Torment

[pearlypat823]

Elana nodded weakly. Everything around her was slowly becoming blurred. She gathered the courage to look down at her shoulder, and gasped at the sheer amount of blood that was spilling from the wound. What had she done? This was all her fault. If she had been wise enough to return home when she had the chance, none of this would've happened. Now she, and everyone else, for that matter, were in danger, and she was slowly fading from consciousness.

Reynards last words to her rang in her mind. Stay awake. Stay awake. Plant names? She shook her head. The wound had to be tied. Her thin hands were weak and shaky, but with determination, she managed to grasp the hem of her gown and tear off a piece. She couldn't tie it, so instead, she bundled the piece of fabric into a ball and pressed it against the wound, clenching her teeth hard against the pain. She propped herself up against the nearest tree and held the cloth over the wound as tightly as she could, though her arms were losing their strength.

Struggling to remain conscious, Elana looked around desperately for something to concentrate on. How could she have been so stupid?

[Evoth]

Alix was plunged to the ground. The archers grabbed and bound his arms. Ragged breaths were hindered by the small amount of blood that came with each breath. His body felt torn; taken to limits he had never been to. Smiles of satisfaction crossed their faces; they had caught the man who had set Reynard free. “Where is he?” They demanded to know.

“Gone.” The one who questioned Alix kicked him in the stomach. Alix let out a gasp for air as blood ran from his mouth and down his chin. The few archers that traveled together disbanded and searched the area; leaving only a few with their newly acquired prisoner. He was held by his arms as he fell forward in weakness, “You’ll…you’ll never find where he is!” Alix’s voiced wavered with pain but remained as strong as his will. The commanding officer kneeled before him. Lifting Alix’s head by his chin, the commander placed the sharp point of an arrow to his neck. “Tell us,” he spoke, “Tell us where Reynard is or I’ll add another arrow to your collection.”

The commander smirked, satisfied with the power he held over his prisoner. He could impose his will upon the weak man and get him to divulge all his thoughts and secrets that he held within. Alix shocked them all. He pressed forward, allowing the arrow point to cut into the skin. There wasn’t pain, just the shear rush of adrenaline through his body. “Then kill me.” The words were soft, barely audible. The commander looked into the defiant glazed eyes of Alix.

The smirk instantly faded, “With me dies the secret.” Before anyone could react, Alix pushed hard. The arrow pierced through his flesh as if it were butter. Blood rushed from the wound and down the commander’s hands. He quickly let go, tossing blood onto his fellow troops. Alix looked up at the commander. His body shaking. He bared his bloody teeth defiantly. “Long live Reynard!”

[hermitcrab1112]

Reynard had barely avoided the archers that came out of the clearing before him, and the lowered voices within told him nothing good.

Creeping forward, he arrived just intime to see Alix begin to push himself onto the arrow.
Barely thinking, he walked into it defiantly,the pressure of the moment making him regain his former confident swagger.

He was a good actor. Too bad he felt like he was going to faint.
Controlling his voice easily beofre anyone cried out, he strode only two feet away from the commander and slapped him.

Needless to say, his hand felt like it was on fire.
"Stop! All of you! Alix, stop offing yourself for gods sake."
His words were quick, barked out in an unmistakable hoarse and commanding voice.
Hopefully no one would react quick enough to...ruin his plan. What there was of it. Which, in all reality, was very little.

"Now, you ignorant fools, I am going to give you one chance, /one chance/, to explain your presence in Andorran territories."
Innocently and confidently, he added:
"Please take into mind that there are ninescore Elven archers surrounding you. By the way, the rest of your men have either been captured, or-by far preferable-ran into quicksand."

Inside he was quaking, but on the outside, Reynard, for all his ragged appearance carried the unmistakable mark of a leader.
Oh gods, if only it was enough to convince them.

Of course, if the girl was telling the truth, ninescore elven archers would certainly be helpful. /Real/ ones.
-d-

[Evoth]

The idiot! Alix turned his head toward the sound of Reynard's voice. It was him! Why did he come here? He was supposed to leave with that girl. Alix couldn't believe it. "Get out of here!" he croaked.

