Xandilif slowly sank to one knee, the world spinning for a few seconds. Reaching up, she wrapped one hand around the long, delicate arrow jutting out of her shoulder. She could feel from the length that the willowleaf point must be sticking out her back. It was all she could do to keep from passing out as her body slipped into shock.
Tensing against the pain, she snapped the fletchings off with a loud cracking noise, then screamed in rage and agony, retching blood and nearly toppling forward. Even as the pain intensified in her shoulder and chest she could feel her arm growing numb..not a good sign.
Glancing to her side she could see her sister, Xanderian, still unmoving and laying on her back at a bad angle, blood running from the corner of her mouth, eyes open facing the blue sky.
Shaking her head, the Champion spat more dark blood…muttering to herself. “How the hell did we get HERE?”
The day had begun fairly straightforwardly. A small caravan to transport Hawke from Dol Amroth to Minas Tirith for trial. After the events in the prison (see ) and discovering that serpent brand on Hawke, Gareth, Captain of the Hounds of Anarion decided it would be better to move the prisoner as soon as possible. Typically, the man known as Steelheart wasted no time and before anyone quite knew what was happening, they were on the road.
Untypically, he actually was somewhat lenient with Hawke’s comrades. He invited Xandilif and her squire Eduwiges to ride in front with him and his officers, and allowed Xanderian, Addiela, Nethrida and Calidis to ride behind the rest of the Hounds of Anarion who trailed the prisoner’s carriage. Xandilif wagered her was a little embarrassed that they found the prisoner being tortured on his watch, so was willing to make amends. The assembled friends were clearly concerned over Hawke’s fate and still shocked by the torture their friend had endured. They were all subdued as they rode.
The morning was bright and hot, but a strong wind off the rough sea was welcome relief as the caravan slowly moved along the coast of Belfalas.Too slowly to suit Xandilif as she couldn’t help to feel a slowly building tension. Something was wrong, but there was no way to know what. Perhaps it was just her own nerves playing tricks on her.
Gareth of course seemed unconcerned. Riding forward, his cobalt blue cloak flowed in the wind like a stormy sea. He was confident, as he always was, that is duty was well in hand. Looking around at the marble mansions however he shook his head. “How much money has been wasted here to build summer homes for fat, idle merchants while soldiers die in the field for lack of equipment? It is shameful.”
Xandilif did not disagree, but kept glancing back at the carriage, still uneasy. The chained, hooded form of Hawke was barely visible through the armored window, slumped over in despair. Hard to blame the bastard, thought Xandilif. She slowed her horse to try to get a better look at him through the slits of the window, maybe to give him some encouragement, when Gareth abruptly ordered to caravan to halt.
Riding forward, the Banshee called out to the Captain. “Now what the feck are ya playing at? More grousing about the buildings?”
As answer, Gareth pointed at an empty spot in the road.
The Elleth stared. ”Ain’t nothing there…”
Gareth nodded. “Indeed…there sould be a guard on watch at that spot. Now it may be that the local garrison’s posting orders have grown lax, or the sentry may be off easing the boredom of some merchant’s wife…but…”
Gareth broke off his statement when the first flaming arrow struck the side of the carriage with a hissing crack..and everything descended into chaos from there.
Agdarom the Viper charged out from the tree-line on the hills above the group. Two riders, and a handful of archers came with him. At his command the archers fired again...hitting the wagon dead on with an full volley of flaming arrows, the heavy wooden walls catching easily as the oil spread.
Gareth, enraged that anyone would dare disrupt his mission, shouted orders and the Hounds split into three groups...one group charged the Viper and his riders, one group tried ineffectually to put out the wagon, and the third group circled one of the Hounds in the back.
Hawke’s friends however, were also not idle. Shocked by the sudden tumult Calidis saw Nethrida gallop past her and seeking out her destination, saw the Viper riding down the hill. Her carefully crafted serene expression broke and gave way to horror and then... perhaps something like anger. Nethrida for her part was galloping full tile towards the Viper, having scores to settle. She shouted out "Aww... Back for another chat? Last time wasn’t enough?" She lowered her sword down to her side, holding onto it with one hand whilst squeezing the reigns, preparing to charge the raiders when the Viper’s two men cut her off. She steeled herself for a fight.
