Kiss the Darkness Ch. 04

Alexander noticed what he was doing and frantically shook his head. "No." He said, his eyes going wide. "There's no way, Christian."

Christian sighed. "We don't have another choice. We won't survive the mountain once night comes." He mounted the horse and turned to look at Alexander. "Hold onto me, tight!" He ordered.

Alexander took in a deep breath and did as he was told. Christian took up the reins and inched the horse closer to the edge. Necromancer grunted, bobbing his head up and down. He backed up and shifted nervously. Even the horse knew better than to try what Christian was demanding of it. "Easy boy." Christian spoke soothing to the horse as he attempted to calm it. "We can do this." The horse hesitated still. The riders grew closer. They were practically up on them. Christian finally kicked at the horses sides and ordered it sternly, "Let's go!"

At once the horse stepped off the pass and down the side of the hill, it's hooves sliding in the dirt and tiny stones. Necromancer snorted as he struggled to regain his footing. Alexander held onto Christian with all his might but still he swayed as the horse dug its hooves into the dirt. "We're almost at the bottom." Christian told him. "Just a bit further."

Alexander felt a wave of relief wash over him until heard one of the Guards still on the pass, call out to the others. "They've retreated down the side of the hill!"

The guards seemed at a loss but then their commander rode up and shouted. "After them!" One by one the guards drove their horses down the side of the hill, following Christian and Alexander. A hand full of them fell, their horses squealing in anger and pain. The others made it to the field below just moments after Christian had. Christian urged his horse on but then noticed he was limping. "Fuck!" Christian shouted.

Alexander noticed the problem at once. "Christian." He pleaded with him. "Christian, you have to stop. We'll ride him lame."

"And if we stop they'll catch us." Christian argued.

"We can't outrun them like this." Alexander pointed out. "They're going to catch us anyway, why further injure the horse?"

Christian knew that he was right and so he turned the horse to face the guards and stopped, dismounting. At first the guards were confused. Then Christian drew his sword as he faced them. "I have no wish to harm any of you." He said, addressing the guards. "I know that you are only following orders. But, I will not let any harm come to my companion. I urge you all to return to the Palace. Say that you could not find us. But if you pursue this course of action, I will fight you. To the death if that is what I must do, and while I know that I will surely fall, I am certain that I will take at least a few of you with me."

The guards listened, bewildered at the Prince's declaration. They were ordered to bring the Prince back to the Palace unharmed yet here he stood, threatening to fight them all for the love of one peasant boy. It was astounding. They looked to their commander for advice. Rohan rode up and dismounted. He walked towards the Prince who took a fighting stance, ready to attack.

"Lower your sword." Rohan demanded. "All we want is the boy."

"You will not get him." Christian narrowed his eyes. "Give us a horse and let us go. My horse needs medical attention."

Rohan shook his head. "That's not going to happen your highness. We're under orders to being you both back to the Palace. I don't know what you've done and frankly I don't care. But when my King gives me an order I follow it."

"If you follow orders so blindly then you are a fool." Christian hissed. "I love my father but I no longer have respect for him. There are things that he's done that I can not forgive."

"You should hold your tongue." Rohan sneered. "You are very close to committing treason."

"Better to be a traitor than to follow a madman."

Rohan gave Christian an icy stare. "I've heard enough of this. You will give yourselves over to us now or we will take you by force!"

Christian stood at the ready. Rohan motioned for three of his men to dismount and advance on Christian, two others rode round and closed Alexander in between them. He panicked suddenly when he realized that Christian did indeed plan on fighting the men. Fear gripped him and tears sprang to his eyes. It would be a blood bath.

Christian had not slept the entire night. He was tired and weary from traveling. Neither of them had eaten or drank anything since the day before. Alexander realized in that moment that though he was a skilled fighter, Christian couldn't take on the guards. Even were he not weak from hunger and lack of sleep, he was still vastly out numbered. With proper rest he could have handled one to one or even perhaps two to one, but not ten to one. He bowed his head and wiped the tears from his eyes. There was no way that he was going to allow Christian to die for him. They would capture Alexander anyway. Necromancer could never outrun them in his current state so Christian's death would be nothing but a waste.