The commanding archer stood up with an unpleasant sneer. The one that they had been searching for had come directly to them, "Too easy." said the commander through his teeth, "Throw that traitorous trash aside. We have our dear Reynard once again."

Tossing Alix aside, he landed with a grunt. Dust was scattered into the air. He clintched his eyes and begun to grind his teeth in pain. An arrow that had struck his side was driven deeper into his body, "Run you idiot!" Alix would rather die knowing that he had completed his mission instead of failing it.

[hermitcrab1112]

For one split second, Reynard considered running. Then the idea killed itself. He'd had that chance two minutes ago. He'd turned it down. Even if he did run....three feet was probably the farthest he'd get. Besides, Reynard De Blois had never been one to leave a man behind.
The facts that Alix was technically not his man, and that he wouldn't even consider himself the man he had been did cross his mind as well.
He decided to forget them.

Not moving a step, Reynard inclined his head toward the commander.
The die had been cast; he would play until the end.

A smile on his lips, he spoke, voice reprimanding.
"Come commander. Let us not play these silly little games. You know as well as I do that your men wouldn't touch me before their fingers were shot off. Also....I'm hardly 'dear'. And, since you don't seem inclined to leave, perhaps more judicial measures are indicated?"

He let the sentence hang in the air, all the while keeping an unnerving smile on his lips. A knowing smile. Of course, it was all fake, but.....Kayla had always said he ahd a talent for acting.
-d-

[Evoth]

The Commander gave a curt smile, "I don't do well at 'judicial matters'." he snapped his fingers. The archers around quickly responded by pulling an arrow from their quiver and stringing them. All the archers turned and took aim at Alix who lay in a small crimson puddle. Alix gazed horrified at those who could bring death to him at an instant. He couldn't believe it. If he hadn't of listened to Reynard he wouldn't be in this situation at all. If only Reynard hadn't of come for him, "If only he had stayed with her. Let me commit my self-righteous suicide. We wouldn't be in this mess." These thoughts echoed in his mind, over and over again. Knowing that if he would've died, Reynard's whereabouts would be safe.

Laughter emitted from the Commander's chest, "Reynard, Reynard. Your loyalty will cost you both your freedom and your filthy traitorous friend." The Commander turned to face Alix with the look of scorn upon his face, "I'll make sure that you pay!", with the snap of his fingers, an archer let loose his arrow. The arrow struck hard into Alix's leg. Only stopping as it wedged itself into the bone. Alix let out a horrible cry of pain as he clinched the earth between his hands.

"Judicial matters always end up with someone dying. And there is no exception when the military gets involved." The Commander made now signs of flinching as he looked upon the sight of Alix. Turning back to Reynard he had a menacing grin, "Now, grab the fool!" Two archers went at Reynard.

[pearlypat823]

((I'm dreadfully sorry for my absence. I have been without the internet for a really long time. The situation was beyond my control - I am still very very sorry.))

BIC | Silently, the small band of archers made their way through the shadowy trees untill they reached the scene of action. Elana's father eyed the bleeding man on the ground, and then the other that had been seized. He assumed these were the men his daughter was talking about. He silently motioned for his archers to spread out, surrounding the clearing. He then drew a slender arrow from his own quiver and fitted it to his bow. he had to time it perfectly. Who to strike first?

[Evoth]

ooc: You can go ahead and attack the commander or the other archers if you want to.

[pearlypat823]

suddenly, an arrow came whistling out of the darkness, embedding itself deep into the commander's chest. It was soon followed by elven warcries. The slender arrows sailed through the dark air, hitting their destinations almost every time. Two of the archers ran into the clearing, and lifted the wounded Alix from the ground. Dodging arrows as they went, they carried him back toward the Elven city in the trees. Reynard was harshly instructed to follow as the battle wore on.

Meanwhile, Elana struggled to remain conscious as blood streamed from her wounded shoulder. She could hear the cries of battle. Her father was winning. He always did. She prayed someone would find her soon. She doubted she'd be able to make it home on her own.