Young Writers Society

She was nearly to the horses, but noticed they were unsaddled. No mind. She could ride bareback if she needed to. Aleth couldn’t.

She couldn’t breathe.

Her chest was so tight, complete terror stabbing through her. She was sobbing and couldn’t do anything about it.

But she hesitated as she got to the horses, realizing that Aleth was fighting with Loquitur. That made things even worse. Now Aleth didn’t just ruin the war, he was going to hurt Loquitur too!

Aleth leapt away, panic stabbing through him. He didn’t have a weapon. And he couldn’t have protected himself even if he did. That was Tadaaki’s job. Not his. Aleth grabbed a fistful of snow from the nearby bank and threw it straight at Loquitur’s eyes, trying to buy himself some time as he ran backward.

It caught Tomhas squarely in the face and he snarled, pawing at his eyes to get the snow away. He blinked for a moment, then tore after Aleth again, sword at the ready.
"Go for the stomach," Gaius called after him, tone mild. "He'll move slower if he's trying to keep his guts in." He glanced over to the horses to see where Ky was and if she was seeing this.

Aleth didn’t like the sound of that at all. He turned and sprinted away as fast as he could. Still running towards Ky — but this time trying to escape, not get her. “Stay the fuck away from me!”

Ky was frozen in terror, still barely able to breathe. She felt light headed.

Aleth tripped and sprawled headlong over the snow. He whirled around, scrambling backward as fast as he could, still on the ground. “You can have her! I don’t care!”

(He can land a blow if you want)

(I'll have a go at it)

Tomhas reached Aleth and sliced at him. His aim was off, only grazing his side rather than cutting him open.
Gaius stayed where he was. The others had joined him by now.
"Seems you were right," Emery mused. "Pity, milord. He seemed like a clever fellow."
"Clever doesn't equal worthwhile," Gaius told him. "I'm desperate to know the story behind this, though. I haven't seen Tomhas this intent on murder in many years."

(Perfect!)

Aleth screamed bloody murder, crimson blood gushing into the snow beside him.

Ky hit her knees. She didn’t pass out, but she felt like she was going to. Her chest was so tight. Head so light. Stomach so sick.

Sera hurried forward to Ky. Gaius didn't stop her; Tomhas wouldn't hurt her and Aleth couldn't do anything.
"Here," Sera said as she reached Ky, crouching down beside her. "Come with me away from here, young one. Come on."
Tomhas swung again, this time trying to aim better.

This one caught him squarely across the abdomen, slicing his stomach open. He screamed again, an anguished screech that echoed through the forest.

Ky was tense. There was someone so close to her. She knew it wasn’t Aleth. She felt threatened. But also didn’t know what to do. She was in no state to fight back. Her gaze was locked on the sea of red splurting out of Aleth several meters ahead.

(Ohhh snap)

"Ky." Sera placed a hand on her back. "Breathe, dear. Breathe. Look at me."

Tomhas stood over Aleth, chest heaving. His face was flushed from running and from the cold, and he dropped his sword. His legs felt weak and his stomach turned over at the sight of the man bleeding out in front of him.
"Good show," Gaius mused, limping forward until he was standing beside Tomhas. "Take a deep breath, Tomhas." Tomhas didn't move, still panting. Gaius turned his attention to Aleth instead.
"I don't know who you are, really," he said, "but if my brother wanted you dead you must have been a true beast indeed. He's done you a mercy; I wouldn't have been nearly so kind as to do you in that quickly."

(He is dying then? Or do you have plans?)

(I’m good with him dying! But gloat all you want first xD I’m enjoying this so much haha)
(Also gonna enjoy the: “the fuck was that?” With ash to Loquitur later hahaha don’t fuckin spy on me xD)

Aleth felt so weak. So tired from the blood loss. And so very, very cold. This was it. His breath hitched in his chest, but he turned a glare on Ash. “Fuck… you.”

Ky couldn’t handle it anymore. Her vision swam. She choked as a fresh wave of sobs racked her body, finally turning towards the kind woman next to her. She reached out, trying to steady herself, but her hand met empty air- not calibrated enough to actually latch on to the woman for support.

(All up to you, matey!)

Sera held her, staying beside her. "You're alright. Breathe. Just take deep breaths, slow down."

"Charming." Gaius turned to Tomhas to make a snide remark, then thought better of it when he saw his brother's face. "What did you do to that poor girl?" he asked Aleth instead.
Tomhas swayed slightly, then bent over and vomited into the snow, dropping to his knees. Gaius winced slightly.

Ky turned into Sera’s arms and collapsed against her, sobbing. She couldn't breathe. That was the problem.

But she also couldn’t look anymore.

“I gave the bitch what she deserved,” Aleth snarled. He couldn’t move. Couldn’t think. But he’d never been angrier in his whole life. And, for a moment, he saw his father standing over him rather than Ash.

They certainly had a lot of similarities.

Gaius shook his head slightly. "Not an answer. Either way, she's a little girl. Whatever you've done, I'm sure she didn't deserve it." He raised his cane and pressed its tip into Aleth's wound, leaning on the stick as he looked down at the man. "If you know anything about me, which I'm sure you do, you'll know that I don't take kindly to people who bully those who can't defend themselves. In fact, it's what I hate the most." His pale eyes bored into Aleth. "The last man I caught doing such a thing has no skin now."

Aleth cried out at the cane. He grabbed it, trying to jerk it away from Ash, but it only hurt him worse. “Apparently it’s the only thing you’re good for, you fucking paranoid cripple. Go waste oxygen somewhere else.”

"Less a cripple than you are now," Gaius mused, then took his cane away. "But you're not mine to kill. Tomhas?" He turned, but Tomhas was sitting on the ground, shivering. "Tomhas." Gaius nudged his brother gently with the end of his cane. When he didn't respond, he knelt delicately beside him. Tomhas's face was wet with tears and he still looked ill.
"I shouldn't have done that," he said shakily. "I shouldn't have--"
"You should," Gaius interrupted gently, glancing over at Aleth. "You were right this time. You did the right thing, Tomhas."

(Lol @ ash having to be the big kid here) (but also its kinda sweet… morbidly haha)

Aleth felt himself fading in and out of consciousness.

Ky felt like she’d been trapped in a room with no oxygen. Her brain was refusing to process what’d happened. All she knew was that she had let Aleth hurt Loquitur. At the very least, he fucked up the war for Loquitur. At the worst he might have physically hurt him, too.

Ky looked back and saw Loquitur on his knees with Ash next to him.

No.

The bottom dropped out of her stomach.

Aleth had hurt Loquitur.

Ky stumbled to her feet, trying to get to them, but she felt so dizzy.

“You have to help him,” Ky said pleadingly. The apothecary shouldn’t be focusing on her just for being stupid and crying. Loquitur was the priority here. “Him,” she sobbed. “Aleth hurt him! Help him! Please!”