"Who knew this job would be so difficult?" Arthur snickered as a counter to his friends grumbles of complaint as he dabbed the woman's split lip with a rag. "Stop grumbling. Honestly you're acting like someone stole your candy." He teased when Elizabeta looked at him with a furious glower.

"I just asked them if they were interested in the job, but he was more interested in grabbing my ass. I didn't expect it to turn into a brawl." She spat, standing when Arthur moved away with a sigh. Pulling off his tunic and tossing it messily next to his pack with a sigh Arthur sat down with a groan of exhaustion on his rented bed. Looking back up at her livid form he shook his head and decided it wasn't worth pursuing a better mood from the woman.

"The Queen never said this would be an easy job, trying to find people fit enough to join a militia is dangerous and stupid in all honestly, but it's what we've been ordered to do my friend." He chuckled, sprawling out on the bed as Elizabeta inspected the sheets on her own bed for anything unpleasant to wake up to.

"I never should have left the army." She groaned sitting when she was satisfied that her bed was vermin free and pulling her leather boots off in disgust. Not bothering to change into her night wear she tossed herself onto the bed.

"And I should have begged to stay in the Navy, but I did not, and neither did you. So unless you plan on returning to her majesty and begging for your position back, Sergeant…I suggest you stop complaining." He grunted pulling off his boots and tossing them lazily onto the floor next to his discarded tunic and pulling his blanket up to his chin. Lying down he rolled over leaving only his short cropped blonde hair poking out above the rough wool blankets.

"This militia is a terrible idea." She knew he probably wasn't listening; the man had a habit of falling asleep as soon as he hit the sheets. Being able to ignore noises that weren't hazardous to him was probably a skill he had developed during several years serving as a Captain in the Queen's navy. "All it's gotten me is cold, aching, and bitter." The sound of the tavern below them was wafting up through the cracks in the floor. It was going to be a tough night for sleep: she could hear the drunks arguing already. Hissing in irritation she turned so she was facing the man she had been ordered to aid in her impossible task. Arthur was facing her as well, resting his head on his upright palm proving her to be incorrect about him not listening. "I'm beginning to think you like this job." A small smirk formed on her partner's lips.

"Get to go wherever I want, don't I? Get to pick my own men, drink when I please, wear what I like. I think I might grow out my hair." He grinned sleepily "I was never too good at following direct orders. I need a long leash or I misbehave." At least he's honest, she thought bitterly as she slumped back onto her bedding.

"Don't you have family back home though? Don't you miss being around them?" she demanded, thinking of the man she had been pursuing before the queen had requested she take the assignment. Roderick, a noble and a bit pompous at times but she was fond enough of him to ignore it, treated her like a woman unlike the men she worked with. One said man sighed after a moment of contemplation.

"I'll miss my family sure, for all they're bunch of bickering gits at times. They know that I'm a wanderer though, I've never been happy to stay in one place for too long." He admitted, winking one of his dazzling emerald eyes and grinning at her coyly.

"Stupid pirate." She grunted, rolling over and receiving a cackle from the man.

"That's Captain Stupid Pirate to you lass."

~X~

Elizabeta felt her eye twitch as the well muscled man she and Arthur had been interviewing repeated the same question he had been asking for the past few moments of their conversation.

"So I wouldn't be in the military?" Arthur's hand snaked out to stop Elizabeta from standing and cracking the incompetent man on the skull with her sword hilt.

"Once again, you would not be enlisted in the military; you would be considered a specialty squad of trained civilians when the military itself could not respond to certain distress calls. If the situation was a political one, and they could not risk insulting either party, they would send us. Also, we would constantly be on patrol for bandits and such." Arthur explained more calmly than Elizabeta could fathom attempting at that moment, the man nodded slowly.

"An' we'd be paid?" The man grunted, his scarred face contemplating with a limited amount of intelligence.

"You'd receive a soldier's wage, sixteen gold pieces at the beginning of each month to do with as you please."Arthur's face was passive as the man stroked his flaming red beard, contemplating the implications of being in a paid position. "What do you say, chap? We have several other applicants to interview mind."

"I'll have to think about it. Are you gonna be here tomorrow?" The man demanded.

"No way in…" Elizabeta began, but a sharp kick under the table quickly silenced her. Glaring at the man with sharp bottle green eyes she huffed and pouted her thick red lips.

"We'll be here tomorrow morning at dawn. Be here, by the stables if you wish to accompany us." Arthur smiled encouragingly. "Well met sir." The two echoed as they clasped wrists. "I hope to be seeing more of you."

"Me as well, you're a good man Kirkland." The man hiccupped, drunk out of his mind, as he staggered away.

"I'll be surprised if he remembers this in the morning." Elizabeta snorted as he staggered away.

"You'd be surprised what men can remember when they're drunk. I had one sailor I worked with for a bit who remembered things better when he was piss out of his mind drunk then when he was sober." Arthur chuckled, situating himself in his chair with a groan of irritation. "This is taking longer than I expected."He grumbled, his eyes locking onto something outside. Frowning he moved a bit to the side in order to get a better look out the cracked window. She retaliated by moving in front of him triumphantly.

