By Redhawk
Disclaimers: See disclaimers in Prologue.
Part 14
A long silence stretched into the distance. As the Invader prepared the princess' deathblow, Dominic watched, waiting for the proper moment. Katerin, refusing to bow her head to this usurper, glared at the man who massacred her family.
Liam frantically looked about, finding his aide and realizing with sick horror that Dominic planned to do nothing. Lips thinning in anger, the prince threw off his cloak and shouted, "For Liam! To me!" Pulling a short sword from his waist, he pushed forward to save his sister.
The call to arms sounded prematurely and Dominic swore, looking for the cause. "Damned royal bratling will be my undoing!" Regardless, he grabbed a hidden sword and waded into the fight.
The rebels echoed Liam's cry, firing crossbows at the overhead archers who returned arrows with deadly intent. Several people fell in the courtyard, both fighters and bystanders alike. As expected, there was an immediate stampede by the lords and ladies toward the now blocked doors. The only unguarded exit was the main gate and they wasted no time in finding it, leaving sword-wielding rebels to their posts with little complaint.
Ros stopped struggling against her friends as the courtyard erupted into violence. Arrows rained down from above and the scattered guard on the ground began fighting the rebels around them. The blonde pushed her people toward safety. "Get out! Don't stop! Protect the boy!" The troupe needed no further urging though Amar had to drag Cristof away from his tiger.
Daiki tried to bring the blonde along but she pulled away. "I have to save Kat!" Ignoring his glare, she shook her head. "I'll not leave her to him!"
The old man growled in frustration, ducking as an arrow barely missed its mark. "Be careful!" he warned, turning away to follow the others.
Seeing her people safely in retreat, Ros turned to the dais.
Three of the Royal Guard surrounded the Invader, determined to protect their liege. No thought was given to the prisoner who was outside their defensive circle. Katerin had fallen to one side, fighting with her bonds while the rebellion raged around her. Ros, recognizing her opportunity, leapt forward. If I can just get her out of here...
The fighting on the dais was fierce as the rebels endeavored to win their cause. Katerin edged away from the proceedings, squirming under foot as she struggled to move along. She grunted when someone stepped on her thigh but didn't stop her attempted escape. Her only hope was that her friends and lover were able to make it out of the castle.
Ros ducked a sword, dropping to a protective heap over Katerin and startling the smaller woman into a muffled shriek. "It's me, Kat!" Her lover nodded recognition as Ros planned a course of action. Removing the brunette from her bindings was out of the question - there was no time. Instead, Ros began pulling them both out of the immediate melee, avoiding being trampled as best she could. Katerin toiled to help their progression, scrabbling along as directed.
At the same time, the Invader knew his prey was escaping. He couldn't leave her demise to chance; her tenacity already a burr in his side. The prophecy of his youth loomed over him and he knew the princess must die by his hand. With a rough curse, he pushed past his guard, looking for the woman he must slay to stay alive. Ah, there she is! You'll not crawl away from me, Sabine! I have a destiny to fulfill! Once more he raised his sword, intent on killing both women to insure his success.
Liam was almost there, heart in his throat, when Dominic stepped into his path.
"Get out of the way, Dom! We must save Sabine!"
"No, Your Majesty," the aide said, raising a sword to block another's attack. "It's out of our hands!" He gutted the soldier and turned to the prince. "You shouldn't be here! We need you safe!" Dominic tried to grab the young man's arm, barely pulling away from the vicious slash directed at him.
Backing away slightly, Liam pointed his blade at the older man. "Is this why you didn't want me in the courtyard?" he demanded. "You knew Sabine was alive and that she'd be here today. You were going to sacrifice her to put me on the throne!"
Ros, concentrating on pulling them away from the storm of violence, looked up
in time to see the Invader's gleeful face as he prepared to split them both.
She froze in horror and their eyes locked. He faltered, an expression of recognition
on his face. A rebel came from one side and distracted him, forcing him to defend
himself.
Gods be damned, that was too close! Ros scrambled further away, helping Katerin to her feet. Looking at the chaos between them and the gate, she cursed and scooped up a sword dropped by a fallen rebel.
