Ch. 32

Kavi rolled Jan's body aside and checked his pulse. She found none, and watched as Stecchin covered Alan's body with her own, weeping.

Suddenly, Alan coughed. Stecchin rose and Kavi was able to check his wound. She swallowed hard.

The wound was mortal.

Kavi looked up at Stecchin and slowly shook her head. Stecchin looked ready to burst, but Kavi shushed her.

"There's no time," she said. "Say your farewells quickly." She crawled to the side, still coughing a bit from the gas, but managed to stand. She kept one eye on Oland and the other on the lookout for the mysterious assassin she and the Sergeant-Major had encountered. The world of assassins is a small one, yet Kavi had neither seen nor heard of a masked figure with long hair (which might've been a wig) with a penchant for blades.

As she moved away to give the poor couple some dignity and some small privacy, she checked the area where Alice and Oland had been. She found signs of a terrific scuffle. It had been a well-matched battle, but whoever lost wasn't dead…yet. She checked behind her again, and decided to follow the trail of blood.

Stecchin carefully removed Alan's glasses and removed her gloves, using them to wipe the blood away from his face.

"N-noble lady," Alan said, his voice already faint. "I'm…I'm so happy you're safe!"

"Please!" Stecchin cried. Her head told her one thing, but her heart said the opposite. "Don't talk! Save your strength!"

He reached up and cupped her face. "I think…I think there must be a God…because he brought you to me. I'm…I'm so happy…so happy I got to meet you."

"Oh, Alan!" she wailed. "Don't go! Don't leave me! We…we have to finish our dance!"

Alan gave her another radiant smile. "I'll be dancing in the clouds, my sweet Lily," he whispered. "I'll be waiting for you there. You'll see!"

He closed his eyes and breathed his last. Stecchin leaned over and kissed him, before collapsing into sobs.

Alice trembled, fighting exhaustion. The lantern jangled in her hand, and she could no longer hold it up. She lowered her arm, her eyes never leaving Oland's.

Oreldo and Martis looked at each other and nodded. Oreldo dashed forward and snatched the lantern out of Alice's hand.

He lobbed it to Martis, who yelled, "Keep him busy! I'll try to fix it!"

"I'll get Lily!" Oreldo shouted, then yelped as he narrowly avoided Oland's fist.

"Corporal, no!" Alice cried, darting in front of Oland. She aimed her sword at him, the mere act making her cry.

"Stand down, Corporal!" she commanded.

Oland stared down at his tiny Valkyrie, his rage and her actions making him very troubled. Why was she suddenly defending the dead who attacked him?

"Valkyrie," he rumbled in a low moan. "I thought you were my guardian angel. Why won't you make them go away? Why won't you save me?"

Alice's eyes flooded with tears. "Oh, Corporal," she said softly, "I'm trying! I'm trying!"

He stepped toward her but fear made her scoot back. She kept her sword raised, but her hands were shaking. Behind her, she could hear Oreldo and Martis arguing.

"Dammit, just smash the stupid thing!"

"No, lamebrain! That just might make him worse!"

"Hurry, guys!" she shouted, glancing over her shoulder. "Do something!" She turned back to see his hand almost upon her and she jerked back again.

"Valkyrie…why?" Oland was saying. His voice suddenly sounded hoarse and broken. "Why are you running away? Are…are you afraid of me?"

Alice gulped and tried to lead him in a different direction.

"Yes, Corporal," she said, tears flowing freely again, "I am…I am now."

"No!" Oland cried, his face crumpling in despair. He still came closer, reaching for her. "You can't! You're my…my protector! You keep me safe! If I don't have you, they'll…they'll kill me…" His voice trailed off and he turned back to the men who were frantically working on his lantern switch. Somehow it had frozen in the open position, the light blazing at full strength.

Oland growled and moved toward them, but Alice darted in front of him again. She squared her shoulders and held her sword up with two hands.

She sighed. She had made her decision.

"Corporal!" she said, "I ordered you to stand down! Don't make me hurt you!"

"Hurt…me?" Oland echoed, frowning in alarm and confusion.

Alice took a deep breath and willed herself to be calm.

"I'll kill you if I have to," she said. "Do. Not. Test. Me!"

Oland's bright, cold eyes refocused on her. He turned his head to the side, frowned and growled as a thought struck him.

"I knew it was too good to be true!" he rumbled. "You're not my Valkyrie! You're a fallen angel! A demon I…I must eliminate!"

"Corporal, please!" Alice screamed, and he charged. She ducked, but couldn't make herself counterattack.

"Corporal, no! Just listen to me!" she begged, but he was beyond hearing.

They went back and forth like that in the same pattern: charge and duck, charge and duck, turn and parry, charge again. He chased her all over the area. Suddenly, Alice realized she had backed herself into a corner.

On the stage, Martis point to a spot next to the switch where the latch was bent and something, a rock, perhaps, was lodged.

"Use your lockpick!" he suggested to Oreldo, who complied and quickly began loosening the debris.

"Come on, dammit!" Oreldo said, cursing as he worked as fast as he could.

Alice quivered but didn't move. If she ducked again, Oland would turn and see the guys fiddling with his lantern. He would no doubt attack them instead of her.

There was no choice, and no time left. She watched him stomp closer and closer, until he stood over her.

His smile was the most terrifying thing she had ever seen.

"Nowhere left to run, little Dove," he growled. He bent over and reached for her again.

Time seemed to slow. Alice raised her blade to strike, and mouthed three words.

I love you.

She closed her eyes and thrust forward.

Oland read her lips and paused.

"Huh?"

"GOT IT!"Oreldo yelled. "It's off!"

In the same moment, Alice dropped her sword and slapped Oland's face as hard as she could.

"Why you…!" Oland snarled, raising a hand to his cheek and striking her in return. He stumbled back, only to gasp with all of the breath in his body.

Alice scrambled to retrieve her sword. She rolled to the side and stood at the ready, but Oland didn't move.

The Corporal stood frozen in place, patting his cheek and mumbling, "Why?" very softly to himself. He did it again, and again. Again.

His vision was flooded with pictures. He was sitting beside her in a dark tunnel, when she suddenly sat up and slapped him. She'd slapped him at the ball, too, and at…Essen, in the cabin. There was one other time as well…when was it?

"Lieutenant! Lieutenant, I need your breasts immediately!"

*CRACK!*

"Wh…why?"

Oland blushed scarlet at that last vision…no, last memory. He slowly turned and saw the Val…no…the Lieutenant, bruised and shaking, still pointing her sword at him.

"Stay back!" she cried.

"Lieu…Lieutenant?" he whispered, moving toward her and reaching. She cried out as he fell on his knees and wrapped his great arms around her in an awkward embrace.

"C-Corporal?" she said, tentative. She felt his whole body heave a great sigh.

"I'm so glad to see you," he whispered, before losing consciousness. Suddenly all of his weight was pressing down on her. She tried to prop him up but he was too heavy.

"Corporal!" she cried out. Martis and Oreldo quickly came to help her.

"Put him on his back!" Alice said.

They did so, and all were horrified to see she had run him through.

I couldn't sleep until I finished this scene! Gah!