Gaile and Nerco both awoke to the cloudy morning light of Cainhurst and Nerco found her armor polished to pristine beauty with a newly woven violet sash that would have served to hold her sword at her waist but before she could even walk toward it, she felt nauseous and instantly went for the bucket that she suspected was placed there for this exact reason.
Gaile was no fool and he knew what was going on as he gently rubbed Nerco's back. "So when were you going to tell me that I'm going to be a Father?" Gaile asked with loving warmth as she looked up at him with a saddened expression. "I wanted it to be a surprise..." She said as he helped her up, and offered her a leather pouch containing all purpose antidotes.
He smiled as she took the pouch and placed three of the small white tablets under her tongue to dissolve, "Thank you Gaile..." She said with a warm smile as she felt the nausea ebbing away and started getting dressed in her armor she found that a Knight's bodyglove had been placed with her armor along with undergarments that matched her exact body type, she found it slightly unnerving but said nothing as she dressed in the undergarments, then the bodyglove, which was made of black cotton, of an extremely high thread count, she also noticed her usual thigh high stockings had been replaced with thigh high black leather boots to which the plates of her leggings and greaves had been attached.
The two found a knight waiting for them, leaning against the wall opposite their guest room door. "Good Hunter, and Lady D'Arcaand, Her Majesty has individual requests to make of you both of you will follow me to the Throne Room." She said, leading them forward and right before The Vileblood Queen.
Annalise was sitting upon her throne as she always was when Gaile and Nerco were escorted in. "Ah, The Good Hunter and Lady D'Arcaand, a pleasure to see you again, our esteemed guests. We trust that the accommodation was suitable to thine needs?" Annalise asked and on cue Gaile and Nerco took a knee before speaking to her, "Of course Your Majesty." Nerco spoke as she knew the ins and outs of Noble Society far better than Gaile.
Gaile looked up at Annalise's serene blue eyes, and let out a gruff exhale before speaking, he made his disdain for Vilebloods quote clear in his tone. "As I figured, there is a catch to your hospitality." Gaile said flatly. And Annalise frowned slightly.
she rested her face on a hand propped up on her throne and nodded gently "I suppose that isn't completely incorrect... The captain of my royal guards will be returning soon from an important mission and I would like to ask you Good Hunter if you could greet him at the gates?" She asked, her annoyance toward Gaile, her distant nephew who shared Cainhurst lineage through her half sister Iris very apparent.
Gaile huffed. "As if I have a choice." He mutters walking out of the Throne Room and toward the main gate while Nerco remained with the Queen, which was her request for the Keeper who was almost as old as herself.
Gaile arrived at the gates to the forsaken castle in time to see a portal appear from thin air and a carriage appear from the portal, pulled by undead horses and apparently drawn by no one, when the carriage pulled to a stop the portal closed and the carriage door opened and from its interior, a man emerged.
The Captain of the Royal Guard no doubt, He was easily younger than Gaile in appearance and had a head of thick brown hair and steely blue eyes, He was sheathing a blade reminiscent of a Cainhurst Chikage before he reached back in and pulled a woman from within the carriage, it looked as though a long battle had been fought and the man had won.
He held her firmly as she tried to free herself from his grip. "Don't struggle Marianne." He said, as two knights escorted her elsewhere, before his blue eyes flicked over to Gaile. "And you are?" He asked Gaile in a no nonsense, no bullshit tone of voice.
Gaile furrowed his brows and wore a light scowl as he looked at the man with barely restrained contempt. "Gaile Arkenmire, the Queen sent me to get you." Gaile said, forcing himself perform the Hunter's Salutation.
The man huffed in response. "Did she now?" He asked as he walked off, threatening to leave him behind prompting a huff of annoyance from Gaile, the two shot small talk back and forth as they walked. "Do you have a name? Or should I just keep calling you Captain?" Gaile asked and the Captain stopped. "Dante, my name is Dante Harpenden." He said before walking off
Gaile easily kept pace with the Dante while glaring daggers at the sharp tongued youth. "Another typical Vileblood who thinks he's better than everyone else... Great." Gaile muttered as they walked back.
Dante glared at him from the corner of his right eye. "One doesn't become the Captain of the guards by not being ambitious." He said, clearly playing with Gaile, hoping to get a bit of a rise out of him.
Gaile caught him off guard with his next question. "Whats going to happen to Maria?" Gaile asked, fearing for the life of Nerco's mentor.
He stopped and looked over at Gaile. "why do you care about Marianne?" He asked, his tone slightly abrasive.
Gaile knew he struck a weak point and continued. "She served as a mentor in the sword to my lover." Gaile explained, holding eye contact with Dante. "I'd hate to see Nerco lose a close friend... She's lost enough people in her life." Gaile said making it very clear that if they attempted to execute her he would intervene.
He chuckled mirthlessly. "Well I don't know what will come of the woman to be honest, she's not my problem anymore." Dante said as Gaile's face hardened into a piercing glare. "How can you be so heartless you look about her age surely you two were friends once?" Gaile asked looking Dante square on his cerulean blue eyes.
