The Ward's Guard

While Caden moved to give Riva full access to her patient, Fischer took hold of Nowak's arm. He looked at the Raveness warily, "What will it do to him?"

The men set Nowak down, with Fischer looking agitated as he regarded the room. Caden raised his brow at the man, "calm yourself. If she says she can do more than cause pain, then she will do what she can to help the men who saved her."

Caden nodded, moving towards Nowak. Both the general and Fischer worked together to lift Nowak up, disregarding the blood that covered the sergeant. "Lead the way," Caden told his wife.

Fischer looked towards the Ravenness, trembling despite himself. He nodded slowly, "if you can do anything . . . please."

"I never thought-" Caden shuddered, trying to hide the tears that were welling his eyes. "Please, forgive me." ------- Fischer rushed to the sergeants side, nearly slipping on the blood that pooled beneath him. He focused on the man instead of the blood around him, turning him over to see his blood soaked shirt. "No no no no," Fischer hurriedly cut open the uniform, trying to clear it away from the wound so he could dress it, but the blood that he knelt in caused his fingers to start trembling. He hardly took notice when Nowak coughed, "kid, are you alright?" Nowak weakly lifted a hand towards Fischer, but the young Guardsman took it only to put it down on the ground. He hushed the sergeant, "you'll be fine, just rest." "Did we-" Nowak coughed weakly, "are you safe?" Fischer looked around in a panic for a bandage, "yes, they're dealt with. Just give me a moment, you'll be fine, too." He hated lying, but he couldn't bear the thought of confronting the truth. Nowak only shook his head, "it's fine, Fischer. I just . . ." "Sir." He tapped other man's cheek, "Nowak, you can't fall asleep now. You have to stay awake!" His sergeant didn't respond, causing Fischer's breathing to grow shallow. He turned towards the other from the Praetorium guard, "I need help! We have to get him to the medicine ward, now!"

Caden gripped her tightly, "I thought I was going to lose you, too." "If you say so." He gestured to the door they stood before, "here's where you'll wait for your audience, if the King even decides to talk with you."

I'll have to read through it tomorrow, but color me impressed by what I've seen through my quick glance at it.

The general growled and shouted, flailing his arms in every direction as he thrashed against the men who held him to no avail. They held him with the tried and practiced strength of the veterans that they were. His breathing quickened as he became panicked, screaming curses at the men as he gave them his all. The shear helplessness of it all pained Fischer as he watched it, nearly causing him to fumble as he tried to sneak up on the group. Muller's movements in raising his blade caused the young man to quicken his pace, choosing to accept the risk of being found out as he signaled for the other three men to move. They had surprise, but as soon as that was gone the number of their foes would make it impossible to succeed. Fischer took in a deep breath, inviting the stillness of the mind that came with battle, then nodded towards the others. Nowak shouted, startling Muller and drawing his blade. "If you want a fight, I'll give it to you!" The older sergeant called out, swinging his blade to meet the captain's in midair. Fischer and the two others jumped on the four men holding down the general just before they whipped around, recognizing the ambush just too late. They grappled for only a moment before the general bellowed in anger, lifting himself up to join the fray. Fischer grit his teeth, losing count of the blows he had taken. He forced himself to focus on controlling his own body, his own weight as he threw it around to knock aside the traitors. Just as quickly as it had started, Fischer found and opening and rolled out from the mess, scrambling to his feet just in time to see two of the men get knocked down. He glanced towards the sergeant, seeing that he and the captain had locked swords, swinging wildly at one another. Fischer caught himself staring at the way the combat moved, as it lacked the solemn methodology that had been taught to all of the Praetorium Guard. It was instead a brutal fight where both men tried anything to gain an edge. Fischer blinked, and Nowak shuddered, his knuckles turning white. The captain's lips moved silently as Nowak dropped his sword, the captain's blade having been rammed through the older sergeant's chest. The superior officer shook his head solemnly just as Fischer screamed. He didn't remember drawing his blade, he didn't remember charging towards the captain, he couldn't even remember the calm of battle as he swung wildly at the murderer that stood before him. Fischer grit his teeth to hide another scream while the captain dodged back and forth, trying to escape the younger man's wrath long enough to give him time to reset his stance. Fischer didn't care, all he could do was strike, growing more desperate every time it simply slid through air instead of flesh until it made the sharp clang when the captain finally parried. The two stood for a moment, their blades locked before the captain leveraged himself to shove Fischer back. The younger man recovered quickly, returning to the stance that had been drilled into him since he had been twelve. He found himself catching and controlling his breath. He tried to recapture the battle focus, but it remained elusive. He chose instead to watch the captain's stance, trying to anticipate what he would try and adjusting his own stance to counter it. Only after what had seemed like an eternity did the captain move forward hesitantly, testing Fischer's stance now that the younger man had appeared to calm down. In a flash, Fischer blade whipped forward, making the first strike that was easily counters. He stepped forward, parrying once before feinting to the left, only to jab suddenly at his opponent's right. The captain jerked to the side, trying to avoid the surprise strike before taking the blow to his ribs. Fischer didn't paused when his opponents gasped out at the pain that came through the sleeveless mail, and followed up quickly with a swipe at the captain's sword arm, cutting through the exposed cloth and skin beneath. The captain hollered in pain just as Fischer struck his pommel upon the man's temple. Even before the body fell, Fischer whipped around to see the other traitors incapacitated, but he held in the sigh of relief as he rushed to his sergeant's side. ------- Caden cleanly kicked one of the traitor's, Corporal Powllee's, weak knee before striking him on the back of his skull. Without a moment's hesitation, he rushed over to his wife, dropping to his knees. "Dearest, are you alright?" "Uh, why do you do," the guard cleared his throat, "whatever it is that you do?"

