We were doomed from the Start.(CLOSED)

[DeadnotSleeping]

The pain was the first thing he noticed, again. It wasn’t just a dull ache, it felt like someone was stabbing and prodding him with red-hot iron swords, again, and Nie could barely move, confused about where he is and why… why was he kneeling on gravel, in the courtyard, in torn clothes, in a pool of his own blood.


…that horrific man was standing right in front of him, holding the struggling boys in his raised arms. He was laughing.


“I’ll do it right here…” he promised, grinning viciously, and threw down his sons on the ground. They were tied up, and no matter how much they struggled, Commander Wilter just laughed, bending down to tear down their clothes. “You can watch it… nothing you could do could stop me…”


Nie tried to prove him wrong, to get up and fight for his son, but the nurse forced him back on his knees, stabbing the bright hot pincers into his wounded side, and the dentist could do nothing else but scream and beg for his sons, maybe out loud…


I almost laugh when I found the wein, not dusty and rusty like every other in the street, but stained with blood and gore from the monsters. Its glass is cracked and when I stop my steed and peek inside, I see a puppy… it is not moving, and it takes me a while to realize it is naught but a lifelike doll.


Humans are near.


I dismount Duende, and pull out the magical sphere again. It lights up violently, and as I turn towards the building, my heart skips a beat.


I recognize a sign. It is a spital, and I don’t know if I should be happy or worried. The soldier boy might have brought my liege here out of need or out of convenience… after all, the building is big. There are enough rooms inside.


I pull out my sword before heading towards the door, leaving my mount without a sound now. Only my armour clanks slightly, but I’m too irked to think about that.


The magical sphere is glowing so bright…

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

"They're doing not to bad actually. Just this one." I was it with some salt water to clear the infection. I hear Nigel groan in his sleep. That hurt like hell I could tell.


I put the bandage back on him again.


"Calm down Doctor." Darius said mockingly


"Just doin my job" I say punching the bastard in the arm


"Ouch that's it" he laughed and put my arm behind my back pushing up "say peanut"


"No"


He lushes more


"PEANUUUTTSS!!"

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

There are humans inside. I hear the sounds of laughter and yells, and as I follow the magical sphere, it shines brighter and brighter with every step. My heart grows cold with fear and anger.


This is my liege’s blood. I can almost smell it, even through the filter of my helmet, and it drives me crazy with worry and fear. I am not sure if I hear his voice or I am just hallucinating. It is maddening, and I want to just rush forward, barging through everything.


I force calmness on myself, lifting up my sword, and holding out the sphere in the other. I need to be calm, so I can act when I…


My sphere turns into white when I stumble upon a pile of discarded sheets on the corridor. It is soiled with blood and something else, and my stomach turns upside down when I realize why is the magical ball white now.


It’s my liege. I cannot even estimate the amount of injuries which would leak so much blood and pus, and I roar as an animal with anger and anguish, forgetting about being sneaky…

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

"Jesus Christ what the fuck was that" I Yelp. It sounded like a lion. I covered Nigel up to make him look dead, Nobody would touch the dead, and shut the door.


I crouched between the bed and the wall. And nudged Darius to do the same

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

I find the room quickly, following the trail shown by the magical sphere. My blood is boiling now, coursing my veins like fire, and hell burns inside. My footsteps are heavy with worry, and I hold my sword, but I want to reach for my lord’s axe too, which hangs from my back. If there are more than one opponents, I might be needing it… I am not a master like my liege, but I can handle it, and if needed, I can just drop the sphere and pull it out like before…


I kick in the door which is ignited by the white light, then I stare inside, the orb still shining. There is a very still, long form on the bed, suspiciously looking like a corpse…


I roar again, stilled by anger and dread, then I lunge inside…

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

I grab onto Darius, peering over the bed. I couldn't see who or what had just kicked open the door. They hardly looked human. Something out of a 1950s sci-fi film. And fucking huge.


I looked at Darius who looked stunned he looked at me and swallowed.


I recognised the axe right away. It was Nigel's. They must be. Looking for him.


"They know him" I mouth to Darius. My breath going heavy.

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

I stomp inside, my heart quickly turning into ice in my chest, and I want to scream as the magical orb practically points to the still form on the bed, covered with a sheet. My visor slightly clouds my vision, and I am bursting out with impotent rage.


They usually cover up dead ones with the sheets. It cannot be. It couldn’t be. I cannot fail again, like I failed in protecting my lady… I made an oath that I’ll find and protect her love… and now… now…


I drop the orb on the floor, fuming with anger, and as I lean over to grab and pull down the sheet with my free hand, I realize that there are others.


I only see the colours on the coat, and I recognize it.


“Soldier boy!” I am roaring with mindless rage, reaching down to grab the cowering sinners…

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

"Get the fuck off me" cried Darius as his toes barely touched the ground as she hung onto the nape of his jacket.


"Darius!" I snapped as my toes DIDNT touch the ground "who.. Are you?" I struggle to get free. Their strength was insane. Two fully grown men hoisted by her


This was madness..

