tutuu wrote: ↑Thu Sep 03, 2020 12:39 am
Princess Nutella reached for her sheath and put her hand on the handle of her dagger. She pulled it out in an arc, producing a whistling sound in the air.
"How dare you betray me!" she yelled, as she lunged forward, intending to pierce through MacDougall's heart.
Her dagger penetrated through flesh and bones. Blood splattered everywhere.
Shocked, MacDougall came to his senses. He looked downward and he saw Nanook, collapsing on the ground, with a dagger sticking out from his chest. He grabbed the dying man as his tears started running down his cheeks.
"W-w-why ... Nanook ... why?! Please stay with me. You'll be okay ... We will call the apothecary ... you'll be fine ... please don't go!"
Nanook, coughing blood, gathered all his remaining strength to mutter one final thing. "MacDougall .... t-t-these are my final words .... I ... lo-" his eyes turned blank. He passed away.
MacDougall looked at Princess Nutella with fire in his eyes. He lunged forward with the full intent to kill. The last thing he saw were the armored gauntlets of the castle guards grabbing hold of him and knocking him out.
----
MacDougall slowly blinked. The darkness in front of him was starting to fade away. Along with it unfortunately the pain from his bruised face returned. He gasped.
"My own son... My own blood... What a disappointment" - said King JaggedJimmyJay, sitting on his giant golden throne, looking at Prince MacDougall with contempt. "I've given you everything you desire. All the fancy swords and lances, all the fastest horses in the West, all the riches our coffers can offer ... you know how much our kingdom needed that alliance. Your marriage with Princess Nutella was pivotal for the survival of our people. And you threw that away. Thousands of people will suffer as a result of your consequences. Do you have anything to say for yourself?"
Prince MacDougall remained silent. He was looking at his father's eyes, his eyes full of anger and hatred. His pride didn't allow him to utter a word.
"I thought so" said King JaggedJimmyJay with a sigh. "He needs to receive his punishment. Guards, throw him where I instructed you."
A sack was put over MacDougall's head, rendering him unable to see. He was roughly grabbed and forced to walk.
After some time the sack was pulled. The loud echo of a door being slammed was heart. Then, a key being turned, locking it. MacDougall looked around. He was alone in an empty room, dimly lit by the two torches at the sides of the door he came through.
There was a rusty sword, a battered axe, and a splintered old shield. Puzzled, MacDougall pulled out the sword. He remembered the great old days when he used to fence.
Suddenly, the rustling of chains and metal was heard. A large door on the other side of the room was being slowly lifted up. Underneath it, the blinding sunlight was being reflected by the golden sand. The cries of crowd cheering was heard all throughout the Arena. Three armed men were rushing out of the other doors being opened into the center. MacDougall slowly stepped forwad.
Timsup2nothing, a Retiarius gladiator, threw his net on one of his approaching opponents, sprityo, and hurled his trident at JPIC, the other one.
sprityo was caught in the net and stumbled and fell on the ground. He desperately tried to slash it open.
Meanwhile, JPIC ducked at the last moment and barely managed to dodge Tim's trident. He approached the now unarmed man with his Gladius. But coming from behind, MacDougall tripped him over and bashed his head, rendering him unconscious.
Tim picked up JPIC's weapon and slashed at MacDougall, intending to catch him offguard. However, sprityo who finally managed to set himself free, tackled Tim. The two men wrestled on the ground, blood and sand mixing up all around them. MacDougall approached, grabbed them both by their heads and bashed them against each other, rendering them unconscious.
The crowd roared. "BLOOD. BLOOD. BLOOD. BLOOD. BLOOD. BLOOD" they kept chanting. MacDougall looked around and saw his father, sitting at the center balcony. King JaggedJimmyJay stood up, looked around, and smiled. He put his hand forward and his thumb up. Then slowly rotated the hand downards, resulting in a thumbs down.
MacDougall knew how cruel and merciless his father was. He demanded that he killed one of the other fighters, and if he disobeyed, all would be dead instead.
Timsup2nothing, sprityo and JPIC were all lying unconscious in front of him. MacDougall picked up his sword and looked at it. He had to make a choice.
Which was the right choice? - he asked himself
TO BE CONTINUED