The gate was open, the lock on the ground. Kel stepped carefully. There was a large stone courtyard where the wagons sat silent and dead, further on there were fair-sized wooden stable.
One of the wagons had their tarp pulled back slightly, revealing the chests underneath, it didn't have any horses hooked up though. So Illona found it but went to get horses.
Kel ran into the stables. Three guards were strewn about, their corpses cut in gruesome but effective ways. They were city guards, probably sent to watch the delegation's treasures.
A few lit braziers were spread around, lighting the room. Kel could hear grunting and struggling.
He ran around the back corner behind the stalls. A guard had Illona pinned against the wall while Day Erris smiled sadistically as he unbuckled his pants.
Kel felt white-hot, pure rage envelope him as the memories pushed themselves to the front of his mind.
He unsheathed the sword and cut both of Day's achilles in one slash.
He fell to his knees screaming and wailing.
Illona squirmed and yelled under the other guard's grip. He turned just in time to see as Kel drove his sword through the man's foot and lifted its pommel into his jaw in two quick motions.
Kel hardly heard the crack of his jaw breaking over the roaring in his ears.
Illona spun and punched him in the face, taking a defensive stance in anticipation of another attack. She was wild, panicked, scared.
Kel had to jump out of the way to dodge her next strike, he raised his hands but she kept trying.
He quickly realized that even though she knew what he was wearing she was panicked and he was an armed hooded figure.
He took off his hood and she hesitated long enough to see him, his red hair, his young face.
She took deep breaths for a few seconds. "Kel, I—"
"No time. Come on, everything's gone to shit."
He turned and she went to follow him but he stopped and looked back at the guards. Day was on his hands and knees but looking up at the elf and the gypsy, the other guard was still on the ground, probably having fainted from the pain.
"He's seen us," Kel said quietly, barely loud enough for Illona to hear.
"You're right," she said as she picked up her daggers.
"No, stop."
"You saw what he was going to do, he's seen our faces, I said your name."
"I know. I'll take care of it, go get the wagon ready."
"Kel—"
"Go."
Kel sheathed his sword and knelt in front of Day so that they were eye-level.
"Gypst scum!" he spat.
"Tell me, Day. Did you really have Daedwreni relatives?" Kel's calm tone surprised even himself, his steady heartbeat more so.
"Ha! No, I exterminated a big convoy of you nationless filth a few months back. Burned all of those pretty caravans, took our time with the women. Now come on, kill me, I've seen your face. You have to."
"I was never going to kill you, Day." Kel's hands were steady as he drew his dagger, stood and held it over a brazier.
"I told myself," the gypsy began, "that if I saw you again that I'd take your hands, or your thumbs at the very least."
YOU ARE READING
Without the Beauty of Us
FantasyA gypsy boy trying simply trying to survive in a harsh world. But his mother's unknown sickness grows worse with each day and so he must do what he has to in order to earn enough money to find her help This was my main WIP up until a few months ago...
