"Have you ever seen artefacts from the past?"
Berwald looked up. They had been walking for about an hour and he'd been happy enough to remain silent unless he was addressed. Now Arthur was addressing him, having pulled on some clean clothes he and Alfred had in their bag tied to the horse's saddle.
"N'… N'ver…" Arthur looked at him for a moment before smiling and turning away.
"Then I suppose you've never heard of the clans across the western sea…"
"'nly st'ries…"
"Ofcourse…" The shorter blonde turned around to face him, the whole party coming to a halt, which was a chance for a few to get a drink.
Arthur proceeded to tell the story, which Berwald thought was unescessary, but everyone else looked like they lived by it.
"The edge of the world we know ends on the very last island of the green isles… Beyond that is never explored… It's a vast ocean with no visible end and it is said that if you reach the end, you find yourself in the place that destroyed the past. They ended the war with a great explosion and any survivors that emerged had to return to 'medieval' means of life.
That's how we live now and that far western world is forgotten. Now, some say, like the drunken traveller or two, that there is still civilization in that world. For a most part, these people are cut off from us. The great air ships that they would use to reach us have not worked since the war. But otherwise, they are contently living in their own world… the world of the past."
"I kn'w th' st'ry…"
"Yeah?" Alfred said with a smirk. "You don't know it all… They're repairing the air ships… they're coming over here… and that's what this part of the world needs to survive… those western clans train every youngster how to fix things, build things and use things of the past. If they come here then they can make hospitals… with machines that can help a dying man live again… medicine… and so much more than you could imagine."
"H'w d' y' kn'w…?"
There was a moment of silence. Arthur looked to Alfred before back to the Swede.
"Alfred and his brother were born there… they came here on a small air ship with their father and mother when they were very young. Unaware of the war that is going on here, they didn't expect to land and have swords at their throats. The air ship was confiscated by the last Saviour and Alfred's father was murdered. His mother fled, but he became separated from her and his twin brother in a market place. You don't need to know the rest… Only that any old artefacts we come across, Alfred takes to his work shop and tries to fix… And… he's very good at it…"
Alfred smiled, trying to hide the pride at Arthur's words.
Berwald didn't say anything, but it didn't matter. It was like Arthur didn't expect him to. However, at his side, Tino smiled brightly at the story and indeed, it came with a response.
"That's really amazing… What kind of things do you fix Alfred?" The fin asked in a light tone.
"Um… well… anything that I can get my hands on… My workshop was like an old command room that I repaired as well. I can't really explain it to you unless you've seen it before, so you'll just have to wait and see…"
"Is that where we are going now?"
"Ofcourse…" Ivan smiled. "We need to sort out some things…"
Berwald frowned, not fully understanding it. But as they came to the top of the hill that they were climbing, he was completely taken aback.
Off in the far distance you could see very faint hazy images of mountains on the horizon. Between them and that were miles and miles of undulated forestry. And right down below them, glittering like a jewel, lay the sprawling fabled garden city.
There were temples or other such places of worship that looked like they accommodated multiple religions. Paths snaked along everywhere in warm yellow sandstones to white marble. Houses constructed of the same materials were everywhere, beautifully made with bright red tiled rooves, some with little golden decorations above the doors. These depicted angels, animals and creatures of myth.
In the centre of the city there lay a busy market place, people that looked like busy ants scuttled around to attend their daily business amongst the coloured canvas rooves, often highly decorated.
And a little way away from that, was a towering circular building that seemed larger than life. Massive archways revealed the distant forms of people walking briskly or leisurely along corridors. And great wooden frames were built around one half of the building as if it was under construction or being repaired. And Berwald could just see that it had no main roof. Like it was it was almost a giant bowl or arena. That interesting creation of architecture must have been what the Shadow king called home. Speaking of which, proud smile at hand, Arthur turned around and addressed Berwald once more.
"Welcome to the Shadow King's city."
/
"Look at what she did to you!"
