A Chilling Message (Aly, Open)

[kajouka]

The comment Allison made about keeping her source safe struck a chord with Guinevere. She could see the reasoning behind Aly's insistence that they not tell Arthur. Aly's source must have been someone in the Saxon camp, but who among the Saxons would betray their leader for an outsider? Guinevere pushed the question away, as the answer would not help her make her decisions any easier nor was she likely to find out. Instead, she shook her head and replied, "I have to agree with Marina. I know my husband well. He would be less a leader if Helena was taken than he would be trying to protect her and the city." Guinevere had told Aly the same previously in the night. "In the end, the decision to tell him is mine alone. We will move Helena and then..."

Her words were cut off as the sound of arrows cutting through the stale hallway air reached her ears. Second's later two of the men dropped. Her eyes were instantly diverted to the group of Saxon's coming down the hall. Without a moment to think, Guinevere drew her sword and raised her arms in time to deflect the blow from the shield, but not without cost. A cry escaped her lips as she was flung to the floor, slightly stunned. Instinct took over and with her legs she pushed herself backwards along the floor away from her attacker, while bringing the sword, still gripped in her right hand, back up in front of her in the event he came for her again. She preferred to be on the offensive and would have mentally kicked herself for being unprepared had she been able to stop and think. Instead, all her efforts were focused on the man who had come after her as he dove for her once more. Slashing, she took aim at his wrist, but he was quick and avoided her blow, landing another strike with the shield, this time on her arm. She lashed out with her feet, kicking him hard in the kneecaps, which buckled under the unexpected assault.

The opening was enough for Guinevere to rise to her feet. She hesitated, a part of her wishing to run for her daughter, then went on the offensive, striking out with her sword in an aggressive pattern. Her expression was one of murder and she screamed her rage as she attacked.

[allison]

Allison's mind was a logical, cold intelligence. She rationalized based on what she assumed was best for the general population, or for what was best of her fellow spies. Morals and ethics never came into play. Priorities were priorities, regardless of if someone had a relationship with one of those priorities. There was black, and then there was white. No colors in her mind. She knew why Guinevere was so protective over her daughter, but couldn't comprehend it. As Guinevere made her decision, the young spy opened her mouth to protest. Then she shut it, jaw clenching slightly, nodding ever so slightly. Even she knew when she was beaten.

Aly had her back to Caetrin when she arrived. The high, almost soundless whistle arrows caused Aly to jump, eyes widening when the arrows protruded from the guards. Her mind, dulled from lack of sleep, scrambled to righten itself. All she could think was, good shot. A few seconds, she understood what the arrows meant. Caetrin had arrived earlier then she had expected. Aly's hands flew into action, one snagging the smallest of the three knives from under her wrist, the other taking the largest from it's sheath on her shoulder blade.

As she turned on her heel though, knives up defensively, a shield cracked against them. Not prepared for the blow, the heavier shield easily pushed past her knives and came crashing down with bruising force against the side of her head. Aly stumbled back, vision momentarily blackening. Still half stunned, she jerked around, knives slashing through the air, trying to force him on the defensive. Trained as an assassin, she knew every know artery and many different ways to kill someone before they could so much as take a breath. However, she had had limited training in actual combat. Especially with only two knives against a brawny soldier with shield and sword. Aly knew that she couldn't survive long on the defensive, and offensive would be equally hard to maintain. She would need to continue moving, see if she could get at his neck or one of the many arteries littered about the arms. Slowly though, he was forcing her backwards, towards the wall.

[Marina Tertius]

Marina narrowed her eyes as she heard the shuffling of feet just outside of the door she had entered. Walking over to the door, she opened it slightly, looking outside to come face to face with one of the lower ranking knights, as he said, breathlessly, ”The wall is under attack!!!” The young knight bit down onto her lip, drawing the blood, as she turned around just in time to see two arrows whistle by, and hit their targets. The little trio wasn’t the only ones in the hallway, meaning only one thing; the Saxons had found a way in, that couldn’t be good.

”They’re attacking the wall.” Marina managed to say, after recovering from the previous attack, just in time to see a group of Saxon’s running down the hall, being led by Caetrin. Grabbing the hilt of her sword, she jerked it out of the sheath, in time to meet Caetrin’s own sword. Marina cringed as the swords met, releasing a metallic wringing in her ear, and found herself being forced towards the wall. The Saxon Princess pushed her sword up to Marina’s neck, fighting to hold it there, to mortally wound the soldier. Marina felt the blade bite into her hand, as she gripped both ends of her sword, pushing back against the Princess.

