Finding the Lost Twin

Chapter Thirteen

Alysster and Jacqueline sat under one of the willow trees, laughed and having an innocent conversation of some of the harmless accidents that pop up around the tribe.

"The third man had grape juice all over him. He looked like a purple jester from back when the courts weren't so corrupt." Jacqueline told Alysster.

Alysster began to laugh his hardest since he'd been in Gallica.

Jacqueline had just barely begun to focus on his laugh, mature yet childish at the same time, when one of her archers had burst through the hanging leaves.

"The Rebels have attacked." She said.

Jacqueline shot up to her feet. "I'll get the soldiers ready."

"Half of our archers are already working on the enemy's front lines." Said Jaqueline's archer.

Jacqueline nodded. "Get all of them out there. I want all of our forces on the field immediately." She said as she went to rush out of the shade.

Alysster stood up. "Is there anything I can do to help?" He asked.

Jacqueline turned to him, shook her head, and bolted out of the shade of the willow.

Jaqueline's archer shook her head as well. "I don't think there's anything a Courier could do during battle." She said.

"Trust me, I may not look like it, but I know how to fight." Alysster said in a matter-of-fact tone.

Jaqueline's archer rose an eyebrow. "In a dress?" She asked.

Alysster glared at her. "It's not a dress! It's a robe!" He cried.

"Sure it is." Said Jaqueline's archer before she took off.

Alysster sniffed in anger and stomped his foot again with rage. "Insufferable little --" He started.

He stopped himself and took a deep breath, releasing it in a loud sigh. "Looks like I'll have to use it if I want to help them." He said.

He untied several knots and opened his robe a little to reveal a lightweight and light colored suit that his Aunt Cassandra had designed for him so he wouldn't be left out in a fight.

He pushed off the robe and pulled up the cowl to the suit. He reached into both pockets of his robe and found two knives.

He quickly ran to his tent, careful not to be seen, and opened his bag. At the bottom, hidden under his everyday clothes, was a beautiful rapier.

His Uncle Horace had taught him and his brother some things about sword fighting, so having a sword nearby was critical for Alysster and William.

Alysster strapped it around his hips and pulled up a mask to hid his face from the others.

He looked outside his tent and saw that the battle had already unfolded.

He rushed in and began fighting with the Gallican tribe.

He lunged toward an enemy about to gang up on his brother, then faded so he wouldn't get hurt so quickly.

"Who ze hell are you?" The man asked.

"Your end. Prepare to meet my blade" Alysster said simply before thrusting his sword toward his opponent's chest.

His opponent made a move to shed Alysster's blade, but Alysster saw it coming and stepped across, bringing his rapier down where the neck and shoulder met.

The man cried out as Alysster pulled his sword out while he retreated.

He was almost immediately met with Jacqueline trying to fend off two Rebels on her own.

Alysster thrusted towards one and weaved his blade under his new opponent's and pushed upward to remove his opponent's sword off of Jaqueline's.

"You dare interfere!" The man cried.

"You interfered with our daily lives by means of violence. Now you must pay the price with your life." Alysster told him.

The man, enraged by Alysster's comment, lunged and thrusted towards Alysster.

Alysster deflected his opponent's sword and thrusted towards the man's back, where blade met skin and slid right through with ease.

Jacqueline cried out and Alysster looked to find her on the earth, trying to fend off her opponent as she lay with her thigh cut open, and having some difficulty doing so.

"Keep your bloody blade away from my comrade!" Alysster cried.

He ducked as the man swung at him.

Alysster swept his feet across the man's ankles and took the man by surprise when he fell.

As the man fell, Alysster made a diagonal thrust, and the rapier's blade met with the man's heart.

"You mess with her, you mess with me." He said before pushing the man off of his blade.

Five more men have ganged up on Jacqueline and Alysster while he fought.

He parried and returned attacks from each one of them, eventually having to use his knives, throwing them at a chosen enemy to reduce the numbers.

His brother soon joined in on the fight. "Thought you could use some help, comrade." William cried over the sound of battle.

"Thank you, brother. I definitely could use the assistance" Alysster said.

William gave him a look of shock before shaking his head. "We'll talk later." He said simply before deflecting a thrust and hitting the man on the head with the pommel of his saxe knife.

Time consuming as it was, the battle between Alysster, William and five Rebels was soon over and Alysster rushed Jacqueline to the safest area and set her down.

He took off the thick ribbon holding his shirt and began to take off his top, which took the mask and cowl off with it.

Once it was off, he wrapped it around her wound and tied it on with the ribbon.

"I thought I told you not to fight." Jacqueline told Alysster.

"I know. You just didn't know I could." He responded. "But you're my only friend here in Gallica and my family lives to protect friends and family."

Jacqueline couldn't say anything and Alysster smiled.

"We're also very stubborn." Alysster added.

Almost as soon as he finished speaking, a horn blared and the battlefield slowly went silent.

A/N: Hey Guys! Sorry for the wait. I've been going through some brief times with writers block and it's been tough. But I pushed through it and made it to this point. Seven more parts and we're done.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
Thanks for reading!
- Nicole