Addiela stared at the rising flames in horror, but also resignation, and taking in a deep breath and reached out both hands toward the wagon. Concentrating, she pulled back her hands, trying to control the flames and draw them away toward her even as Eduwiges charged the wagon to save Hawke. Leaping into the driver’s seat, she pressed her dagger into the coachman’s throat. “Give me the key..NOW!” Screaming and panic could be heard from inside the carriage, spurring everyone to urgent a ction.
The coachman was perfectly happy to abandon the flaming wagon, and he gladly handed Eduwiges the key before scrambling down onto the road. The flames however were rising higher, the heat nearly forcing Eduwiges back. Out of the corner of her eye, Eduwiges spied Xanderian, staring unmoving at the flaming wagon. She seemed frozen, or simply lots in thought…then began to scan the Hounds urgently. “XAN!!! Help me!!!” she yelled, but the huntress didn’t seem to notice her.
While Eduwiges and Addie sought to rescue Hawke, Xandilif rode after Nethrida to deal with the Viper and his men, several Knights fanning out around them defensively, assuming there were more raiders coming.
Xandilif charged towards the Viper through their ranks leaving Nethrida to deal with the Viper’s men, howling.."You ain’t gettin away this time, you sad excuse for Troll shite!” Agdarom the Viper however wheeled his horse, preparing to flee rather than face off with the enraged Champion.
As the battle continued Calidis, apparently forgotten in the chaos, glared silently at the retreating Viper and his men. The memory of the Viper’s thug's teeth in her arm was still quite fresh and she could barely repress the rising anger and frustration. She reached into her pocket to pull out an uncut agate, which immediately glowed like red fire in her hand.
Agdarom, focused on escape, never saw the dark eyed elf hurl the stone, not that it would have done him much good. The flaming agate struck him full in the body, knocking him from his horse and setting his clothes ablaze. He cried out in pain and rage, rolling to put himself out. He was soon joined on the ground by one of his men, dispatched by Nethrida, who was dealing with the second along with the Hounds.
Ignoring the battle with the Viper, Eduwiges struggled with the lock of the carriage. The wagon in which they'd put Hawke was now an inferno, dark smoke billowing to the sky, but the screaming from inside has cut short just as Eduwiges finally wrenched the carriage door open, releasing a blast of heat. The bound figure inside has smothering from the hood over his head...Thankfully Addie's magic had pulled enough heat away for Eduwiges to work and grab the helpless figure.
Eduwiges ignored her burning hands and slung Hawke over her shoulder. Letting go she dropped heavily down off the wagon and rolled to the side of the road. Just as she appeared to reach safety with her charge, Xanderian screamed suddenly...."HAWKE!!!!! GWAELION!!!!!!!”, still seeming to stare into nothing.
Addie, confident that Eduwiges could tend Hawke, unsheathed her dagger and freed the horse by cutting it’s bridle…and not a moment too soon as Gareth rode his warhorse into the side of the wagon like a battering ram, causing it to bounce over the low wall and down off the cliff, to smash on the jagged rocks below. Wheeling about, he felt an arrow whiz past his head and pointing one gauntled hand, ordered the Knights to deal with the archers.
On the hillside, Xandilif pulled up short and dropped off her horse, shocked by the fact that the Viper was on fire for some reason. She turned to note Calidis, simply watching the man burn, still glaring. Upon hearing his cries of pain and Xanderian's scream, however, her expression quickly morphed into one of horror over what she had just done in her anger. She stumbled backwards and glanced around, locking eyes with the smirking Xandilif for a moment that was so absurd Xandilif began to laugh. The crash of the wagon hurtling over the cliff however made clear the seriousness of the moment and drew the attention of them both down to the road. Working fsast as Addie returned to help, Eduwiges desperately pulled Hawke’s hood off so he could breath, however it was quite clear to all of them that breathing was no longer an issues. He was dead, stunning the group into silence. Addie looked away, stricken.
Eduwiges pulled the dead man up by his smoking shirt in horror and looked in his face, then screamed 'By Bema! This isnt Hawke!” She tossed the body aside and rose, 'Where the fuck is Hawke!' she shouted again.