Toris sighed as he leant back against the headboard of their bed, eyes closed. He wished he didn't make Felix angry, but he couldn't help it. He wished he could take the Pole away from all of this. He knew they were on the wrong side, but that had been the cause of misjudgement and stupid mistakes.
They had been 'arguing' about it all for the past half hour. So Toris was a little surprised when he heard a sigh to mimic his own frustration and cool fingers brushed along his cheek where it stung a little from the scratch marks he had receive from his last visit to the Saviour.
He opened his eyes, olive looking to the emerald ones for guidance and refuge. The blonde before him frowned slightly before leaning forwards and kissing him.
He hesitated slightly before kissing back, reaching up to immerse his fingers in the languid golden hair.
He knew Felix hated that he had to 'share' him as did he. But he'd take that curse away and they could be free to be just them together. No Elizavetta to mess around with them and toy with their lives.
"I love you…" The Lithuanian whispered against the other's lips.
"… Do you say that to her…?" The other whispered in reply, sadness and fear clear in his eyes and laced his voice. Toris smiled and shook his head before kissing him again.
"Only to you…"
/
The woman, reclad in her usual white garments after the last sexual encounter, drummed her fingers on the table in front of her. She was waiting… and even if she prided herself on her patience, well… it didn't mean she enjoyed waiting around.
Eventually, finally, the doors to the other side of the room opened wide and closed abruptly after. A handcuffed man was dragged in, a look to terrify the devil on his face, clothes torn and thinned and beneath his cotton shirt, she could see his ribs. But not being the devil, she merely smiled at his expression, sparing no pity for his diminishing state.
"Afternoon, Roderich…" She smiled sweetly as she rose to her feet. She raised a hand from within her robes as she stood before him and cupped his cheek.
He glared and spat at her, the globe of saliva landing on her cheek. Unfazed on the exterior, she backhanded him before wiping the spit away.
"… Where is he?" The male demanded more than asked . "You promised months ago that you would tell me where he was…"
"Oh, didn't I tell you Roddy?" She smiled again, tilting her head.
"No! You've had me locked up for two years! And you haven't told me anything!"
"Oh my… I should make amends then shouldn't I?" She said in an amused tone.
Behind cracked glass, tears of desperation gathered at the edges of violet eyes. She supposed that since it had been two years, he should at least have something to go over with in his mind. Though the frailty of the supposed dominant gender, sickened her. But the same sweet smile stayed plastered across her features.
"After the battle of Taru'uk, we brought you back here and gave you trial before you were sent to prison."
"There was no trial! You just threw me in the godforsaken dungeon!"
"Do you want to listen or not? It doesn't bother me at all…"
The brunette frowned before shutting his mouth.
"As I said, you were given trial and sent to jail… /HE/ was given trial as well… and with several others, including his brother, were sentenced to execution…"
Roderich tried to remain motionless, devoid of emotion at the news, old to her, new to him, but a single tear betrayed him and the woman smiled more wickedly, taking sick pleasure in the vile pain she knew was tearing up his insides.
"… We took his head and put it on a spear at the outside the prison wall… every day when I came in to see you, I watched the vultures and vermin tear away at his face…"
"S-STOP IT! YOU'RE LYING!"
In fact, Roderich didn't know what to believe… and quite frankly, he wished he didn't believe any of it…
But later that day, when she was through with him, he peered out the barred carriage window as they passed the wall that circled the prison. A sea of spears and skulls… HIS skull was among them… and knowing that, he broke down into tears when he was thrown back in his cell. Sobbing in the corner, he curled up into the tightest ball possible, repressing all the bad things and scraping at the edges of his memory for something good…
'Stay put… I'll be back for you…'
It's ok… just stay put. Stay put… Stay put and relax and remain calm… everything was going to be ok… he wasn't dead. He was alive… by some unknown miracle… he was alive. And he was going to return… He just had to stay put, stay calm and stay alive… because… he was coming… that's what he had promised. He said he'd never leave him… Gilbert had promised him that he loved him.