He scoffed, "you won't get any pity from us, wretch." He lifted his blade as Caden shouted, trying to shove away the men who held him down with no success. Muller was going to kill his wife, and he could only watch. ----- "Slow the blazes down, man!" Sergeant Nowak shouted at Fischer's rushing figure. "We shouldn't be loosing our heads!" Fischer shook his head, "can it and move your feet!" He paused, "uh, sir." Nowak only chuckled, "I get it, I get it. Just try not to trip on the power, man." "C'mon," the younger man stopped right outside of the door that led to the dungeon. "You flank left," Fischer pointed at the two men behind Nowak, "we'll go right. Let's move." He silently open the door, and he had to force himself to keep moving, despite the shear shock that struck his gut at the sight he beheld. "Needed money."

"Enough!" Muller shouted with a slap, causing Caden to shout in anger. The captain ignored his general and drew his blade, "I always thought I'd have to wait in line to kill the Ravenness."

"You will wait until you are summoned." The guard strode forward, "follow. I shall take you to an audience chamber to await him." "I can't be, you don't deserve the general. So he would have never fallen for a wretch like you." The captain scoffed, "even disregarding the fact that you're the Ravenness, there's barely anything other than skin on your bones, so forget your chest being desirable. I'd sooner face a battlefield than the thought of what you force the general to do in bed!' Caden growled, "watch your tongue, man, or I'll rip it out myself." "And now you've made him your valiant defender?" The captain said, forcing Riva to look at him. "You're a monster, Ravennes. Now break the curse or I will take off your head!"

"Keep your lies behind your teeth, no one could ever love someone as horrible and filthy as you!" The captain slapped the Ravennes, "if you won't break the spell willingly, then perhaps your death will!" "Muller, stand down you fool! There is no spell, I do love her of my own free will!" The captain spat towards his superior, "do you even hear yourself?! The general I know would never fall for something so obvious!" "You wish to be taken directly to the king, then?"

The general spat in the captain's direction, "I'll see you dancing with Maal for this treachery!" "You'll be thanking me when I'm done," captain Muller corrected. "We just have to break the curse." The captain nodded to the men, and they picked up Riva again. "I will tell you once more, break. The. Curse."

"You monster!" Caden drew his blade, his blood running hot. "Step away from my wife!" The captain just shook his head, "general, can't you see? She has you under some sort of spell. Please, see reason." Caden shook his own head, "I love her, captain, and she loves me. Stand away from her or I will strike you down." "I was afraid you'd say something like that," the captain said as he snapped his fingers. The other men of the guard assaulted Caden, forcing him to the ground. The general shouted and swiped at them, but their numbers overcame him. They held him to the ground as a man kicked away his blade. "This is treason!" Caden shouted, ignoring the burning which filled his eyes that accompanied the pain in his gut. Despite it all, he kept his teeth gritted and a growl in his chest. "Sir," The captain said with an even tone. "You're bewitched, even though she won't admit it. We know you, sir. We know you'd never act like this unless she used some sort of magic on you."

Caden increased his speed when he heard the screaming, his heart pounding as he pushed himself to the very limit to get there in time. He burst through the door to see his wife at the mercy of the guard, his guard. "Stand down, men!" Captain Muller jerked his head to look towards Caden, cursing when he saw him. "You're not supposed to be here, sir."

