this weird for your first week of the military?├óÔé¼┬Ø
Hank thought, biting his lip. After a moment, he shook his head. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo, not really.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Alex grinned. ├óÔé¼┼ôCome on, lets report in.├óÔé¼┬Ø
The two of them headed back into the camp, just in time to hear the shout: ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Knight Lieutenant is dead!├óÔé¼┬Ø
Alex looked around. There were two sergeants and a few corporals and everyone else was a private. The sergeants talked quickly and quietly to one another, then one stepped forward. His uniform was spotless, but his face was covered with scars and he had only one eye. The remaining eye was enough to intimidate anyone who dared to speak out of line.
├óÔé¼┼ôI'll be in charge now. Who called the warning before the fucking-├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex started, wondering what in the hells 'fucking' meant. He guessed it was some fringe territory slang or something. ├óÔé¼┼ô-ambush?├óÔé¼┬Ø
Alex looked around. Hank nudged him with his elbow and whispered, ├óÔé¼┼ôIt's you, you chowder head.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Alex stepped forward. The sergeant looked at him, his single eye baleful. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood work, Corporal Alex. Take this.├óÔé¼┬Ø He handed Alex a small golden bead. ├óÔé¼┼ôTurn this in at the next pay day for a pay increase. Congratulations.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Alex gulped and grinned. ├óÔé¼┼ôT-Thank you sir.├óÔé¼┬Ø He put his fist to his heart and bowed.
├óÔé¼┼ôAll right. The rest of you, good job, you fought bravely. Squad Three, burial detail. Everyone else, get this camp to rights. We move out in six hours.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Alex walked back to the rank and file. Hank slapped him on the back, grinning. ├óÔé¼┼ôKeep up like this, you'll make sergeant by the end of next week.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Alex grinned. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou know what...maybe I will.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Hank guffawed.
-
Guessmyname
- Posts: 3301
- Joined: 28 Apr 2005, 21:07
I once again must thank my proofreader Guessmyname and everyone else who reads thing thing for...proofreading and reading it.
###
The Army moved forward, pushing deeper into the Silverback territory, smashing into several small towns. To Alex, it seemed as if half the citizens of the Southland wanted to stick a knife in his kidneys and the other half...
├óÔé¼┼ôCome on, Alex,├óÔé¼┬Ø Hank clapped him on the back. ├óÔé¼┼ôEveryone in the Fourth Platoon says this girl is the thing!├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôThe thing?├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex cocked an eyebrow. ├óÔé¼┼ôHank, not to sound judgmental but-├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôGood, don't.├óÔé¼┬Ø Hank shoved Alex head first into the small, disreputable thatched roof cottage.
A half hour later, Alex staggered out, a few pay chits poorer and completely shell shocked. Hank, Jonathan (who had been pleased to see Alex back on his feet and ready to go), and a few other Knights stood around the only bar in the small, dingy little town. They held tankered of mostly clear, home brewed rotgut. They pressed a cup into Alex's hands.
├óÔé¼┼ôHave a fun time?├óÔé¼┬Ø Jonathan asked, grinning. He'd recently shaved his beard down to a light fuzz, but it already started growing back out.
├óÔé¼┼ôGuh.├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex held his cup of rotgut, eyes wide.
Jonathan grinned at Hank. ├óÔé¼┼ôAlex...were you a virgin?├óÔé¼┬Ø
Alex blinked slowly. ├óÔé¼┼ôNuh.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Hank shook his head, tipping back his drink. Alex did likewise, trying to clear his head. He spluttered and spat, his throat on fire.
├óÔé¼┼ôGods!├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex looked at his cup again. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho the hells brewed this!├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôSome Silverback kook. Tastes good...assuming you don't burn a hole in your throat drinking the damned stuff.├óÔé¼┬Ø Hank swirled the cup slightly. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt's cheap though.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWell, this place is a nice change of pace.├óÔé¼┬Ø Jonathan muttered, looking at another group of soldiers heading to the disreputable thatch roof cottage. ├óÔé¼┼ôRemember that last town?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWhy would we forget?├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex asked. His friends laughed. He wasn't quite sure why.
At night, Alex lay on his bedroll and looked up at the unfamiliar ceiling. Other soldiers snored around him. But Alex felt a strange feeling in his gut. Growing up, he'd been taught not to murder, not to have sex out of wedlock, not to drink excessively, not to steal...
He'd done all four multiple times on the front. He'd stabbed a Silverback in the back, he and his friends had stolen the very house he was sleeping in.
So why were they all sleeping so easily?
Alex thought for a long time before dropping off to sleep.
