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Nineteen: Fight for Me

Albion shuddered, biting his lower lip as he came onto Oderan's stomach. Riding out the last of his orgasm, he let himself fall gently forward, laying his body atop the drake's. He pushed his nose into his lover's neck, sighing. He felt a claw trace over his neck, fingers combing through his thick black fur, coming around the side of his head and running down his jaw. Getting used to the touch of an Akkedisian had been...difficult, at least at first, but now Albion couldn't imagine anything else.

"I'm going to need to sleep soon." Oderan murmured, and Albion shook his head.

"Mm, I don't like it." He replied, gently kissing the side of Oderan's face. With a groan, the panther pulled himself off Oderan and fell down next to him, still breathing heavily. They laid there on their backs, paw intertwined with claw, staring up. "Another unfamiliar ceiling..." He mused. They were in some private lodge to the southern side of the city, a discreet location hidden away from prying eyes.

"I know. But, soon we'll have our own, something that's truly ours." Oderan said. He turned himself, laying on his side as he stared at Albion. "I'm going to win tomorrow." The panther smiled.

"I have utter faith in you darling."

"No...the thing is, that when I ask the Godking for...for us.... Aileen is going to try and hurt you." The drake warned. Albion frowned, propping himself up more seriously.

"What? How do you know? She...she wouldn't. Imagine the political nightmare if she killed a Tevarian citizen in Akkedisian borders!" He exclaimed, suddenly feeling nervous. Was Oderan saying he didn't want to request the Godking anymore? Were things about to go back to how they'd always been? "No, she can't do that." He reaffirmed.

"She'd find some way to spin it. I'm just saying, when I win, we aren't out of the woods yet. You might have to fight. I've tried to get someone to help you, but I don't want you to rely solely on them. You have to be strong for me." Oderan said.

"How do you know this?" Albion whispered.

"She...told me. She'll kill all three of you if I don't do what she wants."

"That bitch." He sat up, pulling his paws in, balling them into fists.

"I didn't tell Bailey or Garrett. I just want you to be ready for whatever happens tomorrow." Albion was shaking. He could fight, sure. He knew rudimentary sword stances, and years of weapon forging had made him strong, but he hated it. "You have to be careful."

"She's evil. Why?" Albion mewled, looking to his lover. His eyes were watery, and as he spoke tears began wetting his fur. "Why is it so hard? Is it really so wrong to just love somebody? Why are they like this?"

"I know." Oderan said, his claw scratching at Albion's back.

"We don't deserve it!" He exclaimed, wiping at his eyes. Oderan sat up, sliding in close, wrapping an arm around the panther and pulling him close.

"Look, the reality is what it is. This is...well, the world we live in. I've been thinking, and I'm sure Szaresh will grant my request; he wouldn't dare go against his own doctrine. He might make a big show of it, he'll certainly disapprove...but we'll be allowed to leave. As soon as the drama is over, I'm coming straight for you. You just have to hold on until I get there, Aileen would never dare hurt me." He explained.

"But why is she doing this? I don't understand."

"She wants to elevate the family standing. She knows what's going to happen and she's trying to control it, it's just what she does." He explained.

"I hate her." Albion said. Oderan leaned in, tugging on the panther's jaw and turning his head, so they were staring into one another's eyes. He dipped his head forward, pressing his nose to Albion's.

"Don't focus on that, please." He whispered.

"Oderan I--"

"No. Hush." The drake ordered. "We're here together now, and after a bit of pain we'll be together later. I love you. I love you so much, and this is all going to be worth it. You just have to trust me, and be strong. Think about us. We're all that matters now."

"I...I...."

"Don't. Don't hate them like they hate us. It's not worth the effort. They will never have what we do." Albion swallowed, and Oderan felt him nod slightly.

"Alright. I love you too." He said softly. "I just want it to be over."

"I'm going to keep us safe." Oderan said. "I promise."

"No!" Albion howled, throwing himself at the viewing room's guard rail, looking as if he might go over. Lorric and Aileen sat in silence, Lorric's jaw hanging open. On his knees in the centre of the arena, Oderan didn't move as a troop of soldiers poured out onto the field. "No, no, Oderan run!" He cried, but his words were lost to the crowd.

Bailey looked lost, his eyes were staring out blankly, mouth opening and closing mechanically. Garrett felt a cold pit sinking in his stomach, an icy ripple flashing across his flesh, fur bristling. His mouth was dry and he could hear his heartbeat.