/
Ludwig looked over his shoulder. Hanging back, a couple metres behind the group as they neared the city gates was Gilbert. He wasn't as loud as usual, having toned down as he dwelled on the past.
Deciding he should console in his brother to make sure he was in right of mind, he walked back to him, keeping pace with him as they walked side by side.
"You ok…?" The younger brother asked.
"Me…? Ja… I'm fine…?"
"You sure…?"
"Ja Ludwig… I am…"
They walked silently for a time before Ludwig spoke again.
"You know there was nothing we could have done… and even if he is still alive to this day… what can we do? We don't know where he is or even if he wants to be found… he could have gone into hiding… a lot of people do these days…?"
"Ja… I know… but I promised him… we left him in that bunker, but /I/ promised him we would be back… I promised I'd get him out of there… I promised I'd show him what music was… He spent his whole life as a fucking science experiment and I promised him freedom… And… And I failed him… and still am failing him…"
Ludwig sighed. The only reason he and his brother were here now, was because of that affair…
/
The energetic albino tilted his head with a curious frown as he was lead to the tailor's. Toris was taking him there. He'd gotten a new job, as personal guard to the saviour. But then, he didn't even know what the Saviour looked like, sounded like… and he was expected to guard them night and day.
It also meant for change of uniform. Hence the visit to the tailor.
Toris pushed the door open and lead him into a room filled with shelves and shelves stacked with rolls and piles of fabrics from all places along the silk road.
In the centre, amidst the materials with a white robe in hand and a needle in his mouth sat a blonde… man? Woman…? It must have been a woman because they were wearing a dress… but their waist and hip line wasn't as curvaceous.
"Hm…?" Toris blinked and the male, now obvious with the Adam's apple slightly visible… "I haven't seen you here before… you must be new."
The blonde nodded and stood up, setting the white robe aside and putting the needle in a little pillow that hung off his belt.
"Yeah, I'm new… like, the old guy carked it or something…"
"Oh… he was quite old… maybe I just didn't hear about it…"
Gilbert rolled his eyes. He'd bet anything that these two would be screwing each other's brains out by the end of the month. The whole time his uniform was being made the two engaged in a constant idle chatter. He'd occasionally join in and have a good laugh with them, but what he really wanted was a beer…
…
The next day his new job began. And... he neither saw nor heard the saviour… he had more spare time as a personal guard than as a regular foot soldier. But it was about a month after he started that he was truly required. The Saviour was going to the prison.
He didn't go… but he was summoned upon the saviour's return. When he arrived at the designated confined quarters, the saviour was gone and a guard told him that there was a valuable package inside that he was in charge of protecting. The guard left and he stepped inside.
Fast asleep in the middle of the bed lay a slender male in a white robe… the one Felix had been sewing… He had a few cuts and grazes… but he was fast asleep, a pair of folded glasses clutched in his hand. There was a beauty spot below the left side of his chin, just below his lip. And his brunette hair had acquired a funny curl to the front…
The German smiled as if he was witnessing the ignorance of a young child. In the least he could say it was rather adorable.
But alas, now he was slightly confused as to what to do. He hadn't been given any other orders than to protect this 'precious item'… but it was befuddling as to how. He would feel ridiculous standing to attention at the end of the four-poster.
So, choosing that he would deal with punishment if need be, he sat down in the chair beside the bed, appearing relaxed but alert. He had no idea why he should be guarding this man either. Perhaps he was in relation to the Saviour somehow, or a close friend from childhood past. Or perchance… he was somewhat… special… maybe he was able to…
No! no… Gilbert refused to believe that fable. It was bad enough that stories of unique other men birthing children had been proven true. He could reason with men loving men, as he himself partly did, as there were definite signs that women were surely disappearing. Fewer born each year. But men giving birth was a little freaky… and besides. The Saviour declared it a heathen act and sin against him, any man found with child or such to be burnt.
