Touched by Fate (DragonSong)

[Saber-Five]

Within a gray manor house at the captial fourteen armed men were held inside with around dozen hostages. Most of the captives were nobles with a few severants. Nearly all hostages were women and children. The captives huddle together in fright in the massive dining hall in the house's center with candles brightening the place amidst constant rain outside. They were having a dinner party when these intruders broke inside and beaten the few bodyguards on watch to a pulp.


By now the City Watch learned of the situation when a chamber maids escaped and assembled a small force out with a growing crowd. The intruders were dressed peasant grab though equipped with various and deadly weapons. Four were as serving as sentries, to keep an eye on the city guard besieging them. The rest surrounded the hostages, starting at them with grim and desperate faces.

Among these prisoners was young Lady Yvaine Devereaux.

[DragonSong]

Her arms around a crying child she didn't know, Yvaine kept her head down and watched the men holding them prisoner from the corner of her eye.

Dressed as peasants, but with far too much weaponry. Standing as though they were well trained. Smart enough to leave guards. The little details raced through her mind like she was ticking off a list, and she instinctively began planning calculating.

The young boy wailing for his mother- who must have somehow run outside in the initial confusion- drew the attention of one of the men, who hefted a crossbow meaningfully. Yvaine drew the child onto her lap, settling him amidst her skirts and running her hand over his head, trying desperately to soothe him.

[Saber-Five]

"Shut up that brat or I will!" The man with the crossbow said with menace toward Yvaine. Behind him however a thick bearded man with red hair wielding a board-axe retorted.

"Calm down Gregor. They're just spoiled pups let them cry all they want."

Gregor just grunted angrily in reply but kept slient. The axman looked at the hostages with judgmental eyes before centering that on an balding man in an blue suit called Lord Ronald Pryor. He was in the fact the owner of the manor house and host of the party before this home invasion. The Pryors are a respected family in the captial and some of the Granr Duke's most loyal allies here. Ronald himself had been a supporter of the draft, making him quite unpopular in quite of number circles, especially among the lower classes.

The axeman who was the armed group's leader with violent speed grabbed Ronald by the collar. Dragging the forty six year old noble to his feet, axeman slammed a meaty fist into Ronald's gut and the bald man dropped to his knees. The wife, Lady Sabine screamed in reaction while her husband punched again, this in the face.

Bleeding in his lips, Pryor looked back up in helplessness and begged.

"What do you want?"

He was answered with a hard slap to the side of his head, by axeman who sneered.

"You speak when I allow it you bloated dog. As for what we want...well your life."

[DragonSong]

Wincing, Yvaine dropped her eyes again and turned the boy's face into her chest, holding him close and covering his ears as Lord Pryor was beaten. The child continued to cry, but it was muffled now at least.

Another young lady- Yvaine knew her face but couldn't quite remember her name- wailed quietly and suddenly clung to her side, turning her face into her shoulder. It seemed that- being just about the only one in the room not in tears or shaking violently- Yvaine had become a sort of anchor to the other hostages.

"Wait." Her voice was even and low, not too loud or too soft. "Why do you want to kill him?"

[Saber-Five]

Axeman paused and stared back at Yvaine. Visible contempt displayed on his rough features.

"Retribution. This coward supported the Grand Duke's bloody draft."

Rage at the thought drove Axeman to kick hard Ronald in the chest. The nobleman fell sideways wheezing in agony then another thug came over picked up his shoulder and held him up so Axeman can keep beating him. Sabine with redden cheeks soaked in many tears begged.

"Please don't...please don't..."

[DragonSong]

"You can't just go around killing everyone who has a dissenting opinion from yourself," Yvaine spoke up, spine straight and shoulders set. The boy in her arms had gone from wailing to sniffling, though he still kept his face hidden against her chest.

[Saber-Five]

Yvaine's words completely took the leader's murderous attention toward her. It wasn't just him, many of the armed peasants shook with utter hatred, born of past suffering.

"Like how your kind deals with those who oppose your ideals?" Axeman shot back. He was referring to the times when dissents were silenced by the Regime. Then he punched Ronald's face and rant further.

"While our kin are taken to fight and die in an never-ending war, you lot grow fatter and richer off our sweat and we're left with next to noting!"

He arched his head and asked Yvaine with bitter resentment.

"Tell me milady have you ever watched helplessly as your son is dragged away into the army? Or see your spouse waste away in bed by starvation and despair until they breathed their last?"

[DragonSong]

She held his eyes, unflinching. "No. I haven't. And I can't imagine the pain that must cause. But don't you see?"

Yvaine gestured at the people huddled in fear around her, then at Ronald at his feet. "You're not ending your pain, you're only passing it on to someone else. These people have never harmed you directly- most of us are just trying to survive the best way we know how."

She held the boy in her arms a little tighter, allowing a hint of pleading to enter her eyes. "Please. What good will more violence do?"

[Saber-Five]

For a moment there was some wavering in the axeman's soul and it showed all over his face

"Please...I'll pay whatever you want." Ronald begged through his bloodied lips. That however reignite the hatred that the Axeman held. Then he nodded to his fellow who held Ronald who proceeded shove the injured noble to his knees and pulled out a large carving knife. Axeman looking at the rest of the hostages while pointing Ronald he fiercely declared.

"Like us you will know sorrow as we cut off his head before your very eyes. Then young lady you're next."

Lady Sabine could no longer restrain herself and with cry she rose but Gregor the crossbowman shot an arrow into her right shoulder, causing her fall back down. More crying and screams resulted.

[DragonSong]

Shoving the boy she held into the arms of the woman weeping beside her, Yvaine shot to her feet and hurried to kneel next to Lady Sabine. Panic was rising up in her chest but she fought it back down.

