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War on the Wind - (Closed)
Chapter 7
"You lie!" sneered General Hagan, a loud clap sounding around the court yard as he backhanded Robert. "You're a traitorous coward!"
The sound of drawing swords reached Robert's ears. He ignored the stinging pain his right cheek now held and glanced back. With alarm he noted that Falcon had drawn their alesensis. Even the members amongst Ariel's and Gregory's squads had drawn their blades. The soldiers surrounding him and his party had drawn their own in response.
"Cease this foolishness at once!" commanded a powerful voice, cutting through the tension filled courtyard. Even before seeing who it belonged to, Robert could tell it was Lord Albert by the shear authority he could hear that the voice carried. The soldiers sheathed their swords as the Lord began to descend the steps, but Robert was dismayed to see his party still holding theirs, though now lowered.
"Sheath your blades!" he ordered, touched by their loyalty, but distressed that they could easily get themselves killed. "We don't want to make things any wor..." His sentence was cut short as a hand struck his face splitting his lip. He grimaced as he heard Hagan Snarl.
"You speak when you are..." This time it was Hagan who found his sentence cut short as those who'd accompanied Robert sprang forth in retaliation to the second blow. The soldiers drew their swords once more and met the threat that raced towards Hagan.
A clash of steel upon steel resounded through the air as opposing sides collided. Grunts and yelps echoed as shoving, punching and kneeing ensued. So far, no blood had been spilt, but that was just a matter of time. The men fought well despite their inferior numbers. Their were some guarding the flanks and rear, whilst the others pressed the attack. Swords clanged, but still no metal found flesh.
Fear coursed through Robert as a shimmer of light alerted him to the Lord's personal guards beginning to draw their blades from their sheaths. Already they had taken up position around Lord Albert, but now three out of the five etched forwards, ready to engage this potential danger that threatened their Lord. It sickened him. To think, the very person I have served, would now view me as an enemy, he sighed inwardly, before turning to readress the current problem.
"STILL YOUR BLADES!!!" he roared above the din of the small but still fierce skirmish. The sudden voice of command caused several of the soldiers to jump. But all froze, not knowing any other way to react at that moment. "You are in the presence of Lord Albert. Restrain yourselves from shedding blood needlessly." At first, those who'd participated in the scuttle were hesitant, but they soon resheathed their swords.
"My friends," Robert started again, taking advantage of a clearly shocked Hagan, who this time had not yet struck him. "I am honoured that you would fight such odds for my sake, but this is no way to handle it. Our hardships will be for nought if we continue down this path." He turned back to face Lord Albert. "Lord Albert, please allow me to explain what has happened. Why so few have returned, and without General Peter." A mocking laugh followed his words, and he gazed upon the owner.
"My Lord," started Hagan, his apparent amusement at the situation now over. "He has a silver tongue to coaxed you into believing him, but it is obvious that he is lying and betrayed General Peter, fleeing from the battle to save his own life!" His voice was full of venom as he spoke the last part.
"Still your tongue, Hagan!" demanded Lord Albert "It is your handling of the situation, not to mention, your orders, that caused this situation to unfold!" Hagan seemed cowed into silence. "You may speak, Captain, but pray your words aren't to my disliking."
"Well, you will not like what I have to say then," surmised Robert, holding Lord Albert's stern gaze. Led to the council meeting room, he stood at attention as he recounted the events starting from the moment General Peter had separated from the main force through the battle against the Volucris, what happened during the retreat, to finally, he spoke about the confrontations with the enemy before managing to finally reach the fort. Throughout his retelling of the events, the gathered generals had remained quiet, listening intently, though he heard a few murmurs of disbelief about the Venator.
Lord Albert regarded him solemnly. He had no doubt in what the man said, for even without General Peter speaking highly of him on previous occassions, it was easy to see he was a good, loyal and honest man from the way he handled himself. Indeed, the way he had handled himself earlier when faced with the fool, Hagan's accusations and actions, portrayed his character in a golden light... but... the loss of Peter stung like a thousand wasp stings to the face. He would be sorely missed.
"You may leave us, Captain Robert. You will find those you returned with being guarded in the cells. Speak to the guard captain and he'll release them for you. If you have any trouble then tell him to come and see me, and that though he is doing an excellent job, I will be passed my patience at having to repeat myself." Robert bowed respectively before thanking and leaving the council room, ignoring the look of disdain he'd earned from a glowering Hagan.