She had to do something, or she was going to be killed. Marina glanced down at Caetrin’s torso, noticing that she was the only one without a shield of some sort. Lifting a knee, Marina jutted into her abdomen, and kicked the woman away, regaining her posture. Turning around, she noticed that one of the other men was sending Aly back into the wall, and Guinevere was swiping at the other two men. Grabbing one of her smaller knives, Marina held it in her hand as she swung her sword above her head. Before she could do anything, Marina felt a blade run across her shoulder blade; Marina jerked in agony as pain over took her.

As pain overtook her senses, Marina thrust her sword forward, before crashing to the ground, with outstretched arms. Lying on her side, the young girl managed to open her eyes, in time to see the other girls fall to the ground, and the Saxons help Caetrin up.

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[caetrin]

Caetrin held her bow and arrow at the steady, making sure that aim was correct as she counted down to three. The arrows flew past, a mere whistle and struck their targets, just in time for Marina to turn around and watch. It seemed as if the surprise attack had stunned everyone, including Marina. A few seconds later, Caetrin heard Marina talk about the wall being attacked; so Briton’s were taking the decoy. That should make their job much easier, and faster.

The Saxon group ran down the hallway, Caetrin in the lead as she held her sword at the ready. Each person in the group met head on with their target, and began to fight ferociously. As Caetrin approached Marina, she stepped back slightly as the other woman brought her sword out in a flash. Both of the swords clashed together, kind of like lightning and thunder, causing both girls to cringe. Gripping both ends of her sword, Caetrin held horizontally, pressing Marina into the wall. ”I’ve been waiting for this moment, to fight the fabled woman knight of Hadrian. Pity you won’t be around much longer.” Caetrin said, her eyes clouded with rage, murder, and so many other mixed feelings.

A few seconds later, Marina stuck her knee up into abdomen, and then kicked her away. Caetrin barreled back, clutching her stomach as she fought to breathe normally. Caetrin grabbed one of her hidden knives from the folds of her dress, hobbling over to Marina from the side, and pierced the skin between her spine and shoulder blade the knife, jerking it out after a few seconds. The Saxon Princess screeched out in pain as the woman thrust her sword forward; the sword blade missing her leg, while the knife that had been concealed underneath, pierced her leg, barely missing the bone.

Caetrin stumbled backwards, leaning against the wall as she slowly slid downwards on her bottom. She leaned back, biting her tongue to stop from screaming in agony, watching as the other women fell down, just as Marina had. Drogic walked over to the Saxon Princess, pulling her up gently, as the others pulled the knife out, and wrapped the wound with a piece of fabric. ”Grab the girl.” Caetrin stood outside of the door, listening as her henchman moved quietly around in the room. A few minutes later, they came out with the little girl, her head covered with a black sack, still sleeping peacefully.

Drogic wrapped one arm around Caetrin’s waist as they maneuvered around the bodies, hurrying towards the door. Once outside, Caetrin could hear the screams and yells of her soldiers and the Arthur’s soldiers; the sky with illuminated with a soft glow from the fire that the arrows had brought forth. Caetrin's horse was standing there, waiting for the Princess. Sliding her foot into the stirrup, Caetrin mounted the horse with Drogic’s help, and scooted back into the saddle. One of her guards placed Helena’s sleeping body in front of her own, gently moving Caetrin’s arm around her waist so the precious cargo wouldn’t fall off the horse.

"Make sure the men pull back now. Take the Northwest passage, it's the fastest route and I'm pretty sure the Briton's don't know about it. If they follow, don't fight, run." Tightening her grip on the reigns, Caetrin kicked her horse into a gallop, riding out into the night. Her mission was accomplished, but part of her was worried, Marina wasn’t dead, she was just injured. They’d be able to fight when the time came, which to Caetrin, it felt like it was in the near future.


Ooc: Sorry, couldn’t figure out what else to put, so I just went on with the kidnapping.

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[allison]

Allison sprang forward, remarkably like a snake with her knives slashing through the air. The man's shield rose once more, blocking one knife while the other cut into his arm, before his sword stabbed forwards, causing the spy to twist away before she could cause any serious harm. Before, her face had been cold, impassive, lacking both rage or arrogance. But - after taking a quite glance behind her and noting the proximity to the wall, a flicker of doubt crossed her eyes. She was only avoiding his attacks because she was quicker, she could move out of the way. But by pressing her back, closer to the wall, he was limiting the amount of space she had. The fight would be over the second she got too close.

A minute later, the shield came crashing against her torso, effectively pinning her against the wall. The top of the shield touched her chin, and the man started to push forwards, crushing her. Still, she had one arm free, and took the opportunity to slash at his wrist. A triumphant smirk crossed her features as the knife dug deep into his arm before she quickly jerked it across, cutting several arteries. Now you die. She thought. And he would die unless he staunched the flow of blood, for if he did it he would die of blood lost within the hour. Still, if he didn't die, chances were he wasn't going to use that hand again. He let out a roar, briefly removing the shield before crushing her again.