Katerin realized their battle for survival had just begun and that she was utterly useless with her hands bound. She brought her wrists to her mouth and began prying at the ropes with her teeth.
Glancing past the aide, Liam could see that someone had intercepted the Invader.
I have some time. Not much. "I was told you were here the day after
my family was killed. That you had an audience with the Invader," Liam
said, returning his attention to the older man. "Is this true?"
"Of course not, my liege," Dominic scoffed. "Now hurry! You must leave here!" Bleeding Sif! How can I make this royal bratling see reason?
Narrowing his eyes, Liam knew Dominic for the liar he was. With no further word, he attacked the traitor.
"Are you all right?" Ros yelled over the clash of weapons.
Still chagrined at being tricked, at nearly dying, Katerin only nodded.
Ros pulled on her lover's arm, holding the short sword up. "Let's get you loose and to the gate! I told the others to get out! We need to find them!" Ros looked into her lover's frightened expression and fought the urge to kiss her. Now is not the time!
Before she could follow Ros' direction, however, Katerin's eyes became round, looking over her shoulder. Ros turned, raising her sword, clumsily blocking the Invader's swing.
"The celebration is just beginning," he said with a smile. "It's not time to leave just yet."
Dominic blocked Liam's sword. "Your Majesty, this is pointless! I'm not
your enemy!'' He struck another attack aside. "Please! Listen to reason!"
The pair circled one another warily. "Tell me true, Dom," the prince asked.
"I am speaking true, my liege," the aide insisted, his voice earnest. He snarled as he fended off another attack. "Bleeding Sif! Why won't you listen? You're as pig headed as your mother."
Liam, dark eyes cold, paused to salute Dominic with his blade. "I'll take that as a compliment."
It had been a while since Ros had fought with a sword and she was repeatedly
driven back, Katerin behind her.
"And who are you?" the Invader asked. "I realize now isn't the proper time for introductions, but I'm sure I've seen you someplace before." He continued advancing, almost negligent in his attacks. Let us see how good you are with that sword.
Slowly, Ros regained her equilibrium, her defense strengthening against the onslaught. "I am no one, sir. Just allow us to leave and we'll not darken your door again." She parried a vicious thrust, barely avoiding the blade that whisked by her ear.
Katerin was hard put to not yank Ros back by her shirt. While she knew that her lover had experience with a sword, her level of skill certainly couldn't exceed that of a man who lived by one. Still, she resolved to stay out of the way, keeping a watchful eye on the other skirmishes around them to warn Ros if necessary as she continued to try freeing her hands.
The Invader laughed. "You'll excuse my doubts. Princess Sabine and I have unfinished business to attend. You'd do well to stand aside." To prove his point, he pushed his attack, attempting to rattle her with a blinding frontal assault of speed.
Behind Ros, she could feel the presence of Katerin and it encouraged her. She stood firm, still on the defense but no longer retreating. "You're mistaken, sir. She is not a princess and is no threat to you."
Liam forced his opponent back another step. Despite their differences in age,
Dominic and the prince were evenly matched. The aide's lack of formal education
leveled the field with the prince's lack of practical experience. Regardless,
the aide found himself pushed back again.
"Please, my liege," he said, one final attempt at attaining his goals. "We must stand together. Your kingdom awaits you; there can be no doubt of your succession."
Lips tight, fire sparked in the prince's eyes. "You would have me slay my family to ensure my crown?" he demanded. Not awaiting an answer, Liam's attacks became fierce, his sister all but forgotten in a wave of emotion.
Surprised the blonde held her ground, the Invader said, "You fight well.
I didn't expect the owner of a circus to have much skill."
"I was taught by my da and my father." Finally becoming accustomed to the shorter blade, Ros began pressing forward. There was no way the Invader would just let them go; she knew this. All she could do was kill him or die trying.
Forced to defend himself, the Invader's eyes narrowed. Again he attacked only to take a step backward. "Perhaps I know your father?" he asked from between clenched teeth.
"You did,'' Ros agreed. Her initial fear for Katerin was fading, replaced with a grim joy as she traded blows with this thief called a king. Advancing again, she easily blocked his defense, the tip of her blade catching his arm.
