Disclaimer:I own nothing Fable, not the Princess/Hero/Queen, Albion, or the wonderfully delightful Reaver. It's just for fun, and we do so love fun. =P
Author's Note:Ach! I'm a terrible person! I never meant for the delay to last this long. x_x I have no excuse for why it took me so long to update, although the reasons are that I was lazy, addicted to Fallout New Vegas, Oblivion, Soul Eater, and the Joker, as well as being sick. In any case, I'm hoping that now that I'm approaching the part I've been excited about since I started the story I'll go back to updating regularly... No promises though. _; Anyways! Enjoy the latest chapter!
While she did greatly enjoy wearing fresh clothing, she couldn't shake this nagging feeling that whatever it was Logan wanted to say in his speech wasn't particularly nice. Somehow she doubted he wanted to say something like 'Child labor is abolished', or 'The taxes are being lowered.' Things like that didn't seem to cross his mind, having turned into the ruddy bastard that he had. She scowled, glaring at the ground as she walked through Bowerstone Market. The streets were oddly empty, though this was easily attributed to the fact that Logan wanted to have his 'Royal Address'. Her scowl deepened. It was disgusting that someone like him was the King of Albion. He had no right to sit on that throne if all he was going to do on it was make the peoples' lives miserable. What would their mother think of her son's actions? Was it really possible that Logan was turning into the same type of person who their mother would have fought against? It made no sense... What could his reasoning be? Most everyone has a reason for doing something less than reputable, so surely Logan must also have some reason for his behavior... She shook her head. Thinking about it was making her brain hurt, and she decided that focusing on the task at hand would not only hurt less, but it would also help her obtain answers quicker. Luckily, she saw a familiar face to help with keeping her mind off of such dreary subjects.
"Hello, Ben. Have you heard anything about what Logan's issue is?" she inquired as she approached. Silently, she was thanking whoever would listen that she didn't have to deal with this alone. Ben was a good companion. A bit silly at time, but he had a pretty level head. It was good to have someone like him on her side.
"Nah. Logan's been keeping this to himself. Probably after a dramatic reveal." Ben chuckled, but there was no humor to it. The Princess could tell he felt similarly about this situation. When it came to Logan, no news was good news. She sighed.
"Well, we should probably get in there. We don't want to miss the King's show." She suggested with a grimace.
"Yeah... I think we might've missed a bit of the speech already. You royalty take forever to get ready." This time there was an actual chuckle from the two of them, even if they were half-hearted in the attempt. "Anyways, shall we?" The Princess nodded in response and they both fell silent as they began their approach to the castle grounds. The closer they got, the more prominent the sound of Logan's voice echoing through the eerily empty streets. Try as she might, she couldn't make out anything he was saying. Finally, with a sigh of defeat, she resigned herself to waiting until they were there to find out what Logan was going on about. When they got there, she immediately wished she hadn't come.
"Yes, traitors walk amongst you!" Was the first thing she heard Logan say. She would have found the humor in that comment, if it were under better circumstances. "These traitors would seek a way to destroy our way of life, and would even have you believe that their cause is a noble one. They wear many faces; they may look like your friends, your family, or even your most trusted subjects." At that moment, the Princess felt a pang of panic as she watched a very familiar man being dragged up in front of the crowd on Logan's cue. Only a moment later, Ben also noticed whom had been dragged up front for all to see.
"Swift..." He murmured, his voice strained. Even from the distacne they were at, they could see the blood splattered all over his clothing and skin, though it did little to hide the evidence of the large bruises that could clearly be seen. He looked a right mess, and it only made the Princess hate Logan more to know that it was his orders that led to Swift's treatment. Thinking back to her earlier musings, she decided that Logan was becoming the type of person her mother would have fought against. This caused her to frown as she continued watching the proceedings.
