Well, I see you all liked that little scene last chapter :D
khmerboi919: I think the answers to your questions are rather obvious, don't you think? It wouldn't be much of a story otherwise...
Death Scythe X-9: Raven may just kick Heath's ass very soon...
Chaos Falchion: Well I am writing this, so obviously it's not done yet...
And HEY! We got another male reviewer! Woohoo!
KingKazul400: That's probably true, but my story isn't going to go that far into the future. Raven will just have to grin and bear it soon...
And, er...that's not what we're studying in history. We—actually, I'm just going to shut up now. I'd rather not talk about it anymore :/
Millenium Slinky: I sold my fell contract...I didn't get Legault, and you know assassins can't steal and open chests right? I needed someone to do that...mmm, free 25,000G.
O_o Uhm, I wasn't really intending to scare anyone with that scene...I guess it must have been really good if it scared someone...
And now, the big fight scene...
Chapter Eight
Impediment
"Heath!"
Heath crossed his arms and did not look behind him. "What do you want, Raven?" he asked, annoyed.
The group was now staying in Bern Castle. As a reward for helping prevent the prince's assassination, Bern's queen had given them the location of the Shrine of Seals, but she had insisted that the group stay at least one night and rest. After all, they had been up all of the previous night...
Heath had been wandering around, finding some of his old friends. Apparently soldiers had been searching for him after his desertion, but seeing as he had just helped save the prince his friends let it slide. After talking with them, he had been walking around the castle some more when Raven had called him.
When Raven said nothing, Heath turned around, and saw a look of utter hatred on Raven's face. His jaw was clenched, his eyes were narrowed, and his face was dark red. He remained silent.
"If this is about Priscilla—" Heath started, but he was quickly cut off.
"Why don't you listen, dammit?!" Raven shouted.
"Because I want her to be happy," Heath replied, his voice steady but full of anger.
"She will be happy as soon as you leave—"
"No, she will not. I think I'll use her words here," he said to mock him, "She loves me, and nothing you do or say is going to change that."
"You told me there was nothing between you two!" he said through clenched teeth.
"There wasn't when I told you that."
"She doesn't deserve someone like you! You're just—"
"—A fugitive. I know. I've—"
"She doesn't know."
Heath hadn't thought of that, but he quickly dismissed the thought. "Why should that matter? She's just—"
"—the stepdaughter of an Etrurian count," Raven told him, grinning venomously.
Heath's eyes widened.
Raven's grin grew larger as he saw the effect those words had on him. "Well," he said, "you didn't know that, now did you?"
Heath was barely able to speak. He held one of his hands to his forehead. "No...she's not...she can't be..."
"She is. And you know what that means? It means you shouldn't even be allowed to talk to her." Raven laughed. "What do you think she'll say when she finds this out now, hmm?"
It couldn't be true. It just couldn't. Why hadn't he known that before? If she found out that he was a fugitive now...
"You're lying," Heath said weakly.
"I'm not," Raven replied, laughing again. "I guess now you'll listen to me and stay away from Priscilla, huh?"
Heath couldn't take it anymore.
"You're LYING!" he shouted, and he brought up his fist and punched Raven in the jaw as hard as he could.
Raven staggered back, clutching the side of his face, then looked up at Heath with absolute fury in his eyes before charging at him. He tackled Heath, and in seconds, the two were rolling on the floor throwing fists at each other.
The fight lasted little more than a minute. Raven had managed to get on top of Heath and was punching his face when suddenly a warm light enveloped Heath and he felt the pain in his body disappear. He looked behind Raven to find Priscilla holding her staff. On her face was an expression of fury Heath hadn't thought possible from the young woman.
Raven looked up at Priscilla in shock. "Why do you heal him...and not me?" he stammered, unable to believe what had just happened.
"Because you do not deserve it," Priscilla replied, her voice trembling. "I told you, Raymond. You—"
At the mention of his real name Raven lost control. Completely consumed by rage, he pushed Priscilla back against the wall and held her up by her neck, strangling her. Priscilla's furious expression became one of terror as she dropped her staff and her hands flew to where Raven had grabbed her.