Alexander looked up and with a heavy heart spoke. "Please, Christian. Turn me over to them."

"No!" Christian growled.

"Please, we've no other choice. You're the Prince. Your father will be angry but he'll forgive you and you'll live. Fight these men and we both die."

"Your friend is wise." Rohan addressed the Prince. "It's time for you to submit, your majesty. You've lost. Listen to the boy and turn him over to us. None of us want your blood on ours hands."

"Shut up." Christian met Rohan's stare with a look of complete defiance. "I will never give him up."

Rohan sighed. "Then, you leave me with no choice." He nodded to the three men facing the Prince.

"Do what you must." Christian said. "But I will defend him with my last dying breath."

"Spare the Prince's life, we'll take him in bloody but breathing. As for the boy, alive would be best. But if necessary, dead. It doesn't matter."

Alexander watched in horror as Christian prepared to fight. The first guard lunged towards him and Christian blocked his blow with his sword. The colliding swords filled the empty field with a loud clash of clanking steel. The second guard struck and Christian spun around in time to block his attack as well. He backed up some as the third advanced. One by one they attacked. Christian did his best to fend off each attack but with every blow he felt himself growing weaker until one of the guards was able to knock him off his feet.

'It's all over now.' Alexander thought as he watched the assault. There was no way that Christian could last much longer. Not with three guards coming at him from different directions. Alexander could tell that they were trying to weaken him. Their blows weren't meant to inflict injury but to subdue. Once they had worn him down they could take him without much difficulty. Alexander would be next. Without Christian to protect him, Alexander stood little chance of escaping.

Christian scrambled to get to his feet. He was panting heavily. His brow was covered with perspiration. A pained looked across his handsome features as he struggled to fight off the guards who didn't appear fatigued in the least. Alexander couldn't bear to keep watching but what could he do? With his tears rushing down his cheeks he looked to the sky and prayed. He prayed for help, for mercy. He prayed for a miracle. Were the Gods there? Were they listening? "I'll do anything." He sobbed. "Please, tell me what I must do. Guide me. Use me. Just help us escape this."

As Alexander spoke his prayer, the wind began to pick up. The sky darkened and dark clouds began to form over head. The guards seemed not to notice the approaching storm until the first loud, booming, clash of thunder. "Look alive lads." Rohan said to his men. "There's a wicked storm coming our way. Let's end this quickly."

As the guards surrounded him, Christian struck for the last time, using all of his might to hold them off but his attempts were futile. The guards overpowered him and forced him to his knees, disarming him. He hung his head in shame and wept as he realized that he'd been beat. He'd failed to protect the one that he loved.

"Get him on a horse." Rohan instructed. Two of the guards took Christian by the arms and hoisted him to his feet.

Another clash of thunder. The wind began to howl angrily kicking up dust and leaves from the ground. The men braced themselves for the impending rain. Lightning lit the sky in brilliant streaks. The clouds above them began to swelter and swell across the midday sun, casting the field into a shadowy darkness. A jagged bolt of lightning ripped the sky in two. Thunder rolled across the sky, the ground shook, and heavy droplets of rain began to beat against the men like tiny rocks plummeting from the heavens, revealing the fury of the Gods.

Christian was facing his subduers, struggling against them, and didn't notice when Alexanders eyes suddenly became as black as the sky. It didn't last long, just a moment, but in that moment Alexander felt a surge of power radiate throughout his body. The power felt as though it were charged by the storm itself. Alexander remembered the sensation he felt in the old temple. The feeling of being connected to nature. He was connected to the storm, almost commanding it.

One of the guards struck Christian across the face, sparking Alexander's anger. Without warning, another bolt of lightning cut through the sky and touched down a few feet from the startled guards. Another touched down in the middle of the riders. The horses reared up and squealed with fear. The guards that held Christian relinquished their hold on him as they scrambled to get away from the onslaught of the bolts.

"What's going on?" One of the men yelled.