"Then perhaps you will change your mind after a few broken fingers," captain Muller nodded to one of the men holding the Ravenness. ---- Fischer brushed off his uniform, and hesitantly knocked on the general's door. It wasn't how one properly met with their superior, but with this information, surely he'd be forgive. He almost didn't catch the summons from the room, so he entered quickly, trying not to trip over himself. He could tell that the general was expecting someone else by the way that he furrowed his brow at Fischer's presence, so the younger man saluted. "What th- You're the young boy from the Koln Offensive, right?" "Yes sir," Fischer nodded. The general sat back in his chair, "then what is it, man?" "There's uh, something I need to report to you, sir." Fischer glanced out the door at the two guardsmen who stood there. "Then out with it, I haven't all day." Fischer swallowed quickly, "there's a plot, sir." Caden shot up in his chair, "who? The serving staff? The village-folk? Has the King been informed? I can't let anything happen to him. C'mon, speak man." "Captain Muller is attacking your wife, sir." "My-" The general shook his head, "captain Muller is one of my own, he would never betray me." "They think it's for your own good, sir. Something about a spell." "Spell? Stars, where is Muller now?" The general demanded as he rushed towards the door. Fischer backed out of the general's way, "I don't know, sir. But he's doing something." "Come with me," the general ordered. "Wait, no. Gather men you know you can trust, and meet me in the dungeon. Understood, soldier?" Fischer saluted again, "yes, sir." "I just hope it's not too late," the general said as he practically ran out the door.

"Admit it, free him of your curse, and we might let you live."

"The one you put on our general to force him to love the bag of bones that you are," he spat at her. "No one in their right mind could ever love you!"

"We know of your spell," the captain took hold of her chin, "and we won't rest until you break it."

"You're under arrest, witch." The captain announced as the men brought her before him, "for the good of the general." "I see, then we'll get you on your way."

With a single hand gesture, the ten men who had quietly entered the dungeon fanned out to eliminate escape routes for their target, who stood in the last cell. She was shouting at the prisoner, but that was of no matter for the Praetorium Guard. The captain made one final hand motion, and a man yanked open the cell door with a sudden motion as two others rushed in, grabbing the Ravenness.

"He will wait, or he will go back to where he came from, understand?"

"Close the door," Captain Muller shouted at the last man who entered the barracks. "What did you find, man?" The newcomer shook his head, "not a single village in miles round about had an herbalist or soothsaying who could help. Whatever spell that Raven of a witch cast, I can't find anyone who can break it." The captain growled, "if no one can release the general from this spell other than the Ravenness, then we need to get her . . . cooperation." The men around him shifted, easily numbering above several dozen. It was long before one of them spoke up, "but the general won't let us touch her, not with her spell on him." "Then we'll have to go without his permission, maybe even against it." The captain nodded to himself, "it's for his own good." When the captain looked around at the men surrounding him, they avoided his gaze, knowing the weight of his suggestion. He clenched his fists, "what would you do? Leave the general in that Mal-spawn's grasp? The general wouldn't rest knowing one of us is in that sort of situation, so why should we?! We take care of that demon, and then we make her give up her control over the general. I can't stand to see her fawning over that creature like a cursed lover boy!" He watched as their eyes steeled when they met his gaze, they knew what they would have to do. The captain then separated the soldiers before him into two groups. "Group one will fan out and find the witch, and group two will keep the general out of the way. This isn't a mutiny, this is for the good of the general, for the good of the kingdom." Captain Muller would have enjoyed a cheer from the soldiers before him, but their solemn nods were all he received. This wasn't a triumphant march across a battlefield, the very life of their general was at stake. No mistakes could be made. "Let's move out." ----- Just as the soldiers of the Praetorium guard left the room, Fischer cracked open his eyelid from where he lay upon a bunk after their long journey to the castle with the prisoner. He didn't know anything of a spell, but this was something the general had to learn of. This wasn't something that he could simply keep to himself. A mutiny, it was nearly inconceivable from these men, but he had to tell the general.

Caden filled out the paperwork in a manner of minutes before sending a quick summary of the subject, Ms Allivia Nordy, to Riva through on of the serving staff. He leaned back, wondering what that woman could have done to warrant being sent to his dungeon instead of the King's.

"Yes, yes. Now you'll have to leave me be while I get the paperwork dealt with, alright?"