Like a Circle in the Water
30 Days of Writing - A Drabble A Day Challenge
Warning: This chapter contains character death.
Summary: They don't realise what is happening until it's too late. Gilbert, Brandt and Mathias see action as part of the Castle Guard for the first time.
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Companion
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"Arthur, Gawain."
Arthur looks up, turning his attention away from a hushed conversation with his brother (it's never a good idea to speak ill of the tutors within their esteemed mother's earshot, a lesson that the two youngest brothers have learned through observation of their siblings) to his father.
Up until this point, supper had been proceeding as per usual with the very occasional interruption when a message that could not wait needed to be conveyed to Baron Kirkland. The Baron would nod, taking note of the message and issuing directions to the messenger, and then continue to dine with his family.
Not tonight, however.
Arthur watches the messenger scurry out of the hall and lets his own brow furrow slightly as he studies his father. There's a slight tightness at the corner of his eyes that Arthur can't help but think bodes ill.
"I have just received word of unrest in one of the outer lying villages under our protection and a possible threat to the town." His features are grim as he continues, "you will each need to learn how to deal with such matters when you succeed me, and so you will both observe as I place the appropriate measures."
Both boys nod, muttering their assent before excusing themselves from the table and hurrying after their father.
Arthur sits through the meeting with the Commander of the Castle Guard and his first sergeant-at-arms avidly as Gawain fidgets uncomfortably on his right.
Bandits have been raiding the village in question, cutting down any and all who dare to defy them. The resident who had left to inform the Baron had been slain on the road, and it had only been chance that the message had been conveyed at all. It was said that the bandits had been heard speculating on the possibility of preying upon those at the edge of town before moving on.
Arthur sees Gawain's trembling fingers fist in the fabric of his breeches in anger, and can feel the ache in his jaw as it clenches with the same sentiment.
It stays that way as the five of them enter the courtyard where the guards have assembled, and Arthur's eyes reflexively search out his friends. Mathias is over on the left with the soldiers who are to ride to the village with supplies and the offer of protection. He finds Brandt and Gilbert with the group who are to patrol the outskirts of the town, vigilant for bandits should they approach.
As the commander issues orders, Arthur can't help but wish that he could be down there beside them; that he could watch their backs and be of real use to his people.
As it is, he prays.
He prays for their safe return, and for justice to prevail.
—
They don't realise what is happening until it's too late.
Gilbert hears a scream from about a block away from where he is patrolling, and after confirming that there is another soldier close by to cover his post, he races towards the sound.
He feels dread crawling up his throat when he arrives.
A man lies on the floor bleeding from a knife wound to the thigh, the woman who had presumably screamed kneeling besides him attempting to stem the blood.
"The children! There are children in the house they went to – please hurry!"
Gilbert's away again before she has finished speaking, sprinting in the direction that she indicates.
He reaches the house in question at the same time as Brandt; they share a look of horror as they realise just whose house they are stood in front of.
They enter silently, through the back door, creeping carefully into the kitchen. It seems to be completely untouched, and it is only after a second inspection of the room that Gilbert notices that one pot left on the side of the counter is still steaming. Brandt nudges him in the side, tilting his head in the direction of a cupboard next to the pantry. The door is slightly ajar, and if he holds his breath, he can hear a near silent sniffle.
Lips pulled taut in a grimace, Gilbert nods. Brandt kneels, using one hand to nudge the door fully open as his other hand grasps the hilt of his sword.
There's a tiny squeak from within, green eyes glaring out of the cupboard's depths. Ludwig's little friend Feliciano has his head buried in his twin's chest; Lovino clutches the younger's hand while biting his lip. Both flinch in unison at the sound of a crash from further inside the house.
Gilbert grits his teeth, biting back a curse.
More sounds of clattering, closer than before, and after a moment of silent communication Brandt is whispering soothing words to the boys and closing the cupboard door all the way. Brandt will protect them. Meanwhile, Gilbert edges out of the room.
It doesn't take him long to find the source of disruption.
The man has his back to the door, but Gilbert can see broad shoulders under the curtain of greasy hair that hangs from his head. Gilbert inches forward as the bandit rummages through a box – he manages to cross half of the room before being betrayed by the sound of crinkling paper. He frowns down at the sheaf under his boot for half a moment before springing into action.
