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TOTAL WAR ROME |
Her sight flickers between blurry visions and black spots until she becomes blinded as her eyelids feel heavy. The immeasurable pain that messed with her left arm surged throughout her limb and forced her to groan out in an excruciating moan.
With a thread of consciousness - as she fought to remain awake - while her body became heavy and exhausted in ways her body has sustained from the large wound on her arm that had pieces of the shield. The sharp and small pieces were pierced into her flesh and in open cuts. It hurt so bad.
But a pair of hands caught her just before her body threatened to slam face-first to the ground.
The hands were rough and large. But had a hint of gentleness to them as she was carried - the freezing wind of a cold night caressed her - and brought to a warm house into a comfortable bed.
Estelle attempted to pry her eyes open but was unsuccessful. However, she tried again and she was successful in only partially opening them as she caught a glimpse of blonde locks.
Having captured the dwarf's attention, he gave her a reassuring smile as he spoke out loudly. "Fili, at your service." Before a groan took his attention away and immediate concern and anxiety frowned his face as he went to his brother who yelped in pain.
"We are losing him!" "Kili!"
Before Tauriel requested they held him down as she began to mix the herbs and began to enchant in elvish words that seemed to work - Estelle watching the scene unfold - as Kili's groan of pain was reduced to a sigh of relief.
Eventually, like Fili after he finished with his murmurs, Estelle and he succumbed to sleep from their wounds as the others could finally rest easy. Meanwhile, the legionnaires outside reported what became of the Orcs as they reunited with the legion.
Justinian - the captain of the cavalry unit - had them fill him in on the reports as they cleaned up the remaining Orcs on the bridge with the whole people of Lake-Town wide awake from the commotion and battle that had set place. The guards of Lake-Town came around the corners and aimed their spears, swords, and archers at them.
Wary and cautious at the sight of strange soldiers that donned fine overlapping metal armor, and their odd helmets with their unique designs with others having red feathers and others a mix of red or black. Furthermore, the folks worried that Lake-Town was being conquered or maybe even due to be raided. Especially when the visitors were emitting a violent tendency.
"Take half the men and secure this place. I do not care about the populace." Justinian ordered the centurion as a man from Lake-Town shouted - uncaring and not afraid - as he hid behind the guards of Lake-Town.
"What is it with visitors and their excellent timing to come here when it's bloody nighttime!"
A simple man wearing a black coat and a terribly unkempt black hair said aloud behind the safety of the guards. In return, Justinian simply ignored him and addressed the situation and order to his men instead.
"Legionnaires! The Legatus has been injured! This place - these people - I want it all secured! I want it safe! Am I understood?! Then get a move on!"
Justinian had an aggressive demeanor to him - the hostility overwhelming - as he was overcome with the sense to ensure the safety of the Legatus. The legionnaires with brimming sense of loyalty and anger at the harm that befell their Legatus unsheathed their sword. Their large shield walls aimed to force the guards of Lake-Town a distance away from the housing the Legatus was receiving treatment and rest.
But despite having enough with foolish and cowardly men. Yet another man appeared - cowardly as the last - a spoiled and fat man that hid behind the guards as he proclaimed himself mayor as he threatened them with war.
"Do not act in haste! The Elven King of Mirkwood would not tolerate having his business with Lake-Town put a delay in his shipment! You will suffer war with us!"
A war assisted by the Elves of Mirkwood - ruled by King Thranduil - which was quickly silenced by Justinian.
"Shut your mouth! I will cut off your tongue if you forced me to step down from my horse!"
The authority and commanding voice evoked the people of Lake-Town to submit without further issue. While a cold chill shivered down both the mayor's and man's spines as they were at the receiving end of a piercing glare as Justinian reined his horse around ensuring the house was covered on all sides.
Just then a legionnaire went up to converse with the captain as words were exchanged.
With a nod, Justinian let the legionnaire announced what he had reported to him, and so a loud voice yelled out. "The Dwarves and our Commander's party traveled Mirkwood. King Thranduil had us dine in his great halls!"
The legionnaire paused as he let the words sink in before he continued. "What say you, that you treat the King's guest with resistance?!"
Immediately, the guards of Lake-Town shared a glance among each other, and then at the mayor who started to build up a sweat over the face of his. "W-what are you sods doing?! Put your spears down! Please! Please, let us be a great host and welcome you to Lake-Town!"
Like the mayor, the man that had initially yelled out in anger at the captain followed the mayor's lead as he took a turn from being an absolute douche to a bitch dog that began to sweet talk with the guest of Lake-Town.
Disgusted at the display and absent of any courage or backbone, Justinian reined the horse away as he waited by the end of the bridge. At the other end where it connected to land - appeared a man on a horse - as Numerius let the legion set camp just by the bridge as he the Tribunus and the other Praefectus Cohortis went to check on the Commander's condition.
