CHAINS − FOR HONOR

Chapter IX: Escape part I

Sophia looked as scared as she was puzzled, but decided to ask privately. "Okay, just.. Explain in our room". He sighed but nodded to himself as he once again pulled her along. Upon entering the room he slammed the door and pulled out boxes, "Pack your clothes, clean and in another box dirty". She pulled him down and sat with him, "Look at me, what has you so stressed and concerned? You look as if a ghost came to take you from the world". He huffed, his eyes began to water as he remember what he did the day prior. "I.. father's dead, my father is dead..". She rubbed his face and soothed his sorrow, "Now now cry not, shhh shhh. Ease my sweet, I love you Tiberius it's quite alright my dear". "No..Don't hug me I'm a monster..". "Tiberius..Don't you dare title yourself such a beast, you're not a monster..What is wrong"? "I killed him..I KILLED HIM"! Sophia looked taken back, wondering what he meant. Her mind connected the puzzle but needed to check. "Killed...Marcus.."? Tiberius cringed at the name, he hunched over and buried himself in agony. His tears flowed as if his eyes were an erupting volcano. If he hadn't muffled himself his cries of despair would've plagued the building. Sickening the ears of all. "Tiberius relax my sweet, hey dear, look at me. Look upon me, your wife. Look. Talk to me, tell me, what happend"? He sniffled as he further bellowed, his face reddened as if blood. "I.. I..." He trembled with every ounce of breath he exhaled. "I..I was told by...by mother.. Vikings disguised..vikings as knights.. Kill them.. Explosives.. I, I saw a man.. I stabbed him.. But that, th-that that man was.. He was F-Father.. My father. I killed-d him Sophia.. She told me, to-to kill my own fa-ather". She silenced his stress by hugging her head to her shoulder, patting and soothing his back.

"Hey, It's okay Tiberius, no need for such agony. You didn't kill him Tiberius.. She did. Apollyon killed your father. Is that why you want to leave? Do you fear she'll kill me too"? "NO, I wouldn't let her step near you, I'd throw myself upon my sword before I let her harm you.. I just, she's not my mother anymore... She's not who she was, she's not my mother.. She's Apollyon, Warlord of the Blackstone Legion. She's, We need to leave.. okay. . Pack up and leave..". Sohpia nodded and rubbed his head. "Yeah, yeah.. We'll pack and leave. Just, calm down. Calm yourself Tiberius, breathe breathe". Never in her years did she think she'd see her husband a mess like an infant. 'That vile woman, how could she have a child just to torture and destroy'. The door opened and Apollyon coughed as she looked upon the couple. "Damocles, I know you probably miss your father. But now isn't the time to weep. Come, we must speak". Sophia hugged Tiberius as he tried to move, "I'll let him be in a second Apollyon, He has a cramp I need to help, then you and him may converse". "Very well, I'll be down the hall". She exited as Tiberius silently sobbed to his wife, "Listen to me Tiberius. I'm going to pack our stuff, YOU, go with your mother. See what she wants, then return here and we'll leave at nightfall. Okay"? He agreed, wiped his eyes and kissed her. "Be safe, don't go anywhere with anyone unless I'm with you. I don't trust my mother, She might be planning something". Sophia smiled as she kissed his head, "Go".

Tiberius left to the halls, his mother awaiting the other other end. "Come with me child". Tiberius thought of attacking her but decided against it, not trying to ruin his escape. Apollyon brought Tiberius to her room and sat upon the bed. "So Tiberius. Have you seen Marcus, have you visited him since his preparal"? Tiberius nodded, anger growing along with sorrow. "Hmm, I'm sure. But I need you to know one thing". As Apollyon snapped her fingers, Ira and Mercy came and grabbed his arms. He fought back but they managed to pull him back to the wall and lock his arms in chains. "You need to know that you are MY son, MY weapon, MY tool, MY toy, MY torture pet, My test dummy. And I'll do whatever I want to you, pain or pleasure". She took Mercy's dagger and traced it along his face. "Remove his Armor". One arm at a time they pulled off his gear, managing to pull his sleeves back. Apollyon stabbed the dagger into his forearm, twisting the metal.