This time she was effectively immobilized and effectively being flattened. She thought she heard something crack and then a fierce stab of pain, but was unable to make a noise other then a quiet, choked whimper, for his shield was cutting off her air supply. She'd be a mass of bruises within a few hours. As her head lightened from lack of air, she looked around for Marina and Guinevere. Marina was sprawled on the ground, bleeding from a wound on her back. Guinevere - she couldn't see her. And where was Peter? She could see a man on the ground, a stab wound to his chest and abdomen. But her head was too light, she couldn't think straight. Allison's eyes rolled back into her head as she passed out, knives dropping as she went limp.

OOC - I wasn't sure if I should just skip ahead, or if Guinevere want's to post first, and if Arthur wants to find them?

[kajouka]

Guinevere was in the middle of her battle with Caetrin's man when she heard the Saxon order her men to grab Helana. Distracted for a moment, Guinevere let down her guard. Her attack swung out with his sword knocking Guinevere to the ground. She rolled away, but he came after her and finally landed a strong wound to her left shoulder. Guinevere cried out in pain and slashed out violently with her sword. He easily knocked it away and rewarded her with a kick to the head. Laughing, he moved to wound her again when he realized that his team was already leaving. He kicked her once more, then turned quickly to leave.

Dazed, Guinevere watched as the group left with her daughter. She tried to cry out, to alert anyone, but her body wasn't responding to her brain's commands. Exhaustion swept over her, a combination of the intense battle along with her head injury, and her eyes drifted closed.

[the goddesses ,]

Arthur glanced up from un-tacking Andaleh as Lancelot rode into the stables, and began to un-tack his own stud. ”Caetrin wants me to declare Cynric, king; and when I refused, she rode off. Have you seen Guinevere or Marina, it seems as if they’ve both disappeared.” The man walked out of the stall, closing the door behind him, before leaning against a pillar, sighing softly, when a flash of light caught his eye. What that an arrow that he had just seen, it seemed like it. A few seconds later, Remus can running into the stables, huffing and puffing, ”The Saxon’s, they’ve attacked. Many of the trainees are heading to the battlefield, hurry m’Lord.”

Arthur shook his head furiously, as he began to tack Andaleh at a quickened pace, occasionally glancing a glance at Galahad and Lancelot as they also tacked their mounts. ”I should’ve known.” Arthur followed the two men out of the stable, leading Andaleh out, and mounted the horse once outside. Arthur pulled Excalibur out of the sheath, as his mount followed Lancelot’s and Galahads to the battle field. The scene in front of the knights was unbelievable, arrows on fire seemed to fly through the air, Saxons and trainees had collided, along with the knights and many of the ‘important Saxons’ After 10 minutes of fighting their way through mobs of Saxons, Arthur tilted his head in confusion as the Saxon’s began to pull back.

Once all of the Saxon’s had pulled back, Arthur reigned his horse near the other knights, forming a circle, when a messenger came running up. ”Arthur!!! Quickly m’lord, Guinevere and Marina have been attacked, and Helena has been taken.” Narrowing his eyes, Arthur kicked Andaleh in the side, sending the horse lurching forward towards the castle. The Saxon’s had tricked them, and gotten what they wanted. They had created a diversion, and now his wife was injured and daughter gone. Coming upon the castle, Arthur didn’t wait for Andaleh to stop before he leapt off the horse, and ran to the hallway where the messenger had said he would find Guinevere and Marina. Arthur pushed the door open, and stopped in his tracks; Marina was lying in a pool of blood, and Guinevere, wasn’t all that far from her, the two guards had been killed, and there were two people, if they were alive or not, he couldn’t tell.

”Bring some healers, NOW!!!” He yelled at two of the servants as they just stood there, before directing his gaze over to Guinevere, Sidestepping Marina, Arthur through his sword down, and knelt down at Guinevere’s side, cradling her head in his arms; this was his fault.

[ooc: Merged in with the ‘Lies and Deceit’ thread.

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[blitzy]

Lancelot pulled the bridle off his female war horse and sent her into her stall before placing the bridle to its place. "Demand you king? He knew your answer before he even asked that girl to deliver his message. No, I just know that a messenger pulled Marina over and told her that Gwyneviere wanted to see her, but then I rode off to alert the trainees." When he finished speaking, he turned away from Arthur, and his head snapped to the door, where another man was running. Rolling his eyes, he opened the door and buckled the bridle back on and the other equipment as fast as he could, before taking the mare outside the stables where he mounted.