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

They are nothing but puny boys, only weak kittens compared to me, and I hoist them up effortlessly, enjoying the fear in their eyes and voices. I shake them before throwing both to the wall, hard, and reach for my sword again, dropping the axe. I don’t need it. I am fuming with anger, and these two are not enough…


I smirk behind the visor.


“I am Azucena the Mighty! I am the first vassal of Lord Canberton. What have you worms done to my liege?” I shriek, voice too deep from anger and pain, stepping toward the soldier boys.


I will crush them…


Nie jolted awake, fresh pain burning in his body. He was too confused to understand why is everything white, but he still recognized the voice. He was back in the castle, then?...


…Ma Baker was hamming it up again?… she enjoyed her role immensely, always, but now she sounded way too invested. The mayor tried to conjure up the details of the play they were in now, and failed, confused.


…What was happening?...

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

"I've been looking after him... He's sick". That's all I can say as I regain conciousness.


He woke up all confused and I jolted to him to try and soothe him. But it wasn't working. Nothing was working.

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

Nie couldn’t make sense of the situation. Nothing made sense, and only the pain remained, burning his mind up. He was quite sure that Ma Baker being there was only a nightmare, and he was way too haggard to actually think. He could only gasp as his younger son touched him, wincing with feverish pain.


Something was not right, very much not, and he couldn’t grasp it yet. He tried to think, but his mind simply couldn’t process everything yet…


The words haven’t made sense. The soldier boy moves too fast for me to grab him in time, and I spin around for him, kicking toward the older to push him back to the wall.


I am not fast enough, and I freeze for a moment as I realize that the broken, tortured, freakishly pale and scarred figure on the bed is my liege indeed. I stare at him, pain swelling up in my throat, and I cry out in anguish as I take in the full extent of his injuries.


That beautiful, wavy, reddish brown locks, which I adored so much, the muscular, manly figure with the healthy caramel skin, which made all the womenfolk of the town sway, the handsome face which always laughed, all gone, scarred over with burns and cuts. The ‘M’s are practically burning into my retinas as I scream in rage, looking over them. So many brandings, for no sin at all, and my liege looks so small, fragile and broken now… I hear his tortured gasp as the soldier boy touches him, and I see red in rage, grabbing the kid and smashing him against the wall again.


“Don’t you dare to touch my liege with those dirty hands!” I roar, turning to protect my lord, blood boiling with anger in my veins. I want to kill those kids, for doing this to my liege…

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

Both my brother and I are too stunned to talk. Plus smashing into the wall felt like it had damaged my.


All I could do was breathe and make myself look as small and as innocent as possible. Surely she could see I would hurt him.


But Darius could... And he lunged at her fruitlessly.

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

I scowl under the helmet, turning toward the boy who chose to oppose me.


“Filthy worm, mewling varlet” I spit as I use first my boots then my sword, to try and dispatch him as soon as possible, although I want to check on my lord now. I’m trembling from anger and pain, impatiently. The other soldier boy who dared to touch my liege is on the floor now, and this fly still tries to stand up to me?...

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

"D , leave for fucks sake they'll kill you" I say with terror in my eyes. I was hunched over. And now so was Darius.


Flashbacks to Johnny. It wasn't going to be log until I was tied up again, was it?

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

Nie couldn’t believe his own eyes, the scene unfolding in front of him was one of pure madness. The Black Lady Knight was there, effortlessly brutalizing the boys, screaming and shaking with anger, like in the plays when she entered her berserker state…


“Ma Baker… stop… please… don’t… hurt them…” he gasped, still overpowered by the pain. He wasn’t strong enough to rise, and the woman seemingly didn’t hear him…


I am fuming with anger, as I stomp over to the hunched soldiers.


“You were so brave while torturing my liege” I want to spit on them. I should take off my helmet for that… and I do just that, removing and throwing down the black visor, looking at them, so they can see the fury in my eyes. I laugh, as I spit down on the kids. “You shall taste my vengeance, now…”

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

The woman was beautiful. Big but. Weirdly beautiful. But I couldn't get hung up on this fact.


Darius wasn't scared. He was furious. His go-to emotion.


Please god don't do anything stupid





"We haven't done anything. Please. Believe us." I plead pathetically.

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

“Please… Ma… stop…” Nie tried to speak, to rise. He was too weak, way too weak, and frankly, this still felt like a nightmare. His best friend, his best knight trying to kill his sons, because of a misunderstanding… at least the adrenalin took care of the clouds in his mind, but he couldn’t do anything to stop her…


“Oh, please!” I practically burn from anger. “You dare to lie to me now, soldier boy? I was following your trail in the last few weeks, and saw all that blood… filthy worms, daring to use witchcraft against my liege…”


I saw the bottle of medicine balls on the nightstand. They had to drug my lord with magical herbs to keep him down…


I rise my sword, contemplating which one to kill first. The one who dared to touch my liege, or the one who had the galls to attack me?...


Nie understood it, finally, and the dread gave him a surge of power for a minute. The mayor stood up, grabbing his axe from the floor.


