Naestra groaned in pain as she felt her wounds slowly mended themselves. Opening her eyes and raising herself up from the simple yet clean bed she'd found herself in, Naestra looked around the large room filled with injured Bretonnian Knights and men-at-arms.

Nurses and healers roamed all around her, aiding the injured to the best of their ability. It wasn't exactly the first time Naestra and Arahan had found themselves in a hospital, be it a proper building or one made on the field after a conflict. Though, she had to admit, it wasn't common they would find themselves staying within a hospital for any real period of time.

Sitting in a chair next to Naesta, was Arahan. Her twin had a number of bandages on her wounds, especially on her leg, but was quietly sitting with a number of branches next to her, as well as a few sticks in her hands. She ran her hands along the branches, causing them to slowly bend and break, straightening and smoothing the edges. The tips slowly morphed into either blue or yellow points as the branches took form into arrows. A slight sheet of sweat covered her forehead as she manipulated the sticks.

She grimaced as Arahan placed the semi-finished arrows into a neat pile next to her. She reached over to a few of the unaltered branches, only to have her hand wacked away by Arahan.

"You need to heal, idiot. Let me handle this, you focus on not dying." Arahan scolded Naestra. Naestra gave her a pained but amused laugh.

"What's this? Arahan telling me to not be an idiot and get myself killed?" Naestra said jokingly. Arahan flicked her forehead in annoyance but said nothing. With a small chuckle, she looked around again, searching for a certain Bretonnian knight. "Do you know where Brandan is?" she asked curiously.

Arahan shrugged, "No idea. The human duke, whatever his name was, came by and had Brandan accompany him somewhere. I was curious and decided to try and follow them put, but the guards said no one is allowed to leave without either a healer's say-so or the lord says otherwise." She scoffed arrogantly, "As if they could even stop me when injured..."

Naestra just shook her head with a smile. "We're not going to start unnecessary conflict, do remember that please, Sister?" Arahan just shrugged once more.

"Before you ask, the girl is around here somewhere. Apparently she told someone she knew basic first aid and immediately got sent to help out. We've been here a few hours, it's almost the afternoon." Her twin quickly mentioned before grabbing a few more branches to mold.

Naestra reached down for her stomach wound, slowly unwrapping the bandage around the wound. A healer had removed her leather jerkin, leaving her upper body covered by a series of bandages over her lesser wounds as well as preserving her modesty. Her arrow wound was deep, and the flesh was severely torn and damaged, Naestra's skin and flesh was slowly and disgustingly closing together. Placing her hand on the wound, the skin began to close more rapidly, though still at a slow pace. Hissing in pain, it took a few minutes to close over, though the flesh under the skin would still need healing, and she cringed under the uncomfortable feeling.

A loud gasp came from somewhere nearby, cause both Sisters to flinch in surprise. Arahan growled as she snapped a few arrows in half by accident, while Naestra groaned in pain as she punched her wound.

"Oh, Miss Naestra, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you like that!" Emery apologised with an embarrassed blush while Arahan angrily tossed her ruined arrows to the side with a scowl.

"Damn it, girl..." Arahan muttered as she picked up a new set of sticks, pointedly ignoring Emery.

Naestra waved forgivingly at Emery, who walked over with a fresh bandage.

The young Imperial was dressed in her regular clothes, though noticeably, there was blood around the rolled-up sleeves. She was also wearing a bloody apron, which was positively covered in blood. Emery's face was noticeably whitened and had a distant look in her eyes despite the embarrassing flash of red across her face, and with practised examination, the girl's hands were trembling as she took short, rapid breathes.

"Emery, Arahan told me you were assisting the healers, though you seem very shaken. Do you need a break?" Naestra asked politely. Emery blinked in confusion before looking down at her hands.

"Oh, um. This is very different from what I've ever seen..." Emery muttered quietly. The Asrai patted the Imperial on the shoulder and pointed to the end of her bed. The girl nodded before sitting down, rubbing her hands together. "I've never seen someone die before, but since agreeing to help here, I've seen at least a dozen soldiers die." She said depressingly.

"Well, get used to it, girl. In this world of ours, many will die around you. Be it trifling conflicts of greed, beasts seeking battle or for dark gods." Arahan offhandedly said as she finished another arrow.

Naestra sighed but nodded in agreeance.

The young girl looked down at her almost closed injury with an awed expression.

