Torment

[Evoth]

Alix furrowed his brow and let loose a sigh, "A pessimistic spirit weighs heavy on you." Alix really couldn't say anything. A person who experienced near death over and over again couldn't be in good spirits. "Surely he has a greater spirit then us all." he thought to himself.

Off in the distance, the sight of a forest. It was a welcomed sight indeed. Alix gave his horse a slight nudge in the right ribs. Instantly the horse responded by turning toward the forest. "We'll take cover in the forest. Once there I'll explain everything." Alix's face showed concern.

They road through the dense forest. Even at night, the myriad of colors showed. From viridian to that of crimson decorated the forest by nature's design. Alix's horse padded softly in the under brush. The forest seemed calm, transfixed to silence. It seemed so odd. But quickly Alix put this concern aside. The sound of a running stream in the distance. "Come on girl." He said softly.

A small stream ran before them. Alix dismounted his horse and helped Duc off as well. "Drink." Alix told him as he lead his horse to the stream's side.

[hermitcrab1112]

Reynard almost laughed at the thought of walking to the stream, although in reality it probably would have been more crying--he, a warrior, couldn't even stand up.
Speaking, of which......he promptly sat down once off of the horse, preferring to sit, rather than collapse.
Maybe he did have some pride left-somewhere.

"So....you said you'd exp-explain?"
Well, he could definitely talk better now. Not that that helped the ache in his hands and the raw pain in his back, but it was an improvement.
Maybe.

[Evoth]

"You see," Alix began, "ever since your capture the empire has been trying to recover you...in any way possible. That's where I stepped in at." Alix looked at Reynard, "I'm a double agent. I simple pass along information back and forth between the kingdoms in hopes to gain an advantage. Well, they gained one. You." He patted his horse's side and walked over to Reynard, "It was my job to make sure they didn't kill you. It seems that I've succeeded thus far. On my last report, they wanted you to be freed from your captivity. And because of this we wound up here fleeing from the enemy and with the possibility of my cover of being discovered as a fake."

[hermitcrab1112]

Managing a rueful smile, Reynard answered, even though his mind was racing. "I'm sorry. Maybe...Maybe they won't....find out."

Then he looked up, brown eyes confused.
"Why would they risk their spy to rescue me? I...don't, shouldn't have been rescued."
His tone was confused, yet there was no small amount of hopelessness contained within it.
-d-

[Evoth]

Alix heaved a sigh, "Why you ask. Why not?" He sat in front of Reynard, "You're a born leader. Tough as they come. Those men," Alix pointed the way they came, "they tried to break you. But you didn't crumble under their pressure. They're afraid of you. You helped lead to their first defeat on the battlefield and now you've escaped from their grasp. You're a god amongst men!" He shook his head, "Our kingdom needs you. Or surely we'll crumble before their might once again!" It seemed like a desperate plea. But it was the truth. Trading blows in the battlefield was warring both sides down.

[hermitcrab1112]

Reynard shook his head, pain whirling even as he did so. Uttering a bitter laugh, he looked up.
"Look at me! I'm half-dead, and I can't even stand. No one fears me......Maybe they /did/ break me. I'll never know-I can't remember most of the things that happened in that tent."

"I thank you for saving me, really I do. But how, how can I be of service to Andorra? I might have been a leader once. That's gone. All that's left is /this/."

He gestured at the scarred face and arms, ignoring the weals on his back.
"How will that lead a nation? In the time it would take my body to recover enough to lead an army-nay, even ride a horse, another general could've won the battles!"

Voice softening, he continued, some of the anger leaving his voice, only to be replaced by naked fear and desperation.
"I /have/ crumbled. I'm not what I was. I doubt I could lead one horse, much less an army."
-d-

[Evoth]

Alix gnashed his teeth, "Should we have left? Left you to die. We risked lives....just...just for this." He jestered at Reynard, "Perhaps it would of been better to leave you to be killed. To die a martyr for our cause and give a passion to the people." Alix drew his sword and struck it in the ground before Reynard, "If you wish to end it like a coward, then do it by my sword." In the back of his mind Alix didn't wish for Reynard to kill himself. They wanted him alive. But just maybe out of this move of desperation Reynard would take his life into consideration, "Killed while we fleed the camp."

[hermitcrab1112]

Reynard spoke again, his voice calm, although there was more than a hint of desperation in it.
"Yes. Yes, you should have left me. Or rather, maybe you should have killed me before I gave state secrets away-I may have anyway, I don't remember."