The sound of drawing swords reached Robert's ears. He ignored the stinging pain his right cheek now held and glanced back. With alarm he noted that Falcon had drawn their alesensis. Even the members amongst Ariel's and Gregory's squads had drawn their blades. The soldiers surrounding him and his party had drawn their own in response.
"Cease this foolishness at once!" commanded a powerful voice, cutting through the tension filled courtyard. Even before seeing who it belonged to, Robert could tell it was Lord Albert by the shear authority he could hear that the voice carried. The soldiers sheathed their swords as the Lord began to descend the steps, but Robert was dismayed to see his party still holding theirs, though now lowered.
"Sheath your blades!" he ordered, touched by their loyalty, but distressed that they could easily get themselves killed. "We don't want to make things any wor..." His sentence was cut short as a hand struck his face splitting his lip. He grimaced as he heard Hagan Snarl.
"You speak when you are..." This time it was Hagan who found his sentence cut short as those who'd accompanied Robert sprang forth in retaliation to the second blow. The soldiers drew their swords once more and met the threat that raced towards Hagan.
A clash of steel upon steel resounded through the air as opposing sides collided. Grunts and yelps echoed as shoving, punching and kneeing ensued. So far, no blood had been spilt, but that was just a matter of time. The men fought well despite their inferior numbers. Their were some guarding the flanks and rear, whilst the others pressed the attack. Swords clanged, but still no metal found flesh.
Fear coursed through Robert as a shimmer of light alerted him to the Lord's personal guards beginning to draw their blades from their sheaths. Already they had taken up position around Lord Albert, but now three out of the five etched forwards, ready to engage this potential danger that threatened their Lord. It sickened him. To think, the very person I have served, would now view me as an enemy, he sighed inwardly, before turning to readress the current problem.
"STILL YOUR BLADES!!!" he roared above the din of the small but still fierce skirmish. The sudden voice of command caused several of the soldiers to jump. But all froze, not knowing any other way to react at that moment. "You are in the presence of Lord Albert. Restrain yourselves from shedding blood needlessly." At first, those who'd participated in the scuttle were hesitant, but they soon resheathed their swords.
"My friends," Robert started again, taking advantage of a clearly shocked Hagan, who this time had not yet struck him. "I am honoured that you would fight such odds for my sake, but this is no way to handle it. Our hardships will be for nought if we continue down this path." He turned back to face Lord Albert. "Lord Albert, please allow me to explain what has happened. Why so few have returned, and without General Peter." A mocking laugh followed his words, and he gazed upon the owner.
"My Lord," started Hagan, his apparent amusement at the situation now over. "He has a silver tongue to coaxed you into believing him, but it is obvious that he is lying and betrayed General Peter, fleeing from the battle to save his own life!" His voice was full of venom as he spoke the last part.
"Still your tongue, Hagan!" demanded Lord Albert "It is your handling of the situation, not to mention, your orders, that caused this situation to unfold!" Hagan seemed cowed into silence. "You may speak, Captain, but pray your words aren't to my disliking."
"Well, you will not like what I have to say then," surmised Robert, holding Lord Albert's stern gaze. Led to the council meeting room, he stood at attention as he recounted the events starting from the moment General Peter had separated from the main force through the battle against the Volucris, what happened during the retreat, to finally, he spoke about the confrontations with the enemy before managing to finally reach the fort. Throughout his retelling of the events, the gathered generals had remained quiet, listening intently, though he heard a few murmurs of disbelief about the Venator.
Lord Albert regarded him solemnly. He had no doubt in what the man said, for even without General Peter speaking highly of him on previous occassions, it was easy to see he was a good, loyal and honest man from the way he handled himself. Indeed, the way he had handled himself earlier when faced with the fool, Hagan's accusations and actions, portrayed his character in a golden light... but... the loss of Peter stung like a thousand wasp stings to the face. He would be sorely missed.
"You may leave us, Captain Robert. You will find those you returned with being guarded in the cells. Speak to the guard captain and he'll release them for you. If you have any trouble then tell him to come and see me, and that though he is doing an excellent job, I will be passed my patience at having to repeat myself." Robert bowed respectively before thanking and leaving the council room, ignoring the look of disdain he'd earned from a glowering Hagan.