Sadistic and cruel to an innocent whose only crime was to build a family, Gilbert would agree. But the thought of a guy getting pregnant freaked him out a little.
Yet, these thoughts did provoke others, branching off into hundreds like a willow tree sprouting magnificent from a sapling.
He doubted he'd ever find a maiden to bare child with… and he'd always thought he'd make an awesome father. But perhaps his only way was with another man… But then again, did he want to risk burning for the sake of a family… And asides from that, rumours had been proven again when saying that only certain men could carry child… what if he chose another who was unable to bare children.
And then to an extreme question which he did his best to banish from his mind. What if he could have children? Oh dear God, did he really want to try that…?
Besides, he told himself… he was still young… perhaps far too young at seventeen to be thinking on this matter.
Quite suddenly, he was wrenched from his thoughts by a stirring in the bed and he came to focus, cursing himself and his boredom for his daydreams, as he watched his charge begin to wake. Thinking it best to appear on guard to whoever this was, he rose out of his chair with a light groan and merely stood in front of it, watching the brunette curiously.
The smaller male had hidden his face in his hands as he woke up, like he was trying to push himself back into whatsoever dream he happened to be having. He sniffed and relaxed, parting his fingers after a time, a pair of gorgeous violet eyes looking up at him, one part fearful, three parts curious… or pissed… he couldn't quite tell the difference.
"… Who are you…?" The man said. His voice was spoken softly, but there was something musical behind it. It made one think of the warmth of the Spring sun that witnessed the birth of new life, yet the chilled spires of ice that could twist around one's heart and sap the life from it.
Gilbert inclined his head with a slight frown. "I'm Gilbert Beilschmidt… I'm here to make sure you stay safe…"
"To guard me, you mean…"
The albino blinked before nodding. "Ja… that's what keeping you safe is…"
The brunette watched him a moment longer, regarding his truthfulness and what he knew to be spoken in his own words. And when he was sure he believed what he said to be true, the smaller man closed his eyes again.
Gilbert smiled. Watching the other, he noted the softness of his features. It was to be called more beautiful than handsome, yet all the same, he was handsome as he was beautiful.
"Might I ask, who you are…?" the German asked softly, sitting back down in his chair. "And where've you come from…?"
"…" the brunette didn't answer for a time and the other thought he had fallen back to rest. But he spoke before the minute was up. "… My name is Roderich… I come from a small village in the Austrian forest… well… I used to…"
"Austria…? Wait… what do you mean, used to…?"
Roderich regarded him once more, as if to see if he could trust him. Apparently he did because he spoke again.
"… When I was a small boy, five maybe… Men in white cloaks found my village… it was supposed to remain a secret from the rest of the world… but they found us and destroyed us… There were two survivors… myself and my cousin, Elizavetta… She was taken away and I never saw her again…"
"And you…?" Gilbert asked, finding himself keen to hear of it.
"… the locked me away… they told me I was a treasure and I was raised from that… they had me kept in a tower to the north…"
Gilbert smiled. "Like the Princess Rapunzel…?"
Roderich looked at him before giving a heart-warming smiled, almost shy in contrast to Gilbert's.
"Ja… but without the hair…"
"Not many people know of that story anymore…"
"When I was first locked away, a man used to come and read to me… he taught me how to read and play music… He made it easier to stay there… but he stopped coming to visit seven years ago…"
"What was his name…?"
"He never told me… but he had gold hair and green eyes…"
"Hey… that was my father…"
"It was…?"
"Yeah… he used to be the Saviour, but he just disappeared one day… that explains why he stopped visiting you… He had an heir take his place, but the new Saviour never really shows themselves."
"I don't like him…"
"Yeah… he's kind of extreme on the punishment side of things… The land is completely hectic now and I swear he sees everything as evil…"
"What do you mean…?"
"Well… Well just last week, I saw a man executed for stealing his neighbour's cow… but even that neighbour pleaded before and after to say he was helping him march his cattle across the stream."