He looked up, haunted eyes locking on Alix's.
"You could still do it. I can't lift your sword, but you can. You could kill me. No one would blame you."

Maybe he would kill him. Did he care? He couldn't, didn't know the answer. Did he want to die? Was his life important? Reynard thought not. Everything he'd said was true. He would never know if he'd betrayed Andorra, never know if he'd revealed the battle plans that their nation rested on. And if he had.....He should die. Deserved to die.
-d-

[Evoth]

A man driven to the brink of death and brought back by the living. He had lost his spirit to live. Lost the hope to carry on. His pride nonexistent. Alix looked upon the broken figure with disgust in his eyes. He'd risk his life for someone who cares not of his own. "Pitiful." mutter Alix, "But if I must." Alix grabbed his sword and pulled on Reynard's long hair. Bringing his sword high above his head. "It's what you wish."

Alix brought the sword down in a shift fashion. It cut straight through Reynard's long hair and sent it to the ground. He let go of the man's hair and slammed his sword back in its sheath. "Though weak you are in spirit and body, I can not let you end it here." his tone determined. Alix turned away from Reynard and went to his horse's side. "I didn't expect this much difficultly with him." he thought.

[hermitcrab1112]

In the moment that the sword had been raised above his head, Reynard had made no resistance, but now he knew. He wanted to live. For some odd reason, this man had rediscovered his will to stay alive. So, instead of concentrating on responding, he shut his eyes.

A vague, noncommital shrug was his only answer. Time to concentrate on breathing.
Why did he want to live? What good could he do anyone?
The answer was not forthcoming.
-d-

[Evoth]

ooc: tired

Alix reached into a satchel on his horse's saddle. He rumaged around for a moment before finding what he wanted. Pulling out a small scroll Alix sat down with a sigh. Opening the scroll revealed a map. He scanned the map for their location. There was a confused look on his face. Tracing his finger from the enemy encampment and going north, Alix couldn't find the forest that they were in. "Makes no sense." he muttered.

[hermitcrab1112]

Although he didn't know what the man had said, Reynard was rather beyond caring. His breathing slowed, and he could feel his mind slipping away; it would leave him comatose.

Oh dear. Lovely. Yes, it would be a nice reprieve, as long as he didn't go to sleep. However, he felt he should try to stay conscious; perhaps he could do something, although he had no idea what.

Too late. Before he slipped away, dark eyes going shut again, he could only hope that he wouldn't fall asleep. He didn't, wasn't. Good.
-d-

[pearlypat823]

Elana had heard the voices. They cut through the silence like a knife, despite the fact that they were hushed. She quietly submerged herself and swam to the edge of the glade. When she surfaced, the voices were louder. Even the small stream that ran nearby made little noise. There they were. Two men. She had never seen men before.
Her silver eyes widened as she realized that one of them was badly hurt. She uttered a small gasp as she watched him lose consciousness. Was he dead? She then remembered that she was not allowed to be seen. What if they had heard her? She panicked slightly as she realized her gown was all the way on the other end of the glade. She let herself sink untill just her nose was above the water, and remained perfectly still, praying silently that the man who was awake would not see her. Especially now that she had no clothes on.

[Evoth]

Alix looked up from the map to see Reynard once again slip out of consciousness. It seemed that the man who was once a great leader has fallen from grace, only to lapsed between life and death. Alix grabbed his water skin and filled it up in the stream. He glanced down the stream, it seemed like something was there. Alix shook his head, "Nothing." or at least he thought.

Alix poured the fresh stream water onto Reynard's head in hopes of reviving the man from the darkness. "Come on. The last thing I need right now is for you to pass out." The ride to the next outpost was a small trek, but the last thing Alix needed was to juggle a body while he rode there. He ceased pouring the water and croaked it. "Damn."

[hermitcrab1112]

Someone was speaking. Pouring water, something touching him......
Reynard woke suddenly, flinching from Alix' touch. His body went rigid, and he shyed away, fear clouding his faculties.

A moment later, he remembered, body relaxing. He wasn't there anymore. The man had only been waking him, for gods sake.
Stammering, voice shaky, Reynard adressed him.

"Ye-yes? I'm so-sorry."
Idiotic words, but he was still trying to piece consciousness back together; they would have to do.
-d-