"What was that?" She grinned, leaning in a bit more so that he was forced to face her. "Was that…a complaint, Captain Kirkland?" She demanded victoriously. Arthur smirked from under a dusting of bangs and shrugged, his eyes never leaving the window.

"Can't be happy all the time, can I? That'd be downright disturbing. Now…MOVE!" He bellowed, grabbing her and falling back in his chair so that they slid back into a nook behind the bar. Squeaking she opened her mouth to extract a reason for the attack from the man, she was cut short when the ground lurched like a great wave beneath her bruised form, the wall that Arthur had been watching splitting open with a crunch of wood and steel.

Unable to see who entered through the well charred hole as Arthur pulled her into a sitting position and unsheathed his sword with a yell, Elizabeta instantly began to curse her stupidity for ignoring the signs that Arthur had easily picked up. Screams erupted in the tavern as barmaids and drunkards alike tumbled and fell to the ground. Few managed to continue standing as a great roar filled the air, the cry of a berserker on a rampage, shaking dust and straw from the rafters as an explosion reverberated from outside. Yelping despite herself, Elizabeta leapt to her feet at the same time as Arthur.

"I knew I recognized that uniform."Arthur spat, grabbing Elizabeta's arm and dragging her into a back room. "Berserkers, from one of the Northern tribes." He explained in a forced whisper as she opened her mouth to question him. "These particular blokes left the tribes to take up raiding. I was hoping that this far West we wouldn't have a problem, but…damn. Never mind." He growled, rushing to one of the stain glass windows and smashing it out with a chair he hefted from the ground.

Berserkers were men Elizabeta had heard of only in passing or in classrooms in the palace. They were men with the horrifying ability to lose control during battle, to kill without remorse or pain. Only a killing blow would stop them when they were in their berserker state. Otherwise, they would continue to pillage and murder anyone in their path until their bodies collapse from exhaustion or the bloodlust dispersed.

They were known for killing off entire squads of soldiers, destroying cities, and in one case: killing a magician King. The King that Elizabeta had served so loyally had been slaughtered when she was away on other duties, the grief that swelled throughout the nation had been unbearable. Returning had been an experience she never wanted to relive. She had loved her king, and now he was gone because of the men currently slaughtering villagers for a few coins.

"Aren't we going to fight them?" She demanded lividly, her adrenaline pumping through her ears. Arthur blew a harsh breath through his teeth.

"No, we don't have the man power. There's too many of them, believe me." He grumbled,

"But what about the villagers? They've treated us with nothing but kindness and you're saying we should just abandon them?" Arthur flinched at her tone as if she had struck him. Shaking his head he sighed.

"Have you ever fought a berserker before?" He demanded harshly grabbing onto her shoulders and clenching his fists in an almost painful way. "Have you ever seen what a single man can DO when he's out of his mind and feels no pain?" She bit her lip, not sure how to respond.

"No, but I know it is our duty to save these people." She stammered, clearing her throat before she continued. "If we die, we die, but we have completed our mission to the best of our abilities." Arthur continued staring at her a moment, his eyes locking with hers in a silent dual for dominance.

"Hahaha…hahahaha." He laughed nervously, releasing her and stepping back with a groan of distress. "Alright, but this is on you Eliza. I'd really love to live through this." He grumbled pulling out his weapon of choice, an ornate curved cutlass he kept at his side at all times. "Ok, do we have a plan?" He demanded, peeking out through the shattered window into the steadily burning town.

"I thought you were the one who fought with these ruffians before!" She squeaked. Arthur's eyes immediately darkened, a small smile forming on the man's face as he lifted his shirt a bit, revealing the long scar that traced from his naval to his right shoulder. Ragged and colorless from years of healing it stood out angrily against his sun-kissed skin, the defacement was a jarring glance at the realities she might soon be facing.

"I faced them all right, but it was one of them and there were five of us. Only my first mate and I survived." Arthur explained hurriedly.

"How many are out there…predictably?" She demanded.

"Oh I don't know…one to four…more than that would be stupid for the bandits themselves, plus their cronies." Arthur sighed, rolling a small silver cross between his fingertips. "I say we pick them off…from the shadows. Do not let them see you. Once they see you, the game is over." Arthur stated ominously. "Ready?"

"Not so sure anymore." She admitted

"Good." He laughed, his head rolling back for a minute as he cackled. "Cause neither am I." He smirked, pulling her into the street. "Stay with me!" He bellowed at her. Moving to the main road he quickly set himself to scouting the area. "Guard my rear." She jumped when he snapped; having forgotten in a moment of panic, turning swiftly she flushed at the idea that she had forgotten one of the most basic rules of fighting: always guard the rear.

"How many?" She hissed after a moment paused.

"Just…two." He breathed a small sigh of relief. "I think an archer took out one of them…poor bloke." Elizabeta assumed he wasn't speaking about the berserker when she saw him flinch, sneaking a peek she wished she hadn't as the bloody streaks of gore and limbs that used to be a man found its way into her line of sight. "Don't you dare vomit on me now." Arthur glared when she gagged. "You'll need that ale you guzzled earlier now more than ever." Nodding grimly she forced herself to swallow, shuddering slightly at the unusual feeling. "We could still retreat you know." He pointed out calmly, fastening his eyes on hers.