###
The next day, the commander of regiment called every Knight together. He stood at the porch of the town headwoman's house. The town's headwoman didn't need her home anymore, as she had spent the last few days dangling by her neck from a tree in the middle of town.
├óÔé¼┼ôAll right men,├óÔé¼┬Ø He said, his voice amplified by a Source that stood nearby. Alex looked at her, frowning. She looked...like all the other Source's he'd seen. But after what had happened in the hospital, Alex couldn't just ignore them. But no, she didn't even look at him. Not that it was easy to tell. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe're coming up on our first actual Silverback city, which is guarded by the first actual Silverback army. Don't expect an easy fight tomorrow. All right, get ready to head out.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Alex looked at his friends. They had all been hit by ambushes and attacked by the rabble that the officers called 'irregulars'.
But another army...Alex bit his lip. Hank grinned at him. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is going to be fun.├óÔé¼┬Ø
###
Twee! Twee! Twee! The Officer's whistle blew, shrill and piercing even over the rumbling of cannon fire. The Silverback city, a dirty, squalid looking place called Shrillbore, loomed in the distance. It sat in the middle of a large clearing, the tree's pushed by years of logging.
That just gave the cannons and organ guns free reign to work their grim work. Alex and his comrades went forward in a staggered order. Squads would fire at the enemy, and the other squads would run forward. The back squads reloaded while running forward and the front squads would open fire. Smoke started to fill the clearing. Alex was in a even squad, so he hung back and fired while others moved up.
The Silverbacks, he noticed, did the exact same thing. Soon, both armies were in the thick of each other, shooting, bashing, stabbing. Alex popped open his breach and slammed a cartridge in, then jerked out the paper covering. He slapped the breach closed, put the flint to his shoulder and pulled the trigger, hoping he would hit something. It was getting hard to tell who fought who, and to what race the fighters belonged too, the smoke getting thicker with every shot.
In the distance, he could hear cannons touching off. A whistling sound made him drop to his belly. Cannon balls roared over head. Some of them ripped through people. Screaming started to compete with gunshots and battle cries.
├óÔé¼┼ôThis...sucks.├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex coughed, crawling forward. Bullets, cannons, organ guns, flints, screaming, the clattering of bayonet on bayonet, the meaty crunch as something blunt tore into something alive....all this and filled Alex's ears.
And then...he heard it. A bugle...and it wasn't an Imperial bugle. It was...a Silverback one! The Silverback's started to shout one word: ├óÔé¼┼ôSassicks! Sassiks!├óÔé¼┬Ø
It took Alex less than a second to guess what the translation was. ├óÔé¼┼ôRetreat! Retreat!├óÔé¼┬Ø
###
Alex stood in Shrillbore and whistled appreciatively. Imperial cannons, longer ranged than their Silverback counterparts, had done quite a bit of damage. A few buildings had rubble strewn on the ground around them, and more than a few parts of the ground had blood splattered over them.
And the battle wasn't even done with. Cracks and booms down the street made Alex just a bit nervous. Second Platoon had the 'fun' work of clearing out any and all irregulars, die hard soldiers and civilians who just happened to have a military grade flint and a desire to use it from the last blocks of Shrillbore.
Alex had a duty to do as well. It was easier...but it also sat worse with him.
├óÔé¼┼ôAll right, get out, get out, get out.├óÔé¼┬Ø The voice was a Knight Private named Keller, one of the men told to 'acquire' foods stuffs and places to billet the men.
Two Silverback men and a Silverback women, barely more than a girl, ran out of the house with their hands over their heads.
├óÔé¼┼ôAll right, you three.├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex gestured with his flint's barrel. ├óÔé¼┼ôCome with me, we're taking you to a refugee camp.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôOur home?├óÔé¼┬Ø The older of the two men asked, pointing at the house. ├óÔé¼┼ôOur things?├óÔé¼┬Ø
Alex gritted his teeth. ├óÔé¼┼ôThey have been...acquired for use in the First Imperial Army.├óÔé¼┬Ø
The girl started to cry. Alex looked away. ├óÔé¼┼ôCome on, move, move, move!├óÔé¼┬Ø
The Silverbacks started to move, trudging glumly in front of Alex. He prodded the younger man in the back with his bayonet. The Silverback's tail twitched, his ears laid back against his head and he growled. The other one said something in his own language. The younger Silverback cooled off.
The refugee camp sat in the middle of the city. A large building that could have been anywhere from a warehouse to a church now had a sign, written in Imperial, that proclaimed in five foot tall black ink: ├óÔé¼┼ôRefugee Center.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Alex wondered, for a moment, how the Imperial Army expected any Silverback to come of their own free will if the sign was written in Imperial rather than the Silverback's language.
