Harry Potter and the Berserker

Chapter 16

Disclaimer- Harry Potter is owned by J.K. Rowling and Berserk is owned by Kentaro Miura. I own nothing.

"What's taking them so long?" Harry wondered out loud as he and the rest of the Griffith retrieval team waited for Guts and Casca's return. The two of them had been gone the rest of the night and with dawn at its peak, people were starting to get restless. Harry wanted to go and look for the both of them, but Judeau had advised against it, a knowing gleam in his eyes.

"They'll be back soon," Pippin said. The giant of a man didn't talk often, but when he did he was usually right, so it was no surprise that he had been chosen to rescue Griffith with them. The full party consisted of Harry, Pippin, Judeau, and the absent Guts and Casca.

"If they're slacking off while the rest of us were busting our balls putting camp away, I swear-," Corkus complained to anyone who would listen. He was in charge of the backup brigade. Once Griffith was rescued they would meet up with his forces and make haste to a new hiding spot. After the attack of Silat and his mercenaries, they couldn't risk it.

For all those who had been wounded in last night's raid, they would follow after Corkus' forces at a much slower pace so not to overburden themselves. Surprisingly, Rickert had been chosen-more like a volunteered-as caretaker for the injured. He had briefly pulled Harry aside after he finished adjusting his saddle.

"Hey, Harry," he said.

"What is it?"

"Just make sure you bring him back, okay?" Rickert put his forearm in front of him. Harry smiled and bumped his arm against Rickert's.

"You don't even have to ask." Rickert nodded. "Take care of yourself, Rickert."

He nodded. "You too."

"Hey, Rickert!" One of the injured yelled. "Can I bug you for some water?"

"Coming right up, Harmon!" Rickert grabbed a pal and headed to the stream to fill up.

Harry mounted his horse and rode over to where the only other two members were waiting. "Will they be well enough to ride by night?" It might be dawn now, but by the time it would take to reach Windham it would be around dusk.

"Probably not," Judeau shook his head. "That's why they'll be a bit behind Corkus and the rest."

It wasn't long after that Guts and Casca finally returned. "You're all ready?" Casca asked the three of them. She looked determined as ever.

"And awaiting your orders," Judeau nodded. Harry and Pippin did so as well. Guts brought Casca's horse to her and he saddled his own.

Was it Harry's imagination, or did Casca look a bit sore as she sat on her saddle? She looked over to Guts who was at ease on his, and she mouthed something that sounded like, "Lucky."

But whatever was wrong, she shrugged off and gave the order for them to ride out. It was finally time to rescue Griffith.

They had been right; it was dusk by the time they reached the outskirts of Windham. The darkness would make it hard for any guard to spot them and with the extra addition of a fog their chances of success in infiltrating just increased. And given their current setting, the fog almost seemed appropriate.

It was a graveyard, just outside the city walls. Hidden among one of these tombstones was a secret passage that Judeau had learned of that would lead straight into Windham castle. The passage had been built just as the war with Chuder began a hundred years ago as a means of escape for the royal family should the city ever fall under siege.

"Any idea what we're looking for?" Guts asked eying a few grave markers that looked like they might stand out.

"An engraving of some kind," Judeau said. "Probably the Midland coat of arms or the royal crest."