"Major Swift, a respected officer of the military and sworn servant of the kingdom, is one such traitor. He has plotted against us all." Logan glared down at the crowd, as if he suspected all of them of 'betraying' him. The Princess found herself thinking that it was a miracle he hadn't noticed the two of them, but the thought was short-lived as more pressing matters were on the forefront of her mind. She looked at Swift, dread twisting her stomach until it felt like she was going to lose it's contents. Major Swift was a good man. This was not the kind of fate good men were supposed to suffer. It didn't help her feel better to know that this was often the fate of men who fought for the greater good. Life wasn't a fairy tale; you couldn't expect to be rewarded for all of your good deeds, even if you deserved it. Glaring up at the man she once called 'brother', she made a decision; even if Swift didn't get what he deserved, Logan would certainly get what he deserved.
So angry at her brother, she barely heard Logan's words as he continued his rant. She couldn't stop thinking about what she was going to do to him when she could finally get close enough. Was this how her mother had felt about Lucien? Had she thought of every reason why she was going to kill him until it had seared the inside of her mind, leaving a permanent impression? It didn't matter; this was different. Her mother had no connection to Lucien until the night when he killed Rose. She hadn't grown up with him, hadn't known him her entire life. That was why it was even harder to try and forgive him. While having her mother around would have been nice, as she would have been able to gain answers to the questions that now went unasked... Her mother was dead, and those questions would forever remain both unasked and unanswered. It rested upon her shoulders to right this terrible wrong, to avenge those who had suffered, those who had died, because of-
A shot rang out.
The Princess' eyes widened as she watched Major Swift's body drop to the ground. The soldier whom had fired the shot holstered his pistol, and she watched as Logan returned to the castle. She returned her eyes to Swift, and watched as blood mixed with rain water. As she watched, she felt numb. So very numb... She had seen death, and ended more lives than she cared to admit, but never had she seen anything like this. All of the death she had seen, those who had died had a chance. They weren't dragged out in shackles and put down like a dog... They had a chance, unlike Swift, unlike Elliot, and unlike countless others who had crossed Logan. It was wrong...
She was still in shock when Ben spoke, and his angry words barely registered. Her eyes were still wide and fixed upon Swift's lifeless body. Ben repeated himself, calmer this time. "C-... C'mon, we've got to go tell the others." He placed a hand on her shoulder and began leading her away from the crowd, though even this she barely noticed. Just as they were reaching the outskirts of the crowd, Ben turned 'round once more to cast one more glance at Swift. His expression turned sour. "Logan'll pay for this... I don't care if it kills me; he'll pay." His declaration was no idle threat, even the Princess in her dazed state could tell as much, And she managed to pat him on the shoulder sympathetically. She couldn't find any words to say, let alone any that would comfort the man, so they returned to the rebels' hideout in silence.
The numbnessstill felt fresh when they returned to the rebel headquarters and spoke to Walter and Page about what had happened. Even Page, with as much as she hated soldiers of all stripes, was disturbed by the news. As the three of them spoke, the Princess had retreated a ways to think. She let her mind wander in the hopes that she would come to some epiphany about what she had seen, something that would make it less horrible... But nothing helped. She knew that Swift had known the risks of joining in with a band of 'traitors', as Logan had called them, but that didn't stop the thoughts that told her she should have done more to protect the people who were following her. There was a bitter taste in her mouth as she stared at the sewer wall in front of her. Major Swift was dead, and she had done nothing to stop it.
"Are you alright?" She heard Walter ask her softly, drawing her out of her thoughts. She looked at the man whom had been closest thing she had ever had to a father. She was quiet a minute, before running up to hug the large man. In that moment of silence, she had wondered 'What if it had been Walter up there?' She couldn't lose him, because if she did she'd have no one. Sure, there was Ben and Page, but it wasn't the same. Walter was the last of her family, as far as she was concerned. Her mother had been done in by illness, her father had died before she really even knew him, and her brother had died when he turned into the monster he was now. There was only Walter.
"Walter... I should have done something. I-I just stood there... I didn't even try to help..." She was babbling, though she barely realized it. Her brain had partially shut down after witnessing such an act, and it was having some problems starting back up again. She felt so lost, like a small child alone in an unfamiliar city. Placing his hands on her shoulders, Walter looked the Princess square in the eyes.