├óÔé¼┼ôGo on in, you'll be taken care of.├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex said.
├óÔé¼┼ôLike how you take care of our mayor?├óÔé¼┬Ø That last word was in the Silverback's language. Alex thought it meant something along the lines of Headman, or something. Alex knew the headman of each town or city they came across had been given a short drop and a sudden stop. He shifted, uneasy.
├óÔé¼┼ôJust go inside.├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex prodded the older man with his bayonet. The Silverback family headed inside.
He turned back around, wondering if he'd see Hank or Jonathan around. He still wasn't sure if they were alive. The sack of a city was a messy, disorganized and-
Alex stopped caring about Jonathan or Hank for a moment. A all too female scream sounded.
├óÔé¼┼ôOh, shut her up will you?├óÔé¼┬Ø
Alex ran around the corner. He stopped dead. Two Knights, one a commoner by his uniform and the other a noble by his arrogant bearing and the signet ring on his finger. They were holding down a Silverback woman...
├óÔé¼┼ôBastards!├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex put his flint to his shoulder and fired. The bullet whizzed over the commoner's shoulder. ├óÔé¼┼ôGet off her!├óÔé¼┬Ø
He opened his breach, slapped in a cartridge and had the flint loaded before the two Knights finished rushing him. He turned the barrel to cover both of them, the bayonet glinting. The two Knights stopped.
├óÔé¼┼ôDo you know who I am!├óÔé¼┬Ø The noble looking Knight shouted, his voice weasely.
├óÔé¼┼ôI don't care.├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex pulled back the primer on his flint. ├óÔé¼┼ôGet the hells out of here, or I'll drill you both.├óÔé¼┬Ø
The two Knights looked at one another. They ran.
Alex waited till they were long gone before he slowly eased back his grip. He looked down at the Silverback woman, who was hurriedly pulling up her odd trousers. She looked up at him, her ears flattened back against her head.
├óÔé¼┼ôHere,├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex offered his hand. ├óÔé¼┼ôLet me help you.├óÔé¼┬Ø
The Silverback took his hand after a long pause. Alex tensed, half expecting her to stab him. But, no, instead she ducked her head and said something in her language.
Alex looked around. No other Knights stood near. He detached his bayonet and handed it to the Silverback. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnyone bother you,├óÔé¼┬Ø He said. ├óÔé¼┼ôUse this.├óÔé¼┬Ø
The woman took it, looked at him, then took his hand, shaking it quickly. She then pushed past him and ran, the bayonet vanishing into her pockets.
Alex watched her go.
When he turned around, he saw a squad of Knights and the commander of the entire regiment come around the corner. With them, was the noble that Alex had shot at.
├óÔé¼┼ôThat cur!├óÔé¼┬Ø The noble pointed. ├óÔé¼┼ôArrest him.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Alex opened his mouth to object, but all that came out was, ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø
###
├óÔé¼┼ôI don't believe this shit!├óÔé¼┬Ø Hank slammed his fist down on the desk of Knight Commander Stevenson. ├óÔé¼┼ôJohnny, Keller and I fought with Alex coming two months now; he wouldn't shoot at anyone without a damn good reason!├óÔé¼┬Ø
The Knight Commender looked at Hank, his hands clasped calmly on his desk.
Hank bit his lip. ├óÔé¼┼ôSir.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWell, I will take your comments into account...but the man in question is, well, royalty.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôSo am I.├óÔé¼┬Ø Hank snapped. Jonathan didn't join in, on the account that he couldn't. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd so is Alex.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôYou misunderstand me.├óÔé¼┬Ø The Knight Commander sighed. ├óÔé¼┼ôI said 'royalty', not 'noble born'.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Hank blinked, then bit his lip. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhich son are we talking about here?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôThe fifth. Not as important as, say, the third, second or, Gods forbid, the first Prince. But, still...├óÔé¼┬Ø
Hank growled. ├óÔé¼┼ôBut, still, if Alex shot at something, he'd have a good reason. The man is as solid as a brick. He always thinks things out, never makes a rash decision...hell, I had to practically throw him into a whorehouse just to get him to dip his candle!├óÔé¼┬Ø He almost forgot to add 'sir' to the end.
