(Sorry for taking so long on the update! I was waiting until after the holidays to put this up. Once again, thanks to Saint theFGnat for the amazing translations!)
James forgot to breathe.
There was something twisted in Samuel's eyes, his face triumphant with sinister glee. James felt the muzzle of the gun rest in between his eyes, the cold metal sending a shiver down his spine. James wondered if he could shout loud enough to alert Avis and the Calvary. Even though James knew that this would end with him dead at Samuel's feet, the ones he had fought to keep alive will get to safety. Heart in his throat, James glanced to his left to see if he could catch a glance at the Calvary. Instead, the muzzle dug further into his forehead.
"Don't move," Samuel growled. "Or the girl dies."
"You wouldn't dare," James growled back. The gun briefly lifted, only to smash into the side of his head. James fell to the ground, except this time, he was ready and healthy enough to fight back. He pushed off of the ground to tackle Samuel's legs.
Samuel went down with a yell, the gun flying from his hand and into the bushes. James dodged a punch, fighting to pin his former friend on the ground. Samuel squirmed out from under James, an explosion of pain radiating from his side as Samuel's foot landed in James's ribs. Shaking his head to clear it from the pain, James scrambled to his feet to face a now armed Samuel.
There was something inhuman in his eyes as they panted at each other. There was a dagger in Samuel's clenched hand, leaving James once again defenseless. Samuel gave a bark in German, his face sinister. Heart racing, James watched as a number of German soldiers stepped out of the trees. It dropped to his stomach as a furious whinny rang out, a very familiar whinny.
Topthorn was led out first, nervously tossing his head. A soldier had Avis, her arms pinned behind her. She was fighting the best that she could, but she was caught. Joey was last, with several soldiers trying to contain the livid animal. The horse's ears were pinned back, teeth flashing as he tried to kick, bite, and shake off the humans holding on to him.
"I think I'm going to kill that bloody animal first," Samuel spat, accepting his fallen gun from another soldier. "Then I'm going to have her watch you die. Slowly, painfully, gasping for your last precious breaths of air. She'll watch you fade away, helpless to use her oath as a nurse to save you. Hopefully that will teach her the lesson of not falling for a marked man. One marked for death that is."
A shout drew their attention. To James's surprise, he watched as the soldier holding Avis stumble back, blood gushed from his broken nose. Avis knew exactly where to hit him, her knowledge of the human body allowing her to take on the much bigger soldier. To James's continuing surprise, Avis pulled the soldier's weapon, expertly taking control.
"Waffen runter," she ordered. As the men stared at her, fury lined her face. "Ich habe gesagt Waffen runter!" They nervously looked at Samuel, who calmly nodded his head. Satisfied, Avis rounded on Samuel. "Lass James los, und dann lass uns zufrieden."
"Und warum sollte ich das machen?" Samuel hissed. "Lass die Pistole fallen, Mädchen. Bevor sich noch irgendjemand verletzt."
"Wie du?" Avis smiled, aiming for Samuel's head. She didn't see one of the soldier's sneaking up behind her.
"Avis!" James shouted. She turned just as the soldier struck at her. James started to rush to her side, but found a blade at his throat. Avis skillfully downed the soldier that had struck her, spinning back around to point the gun back at Samuel. Her eyes went wide as she saw the blade ready to slit James's throat.
"Lass die Waffe fallen, Fräulein," he ordered. "Oder du wirst mit anschauen dürfen wie dein Liebhaber einen langsamen, qualvollen, und grausamen Tot erleidet."
"Fass ihn an und bringe dich um," Avis started to look worried. James gave a gasp as Samuel pressed the blade into his skin.
"I am killing him one way or another," Samuel suddenly switched to English. "It is up to you how he dies. The humane way between the eyes…" Samuel waved the gun. "Or you will watch me take his life ever so slowly, listen to him beg for mercy, plead for death. Just as you might not be able to handle the pain any longer, I will leave him so you can watch him draw his last breath. Then you will go back with me to face your father you Schlampe."
"No Avis!" James shouted. Samuel smacked him with the gun again.
"Let him go," Avis ordered, her hand unwavering.
