"When you were but young lads, you swore your fealty, your pride and honor to me. I call all you on all debts and promises of allegiance!"
All eyes of the Iceni fell upon Boudica. In her, in their queen, lay the hopes of an entire empire. No one wanted to admit it, but Dun Aengus was the last, true stronghold of the Iceni. If that last fortress fell, their entire way of life fell to the invading Romans. Nothing would be left of the once proud people that occupied the Aran Islands.
Boudica looked down from the breeching wall, to her people. "This is our last stand. Our last chance to drive back the foreign bastards and the Praetori. This is it." The woman glanced over her shoulder, to the faint glowing against the hills. "This is all we have left." The queen blinked back tears. "I will not submit."
"My sword is yours." One of the Thirteen took to a knee before Boudica.
She shook her head serenely, smiling coyly. "No, dear Wallace. Your sword belongs to the Romans. Were it not for them, you would not fight. You should return the favor by bringing your steel directly to them."
The Iceni let up a cheer.
Mairi leaned close to her twin brother, whispering into his ear. "Do you think we stand any chance against these dogs?"
"Not a prayer."
xxxx
"Hey…"
Nycole approached Sakaki slowly. It had been days since the empath had been able to work closely alongside the man, keeping his emotions in check through her own gifts. The girl had barely any idea what state of mind and focus the man was in. He needed help in meditation to keep his own powers in control.
Sakaki turned, glancing over his shoulder to the empath. "Hi."
Nycole didn't know what to say after all that had happened over the last few weeks. Over the past months, Sakaki had slowly watched his life being taken away from him. Now, in that foreign land of Ireland, Haruto had lost every last scrap and remnant of his previous life as an STN-J hunter. The girl felt terrible for everything that had happened over the last weeks, for everything Sakaki had to witness.
"How are you?" he asked.
At any other time, the question would have seemed strange and out of place. But neither had really seen one another in a few days at the least.
Nycole shrugged. "Alright, I guess."
"Wanna go for a walk?"
xxxx
The hills swelled, growing larger as if cresting like waves. Hundreds of thousands of Romans and Praetori loomed on the horizon, climbing to the top of the rolling hills. They stood, looming down over Dun Aengus. These were not the disorganized dogs of the Praetori. No, those traitors fell into neat ranks along the dark rows of Romans.
Thousands of horses; what seemed like millions of soldiers.
Then, there were those lumbering beasts. They were massive, bulky creatures, moving on stocky legs. They were slow, but looked powerful, like giant demons. Their huge ears flapped. Long tusks, like teeth, swung this way and that on their heads menacingly. Boudica had heard rumors of such creatures, loud, trumpeting beasts from far away lands to the south, beyond great seas and mountains. Elephants, they were called. Powerful animals with the strength and body weight to crush a human just as easily as a bug. They could topple great walls and towers with a single charge.
And, now, they had come to Dun Aengus.
Mairi held her bow with a clenched fist, feeling the strength of the horn in her hand, wrapped in leather. "How much do you think the ground will rumble and quake when we fall one of those?"
"Focus, Mairi," Boudica ordered under her breath.
Drums beat. They sounded again and again, thumping out like one, massive heartbeat. It was the heartbeat of an invading army, ready and poising to conquer the last shreds of resistance. Dun Aengus was but a speck.
Merric squeezed his sister's shoulder, readying himself for battle. "We should have left while we still had the chance."
"Quiet, Merric," his queen snarled.
Mairi drew in a breath, holding it and licking her lips, drawing her bow as far back as she could. The string vibrated slightly, humming under the tension. That faint, subtle note rang up the girl's arm, quivering and trembling softly. It was a pure, perfect pitch, singing sweetly in Mairi's muscles and tendons.
"Allow her to concentrate."
xxxx
Amon had to keep moving.
This didn't feel right. Not anymore. Nothing felt right. He didn't even feel like himself. Amon blurred, feeling himself fading into the story of Mairi and Merric. Nothing felt the same anymore. Up was down. Down was up. And the future had become the past. The entire world moved so fast, and, yet, not at all.
Amon didn't understand.