The Knight Commander sighed, again. ├óÔé¼┼ôKnight Corporal...├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôSir, at least let him say his own defense before you ship him home for a full trial.├óÔé¼┬Ø Jonathan spoke up, stepping forward. ├óÔé¼┼ôI mean, if he goes back to the Capitol to go through a trial, he'll be stuck there...even if he's found innocent.├óÔé¼┬Ø
The Knight Commander sighed, looking at Jonathan, then at Hank. ├óÔé¼┼ôHe must be quite a soldier, to inspire this camaraderie in you two, seeing as how you have known him for...how long?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôTwo weeks.├óÔé¼┬Ø Hank looked almost bashful.
├óÔé¼┼ôTwo weeks.├óÔé¼┬Ø The Knight Commander nodded. ├óÔé¼┼ôVery well. Alex of Tervarthan shall speak his piece, alongside Prince Lewis of the Empire.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Hank and Jonathan grinned at each other. Hank clasped hands with Jonathan, squeezing it, then pounded the other man on the back.
├óÔé¼┼ôKnow this,├óÔé¼┬Ø The Knight Commander cut off the minor celebration. ├óÔé¼┼ôI said they will both 'speak'. I didn't say Alex of Tervarthen was off the hook. Yet.├óÔé¼┬Ø
###
Alex sat in his cell and looked at his hands. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo,├óÔé¼┬Ø He muttered. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is what honor is.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Honor was sitting in a dank, dingy little cell, with only a three legged stool and a straw bed, with a small barred window. Honor was waiting to be sent back to the Capital in disgrace and court martialed.
Alex balled his fists, digging his fingernails into his palms.
The door opened before he could start screaming with frustration, which he supposed was fortunate. It did startle a sudden, ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat!├óÔé¼┬Ø out of him.
Two Knights, both dour faced military police officer, stood at the doors. ├óÔé¼┼ôCome out.├óÔé¼┬Ø The one on the left said. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're getting a fair trial.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Alex blinked, his rage and fury vanishing in a flash. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø
The one on the right grinned. ├óÔé¼┼ôDid you really shoot at Prince Lewis?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôYes.├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex cracked his neck. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd I'm sorry, too.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôSorry?├óÔé¼┬Ø The right guard cocked his head.
├óÔé¼┼ôYeah.├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex grinned. ├óÔé¼┼ôSorry I missed.├óÔé¼┬Ø
The guards laughed, loudly. Louder than Alex expected. They lead him out of the dingy prison, which had needed very little altering to make it suitable for Imperials after it had been acquired from the Silverbacks.
The city of Shrillbore looked...worse than it had the last day. The fighting that had dragged on in the downtown district left more than a few buildings burning and the smoke still tinged the sky in the morning. This was black smoke, as opposed to the gray smoke of musket, cannon and organ gun blast.
Alex arrived at the current headquarters of the city, the old Townhall of Shrillbore. Imperial red decked the front of it, draping flags and a single, large, red emblem painted across the roof. The Knight Commander, three Knight Captains and several other officers stood in a half circle on the leading steps to the Townhall. At the base of the steps, stood Prince Lewis.
Now that Alex knew that he was a Prince and not just a nobleman, Alex was even less impressed. A Prince was supposed to be...princely. Or something. Instead, Lewis was a rather nervous, skinny, gangly sort of man. He fidgeted and twitched, and glared spiteful daggers at Alex as he walked up.
├óÔé¼┼ôThat man.├óÔé¼┬Ø He snarled, his voice sounding as weasly as it had when they had first met. ├óÔé¼┼ôHe shot at me.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôAnd I'm not particularly sorry about it.├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex snapped.
Prince Lewis stamped his foot, laughing triumphantly. ├óÔé¼┼ôHaha! You see! He confesses!├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôExplain yourself, Knight Corporal Alex!├óÔé¼┬Ø One of the Knight Captains spoke up, looking indignant.
├óÔé¼┼ôI shot at Prince Lewis.├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex stressed 'Prince' just a bit more than normal. ├óÔé¼┼ôBecause, at the time, he was conducting rape.├óÔé¼┬Ø
There was a sudden silence. Prince Lewis looked amazingly like a fish, or an Easterlander that had been cheated in a deal.
├óÔé¼┼ôL-l-l-├óÔé¼┬Ø The Prince stammered, unable to finish the word.
├óÔé¼┼ôI stake my word of honor on it. A word, I fear, is greater than your's.├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex spat. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou make me sick!├óÔé¼┬Ø
The spittle landed on Prince Lewis' shoes. Prince Lewis charged him, roaring. Alex took a half step back, setting himself for the impact. The Prince slammed into his chest, headfirst. Alex grabbed him by the head and threw him to the side, sending him sprawling. He would have kicked him while he lay on the ground if it weren't for a gunshot going off.