"If you had tried to save Major Swift both you and Ben wouldn't be here right now. Logan would have had the two of you killed on sight, and Swift's death would have meant nothing." Walter explained, attempting to calm the Princess down. "You can't save everyone."
"But I should have tried! Swift was an ally, a good man, and I just sat there and watched as he was killed!" She shouted, looking exasperated. "What good is being a Hero if I can't even save one man?"
"You're forgetting that there's still an entire kingdom of people to save. You can't let this distract you from the fact that there are hundreds of others who are suffering right now. If you let this one thing stop you, so many others will be left at Logan's mercy." Walter sighed before smiling slightly, "Besides, Swift obviously wanted us to continue; he sent a message to us before... He sent us a message telling us where to go next."
The Princess was silent a moment, contemplating what had been said. Much as she was loathe to admit it, Walter was right. She still had a job to do. Besides, how was she going to keep the promise she made to Swift if she stopped now? Smiling at Walter, she decided that she had to keep moving. "What did the message say?"
"Well, this is Swiftie we're talking about, so it's rather straightforward." Ben piped up, the slightest of smiles on his face, "'You will find allies in Aurora.'"
"That still doesn't make sense to me," Page cut in, frowning, "How can anyone help us there? Aurora is a dead land; there's no one there."
"That's just what we've been told. It's still the best, and only, lead we have." Walter murmured, glancing at Aurora on the map in front of them. It certainly looked as Page had described it; a dead land. The Princess could only wonder how much was there that went unmapped.
"So when do we leave?" the Princess inquired, looking to Walter for an answer.
"Tonight, as soon as it gets dark. You and Ben will go and get a ship while Page and I will keep Logan's soldiers busy. For the moment, though, I'd suggest getting ready. It's an almighty battle we're looking at, make no mistakes. Logan will be right pissed, and if he has his way he'll likely send a damned armada after us." He grinned, "Hopefully, me and Page'll be able to stop that from happening."
"Alright then, sounds like a plan. I guess I'll run to Bowerstone Market to get ready. Anyone need anything while I'm out?" The Princess inquired, her spirits rising now that she had a goal. Having something to focus on certainly kept the dismal thoughts at bay, that was for certain.
"Actually, I think I'll go with you." Ben replied, smiling ever-so-slightly. The Princess returned his smile, before turning to leave.
"Right, let's go." She halted mid-step, remembering something, "Burd! C'mon, boy!" At the first sound of his name, there was a grey streak dashing into the room, followed by a rather happy dog jumping up on his master. laughing, she patted him on the head. "Down, Burd." She told him calmly, and his reaction was to sit down with gusto. She laughed again, and motion for Ben to follow her.
As the sun set, things were tense in the Rebel Hideout. Everyone was on edge, tingling with anticipation for the upcoming fight. Finally, when the sun's last lingering light went away and the sky was black, they were ready to move. They went over their plan once more, as they had done many times before the nightfall, and when they left, the plan was burned into their minds. The Princess and Ben would be taking the bck alleys to avoid detection while they obtained a boat, while Walter, Page, and the rest of the Rebels would be causing the distraction, and hopefully making it impossible for a fleet to follow them out to sea. It wasn't the type of plan that needed to be spot on, with no mistakes. Quite the contrary, there were room for mistakes, as , (in the Princess' mind), they had kind of been feeling their way through the dark with this one. She could, of course, have been mistaken, but that's how it seemed to her. Either way, there were only two things that absolutely needed to get done; Steal a ship and disable the others. That would be easier if they managed to avoid detection up until the last moment, but she highly doubted her luck was that good. This fact was proved only moment after her and Ben exited the sewers. Standing between them and their destination was one of Logan's troops, guarding the route they were supposed to take. The Princess cussed quietly, but Ben just smirked at her.
"Best we try to find away around this without causing a ruckus. Don't worry, I have a plan; leave the talking to me and follow my lead." He told her quietly before walking up the stairs calmly. Confused as to what his so-called 'plan' might be, the Princess followed after a moment and waited to see what the ex-soldier had up his sleeve.