On the field, Oderan looked up, his eyes staring in their direction. Albion was frozen in place, staring, horrified, as the Akkedisian soldiers reached his lover. Oderan looked to them, trying to stand, only to be shoved back to his knees. Albion's paw stretched out uselessly, and he was mouthing words, although no sound came out.

"They're going to do it right now?" Bailey gasped, joining Albion at the guard rail. Garrett kept his distance, paws up, trying to brace himself. He didn't want to let Aileen and Lorric out of his sight.

"The Godking's justice is swift." Aileen added, shaking her head in disappointment. "That idiot." She muttered. "I...tried...damn him." She stood, pulling herself away sharply.

"Aileen...Oderan..." Lorric stumbled. "We have to explain, there's some kind of mistake. He...he wouldn't...but the honour guard..." The old lizard's eyes landed on Albion, and he finally realised, a claw going to his mouth in shock.

"No." Albion breathed, his entire system shutting down.

On the field, a square block of wood had been placed before Oderan. The lizard had been forced down, his eyes facing the earth, as a soldier in black lined up next to him wielding a massive cleaver axe. The crowd in the arena was going mad, shouting and wailing, howling for 'justice' to be done. They were bloodthirsty, ravenous like a flock of vultures.

"Silence!" The boom of the Godking hushed them all, freezing the moment in place as every living being held their breath. All eyes save Albion, Garret, and Bailey's were on him. "There is no place for heretics and race-traitors in the Empire!" He declared. "Oderan Sarrosum, your Lordship is revoked and your soul is condemned to oblivion. Let this be a warning for all who may carry trespass against the Empire in their heart."

"I love you." Albion said again. The soldier's cleaver fell, separating Oderan's head from his shoulders with a sickening crunch. The maelstrom of the crowd began again as blood began violently haemorrhaging from the stump left on Oderan's shoulders. Albion fell to the ground, biting down on his arm and screaming into it.

"Allgod above." Bailey muttered, backing away. His eyes were wide. Lorric sat stunned in his seat, wiping at tears, while Aileen paced furiously.

"Did you know he would do that?" Lorric suddenly snapped, looking to Aileen.

"I..." She began, glaring at the bawling Albion. "I suspected. But I thought..."

"What?! You thought what?" Lorric hissed, gesturing with his claws.

"I thought I stopped him!" Aileen exclaimed loudly.

"You're both monsters." Albion spat, shaking his head. "Fuck you, and fuck your Godking!"

"Albion..." Garrett said, gesturing at Bailey to keep back. "You need to leave." He grabbed the panther's paw and tugged him to his feet.

"No, no you...you can't just leave..." Lorric stammered. Aileen nodded, and Albion shot another hateful stare at her. The drake gestured to her guards, and the two spearmen in blue stepped forward. Garrett quickly backpedalled, pulling both Bailey and Albion with him to the corner as he tried to shield them.

"Get back." He growled.

"Ilarrion." Said the red scaled guard, putting a claw on the grey-scaled one's shoulders.

"Captain!" Barked Aileen, baring her teeth. "Execute these three immediately! This filth has done more than enough." Her eyes were red, and she looked like she was barely holding herself together, her voice nearing hysteria.

"Oderan." Albion muttered vacantly.

"C-Captain Jaro?" The grey-scaled Ilarrion asked, glancing to his Captain. Jaro shook his head.

"No. They're not to be harmed."

"Kill them." Commanded Aileen, pointing.

"They're orders." Ilarrion said, his eyes pleading. Jaro shook his head.

"No. Don't. Please." He said. Outside the viewing room, the arena crowd was still roaring, their voices all merging together in a disgusting wave of noise. The Godking had disappeared back into his shelter, and Oderan's body had been dragged away by the feet, a crimson trail left behind it.

"I'm sorry Captain." Ilarrion said, shaking free of Jaro. He braced himself, stepping toward the growling Garrett, spear raised. As he began to drive it forward his entire body jerked as Jaro stabbed him through the neck. He dropped the weapon, claws going to his throat, gurgling as blood bubbled out of the wound. Jaro yanked his spear free and Ilarrion collapsed, body twitching slightly.

"How dare you!" Aileen glowered, storming forward. "This is treason, Captain! Obey your orders and I might see you rot in a dungeon for the rest of your life, instead of just ending it." Jaro shook his head, putting himself between Garrett and Aileen. Lorric just watched with an open mouth, still sitting, overwhelmed. On the ground, Ilarrion's body twitched, blood pooling beneath him. Garrett glanced back at Bailey, the wolf's expression empty. As he did Albion pushed past him, stepping by Jaro and drawing the short sword tied to the Captain's waist. In two swift moves he'd slammed Aileen into the wall by her throat and driven the short sword into her stomach. She convulsed, eyes wide with shock. Lorric finally stood, but Jaro used the butt of his spear to keep the old drake back.