The Knight Commander holstered his flint pistol, smoke clearing from about his head. ├óÔé¼┼ôENOUGH!├óÔé¼┬Ø He roared. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is a hearing, not a duel. Though, if you wish, it could become one!├óÔé¼┬Ø
Alex remembered the frightened scream of the Silverback woman, and of the cold fury that had burned in his chest. ├óÔé¼┼ôI wish it.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôMadman!├óÔé¼┬Ø The Prince stood. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou-├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôDo you decline the duel?├óÔé¼┬Ø The Knight Commander and his makeshift court raised their collective eyebrows.
The Prince looked around, gulping. Alex could practically hear his train of thought: Refuse and be thought a coward and a rapist. Accept, and possibly die.
├óÔé¼┼ôYes.├óÔé¼┬Ø The Prince spat on the ground. ├óÔé¼┼ôI wish it.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Alex's heart thudded in his chest as the fury in his mind faded slightly. A few weeks ago, he had said his life had been too interesting.
So why did he seem to be doing his best to make it as interesting as possible?
###
The Army moved forward, pushing deeper into the Silverback territory, smashing into several small towns. To Alex, it seemed as if half the citizens of the Southland wanted to stick a knife in his kidneys and the other half...
├óÔé¼┼ôCome on, Alex,├óÔé¼┬Ø Hank clapped him on the back. ├óÔé¼┼ôEveryone in the Fourth Platoon says this girl is the thing!├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôThe thing?├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex cocked an eyebrow. ├óÔé¼┼ôHank, not to sound judgmental but-├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôGood, don't.├óÔé¼┬Ø Hank shoved Alex head first into the small, disreputable thatched roof cottage.
A half hour later, Alex staggered out, a few pay chits poorer and completely shell shocked. Hank, Jonathan (who had been pleased to see Alex back on his feet and ready to go), and a few other Knights stood around the only bar in the small, dingy little town. They held tankered of mostly clear, home brewed rotgut. They pressed a cup into Alex's hands.
├óÔé¼┼ôHave a fun time?├óÔé¼┬Ø Jonathan asked, grinning. He'd recently shaved his beard down to a light fuzz, but it already started growing back out.
├óÔé¼┼ôGuh.├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex held his cup of rotgut, eyes wide.
Jonathan grinned at Hank. ├óÔé¼┼ôAlex...were you a virgin?├óÔé¼┬Ø
Alex blinked slowly. ├óÔé¼┼ôNuh.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Hank shook his head, tipping back his drink. Alex did likewise, trying to clear his head. He spluttered and spat, his throat on fire.
├óÔé¼┼ôGods!├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex looked at his cup again. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho the hells brewed this!├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôSome Silverback kook. Tastes good...assuming you don't burn a hole in your throat drinking the damned stuff.├óÔé¼┬Ø Hank swirled the cup slightly. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt's cheap though.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWell, this place is a nice change of pace.├óÔé¼┬Ø Jonathan muttered, looking at another group of soldiers heading to the disreputable thatch roof cottage. ├óÔé¼┼ôRemember that last town?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWhy would we forget?├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex asked. His friends laughed. He wasn't quite sure why.
At night, Alex lay on his bedroll and looked up at the unfamiliar ceiling. Other soldiers snored around him. But Alex felt a strange feeling in his gut. Growing up, he'd been taught not to murder, not to have sex out of wedlock, not to drink excessively, not to steal...
He'd done all four multiple times on the front. He'd stabbed a Silverback in the back, he and his friends had stolen the very house he was sleeping in.
So why were they all sleeping so easily?
Alex thought for a long time before dropping off to sleep.
###
The next day, the commander of regiment called every Knight together. He stood at the porch of the town headwoman's house. The town's headwoman didn't need her home anymore, as she had spent the last few days dangling by her neck from a tree in the middle of town.
├óÔé¼┼ôAll right men,├óÔé¼┬Ø He said, his voice amplified by a Source that stood nearby. Alex looked at her, frowning. She looked...like all the other Source's he'd seen. But after what had happened in the hospital, Alex couldn't just ignore them. But no, she didn't even look at him. Not that it was easy to tell. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe're coming up on our first actual Silverback city, which is guarded by the first actual Silverback army. Don't expect an easy fight tomorrow. All right, get ready to head out.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Alex looked at his friends. They had all been hit by ambushes and attacked by the rabble that the officers called 'irregulars'.
But another army...Alex bit his lip. Hank grinned at him. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is going to be fun.├óÔé¼┬Ø
###
Twee! Twee! Twee! The Officer's whistle blew, shrill and piercing even over the rumbling of cannon fire. The Silverback city, a dirty, squalid looking place called Shrillbore, loomed in the distance. It sat in the middle of a large clearing, the tree's pushed by years of logging.
