Stalemate | A Rise To Power

𝘊𝘢𝘪𝘶𝘴

⋘ ──── ∗ ⋅ ◈ ⋅ ∗ ──── ⋙

The harbour was almost empty when they arrived, stopping their horses and jumping down to lead them by hand. Night had arrived but they could still see in the light of the bright moon, scintillating across the water stretching into the distance. A few watchtowers were set around the edge of the water and a Northern castle was visible in the distance, belonging to the lord of the land they were on. Below it was a port town, a few lights still glowing in the distance, but it was too cold for most people to leave their houses. The houses lining the harbour were mostly quiet, made of old stone with drawn curtains, and only the occasional sounds of laughter or conversation slipped into the night. They walked their horses alongside them as they headed down a stone path beside the water, letting Erik go ahead.

"There aren't many boats," Anastasia muttered, eyeing the small vessels tied to wooden poles. "This was a stupid idea."

Erik smiled arrogantly. "No, it wasn't."

He walked to a hut perched on the side of the path, made of stone with a thick straw roof. It had tilted to the side from the wind and almost seemed to be falling. How it still stood, Caius had no clue, but he still followed Erik to the door.

No one responded to Erik's knock.

"It's Erik Weaver," Erik called.

At that, there was a banging sound as something fell to the floor.

"Fuckin' 'ell," a voice growled behind the door, and then a man opened it. He was bald apart from his beard, long and white from age, and his dark eyes looked them all up and down with menace.

"Whaddya want?" the man demanded. "I told ya to never come back here!"

That's when Caius noticed the young woman behind him, her face ashen and her eyes wide as she stared at Erik. Her face had a long scar across it, and she had a wooden arm where something had caused her to lose her original one.

"Erik? Is that you?" she asked, her voice small.

"Kath." Erik bowed ever so slightly. "I haven't seen you in years."

She stepped forward, and for a second Caius thought she was going to kiss him. Then her real arm reached out and slapped him across the face.

Charmer, Caius mused. He could see Adam containing a smirk.

"You bastard!" she shrieked. "You pretended to care, then you left, and you had just used me and..."

"I am sorry." Caius noticed the apologetic look Erik gave her. That's the Erik I know. "I wanted to come back, but I got caught up with other business."

"You wouldn't like me anyway because of my arm." Kath turned away from him.

Erik shook his head, his expression sincere. "I don't know what happened, but that doesn't stop me from seeing the girl you were and always have been."

"My arm got trapped in a fishing net and... and I was stuck, and I was going to drown," Kath said. "And you weren't there! You just went." She turned again, her eyes blazing. "You should have been there. If you had, everything would be much better."

"What do ya think you're doin', coming back 'ere?" The old man snapped.

"Ah, Cillian!" Erik grinned, turning to the man.

"Get away from me granddaughter," Cillian sneered. "I may be no figh'er, but I can swing a trident."

"It has been quite some time, so I do not blame you. But I swear I mean you no harm, sir."