Upon seeing the duo, the soldier frowned, raising a hand. "Halt! Only Royal Guard are allowed; this area is off-limits to civilians." This was usually the point when the Princess would launch into battle-mode and kill him before hehad a chance tor realize what was happening, but Ben said he had a plan, so she waited.
"I know, sorry, but wow! Has anyone ever told you how stylish that outfit of yours is? What with the helmets and all. Me and my friend here were just wondering what someone has to do to join up with you. Being ordinary soldiers just feels so insubstantial when compared to you guys." Ben explained, rather unconvincingly. He looked to the Princess for support.
"Er, yeah! Purple's such a lovely color, and you guys always do such a bang-up job of things." She added with a lopsided smile. She couldn't believe she said something so stupid, but what's done was done.
"Leave." The soldier said gruffly, his hand moving towards his sword. Tempted to reach for her pistol, the Princess retrained herself, hoping that Ben's plan improved a little.
"Oh come on. You don't have any pamphlets or sign-up sheets?" Ben tried again.
"Leave. Now."
"Could we maybe just get inside to get your autograph? We're huge fans."
"This is your last warning; Leave or we will be forced to terminate you."
Ben sighed, and then smiled once more. "See? Even their vocabulary is stylish." And then the fighting started. The Princess had known it was coming, as Ben's acting had been less than convincing, but it was nice to be doing something so simple again. There wasn't much for thinking while she fought, it was all instinct. She wondered if that's how it was for regular people. Was it because she had Hero blood in her that it all seemed to come so naturally? After their foes lay dead in the dirt, the Princess looked to Ben.
"I thought you said you had a plan." She accused, a slight smile pulling at her lips.
"Plan? I said no such thing." He replied, feigning confusion.
"Well, if you had no plan, you suck at improv." She chuckled as he smiled wryly. The humor faded quickly, however, and the two of them continued on there way, eyes peeled for more of Logan's troops. It wasn't long until they encountered another batch of the brutes, though they were dispatched as easily as the first group had been. As they hastily made their way through one of Reaver's factories, (she assumed it was Reaver's, anyways.), the Princess wondered if it should really be so easy to end a life. Behind the brutality of Logan's soldiers were actual people, with lives, families, memories, and dreams. They had none now, all because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. She pushed the thought away forcefully, reminding herself that such thoughts wouldn't make it any easier to do what needed to be done. If she stopped to think about every life she ended, she'd go insane before she had a chance to fulfill her destiny. And let's face it; Albion's had enough of insane rulers.
After what seemed like an eternity and an instant all at the same time, they finally reached the docks. Another batch of soldiers were shot down, and in the distance explosions shook the earth. Looking to the large pillars of smoke rising from the site of one of the explosions, the Princess smiled. She knew Page had been planning to blow things up in order to distract most of the soldiers, but seeing it was different than witnessing it. She could only hope that Page was planning on saving some of those explosives for Logan's warships. Drawn out of her thoughts by the sound of a factory door being thrown open, the Princess aimed her pistol at the source, halting herself only a moment before firing. She was glad she had, as it wasn't another detachment of troops coming to attempt to stop them; it was Walter, who was panting heavily.
"Walter!" She exclaimed, putting her weapon away. She was glad to see him, although that seemed to dissipate when she saw his expression. It was one of concern.
"We've got to move; it seems we're going to be followed after all." Walter explained quickly, hurrying past her and Ben towards the docks. He stopped in front of a small row boat, and the Princess frowned. "It's not much, but it will have to do." Behind her, Ben scoffed.
"Yeah, or we could take the one right there and not drown as soon as we leave the harbor." Ben suggested, pointing to the ship on the other side of the dock. Walter chuckled in response, turning around to examine the ship. The Princess jogged up to her mentor, a look of confusion on her face.
"Where's Page? Isn't she coming?" She inquired, glancing around.