That just gave the cannons and organ guns free reign to work their grim work. Alex and his comrades went forward in a staggered order. Squads would fire at the enemy, and the other squads would run forward. The back squads reloaded while running forward and the front squads would open fire. Smoke started to fill the clearing. Alex was in a even squad, so he hung back and fired while others moved up.
The Silverbacks, he noticed, did the exact same thing. Soon, both armies were in the thick of each other, shooting, bashing, stabbing. Alex popped open his breach and slammed a cartridge in, then jerked out the paper covering. He slapped the breach closed, put the flint to his shoulder and pulled the trigger, hoping he would hit something. It was getting hard to tell who fought who, and to what race the fighters belonged too, the smoke getting thicker with every shot.
In the distance, he could hear cannons touching off. A whistling sound made him drop to his belly. Cannon balls roared over head. Some of them ripped through people. Screaming started to compete with gunshots and battle cries.
├óÔé¼┼ôThis...sucks.├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex coughed, crawling forward. Bullets, cannons, organ guns, flints, screaming, the clattering of bayonet on bayonet, the meaty crunch as something blunt tore into something alive....all this and filled Alex's ears.
And then...he heard it. A bugle...and it wasn't an Imperial bugle. It was...a Silverback one! The Silverback's started to shout one word: ├óÔé¼┼ôSassicks! Sassiks!├óÔé¼┬Ø
It took Alex less than a second to guess what the translation was. ├óÔé¼┼ôRetreat! Retreat!├óÔé¼┬Ø
###
Alex stood in Shrillbore and whistled appreciatively. Imperial cannons, longer ranged than their Silverback counterparts, had done quite a bit of damage. A few buildings had rubble strewn on the ground around them, and more than a few parts of the ground had blood splattered over them.
And the battle wasn't even done with. Cracks and booms down the street made Alex just a bit nervous. Second Platoon had the 'fun' work of clearing out any and all irregulars, die hard soldiers and civilians who just happened to have a military grade flint and a desire to use it from the last blocks of Shrillbore.
Alex had a duty to do as well. It was easier...but it also sat worse with him.
├óÔé¼┼ôAll right, get out, get out, get out.├óÔé¼┬Ø The voice was a Knight Private named Keller, one of the men told to 'acquire' foods stuffs and places to billet the men.
Two Silverback men and a Silverback women, barely more than a girl, ran out of the house with their hands over their heads.
├óÔé¼┼ôAll right, you three.├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex gestured with his flint's barrel. ├óÔé¼┼ôCome with me, we're taking you to a refugee camp.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôOur home?├óÔé¼┬Ø The older of the two men asked, pointing at the house. ├óÔé¼┼ôOur things?├óÔé¼┬Ø
Alex gritted his teeth. ├óÔé¼┼ôThey have been...acquired for use in the First Imperial Army.├óÔé¼┬Ø
The girl started to cry. Alex looked away. ├óÔé¼┼ôCome on, move, move, move!├óÔé¼┬Ø
The Silverbacks started to move, trudging glumly in front of Alex. He prodded the younger man in the back with his bayonet. The Silverback's tail twitched, his ears laid back against his head and he growled. The other one said something in his own language. The younger Silverback cooled off.
The refugee camp sat in the middle of the city. A large building that could have been anywhere from a warehouse to a church now had a sign, written in Imperial, that proclaimed in five foot tall black ink: ├óÔé¼┼ôRefugee Center.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Alex wondered, for a moment, how the Imperial Army expected any Silverback to come of their own free will if the sign was written in Imperial rather than the Silverback's language.
├óÔé¼┼ôGo on in, you'll be taken care of.├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex said.
├óÔé¼┼ôLike how you take care of our mayor?├óÔé¼┬Ø That last word was in the Silverback's language. Alex thought it meant something along the lines of Headman, or something. Alex knew the headman of each town or city they came across had been given a short drop and a sudden stop. He shifted, uneasy.
├óÔé¼┼ôJust go inside.├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex prodded the older man with his bayonet. The Silverback family headed inside.
He turned back around, wondering if he'd see Hank or Jonathan around. He still wasn't sure if they were alive. The sack of a city was a messy, disorganized and-
Alex stopped caring about Jonathan or Hank for a moment. A all too female scream sounded.
├óÔé¼┼ôOh, shut her up will you?├óÔé¼┬Ø
Alex ran around the corner. He stopped dead. Two Knights, one a commoner by his uniform and the other a noble by his arrogant bearing and the signet ring on his finger. They were holding down a Silverback woman...
