Blood and Steel
1502 Words
The soldiers sword was out of its sheath when Kael made his move.
Everything happened fast. So fast that Arielle almost missed it.
The room was tense one second and the next, steel was flashing through the air.
Kael grabbed the soldiers wrist. Twisted it hard. Very hard that it cracked so loudly in the room..
The man cried out in pain. His sword fell on the floor before Kael threw him on the wall.
The other two soldiers reacted immediately.
One of them lunged at Arielle.
The other one went for Kael.
Arielle acted quickly and stumbled back as the first soldier reached to grab her arm.
"Move " he screamed at her.
She felt so afraid, real fear. Nothing like the dread she felt at the execution square.
This was different, sharp and immediate.
The soldier grabbed her wrist roughly and tried to drag her toward the door.
She felt intense pain on her palm where the oath mark was.
At the same time, Kael stumbled slightly across the room.
The connection between them was still there. He felt it too.
That distraction almost cost him as the second soldier swung his blade toward Kaels side. Kael caught the strike just in time with his forearm.
The clashing of the metal was so loud that it made Arielles ears ring.
Kael drove his elbow into the mans throat, hard.
The soldier collapsed instantly gasping for air.
Arielle tried to pull herself free but the guards grip tightened and it was painfull.
"Stop fighting " he snapped at her.
She reacted before thinking. Her hand reached for the dagger hanging on his belt.
The soldier didn't realize what she was doing untill Arielle yanked the dagger free, Drove the hilt straight into his face.
He cursed loudly stumbling backward. It had knocked him on the left side of his forehead.
It was not enough to take him down, but enough to let her get away from him.
She ran toward the side of the room just as Kael grabbed the remaining soldier and slammed him against the table very hard. Enough that the table broke in pieces.
There was wood and a plate shattered across the floor.
Then there was silence except for the breathing in the room.
Two soldiers groaned on the ground. The third one did not move at all.
Arielle looked at the scene before her.
Kael stood in the middle of the destruction with calm returning to him.
There was blood on his hand but not his this time.
For a moment nobody spoke.
Then Arielle said quietly "You killed him."
Kael looked down briefly at the soldier.
"Yes " he said simply.
The simple answer unsettled her more than the death itself. No hesitation, no regret, just fact.
Footsteps suddenly echoed from outside, soldiers.
Kael looked toward the door immediately.
"We need to leave " he said.
Arielle blinked. "Leave?" she repeated.
"Yes " Kael said.
"What exactly is happening?" she asked him.
"They were not here to move you " Kael said.
"I figured that part out " Arielle said.
Kael crossed the room quickly. Picked up one of the fallen swords.
"They were here to kill you " he said.
Arielle felt cold all over. The room suddenly seeming to move.
"Lord Varren?" she asked.
"Most likely " Kael said.
"Then why not just execute me publicly?" she asked him.
Kael looked at her.
"Because now they need your death to look like an accident " he said.
The words settled heavily between them.
Before Arielle could answer, there was a heavy pound at the door.
"Commander!" a voice shouted.
Another voice followed quickly.
"Open the door!" "Open the door!"
Kael grabbed Arielles arm, and pulled her toward the far side of the room.
"There's another exit " he said.
"How do you know that?" she asked him.
"This used to be my room " he said.
That caught her off guard for half a second.
Then the pounding grew louder, the door isn't going to hold for long.
Kael shoved open a wooden panel hidden near the wall revealing a narrow stone passage behind it, dark and tight.
Arielle stared.
"You're joking " she said.
"I rarely joke " Kael said.
The door behind them shook violently.
"Move " Kael said.
She hated taking orders from him. She hated dying more.
Arielle ducked into the passage first Kael following behind her pulling the hidden door shut just as voices exploded into the room they had left behind.
Darkness swallowed them. The air inside the passage smelled old and damp.
Arielle pressed one hand against the stone wall as they moved carefully downward.
"This place is a maze " she muttered.
"It was built that way " Kael said.
"Convenient for people trying to escape murder " Arielle said.
Kael said nothing. Of course he didn’t.
The passage narrowed ahead forcing them closer together than Arielle liked.
She could hear his breathing behind her, it was steady and controlled.
Meanwhile her own heart still had not calmed.
"You could've told me the court wanted me dead before soldiers tried to stab me " she said quietly.
"I was trying to " Kael said.
She chuckled.
"That was you trying?" she asked him.
"Yes " Kael said.
"That's unfortunate " Arielle said.
A small silence followed, then unexpectedly Kael said, "You handled yourself well."
Arielle frowned slightly. Glanced back at him.
"What?" she asked.
"With the dagger " Kael said.
"Oh " Arielle said.
"My brothers made sure I knew how to fight " she said, the words slipping out before she could stop them.
Instantly the air shifted, her brothers, gone, now dead because of men like him.
Kael went quiet behind her. The silence stretching enough to become uncomfortable.
Finally he spoke.
"I didn’t know " he said.
Arielle stopped walking slowly turning toward him inside the passage.
Through the darkness, she could see parts of his face. She could still see him clearly enough.
"You didn’t know?" she repeated, her voice coming out sharper than intended.
"You led soldiers into my home " she said, accusation in her voice.
Kael held her gaze.
"I knew your father had sons " he said carefully.
"I didn’t know they were inside that night " he said.
Arielle stared at him something ugly twisting inside her chest.
"You burned the estate " she said.
"I followed orders " Kael said.
"There it is " Arielle said, her voice cracking slightly with anger.
"That excuse again " she said.
Kael’s jaw tightened.
"It is not an excuse " he said.
"Then what is it?" she asked him.
For the first time since she met him he looked genuinely tired.
"The truth " he said in a low tone.
The honesty in his voice frustrated her more than lies would have, because part of her believed him and she didn’t want to.
A sound echoed faintly through the passage behind them voices, searching.
Kael’s expression hardened again.
"We should keep moving " he said.
Arielle didn’t argue this time.
The tunnel finally opening minutes later into a lower corridor beneath the keep.
Torches flickered weakly against the stone walls.
Kael stepped out first to check if both directions were empty.
Arielle followed him into the corridor.
"What now?" she asked him.
"We get out of the palace " Kael said.
Her stomach tightened.
"You think they’ll keep coming?" she asked.
"Yes " Kael said, that answer come too quickly.
Kael started moving down the corridor Arielle following close behind.
"Where are we even going?" she asked.
"A safe place " Kael said.
"You have one of those?" she asked him.
"Yes " Kael said.
"You trust people enough for that?" she asked.
A glance passed between them.
"No " Kael said.
Despite everything the answer almost amused her.
They reached a stairway leading upward. Voices echoed faintly above them.
Kael raised a hand instantly stopping her before she climbed further.
Arielle froze, footsteps crossing overhead two guards talking quietly.
“…Orders came directly from Varren himself…"
“…commander’s finally lost control…"
The voices faded as the guards continued past.
Kael lowered his hand slowly.
Arielle looked at him and said,
"They’re turning against you " she said.
"I know " Kael said.
"And you still tied yourself to me " Arielle said.
His eyes met hers briefly in the light. They exchanged an intense glance.
"Yes " he said, that word settling strangely inside her chest.
Before she could question it further another sharp pain hit her suddenly, the connection between them. The oath.
This felt different. Not pain, fear, not hers, his.
Arielle looked up sharply at Kael.
His face had gone still in a way that immediately made her uneasy.
"What is it?" she asked him.
He didn’t answer right away then slowly he drew his sword.
Footsteps were approaching again. Not from above, from below, and this time they were coming fast. Very fast.
- Writer