"I—am—not—Raymond! I have—"
That was the last straw for Heath. He wouldn't let Raven push him and Priscilla around anymore. He picked up Priscilla's dropped staff and hit Raven across the head with the handle. Raven dropped Priscilla and fell to the ground, unconscious.
Priscilla slumped against the wall, her face completely white with fear and shock.
Heath said nothing; instead, he extended his hand to help Priscilla up. She took it and looked up at him, trembling. She looked ready to burst into tears, but she held them back.
"Come on," Heath said softly. "Let's get back to the room."
The pair walked into the room with Priscilla still trembling. She didn't seem to want to let go of Heath's hand, which she was still holding. Finally, though, she let go and sat down on her bed, saying nothing.
"Are you all right?" Heath asked.
She shook her head, eyes welling with tears. Then she got up and flung her arms around him, sobbing into his shoulder.
"It's my fault...this is all my fault..."
"No it isn't," Heath said soothingly, and placed his arms around her.
Priscilla continued to sob. Heath began to stroke her hair to comfort her, but he realized with a start he had never done that before and quickly stopped.
If it was anyone's fault, he thought, it was Raven's. If he hadn't been here, he and Priscilla would have been left alone...
Maybe I should have just listened to him in the first place, he thought.
No, said another part of his mind. She loves me. I love her. I can't leave her, it will break her heart...
She's the stepdaughter of an Etrurian count. Raven's voice suddenly reverberated in his head.
Heath realized grudgingly that Raven was right. She was a high-ranking noble; she didn't deserve someone like him, a deserter and a fugitive. She loved him...but would she still if she found out his past?
Heath didn't want to take that risk.
"It's all right," he said. "I'll make sure Raven doesn't do this again."
But whether he would do that by force or by compliance, he didn't know.
She looked up at him with tear-stained eyes. "Heath..."
"I'll protect you, I swear it," he continued. "Priscilla, I..."
Priscilla's eyes brightened as if she knew what he wanted to say next.
I love you...
But he trailed off.
He couldn't do it. It would hurt her so much more to learn his past if she knew he loved her.
"I'll protect you," he repeated instead.
"Heath," she said, and he swore she sounded a bit disappointed, "thank you."
The army had almost arrived at the Shrine of Seals, but it looked like it would be difficult to get to it.
Linus's brother, Lloyd, was hell-bent on revenge for his brother's death, and he had called in a huge group of mercenaries to help take care of the three lords. Heath had to do a double take at the size of the enemy force he could see from the air.
The tactician, however, was confident they could win.
Heath plunged his lance into another fighter.
Lloyd had apparently taken "quantity over quality" as his motto. His forces vastly outnumbered theirs, but many of the fighters were inexperienced and easily dispatched. Again, Heath had suffered no injuries besides small cuts and bruises.
Suddenly, he remembered his promise to Priscilla.
Please...please come to me for healing even if you aren't really hurt. Don't just assume it will be fine...
He didn't know if he should.
Priscilla loved being with him. She probably fell more in love with him whenever they were together.
As much as he hated it, he didn't want Priscilla in love with him, as much as he loved her. He couldn't bear to break her heart, and he knew he would if she found out about...his being a deserter...
He sighed and made his decision.
The battle had been won, and the seals on the legendary weapons were broken. The army was celebrating. Heath joined in on the celebration. He needed something to make him feel better.
As he talked with some of the other soldiers, he saw as Priscilla left to their tent. The celebration was breaking up. Heath said his goodnights and went over to his tent.
But he didn't go inside.
He waited outside for several minutes, until he was sure it was all right.
He went inside. Priscilla was asleep on her bed. Good.
Heath went to his own bed and lay down. He couldn't believe he was making sure Priscilla would be able to talk to him as little as possible. And yet...he knew he had to if he wanted her to stay happy.
As he lay down, he looked at Priscilla on the far bed. She turned fitfully in her sleep.
I'm sorry, Priscilla...
I love you...
He fell asleep.
***
Aww...A bit of angsty-ness in this chapter. However, it will be resolved rather quickly, so please don't kill me _
*sighs* We're coming up to the end...
