To vengeance and Back chapter two-destruction.
Hi everyone! (Or anyone)
So sorry this is late! I had to go on a residential course in portsmouth, then I had work ex, so I had difficulty getting work done.
Anon, thanks for the review. I will proofread.
This is the second chapter of to vengeance and back.
As always, Ido not own GW, or blahdy blahdy blah
Anyways, on with the story
Aellarel jogged back into the house. She was still amazed that she, a humble handmaiden of the everqueen, had been chosen for such a momentous task as guarding what could well be Indraugnir's own egg. As she took the egg and carefully placed it into the reinforced rucksack that she had been given, she reflected on the events that had led to her given charge of the egg of the greatest beast to ever live.
It had been but three weeks ago when a dragon from caledor had awoken. It was one of the greatest dragons still alive, and as it shook itself awake, it's tail crashed into the side of the cave, opening the way into an even larger cavern. There was only one dragon who would call a cavern that large home, and the scales littered around the room only served as proof. The elves had found the cavern of indraugnir. And in one corner of this cavern, had lain a glittering egg.
And, as one of the handmaidens, she had been the most important person nearby, and so was entrusted with the egg, told to get it to Tyrion at all had accepted the task with pride.
And now, on the last waypoint before Lothern, her adventure was at an end. Soon, she would be free to return home, and those spearman that had accompanied her along the way would return to their towns. She would miss those men. In the long travails of her journey, they had become close friends with each other. And now, with only ten hours march left of her adventure, the men who had lived beside her would leave once more.
She exited the inn, nodding once to Illuvatar, the Inkeeper. The sun shone high in the sky, and the trees towered over the small town, in a forest clearing. One of the spearmen ran up to her as she enjoyed the day. The soldier was short for an elf, barely six foot, but was someone who had become a close friend
" Lady Aellarel, there are some riders over yonder who demand to see you."
"Caellor, who are they?"
"Dragon princes. A large number too. Something must be going on. They say you mustgo to them."
"As they wish. I'll just see if Aellon knows what's going on." Aellarel set off toward the small circle of tents where there spearmen camped. Raising her voice slightly, she called. "Aellon!"
A young man emerged from one of the tents. he was tall, with shaggy blond hair that reached his shoulders-short for a high elf. "what is it,sis?" he returned.
"Do you know what this stuff about the princes is?"
"No, but I do know father is leading the group."
Aellarel was surprised at this. Her father was a powerful man,one of the most famed nobles in caledor. For him to be her meant only one thing: something had happened.
"Guess i best go and talk to him then. take care Aellon"
"Hey, you may be the older, but that doesn't mean you must coddle me."
Aellarel jogged to the meeting point, shaking her head fondly. Aellon was informal for an elf. only a year into conscription, and he already carried the banner of the squad. It had made him arrogant. Still, he was her younger brother, and she loved him.
She ran into the field to see almost two dozen horsemen waiting for her. At the head was her father, a scarred, grizzled man with one hand missing two fingers. He barked at her.
"Quickly! We must go now. I will explain as we ride"
Aellarel mounted up quickly. If her father had no time to even speak a kind word, something serious was up. As they cantered out of the town, Aellarel turned to her father.
"So father, what's going on?"
"Dark elves. A few days ago, some shadow warriors found two carriers on the coast. Tracks in the forest have also been found. Yesterday, one of the warriors did not return. He was patrolling this area."
Aellarel felt a cold chill crawl up her back. She shivered in the afternoon heat. She had always known that her journey was dangerous, but only now did she truly understand just how dangerous it was.
"What of the spearmen?"
"They are staying back in the town to act as a diversion"
"I hope they will be safe"
"They are doing their jobs. You must do yours."
Aellarel sighed. Her father was a man not much given to compassion, he had lost too many to allow anyone close.
They rode along in silence for about an hour, when Aellarel smelt a faint waft of smoke from behind. She turned and saw, on the horizon, a sight that froze her heart.
A pillar of black cloud floated into the sky, incongruous against the blue. The town was being burned. and her brother...
"Look!" She cried "We must turn back!"
Her father glanced over briefly. "No. They want you to return. We will continue."
"Aellon is there! He could..."
"NO!" Her father roared. "We can do no more for him, we must just make sure he did not die in vain."
Aellarel sighed and swung her horse around again. She had no hope of convincing her father when he was in this mood. And it had not escaped her notice how he had referred to Aellon as already dead.
Just then, one of the outriders came galloping back to the group.
"My lord! Dark elves wait at the upcoming Ravine!"
"What! You're certain?"
"Yes, my lord."
"Very well." Aellarel's father turned to her again, talking quickly.'"Aellarel. About a quarter mile down the road there is a path to the left. Take it, it will lead you straight to Lothern. wait fifteen minutes, and then go. Turn back for no one, understand? We will distract the ambushers. Good luck my child, and may Asuryan ride with you."
With that, Aellarel's father gathered the others to him, and rode down the road. Aellarel watched him go for a minute, then dismounted, hid the egg in the underbrush of the forest, and galloped back to the town.
The town was all but destroyed. Huge numbers of witch elves swarmed over the burnt remains of houses. The dead lay in the street, and Aellarel retched as she glimpsed the dismembered corpses of two children sprawled on the ground, their heads mangled. How could they do that? To children? From the other side of the town, faint sounds of fighting could be heard. Aellarel quickly dismounted and ran to the fray, pulling the spear she always carried into her hand.
Around the inn, the only building left intact, fifteen spearmen formed a fragile ring, assailed on all sides by the hags of khaine. Aellon headed the group, flag plunged into the ground beside him and his short sword gleaming red. Aellarel leapt to join him, stabbing a witch through the neck as she did so. Aellon turned and saw her, his eyes gleaming with happiness,then clouding with anger.
"Aellarel, what are you doing here? Leave now! Your duty is to the egg and Tyrion, no-"
Aellarel had seen it coming. She had seen the hag walking up. But she was frozen in place, unable to do anything until the dagger plunged into Aellon's back, straight into his heart. And only once Aellon had plunged to the ground, and the witch elf had stepped over his body, was she able to move.
She screamed and lunged, overcome with grief and rage. her spear became an extension of her arm as it pierced the witch's side, sending the hag stumbling backward, clutching her stomach in pain. the hag smacked into the flag, sending it falling to the ground. And as the pennant fell, Aellarel looked down once more at the body of her little brother, then turned and walked away, knowing she had failed him.
There you go! it's a bit short, but that is such a good point for cutting off, I coudn't resist cutting it off there. the next chapter will be from Aellarell's POV too though, because her life has not been completely ruined yet. ;)
Anyway Please review. i should have the next chapter up within a week or three.
Bye for now!