"Choose, Fräulein," Samuel growled. "Quick and painless, or drawn out?" James could feel something sliding down his throat, and he realized that it was his own blood. His eyes pleaded with Avis to run, to get away, leave him behind.
"Avis, run, save yourself… ah!" James pleaded, before Samuel yanked his head back into a painful position. White-hot pain shot through his limbs, his mind racing on a plan to distract Samuel so Avis could get away.
"Shut up, Captain," Samuel sneered at him. "Get on your knees. On your knees. Knees! Now!" Samuel flung James to the ground, grabbing his hair to expose his neck to the blade again.
"Why are you doing this?" James tried to buy them time. "Let her and the horses go, its me you want. Please, just let them go and you can have your way with me." Samuel released his grip to come into James's field of view. His eyes glittered maliciously, licking his lips in anticipation.
"Are you, are you pleading to me?" Samuel laughed. "Are you seriously begging for their lives? Trading your life for theirs, how heroic. The gallant captain, coming to the rescue of the fair maiden…"
The click of Avis drawing back the hammer of her weapon caused Samuel to glance at her with a leer. He gave an eye roll before glaring back down at James again.
"… the, well endowed woman pointing a pistol at my head," he growled, throwing a glance at the confident Avis. "Along with his sidekick the horse." Joey gave a snort. "But this story won't have a happy ending. The hero will die at the hands of the villain and, this time, the bad guy will get the girl."
"Good always triumphs over evil, don't you know that?" James growled. "Avis, shoot him!"
"Ah ah ah," Samuel scolded, putting himself between James and Avis. "You'll have to shoot him to shoot me, Fraulein. Are you willing to risk that?"
"Shoot him!"
"Will you take the risk?"
"Avis! Shoot him!"
"Go ahead, Avis. Pull the trigger. Shoot your lover so you could take me down. Go ahead, take his life."
"Just shoot him!"
"Do it!"
"Shoot him!"
"Do it!"
"Shoot him and save yourself!"
"Haltet die Klappe! Ihr beide!" Avis covered her ears. Samuel barked an order, and two of his men grabbed Avis. She gave a shriek, struggling against her captors as the pistol was snatched from her hand.
James tried to jump up to her aide, but was flung to ground again. He received another kick to the ribs for his trouble.
"You, stay down," Samuel ordered coldly. With bright lights dancing in front of his eyes, James gasped for air as he watched Samuel slowly approached Avis. He drew himself to his knees, breathing through his teeth. Samuel had reached Avis, running a finger along her cheek. She snatched her face away, baring her teeth at him as a warning.
"Fass mich niw wieder an," she threatened.
"Wenn ich dich deinem Vater zurückgebracht have werde ich dich anfassenn wie ich es will," Samuel grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him.
She spat in his face, her eyes dangerous. "Schwein."
Samuel dropped his hand to her throat, his face mere inches from hers. "Vorsicht. Ich würde jetzt nicht dein Leben in Gefahr bringen."
James slowly limped towards Samuel, ignoring the other soldiers. There was only one thing on James's mind: keeping Avis alive and getting her to safety. All he had to do, was to take Samuel down. And he was planning on doing that by any means necessary.
Before he could act, Joey caught his eye. The horse was watching him, and he swore that he saw the horse wink at him. At least someone was on his side. James nodded to the horse, who pawed the ground in response. James raised his combined hands above his head, ready to strike.
Samuel let Avis go, spinning around to sock James in the stomach. James doubled over, dropping to one knee. However, he wasn't out yet. He tackled Samuel's legs, jumping on top of him to punch him in the face.
He could hear the sounds of fighting going on around him, but his attention was on Samuel. James punched Samuel in the face over and over again, letting his frustration take over. Samuel managed to free a hand, lightly punching James back in the face. It wasn't enough to knock James off of him, but did pause him for a moment. It was just enough of a pause for Samuel to get the upper hand. James felt himself being flung to the ground, this time Samuel on top.
James was on the defense, trying to protect his face from each blow. Samuel switched to punching his torso, which allowed James to get a hand around Samuel's throat. Samuel began to choke, fighting to free his throat from James's grip. James flipped over, pinning Samuel under him with now both hands to Samuel's throat.
"You will leave us alone," James growled. "You will let us walk away, and you will not follow."