TOTAL WAR ROME |
With faces that seemed to be on their last thread of patience - before chaos erupts - the group of ranking officers reined their horse over the narrow bridge with the Tribunus at the lead with eyes that screamed bloody murder.
More so when news came that Estelle was injured just as they were near - that was unforgivable - and he is just brimming on the edge of exploding and lashing out. But it seemed Justinian had already done that. The town of Lake-Town submissive to their arrival. While a few men had eyes with fury in them, it was nothing compared to what he and the others felt at that moment.
As Numerius caught a glimpse of Justinian - the only soldier on horseback - he figured that it must be the small house the Legatus was recovering in.
With the guards of Lake-Town having lowered their weapons by the orders of the mayor, and keeping a distance, the Tribunus and Praefectus Cohortis continued without interference. Until Numerius got close enough he said, "Captain. Has the area been secured?"
Turning the captain's attention from the crowd and wary guards, Justinian looked back to Numerius as he relayed the current situation. "The last remaining orcs were eliminated, and a few escaped, including the scum that gave an enormous wound to the Legatus."
Numerius clenched the reins as he wished upon the death of the orc that inflicted the injury to Estelle. But it was not the time to dwell on anger and frustration. Estelle needed them.
"Keep the people of Lake-Town in place. If there's any trouble - deal with it."
The Tribunus firm voice consolidate the gravity of the situation as he moved along, followed by the others as he was tasked with maintaining the security and the populace under strict control. Therefore, with a hardened face, he aimed to do just as he was ordered.
TOTAL WAR ROME |
"Father, are you off to somewhere far again?"
Estelle pouted as she figured as much - her father donning an armor - before she heard chuckles from the man. "I am, little one. Somewhere as far to the north. Humid and cold, while forests of green are everywhere."
The young Julia looked up to meet her father's eyes as his words mentioned at how far it was. It moved his heart as he looked down to be met at the sadness she wore on her face - just how dejected she looked - before he knelt down and embraced her in a warm hug.
"I will always find my way back to you - never forget that - I will come for you. No matter how long. No matter how far away, Estelle..."
"Estelle..."
Her eyes fluttered open as she heard her name being called before an excruciating pain surged from the entirety of her limb. Then along with the pain, she recalled everything until the moment she passed out, and that next to her were her close companions.
"Are you alright?"
Numerius asked - anxious and worried - before a groan escaped from her lips as she attempted to sit upright on the side of the bed.
"You must restrict yourself from moving. Not now or in the next few days, since a fever may break out at any time. It is best you recover your strength." Magnus suggested before he received a defiant response.
"I will not just stay by and idle like a useless cow..."
Estelle would have yelled but she could only speak weakly before she began to cough roughly.
"Water! Someone go and fetch water!" Magnus shouted as the officers scrambled in search before Cicero made it back with a jar of water in haste. "Drink…" Numerius took the jar from Cicero as he handed it to Estelle with a careful and supporting hand - the woman's fingers grasp weakly as her hand trembled - as she greedily drank, and finished the whole jar.
"What has happened?" Fili intruded as he approached Estelle who lay weakly on the bed - her eyes closed and a long deep breath became apparent she was asleep - before the officers blocked her from the dwarf's view, as the men used their large figure from allowing Fili from further intruding.
"This does not concern you, dwarf. Leave, and go to your mountain. Let Thorin Oakenshield deliver what he has promised. Then, we will be on our way." Numerius said so sternly and with anger that it was difficult to mistake that the man blamed them for what had happened to Estelle.
Which was exactly the truth.
"I am sorry, but I will forever be grateful to the Commander, who led the charge to fight to protect my brother."
Numerius who had refused to look at the dwarf as he focused solely on Estelle, paused, as he took in what he has just heard. Slow to turn his head, Numerius wondered if he had heard right and eventually laid angered eyes as a voice that belonged to him growled and sounded deep and dangerous. "Speak, dwarf."
"When the orcs fell upon us, we were barely holding out, until they arrived. My brother was not fit to fight and an orc breaching the house would have been it. Your Commander, understood and fought outside to keep the orcs at bay. The Commander protected my brother when we couldn't have without the help."
The cold winds whistled as silence enveloped them before Numerius turned his eyes away and focused back on a sleeping face, with a few tiny cuts at the eyebrow and cheeks. "You may leave…"
Without any other choice, Fili resigned as he retreated back to the door to the outside, until forceful winds like a hurricane vibrated and swept at Lake-Town. Without missing a beat, Fili murmured;
"Dragon…"
"Dragon!" the people of Lake-Town screamed out of fear as they hurried to get to their boats to flee the flames, as others ran to the bridge to escape. Meanwhile, Bard kicked at the cell as he heard the dragon roar and fires that brought destruction. "Let me out!"
"We are leaving! To the bridge!" Cicero ordered before Justinian relayed the orders himself on top of his horse, ordering the legionnaires that secured the town to retreat.
TOTAL WAR ROME |