So, it's been for fucking ever since I've put up anything on fanfic. School has been hell, and between working and track, my times been devoted to trying not to fail. Awesome, right? Not to mention that around Easter time my computer hard drive decided: " Hey! This would be a good time for me to crash and burn!!"
Needless to say, I was none too happy about that. Anyways, I'm trying to get back into writing my stories, so stay tuned. Now, on with the story.~~~
An older officer that Urosia was more familiar with came forwards on horse back with many of the older men among his men. Urosia neither turned now glanced over at them, keeping his proud shoulders held high and unchanged. " Sir." the man said firmly, and still Urosia didn't look over at him.
" None of you would leave me so easily?" he murmured the question to the men that were still around him. The man next to him gave a firm nod of his head to Urosia with a sound of confirmation.
" Aye, sir." he answered firmly and without a hint of hesitation. " Nor will we be persuaded by someone like her, sir." Urosia was silent a long few moment.
" Aye." finally came his reply to the man.
The world whirled around and around. With a shake of her head, the dizziness in Aaron's eyes stilled only slightly. She muttered Gallican curses under her breath. With the constant pain, lose of blood, and fatigue now settling in on her, it was getting hard to keep her world from twisting and turning in all directions. This couldn't continue like this for too much longer and she could feel it seeping into her bones with each staggering breath she took.
However, there was just no way for her to get out of this one. With each man that came at her the pain grew more and her movements become clumsy and weak.
Finally, one man managed to slash a gash into her upper right shoulder. She hardly felt it because this was her injured arm that was now fully numb to everything that hit into it short of breaking her arm altogether. This time when she fell, it was completely, laying flat out with her face in the dirt.
Closing her eyes, she might have liked to stay down like this if not for her survival instincts forcing her to her feet even with her every muscle screaming in protest. If she stayed laying down she was sure to die no matter if any of Urosia's men actually dealt a killing blow or not. The blood lose from her increasing wound count could take care of that.
Finally she was thrown into the dirt again.
" This is nonsense, Aaron!!" Urosia's voice echoed in a tone that sounded some what farther away then it should've been from where Aaron was at. " You can't keep fighting forever! This is the end! Just give up!!"
She huffed and puffed, panting hard with her face in the dirt still. Eyes closed, Aaron couldn't help wondering a few messy thoughts until her brain finally sent a clear thought that she could understand.
Get up.
Her body followed the only clear sentence that rang in her head like a bell, pounding away in her skull. Can't fall asleep now, or she would die. Her brain sent the message to the rest of her body, and slowly, with the worst of efforts, she managed only to roll over onto her back.
" Shut . . .up . . ." she said, though it wasn't loud enough for Urosia to hear what she was saying.
HISS!!
THUNK!!
Urosia about leaped out of his saddle he was startled so badly. The sounds of arrows swishing close by them caught those that had decided to fight off their guard. Glancing around, no one could find where exactly all of the arrows were coming from.
None of them saw anyone close by, and the arrows seemed to be coming from all directions.
From the right, left, side, it didn't matter. There was just a large mass of confusion and fear that gripped the men. Soon the ones that had backed out of the fight previously rejoined their comrades, doing their best to defend there own from an unseen enemy they didn't see themselves either.
It wasn't until too late that they finally did see one of their opponents.
Out he road, straight to Aaron, helping her to her feet, then simply gathering her right up into his arms and onto his horse under the cover arrows that still appeared to Urosia and his men, to be surrounding them. Quickly as he could get his brown bay horse to go, he road away with Aaron!
" After them!" Urosia called, and a uniform yell was shouted in reply to him. Then they struggled to hurry after the form that had taken Aaron away from this. No matter any disagreements they had, Aaron was still the cause of this whole thing. They weren't going to let her out of this so easily.
And Gilan did ride away as fast as Blaze could carry the two of them at once. They would be cutting it pretty close, but Gilan had faith in Blaze's speed. Still, he ushered her along as best he could while looking after Aaron still.
" Go, go!" he whispered, tensely. The horse's side gave a mild twitch, but Gilan got what Blaze meant. I got it already, jeez. . . So, Gilan turned his attention back to Aaron.
" Aaron?" he panted, softly over his shoulder. Her head rest on his shoulder and only seemed to move with the sway and jolts of the ride. " Aaron? You okay? If you're playing with me then I'm never going to forgive you." It surprised him, actually, to get a response from the threat rather then from saying her name.
