A Threatened Treaty

Chapter Nineteen

Alysster continuously tapped the dirt as the group thought of something to save his daughter. 

"We can't do any of these things without getting caught. How do we get to her without getting caught?"

A horn blew in the distance and they all looked over to see Evangeline and the other prisoner standing in the center of the camp, where they were before. But this time, the pole was gone and replaced with a small stage. 

Anastasio stood in the center of it as Evangeline and the other prisoner stood on either side of him and little ways behind him. 

The group moved closer, careful not to be seen, as Anastasio made an announcement. "Gather 'round, my good soldiers!" he called. "I'm sure you've all heard of our dear comrade's betrayal, so today will be his death."

The crowd exchanged glances between each other, and mumbled the same rumors as Anastasio tried to grab their attention. "Now. The young woman was a valuable asset to the Araluen government, and I have held her ransom for several weeks now, with no response. I had originally planned to make her my wife, but look at her now! Araluen will now lose it's most treasured beauty!"

The crowd went from mumbling to screaming and cheering while Alysster and the other Araluens glanced around for something to spark a plan to get Evangeline back. As they looked around, they noticed Horace had disappeared. 

Will and Alysster hissed in fright. "Where'd Horace go?" Alysster asked.

They looked into the crowd and saw Horace taking down one of the guards, who'd lined themselves up to execute Evangeline and the other prisoner.

It was Halt's turn to hiss. "What the hell is he doing?!"

Alysster's eyes widened as he recognized Horace's plan of attack. "He's going to get up close and personal..." he muttered. He rose to a crouch and went around the camp for the same idea. He took down the guard with ease, holding his arms firmly around the man's neck.

He quickly donned the man's armor and stood in his place to wait for the call.

"Ready?! Arms!"

Horace followed the lead of the others to avoid early suspicion. He drew his sword, holding it on Evangeline's shoulder, lightly tapping it twice.

She slouched ever so slightly, so that if his sword had swung toward her, it would miss by about an inch.

"Execute!" Anastasio cried.

Another sword swung, and Horace's went to the man's throat, executing him instead of either of the prisoners.

A collective gasp rippled through the crowd, and arrows shot through the air, puncturing the armor of the rest of the guards in one fell swoop.

Anastasio made his attempt to run, grabbing Evangeline while Horace was focused. He rounded a corner to get around the crowd, and ran straight into Alysster, whose face had contorted into unrelenting anger.

Anastasio laughed nervously. "Listen, I'm sure you and I can come to an agreement," he begged.

"You lost the right to have an agreement when you took my daughter." Alysster drew his Rapier, ready to attack.

Anastasio threw Evangeline off to the side, unsheathing his own weapon. He lunged for Alysster, preparing for a thrust. Alysster dodged the attack. "For a Genovesan, you sure are predictable," he said.

"Shut up! You do not get to speak of predictability, you wretch!"

While the two had fought, Evangeline had been caught by the very guard that had tried to save her before, the same one that was to be executed with her. She attempted to walk with him, but her legs had lost the motion. "I'm too weak to go anywhere. Leave me be," she hissed.

"I saved you once, I'll save you again," he replied.

Evangeline grinned, and let him hoist her up onto his shoulders and carry her away from the danger. He was stopped by Halt and William, while Will fought by Horace's side.

The man held out a hand. "Wait! Please, I'm trying to help her!" he pleaded.

"Just because you were her execution partner does not mean we have to spare your life."

Evangeline held out one of her hands as well. "He's tried to save me before. That's why he was my execution partner. He tried to protect me once before, let him try again, by your sides."

Halt and William exchanged a glance, then nodded toward the man. "Fine, then. Show us your worth," William said.

The man nodded in turn, and the four of them ran to the edge of the camp. They met up with Horace and Will, who looked around with worry. "Where's Alysster?" Will asked.

The man stepped forward. "I think he's still fighting Anastasio," he said.

"Who's he?" Horace asked, inclining his head toward the stranger.

The man bowed his head to greet Horace and Will. "My name is Edward. I tried to save the young miss before all this mess."

"That would explain why the two of you were being executed together."

William and Halt were staring to a particular spot beside the frightened crowd, now mostly gone, thanks to the scares of Will and Horace. Alysster was still fighting Anastasio.

Anastasio had been wearing himself down, while Alysster had been mostly dodging the attacks. Those he couldn't dodge, he parried.

Until Anastasio pulled a move that only Horace thought he could do, until now. Two consecutive moves, only one Alysster could dodge, the other he couldn't even parry.

Alysster held his rapier up to block the sword coming from overhead. And stepped on Anastasio's foot as hard as he could while maintaining pressure from the blade.

Anastasio relieved the pressure, momentarily favoring his injured foot. Alysster snaked himself and his rapier out from under Anastasio's own blade and cut across the man's neck.

Anastasio dropped his weapon and cradled his neck, already choking on the blood spilling from his neck.

"I pray that mothers and fathers will weep. For their children are safe from you."

Alysster stood over Anastasio's body as the man collapsed to the earth, still choking on his own blood before falling limp.

Alysster sheathed his rapier, and turned away from the dead man to face the people. "Anyone who wishes to fight me later in life, will have to deal with the Rangers of Araluen. Do not attempt to invade." With that, he turned away again to join the others on the hillside. "Let's go home."