Chapter 4: Devil's Dance.
AN: OK, here's another well-earned chapter for all. Thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter, I love you guys lol. Guess I must be doing something right huh?
Oh, by the way, Lenelle is pronounced; Lan-ell. Just thought you'd want to know.
''I honestly have no idea what the hell you're going on about!'' Van almost screamed in his attackers ear. All it got him was another fist, colliding with his jaw and making a satisfying crunch on impact. Van refused to give them the pleasure of hearing him cry out, like hell he was going to show weakness in front of these pathetic excuses for human beings.
The taller man, the one who's sword was currently located at Van's neck, sighed. Bring his face closer to Van's he almost whispered to the younger man. ''Just answer the question, and I'll consider killing you quickly.'' To ensure his meaning was received he twister the blade of his sword slightly, allowing it to draw blood.
Van couldn't help but flinch as he watched his own blood run down the blade and gather at the tip, before falling in small droplets to the unforgiving stones below.
''I'll ask you again, '' the other attacker spat out the words, obviously impatient. ''Where are the dragon hearts?''
''I told you, we don't gather the hearts. We slay the beast, that is all.''
A hollow, lifeless laugh came from the swordsman's throat. ''Very well.'' He spoke the words softly, even as his left arm rose preparing to slit Van's throat.
Van didn't even try to register what happened in the seconds that followed. His eyes remained closed even as it became obvious that the blade was no longer resting at his neck. He could vaguely hear his attacker's cries and the sound of bodies falling to the ground. But still his mind refused to send a message to open his eyes. Bring a hand to his still bleeding neck he felt himself fall forward, only to be caught moments later by a pair of strong, but fragile arms.
~~~~~
Hitomi cursed as Fanelia's youngest prince fell limply into her arms. Bending her knees slowly, she lowered them both to the ground and turned him slightly so she could see his face.
His eyes were closed but his breathing was slowing to allow his chest to regain its normal rhythm. Moving his hand from his neck she saw that the wound wouldn't be a problem and chanted a small spell to stop the bleeding.
Sighing in relief as the wound began to heal Hitomi twisted slightly and retrieved her sword from the cobbled stones, only to realise that it was impossible to return the shiny blade to it's sheath at her side with the prince resting on her stomach. Cursing softly again Hitomi returned her attention back to the man in her arms.
She knew that, even with her strength, there was no way she'd be able to carry him back to the inn. 'Of all the places to get attacked, he has to chose the place furthest away from the inn doesn't he.' Looking up and down the shadow cluttered alley, Hitomi realised her options were, 1; wake him up and shout at him for being so stupid. Or, 2; use a spell to translocate him to her room at the inn.
The spell itself wouldn't be difficult, but there was no way of telling were he'd land and if there'd be anyone in the room when he did.
Looking down at him again Hitomi sighed, brushing a few stray locks of raven hair from his face she lowered her head and whispered to him gently.
Hitomi growled in frustration minutes later when it became clear that the fallen prince was not going to wake up on his own any time soon, and was ready to backhand him into consciousness. Finally giving up on the soft approach, Hitomi raised her right hand and brought it down again.
Van's eyes snapped open and, straightening his back, he shot out of Hitomi's arms and into a seating position. He brought a hand up to his pulsing cheek. ''HAY!? Huh, what the hell.'' Van trailed off when he saw Hitomi's kneeling form before him. ''How did you, who are, I mean.'' He was silenced as Hitomi rose and returned her sword to it's rightful place at her side.
''You ought to be more careful my hunter.'' She started, looking down at him with a slightly amused expression, ''it seems you no longer have your royal guards to protect you.'' With that Hitomi bowed slightly and walked away, ignoring the attackers 'sleeping' bodies at her feet, leaving Van's confused face to stare after her.
~~~~~
Dilandau watched as Chesta cleaned Van's wound with a small, white cloth. He was trying very hard not to laugh out loud as Van recalled what had happened hours before he had dragged himself back to their supposed 'safe haven' and stumbled in, blood all over his face.
''Then she just walked away.'' Van finished, glancing at Chesta who smiled sympathetically back as he finished up and set about clearing the blood away from Van's chin and neckline.
''They were after Drag energists.'' Dilandau asked, raising an eyebrow.
''That's what they said,'' Van started shooting Dilandau a glare, ''Of course I was more concerned with the blade at my throat at the time, so forgive me if I got a few details wrong.''
''And that's when the little town girl rescued you.'' Dilandau asked, not bothering to hide his smirk.
''Get out Chesta.''
Chesta looked to Dilandau for confirmation and, at Dilandau's nod, left the room and quietly shut the door behind him, relived to be out of the tense atmosphere that always seemed to brew up when the to men came together.
''Don't do that again Dilandau.'' Van snapped through gritted teeth.
''You are meant to be my underling, your highness.'' Dilandau reasoned, with dancing garnet eyes and a smirk to match. ''I would treat my other slayers the same way if they came back from a tavern bleeding from the neck.''
No sooner had Dilandau finished Van had him pressed up against the wall, his lower left arm at his neck. ''I am no ones underling.'' Van seethed with anger, pushing his arm further onto Dilandau's neck restricting his breathing.
The response Dilandau gave was a manic grin that, even in Van's controlling position, sent a shiver down his spine. A feeling he was slowly coming accustomed to when in the pyro's presence. ''That's what you think.'' Dilandau chocked out, enjoying the murderous look he was receiving.
Van took his arm away from his general's neck and stormed out of the old room, but not before grabbing the nearest chair and smashing it into a wall in anger. Leaving Dilandau to gasp for air as his eyes glinted with overpowering egotism.