├óÔé¼┼ôBastards!├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex put his flint to his shoulder and fired. The bullet whizzed over the commoner's shoulder. ├óÔé¼┼ôGet off her!├óÔé¼┬Ø
He opened his breach, slapped in a cartridge and had the flint loaded before the two Knights finished rushing him. He turned the barrel to cover both of them, the bayonet glinting. The two Knights stopped.
├óÔé¼┼ôDo you know who I am!├óÔé¼┬Ø The noble looking Knight shouted, his voice weasely.
├óÔé¼┼ôI don't care.├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex pulled back the primer on his flint. ├óÔé¼┼ôGet the hells out of here, or I'll drill you both.├óÔé¼┬Ø
The two Knights looked at one another. They ran.
Alex waited till they were long gone before he slowly eased back his grip. He looked down at the Silverback woman, who was hurriedly pulling up her odd trousers. She looked up at him, her ears flattened back against her head.
├óÔé¼┼ôHere,├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex offered his hand. ├óÔé¼┼ôLet me help you.├óÔé¼┬Ø
The Silverback took his hand after a long pause. Alex tensed, half expecting her to stab him. But, no, instead she ducked her head and said something in her language.
Alex looked around. No other Knights stood near. He detached his bayonet and handed it to the Silverback. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnyone bother you,├óÔé¼┬Ø He said. ├óÔé¼┼ôUse this.├óÔé¼┬Ø
The woman took it, looked at him, then took his hand, shaking it quickly. She then pushed past him and ran, the bayonet vanishing into her pockets.
Alex watched her go.
When he turned around, he saw a squad of Knights and the commander of the entire regiment come around the corner. With them, was the noble that Alex had shot at.
├óÔé¼┼ôThat cur!├óÔé¼┬Ø The noble pointed. ├óÔé¼┼ôArrest him.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Alex opened his mouth to object, but all that came out was, ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø
###
├óÔé¼┼ôI don't believe this shit!├óÔé¼┬Ø Hank slammed his fist down on the desk of Knight Commander Stevenson. ├óÔé¼┼ôJohnny, Keller and I fought with Alex coming two months now; he wouldn't shoot at anyone without a damn good reason!├óÔé¼┬Ø
The Knight Commender looked at Hank, his hands clasped calmly on his desk.
Hank bit his lip. ├óÔé¼┼ôSir.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWell, I will take your comments into account...but the man in question is, well, royalty.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôSo am I.├óÔé¼┬Ø Hank snapped. Jonathan didn't join in, on the account that he couldn't. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd so is Alex.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôYou misunderstand me.├óÔé¼┬Ø The Knight Commander sighed. ├óÔé¼┼ôI said 'royalty', not 'noble born'.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Hank blinked, then bit his lip. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhich son are we talking about here?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôThe fifth. Not as important as, say, the third, second or, Gods forbid, the first Prince. But, still...├óÔé¼┬Ø
Hank growled. ├óÔé¼┼ôBut, still, if Alex shot at something, he'd have a good reason. The man is as solid as a brick. He always thinks things out, never makes a rash decision...hell, I had to practically throw him into a whorehouse just to get him to dip his candle!├óÔé¼┬Ø He almost forgot to add 'sir' to the end.
The Knight Commander sighed, again. ├óÔé¼┼ôKnight Corporal...├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôSir, at least let him say his own defense before you ship him home for a full trial.├óÔé¼┬Ø Jonathan spoke up, stepping forward. ├óÔé¼┼ôI mean, if he goes back to the Capitol to go through a trial, he'll be stuck there...even if he's found innocent.├óÔé¼┬Ø
The Knight Commander sighed, looking at Jonathan, then at Hank. ├óÔé¼┼ôHe must be quite a soldier, to inspire this camaraderie in you two, seeing as how you have known him for...how long?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôTwo weeks.├óÔé¼┬Ø Hank looked almost bashful.
├óÔé¼┼ôTwo weeks.├óÔé¼┬Ø The Knight Commander nodded. ├óÔé¼┼ôVery well. Alex of Tervarthan shall speak his piece, alongside Prince Lewis of the Empire.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Hank and Jonathan grinned at each other. Hank clasped hands with Jonathan, squeezing it, then pounded the other man on the back.
├óÔé¼┼ôKnow this,├óÔé¼┬Ø The Knight Commander cut off the minor celebration. ├óÔé¼┼ôI said they will both 'speak'. I didn't say Alex of Tervarthen was off the hook. Yet.├óÔé¼┬Ø
###
Alex sat in his cell and looked at his hands. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo,├óÔé¼┬Ø He muttered. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is what honor is.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Honor was sitting in a dank, dingy little cell, with only a three legged stool and a straw bed, with a small barred window. Honor was waiting to be sent back to the Capital in disgrace and court martialed.