Dante's expression faltered for a moment. "Y-you could say that I suppose, maybe once I would have cared... We were set to be wed but..." He laughed humorlessly. "... Neither of us wanted that" He said, but Gaile didn't relent.
He placed a firm hand on Dante's shoulder, still looking him square in the eyes. "Part of you still cares, I see it in your eyes." Gaile said firmly and left the Captain alone with his thoughts.
His stony expression returned as he watched Gaile turn the corner to the Throne Room. "You don't know anything about me." He said venomously before resuming walking in shortly after Gaile.
Nerco spent much of her morning and Afternoon with Annalise, and even she was beginning to grow weary of the Queen's overwhelming kindness and hospitality.
The Queen was engaging in small talk with Nerco wondering what was taking her Captain so long. "How art thou enjoying Castle Cainhurst Lady D'arcaand?" Annalise asked
Nerco paused in thought but wore an apprehensive smile as she thought out her next words carefully. "Its been lovely but I am eager to return to Yharnam, to be on familiar ground once more." Nerco said with pure honesty.
the Queen nodded "That is understandable, well then, we trust that when our Captain returns you'll be able to take thine leave" she said with a kind smile as the two continued to walk the halls while they awaited the return of Gaile and the Captain.
Of course, Annalise would allow Nerco to leave once the Keeper was parted with the two lives she had sensed growing within her, the Great Ones desired their survival, she however, desired to spite the great ones for denying her the privilege of bearing them an heir.
The two arrived back in the Throne Room in time to see Gaile push open the heavy doors to open the way, Dante walked back into the throne room behind Gaile and bowed before his Queen. "Welcome back Captain Harpenden, we trust thine hunt bore fruit?" She asked already knowing of Marianne's capture, he nodded in response keeping his eyes on the floor as he spoke. "Of course my Queen." He said before rising to his feet at her behest.
Annalise nodded whilst looking Dante in his blue eyes. "Excellent, Marianne was to be thine bride at one point, canst thou keep thine emotional distance when the guillotine rises tomorrow at sunhigh?" She asked, and Nerco instantly knew they were speaking of Maria. "What did Maria do?" Nerco asked, all pleasantry and decorum gone from her voice as her eyes glowed like hot metal.
Dante's look turned to Nerco. "That is none of your concern Miss." he looked back at the Queen "You can count on me my Liege. Any emotions will be held in check." He said, but for some reason heart-wrenching pain ripped into Dante, making him grimace for a moment.
Nerco turned her white hot eyes on Dante. "Shut it boy. I'm 700 years your senior, now you would do well to answer the fucking question before I get any angrier." Nerco said as her gauntlets glowed orange with arcane heat, while Gaile drew Meier's Chikage choosing not to trick the blade with blood, He was ready to assist Nerco if violence broke out.
Dante looked at the Queen for instruction and open a passing glance from her she nodded. "All bets are off Captain..." She said, looking at Nerco as her calm icy blue eyes changed to bloody crimson, "Destroy the Hunter" Annalise said as she walked away leaving the Captain to play with his toys. "Dont rough up the Keeper too badly if she tries to interfere, Captain." Her voice echoed as he readied himself for a good fight. "Try and last more than a minute will you?" Dante said as he tensed his grip on the hilt of his sheathed Chikage.
Nerco's eyes began to fill with black in the region of her sclera as she glared at the young Captain. "Your Queen should have thought better than to discuss killing my mentor in the sword in front of me, thinking I didn't know her full name, how stupid do you people think think I am?" Nerco said venomously, her hands were alight with Arcane Fire as another knight joined in to keep Nerco occupied.
Dante scowled at Nerco. "You watch your tongue in the presence of royalty, you filthy wretch" his attention turned back to Gaile, his blade ready for battle
"I am royalty, cur." Nerco said, before turning on a heel and grabbing hold of the revealed to be female Knight's helmet and rapidly melted through the thin silver plate drawing a single agonized wail from the knight as her lifeless body slumped backwards and was relieved of the straight sword she was carrying, its was now two against one, and if Dante had cared at all for the knight that had just died, he hid it well, as he smiled at his combatants. "At last, a fair fight." He said as his fangs slowly, but visibly elongated.
Gaile smirked as his Inner Beast stirred a little. "You've got some brass balls to think you can beat the man who bested The First Hunter." Gaile said as he dashed forward with Perfect Quickening, the way it was used by the Old Hunters, though Dante nonchalantly blocked Gaile's swing and pushed him back by thrusting his sheathed Chikage into his chest throwing him backward several feet across the Throne Room.
Dante scowled at Gaile as he flew back across the Throne Room. "Watch your tongue you fool, you are in the presence of a lady of noble birth, were you raised in a barn?" he said as his eyes flicked over to Nerco with a saddened glance, he deeply detested fighting women and hoped she would not involve herself.