He screamed but Ira cupped his mouth, "No. Let him yell, I want to hear the pain". She tore it out then slashed it across, multiple times. "Hmmmph, you're weak". She backhanded him, then punched him twice. "Weak, Blind, Simple. You're just like your father.. Who you killed". She sliced into his other arm, smiling as she did. Apollyon then traced his chin, "If you weren't so valuable to me, I'd gut you right here. That face is just like his, as shameful as that may be, I'm not going to rid it". She then swiped the knife across his cheek, blood trickling. "Take him to the nurses, tell them that we found him in an alley by the castle gates. And make sure they say nothing". Ira nodded as she took her brother and dragged him to medical. "See what happens when you disobey mother, you get hurt, Scarred. You should've played nice, it's a shame. Mother said she'd let me join next time, oh well". Ira smiled as she dropped him on a bed, nurses scrambled over and aided his wounds. Ira explaining what had happened.

"SOPHIA"! Yelled one of the nurses down the hall, "SOPHIA". The egyptian medic poked her head out and looked to her friend, she waved her over. Hurrying over slightly worried, Sophia entered the room her fear factor jumping more. "Tiberius"! She yelled darting over to his side, aiding her nurses as they stitched and cleaned. "What happened Tiberius? Abigail, Coleen get the alcohol and clean the stab wounds. Ethel help me clean and stitch". The girls did as she said and quickened to the man, Tiberius faintly smiled at Sophia as he leant back. "Apollyon.."? She whispered, Tiberius nodded barely, "We can only trust Alden , Christopher and your nurses..No one else.. We need to leave". She nodded and guided the nurses as they continued their operation, Ira stood in the doorway. "Sophia, Could we..Talk for a second"? Sophia ignored her, paying attention to her work, "Sophia". Ira annoyed, went and grabbed Sophia, "Come on". Sophia shove her off and punched her. "Fuck off, I'm aiding my husband, get out". Ira grabbed her again, before getting shoved off. "Look this is my office, Mine. Which means at anytime I need medical assistants or officials for an operation, I can send you out. Now get out of my face or else". Sophia began to push the woman out, then slammed the door. Ethel had stitched up his cheek, his face pained Sophia to see. She felt anger for what Apollyon had done, but knew she could nothing about it. "Alright, Tiberius how are you feeling"? He looked to himself, his arms bandaged and tight. You could faintly see blood lines from the wounds under, he sighed. "I suppose I'm alright, I can't really move to well, not enough to stop my fighting but it's limiting". Sophia hugged her husband, he bend over and tried back. "Alright..Are you packed"? Sophia nodded as she helped him up, "Yes, I even packed whatever clothes and fabrics you had, where are we going to live"? Tiberius limped along with her to their room, Sophia thanking the nurses. "Sophia, what's going on, you seem stressed friend"? Asked Abigail, one of Sophia's closer friends. "I can't explain but, I need to leave, so does my Husband..This place isn't safe. Especially for us". The nurse reached out, "Wait, you're leaving..? Might I come with..You're the only real friend I have here..Plus you're the only person I've been able to call family since my mother passed. Please"?

Looking to her husband, Sophia felt guilt and pity, Tiberius hummed and nodded to her, "Yes she may come..But she needs to hurry and pack, NOW".The nurse overheard and she vanished to her room, returning moments next with a small box. "I'm ready"! 'Hmm. Fast'. "Alright..Let's go. And Sophia we're going to old village my father brought me to when I was younger.. He was good friends with the governor, so I'll be able to persuade him to provide us essentials.". Tiberius groaned as he quickly stopped by his room, grabbing his sword. His eyes caught a dagger sitting on his nightstand, His father's Pugio of Damocles. He reached over and grabbed it, fastening it to his belt. "Alright, Let's leave".