Hestadil Shorts

Presumed Dead

Preface: This is set in a version of ACOT where they rescue Sophie without the first years, and are travelling to the school for the first time afterwards. It starts REALLY sad, but I promise there's a happy ending!

They had come back to Sherwood Forest. They needed somewhere to hide, and moral was pretty much nonexistent.

They'd been travelling to the school to prepare for their next fight with Rhian. Agatha, Tedros, and Sophie led the group, followed by Beatrix and the other evergirls, and William and Bogden. Hort and Nicola flanked the back with Hester. They were three days away from the school when they were intercepted by a number of the pirate "soldiers" Rhian had doing his dirty work. They'd only surrounded Hester, Hort, and Nicola. The others were ideally moving forward.

Hester's demon fought half of them, while Nicola and Hort's man-wolf worked together to fend off the others. Hort narrowly dodged a knife, and Hester had a very close call with a scim. When she saw it, she turned to the others to warn them. Japeth was nearby. Before she could say anything, the snake walked calmly into their circle. Hort turned on him, ready to fight, until he saw who Japeth was dragging behind him. Anadil. There were three scims hovering in front of her heart.

No one moved. Hester felt her stomach drop, making brief eye contact before Japeth spoke.

He looked uninterestedly at Hester. "The demon's killed a number of my men now, and your friends unholy rats have as well. Rhian wanted me to dispose of you, specifically. I myself am rapidly losing interest in fighting you. So I'll cut you a deal. If you come with me, I'll let her go." He pointed at Hester, though it was already obvious who he'd been speaking to.

Anadil and Hester reacted at the same time. Anadil shook her head, wide eyed. Hester nodded immediately. She made eye contact with Anadil, and they had one of those silent conversations they were so good at. Hort and Nicola glanced at each other, slightly paniced. The air was thick with suspense.

"Well, you have to pick one. One of you dies either way, so I'll leave happy." Japeth's sick laughter reminded Hester of Aric. The way he'd smiled as he tortured students. His face when he stabbed her. She felt shivers go down her back, and felt the all-consuming need to get Anadil the hell away from him.

Hester called back her demon, and said "Let her go." voice calm, but tinged with fear. Japeth hummed in agreement, scims gliding slowly across his body. Just when Hester took a step forward, Anadil shouted "NO!" and shot the strongest stun spell she could manage.

Hester made a sound of shock at the impact, the vibrant green glow of Anadil's spell meeting her chest. She was blasted back twenty feet, and Anadil heard the rustle of leaves when Hester's body hit the ground. Silence ensued, and she felt Nicola's and Hort's worried stares. She knew what was coming.

Anadil took a deep breath, and closed her eyes.

The three black scims tore through her heart.

----

Nicola saw it go down, and made herself focus on what needed to happen next. She grabbed Hort by the sleeve and ran to where Hester was lying, silent. When she looked back, Japeth was gone, and she could see the pirates turning to run.

Hester had been unconsious when they got to her. Hort tore his arm away from Nicola's grip and ran back to where Anadil had been, morphing out of his man-wolf form.

Nicola checked Hester's pulse, before sitting back and closing her eyes. Everything had happened so fast, and she could feel herself trembling from adreneline. When Hort came back, he had blood on his hands. Nicola glanced up at him, and he shook his head.