Mountains Vast and a Kingdom So Red

Chapter 74

The first party to hear the news is Saber. He grows surprised. And when he asks why the pair is leaving, he does not get a direct answer. But Xirna assures him they will come back. Bedivere's mother sparkles at the news, saying they are young–relatively–and worthy of exploring. She believes in their love because Xirna and he kiss at the cottage, and this performance is required in front of friends as well. It has started as a forced chore, but now they are used to it, and Xirna no longer stiffins, but melts.

During a workout, Saber informs his brother where and whom he needs to see to arrange a wagon. Naturally, Bedivere takes note of it. It will snow tomorrow, the pelting rain a warning. Plant leaves have sheens and the animals tuck into hiding, well the sheep have no choice but to grave in the outdoor enclosure. This is why it becomes urgent to join the road.

As Bedivere laughs with Dream's babe at the encampment, foot steps come around the corner, a harsh sound, he moves his body only for a tweed bag to suffocate him. Heart ticking, he hears men, feels the hands anchoring the bag in sick pleasure and he fumbles. In his desperation to be free, he drops the babe to the ground, and he hears her cries. Reaching deep within, he calls to his alert senses. Help me help me. He slams into the intruder, knocking them both to the ground, and in the spare moment he lifts the bag off, eyes widening at the man kneeling before him for a second attack. It is the criminal mercenary. The criminal mercenary gang from twenty seven years ago.

"Do not go near the child," Bedivere hisses. His throat and breath are not recovered.

The haggard leader grins at him. "We are here for you mate." But a brawny mercenary goes to pick it up, but he screams like a jackal.

"Who wants it? Who wants it?" A female villager runs toward the man and takes the child who is in much duress. She stares at Bedivere, frozen, until she leaves. Almost no other villagers are present. The ones who are scared and do not intervene. Hate rollicks in Bedivere's system; he wishes to curse at them, or plead, but swift thinking leads him to buy time.

"Did Yalleb send you?" He asks.

The mercenary with purple lips confirms he did. "Whispers are ripe as fruit in these lands. You are fortunate you had so long to languish."

The leader brandishes a knife and Bedivere resists the urge to shut his eyes. "We must level the fight. You are men of skill..."

"Fuck you!" The skinny mercenary says. They remove their mask, revealing a feminine face and long hair.

Bedivere rolls his eyes. "You are trained warriors. What pleasure would it be to kill me instantly?"

They turn silent.

"Huh?" He presses, believing in his intimidating so becomes true.

"What do you propose?" The leader asks.

"Give me two on my side."

"You get one," purple lips croaks.

"Fine. Give me leave to fetch my brother."

"No, no you nasty bug." The female spits. "We will get him so you cannot run."

Bedivere tells them to call for Saber. He points in the direction of his cottage.

The brawny one and the leader watch him with murderous eyes while the other two go off. Bedivere prays for Xirna to find him for anyone.

Coming to an epiphany, the leader mocks him for having no wings. "You are pathetic. You have wits to save you?"

The brawny mercenary makes an effort to laugh.

"Nevermind. You are foolish to return to this land. Because you have no bounty, I am killing you out of the kindness of my heart."

"Magnificent," Bedivere says. Where on Ganymede is his brother?

Saber emerges, arms clasped behind his back as the mercenaries drag him forward. He is panicked. Remorseful even, but a stroke of lightning lives in him. To protect his family. Xirna trails him, wings artfully poised, ready for battle.

"The green one. Make her stay away," the leader commands.

Bedivere feels as if he is falling down stairwell after stairwell. He repeats the command to Xirna, softly. She shakes her head and makes up her own rule.

"It will be a dirty fight. If you kill this male, do not deface his body. Leave him in pretty condition so he receives an honorable burial."

"Yeah. Whatever," the leader asks him then kisses his knife.

It is not within Saber to tell his brother he loves him, but he puts himself in front of him. He gestures come hither to the gang.

He collides with the female, wrestling her and punching her in the breasts. She is irked, but has enough stealth to keep going. Purple lips sets his violence upon Bedivere and Bedivere jumps back, assessing his weak points. His foot work is poor, so Bedivere attempts to make him as tired as possible. The leader angles his knife toward Saber, eager for blood while the brawny criminal stands back, waiting.

The female is defeated. She holds her bruised head and her own kife was taken from her. Now Saber has more focus, and as his power increase, Bedivere's lessens. When tries to punch Purple lips in the nose, he grabs his fist and bucks him in the groin. Tears run down his eyes and the brawny one captures the opportunity to stab Bedivere in the leg. He is silent and his brother comes to his aid. The knife is nearly out when the leader lays his hands on Saber. The choke hold ensues and his brother cannot escape. Pain is now emotional and Bedivere cannot understand. Cannot accept that his brother will turn lifeless at his hand. As the female rises, still woozy but determined, something takes shape.

Instead of begging for his bother's mercy, Bedivere sings. His larynx prevents him from speech, from yelling. He can only sing. He sings a refrain of a song he does not know, but he imagines its Faire kingdom origins. His voice makes the mercenaries stop, somehow. The singing is so beautiful. So angelic, so effortless, so overwhelming, the mercenaries gape and eventually fall to their knees. His bother is safe and he is still singing. Xirna comes to his side, hugging Bedivere, and he returns the hug, voice fading. Saber appears shocked, completely still.

The leader drives his weapon through the dirt. "We are done here. You will never see us again."

"Swear it," Bedivere says.

"I swear." He hesitates. "I am sorry. I did not know about your gift."

Xirna makes her face lethal. "Leave this village now."

And the mercenaries collect themselves and depart.

Rain begins to fall again, and its droplets span the entire area. Except Bedivere; no rain comes upon him.

"What is this?" His brother asks.

"Magic," Simmons says and retreats to the cottage to wash his face.