Rohan struggled to keep his horse calm. "Witch." He hissed under his breath. "The boy's a witch! Kill him!"

"No!" Christian screamed. He turned and ran to Alexander but Rohan struck him in the back of the head with the hilt of his sword. Christian hit the ground with a large thud.

"Kill the boy!" He demanded again. At once the guards drew their swords and moved towards Alexander. The two guards on either side of him reached out to hold him but each were struck in the back by the lightning, throwing them off their horses.

"Evil witch!" One of the men screamed. The others held back but the brave guard raced forward, his sword drawn and ready to strike when a jagged bolt of violet lightning broke through the darkened sky and struck the man in his chest. He was sent flying off the horse, sprawling through the air until he landed in the middle of the field. His body was charred and blackened. Smoke rose from the place on his chest where he'd been hit. Rohan raced to the mans side and looked down at the body. His face was twisted in a monstrous contortion of fright and pain.

Rohan looked back at Alexander and scowled. Alexander leapt down from the horses back and the men recoiled from him. He knelt beside Christian who lay unconscious then glared at the guards. "Has there not been enough blood shed here today?" He hissed.

"You will burn for this." Rohan growled.

"I never wanted any of this." Alexander told him. "We just wanted to be left alone. It was you who caused all of this. In pursuing us you sparked the anger of the Gods."

"The Gods are not responsible for this wickedness." Rohan sneered. "You, witch, are the one who called this unnatural storm."

Alexander shook his head. "I'm no witch. But if there are any who are wicked here it's you lot and your King!"

Rohan pointed a finger angrily at Alexander. "You will show proper respect to your King!" He howled.

"No," Alexander sneered. "A man who would seek my life just because I love his son does not deserve my respect. Nor do any of you. Leave this place now. Go back to your wicked King and leave my love and I in peace!"

The guards looked to Rohan for guidance. He sighed, defeated. "Fall back men. No more of you will day this die." He looked at Alexander again and narrowed his eyes to two angry slits. "This is not over, witch. We will never stop hunting you, and when we finally capture you, you will burn for your crimes." Rohan turned then and led his men out of the field and back to Avimur.

Alexander watched as the guards rode away. When they were out of view, he lay his head against Christian's chest and sighed in relief. They were alone again, and safe, but still he had a heavy heart. He may have saved himself, and probably Christian from a serious beating, but still he had to wonder if he hadn't just caused their situation to become worse. On top of that, how was Christian going to react when he woke up? Surely he had witnessed the unnatural storm that had driven off the guards. Would he blame Alexander for the outcome? Would he too see him as a witch, and grow to hate him? Alexander was so confused and lost. Something astonishing was happening to him but what did it mean? He needed answers and he needed them quick.

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The bodies of the three dead guards lay motionless in the field and the smell of burnt flesh hung heavy in the air. Alexander was sick over what had transpired. The loss of life was not something he had anticipated nor wanted. The men were young, probably no older than twenty-two or twenty-three, if that, and they had seemed to be brave and loyal men. He couldn't fault them for their part in the fight, they were just following orders, but still as Alexander looked at them he thought it such a terrible waste. He wondered who these men were, what they were like, did they have wives? Children? He turned his gaze away and tried to focus on something else. He couldn't think about the fallen men now. Not when Christian was laying wounded in the grass.

One of the men's horse's had run off but the other two were standing in the field, grazing, and most likely waiting for their masters to call to them. Something that would not happen. Alexander didn't even know if the horses were aware or could even understand that their riders had perished. They seemed oblivious, and maybe that was for the best. At any rate, Alexander brought each of the two remaining horses back to where Christian lay and tied them off to a small tree near the base of the rocks. Each of the horses was saddled with similar looking gear. Smooth brown seats with leather straps and a matching saddle bag.

A canteen of water was strapped to the side of the bag as was a small knife probably used more for cutting food then fighting. Alexander went through each of the bags and took inventory of the supplies they carried. He felt bad at riffling through a dead mans possessions but it was necessary. Christian had left the Palace in such a hurry that he hadn't had the time to stop for provisions. He probably never expected to be trapped in the mountains over night either.