“Azucena!” he roared now, and the Crimson Knight’s voice was filled with warmth and anger. “Don’t you dare to hurt my sons! What kind of dark magic took your mind again? Do I need to lecture you…”


He couldn’t finish it, his power gave out. But his words had the desired effect…


I forget about the soldier boys right as I hear my liege’s voice, and when I turn around, falling to my knees, my heart is filling up with joy. I see the familiar, strong grey eyes in the burnt face, and for a moment, my liege, the Crimson Knight is just as powerful as he was before, majestic and respectable…


The illusion disperses when he swoons and keels over, but I move hastily enough, dropping my sword to catch him in my arms, shaking with emotion.


“My lord…”

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

We're safe. I think as I stand up calmly. Darius goes to grab her sword , I don't know why. I stop him before he does.


"I think we're going to be safe." I whisper in his ear. "Dad will sort this out. He knows her."


I stand and watch them embrace.


"H.. Hi" I say tentatively "my. My names Mitchell. This is my brother Darius. We've been with Nigel for a while. Looking after him." I swallow hard hoping. Just hoping this would work.

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

“Azucena… please… stop. Don’t… hurt them… they are… my kids…” Nie tried to speak, but he wasn’t too sure he actually managed it. Everything was painful, and the woman’s embrace was way too strong, crushing him now with bear love. He dropped the axe, too, but it was okay. It wasn’t needed anymore.


“Please… don’t… hurt… my sons… just… look after… them… Azucena…” he couldn’t finish it, the pain was too overwhelming.


I want to scream as my lord speaks, then falls limp in my arms. He is so fragile and pale, and blood spreads on the bandages… he hurt himself, I hurt him, and this feels horrible. Still, I cannot understand his words. He never had sons, his Ebony Lady was pregnant before she died, but he only loved her, and these two soldier boys were…


…something is not right. I glare at the two kids, holding my lord in my arms.


“Stay there. Don’t move an inch” I growl, still suspicious. Something is way off here, and while I don’t want to upset my liege again, I am still not convinced. I keep my eyes on the kids while laying my lord down, then I reach up to yank off the strings from the windows.


“Something is fishy here. Not liking it. Not at all. I’ll tie you up until I can clear this up with my liege. If you are good, I will be nice. If not, I’ll beat you up and deal with my lord later…”

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

I decided that staying silent and being complacent was our safest bet. Even if I was being tied up. Again. My wrists were together. Waiting.


Darius didn't seem angry anymore. He looked terrified. He started sort of sobbing I was surprised


"Please don't. Not tying me up. Please." He was pleading. I think it set off some memories for him.

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

I tie up the younger boy, fast, not exactly nicely, but not too tight. If they move, I can still kill them. If I understood my liege’s words well, and they were his adopted sons, well… they will survive this, and later it will be all sorted out.


I still stare at the other one, confused, as he starts sobbing. The tone of his voice moves something in me, but only one glance at my lord hardens my heart again.


“Sit down, and let me do it! I won’t tie it too tight, if you are good, but if you struggle…”


I just growl the last words. I’ll have to check on my lord, fast, he felt so feverish in my arms…

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

"Darius do it. She'll fucking kill you. For the love of Christ ". I shriek. My hands bound to my front like old times


He eventually calmed down and knelt next to me. Preparing for his fate.

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

I nod, contented, and bind him up, too. As I promised, it is not tight. I’m too skittish to do it properly, anyway. My liege is here, and he is so ill now… I’ll have to take care of him.


“Well. You can sit down on those chairs, if you behave” I say, not even attempting to hide my contempt. I am much more interested in my lord, who still lays without moving on the bed… his body burns with a fever, and I realize with horror how many wounds he has. Most of them are even hotter, and I grind my teeth.


“Don’t move” I tell the boys, wanting to roar again. “I’ll be back soon. If you dare to hurt my liege, your lives will be forfeit…”


I rise again, reaching for my sword, and laying the axe next to the bed of my lord. I want to hurry, I have everything I need in the backpack…

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

"Fuck. What is this shit" growls Darius struggling.


"I don't know. Don't blame him though. She thinks it's us who have hurt him"


"Why are we always tied up?" He asks. Trying to joke


"I don't know. It says something when my wrists are used to it, though". I smile back at Darius.


We just had to wait for her return and promise to behave ourselves.

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

I hurry down on the stairs, stomping down to my steed. Duende waits at me, calmly grazing, and I just quickly empty out the saddle bags, only leaving its food in the cans with my steed. I also take the rabbits. I should make a stew for my lord, he became as thin as a skeleton, he will need his strength back soon…


…maybe I’ll give some to his “sons”, too. I still have no idea who they can be, at least they look similar. Maybe brothers. Emerald Island accent. But what kind of spell could they put on my liege to make him to stand up for them…?


…Wait. My lord cannot be charmed like me. He was enchanted by the Ebony Lady so his heart won’t waver…


I smile, bitterly. Let’s hope that is still the case…


I run up the stairs, too, without having to catch my breath. I enter the room again, checking if the kids moved…