The Way We Fall

Chapter 4 (Roche)

Roche's limbs burned as she returned from her last delivery to the royal physician. She'd given him stacks of the heaviest books she'd ever beheld. She didn't know how the spindly old man could hold one of them, but it wasn't her job to pry. In return, the chemist had given her stacks of books that needed to be returned. Now she carted her filled wagon back to the castle courtyard which she needed to cross to return to the library. As she approached, she could see royal guards milling about in fancy, well-made chainmail and the royal sigil emblazoned on their chests. The men walked around stiffly, glancing over at a small gathered crowd near the entrance of the courtyard. As Roche got closer, she could see a thin figure wearing a servant's clothes holding up a practice shield. He quivered behind it, wearing a bulky knight's helmet. A lithe figure slammed the flat of a sword against the shield with such force that the servant toppled over with a cry.

The guard showed no mercy. A crony at his back crowed with laughter as the servant scuttled back, barely dodging another swipe of the sword.

"This," the guard was saying, voice muffled by a helmet, "Is the best technique to dispatch enemies."

The servant's eyes widened in terror. "P-p-"

"Ignore the enemy's begging, of course," the guard teased, drawing raucous laughter from the gathered guards. Behind him, another knight cringed, holding his helmet in her hands. He nervously ran a hand through his chocolate hair as the other guard expertly swung his sword, knocking away the shield. The servant was on his hands and knees.

WHAP!

The guard smacked the servant in the chest with the pommel of the sword hard enough that the servant was knocked flat onto his back. He remained there, his chest rising and falling with quick, terrified breaths.

"That's enough," the chocolate haired guard said, grabbing his masked friend's armour, "This bores me. Let's do something else."

The masked guard kicked the downed servant's feet. The servant whimpered. Roche's blood boiled. The guard turned away to talk to his two friends, and Roche stormed over. Weren't knights supposed to be valiant, virtuous heroes? It looked like they were nothing by power hungry menaces.

Roche's wagon squealed as she drew near. She crouched beside the thin servant boy. His dark skin was slick with sweat.

"Are you alright?" Roche whispered. The boy nodded, still on the ground. Roche's heart flared with relief. "Well, that's good. Let's get you up on your feet then. I'm sure you have better things to be doing than entertaining these brutes."

The boy's lips flickered with a smile. Roche slipped an arm under his back, feeling his sweat soak through her new dress. She didn't particularly care.

"What's your name?" the boy rasped, still winded from the 'training'.

"I'm Roche. You?"

"I'm Kai." the boy replied. His gaze drifted past Roche as she hauled him to his feet. His face went ashen, and Roche knew it wasn't because of his injuries.

"We weren't done, Kai." the masked guard sneered. Kai's face reddened, and he slipped his arms off Roche's shoulder. She grabbed his wrist.

"Are you sure you're alright?" she asked. Kai nodded tightly.

"I'm just winded." he muttered. Footsteps thudded behind Roche's back like a second heartbeat. Her inkblood roared in her ears.

"Who are you?" the knight asked. Roche decided she didn't need the attention of a knight, and she certainly didn't want to speak to one who was a brute. Her words dried up in her throat. She nodded to Kai, and moved to head back towards her wagon. A heavy, chainmail gloved hand landed on her shoulder, stopping her.