AN: OK, here's another well-earned chapter for all. Thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter, I love you guys lol. Guess I must be doing something right huh?
Oh, by the way, Lenelle is pronounced; Lan-ell. Just thought you'd want to know.
''I honestly have no idea what the hell you're going on about!'' Van almost screamed in his attackers ear. All it got him was another fist, colliding with his jaw and making a satisfying crunch on impact. Van refused to give them the pleasure of hearing him cry out, like hell he was going to show weakness in front of these pathetic excuses for human beings.
The taller man, the one who's sword was currently located at Van's neck, sighed. Bring his face closer to Van's he almost whispered to the younger man. ''Just answer the question, and I'll consider killing you quickly.'' To ensure his meaning was received he twister the blade of his sword slightly, allowing it to draw blood.
Van couldn't help but flinch as he watched his own blood run down the blade and gather at the tip, before falling in small droplets to the unforgiving stones below.
''I'll ask you again, '' the other attacker spat out the words, obviously impatient. ''Where are the dragon hearts?''
''I told you, we don't gather the hearts. We slay the beast, that is all.''
A hollow, lifeless laugh came from the swordsman's throat. ''Very well.'' He spoke the words softly, even as his left arm rose preparing to slit Van's throat.
Van didn't even try to register what happened in the seconds that followed. His eyes remained closed even as it became obvious that the blade was no longer resting at his neck. He could vaguely hear his attacker's cries and the sound of bodies falling to the ground. But still his mind refused to send a message to open his eyes. Bring a hand to his still bleeding neck he felt himself fall forward, only to be caught moments later by a pair of strong, but fragile arms.
~~~~~
Hitomi cursed as Fanelia's youngest prince fell limply into her arms. Bending her knees slowly, she lowered them both to the ground and turned him slightly so she could see his face.
His eyes were closed but his breathing was slowing to allow his chest to regain its normal rhythm. Moving his hand from his neck she saw that the wound wouldn't be a problem and chanted a small spell to stop the bleeding.
Sighing in relief as the wound began to heal Hitomi twisted slightly and retrieved her sword from the cobbled stones, only to realise that it was impossible to return the shiny blade to it's sheath at her side with the prince resting on her stomach. Cursing softly again Hitomi returned her attention back to the man in her arms.
She knew that, even with her strength, there was no way she'd be able to carry him back to the inn. 'Of all the places to get attacked, he has to chose the place furthest away from the inn doesn't he.' Looking up and down the shadow cluttered alley, Hitomi realised her options were, 1; wake him up and shout at him for being so stupid. Or, 2; use a spell to translocate him to her room at the inn.
The spell itself wouldn't be difficult, but there was no way of telling were he'd land and if there'd be anyone in the room when he did.
Looking down at him again Hitomi sighed, brushing a few stray locks of raven hair from his face she lowered her head and whispered to him gently.
Hitomi growled in frustration minutes later when it became clear that the fallen prince was not going to wake up on his own any time soon, and was ready to backhand him into consciousness. Finally giving up on the soft approach, Hitomi raised her right hand and brought it down again.
Van's eyes snapped open and, straightening his back, he shot out of Hitomi's arms and into a seating position. He brought a hand up to his pulsing cheek. ''HAY!? Huh, what the hell.'' Van trailed off when he saw Hitomi's kneeling form before him. ''How did you, who are, I mean.'' He was silenced as Hitomi rose and returned her sword to it's rightful place at her side.
''You ought to be more careful my hunter.'' She started, looking down at him with a slightly amused expression, ''it seems you no longer have your royal guards to protect you.'' With that Hitomi bowed slightly and walked away, ignoring the attackers 'sleeping' bodies at her feet, leaving Van's confused face to stare after her.
~~~~~
Dilandau watched as Chesta cleaned Van's wound with a small, white cloth. He was trying very hard not to laugh out loud as Van recalled what had happened hours before he had dragged himself back to their supposed 'safe haven' and stumbled in, blood all over his face.
''Then she just walked away.'' Van finished, glancing at Chesta who smiled sympathetically back as he finished up and set about clearing the blood away from Van's chin and neckline.
''They were after Drag energists.'' Dilandau asked, raising an eyebrow.
''That's what they said,'' Van started shooting Dilandau a glare, ''Of course I was more concerned with the blade at my throat at the time, so forgive me if I got a few details wrong.''
''And that's when the little town girl rescued you.'' Dilandau asked, not bothering to hide his smirk.
''Get out Chesta.''
Chesta looked to Dilandau for confirmation and, at Dilandau's nod, left the room and quietly shut the door behind him, relived to be out of the tense atmosphere that always seemed to brew up when the to men came together.
''Don't do that again Dilandau.'' Van snapped through gritted teeth.
''You are meant to be my underling, your highness.'' Dilandau reasoned, with dancing garnet eyes and a smirk to match. ''I would treat my other slayers the same way if they came back from a tavern bleeding from the neck.''
No sooner had Dilandau finished Van had him pressed up against the wall, his lower left arm at his neck. ''I am no ones underling.'' Van seethed with anger, pushing his arm further onto Dilandau's neck restricting his breathing.
The response Dilandau gave was a manic grin that, even in Van's controlling position, sent a shiver down his spine. A feeling he was slowly coming accustomed to when in the pyro's presence. ''That's what you think.'' Dilandau chocked out, enjoying the murderous look he was receiving.
Van took his arm away from his general's neck and stormed out of the old room, but not before grabbing the nearest chair and smashing it into a wall in anger. Leaving Dilandau to gasp for air as his eyes glinted with overpowering egotism.