Please review!!!
-TheOneAndOnlyT
khmerboi919: I think the answers to your questions are rather obvious, don't you think? It wouldn't be much of a story otherwise...
Death Scythe X-9: Raven may just kick Heath's ass very soon...
Chaos Falchion: Well I am writing this, so obviously it's not done yet...
And HEY! We got another male reviewer! Woohoo!
KingKazul400: That's probably true, but my story isn't going to go that far into the future. Raven will just have to grin and bear it soon...
And, er...that's not what we're studying in history. We—actually, I'm just going to shut up now. I'd rather not talk about it anymore :/
Millenium Slinky: I sold my fell contract...I didn't get Legault, and you know assassins can't steal and open chests right? I needed someone to do that...mmm, free 25,000G.
O_o Uhm, I wasn't really intending to scare anyone with that scene...I guess it must have been really good if it scared someone...
And now, the big fight scene...
Impediment
Heath crossed his arms and did not look behind him. "What do you want, Raven?" he asked, annoyed.
The group was now staying in Bern Castle. As a reward for helping prevent the prince's assassination, Bern's queen had given them the location of the Shrine of Seals, but she had insisted that the group stay at least one night and rest. After all, they had been up all of the previous night...
Heath had been wandering around, finding some of his old friends. Apparently soldiers had been searching for him after his desertion, but seeing as he had just helped save the prince his friends let it slide. After talking with them, he had been walking around the castle some more when Raven had called him.
When Raven said nothing, Heath turned around, and saw a look of utter hatred on Raven's face. His jaw was clenched, his eyes were narrowed, and his face was dark red. He remained silent.
"If this is about Priscilla—" Heath started, but he was quickly cut off.
"Why don't you listen, dammit?!" Raven shouted.
"Because I want her to be happy," Heath replied, his voice steady but full of anger.
"She will be happy as soon as you leave—"
"No, she will not. I think I'll use her words here," he said to mock him, "She loves me, and nothing you do or say is going to change that."
"You told me there was nothing between you two!" he said through clenched teeth.
"There wasn't when I told you that."
"She doesn't deserve someone like you! You're just—"
"—A fugitive. I know. I've—"
"She doesn't know."
Heath hadn't thought of that, but he quickly dismissed the thought. "Why should that matter? She's just—"
"—the stepdaughter of an Etrurian count," Raven told him, grinning venomously.
Heath's eyes widened.
Raven's grin grew larger as he saw the effect those words had on him. "Well," he said, "you didn't know that, now did you?"
Heath was barely able to speak. He held one of his hands to his forehead. "No...she's not...she can't be..."
"She is. And you know what that means? It means you shouldn't even be allowed to talk to her." Raven laughed. "What do you think she'll say when she finds this out now, hmm?"
It couldn't be true. It just couldn't. Why hadn't he known that before? If she found out that he was a fugitive now...
"You're lying," Heath said weakly.
"I'm not," Raven replied, laughing again. "I guess now you'll listen to me and stay away from Priscilla, huh?"
Heath couldn't take it anymore.
"You're LYING!" he shouted, and he brought up his fist and punched Raven in the jaw as hard as he could.
Raven staggered back, clutching the side of his face, then looked up at Heath with absolute fury in his eyes before charging at him. He tackled Heath, and in seconds, the two were rolling on the floor throwing fists at each other.
The fight lasted little more than a minute. Raven had managed to get on top of Heath and was punching his face when suddenly a warm light enveloped Heath and he felt the pain in his body disappear. He looked behind Raven to find Priscilla holding her staff. On her face was an expression of fury Heath hadn't thought possible from the young woman.
Raven looked up at Priscilla in shock. "Why do you heal him...and not me?" he stammered, unable to believe what had just happened.
"Because you do not deserve it," Priscilla replied, her voice trembling. "I told you, Raymond. You—"
At the mention of his real name Raven lost control. Completely consumed by rage, he pushed Priscilla back against the wall and held her up by her neck, strangling her. Priscilla's furious expression became one of terror as she dropped her staff and her hands flew to where Raven had grabbed her.
