The Vixen Trials

Not the Lord

"You came for me"

Dakkoul

Lord Marvin turned with a smile to use his blade on Jalen's trembling chin. Fury sparked in Dakkoul. He should be the one bound on the platform, not the others and Marvin knew it.

Four man-sized foxes bounded onto the back of the platform cooling his thoughts even as the crowd shrieked their satisfaction. He'd have to dispatch the mocking Marvin quickly. Dakkoul tried run forward but an arm held him back with surprising force.

"Not the Lord," Malek hissed before releasing him.

In baffled rage Dakkoul spat back, "Why not?" before remembering with shock the Prince's words. He couldn't kill another Lord without losing everything.

As if he could read his thoughts, Lord Marvin let go of Jalen and met his eyes with a taunting stare. A shriek came from behind him. Keilah. He was sorry about Jalen who had already attracted the attention of a Fox who slammed him to the ground, but his duty was clear. He told Malek to protect Silsa as he turned away.

With wild, forceful kicks Keilah was fending off the two Foxes trying to attack her. Dakkoul dug his sword into the closest Fox's side. It howled and pawed at the hilt, bounding off before he had a chance to wrench it free. Now he was weaponless and Keilah was still tied and using her foot as an inadequate shield against the Fox now circling her.

He dived towards the Fox that made a sidewards leap into a soldier who seemed larger and more competent than the rest. He fought back with calmness giving Dakkoul just enough time to free Keilah.

Dakkoul wanted to reassure her that they had almost won, when a sharp pain pierced his shoulder. Behind him, Lord Marvin raised his sword to strike again. Dakkoul cursed the Prince's order. Was he supposed to just stand there and be killed? A cold desperation flooded him. It must be permissible to defend himself but he'd have to pull all his punches. He couldn't risk even seriously hurting the Lord.

Lord Marvin flipped his hood back so that Dakkoul could note the gleam of pleasure in his tiny eyes. "Afraid Hattavah? You're weaker than I thought." He stepped back and said to the Fox at his side who seemed to be watching their exchange. "Come and get him."

"No you don't," screamed Keilah, flinging herself at the Lord, knocking him off balance so that he fell into the path of the oncoming Fox.

Shamed he'd needed Keilah's help, Dakkoul flew at Lord Marvin, wrestling his bejeweled sword off of him with an angry power before driving the blade into the Fox's chest. He swung back grinning to catch Lord Marvin sneaking up on him again. Instinctively he thrust the longer sword forward, jerking it back in horror too late. Marvin flopped down, his slashed throat irreparable.

A numbness overtook Dakkoul as he looked around and saw that the battle was won. Jalen and Rennie were somehow safe and with Alyssia. Silsa was hugging Keilah. The last Fox was already writhing on the ground, Malek's hands buried into its flesh. How was he doing that?

The sounds of the crowd now intruded on his senses. Some of them jeering, some mourning, some booing and already some were climbing onto the platform. To lick the blood or to fight? He had to get Keilah and everyone else out of here. To his relief he saw fifty of Lord Rustavan's soldiers march their way through the crowd. They'd be able to get home safely now.

He tried to hustle his people past the poles and off the platform. The cut on Jalen's face oozed blood and he seemed to need a steadying hand to walk. Alyssia had a nasty bite on her arm, Rennie cradled her fingers but Silsa looked unharmed and Malek appeared oddly more energized than before.

Dakkoul's main concern was Keilah who struggled to put weight on her right foot, wincing as she limped forward. How could she compete in the Vixen Trials if she couldn't walk? He gave her his arm, a feeling of pleasure lightening his concern. She leaned on him with such a trusting expression he almost forgot the danger they were still in. Even with the soldiers, the mood of the crowd could return to ugly.

"You came for me."

"Of course I did."

"I thought we were going to die because of that vile man. The things he said!"

That was nothing to what the Prince was going to say after he heard what had happened. To hide his fear he turned to Lady Silsa and asked,  "What were you doing outside the House anyway?"

"I didn't realise that it was as bad as that." Lady Silsa looked confused for a moment, then she brightened up. "You're my hero."

He shot her a puzzled glance. "Not just me, Malek, Jalen, Keilah, Alyssia, the soldiers all played their part." He resisted the urge to say you were the only one who sat there waiting to be rescued.

She waved the efforts of the others away and stopped as if planning to argue the point but he made her keep moving. Only when they were finally at their gate did he let them all catch their breath. As he let go of Keilah's arm reluctantly, he said, "I must go and tell Lord Rustavan."

Silsa's eyes widened. "There is no need for daddy to know. Keep it between us, can't you Hattavah?"

"Your father will know already."

Silsa groaned and started to sway. "Well I'm too hurt to talk to him. Carry me Rennie."

As Dakkoul went towards Lord Rustavan's section of the house, he paused at the washing room, removing the blood from his skin and directing Malek to do the same.

"You did well out there Malek. Although I don't know how you did it exactly. Do you have weapon concealed on you somewhere I don't know about?"

Malek chuckled. "You could say that. It was a grand fight. You'd have been lost without me."

"I'd have got through," Dakkoul said torn between feeling annoyed at the insinuation and the sheer relief he'd felt when he'd seen Malek defeat that final Fox.

The relief won and he clapped Malek on the shoulder, having to reach up slightly to do so. The gesture undid him somehow. His brother was a warrior he could rely on, just like he'd always longed for. With Malek verifying his story, perhaps he'd even get through his upcoming interrogation by Lord Rustavan unscathed.

Who do you think will be blamed for the outing? Give yourself ten points if you get it right!