"… that's stupid…"
"Tell me about it…" Gilbert sighed. "So… what happened after my father stopped visiting you…? You clearly just didn't stay there…"
Roderich look at his hands. "The new 'Saviour', is that what you called him…? Well… he ordered me removed from the tower…. I thought it was a blessing… but he took me somewhere where there were no windows or daytime or night time…"
"What happened there…?"
Roderich looked back up at him before frowning and rolling over so his back was to the German.
"It hurt."
/
Gilbert's life had assumed a daily routine. It had been three months since he had met Roderich. They spoke no more on the topic of the painful place, and they spent morning till evening talking.
Whatever the new Saviour had put the brunette through was apparently over. He had nothing to do and was bothered by no one. During the day time, Gilbert walked around the gardens with him, or took him to the great library where books from the long ago past were kept secret from everyone the Saviour had deemed unworthy. Roderich was an exception apparently, and as his guard, so too had Gilbert been given full access.
Today however, they were walking through the garden. It looked as if it might rain, but not for a while, if Gilbert was lucky.
He smiled warmly as Roderich sat on the edge of the fountain, dipping his fingers into the water, the colourful fish swimming up and nibbling at the ends of the digits.
The German chuckled softly as he walked over and sat beside him.
"Do you suppose the stories are true?" The smaller man asked, not taking his eyes off of the fish as he dragged his fingers through the water, making rippling patterns.
"What stories…?"
"The stories about someone they're calling the Shadow King…?"
"Depends what you've heard…"
"I heard… I heard one of the women in the kitchen say that he is righteous whereas the Saviour is in the dark… they say that the befuddlement of names gets people confused and follow the one with the prettier title…"
Gilbert shrugged and smiled. "It could be true. But you should tell no one else about what the kitchen maids say or they'll be accused of treason…"
"I know…" Roderich gave a small smiled as he looked up at Gilbert. "I've just been thinking… perhaps they're right… perhaps if given the chance… we should go to him…"
The albino blinked. "… We…?"
Roderich gave him a look like it was the stupidest thing. "Of course… I'm not going without you…"
Gilbert smiled and went to answer, when there was a roll of thunder and without warning, a great torrent of rain swept over, turning their surrounding's grey and it was hard to see which way to go through the miles and miles of garden and hedging and masonry. The nearest shelter was a small garden shed, which Gilbert led Roderich over to for fear he'd catch a cold.
"Damn…" Gilbert said as he closed the door, the rain humming loud yet dull around them.
Each of them were thoroughly soaked to the bone and Roderich shivered. Worried, Gilbert searched around the shed and managed to collect a towel and a blanket. He'd have to thank the gardener and apologize later.
He put the brunette's glasses on the bench and began to towel off his hair, and like a shy child, Roderich sat there quietly and let him do it.
When he was satisfied, Gilbert smiled at him, towel covering half of the smaller man's face.
"Better…?"
"… A little."
Gilbert smiled again, this time with a little chuckle. Roderich blushed as the German looked at him. And then half out of nowhere, Gilbert leant forward and pressed his lips to Roderich's, sending a chill up the slighter male's spine.
Roderich didn't retaliate. In fact, he kissed back, parting his lips and letting Gilbert slide his tongue into his mouth, teasing his own.
Curious, the Austrian's hands wandered down over Gilbert's chest and stomach, feeling the strength of masculinity coiled within. At his waist he gather the material of the other's shirt and began to drag it up. Within moments it was on the floor.
He flinched and held onto the albino tight as he felt a warm hand disappear beneath the cold wet gown he always wore, leaving a trail of goose bumps along the inside of his thigh. That hand lingered a short while around his hardening manhood before leaving its caresses along his hip, reaching around behind him. And then he felt fingers push up inside him, a broken whine escaping him as he broke the kiss to hide his face in the crook of Gilbert's neck.
Mere minutes later, Roderich was in the other's lap, looking down on him with hazy vision as he rose and fell, his hands splayed out on his chest for support.