Without the need for silence, Gilbert leaps the remaining distance in a single bound, his sword a flash of silver as it swipes around to hover at the bandit's throat. An elbow is thrown back at his collarbone with force – Gilbert dives back to avoid the blow but is not quite quick enough. It clips his jaw instead, making his eyes water. The other man takes the opportunity to strike at his stomach; Gilbert dances out of the way so that it glances off his shoulder instead.
Gilbert regains his footing as his arm goes numb, catching sight of the dagger that has appeared in his opponent's hand in time to swing away from a jab at his throat. He rolls straight into aiming at the bandit's leg, abruptly changing direction when the bandit ducks to parry. Instead, he lands a blow to the man's head with the flat of his sword.
The bandit crashes to the floor, scarred face first. Gilbert kicks the dagger away before reaching for the rope at his hip to secure the criminal.
It's when he has crouched to retrieve the dagger that he hears signs of further conflict back in the kitchen. There's a loud clatter, a grunt and pained screaming.
Gilbert has burst through the door before the grating sound has died. The scene before him stops his heart.
Water all over the floor. A man writhing in pain in the midst of it, skin red and blotchy. An overturned pot rolling into an open cupboard door. Brandt, clutching his gut as Feliciano rips off his small apron for Lovino to press to the laceration there. At the rate that the apron is staining, he doesn't have a lot of time.
Gilbert hesitates for a split second.
"Gilbert," Brandt croaks. "Secure him first." He must see the way that Gilbert's eyes narrow, because he continues with, "he's the leader." A weak cough that leaves Gilbert seething. "You can't kill him, he'll know if there are any more of them."
Gilbert curses. He then strides across the room to the man curling in on himself, inspecting the various cuts on his person unsympathetically. He gives the man a savage kick to the gut for good measure before knocking him out and binding him with the rope that a trembling Feliciano hands him.
Then, he rushes to his friend's side as he had wanted upon entering the small kitchen.
—
Arthur and Gawain keep vigil as news comes and goes from their father's office, taking turns to eavesdrop on any tidings brought about the situation at hand.
They both get caught by servants several times through the night, but none have the heart to turn them away or to report their wakefulness in the face of their obvious concern.
It's at an hour before daybreak that the news comes – another two of the bandits have been captured (bringing the total captured so far to seven); two of their guards had died protecting the children of the house. The leader of the bandits has been apprehended for questioning thanks to the sacrifice of a soldier named Brandt Morgenstern-
Arthur doesn't hear anymore through the roaring in his ears. He stays long enough to hear that Gilbert has been sent home before tearing through the mostly deserted castle to go down to the town.
He barely registers rushing past his brother, doesn't bother with being discreet as he sneaks out. He doesn't take in the town as he usually would, doesn't stop to catch his breath until he reaches his destination.
Gilbert is sat slumped on the doorstep to his house, his head cradled in his hands. He peers through his bangs long enough to dimly acknowledge Arthur's presence before turning his attention back to the ground. Arthur sinks down next to him, wavering for a moment before shifting so that their shoulders touch.
The town is eerily silent in comparison to any other time Arthur has ventured out, almost as though it is echoing the dullness in Gilbert's usually fiery gaze.
They sit in silence for a whole. Arthur doesn't feel like he could speak anyway, considering the size of the lump lodged firmly in his throat. His eyes sting, and if the redness standing out against his pale complexion is anything to go by, so are Gilbert's.
Gilbert lets out a hitching breath before sitting up. His arms slide down to hang limply at his sides. Arthur takes the one closest to him in his hand. After a moment of stillness Gilbert grips back, his hold painfully tight.
"I can't even kill the bastard who did it," Gilbert bites out, his whole frame shaking in grief and anger and pain. "He killed Brandt and tried to kill Feli and Lovi and I can't even-"
A tear rolls down his cheek, and Arthur can feel his own eyes begin to water as well.
They stay on Gilbert's doorstep like this, hands locked tightly together, until Alte Fritz finds them there a few hours later.
~Hollyrose~
Notes:
Again, this instalment is completely unbeta'd so if there are any mistakes/typos, please feel free to point them out~
I hope no one wants to kill me for how this went - it was kind of the plan from the beginning to mirror Brandenburg's merging with Prussia.