#15: Oh, Death, where am I to Hide?
Eragon
Royal Court
The royal court is already getting painted scarlet, the walls were decorated with blood streaks. Volde shot a death glare at Aystar who had his chin raised. He saw a soldier pulling Astrid's hair. "Do not touch her!", Volde shouted. "Your Grace, you have to leave", A Bithen soldier tried to convince Volde. "You coward. You even have to use another Kingdom to plot this. Are you trying to kill my child?", Volde gritted his teeth. "We will not kill your child. In fact, we will gladly welcome it to be a part of the family", Aystar answered. Volde was surprised since he thought it was their scheme to eliminate the heir to the throne. "You are the one who needs to die. You, who was only permitted to live so you can kill and give justice to your existence", Aystar nodded and signaled the archer. Volde managed to steal an enemy's shield. Aystar marched closer to Volde. "Watch, Aya, here is where I end the lasting nightmare you had lived with", Aystar draws his sword. Aya grabbed Astrid who was able to get away from the soldier. "Do not interfere. You are fortunate enough to stay alive until you bear the next King", the woman tighten her grip on the tanned skin Queen.
Two men fought in the middle of the scarlet-painted halls. The screams were music adding to the suspense of who will win the sword battle. "You were trained by Varick with books. So bad that he wasn't as good as his brothers. He could have taught you how to hold a sword", Aystar mocked. Volde was about to thrust his sword at Aystar but a blade came to pass through his back piercing his stomach. The blade was withdrawn having the King bleed so much. The traitor had a smirk on his face. Volde coughed blood. Astrid screamed and ordered her soldiers. She was able to shove Aya and throw her to the ground. "Protect the King!!", she shouted as he ran towards him. Aystar blocked the path with mixed emotions on her face. "That is your son! That is your son! Do I have to repeat it once more?", Astrid cried. "Your child, whom you will bear, is the one true king", Aystar said with a cold tone." How can you allow your child to be butchered in front of you? You're such a heartless mother", Astrid glared at Aya who's on the floor. Astrid went in between Aystar and Volde "Leave. I am begging you", Volde grabbed her shoulder with his bloody hands. Volde looked around and saw Keane getting the groove of slitting everyone's throat. "You may now leave!", Aya ordered in the fear that the Andorian King might have changed his mind. Zakili, who was just standing, used a whistle and calmed down Keane. "We're leaving", Zakili said and gave a look to Volde. He said something and Volde was able to lipread it.
"Long live the King"
Aystar was raged to see the Andor soldier and King leave the room. They just tipped off the balance and let the Raven soldier handle the rest. The Bithen soldier found a way to let the two escape. The King's mother gritted her teeth seeing Volde escape the hall.
Volde's eyes widened as the arrow was shot at the woman beside him. It was Aystar who took an arrow from a corpse. It gave Aya a bitter expression. "What are you doing?", Aya was shocked. It wasn't what they had planned to do. The child gets to live and be a puppet of the two. "We tried to make a puppet out of this fool but he wasn't good enough. There's no mistake that his child will also turn out as a defective one as well", Aystar had an arrogant look on his face. Volde caught Astrid in his arms. More soldiers of Bithen entered to be reinforcements. They assisted Volde and Astrid to leave the place but are still being pursued by the enemy. Volde carried her and felt the warm blood flowing on his arms. He was more than sure that it wasn't just blood. Tears swelled in Astrid's eyes. "Your Grace, you are also wounded. You have to let me go, the bleeding will get stronger", she sobbed. "This way, Your Grace", the Bithen soldier led them to the highest floor since there is nowhere else to go.
The two were alone on the rooftop. Volde gulped as he saw the bleeding from Astrid. "I'm sorry, I couldn't pro-", Astrid covered her face. Volde knelt down and hugged the lady. "And I couldn't move properly to protect you", Astrid cried. "Hush Astrid, look at me", Volde tried to calm her but his arms are also trembling in anger and despair. Astrid looked at pair of light brown eyes that showed sincerity and care for her. They heard the shout of the soldiers. Soon, footsteps are being heard. "You should leave. You can still escape. This is the reason why I married you. I will be your shield to anyone who is trying to harm you", Astrid tried to push him but Volde was strong. "I won't let you suffer alone. I am such a failure as a father and as a husband. Astrid, there is no way out", the young king tightens his hug. "I want- I wanted the child to be born. I wanted my child to see how great his father was. I wanted the child to live more and for me to whisper in his ears that he is allowed to live without any condition", Astrid cried remembering what Aystar shouted a while ago.
To justify your existence!
"Astrid, we're going to see our child soon. Fix your face. We can't let our child see our messed-up face", Volde gently pushed her and cupped her face. "What would you tell our child?", Astrid asked. "I would tell our child that you are the bravest mother I've ever known. I would have loved to spar sword if it would be a boy. If she was a girl, I will carry her in my arms. I would teach her everything even if the High Council would not allow it", Volde gave a smile. The soldiers already reached the top floor. "I will surely deliver that. I will fulfill the purpose of why I chose to stay with you", Astrid also smiled in the midst of the tears gathered on her face. She mustered all her strength to push Volde from the tower. Volde can still see Astrid as he was falling. He was able to lip-read her.
I love you. Fly, my raven.
Bithen and Oneison Boundary
The battle started. Gilbert, being an alien to war, stood in the middle confused about his role. Who should he kill? What if he kills an ally of theirs? Geryon is a man of his word, he will have him killed. A pirate was headed to get him but Hick beheaded him before he even gets feet closer to Gilbert. Gilbert was frozen being in the midst of a whirlpool of death hoping it doesn't swallow him as well. It was the first time he was thrown into a whirlpool of men fighting for their own lives. When you take one's life, you rob their family and friends of every chance to be with the person. "Wake up, lad. This is no time to daydream. Save your wishful thinking about that lady, for later. We still have to get his father's head", Hick slapped the back of his head.
