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All that existed in the world was blood.
Everywhere, as far as Alik could see, there was blood. It splattered Eamon’s face and covered Avelina’s hair.
Issat’s white tunic was no longer white.
Everything in the world was colored red.
And yet still, the soldiers pressed in.
Alik knew that their numbers were not infinite but with so few of them, and so many of the Vresal, it felt like it.
The pile of bodies grew around them, the highest and most grievously injured at Eamon’s feet.
He was silent as he laid man after man down, baring his teeth and sometimes kicking the bodies of dead and dying men out of his way.
Edmond was equally silent, probably out of habit.
Avelina and Lissandra were loud and wrathful where their brothers were not. They snarled and screamed at the men who came after them, angry in a way that only women who were particularly threatened could be.
Issat stayed near Alik, watching his back, like she always had.
His dear, good friend, with him until the very end.
When Alik saw Eamon slow, just a fraction of a second, Alik knew that their time was counting down. It would not be long now before one of them was taken and they were all slaughtered.
If Eamon fell, so would they all.
It barely registered when a man charging at Alik stopped, an arrow through his throat. He grasped at it, then fell.
Alik moved on to the next man, who had an arrow through his shoulder.
Perhaps Avelina found more arrows, Alik thought to himself.
The third and fourth time the arrows fell more men, Alik realized that the angle was all wrong and none from their group could have made that shot.
Then he heard the marching of footsteps.
Whoever was shooting these men down would need reinforcements if there were even more soldiers coming.
Then he blinked and found himself gently shoved backwards.
Alik found himself staring at the back of a Ruin, their long sheath becoming the focus of his attention for a moment and he realized that the sounds of fighting weren’t just coming from them. The Ruin were fighting their way to them, to protect them, but were cut off by another group of soldiers.
Alik watched as more and more soldiers fell and he followed the arrows up and up to a large turret.
Margrave was there, Lady Sexton by his side, Milet on the other.
The three of them were raining arrows down on those that were getting by the Ruin, that were coming too close to the group of royals that Ruin struggled to protect.
“Look-” Lissandra panted and pointed to the gates.
They were being lowered.
Much to Alik’s surprise, it was Lambin and Bryson who were lowering the gates, bit by bit. The wheel that lowered the gates seemed to be too much weight for both of them and Alik saw them both pause and then step away, let the gates fall.
There was a mighty crash as the gates opened and Edmond’s men led the charge inside the gates, followed by Heaven, followed by more soldiers than Alik thought they could possibly have.
It appeared true as King Evander trotted up to them on his large warhorse, looking well rested and clean.
“Why didn’t we get invited to the wedding?” Evander asked casually, sounding hurt.
He was beautiful in his court colors, his soldiers streaming around them, taking down any of Raulyn’s court. His crown was shining bright on his head and he appeared like a messenger from the gods themselves. His green eyes were bright with mirth and his dark golden hair was longer than Alik last saw him. He appeared properly recovered from his father's torture and Alik did not know if he loved any more than he loved King Evander of Cerith right at that moment.
“I hate you,” Eamon gasped and fell to his knees.
Evander shrugged and directed his men to the inside of the castle. “There are none inside that belong to Eamon’s court but leave the servants.”
“Sire,” a soldier said and turned to his men.
“Leave Raulyn,” Eamon called out to the man.
The man looked back and nodded.
“Alyx will be so disappointed he missed out on this,” a younger, sweeter voice called out.
Alik looked over. Paige was there, sword in hand, grinning widely. She was astride her own horse, brown and white, beautiful as the first time Alik saw her.
“I would like to remind you that you weren’t supposed to be here either,” Evander said.
Paige laughed.
***
ALIK THOUGHT IT ALL to be over, until Evander’s men dragged Raulyn from the castle.
He was no longer elegant or arrogant. He looked more like a petulant child than Alik thought.
Eamon was sitting, watching the men work, until Raulyn was thrown into a bloody puddle in the middle of courtyard.
Alik was also sitting on a low wall, with Paige at his side. He wanted to say something, but thought better of it. Paige was regaling him of all her adventures since they had last seen each other but she fell silent when Raulyn fell at Eamon's feet, just as everyone else did.
“Give me your sword,” Eamon ordered a soldier near him.
The man handed it over.
Eamon threw it at Raulyn’s feet. It splashed in the puddle that Raulyn fell in and splattered the sword with even more, his face and hair as well.
“Stand up,” Eamon ordered.
“Oh my,” Lady Sexton whispered. She turned her face away but didn't attempt to turn Lambin away. He had witnessed enough blood in his past few days that attempting to protect him was bordering hypocrisy.
Time stood still as Raulyn stared down at the sword in front of him. Then he looked up at Eamon, hatred in his eyes.
“I am a prince, not some heathen-” he began through a clenched jaw.
“You are a coward who stands behind other men as they bleed for you. It is your turn to bleed, to serve, to try and take the throne by honorable means, now stand up!” Eamon roared.
Only Evander looked unimpressed. He seemed to be enjoying himself and grinned at Alik and Paige.
As Raulyn reached for his sword, Alik could see that he was terrified. The implication was clear; Raulyn never fought. He was already injured by Avelina and did not have the seething rage that boiled Eamon’s blood.
This was no fight.
This was an execution.
Raulyn charged Eamon and Eamon pushed him away, easily. Raulyn swung and Eamon ducked out of the way and Alik could see that he put no effort into the movements at all.
It was watching a king fight a child, Alik thought to himself.
“I can’t watch, it’s too embarrassing,” Paige whispered and hid her face in Alik’s shoulder.
It was, Alik agreed, but at the same time he knew he had to bear witness to Raulyn’s death.
Eamon drew his sword and in one swift move, buried it to the hilt in Raulyn’s chest and pulled him close, as though he would cradle the man in his arms.
Paige and Alik were the only ones close enough to hear Eamon’s last words whispered to the Prince.
“You do not know the sacrifice to serve your people, truly. So you will die like the coward you are. None will mourn you. None will remember you. Your lands will forget you and rejoice when they hear of your death. Their cries will not carry you into the afterworld. You will haunt these lands and watch as I and my family take back what is rightfully ours,” Eamon whispered in his ears.
Raulyn scrabbled at Eamon’s arms and his shoulders but when Eamon let him go, he fell to the stone ground beneath their feet, his eyes wide and unseeing.
“And so ends the line of the Vresal,” Paige murmured as Raulyn’s blood reached the tips of their boots.