Both wrestled in mud. Sloppily striking each other.
Splashing.
Screaming.
Slipping and falling. It was a most undignified fight.
Thankfully, it didn't last very long.
At his back, Alex soon had the commander in a tight embrace. With a heavy arm pressed across his neck, Alex squeezed with everything he had.
Pain pounded into his sides, pleading.
Sharp armour dug into his flesh as William repeatedly elbowed him. Yet Alex held tighter still.
Roaring against everything felt, he stubbornly refused to release him, holding him in a chokehold.
Alex kept him there until he felt the rigid wriggling of his enemy subside.
Until the feral growls grew faint .
Until his boots kicked up mud no more. Until his clawing hands went limp. Until everything ceased.
Imperial General: STOP!!
Alex didn't.
Imperial General: Southerner, I command you to stop!! STOP IT NOW! IT’S OVER!!
Still, he refused.
Imperial General: ENOUGH!!
His commander’s eyes were bloodshot and began rolling to the back of his head.
Reluctantly, Alex yielded, releasing him.
Shoving him off and away, he breathlessly observed as William coughed violently trying to regain his breath.
Now on his knees in a lake of mud, Alex swiped at his face. Both removing and adding dirt to it.
For the second time, the commander attempted to right himself. Only this time, looking none the worse for wear, mud covering every inch of him.
Alex watched him crawl away. Panting. Struggling for air.
Slumping forward, Alex’s bare hands pressed the cold wet earth.
His head hung and his mouth fell agape in laboured breathing. Utterly and entirely exhausted.
With each breath taken, his sides felt as though they crackled and broke apart.
Eyes closed, he searched within, finding little to no strength remaining there.
Undoubtedly, exhaustion also took a toll on the commander. Surely, he too was entirely spent.
Placing a hand to his side, he grimaced and resolved to feel the pain later.
Yet still, he had to remain present and not let his guard-
Suddenly, a golden flash.
It streaked across his vision. Narrowly missing him.
Instinctively he flinched, pulling back. Using his arm as a shield, he fell onto his rear then heard his skull shatter.
Nothing. Darkness.
Swallowed in deep silence.
Then he broke free. A piercing ringing sound greeted him. It steadily grew within his pounding head.
He tasted iron and earth. The latter crunching between his clenched teeth.
With a heavy gloved hand, William had struck him in the head, returning the malicious deed done to him.
Face down he found himself. Near drowning in the soft earth and water.
And with much effort, Alex righted himself.
On all fours, he spat into the dark muddied pool where he had laid. Unaware that his enemy sought to remove his dirtied head from his shoulders above.
Imperial General: …OF HIS MAJESTY’S ORDERS!! ALIVE AND UNHARMED, COMMANDER!!
Lowering his weapon, the commander challenged saying
William: WHAT OF IT?! He’s alive, isn’t he?!
Right then and there, the general made a mental note to report the officers’ behaviour. Even in war, adherence to decency and to some sort of decorum must be had. They weren’t savages of the south.
Believing that was the end of it, the Imperial general gave his instructions. Next, officers then made to seize Alex.
But it was far from it.
Something caught his eye.
Having struck and bounced off of the commander's armour, it plopped on to the soaked earth beside Alex with a splash.
Then more of such flitted by.
And before long, the scene became coloured with chaos..
With much yelling of various instructions and to and fro, hooves stomping and splashing, swords clashing and arrows streaking by.
While some found themselves lodged within tree trunks.
Many struck their mark. Armoured corpses dotting the trail.
All the while, Alex kept low.
Until through the thick clamour, someone called to him. Panic in their voice.
Then the next he knew, a hurried approach of horses and he found himself atop one.
Cyrus alongside him. His face white and wild.
Carried upon the wind, his orders. And he returned as before, taking the lead.
Alex followed.
Near doubled over, the rapid stinging of rain pricking against his swollen face.
Into the darkness of the silent forest they all fled.
Swallowed by shadow and leaving death behind, the southerners escaped with their prize.
She found him resting against the trunk of a tree, seated on the muddied forest floor.
Alighting from her horse, she joined him, kneeling at his side.
Violet: William? William?!
Violet repeatedly called but he gave no reply.
Remaining in silent agony, eyes shut and lips pressed together, he clutched at his thigh.
Lodged there, in the gap of his armour, a black arrow- its shaft snapped short.
Even under night’s shadows, she could tell he bled profusely.
Violet spun around, making to call for Jeremiah, when a heavy bloodied hand unexpectedly grabbed her, pulling her close.
**
[LOCATION - Forest of Arden]
A mixture of blood, mud and water ran down his face onto his heaving chest.
Across his cheekbone, a gash. And his usually well kept bronzed hair, now sat a dripping muddied mess atop his head.
He began croaking out jumbled words with demanding eyes. And Violet, uncertain as to what he requested of her, painfully remained silent.
Groaning within himself, he leaned forward into her embrace.
Violet: William? William, can you hear me?
He still had her by the hand.
She shook him, and he mumbled incoherently.
Because of her disloyalty, she should’ve been on her way to Arden at this moment. Cold and shivering, shackled along with Anna and Jerry as traitorous officers.
However, the Imperial officers left in charge of doing such, fell victim to Violet’s sensible words.
Swayed instead to lend aid toward the commander and his men, they turned around.
And a massacre is what they found.
Nary an officer moved. All laid scattered dead upon the reddened earth before them.
They were too late.
Violet: Jerry!
Anna: Violet?!
Violet: Here! Here! I’m over here!
As her friends rushed over, William weakly spoke her name.
Violet: What is it, William?