"She's staying here to keep a handle on things. Have to leave someone here to make trouble for Logan, after all." He replied with a grin. The Princess laughed, but it was short-lived. They were still on a mission, and still in a battle zone. Another explosion shook the ground as if to prove her point, and her expression went serious.
"One of you knows how to sail this thing, right?" She asked, hoping that they hadn't come this far only to find that none of them knew how to sail a ship.
"Don't you worry, Princess. I've got enough experience to get this thing moving." Ben replied, a cocky grin in place. She wasn't sure if she believed him, (he had lied about having a plan, after all), but decided now wasn't the time. They had to get a move on, so with a quick nod she followed the two on to the ship. A quick inspection of the vessel informed her that it was a trading ship, (for Reaver Industries, to be exact), and she felt a sinking feeling in her gullet. She prayed to whomever would listen that they could make it to Aurora without encountering Logan's fleet, as they had no weapons to work with. Guns and swords don't work particularly well against canons. If the fleet did catch up with them, the ship would be little more than firewood after they were through with them. It didn't bode well, and the Princess could already tell it was going to be a long night. Very long indeed.
The had been making what the Princess had thought was good time, but all the same she couldn't for the life of her get some sleep. She was tired, and could feel it tugging at the edges of her awareness, but no matter how hard she tried to remain still and keep her eyes closed, some small inner voice told her to keep an eye on the horizons. So she did, as sleep was currently out of the question. It was beginning to get light out, and the grey of the pre-sunrise light illuminated their fates. Before them lay the shadow of land, and behind them lay an ominous shadow that was getting worryingly closer with every passing minute. The fleet was on it's way, and all they could do was watch as the impending destruction fell upon them. It wasn't long until a single ship broke from the mass, speeding past the rest to meet with the unfortunate rebels. None of them panicked; there was no point in panicking if there was nothing you could do to prevent that which might cause panic. Instead, they all tried their damnedest to get the ship moving faster. They tossed non-essentials over the side, and pushed the engine to go as fast as it could. It still wasn't enough.
Soon enough, the ship was beside them. The Princess had been at least slightly hoping that the soldiers would board the smaller ship and place the three of them under arrest. That never even came close to happening. It was all such a blur; one minute the ship was beside them, looking ominous but not taking any action, and the very next instant, canons were upon them, firing in a fraction of a second. It was hard to tell what really happened next, as everything was in complete chaos. Splinters flew up from where the ship had been hit, and the Princess threw herself to the deck to avoid a larger chunk of wood that had been thrown in the air from a separate cannonball. In a frenzy she looked about to see if she could find Walter, Ben, or Burd. There wasn't enough time to even stop for that though, as right beside her there was a massive crash. She scrambled to her feet at the ship's mast fell, and hurried to avoid being crushed by it, also avoid airborne debris and canon fire. It was hard to move quickly, as the deck was continually shaking beneath her feet as the ship was barraged by the canons. It was such a bloody mess...
...And suddenly, the noise ceased along with cannonballs, but it was hardly the end of their woes. Her companions were nowhere to be seen, much to the terror of the Princess. Had they abandoned ship? Had they been hit? Her world tilted, and she thought for a moment that she was getting delirious. It was only a moment later that she realized that the ship actually was slanted, and sinking no less. She looked around once more, desperate to find any of her three allies... Preferably all of them. But she couldn't see a single one of them still, and she felt her panic rising. She cupped her hands around her mouth around her mouth and called them, but there were no answers. The ship was sinking quickly now, and she knew that when it went down, it's pull would drag her with it. Reluctantly, she cast one more glance around in search of her companions before finally diving off of the side of the ruined ship. She swam for awhile, making sure to get as far away from the vessel as her tired limbs could carry her. Even out here she couldn't see any of them.
She saw a piece of the ship floating near her, and propelled herself towards it. Fatigue was more insistent now, her panic draining what little energy she had. She clung to the piece of lumber and continued calling for the others. She called them until she went hoarse, and even then she tried, all though all that came out were cracked croaks. Not long after her voice gave out, her vision went black...