The Invader refused to respond to the sharp pain. Regardless of his apparent retreat, he had knowledge of his fate, a prophecy to bolster his resolve. His attacks turned vicious but the woman held her ground. "That must be why I find you familiar," he continued conversationally. "You must take after your father."
"Aye, I do." For Ros the world dissipated. The courtyard and its battles were long past affecting her. Feeling like an observer rather than thick in a fight for their lives, she noted the Invader favoring his left. An old injury? He's got to be wearing down. He's as old as my da.
As the rebels gained the upper hand in the courtyard, those with instructions
to secure the castle did so. This left a handful in the courtyard to keep a
main defense at the gate and guard their companions' backs. Discovering two
of their own trading blows was startling.
Liam noticed the attention of his people, vaguely aware of their bafflement. Let's see to whom you're loyal. Stepping out of the melee, the prince called out, "Arrest this man for treason."
Dominic's eyes widened in sudden apprehension, his sword frantically waved about the ever growing circle of rebels.
"Get 'im!"
Watching only long enough to see his order obeyed, the prince remembered his sister's danger. He cursed, pointing at two men. "With me!" he said, leading them in the direction he'd last seen Sabine. Gods! I hope I'm not too late!
The pair was circling, slashing at one another with brutal resolve, unmindful
of their growing audience. Katerin remained behind Ros, not allowing the Invader
anywhere near to finish the job. She was sure he'd gut her in an instant even
if it meant his potential demise at the hands of her lover.
Sweat began beading on his forehead and the Invader wondered why this was taking so long. He had to give the woman her due - she was a fine sword fighter. I don't have time for this. Beginning a complicated string of maneuvers to distract his opponent, he said, "Perhaps you could tell me your father's name?"
Ros felt a thrill as she defended, seeing the opening so clearly that she was momentarily amazed the Invader didn't notice. A quick parry and then she slid the blade home, neatly slicing through his ribs.
The Invader stood in shock as his sword clattered to the floor. For a moment, he felt numbness washing over him before a hot / cold agony lanced through his body. He heard the old witch's prophecy just as she'd spoken it to a young princeling so many years ago. "You will die by a sword, young kingling. It will be wielded by the child of your enemy, one of royal blood who will avenge all before him."
Watching him fall to his knees, Ros still held the hilt of her blade. She followed him down, staring into puzzled eyes, kneeling at his side, watching blood bubble from his lips.
"Wh...Who are you?"
Ros leaned closer, whispering into his ear almost as a lover. ''My name is Rosmerta Lisbet Helena Klasyne, royal heir to the throne of Barentcia. You slaughtered my father and my family over twenty years ago." With a snarl on her face, she twisted the blade, yanking it to the right and impaling the Invader's heart.
Hands grabbed at her and Katerin cried out, violently spinning around to face
her attacker. The sight that met her was an impossibility. "L...Liam...?"
she said, voice rasping.
"Sabine." His dark eyes, so like her own, were shining with tears as he reached out.
They fell together, each happily reasuring the other as being hale and healthy.
Ros stood, leaving the sword in its human sheath. The smell of death was strong
and she realized her hands were sticky with blood. Behind her, the incongruous
sounds of laughter caught her attention, lapping like waves against the shores
of utter emptiness. She was surprised to find she wasn't as alone as she felt.
"Aye, you spit him good," a grizzled farmer said. Around him, others gathered, nodding and murmuring agreement.
"That I did," Ros said.
The old man nodded in admiration. "He deserved it. Stolen property, stolen crowns, stolen lives...He'll have much to account for in the afterlife.''
A smile grew on the blonde's face, the simple words easing an ache she didn't know was there. "Aye. That he will. And better him than me."
This brought a chuckle from the men. Another spoke up. "You're a hero, you know. What's your name so we can get the tale down proper?"
What's my name? Ros
said, "I'm called Ros. I own the Adamson Circus in my Da's name."
She heard someone calling and turned, seeing an almost mirror image of her lover
in the teenage boy beside her. Smiling, she stepped forward to be introduced.