Her voice, though gentle, pained her throat. And she found that the rainwater running down her face tasted salty.
Leaning in closer, she heard him continue to miserably mumble words with his eyes squeezed closed.
Jerry arrived. And in kneeling beside them, he immediately tended to William.
Violet: ...
The already partially undone armour was fully removed.
Unexpectedly, William sprang upright. Hollering and kicking wildly.
Used to this sort of reaction by patients, Jerry firmly sat on the opposing flailing leg. While he grasped the leg, he used a small knife at the arrow’s entry point.
With bloodied fingers jabbed into his wound, William screamed and swore at Jerry.
And in little time with the assistance of two other officers, Jerry expertly removed the arrow and had a makeshift tourniquet applied.
Unfortunately, for the time being, relieving the pain was all that could be done.
Returning to Arden, or better yet, the city, to seek better medicine and care were William’s and the other wounded officers' only options.
Even so, the assigned leader of the Imperial officers surmised that the small group should remain in place till first light.
For, as he claimed, southerners had an alliance with darkness. Always, and all too well it concealed and aided them in their wicked endeavours.
**
**
Shivering slightly, Violet embraced herself.
The flow of blood abated. Yet time ticked away. Allowing the poison to freely spread throughout William’s body.
Soon enough he would begin showing signs of its worsening progression.
With every minute precious and with hours before sunrise-
Violet sighed, leaning back.
The shushing sound of rain beating upon the forest’s canopy filled the tense silence of the group.
With their backs against well aged trees, off the main path, everyone paired off and sat in a circle as if there were a bonfire at the center.
At present, Anna sat alone.
Jerry having gone to tend to the wounded Imperial general on the opposite side.
Seated on a large tree root, Anna’s legs danced restlessly. Every now and again she would catch Violet’s eye and Violet hers, and both could easily tell what thoughts filled the other’s mind.
Her neck ached.
And in resting her head against the tree, she flinched in pain. It throbbed.
Touching the spot revealed darkened fingertips. Blood.
Awake once again, beside her was William. He sat on the cold wet earth fully supported upright by the tree at his back.
Having watched him fall unconscious multiple times, Violet grew increasingly troubled. And when he did awake, he would remain silent and still, his gaze distant and empty. Perhaps an effect of the pain medicine.
This time however, he began lightly chuckling to himself.
Violet: William?
Violet called looking down at him.
His shoulders shook as he laughed and she made to touch him upon it, when unexpectedly, he lifted his head and asked
William: Are you pleased?
His voice was barely a whisper.
With a little more effort, the intended malice would have been heard.
Unsure of what he meant, Violet gave no reply.
William: You hate me. Then, why?
Taken aback, Violet hesitated.
He then chuckled as if she told a joke.
William: You should've left me to die.
He stated plainly and looked away.
Violet: William?! How can you s-
She found his muddied pitiful state made it difficult to continue.
Debating him would solve little. And besides, doing so would only worsen her creeping headache.
William: You…
Violet: …?
William: I…what I did- to you…
He clumsily began
William: I never meant- I shouldn’t have done…
He forgot to meet her eyes. And as a naughty child would, he said tightly
William: I’m sorry
At this sudden apology, she flinched.
She found that her heart became soft.
Ready to accept.
For her lips near formed the words to do such when her head intervened.
His flustered and strained words sounded sincere, yet still Violet wondered if he truly meant it.
But then, he glanced upward. And the pain on his face hurt her heart.
Again, he apologised saying
William: I’m sorry…for everything I- I didn't mean to say- or hurt you. I never wanted that for you. I only wanted to be-
Too stunned to speak Violet simply stared while he, unable to look at her, lowered his head and apologised once more
William: I’m sorry. My only hope is that you would believe me and…and perhaps too..
Violet: …
William: ..perhaps, you may forgive me
Instead of changing for the better, she realised he merely adjusted.
For the moment; a pretence, he adjusted.
When her request to spend time apart from each other seemingly failed, William had surprisingly relented and Violet found herself at ease in the distance created.
That was, until weeks later, when Simon had become a constant feature in the female dormitory and let slip on one occasion something said.
And Violet felt disappointed once more.
William only pulled away to have her realise how much she needed him.
Knowing that she would soon be to him like a wounded lamb to its loving shepherd. For she was incapable of much and needed to learn such. She would quickly return to him with teary eyes and apologise.
From this memory, she rapidly blinked free.
She then observed the sadness in his eyes.
Swallowing the lump in her throat, Violet chose to reply
Violet: I can forgive you. I want to…but how are you going to prove your words?
William: …
Violet: Things change, William. As the seasons do, people change as well. And I once hoped- that…
William: …
Violet: Feelings..my feelings would be especially difficult to return to what they once were.
William: Though the seasons change yet, spring always returns
Violet: ..It does. But it’s never the same as the last.
He obviously hoped that they would reunite.
Taken aback by her stern demeanour, he slowly replied
William: I see. Then…
Violet: …
William: ..then…it would be difficult…yet not impossible.
Violet: William-
-- Ungh!
Violet: What are you?-
His body swayed as he attempted to stand.
The wounded leg, restricted in movement, sticking straight out.
Refusing her assistance, he authoritatively called the Imperial officer in charge.
Words were clearly being exchanged.
Orders were being given.
However, Violet struggled and failed to hear any of it. For there grew a loud buzzing sound in her head.
And as William’s and everyone’s voices steadily faded far away, so too did she.
Soon, everything blurred.
The intense thumping at the back of her head worsened. And heard in the distance, someone calling her name to which she replied.
When she awoke and later questioned that very afternoon at Arden’s infirmary, this was the last Violet could recall.
➵
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