Think. Think, girl, think, no time for fear.

Stupid, stupid Ronald. Why couldn't he have just kept his mouth shut? Letting out a sharp breath, Yvaine said sharply to another of the women- she thought this one was actually an older house keeper- "Hold her steady, and put pressure around the shaft." She didn't know enough about healing to risk pulling the arrow out herself.

Getting to her feet again, she ignored the way her knees shook and turned to face the man again, eyes darting around wildly as she calculated, planned.

This is idiotic. This is suicide. I'm going to die...

Shoving the thought away, she suddenly lunged forward. Slight she may be, but Yvaine was fast. She used the element of surprise and managed to snatch a rapier from one of their "guards" belts.

Falling back in front of the other hostages, she brandished the blade and tried to look much more confident than she really was. A few months of lessons with her older brother when she was a girl hardly made her a decent swordswoman.

[Saber-Five]

 At the kidnappers barely cares that Yvaine moved over to assist Sabine. That changed however she stole of their weapons and placed herself in front of the other hostages. Shock from a such bold move however wore off. They could clearly see that Yvaine wasn't a skilled hand with a blade, judging by how she was wielding it. Plus there were ten of them in comparison to her, making the noblewoman's odds range from slim to none

"Well if you want to die on your feet then so be it."

Axeman commented with begrudged respect. Before they could, Axeman noticed the main door to the room opening in an eerily matter. Then a wounded figure limped inside, it was of the kidnappers suppose to be on patrol. Grapsing his left thigh and bleeding all over the upper body he called out in panic-like state.

"He here!"

Before they could ask who their man collasped face first then suddenly an arrow flew, blowing off the tops of candles amid the dinner table at a straight line before striking the wall. The room darken saved for a small amount of light from the nearby hall displayed by the slighty opened door. Now both kidnappers and hostages could barely see in the room.

[DragonSong]

Panicked screams filled the room as they were plunged into darkness. Yvaine barely managed to keep herself quiet, and even she gave a soft gasp, head whipping from side to side as she desperately tried to make out something- anything- in the darkness.

[Saber-Five]

Thunder roared outside adding to the terror that griped the occupants. The kidnappers were swearing and cursing their lot, wondering what the heck was going on. Have the city watch broken through they wondered? Yet it this situation didn't make sense guardsman would rush in with their numbers. Those were questions that the Axeman asked himself when a loud voice called out in the dark.

"Daniel Hatch! Your hands and those of your men are tainted with innocent blood."

The Axeman was rendered stunned. Who was this voice that knew his name?

"Tonight in this room it ends. Surrender and let the hostages go, or your lives are forfeit." The voice commanded.

[DragonSong]

Rapier still raised in a guard position, Yvaine went perfectly still, watching, listening. Waiting.

[Saber-Five]

"Screw you!"

Gregor retorted before his leader could say anything. He may not see clearly but he recalled the general direction of the hostages. He drop his crossbow and pull out a mace on his belt. intending to kill at least one of them. Before he could however a metal sphere was dropped below his feet. It exploded into a bright light that flashed across everyone's view.

The effect would temporarily blind them all and ring their ears while a cloaked figure dropped the ground. With sword in his hand hand he cut down three kidnappers left helpless by the blast, grasping their faces in agony, they made it easy by detect who is who since there was only one man among the hostages. They were the ones guarding the captives from the behind in view of the door until rendered lifeless.

"Run to the door!" The Voice said to the hostages as the blast's effects wore off.

With the light at the door however how miminal was enough for most of them to flee immediately for it. Meanwhile the kidnappers fell into the chaotic confusion. Some even clash at one another with their weapons. Yvaine would find herself in the middle of it while most of her associates drove for the exit.

[DragonSong]

Gasping in shock, Yvaine lunged to the side as a heavy body dove toward her. She whirled around,  brandishing the rapier. The blade caught against something- someone- and she heard a quick cry of pain.

Then the shadows were whirling around her again and she did her best to duck out of the way, really starting to panic now.

[Saber-Five]

The fleeting hostages swung the door wide open as they ran out. As a result the room was brighten further, revealing more clear shapes of people. What started out as ten kidnappers were down to five due to the stranger, Yvaine, and the panicked fight among themselves.

Yvaine and her remaining captors now finally spotted the Voice in person. He stood behind the displaying light in full view of them all. He wore a darkish gray leather armor, gloves, and huntsman boots of similar features. Around his neck was a torn emerald cape and hood but the face was covered in an sliver colored knight-like mask.

Seeing his tormentor finally Hatch enraged demanded an answer

"Who are you?!"

"Nemesis" The figure repiled back.

[DragonSong]

Yvaine had somehow moved further from the door in the darkness and panic, and now all of the kidnappers- and this mysterious newcomer- stood between her and freedom. Shaking, she lifted her stolen rapier and sank back, desperately hoping that no one would remember she existed until...whatever was happening was over.

[Saber-Five]

Upon revealing his idenfity, a few of the kidnappers shook in an mixture of fear and puzzlement.

"Angsar's grace it is him! The one who slew a Mordecai and bested a host of soliders."

"Shut up Fredrick!" Hatch the leader exclaimed before staring back at the newcomer then adding.

"I don't understand. You're against the nobles from what I heard. Why stop us?"

The masked man shook his head, typical he thought.

"You are mistaken. I punish the wicked, regardless of class or origins. Especially if they harmed the innocent. You men are certainly guilty of that crime."

[DragonSong]

Yvaine glanced to the door, trying to calculate and plan her way out of this. If she went around to the left, where less of the kidnappers had congregated...