Lancelot then galloped towards the gate, leading Gahalad and Arthur. He ran out, and saw recruits fighting against the Saxon army. This was bigger than the force he and Marina had fought with the trainees. He would tell Arthur about it after the battle, there had been no time, they had just gotten back when the Saxons had been spotted. An arrow whizzed past his head then, and Lancelot cursed at himself for it. He then slid out his one sword and stabbed it into a Saxon's chest, before jumping from the hrose and pulling out his other sword to fight off the Saxons on foot. Tristan, the knight that was very poised was beside him, fighting Saxons of his own. Lancelot heard Bors yelling. You could tell when that man was killing Saxons.

He blocked the oncoming of another sword before kicking him back with his foot, and slashing his sword into him, He turned around and killed another Saxon, but not before the sword slid across his arm, forming a small cut. He had gotten used to the cuts being a knight for atleast fifteen years. Soon, the battle was over. Dead bodies littered the battlefield, and fired arrows burned the ground. He looked over as he heard the panicked voice of the messenger. His eyes grew wide for a second before he jumped onto his horse and followed Arthur inot the city. The two of them rode hard, and both jumped from their hroses, taking off on foot into the building of Arthur's home. He followed his king to the hallway where three females layed injured, two others dead.

He ran to Marina, who sat in a puddle of blood. "Marina, are you alright? What happened?" He turned to Arthur. "We'll get Helena back. I don't think they'll hurt her. They'll most likely use her to bargain with to make you declare Cynric king." That was probably what the whole thing was about. It made perfect sense. "But of course, we will rescue her. We'll get her back." He didn't trust anyone with the Saxons, especially someone as young as Helena. And to make matters worse, she was the king's daughter. Then Lancelot turned back to Marina. This made him mad. Not only was the kidnapping enough, but to infuriate him more, they had to practically kill Marina. If there was any time he wanted Saxon blood, it was now. "Don't worry Marina, we'll make them pay for what they did to you, to what they did to," he turned to look at Arthur and Gwyniviere. "Arthur and Gwyniviere also. They'll pay for this, for everything they did." Well, so much for telling Arthur about the village now. It wasn't the time for something like that, not with all this that had just happened, one of the worst things that could have happed, had happened.

[the goddesses ,]

Arthur felt everything falling apart on the inside. His daughter was gone, and his wife was injured. How much worse could this get? Marina seemed to be sliding unconscious: he could tell just by looking at her. This was Caetrin’s doings. Just by the way the wretched Saxon stared at Marina at their first meeting, made Arthur’s stomach lurch. It was automatically war between the two girls: it was mainly about who could survive the longest to Caetrin, Marina was just an bystander who managed to get in the middle of it.

He glanced over at Lancelot, softly stroking Guinevere’s forehead, listening as the fellow knight spoke softly. ” No, they just want to get to get Britain in a weakened state, they don’t care about Helena.” Arthur’s voice was hoarse, and cracked with dryness. He shook his head side to side; listening as Lancelot continued to talk softly, trying to comfort them all. Arthur wanted to go and chase after the Saxons, and bring Helena back. But he couldn’t just get up and walk away from Guinevere, Lancelot, and Marina. Arthur glanced up as a group of healers came running, and burst through the door, stopping abruptly. They were surprised. Who would do this to their Queen, and the only lady knight in Hadrian?

Arthur barely noticed when the healers pried Guinevere from his fingers, and carried her away. Once she was out of his grasp, Arthur slid out of his bubble, and noticed that Marina was still with Lancelot. Arthur slid over beside Lancelot, looking down at the unconscious Marina. ” Hurry up.” He barked, glancing up at two frightened healers. Marina was practically laying in a blood bath. Caetrin had done some major damage to Marina. But, deep down, Arthur was sure that Marina had put up a pretty good fight, and bloodied up the Saxon also. ”She’s going to be ok.” He said, giving Lancelot a squeeze to the shoulder.

A few seconds later, the other healers came and took Marina away, looking grim. Arthur wiped the blood from his hands, on his breeches, and scooted to the wall, allowing his head to rest against the wall. Within a matter of a few hours, his life had been turned completely upside down. Marina was almost dead, Guinevere was injured, Helena was gone, and he had been in a miniature battle after coming face to face with the eldest Saxon ‘princess.’ About an hour later, Arthur scrambled to his feet as the healers came out to talk to the men. Guinevere will heal, with rest. Marina, her wound is deep, but she is expected to surive. You may come and see them, but they are unconscious. Guinevere would be ok, but Marina? A chance of survival? What was that supposed to mean. Arthur knew that Marina was a fighter; she wouldn’t give up that easily.

He couldn’t help but smile slightly, as the healers led the men to a room, where Guinevere laid on one bed and Marina on the other. Both girls were bandaged, but Marina looked like she was a mummy from so many bandages, well, in the shoulder area at least. Arthur sat down on the edge of Guinevere’s bed, gently stroking her forehead. He was just happy they were going to be ok. It seemed as if all of the pieces inside, were slowly starting to repair themselves.

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