Each bad contained pretty much the same items. A small burlap of biscuits, a small rasp and iron nippers, extra reigns, flint and a striker for making fires, and a compass.

In addition to these items Alexander found rags and bandages, and an assortment of herbs used for medicinal purpose such as mint: myrrh: fenugreek seeds: garlic: sage: velerian: and yarrow. Alexander took the rags and water and used them to clean Christian's wounds. Next he poured some of the fenugreek seeds into a wooden bowl he'd found in one of the bags, added a bit of water to it and created a salve that he smeared over the cuts on Christian's face, arms, and back of his head. He placed sage leaves over the wounds and then wrapped his head and arms with bandages. When Christian was taken care of, Alexander attended to Necromancer.

After examining the horses leg he found a wound on the upper part of the calf and his hoof was beginning to split. Alexander treated and wrapped the wound then used the rasp to trim away the effected part of the hoof. He used the nippers to removed any shards of rock he found, then he fed the horse some water mixed with a bit of yarrow for pain. He checked on Christian again and found him sleeping peacefully. His wounds weren't that bad really, but he needed the rest and Alexander didn't want to disturb him. He removed a blanket that had been rolled and stored beneath one of the saddles, and covered Christian with it. After that he decided to go and look for brush or wood that could be used later to make a fire.

Alexander took one of the small knives with him as well as the bow and quiver that was left on one of the horses. He figured if he saw any small animals like a rabbit or wild bird that he could attempt to shoot it though he wasn't that good of a hunter and his experience with a bow was meager. Still, it was worth a try. The biscuits he'd found wouldn't last forever and they honestly didn't look that tasty. Plus, he thought it might please Christian to wake to some cooked meat and a roaring fire. If nothing else Alexander could show Christian that he had some useful culinary skills since he wasn't much of a solider, and his grandmother had always told him, the way to a man's heart was through his stomach. He was now going to put that advice to good use.

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Alexander made it back to where he'd left Christian sometime before night fall. He'd found plenty of small sticks and some dried weeds with which to start a fire but his hunting yielded few results. He'd spotted a speckled hare not far from the small grove of trees where he'd gathered the fire wood, but he lost three arrows shooting at it. Further down the field, closer to the forest he found a small stream. Using his tunic as a net of sorts, he attempted to gather some fish but when a bear caught his scent, he abandoned the fish and made a hasty retreat.

Once he was safe he laid his tunic over a tree limb to let it dry out some in the sun. He sat down on a stump to rest when heard some rustling in a near by bush. Carefully and slowly he picked up the bow and an arrow, armed the bow and waited. A few minutes later he saw the head of a piasa poke out from behind the bush. It was chewing on a mouthful of twigs and sniffing the ground for insects. Alexander frowned when he saw it. Piasa wasn't a great animal for eating. It was a large rodent, about the size of a small dog. They had course, straw like fur, and long rat like tails. Alexander was surprised to actually see it out of its burrow during the day as they typically don't see well in lighted areas.

The meat from a piasa was stringy and greasy and while the look plump, most of their bulk is loose skin and fur. The good thing about piasa was the fact they move incredibly slow and are incredibly stupid. You could walk up to one and it wouldn't run or even seem remotely interested in you. This made them easy prey for other animals since they weren't aggressive at all and not very territorial. After watching the animal for several minutes Alexander gave in and shot an arrow at it. It didn't even flinch as the arrow buzzed past it's head and landed in the ground a few feet away.

"Shit!" Alexander scowled. He tossed the bow to the side, picked up the knife he'd brought, then walked over and stabbed the thing in the side. It squealed in pain then toppled over dead. Alexander dragged it back to the stump he'd been sitting on and waited for his tunic to dry.

Alexander was stoking the fire when Christian woke up. He rubbed his head, noticing the bandages then sat up and looked at the spit that Alexander had erected over the flame.

"Piasa?" He asked.

Alexander shrugged. "Would have been hare, but I'm not a very good shot."

Christian laughed. "I've never had piasa before, but it smells good."

"It smells better than it tastes." Alexander admitted. "But it's better than nothing."