In turn, Gilbert looked up at him, eyes drinking in the sight. He knew, through the lust and passion that had thickened the air of the shed, that he loved this man and he would do anything to protect him.
Later, they lay naked as the day they were born in each other's arms, listening to their breathing as the rain continued on outside. The blanket they'd found kept them warm enough and their clothes were draped over the edge of the work bench to dry.
"… Gilbert…?" Roderich whispered after many moments of silence had passed.
"Ja…?"
The German shifted a bit, turning on his side so he could face Roderich, red eyes concerned.
"… Experiments…"
"Hm…? Experiments?"
"Yes… in that room they kept me… they did experiments on me… they cut me open and sewed me shut again… they put needles and things in my skin and when they wanted me to speak and I wouldn't… they… did things… torture… rape… anything they had to…"
He looked up to the man he had given himself to, praying that he would not be disgusted. Gilbert said nothing, but a warm kiss to the forehead and the tightening of his arms around him told him everything he needed to know.
/
"What talk is this bruder?" Ludwig look down on his brother who was basically pleading with him. He'd just returned from the palace, early for once, and had told him everything he dared to.
"West… we have to leave. Whether to join the Shadow King or to go into hiding."
"We can't abandon our father's dreams bruder."
"But what gain of it is there? What have we gained from it except to be put out of our home and with the rest of the soldiers…? And you especially, you know that Feliciano is with the Shadow king… You have a baby over there bruder and if the Saviour finds out you'll both be burnt!"
Ludwig frowned, sighing as he hid his face in his hands, elbows resting on his knees. He had courted Feliciano, by awkward means of course, when he was younger. At sixteen, he was already tall and well-built, a good warrior. In due time he had hoped to marry the younger male. But the Saviour had made it near impossible for any soldier to wander near the lands of the Shadow King without order. He hadn't seen him in one moon off of a year… And he'd received news not long ago that the boy had conceived a son from their last encounter. It was his weak point… he'd never met his young son, yet he loved him dearly all the same.
Sighing, the younger brother gave a tired look to the elder.
"Tell Roderich to be ready to leave in one moons time… we're going to the Shadow king…"
"Danke, West!" The albino yelled happily and hugged his 'baby' brother who merely sighed in annoyance yet smiled for care of his brother.
/
"We leave tomorrow…" Gilbert said softly as he walked the library with Roderich. The brunette smiled up at him in his gratitude.
"Thank you… are you and your brother ready?"
"Yes… we've collected enough provisions and three horses over the past month… the hardest part was keeping them hidden. But we've pulled it off…"
"Then I suppose you'll be too occupied to stay with me tonight?"
"On the contrary, West said it would be best… we have to rise before the castle does though…"
Roderich nodded and smiled and they ceased their talk as the advisor to the Saviour walked past, sneering at them. And then the worst possible thing happened.
Roderich stumbled and his body heaved before he threw up. The advisor stopped and watched curiously as Gilbert tried to help him up, panicking slightly as he vomited again and again.
Later, he was pacing outside Roderich's room. The physician was in there, along with the Saviour. The advisor smiled somewhat triumphantly during the whole examination. He knew something Gilbert didn't and he whispered his knowledge and suggestions into the ear of his superior.
After a while, the door opened and Gilbert stopped pacing. Four soldiers came out along with the advisor.
The fat man addressed him.
"Gilbert Beilschmidt, you and your brother are hereby under arrest and shall be put to death tomorrow at dusk for heresy for the condemnation of a child bearing male…"
Gilbert stared at him incredulously. When a man finds out he is to be a father, he was to whoop for joy then wonder how the hell he got into this.
But with four soldiers coming towards him it would not be so.
Then, from within the room, he heard a scream of pure agony. It was Roderich… still precious to the Saviour somehow… they were purging his body of the child which had only begun to grow.
Gilbert now gave his own screams, trying to get away from the soldiers, blind with rage. That rage made him forget who he was and they subdued him easily, dragging him to the prisons…
He was thrown into a cell, by this time having acquired a nasty bruise on his forehead.
