Arrow of Justice

by R W Caron

  "And the girl sir?" The captain dared to ask.

  "Leave her to me my love." Shatina hissed, gazing at Erwin.

  "I do not wish to place that burden on you my love." Erwin replied looking at her.

  Shatina ran her near perfect hand over Erwin's face and looked deep into his eyes before placing her hand on his jaw. "It is no trouble my love, but before you leave, I must speak with you in private."

  "I will make my leave and prepare the men my lord."

  "Yes captain, prepare them." Erwin said his eyes now locked with Shatina he waves his hand at the captain who turned on his heels and marched his way out of the throne room. "We are alone my love."

  "I was thinking something more stimulating." Shatina hummed sliding her lips softly to the king's neck and running her hands down the front of his robes. She gently undid the buttons to his tunic and kissed her way down his neck.

  Sliding her sharp nails down his chest drawing little red lines of irritations making her way down. Erwin watched her and smirked as she stared up at him. He reached down and put two fingers under her chin raising her back to his height and pressing his lips firmly against hers. Their eyes lock after they break apart and the intensity in her eyes are that of a possessed being. Then pushes him back into his throne and unties his trousers, then smiles a sinister grin. staring back at Erwin who appears to be in a trance. She slides the bottom of her dress up and straddles him on the throne. Kissing his neck and running her nails over his face. Erwin's face did not change, he did not move, his eyes slowly glossed over and she continues forcing herself onto him, her passion turning into a wildness as she grinded her hips into Erwin who stared blankly at nothing.

  The wild fit of passion continued as she tossed her hair back and her skin started to transition color into a pale green. The once elegant beautiful woman's face started melting away and was replaced by a reptilian face, scales covering her and her crystal blue eyes turning a deep yellowish red. She continued forcing herself on Erwin bucking her hips into him harder and harder. Suddenly she lunged at Erwin's throat and managed to stop herself moments before sinking her now long fangs into his throat. Her face started to change back to that of the human woman and her body morphed back into the goddess she was before. She slowly climbed off of Erwin's who's eyes started to shine clearly his body twitch. Erwin looked in her directions and she smiled and evil smile. "My lord, we have never done that here before."

  "It was perfect." Erwin replies as the overwhelming feeling of pleasure comes over the now fully alert man. He falls back into his throne as waves of passion and pleasure wash over him. Knowing that she was responsible for it he sends her a loving smile.

  "Yes, but you must go to war now." She grins and coyly drops her robes of her shoulders teasing the young man with her perfect skin.

  "I wish to stay with you." He pleaded whole heartedly.

  "No you do not, you must wipe out that disgusting race." Shatina replied with a little growl. She knew that she might have over done it this time. She had to push the elements of their pleasure if her plan was to come full circle. He was only human after all.

  "But my love," Erwin started.

  "I have to find the girl. You must go to war." Shatina snapped harsher then she meant killing all the passion in a single glare. Erwin nodded and fell back into his throne.

  Shatina slowly exited the room leaving Erwin to his thoughts. Once alone Shatina stood in the dark hallway, her senses told her she was alone and she relaxed leaning against the cold stone of the citadel. "Humans," She spat. "Hopefully this time it works." placing her hands on her stomach; it was too early to tell if she had finally achieved her goals yet. She would know in a few weeks this was sure. Then closed her eyes and walked confidently down to her bedchambers. She would rest before finding and torturing the girl. She was going to find her that much was certain but whether she would tell Erwin she found her was uncertain.

  Alina watched the woman and the king for nearly an hour, watched as the king fell victim to her spell and fought the urge to move while she forced herself on him Alina had to stay perfectly still and suppress her thoughts if that woman was as she thought she was, she could read and control minds. Alina had managed to escape the guards and poison the water supply. Anyone who could’ve seen what she was doing fell first and with her agility far greater than guards in chainmail. Unfortunately, as she turned to flee another regiment of guards had turned the corner thus trapping her. With quick thinking she got herself up and over the wall by using some vines that had started to grow there but once she was over the wall she was still trapped. She had managed to sneak through a window and make her way to what she could only guess was the throne room. Knowing she needed to get out fast.

  It was only when she laid her slender body down on the wooden supports that she realized an sword must have nicked her chest. Knowing that no one was in the room, she let out a slight whimper and pressed herself against the board while cutting part of her shirt away to use as compress for the wound. She had then passed out, her body relaxing for the first time since the troll fight while fatigue took over. The argument between the king and his captain had stirred her from her slumber. Now however there was only the King in the room sitting on this throne with a scowl on his face. Alina slowly started to push her body up off the pillar and looked back toward the window she had come in through. She started towards it when suddenly the door to the throne room opened and the Captain of the Guard walked into the room, his armor flashing and clanking in the light. He made his way towards his king as Alina stopped and watched. He knelt in front of his king and stared at the marble floor. "Yes Captain?" The king asked his voice echoing in the empty hall. "why have you disturbed me again? Come to tell me more of your failures."