Gaile got to his feet with a groan and looked at the Keeper. "Stay Back Nerco... Don't take an unnecessary risk." Gaile said as Dante disappeared in his own blur of Quickening, the blades their Chikage grinding against one another creating sparks and heat friction, "Defeating you like this, has no meaning Good Hunter." Dante said as Gaile's eyes hardened into a glare. "Come on kid, this cant be all you've got." Gaile said in a low and deathly serious tone. "Embrace your Inner Beast... Get stronger Arkenmire... After that, we'll settle this matter." Dante said before knocking his legs out from under him with the scabbard of his Chikage, and bisecting Gaile with a single slash. "GAILE!" Nerco cried out and suddenly fell to her knees as as a veil of numbing mist that lined her armor was triggered by the activation of her powers. "N-Nerco..." Gaile gasped out as his vision faded to black and two knights walked into the room and dragged the weakened Keeper away.
Dante flicked Gaile's blood from his blade and slowly sheathed his Chikage and turned to bow to the Queen "My apologies my Queen, it angers me that such measures had to be taken in your presence" He said as he looked over at Annalise who simply waved him off.
Gaile awoke with a gasp at the lantern in Hemwick Charnel Lane, well outside Cainhurst. "DAMMIT!" He yelled slamming his fist into the ground causing a spiderweb crack to form from the immense strength that Hunters and Vilebloods were both possessed of.
Dante stood up from his bow and smirked "I can't imagine what you needed from those two your Majesty, they provided little challenge" Dante said as he followed behind Annalise as an escort.
Annalise continued to walk while wearing a smile that revealed her fangs. "All in good time my dear Captain..." Annalise' voice said in a chilling tone as Nerco struggled in the grip of the two knights that were dragging her away, she was swiftly imprisoned in a locked chamber in the west wing, it had all the amenities of the guest room she shared with Gaile but not the luxury of coming and going as she pleased. Felling to her knees, tears streamed down her cheeks as she wept silently and waited for Gaile to find his way back to her.
That is… if he wasn't dead for good this time seeing as all the lanterns in Cainhurst had been destroyed… she didn't want to entertain the thought, but it was as much a possibility as him surviving and merely having no way to return.
Returning to the Hunter's Dream, Gaile was met with the soothing voice of the Moon Presence, she sounded far kinder and less like the condescending bitch he thought her to be. "We'll get her back Gaile… We will find a way I give you my word as a Great One." she said and Gaile nodded in response. "I may have a way to get back… I just don't want to do it… I don't want to ask her to help me." Gaile said, in a tone of annoyance, he was of course speaking of the High End Prostitute, Arianna.
She lived in Cathedral Ward, and unknown to most, was a survivor of the Healing Church sanctioned massacre at Cainhurst, but was only a child at the time.
Gaile was loathe to the idea of paying her a visit but she was Cainhurst Nobility she could open the way for him and for Nerco he would swallow his pride and do what she would no doubt ask of him.
His form dissipated as he knelt before the Cathedral Ward Awakening Stone and spoke the name of Oedon Chapel and as he left a beautiful woman's form faded into view, long flowing auburn hair lined with flecks of silvery blonde and a pair of luminous red amber eyes framed a face that would tempt any man who looked upon it. "May the blood guide your way Gaile." She said with a serene smile as she faded away and the lumen flowers surrounding the great tree all bloomed at once.
The sun was setting when Gaile arrived in Cathedral Ward, he knew that the beasts would soon emerge, its not that the sunlight was dangerous to them, they were just nocturnal hunters, as was he himself. He walked down the lamp lit streets and ominously enough the distant rumble of thunder in the cloudy sky told him this was going to be a wild night, not to mention he could feel the oncoming storm, and how it changed the atmosphere around him. "This… is going to be a rough night." Gaile thought to himself as he stood before the nearly pitch black Cathedral Square, the blood and bodies from the previous fight that was had here had long since been cleaned up and he knew the Lesser Amygdala was no longer a threat either, still… something felt off to the veteran Hunter.
Gaile wasn't the least bit surprised when the downpour of the coming storm fell upon him without any warning, and with the heavy rain dampening the Senior Hunter's sense of sound his soon to be assailants made their move. A trail of motion and a wave of dispersing water directly behind Gaile, who responded by drawing his right hand revolver with a tired sigh and pointing it lazily behind him without turning to face his attacker. He smirked before turning to face his attacker a Beast with a lithe figure and tattered ribbons of clothing being all that covered its body, lightly muscled arms flexed taut as long bone talons extended from its forearms, before blue electricity began to dance around its form. "Hrrmmmm Never seen anything quite like you..." Gaile said as the beast disappeared in a haze of black and red with only its blood red eyes giving away its movements.
Gaile drew his Chikage with his right hand and prepared himself for a long and bloody affair. "COME ON THEN FOUL BEAST!" He yelled in bitter rage as the glow of the beast's eyes and the dispersion of the pooling rainwater on the cobblestone revealed its every move.
To Be Continued in Chapter 12
[Author's Notes]
Q: What are these new beasts that Gaile is going fight?
A: They are a subtype of Darkbeast that can use Quickening, Think Fury from Devil May Cry 5, Bloodborne Edition.