He could see these things, such terrible things, in his mind. He could remember. He didn't need Nycole's tale anymore. Somehow, the man knew exactly how the story ended. It was almost as if the former hunter remembered another life, a life he had never lived nor known anything about before Nycole's tale had begun. And yet, it was only a story, a fabrication based off of the life of the Celtic queen Boudica and her war against the Romans. Or, was it?
"Hey! Watch were yer goin'!"
Someone bumped into Amon, shoving him back harshly, breaking his train of thoughts. His revorie shattered, breaking upon the world into thousands of delicate, crystalline pieces, each glittering more perfectly and brightly than the last.
"I have to be sure."
xxxx
They were coming down now.
For three years since the Romans had first set foot upon the ancient homeland of the Iceni, coming to the mainland by boat, Boudica had watched them come. The Romans had come to the great walls of the Dun Aengus only five times since then, ever weakening their defenses. They mostly allowed the Praetori to attack, to nibble and peck at what remained of the once proud empire.
When her husband died, the Romans came for her. Their general offered Boudica riches beyond her wildest dreams, lands, houses. All the Romans asked was that she give in peacefully and allow them to take her people. Boudica refused. She and her sisters, Mairi included, were brutally raped before the Iceni.
The sort of diplomacy favored no good will.
After that first time, they came back, again and again, shoring upon the walls of Dun Aengus, pushing further and further. The Romans had yet to actually breech the wall and enter the city, but that didn't mean they wouldn't this time, especially with the elephants on their side.
Boudica shook her head, wondering if, this time, after three years, she would have to surrender to the Romans.
Mairi held the arrow, glaring down the long length of the shaft. "Boudica, your signal?"
The queen watched with a predatory gaze as the Romans just began their descent, slowly marching across the moor. It was agonizingly slow, as if every moment were drawn out to increase their enemies' fear and worry. Boudica wished they'd just get it over with and charge the walls of Dun Aengus.
But these Romans were not the bloodthirsty, brash creatures the Praetori were. These were pure and true, soldiers to the very end. They were probably even enough to kill all of the Thirteen warriors. These were thoughts Bodica didn't savor, but knew she had to admit. A queen always had to be honest to herself, above all others. These Romans, with their tempered shields, flashing swords, and ordered lines, seemed too strong, too powerful for the Iceni rebels.
"Your orders?" Mairi called, impatient now.
The queen closed her eyes, hearing the thunder of the approaching calvary.
"Boudica?" Mairi breathed, still holding her triple shot. "You need to give the order, now."
The queen drew a deep breath, the last one she'd be able to take before battle. It didn't matter how much the woman wished this war would be over, or how much she prayed the Thirteen could destroy the Romans. Yes, her Warriors were powerful, but the ages of glory in the Iceni were long lost. This was the last stand, and Boudica had to acknowledge that simple fact. This was the end of her people, perhaps even the Thirteen themselves.
"LOOSE!"
xxxx
Sakaki laughed.
It was so good to hear him laugh after so long of quiet solemnity from the man. Nycole had longed to listen to that jovial sound, to feel the bubbling emotional sensation that went with it. Especially from Sakaki. Haruto still had the liveliness and energy of youth, fresh and fun. It was something that Nycole often missed, especially in those dark days. They had strolled for hours, wandering Dublin, meandering about the city, joking all the way and trying to just have a good time.
It worked.
Sakaki found himself swinging like a child again, in the middle of a park, while Nycole swung beside him. They laughed and giggled, flopping down onto the local soccer field, into the soft, emerald grass. The pair danced the entire morning before realizing, as the sun grew warm and afternoon settled in.
Then, they returned to the flat.
Nycole put the key in the lock, pausing to look at Sakaki. "Y'know, this was fun. I think we needed this."
"I agree."
The empath turned the key and eased open the door, saying, "I think we…."
A wave of dark energy cascaded over Nycole, stopping the red head dead in her tracks. She froze, as shivers raced up and down her spine, trembling. Every last one of her coppery red hairs stood on end.
Robin's voice called out bitterly. "Where is Amon?"
But even Nycole had no answers.
xxxx
:sigh: 'nother day, 'nother chapter. FYI- Got my car back. Scweet!