  "My lord, I bring grieve news." The captain replied keeping his eyes fixed on the floor. His voice was one of apology and a tad of fear lingered in it.

  "What NOW." The king exclaimed his voice washing over the captain like a title wave.

  "The girl my lord, she has poisoned the water supply with troll blood. The men are deathly ill. There is an antidote but the supplies dwindle in our markets." The captain explained staying transfixed on the floor.

  "One girl has destroyed my army?" The king replied scoffing. "It figures when you have a bunch of half wits like your men."

  "Sir we could not have..." The captain started but the king was out of this throne and walking towards him.

  "You are their captain and you have failed me." The king continued walking as the captain stayed on a knee. "Not once but twice. No wonder your soldiers couldn't find or catch the girl. With a useless excuse for a captain they have. You let her destroy everything I have built, what do you have to say for yourself?"

  "I apologize my lord." The captain replied.

  In one swift motion the king raised his head to look at him and slapped him hard across the face sending blood and saliva flying from the captain’s mouth. The king then grabbed the captains long black hair and pulled back his head kneeing him in the face and sending him sprawling to the floor. The captain slowly rose to his knee again and the king kicks him hard in the face sending him falling back to the marble. The clang of his armor hitting the floor made a deafening noise as the captain lay there for a moment before collecting himself and rising to his knee again bowing his head to his king.

  "You will not fail me again Captain." The king replied. "I am King Erwin the second and you can be replaced captain. "

  "Yes, my lord." The captain attempted to speak as blood ran freely from his nose and mouth.

  "Get what men that can ride, to war in the morning. Any man that cannot ride shall be left to rot here." Erwin growled.

  "Yes, my lord." The captain replied.

  "Get out of my sight." Erwin exclaimed turning on his heels and storming off towards his bed chambers his long robe flowing behind him. The captain slowly pushed himself to his feet, wipes his mouth and nose then rubs his blood on the shiny metal of his che
st plate.

  Alina slipped through the window as the captain walked out. On the top of the citadel Alina looked up at the night sky staring at the moon and letting her mind wander again to her love Nahan. How many nights as children did they stare at the moon? How many times had he tried to court her and she always resisted? Why had she resisted his love? Now she was stuck in the Citadel, she had no way of telling Nahan how she felt; she didn't even know how she felt. All she knew was if harm was to come to him she would kill all those who hurt him, she would give her life for his in a heartbeat and yet if he asked her to, she would fight off the underworld demon master himself, to keep him safe. "I think I love him." She said aloud, talking to the moon.

  "Isn't that sweet." Came the hissing voice from the ledge below her. Alina looked down to see Shatina standing below her with a regiment of guards. "Come my dear and let us take you to your man."

  Alina turned quickly and took off running along the edge of the Citadel wall. Shatina watched her go as the guards gave chase like a pack of dogs chasing a racoon. Shatina smiled and started walking in the opposite direction.

  Alina ran hard along the hard stone of the wall with the guards slowly falling away, unable to keep up with her speed or agility. An archer stood meters away from her, bow drawn as she skidded to a stop he released his arrows. In one fluent motion she caught the arrow out of midair, pivoted and unstrung her bow from her chest shooting the arrow between the slits of the man's helmet and into his eye. The arrow dinted the backside of the helmet and she continued rushing past him before he had even fallen, grabbing his quiver that rested leaning against the wall. She ran quickly into a tower for cover. Alina made her way up the rickety ladder inside and made her way to the opening in the stone. The guards came into sight and she strung her bow taking the first guard in the knee joint sending him to the stone and tumbling several others with him. Her second shot took out a guard staring up at where the arrow had come from driving it through his chainmail and into his heart. She continues stringing arrows and shooting the guards sending one falling off the wall.

  Alina turned and slide down the ladder, the guards dealt with she started toward the edge of the wall. She looked down and could see the roof of a villager's home, the drop would hurt but it would get her out of the citadel. Suddenly there was a sharp pain in her shoulder and she looked over grasping at the arrow now straight through her shoulder. Alina turned and looked to see Shatina loading a second arrow. Alina jumped, landing on the roof as the arrow flew by just missing her head. As she landed her knees buckled and she slammed into slated the roof hard shattering several of plates as the rest slid down off the roof. She rolls through her fall and springs to a second roof, her fear and determinations driving her onward. She rushes along the roof tops springing from one to another.

  In full stride she steps on the edge of the fourth roof and is sent sprawling and spinning in mid-jump as a large eagle feathered arrow slams into the back of her leg. The pain is unbelievable as she falls from the roof with nothing to catch herself on, the dirt comes quickly up on her. The impact sends the air from her lungs and her world started to spin as she fights for conciseness. Silver figures rushed toward her and she places her face in the dirt awaiting her fate and realizing she had failed.