James slowly let his hands go, sitting up straight to stare down at his gasping, former friend. He got to his feet, still keeping an eye on the downed Samuel. He backed towards Avis and the horses, glancing back at Avis.
"Get the horses," he told her.
"James!"
James turned to see Samuel on his feet, the pistol pointed between his eyes. The fury blazed in his eyes as he wiped blood from the corner of his mouth.
"You, die," Samuel rasped out, drawing the hammer back on the gun.
"James, no!"
James felt himself being pushed out of the way as the gun went off. He heard a small cry as he fell back, catching his wounded rescuer in his arms. He carefully laid the person on the ground, a gasp catching in his throat.
It was Avis.
She looked up at him in surprise, her breath catching in her chest. With a trembling hand, she grasped for James's hand. To his growing horror, he watched as blood blossomed on her chest.
"No," James's voice shook. "No no no no. Avis! No, this isn't happening! Avis!"
"Ich liebe dich, James," he could barely hear her voice, her face turning ashen. "Danke für das Abenteuer. Ich werde immer mit dir sein."
"No," James shook his head, not wanting to believe. "No, Avis, you're going to be fine. You're going to go home with me. You'll be with me forever. We'll grow old together, watching our grandchildren play with the young colts in the field. We'll be together."
Avis's eyes began to close, the grey being hidden by heavy eyelids. "James…"
Her hand went limp in his, a soft sigh escaping her lips. James felt his heart stop, waiting for her eyes to open, her smile to reappear.
"Avis?" he asked meekly. Shaking, he gathered her in his arms, brushing her hair out of her face.
"Avis?" Hot tears rolled down his face as he rocked her back and forth. "Please. Don't leave me. Please. Come back! Avis…" He brushed her cool lips with his, wishing that it would bring her back. It happened in the fairy tales, so why not here? She had rescued him, and this was her reward? It wasn't fair! It wasn't supposed to happen like this!
A sound reached his ears, drawing his attention slowly to Samuel standing nearby. He stared down at them in disbelief, looking between Avis in James's arms, and the warm gun in his hand.
Something cold encased James's heart. His pain, his grief froze into rage. Samuel backed up once he saw James's eyes, anger being replaced by terror. Carefully, James laid Avis on the ground. He looked up darkly at Samuel, cold rage filling James completely. He rose to his feet, locking eyes with his enemy.
"You killed her," James whispered.
"I… I didn't mean…" Samuel stammered. James stalked towards him, not even bothering to control himself.
"You killed her!" James screamed. "You bastard killed her!"
"I didn't mean to!" Samuel shouted, clearly terrified by the change that had overcome James. James grabbed the front of his uniform, snarling in his face.
"The gun is in your hand," James growled in Samuel's face. "You shot her, you killed her!"
James drew his arm back, landing his punch directly between Samuel's eyes. Samuel went down with a cry, but James didn't care. He just didn't care. He jumped on top of Samuel, landing blow after blow on Samuel.
He barely heard the shouting voices, both German and surprisingly English, around him as his swings fell into a rhythm. He couldn't feel anything anymore, just a cold numbness.
Voices in English were shouting at him, but he couldn't make out the words. Hands grabbed at him, pulling him off of the barely conscious Samuel.
"Get off me!" James screamed, fighting against the stronger arms holding him back. They let him go, which gave James the opportunity to look at whomever had come to his rescue.
The two British soldiers looked at him in concern. He could see their mouths moving, but he couldn't understand what they were saying. He ignored them, turning to return to Avis.
He felt as if he were in a nightmare, dropping to his knees and gathering Avis's limp body in his arms. He held her close, numb and disconnected from the rest of the world.
Warm breath against the back of his neck brought him back slightly. Joey had come over, nudging James in the side of the head with his nose. James rested his face against Joey's nose, fresh tears falling down his face and onto Joey's velvety nose. He barely registered two soldiers crouch down on either side of him, looking at him with concern.
"Sir? Sir, are you alright?"
James couldn't focus his eyes on the two men. Deflated, he rested his forehead against her cold one.
"Leave me be."
(Ah, yes. Now you know why I waited until after the holidays to put this up. Sorry. I was crying while writing it, if that helps at all. Will James recover? Is James, Joey, and Topthorn safe?)