The cell door was locked with a creak and he was left to his own, pacing the room furiously before the blow to his head made him dizzy and he sat down on the wooden seat chained to the wall.
Minutes later, the doors were opened again and Ludwig stepped through, calm in all of this… he looked to Gilbert with a gentleness in his blue eyes and after they closed the doors, he walked over and sat down beside him.
"They cut it from him Ludwig…"
"I know bruder…"
"I'm sorry… for all of this."
"Don't be…"
"But… now you have no chance of seeing Feliciano OR meeting your son… because of me bruder."
"Gilbert, calm down… stay focused. I sent a message to Feliciano a week ago… If we aren't at the plains by noon tomorrow, he'll know…"
Gilbert frowned, glaring at the ground. "So that's it then… we give up…?"
"This coming from the one who was apologizing for the dead end."
"What are you going on about…?"
"If you come to a dead end what did Vatti always tell us to do?"
"West, you're mad…"
The blonde smiled, a little sad for the state, but confident. "Climb the wall…"
/
It was around midnight. Gilbert was pacing again, ignoring the dizziness. Ludwig said he should sleep and conserve his energy, and hence the younger slept for the most part, peacefully.
"Gilbert?" The albino frowned at the whispering voice he recognized and looked around, until he saw a boy at the cell window. It was Toris.
"What are you doing here…?"
"Passing on a message…" He held something through the bars and Gilbert reached up, taking it from him. It was a cloth, which was wrapped around something. He opened it and there was a book. On the front printed in bold gold lettering was written, 'Rapunzel'.
"Roderich is alive… for the most part he is well… he has a small fever from the removal… but he says to stay strong. He says he loves you and to look to the north."
Gilbert went to ask what the hell the last part meant, but with a small smile, Toris was gone.
He frowned and looked back down to the small novel he now held.
"Look to the North?"
/
Dusk of the next day was fast to approach. They were silent as they were marched up to the pillars they would die tied against. The entire present crowd knew them well and there was more a look of sorrow than an honest jeer.
Solemnly they were tied to the pillars, and Ludwig gave his brother an encouraging look.
Torches were carried over as their charges were read out. They'd miraculously accumulated over night.
Gilbert had assaulted several chamberlains. This was news to him… he must have done it in his sleep. And Ludwig was charged of assisting heretics and other criminals as well as plotting against the Saviour with the Shadow King.
Both brother's stood there solemnly. To the side, above them, Gilbert could feel a pair of pained violet eyes watching him from a window. But he dared not look. He instead, followed as he'd been told and looked straight ahead. He looked north.
He blinked when he felt the place around his feet grow warm and then hot… he looked down and their he saw the greedy flames growing and already licking at his skin and clothes.
He glared at them before ignoring it to the best of his ability and looking north in determination to stay true.
Then the ground began to tremble and shake. People backed away and scattered in fear as the oiled wood around the brothers' feet fell away and the fires left them be.
The soldiers around them drew their weapons, suspicious of magic of some sort and were ready for their enemies. And enemies there were.
At least twenty horseback soldiers burst from the earth, dirt and rock flying everywhere. Gilbert was completely bewildered and he looked to Ludwig. The blonde however was entirely calm as one earth rider in particular leapt from his horse and began cutting his bonds.
"Vatti?" Gilbert exclaimed as his father removed his ropes and pushed a sword in his arms.
"Reunion for later my sons. Go and get your lover Gilbert… you have twenty minutes before we have to leave."
Gilbert nodded and looked up to the window where he knew Roderich was. The glass panes had shattered, but the iron frames were flung open. Roderich stood with his arms outstretched, glowing green balls of light surging from within his palms and encircling him in a shield. A white green electricity crackled along his skin.
He was an elemental. And earth elemental. He'd carried the horsemen through the earth and brought them back up. Gilbert wished to stand in awe of the beauty of the fabled magic. But the situation was dire and he ran over to the wall, climbing easily up the step like stonework of the vine covered castle. In very little time, he was climbing through the window.
