Don't Fear The Reaper *Izana x OC x OC* (COMPLETE)

All This Violence Makes a Statement

Reza-- Part 2

I find myself fighting alongside Roman as we try to make our way out of the holding cells. We've taken down or incapacitated several of the guards, leaving three in our way. The herbalists and princes have taken refuge in one of the observation rooms while still trying to save Izana I assume. I hear Roman call for me to duck and as I drop down a split second later, I hear his dagger whiz over my head and sink into a guard's neck. I lunge forward then quickly get to my feet, stabbing my sword into a guard and forcing it upward through his abdomen. As my target falls, I spot Roman slitting the throat of the man beside me. My cloak and I are covered in so much blood. I spare a glance back at the closed holding room door as Roman takes my hand and pulls me up the stairs.

We encounter a few staff members as we make our way up toward the main floor of the castle, but we rush past them without being stopped. Roman and I make it out onto the grounds only for a dagger to leave a tree, trained on my heart. Roman crosses in front of me and knocks it aside with his blade, but less than a second later, arrows start to rain down toward us from strategic points along the castle walls. I latch onto his arm and drag him with me as we dodge the arrows. Obi appears in front of me and I let out a quiet string of curses. We were caught up in the cells for a while, I'm not really sure how long, but we definitely don't have time to be playing cat and mouse with castle lackeys. Roman places himself between Obi and myself and tackles him. We're out of range of the arrows now thankfully, though it leaves me wondering how I haven't encountered the archers any of the other times I've been on the grounds or literally climbing over the walls. That's not my business though. I sigh at the group of guards approaching us from the castle and look toward the sky for how much time I have left. There is a very, very faint hint of a glow on the horizon, which means I have about an hour and a half to make it to Mother before I fail.

"Ro, we're running out of time and very shortly are going to be horribly outnumbered."

"I know Reez, I'm almost done playing, then we can go home."

I'd been idly standing by as they fought so I could enjoy a brief time out for the sake of my side since the stitches ripped open in the cells, but we need to get a move on and I'm bleeding quite a bit. I draw my sword and watch their pattern of blows for a moment before quickly cutting in and managing to land a hit to his side without harming Roman. It won't be enough to kill him but it'll hopefully slow him down because we have less than thirty seconds before we're surrounded and subsequently executed. As soon as Obi falls back I sheathe my sword and start to head for the wall with Roman beside me. If we hurry and aren't stopped by the hunters we should be able to make it in time.

As I jump up onto the far edge of the castle wall and prepare to jump onto the tree branch on the side of freedom, I feel someone catch my ankle and I'm left dangling upside down off the wall. Of course it's Obi. I really do need to kill that cretin but it seems as if the castle inhabitants are rather resilient. I hear Roman call for me and I tell him that I'm alright. I am very much not alright, but I don't have many options to free myself without plummeting quite a ways down and breaking something if I don't die from the impact. I feel him start to pull me up by my ankle and I allow it without any resistance but once I'm on the top of the wall again, I kick him in the face. I'm not sure what he expected to happen at the end of that anyway. He lunges for me again but I stick out my tongue and flip backward off the side to land on my branch finally.

"I hope your name appears on my list, but until then, please choke and die."

Roman checks on me as I meet up with him a few trees away. Obi didn't follow us to my surprise but since he's the little prince's attendant I'm sure he has to wait for orders. How adorable. I assure him that I'm fine even though the world is swimming around me as we rush through the tree tops toward home.

I pause as I hear a slight whistle coming from the left and reach up to catch the dagger that was sent flying toward me. I curse again as I peek through the foliage for the sky. We left the trees after putting quite a bit of distance between the castle and ourselves. Roman pulls me out of the way as a fist narrowly misses me and I offer him a quiet apology as I try desperately to focus on who is attacking us now. I recognize one of the wavering figures as one of the bounty hunters so I let him know. Roman steals my sword and tells me to stay back while he handles it. I don't think I could do anything to help him out or handle it myself so that's fine with me. I hate that I am rather useless right now since he's technically my charge, but I can't help it. It's also his duty to protect me as well so I'm not sure what I'm supposed to think. In what feels like the time it takes to blink, the men are gone and Roman is putting my sword away for me. His hands are covered in blood and I can see spatter on his face as well.

"Reza, are you alright? You're paler than normal."

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine. Just exhausted and ready to go home. Are we too late?"

"No, we're right on time. We're not far from home. Get on my back and I'll carry you."

I fight against him but I lose the battle and he lifts me onto his back.

"Thank you Roman." I mumble as I rest my head on his shoulder.

"Anything for you, Miss." He tells me happily. "I'm proud of you, by the way. You did really well with fighting and coming to save me while getting your job done as well."

"Is this a bad time to tell you that I was stabbed on my way to get you and my hastily done stitches tore back in the holding area and now I'm feeling rather cold?"