"How did you do that? Is that some kind of elf magic?" Emery questioned with wide eyes. Naestra shook her head.

"Just something my sister and I can do to ourselves and each other. Besides, this is just to stop me from bleeding, the internal injuries will take at least a few days to completely mend." Naestra explained. Emery continued to look at her in awe. "Keep this to ourselves, we don't need the attention from the Bretonnians." She said warning.

Emery nodded her head as large door across the room opened up, admitting an injured knight being carried in by the Bretonnian Duke, Folcard, and Brandan. The Questing knight was out of his armour and in his jerkin and trousers, and helping Folcard carry the injured knight to a nearby bed. The lord waved over a pair of healers, that immediately set about removing the man's armour and disinfecting the knight's numerous injuries.

Emery got up and rushed over to them while Naestra slowly follow with a wince. Arahan rolled her eyes, but slid under her sister's arm and helped walk Naestra over to Bretonnians.

Duke Folcard was bandaging a large, devastating slash across them man's chest while a healer applied a tonic to the injury. The other healer and Emery were applying all manner of supplies to the knight's injuries. Folcard looked up at the elves, his piercing eyes raised in mild surprise, before looking back down to assist the healer.

"Ladies, I'm pleased to see you have recovered somewhat. I'd talk but I am a bit too busy at the moment." Folcard said curtly as he held the writhing knight down as a healer pulled an arrowhead from his shoulder. "Hold him down!" The lord ordered as he reached over for something. Naestra stepped forwards as she pushed down on the knight. Arahan sighed and leaned against the wall, keeping out of the way. It took a few, precarious minutes, but eventually the healers and Emery managed to get the man's condition under control and sedated. The Bretonnian nodded his thanks to the dark-haired elf.

"My thanks. He's an old and dear friend of mine." Folcard said tiredly to Naestra with an appreciative nod. "I'll admit, considering what I heard from my fellow Duke, Lord Cassyon of Parravon, I'm surprised an Elf would so willing help to save a human, may I ask for your name?" The Duke mentioned with a bemused chuckle, causing Naestra to smile and shrug.

"My name is Naestra and my sister is called Arahan. To be fair, most, much like my sister, would stand aside and watch." she admitted with a slight blush.

The Duke simply waved her off, "No matter, I should consider myself fortunate that I happened to encounter one of a few elves that would." Beside him, Emery took a deep breath and washed some blood from her trembling hands. Folcard looked over at her and patted her on the shoulder. "And my thanks to you as well, Miss Emery." The girl looked at the Duke with a deep blush.

"Um, thank you, sir..." She quietly responded. The Duke pulled her into an embrace, rubbing her back comfortably.

"I've been told you've made yourself useful these past few hours. I appreciate any aid that I can get in these dark times." Folcard said comfortingly.

Naestra smiled at the two before her while Arahan rolled her eyes and limped around the bed and over to Brandan, who was sitting in a chair behind Folcard and Emery.

"Sir Brandan mentioned you were a kind lord, I'm glad that his words spoke true." Naestra said with a smile.

"'A good Duke must rule his land justly and fairly, from the lowest peasant to the most honourable knight.'" Folcard quoted with a faint smile.


As Naestra talked with the Duke, Arahan sat on an empty bed next to her injured companion. Brandan rolled his shoulder painfully as Arahan made herself comfortable.

"So, what have you been up to then, Brandan?" Arahan questioned with a raised eyebrow. The Questing Knight smirked as he pulled a new bandage from a pile and began to undress his bandages.

"Duke Folcard was asking about the village we passed, as well as any my own experience in Massif Orcal recently." The knight explained. Arahan hummed in response. A silence fell between the two.

"Lady Arahan, about what happened before the ambush..." Brandan began when Arahan shook her head.

"Not now, knight. We can argue later, we have Greenskins to kill first." Arahan said with finality. Brandan sighed but nodded.

As they sat there, Folcard turned around to Brandan and Arahan.

"Sir Brandan, you have my thanks for what you have told me, as well as aiding me here. You should attend to yourself while you are still injured. Lady Arahan, I've been told you refused any aid from my healers. I would ask why you would reject them." Folcard said with an displeased smile. Brandan nodded distractingly as he continued redressing his wounds.

"No need, my sister and I will heal quickly enough, and I don't need some human healer fumbling about around me." Arahan said with a deadpan expression. Folcard scowled and looked over at Naestra, who gave him an apologetic smile.