Gilbert gulped and marched toward the battlefield. Geryon saw him in a distance. He squinted his eyes for he cannot believe how Gilbert could easily make his way out of the crowd. It is as if they were making a way for him toward victory. He ran towards him as well as Hick. The two rode the horses they saw along the way and followed the man. Bithen and Raven soldiers are already pushing the pirates back.
Cave
"I knew you would be here", Gilbert entered and watch the old man sit on the rock. "Have you come to take shelter from me? Where is my daughter?", Jack asked. "You were overpowered by your Treasury. You were so obsessed with taking care of your jewels and gold that you haven't been paying attention to what mattered most", Gilbert went closer. A Group of pirates went out. They are holding specialized weapons. One of them threw spikes at him but Gilbert grabbed the chains making his hand bleed. He pulled the other pirate and smashed his head with the same spike. Another one came, Gilbert didn't hesitate to use Jack's sword to stab his throat. One by one, the pirates all met their end. Jack clapped his hand. "You learned the life of Piracy! You steal, deceive, and defile", Jack laughed. He was unarmed. All he had in his hand is the scepter.
"If you hold onto this scepter, you can make your claim as the next pirate King", Jack informed. "Just take my head and present it to whoever. They will honor that", Jack added. "I am not a pirate. I did not steal from anyone. I never deceived for my own benefit. I, whatever the reason would be, will never defile anyone. How can I be a King? I have no blood of a noble", Gilbert stepped closer. "You know completely who you are", Jack closed his eyes. "You did not steal anything. Then, what are those corpses lying in the midst of us? If you don't want any single soul to know. Then, kill me, before a word escapes my mouth", Jack opened his eyes and saw that Gilbert is already right in front of him. "You were the one who forced me to take a life of a young girl", Gilbert can still feel the sensation of having to be wicked. "It was mercy", Jack smiled. "Nymeria told you, right? What is mercy?", Jack stood up and held his sword. He pulled it and pointed it at his chest.
Hick and Geryon are exploring the cave. They finally saw Gilbert's figure. "Hey, what are you-", Geryon stopped when he saw Gilbert putting Jack's head on a spike. "The battle is already done", Gilbert announced while holding the scepter. "Who are we going to claim as the King?", Hick hummed. "It is already obvious", Geryon saw the different look in Gilbert's eyes. "The South will have reigned by-", Gilbert paused and looked at the scepter. "Nymeria Oneison, the daughter of Jack Oneison. She will reign both Bithen and Oneison", Gilbert answered. "Why not you? I don't think pirates would welcome a woman as their leader", Hick stepped forward and dropped his sword. "I would be willing to be knighted under you", Hick knelt down. "I have no power to do so. Pirates as dynamic, unlike other people. If the Queen will be heartless, you would be charged with treason but she is a woman who is completely sane enough to run a Kingdom", Gilbert passed through the soldiers.
Battlefield
The three were frozen in the middle of the vast garden of corpses. They were startled to see Bithen soldiers lined up, headless. Soldiers with a raven sigil on their breastplates marched around to look for the Pirate King. Gilbert heard a familiar sound of a horn. "What does that mean?", Geryon asked without looking at the man holding Jack's head. "The pirates retreat back to Oneison", Gilbert answered and looked at Hick. The commander's face changed and was prepared to march alone and chop off every single Raven soldier. Gilbert pressed the spike with Jack's head to Geryon. "In the battle where the sea meets with land, Geryon Ethyria took the pirate King's head. The supposed heir to the throne was missing. She escaped through the river. Thus, John Stane will assume the position", Gilbert bit his lip and grabbed Hick's arm. "This is farewell, master", Gilbert mustered all his strength to drag Hick away from the battlefield.
"Let me go", Hick pulled his arm back. "I know you want to avenge them. The Ravens soldiers are backed up by Eragon soldiers. You cannot stand the chance against them", Gilbert slapped the reality. "I will die with them", Hick pressed his lips together. "A dead man cannot avenge the dead but he can live to save what is left", Gilbert said in a calm voice. The commander, who lead his army in tons of battles and who was known to be the best spear user, cried in lamentation of his dead brothers. Gilbert clenched his fist. He continued to drag Hick by his arm and they ended at the river where Nymeria waits.
River boundary of Bithen and Oneison
Nymeria tended Hick's wounds. He hasn't spoken a word since they were reunited. "I heard some information from the Raven soldiers who arrived in the middle of the war", Nymeria opened. "The Middle Kingdom had fallen", Nymeria looked at Gilbert. "The King was killed by his own father. The new King had been crowned", Nymeria sighed. Gilbert felt a tug in his heart. Just a while ago, he beheaded her father. "It was mercy, Gilbert", Nymeria had tears in her eyes. "I saw my father's head on the spike before I left the camp", Nymeria wiped her tears. "How did you know it was me?", Gilbert looked at the water flowing. "Because you came back", Nymeria smiled while tears are still flowing down her cheeks. Hick finally get the hang of what had happened.
"I saw hints of poisoning from his skin. You made him drink poison to stop his heart immediately. He doesn't want a painful death. That's what he'd been telling me before", Nymeria wiped her face with a handkerchief and then looked at Gilbert with a straight face. "What will we do next?", she asked. Gilbert was taken aback. What authority does he have to lead her? "We cannot go back to the camp. They'll kill this man. We cannot go back to Oneison, the Raven already set their mark in here. They'd kill you and question my identity", Gilbert sat on the rock.
"There is only one way out", Hick pointed to the river heading upwards.
Chapter end.