" I hate my life." she groaned out a joke. Relief brought a sigh out of Gilan, with a vague urge to smack her across the face for this.
" You're an idiot, you know that, right?" he had to force his voice to stay below a yell, but the volume with which he spoke grew as he talked in. " Have you any idea how worried Halt and I have been and you know what the two of us find?! Your beat up Master and Will babbling something about you staying behind to fight on your own!!" Aaron let out a husky voiced chuckle at this. Gilan was furious about this. He sounded almost like some sort of parent.
" Scold me later, Daddy," she teased softly by his ear, Gilan's face quickly burning up, " I'm kind of tired right now, so you'll have to forgive me for if I fall asleep while you're telling me what a bad kid I am." her voice grew quieter and quieter until she finally fell silent.
Well, Gilan no response to that, so he was silent too. Just then, Halt came galloping up next to him on Abelard, Will and Tug close behind.
" How is she?!" Will had to yell slightly above the sound of hooves to be heard by Gilan. Gilan had no way to answer him, after all, he couldn't exactly tell her condition without actually getting a good look at her. On his other side, Rurin came riding up with Aaron's Master riding the strong stallion comfortably.
" She's not looking too well. We need to get her help fast!" his voice was thick and scratchy when he tried to speak too loudly. None of them were willing to argue with that report, so Gilan began to assume the worst.
" We need to hurry! They'll catch us if we don't hustle!" Halt told them, getting Abelard to get moving even faster so that he was in the lead. Will and Gilan followed, Aaron's Master taking up a position at the rear of the group. Soon they burst out of the trees into a long open field, the cavalry men not far behind them.
" Gray Fox! Coming on!!" Aaron's Master shouted up to Halt, who pulled away to stop Abelard, take aim, and fire. This sent a man spiraling out of his saddle to the ground, and Halt took the chance to ride hard after his group that was getting far ahead with that old White Stag leading them. The old command sure brought back memories. . .
" White Stag, you bastard! Tell me sooner when you need my help!" Halt snapped once he'd finally caught up with the rest of them again. The other man gave hoarse chuckles at the frustration Halt showed him, but shook his head at Halt. Frowning, Halt up the back of the pack again, careful to keep track of the cavalry that followed them after giving a brief sigh. There was simply no helping that stubborn White Stag.
No matter their best efforts the horsemen began to gather in around them from either side. All were made uneasy by the sight of horsemen coming up wide first in front of Halt, and then inching their way up beyond Will and Gilan, only needing to cut off White Stag to stop them in their tracks.
However, a castle had come into sight by then, and they were approaching at full speed. By this point, the foreign horsemen where rushing to entrap them all. If they allowed this small group to make their way to the castle then there was no stopping a full blown battle, possibly a war to follow after that. All of this effort had to mean something! Urosia would make sure of it if it killed him!
Finally, a few horsemen cut off White Stag, who eased Rurin to a slower pace cursing and cussing all the while. So close . . . Almost home free . . .
Quickly, Urosia's cavalrymen fell into line, trapping the four riders with Aaron within a practiced circle of ride worn men. This time there was no escape for them! Now, Urosia finally had them all within his grasp!
But all at once, he found he'd been fooled once again.
Around the cavalry, an army of men at arms had been scrambled together. Despite the late hour and difficulty of all of this, the Castle Araluen knights were ready to spring and fight for their nation and king at a moments notice.
That was what Urosia and his men were met with this night. Strong, healthy, well rested knights in such a great number that it would be suicide to continue fighting.
Urosia marveled at the irony of all of this, bitterly, glancing at the girl who appeared to be sleeping in the arms of the man that had gathered her up earlier.
So close to finally capturing her, and somehow, some way, she had slipped right through his fingers once more. All over again.
He would recall later that this had been almost completely pointless. Like trying to capture the wind with his bare hands. Lovely idea as it was, catching the wind was simply something that no one could ever do.~~~
That's this chapter. I'M SO SORRY FOR TAKING SO LONG TO UPDATE!!!! I BLAME LLLLIIIIIIFFFFFEEEEEEE!!!!!! XP If you can find it in your hearts to forgive me, please send reviews. I do appreciate anything. Like, dislikes, advice, criticism, just feel like telling a random person how your day went. That's what I'm here for. ^^