"My apologies, but Arahan can be rather rude when she's in a bad mood." Naestra explained.

Folcard nodded in understanding.

"So, I have to ask, what's the deal with this knight? Why is he so injured?" Arahan questioned. Folcard rested a hand on the knight's shoulder.

"I had sent him to investigate reports of growing Greenskin numbers in Massif Orcal. He informed me about the growing army, but before I could muster all my forces, the Greenskins struck here, at Montfort. I've spent the last few days constantly fighting back, though their numbers grow every day. They cut off the road to Parravon, but he volunteered to try and break through and inform Duke Cassyon of this threat." Folcard explained. "However, he returned via the river, and thus was ambushed separately from yourselves. I have no idea how we managed to escape with his horse, but he came from the north, where the Greenskin lines are thinnest due to the mountain terrain covering them with far more ease than any other side."

Naestra looked down at the knight with a curious expression.

"Thank Sigmar that he managed to get to the walls without dying then." Emery said quietly, causing Folcard to chuckle amusingly.

"Perhaps it was Sigmar, or perhaps the Lady was determined to see that his duty would be fulfilled." He said with a smile.

Arahan tapped the wall, drawing everyone's attention.

"So, do we have any information worth knowing? My Sister and I will need to know who needs killing to get this over with." the Asrai said with an bored expression.

Folcard's eyes narrowed.

"I never wasn't planning on asking for your aid. It would be unbecoming of me to force you to fight." The Duke said uncertainly.

"No matter, human, we have places to be, and so we need to slaughter these Greenskins until they flee to the hills." Arahan said confidently.

"If you insist, then I will not stop you. I will ask you wait until your unnatural healing is complete." Folcard said, standing up from the bed and walking away with a polite bow to Naestra and Emery.

Naestra sighed as she slowly got up from her own seat, Emery walking over to help her. The two began walking back to the elves' bed as Arahan stood up herself.

She looked down at Brandan, who was still silently bandaging himself.

"Stay well, Questing Knight." Arahan said faintly, before walking off to re-join her sister.


The sun slowly fell over the mountains as night came.

The day had passed with Emery continuing to help with the wounded until they stopped coming in. She was sitting with the sisters as she looked out an open window as the sun began to set. Naestra and Arahan had fallen asleep, and Brandan had drawn up a chair next to her as she checked his injuries.

"You seem ok, nothing looks infected I think, though I doubt you'll be ready for combat for at least a day or two." She said as she finished examined one of the claw marks on his face.

"Thank you, Miss Emery. I appreciate that you taking the time." Brandan said pleasantly. Emery nodded as she reapplied the patch over the small cuts.

The two sat there as Emery pack a few medical supplies away.

"I'm surprise you are already up and walking after just a few hours rest." Emery mentioned as she packed.

Brandan chuckled lightly as he stood up and checked his sheathed sword, "I'm well accustomed to injury, besides, it was mostly smaller cuts and stabbing wounds. My armour took most of it and what got through was nothing major enough. I'll be up and fighting in no time."

The young girl finished packing, and the two left the Sister's to their healing. They made their way through the keep, passing a number of servants and soldiers traveling around. They quickly arrived a guest room that Duke Folcard had given them after arriving.

It was a fairly large affair with a single room, with a pair of beds and two closets splitting off a third of the room at the Questing Knight's insistence, one closet facing the larger side and the other facing the smaller side, while a table and chairs sat in the larger half. An empty armour stand sat in the corner.

As they entered, Emery noticed a note on the table. The Imperial picked the paper up with a curious frown.

It read: There is Greenskin saboteurs lurking around outer wall. Find them or wall will be breached.

Emery looked at the note mindlessly for a second.

"Hmm?" Brandan said as he walked past her. "What's that?" he asked curiously.

She passed the paper to him with a confused expression. The knight looked down and read the note himself. Brandan looked back at her with an equally confused look.

"Do we...what do we do?" Emery asked.

Brandan just folded the note and placed in a pocket of his jerkin, before gesturing for her to follow him.

The two quickly left their rooms as they quickly walked towards the main hall. A pair of foot squires stood guarding the entrance and moved to block the doorway.

"Sorry milord, but Duke Folcard is not seeing anyone at this time." A squire announced as they stopped before them.

"We have vital information that the Duke must see, right now. Tell him that it's from Brandan." Brandan said as he pulled the note from his pocket. One of the squires took the note from him and began to read it. Emery watched the man's eyes widened as he nodded at his fellow guard. The guard opened the door and entered while the first guard handed the note back. A few seconds passed, and the second guard gestured for the two to enter.