Roderich smiled when he made it through and the lights and electricity vanished and he lowered his arms. Gilbert smiled and kissed his cheek.
"Now I see why the Saviour deemed you so precious."
"That's great Gilbert, but we have to leave now… I'll explain everything when we're free."
The albino smiled and took his hand and began to lead him toward the door when an inclination of pain from the brunette stopped him in his tracks.
He observed him closer still. He was doubled over and beneath the white cloth of his gown he could see angry red cuts, roughly sewn together. And the smaller was sweating and pale… he had a fever which had much grown since of Toris' report.
"Roderich… don't worry… I'm getting you out of here…"
He scooped the smaller up bridal style and carried him out of the room, hurrying as fast as he could. They were out without encounter and his father and brother brought a horse over for him. He mounted and Roderich sat behind him.
"Time's up bruder." Ludwig said, and smiled.
"Give the sod a bloody chance to catch his breath…" Another blonde male said, riding up beside them. His eyes were bright green and he looked to be Gilbert's age.
"Gilbert, this is Arthur… he's the Shadow King…" gilbert's father smiled proud and both the albino and Roderich were amazed at the youth of someone who was supposed to bring great change to the world.
But it was a time of urgency that they were in and pleasantries were stowed away for later.
There had not been a single casualty of the horsemen and twenty-two horses turned and galloped away from the Saviour's castle, disappearing into the forestry.
Gilbert had his eyes set on the trees. They were so close. So close to freedom.
And then a well-aimed arrow to his horse's flank ruined that for them.
The creature whinnied in agony and tripped, it's two riders flung from the saddle. They could spare no remorse for the sorrowful creature.
Desperate like a wild animal wounded and trying to escape a hunter, Gilbert grabbed Roderich's arm and tried to pull him to his feet, begging and pleading with him to continue. His cheeks were wet with the tears that ran so freely because when Roderich tried to stand, he stumbled. His ankle was broken from the fall.
"Gilbert, just go!" Roderich screamed at him, his own tears of pain making their journey.
"I'm not leaving you here." Gilbert said, his tone pleading.
"I'll be alright Gilbert… they'll kill you if you stay…"
Gilbert looked at him with an agonisingly sorrowful face. The saviour's foot soldiers were fast approaching.
Gilbert gave in to Roderich's own pleading gaze and set him down near a tree.
"Don't fight them… stay here and I'll be back for you…"
"Promise…?"
"I promise…"
Gilbert smiled, fear showing, and they shared one more very brief chaste kiss, before the albino found himself tearing through the forestry, as fast as his legs could carry him. He'd been left behind by the other horsemen, but it wasn't long before his absence was noticed and his brother appeared on a horse, pulling him up behind him and going back after the others.
"Where's Roderich…?"
"Wait till the ride's over! I'll explain everything…"
/
That battle of a mere twenty minutes came to be known as the battle of Taru'uk. Translated from ancient language into, Treachery of Stone.
And that was when Gilbert was seventeen. Now he was a young man of twenty-one… Five years since that battle and he had failed his promise to Roderich as of yet. But by god, he would strive to fulfil it no matter how long it took.
Others who heard it said it was impossible dreaming of a fool.
He said, "When you come to a dead end, climb a wall."
/
There we are… I went through a spurt of writing non-stop for this story and then I just got lost at one point… I knew where I wanted to go and such, I just lost my gist. Anyway. Two weeks of exams and a writing competition later and I found my gist again. Here is the finished product and I hope you enjoy it.
This is Gilbert and Roderich's story, with a twist of Ludwig's. I didn't go into much detail on Luddy himself because his and Feli's story isn't one I believe important to the story. But this way I was able to give a clear enough outline of it so that you knew where and how they stood and what roles they play in this story.
But yes, Roddy and Gil play a larger role… however their happy ending is not so certain.
I love all you guys and can't wait to hear what you think of this chapter.
PrussianMongrel