  A small tear slid from her eye, not of pain but because she would never get to tell Nahan how she felt, would never get to warn him, would never get to save him; that to her was the real pain. She tries to push herself up but a flashing sliver boot kicked her in the face and she dropped into a world of blackness.

  Chapter 7

  Unforgiveable

  Nahan’s heart hammered in his chest as he stood in a nearby oak tree staring down at the scene that he and Andrew had created. His men and women lying motionless on the ground covered in blood, Andrew’s men standing over them. The teepees of the small village still smoldered the burning they had endured. Andrew looked up at Nahan and smiled, this was their plan. The king had sent word he planned on marching on the forest to eliminate all of Nahan’s people. Since that time Andrew had been wracking his brain on how to stop it. Something had slowed the king down, Andrew knew not what it was but something had slowed his march, a grace period Andrew was thankful for. Andrew and Ryukin had come up with the idea of having Andrew and his men look as though they had killed everyone already. That night they had used the blood from the hunt to make it appear as though everyone had been killed. When the King did arrive, Nahan’s people would be saved. “Do you think this will work?” Nahan asked Ryukin who stood above him in the tree.

  “I hope so.” He responded with a smile. “What’s that for?” Ryukin asked pointing to the bow that sat resting against the tree. “Nahan, Andrew’s plan did not involve attack.” His tone more of a mentor than a friend.

  “It’s a just in case piece.” Nahan responds with a slight grin.

  “Just in case what?” the older man sneered.

  “In case things don’t go as plan. I don’t intend on letting my people die.” Nahan replied in a cool calm voice.

  “Nahan, don’t be so brash.”

  “They trust me.” Nahan responded, his voice low. “What if this fails and they die?”

  “You cannot dwell on what if’s Nahan. You have led them to survival.” Ryukin looked down to the younger man. “They will remember you as a savior who did all he could.”

  “Did I though?” Nahan asked.

  “Quiet. I hear horses.” Ryukin quickly rushed up the tree to a thicker branch. He sprinted across it with the grace of an eagle; leaping to another tree that over looked a clearing towards the camp. Nahan listened for a signal, his heart drummed with anticipation and his ears strained for that one sound he was waiting for. There it was! The hoot of a great owl, the king and his men had come at last. Andrew was not paying attention, still working with the others on the ground as Nahan tried to signal him. Andrew knelt beside a woman and bent her arm into a position that looked as though she had been running and was killed as Nahan continued to try to get his attention.

  “Andrew open your ears.” Nahan growled out loud. Out of the corner of Nahan’s eye, he caught sight of his bow sitting against the tree. Nahan grabbed it and notched an arrow, his eyes focused down the shaft of the arrow aiming it right beside Andrews head. He exhaled as the arrow released and whistled towards Andrews head. The arrow plunged deep into the wood plank beside him, inches from his ear. Andrew’s eyes grew large as he glanced over at the arrow and then up in the direction of Nahan who once again hooted like an owl. Andrew pointed to the arrow and made a motion with his fingers showing how close it was. Nahan smirked while still sitting in the tree and shrugged. “He’ll pay attention next time I guess.” He said softly to himself. He then pushed his body against the tree.

  Andrew yanked the arrow out of the wood and grabbed the back of the woman he had been adjusting. He forced the arrowhead through her deer hide shirt and pinned it beside her body into a pool of blood on the ground. Andrew then wiped the blood on his face and took a deep breath.

  “Let’s hope this works.” He murmured softly to himself. The king, his mistress and only a score of fifteen men entered the camp. The men looked worse for wear, they all looked pale as if they were barely holding onto life and the look of them appalled Andrew. “My Lord.” Andrew said and dropped to a knee pinning his sword tip into the ground.

  “Andrew,” The king replied. “What have you done here?”

  “Eliminated a threat to my lord.” Andrew replied. His heart hammering so hard that he had to use his military training to steady is voice.

  “I see that. And your men?” he asked skeptical.

  “I lost a few my lord.” Andrew replied. “but we for every one that fell they took several of these pathetic nomads with them.”

  “Where is your guard captain?” The King asked as he turned and slid off his horse.

  “I could not leave my settlement unguarded my lord. There would have been chaos.” Andrew retorted. Andrew fought
to hold in the smile knowing full well that the guard captains fate had been sealed by Tuck the day before.

  “Good point.” King Erwin responded as he looked around at the people lying on the ground. “You’re thinking like a true leader now,” Erwin tossed the reins over his horses back and smirked. “Unlike your father.” The comment stung Andrew deep. He hadn’t forgotten what Erwin had done to his father but he needed to stay calm. He forced his face into a smirk and nodded. “Where is their leader, the one they call Nahan?” Erwin asked. The sudden use of Nahan’s name took Andrew back a step.