Stepping inside, the hall was significantly less chaotic than last time she had came in, with only a dozen knights near the end of the table surrounding the Duke in discussion. The two of them followed behind the second squire as they walked towards Folcard.

"What have you discovered?" He said as they approached. A few of the knights gave Emery an offended look, but said nothing as Brandan passed the note to the Duke. Folcard read the note, eyebrow rising in surprise. He looked over at the two with a suspicious expression.

"How did this come to be in your possession?" He demanded with a frown.

"We found it in our room just now, we had just returned from the hospital." Brandan explained. The Duke's suspicious look did not disappear, but he handed it to one of the knights and said something in Bretonnian. The knight bow and walked passed Emery and Brandan with urgency. "I'll have this investigated, and the guard will be doubled. I trust the word of a Questing Knight, but I do not trust an anonymous note that anyone could have wrote."

Brandan nodded in thanks.

"You may leave now, I'll send for you should I require further assistance room either of you." The Duke proclaimed, and the two bowed in respect as they left the hall. As they exited the hall, Emery turned to face Brandan.

"Sir Brandan?" she asked uncertainly. The young knight looked at her and nodded. "If there are those monsters in the castle walls, are they going to do the same thing as what happened at Mordeau?"

He gave her a confused look. "Mordeau? Oh wait the village?" he asked. Emery nodded in confirmation and Brandan sighed. "I have no idea. I'm of the opinion that Greenskin sorcery was involved, and I've never heard of their saboteurs actually using magic. I believe they will be planting something explosive at the walls to create breaches."

"But...Lady Arahan mentioned those ratmen things..." Emery said questioningly.

Brandan shrugged. "I have heard rumours of these 'Skaven', but I've only heard that they are a swarm of violent creatures. I've never heard about them even having war machines, much less explosives."

Emery nodded, but was conflicted about the knight's words. The sisters seemed to have first hand knowledge of these suppose ratmen after all...


Within a large, patchwork tent, sat the largest goblin that would ever been seen.

Grom the Paunch was sat at a large table covered in custom-made food being devoured by the humongous Greenskin. In the corner, a Night Goblin stood on a large black cauldron, mixing all matter of foul ingredients.

"Oi, Niblet, whens da next servin of grub comin' for Grom!?" demanded the Paunch. The Night Goblin by the cauldron reached down and sampled the stew being made.

"Just a little longa, boss." it replied.

Before Grom could respond, the flap to his tent opened, and a black-clad figure entered.

"Whos are yoo ta be comin' before da great Grom?" Grom questioned as he picked up a massive axe next to him.

"Calm yourself, your immensity. I come to tell you something you should find most appetizing." The figure said with a smooth, masculine tone. Grom's axe wavered for a second only for the goblin to smash aside the table of food.

"Don't yoo be tryin' ta influence da Grom's thinkin'! Say ya piece before yoo get used in da next meal instead." the goblin said angrily as it walked over to the figure. The figure raised it's hands calmed.

"Of course. I came to tell you that within this Castle, are a pair of Wood Elves." The figure explained.

"Get ta the point. Whats so speshual about a pair of pointy 'eaded gits?" Grom demanded.

The figure gestured towards Grom's cauldron.

"They are special because for as long as one lives, they both come back to life because of their special nature. I'm sure that a never ending source of elf flesh sounds pleasing, but with their unique status, perhaps they might have a...unique taste?" the figure offered.

Grom's eyes narrowed at the figure suspiciously, but lowered his axe.

"Aight den. Guessin' dat yoo want deez pointy 'eads out of da way for some scheme of yorz, and yoo want da Great Grom ta do it for ya?" Grom deduced, to which the figure shrugged in acceptance. "Suppose dat Grom might as 'ell see if yoo is tell da truef, but in da meantime, whyz don't we see if ya taste good yerself!"

The great goblin reach forward for the figure, only for it to disappear into shadows

"Damn magicy gitz..." the Greenskin muttered. He turned around and looked at the mess in his tent. "Niblet, get da boyz ta bring Grom a new table...and finish da food!" Grom demanded.

Outside the tent, the figure reappeared with a sigh.

"Filthy beast..."


Hmm...isn't that interesting?

As always, feel free to leave a review, I appreciate any advice you might have, or even just a "hey, nice chapter"