The Soldier and His King | 2gether AU

07 - Into The Light

Two Years Ago

Nuisance yelled in anger and frustration as he sprinted to where the remaining enemies stood. A blind rage took him over as he shot spearlike arrows upon arrows at them, impaling them before they could react.

He slashed at their dying bodies with his sword, cutting ribbons of flesh from their bones.

Type arrived, followed by the rest of the unit. It had taken them less than five minutes to reach the scene.

"They've taken Prince. Towards the canyon. On a horse" said Nuisance, his voice rising in panic.

Type's eyes grew wide in fear. He whistled for his horse. For every member of the unit who stood there, time seemed to have stopped.

A black stallion galloped to Type. He jumped on its back before it could stop and kicked it into speed.

Nuisance collapsed on his knees, held his head in his hands and screamed. The rest of the unit watched helplessly, feeling his pain.

Butcher hulked down on his haunches and patted Nuisance on his shoulder.

"You're the next in command right now. We need to complete the sweep, make sure there are no other attackers hiding around here" he said gently.

Nuisance raised his head. His eyes seemed mad and unfocussed. Butcher took his face in his hands.

"Get a grip. We haven't completed our mission yet. You shouldn't have been out here in the first place. Let's get this mission sealed and get you to Margossa without delay. The fate of the empire hangs on you" said Boss, aka Butcher.

Man, aka Dolphin, hauled Sarawat, aka Nuisance, up to his feet and patted his back.

Ohm, aka Birdy, and Fong, aka Doc, stood grimly, watching the perimeter closely.

Sarawat took a deep, shuddering breath to compose himself. He directed the remaining unit into a grid search pattern. They swept through the rest of the town and found no one else.

The unit secured the town and set up watch in the tallest building still standing. They waited for their commander, Type, to return.

The minutes felt like hours, the hours like days. Sarawat paced around like a restless tiger. His fear and anxiety were palpable.

Dawn broke the long night. The sun had risen high in the sky when they spotted their commander riding back.

Alone.

Sarawat staggered and slumped against a wall.

Tine was gone.

*

Time stretched and contracted in strange ways during imprisonment. There were stretches when days seemed to all melt into each other. There were periods when each day seemed to last interminably.

Almost two years had gone by for Tine. He had reached an uneasy and strange compromise with his captor.

About ten months into his capture, the Master made a proposal.

"Let us make a pact. I will show you a glimpse of the life you can have here with us. If at the end of one year, you still decide that this is not the life for you, I will free you from your bonds".

Tine considered the proposition carefully.

"I have a request. If at any point you decide to kill me, give me an honourable death. Bury me near the northeast border where the mountains are. Can you promise me that?" said Tine.

The Master nodded.

Tine's life took a turn from then on. He was moved from his dungeon to a more comfortable cell elsewhere in what he had come to realize was a military outpost.