Iron

13

Aune woke early. The dawn sky was clear and Aune watched as the sun broke into view. Everyone else was asleep. She rolled over, and was ready to fall into a doze, when a flicker of movement caught her eye. Not thinking, she sat up. It caught the attention of Gus, who nimbly leapt behind her and brought his knife to her throat.

"Make a noise and you're dead." He hissed softly in her ear.

Aune had no time to think. Shouting, she leapt backwards, twisting as she did. Gus swung the knife down, slicing her shoulder. Snarling, Aune leapt for him. He grabbed his knife and hacked at her as she pummeled him, alternating between screaming and snarling. Gus could see the battle-light rising to her eyes, but he knew she was no match for an armed man. Aune felt the knife cut her arms again and again. Suddenly someone grabbed her and pulled her away bodily.

"Aune! You'll get yourself killed!" It was Nor. Seeing her eyes, he shoved her away, scared for her.

Gus sneered at her. "Go away and hide, coward!" Aune flung herself at him, only to have Nor in the way again. "Aune, get away. He has a blade and you have none. Do as I say. Run and hide Aonghus." Gus had been approaching while Nor's back was turned. Drawing his sword, he raised it, only find empty air where Nor had been a moment before.

Aune gave a parting snarl and dashed off to do Nor's bidding. She found the former prince next to their horses, holding a bow and a quiver of arrows. Pulling him away from the fight and up a hill, she pointed to a copse of trees surrounded by boulders.

"Stay there."

Aonghus had said nothing until now. Seeing the battle-light, he grabbed Aune's shoulder. "Be careful." Then he released her and she sped off.

. . .

Nor knew Gus was behind him. Releasing Aune, he rolled to his left. There he stood and drew out his sword, a double-edged sword of shining steel. He swung it and it whistled through the air. Letting Gus make the first move, he parried and thrust, dodged and blocked, swung and missed. He neatly blocked a downward chop, and caught the next slice Gus sent his way.

Little by little, Nor knew he was losing. "Had enough?" Gus leered at him. Nor ignored him, barely defending Gus's thrusts. Gus feinted to the right and slashed Nor's leg open. Roaring in pain, Nor looked frantically for Kaye and found her dealing with three men twice as big as she was. There was no help or hope. Nor ground his teeth, fighting back the tears of desperation and gave vent to his battlecry, "Blaackwoooollf!"

Aune came skidding down the hill, panting. She struggled through the melee, swinging a tree branch like it was a club, trying to get to the Colbanite sword. Somehow she knew exactly where it was. She lifted it and charged into the fight, eyes reddening with battle-light. Then she saw Nor, shouting, wounded in a dozen places, and fighting for his life. The sword moved with deadly accuracy, whirling like a tornado as she fought to get over to him.

Gus raised his sword. Nor was cornered, his back up against a rock and his sword lying several feet away. "Do your best, scum!" He screamed back, tears flowing freely. At the last second, Aune arrived. She blocked his downward swing and shoved up, battling wildly. Nor watched in awful fascination as the battle-lust fully took over. Nothing could stand in her way and the sword flashed, back and forth so fast it was a blur. She sliced his shoulder open to the bone and brought the sword flashing down to cut open his leg. Nor scrambled out of the way, his head spinning from loss of blood. Aune continued to slice and swing. Gus was fighting for his life.

Now he was pinned against a tree. "Mercy, have mercy, please!" He shouted, but Aune didn't care. Her sword flashed once and Gus's head lay on the ground. Aune didn't stop. She drove on into the thickest parts of battle, slaying and wounding. Anyone who saw her eyes stepped back. They were blood red and wild. None of the ambushers were spared from her attack, and in a moment, the woodland floor was covered in blood and death.

Now the battle-light left Aune. She slumped back against a tree, slowly recalling what she had done. Turning, she took to her feet and dashed into the woods, where she sat retching and sobbing by turns. She had killed another person, several maybe. How long she sat there, she didn't know, but eventually she became aware of another person. Kaye.

Kaye said nothing, but gently laid her hand on Aune's wounded shoulder. She grabbed Aune and hauled her to her feet, glaring at her.

"What?"

Kaye dragged her back to the battleground. "You ask me what? What about the wounded here? What about Aonghus?" Her voice was icy. "I know the battle-shock well, Aune, but think of what a blunder could cost us. We found him, luckily for you, but so could our enemies. My brother is wounded almost to death, and you have the guts to stand there holding his sword?"

"Kaye." A weak voice called out. Aune knelt down beside a blanket swathed figure. "Nor? Are you alright?"

"Kaye." He repeated.

Kaye shoved Aune out of the way. "What?"

"She saved my life. Give her the sword... Please." He broke off in a rattling breath.

Kaye turned to Aune, sitting scared and hunched over, watching Nor with terror on her face. "Aune, I'm sorry. I understand now. I lost my temper to find you sitting as if you had been playing with my brother's sword for fun."

Aune could make out a faint smile on Nor's face. "Her sword now, Kaye. Look after her. She... she'll need it. I can't help you anymore. I love you... Kaye." He took another rattling breath.

Kaye gasped and ran for the nearest healer, an older man named Har. "Har, it's Nor. He's dying. Please, help him."

Har stood up, grimly wiping his hands. "I'll do my best and all in my power."