"I—am—not—Raymond! I have—"
That was the last straw for Heath. He wouldn't let Raven push him and Priscilla around anymore. He picked up Priscilla's dropped staff and hit Raven across the head with the handle. Raven dropped Priscilla and fell to the ground, unconscious.
Priscilla slumped against the wall, her face completely white with fear and shock.
Heath said nothing; instead, he extended his hand to help Priscilla up. She took it and looked up at him, trembling. She looked ready to burst into tears, but she held them back.
"Come on," Heath said softly. "Let's get back to the room."
The pair walked into the room with Priscilla still trembling. She didn't seem to want to let go of Heath's hand, which she was still holding. Finally, though, she let go and sat down on her bed, saying nothing.
"Are you all right?" Heath asked.
She shook her head, eyes welling with tears. Then she got up and flung her arms around him, sobbing into his shoulder.
"It's my fault...this is all my fault..."
"No it isn't," Heath said soothingly, and placed his arms around her.
Priscilla continued to sob. Heath began to stroke her hair to comfort her, but he realized with a start he had never done that before and quickly stopped.
If it was anyone's fault, he thought, it was Raven's. If he hadn't been here, he and Priscilla would have been left alone...
Maybe I should have just listened to him in the first place, he thought.
No, said another part of his mind. She loves me. I love her. I can't leave her, it will break her heart...
She's the stepdaughter of an Etrurian count. Raven's voice suddenly reverberated in his head.
Heath realized grudgingly that Raven was right. She was a high-ranking noble; she didn't deserve someone like him, a deserter and a fugitive. She loved him...but would she still if she found out his past?
Heath didn't want to take that risk.
"It's all right," he said. "I'll make sure Raven doesn't do this again."
But whether he would do that by force or by compliance, he didn't know.
She looked up at him with tear-stained eyes. "Heath..."
"I'll protect you, I swear it," he continued. "Priscilla, I..."
Priscilla's eyes brightened as if she knew what he wanted to say next.
I love you...
But he trailed off.
He couldn't do it. It would hurt her so much more to learn his past if she knew he loved her.
"I'll protect you," he repeated instead.
"Heath," she said, and he swore she sounded a bit disappointed, "thank you."
The army had almost arrived at the Shrine of Seals, but it looked like it would be difficult to get to it.
Linus's brother, Lloyd, was hell-bent on revenge for his brother's death, and he had called in a huge group of mercenaries to help take care of the three lords. Heath had to do a double take at the size of the enemy force he could see from the air.
The tactician, however, was confident they could win.
Heath plunged his lance into another fighter.
Lloyd had apparently taken "quantity over quality" as his motto. His forces vastly outnumbered theirs, but many of the fighters were inexperienced and easily dispatched. Again, Heath had suffered no injuries besides small cuts and bruises.
Suddenly, he remembered his promise to Priscilla.
Please...please come to me for healing even if you aren't really hurt. Don't just assume it will be fine...
He didn't know if he should.
Priscilla loved being with him. She probably fell more in love with him whenever they were together.
As much as he hated it, he didn't want Priscilla in love with him, as much as he loved her. He couldn't bear to break her heart, and he knew he would if she found out about...his being a deserter...
He sighed and made his decision.
The battle had been won, and the seals on the legendary weapons were broken. The army was celebrating. Heath joined in on the celebration. He needed something to make him feel better.
As he talked with some of the other soldiers, he saw as Priscilla left to their tent. The celebration was breaking up. Heath said his goodnights and went over to his tent.
But he didn't go inside.
He waited outside for several minutes, until he was sure it was all right.
He went inside. Priscilla was asleep on her bed. Good.
Heath went to his own bed and lay down. He couldn't believe he was making sure Priscilla would be able to talk to him as little as possible. And yet...he knew he had to if he wanted her to stay happy.
As he lay down, he looked at Priscilla on the far bed. She turned fitfully in her sleep.
I'm sorry, Priscilla...
I love you...
He fell asleep.
*sighs* We're coming up to the end...
Please review!!!
-TheOneAndOnlyT