"No, we can't." She smiled shakily. Arthur smiled back bleakly and nodded.

"So much for convincing you to be sane."

~X~

Sneaking up behind a berserker was proving more challenging than she imagined, he gave the impression that he had eyes everywhere, his motions as wild as a feral animal. Shooting a sign at Arthur from across a smoldering street she swallowed apprehensively when he started to intact his plan.

She watched as he slid up onto the roof above the man turned demon and began hacking at the support system of the balcony.

The plan was a simple one, while the second berserker was busily mutilating others across the town they would take out the first beast by crushing him under the weight of a building. If for some reason the plan was an unsuccessful one, they would resort to head on attacks.

A crack filled the air as the wood building collapse, Elizabeta cringed as Arthur leapt free, clinging onto an adjacent tree his face red with the strain of holding himself up. Positive that the man was safe at least for the moment, Elizabeta turned her attention to the ruble now covering the berserker. Not seeing any movement she smiled giddily, unsheathing her sword once again she began to creep forward gradually. Skirting around the mess of blood and gore surrounding the berserker's area of destruction she gagged and fought the urge to cover her nose as she got ever closer.

"I think…I think he's dead…haha…I think we did it Arthur!" she cried when she could see no movement under the ruble. Turning away she beamed at the flushed man who chuckled hoarsely in response.

"I suppose it was a good plan after all. Let's never do it again." He snapped, his chest heaving from the climb down from the tree. She began to laugh quietly, her eyes wide with the realization of what they had just accomplished. "Eliza remember we still have the other to…Eliza MOVE!" Elizabeta had no time to react as the blow struck her. Yelping she rolled into the attack, landing heavily on her right side but stopping herself from crashing into the building she had previously been hiding behind. Rotating she felt her heart stop in her chest.

The berserker was alive.

His gaze was locked onto her form, his mouth frothing and snarling like some sort of rabid dog or bear. Laughing in his madness the man lurched forward with an ax in his hand the size of her torso, he meant to kill her and she wasn't sure if she had much chance of stopping him.

"Eliza!" Arthur roared, his sword drawn as he rushed to her aid.

"RUN! Arthur just run! GO! I don't want both of us to die!" She ordered her sword up in a defensive position as the beast-man lumbered towards her. Arthur seemed to hesitate, the years of looking out for himself seeming to take its toll on his decision. She didn't have time to watch for his verdict as the berserker took his first swing at her.

The axe flashed just over her head as she threw herself to the ground, the building behind her splitting open as if it held no resistance to the swing. Repressing a scream she rolled, jabbing up with her blade she was not surprised when he quickly repelled her move and slammed her backwards with the same force as a hurricane. Winded Elizabeta bounced across the ground and landed once again with a thud. Gasping she staggered to her feet.

She had fought trolls, bandits, giants, but she had never experienced the strength and lethal potential this man possessed in his attacks. He was already above her, lifting up her weapon she couldn't stop the scream of pain that burst into her throat as his ax collided with her blade with a screech of agonizing steel threatening to snap under pressure. She felt her muscles popping under her skin, felt the bones creaking and groaning. How was it possible, that one man could hold the power to shatter arms with a single blow?

He lifted his ax again, ready to finish her off with a second wallop. Gasping she staggered backwards, managing to barely hold up her sword as he stalked forward. The man was almost upon her when Arthur finally acted; with a battle cry meant to draw the beast away from Elizabeta he charged forward, his blade aimed for the man's heart. Elizabeta shouted a warning, but it came too late as the berserker rotated mid-step, his ax snaking up and locking with Arthur's.

"Blast it all…" Arthur rasped, his eyes bulging under the strain. Kicking out Arthur managed to break away momentarily when the man doubled over. "Eliza, are you alright?" He demanded as Elizabeta stood shakily and attempted to heft her weapon up past her waist.

"I'm fine. Watch yourself." She spat out through her clenched teeth, the sword she had been wielding since she was a child weighing more than she could ever remember. "Don't let your guard down because of me." Arthur nodded grimly, his sword raised as the berserker straightened once again.

The berserker struck out with the butt of his ax this time, catching Arthur off guard. Flying backwards the pirate landed against the stables with a crash. Elizabeta caught the sound of a small grunt of pain as the wall collapsed under the force of the attack and Arthur disappeared into the black depths of the blazing stables. Her breath catching in her throat she realized she had no time to sit and wait for Arthur to reemerge as the Berserker turned on her.

Come on Iggy…get up. Get UP. She begged inwardly wondering if it was possible that the man's chest could have caved in under such a blow. Was she alone now?

Coal black eyes narrowed as a new prey was found. Elizabeta's fight or flight instinct was screaming for her to run, but she knew if she ran he would just slaughter her faster. She was choosing between the death of a warrior and that of a coward.

Raising her blade once more she narrowed her eyes.

"In the name of the King!" She roared charging forward with her sword held up defiantly.

She didn't even remember colliding.