The Spoils of War (COMPLETED)

To Save or Be Saved

Jasmine was nearing her limits. The pain was constant as she tried to drag in each lungful of air. Her feet were bare and bleeding and branches from nearby trees and bushes had scratched her arms and legs.

"Little mouse, you might as well stop. You are injuring your pretty figure and the boss won't like you as much." The guard's words behind her only made her want to push harder. She could guess what these monsters would do to her if she just surrendered.

Up ahead she saw what looked like a road through the sparse trees. Risking a glance behind her Jasmine almost squealed. The distance between her and the men chasing her was less than 30 feet and with their long legs, she was at the disadvantage. Making a quick decision she changed her trajectory so that she would run diagonally until hitting the road. A road could mean a way out.

Hitting the road she winced. The road itself was dirt but there were some sharp rocks mixed in and it seemed her feet found every single one. Ahead of her in the distance was a gate, she only hoped she would get there.

Less than 100 feet to go.

90

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40

She was so close to the gate she could see dust rising in the distance heading right for her. She didn't know who it was, but she knew who she hoped it was.

Alaric was pushing his horse to go faster. Morgianna had popped into the study as he was ordering knights to find Jasmine and told him of her kidnapping. For a moment he saw red but he knew he had to keep his head in straight if he wished to save her. He had already outpaced all of his guards over a mile back, but still, he didn't let up. He could see the gate up ahead and just beyond it...was Jasmine.

He could make out her blonde hair streaming behind her as she ran full sprint towards him. Behind her was a group of men, all armed, and they were closing in.  His horse was already going as fast as possible and he knew without a doubt he would not make it to her in time.

Jasmine was almost to the gate and could make out the rider, it was Alaric. He was there to save her, she could feel a smile forming on her face when her foot caught on one of the rocks and sent her sprawling across the ground.

She laid there panting for just a moment when a boot connected with her side and sent her sailing in the air. "Told you we would catch up little mouse." Hot tears threatened to fall as she saw Alaric still draw closer. He was outnumbered and at a disadvantage with her being caught.

Trying to make her mouth move she repeated over and over for him to just stay away. She knew the moment he read her lips as his already angry face twisted into something caught between rage and despair. At this point he was only 10 feet away, his noble figure still astride his horse, a sword drawn.

"Release her and I might not rip you limb from limb!" Alaric's teeth were clenched so hard he was surprised they hadn't cracked under the pressure. How dare they lay their filthy hands on Jasmine!

He wanted to rush in and pull her from their grasp but a short blade pressed against her creamy neck stopped him. To be rash, would be to beg for death. He needed to get her away from them, but he did not know how and it would be a bit still before his guards arrived.

Movement behind the guards divided his attention. Jeremy Wright strolled leisurely towards them as if he had no cares in the world. His smile so wide it almost split his face in half. Alaric knew evil and there was not a doubt in his mind that the man in front of him fit the description. What may have started as his parent's sin surrounded the boy and seeped into him as he grew into a man. There was no coming back from whom he had become.

"Alaric, if you don't mind me calling you that. You see what belongs to me will always come back to me, but I am pretty generous. If you lay down your sword I won't kill her, at least not today." Alaric would not have believed that the smile on Jeremy's face could get bigger but it did. He was all teeth and looked more like a feral beast than a man.

His guards should be there soon and his only wish was to take the pressure off of Jasmine. He knew it was stupid, they could kill him and then kill her and run, but he would fight with everything he had. After all, Morgianna did not waste all those days teaching them for him to be useless without a weapon.

As if his words summoned her, he could see her standing off to the side, her eyes locked on Jasmine. A shiver ran down his spine at what her appearance likely meant, someone was going to die. Sure she had appeared to joke and talk before, but with her scythe, at the ready, he did not think this was a house visit.

"Fine." He snapped his attention back to Jeremy and threw his sword to the side. He wanted to go fight Jeremy but could not even muster his surprise when the man traded places with the guard that held the knife to Jasmine's neck.

As if he had won already Jeremy began cackling and almost jumping in place with excitement. In his glee the blade knicked Jasmine and a thin line of blood flowed down her throat. "Kill him." At his command, the 5 men that had been chasing her all turned toward him. They held malice in their eyes as well and Alaric knew that while they may not be as bad as Jeremy, they were still bad men. This was more than just following a command, they liked to hurt people.

All at once, they attacked, wanting to end him quickly. "Don't worry, we will take care of the little mouse real nice like." One of them chortled to his left and he recognized him as the one who had kicked her when she fell.

He could feel his power begging to be unleashed but he was not the only one who felt it. "Tut tut, no powers or ill slice her head clean off." Jeremy's voice came right as he was about to release the pressure he had been building.

He trampled his powers down, surely he could go against these 5 until help arrived even without powers...at least he hoped.