Alex balled his fists, digging his fingernails into his palms.
The door opened before he could start screaming with frustration, which he supposed was fortunate. It did startle a sudden, ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat!├óÔé¼┬Ø out of him.
Two Knights, both dour faced military police officer, stood at the doors. ├óÔé¼┼ôCome out.├óÔé¼┬Ø The one on the left said. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're getting a fair trial.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Alex blinked, his rage and fury vanishing in a flash. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø
The one on the right grinned. ├óÔé¼┼ôDid you really shoot at Prince Lewis?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôYes.├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex cracked his neck. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd I'm sorry, too.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôSorry?├óÔé¼┬Ø The right guard cocked his head.
├óÔé¼┼ôYeah.├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex grinned. ├óÔé¼┼ôSorry I missed.├óÔé¼┬Ø
The guards laughed, loudly. Louder than Alex expected. They lead him out of the dingy prison, which had needed very little altering to make it suitable for Imperials after it had been acquired from the Silverbacks.
The city of Shrillbore looked...worse than it had the last day. The fighting that had dragged on in the downtown district left more than a few buildings burning and the smoke still tinged the sky in the morning. This was black smoke, as opposed to the gray smoke of musket, cannon and organ gun blast.
Alex arrived at the current headquarters of the city, the old Townhall of Shrillbore. Imperial red decked the front of it, draping flags and a single, large, red emblem painted across the roof. The Knight Commander, three Knight Captains and several other officers stood in a half circle on the leading steps to the Townhall. At the base of the steps, stood Prince Lewis.
Now that Alex knew that he was a Prince and not just a nobleman, Alex was even less impressed. A Prince was supposed to be...princely. Or something. Instead, Lewis was a rather nervous, skinny, gangly sort of man. He fidgeted and twitched, and glared spiteful daggers at Alex as he walked up.
├óÔé¼┼ôThat man.├óÔé¼┬Ø He snarled, his voice sounding as weasly as it had when they had first met. ├óÔé¼┼ôHe shot at me.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôAnd I'm not particularly sorry about it.├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex snapped.
Prince Lewis stamped his foot, laughing triumphantly. ├óÔé¼┼ôHaha! You see! He confesses!├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôExplain yourself, Knight Corporal Alex!├óÔé¼┬Ø One of the Knight Captains spoke up, looking indignant.
├óÔé¼┼ôI shot at Prince Lewis.├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex stressed 'Prince' just a bit more than normal. ├óÔé¼┼ôBecause, at the time, he was conducting rape.├óÔé¼┬Ø
There was a sudden silence. Prince Lewis looked amazingly like a fish, or an Easterlander that had been cheated in a deal.
├óÔé¼┼ôL-l-l-├óÔé¼┬Ø The Prince stammered, unable to finish the word.
├óÔé¼┼ôI stake my word of honor on it. A word, I fear, is greater than your's.├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex spat. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou make me sick!├óÔé¼┬Ø
The spittle landed on Prince Lewis' shoes. Prince Lewis charged him, roaring. Alex took a half step back, setting himself for the impact. The Prince slammed into his chest, headfirst. Alex grabbed him by the head and threw him to the side, sending him sprawling. He would have kicked him while he lay on the ground if it weren't for a gunshot going off.
The Knight Commander holstered his flint pistol, smoke clearing from about his head. ├óÔé¼┼ôENOUGH!├óÔé¼┬Ø He roared. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is a hearing, not a duel. Though, if you wish, it could become one!├óÔé¼┬Ø
Alex remembered the frightened scream of the Silverback woman, and of the cold fury that had burned in his chest. ├óÔé¼┼ôI wish it.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôMadman!├óÔé¼┬Ø The Prince stood. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou-├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôDo you decline the duel?├óÔé¼┬Ø The Knight Commander and his makeshift court raised their collective eyebrows.
The Prince looked around, gulping. Alex could practically hear his train of thought: Refuse and be thought a coward and a rapist. Accept, and possibly die.
├óÔé¼┼ôYes.├óÔé¼┬Ø The Prince spat on the ground. ├óÔé¼┼ôI wish it.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Alex's heart thudded in his chest as the fury in his mind faded slightly. A few weeks ago, he had said his life had been too interesting.
So why did he seem to be doing his best to make it as interesting as possible?
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HeavyLancer
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Archangel of Death
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