"Do something! Your loyalty is to the Sarrosum line! You coward she's dying!" Lorric roared at Jaro, who simply shook his head tersely.

"You people." Albion whispered, so only Aileen could hear. "Never deserved him. You had someone so amazing, and now you've just thrown it away." He pulled the blade free and stabbed her again, his paw already soaked with blood, lukewarm to the touch. With a final grimace he tore the weapon free, stepping back. Aileen's claws went to her stomach, but she was already woozy. She fell forward, smacking like a doll into the wooden floor. Lorric was at her side in a second, turning her over and cradling her head in his arms.

"No, no Aileen...not, not you too...not you..." He repeated, again and again. Albion turned back to Jaro, still clutching the sword. He was shaking, tears streaming down his face, desperately sucking in breath through his clenched teeth.

"We have to leave, right now." Jaro said firmly, and the panther nodded hastily, wiping at his eyes.

"What have you done?!" Lorric wailed, hugging his daughter's corpse. "What have you done?!" Albion walked over to Garrett, looking briefly at Bailey but speaking to him.

"Are...are you two okay?" He asked softly. Garrett nodded, grabbing Bailey's paw and squeezing it. He felt a slight murmur of relief as the wolf squeezed back.

"Let's go, please." He breathed, swallowing. His throat was so dry and he felt both hot and cold. He was numb inside, as if his mind hadn't yet realised that Oderan was dead. Jaro and Albion took the lead, throwing open the doors and heading straight down the walk way. It was a chaotic storm in the halls as the arena goers began to leave, all babbling nonsensically at what they'd just seen. Albion led them at a swift jog, keeping the bloodied weapon low so the bustling crowd didn't notice. Nobody knew who they were, and the majority of the patrons were far too concerned with themselves to pay any heed to four passing strangers.

"This way!" Jaro cried, leading them down a servants' stairway. After descending a few levels, they came to another hallway, this one mostly empty save for three lounging guards at the end. The guards looked up as the four approached, eyebrows raised at the jogging figures.

"Slow down frie--" The leader began, before Jaro cut him off with a spear thrust through the neck. He and Albion swiftly cut down the remaining two, pushing outside and into the street. It was a private exit that led them straight into a throughway; if the halls inside had been bad the street was a nightmare . People coming and going, everyone talking and shouting over another about the dramatic events they'd just witnessed inside, speculating wildly. It worked to help hide them, and Jaro began pushing for the north-eastern city gates, looking back occasionally to make sure the whole party was following. Garrett held Bailey's paw as tightly as he dared, forcefully tugging the wolf along, growling at passer-by's who dared slow him down. They exclaimed dramatically at the sight of a slave rebelling in such a way, but moved nonetheless.

"Can you ride?" Jaro cried back to Albion, who nodded. "There's a stable just outside the city gates, I've made sure they would keep some saddled horses for us. If we can get there, and then outside the city limits...they won't chase us for too long, at least until they realise what you did."

"Okay." Albion gasped, shoving some older drake aside as they kept going forward. The gates loomed ahead, and Garrett was awed by the size; he'd only ever seen them from a distance, and even then only briefly. The massive, dark steel portcullis was raised, and while the guards there gave them queer looks as they ran by, they weren't yet aware of the pursuit, and let them be.

"Bails,come on!" Garrett cried, seeing guards from the arena running towards them. "Albion they're behind us!" He shouted, and the panther grunted an acknowledgement, huffing as he ran.

"They just killed him!" Bailey cried suddenly, voice trembling.

"I know, I know!" Garrett shouted back, unsure what else to say. The stables were nearly two hundred metres from the city exit, the streets outside patterned from heavy use, a dense wood surrounding the immediate area. Several market vendors and beggars lounged around, trying to net coins from any visitors to the city.

"Thank you!" Captain Jaro said to a tall, beige-scaled Akkedisian woman as they passed, dashing to the horse yard. She waved at them as they went. Garrett looked back, the guards were getting closer, and they'd alerted the wall garrison. Archers were running, nocking arrows and aiming their bows high in the air as they lined up along the city walls, poking out through the ramparts.

"Arrows!" He cried.

"The light one goes with me." Albion said, separating Garrett and Bailey. Albion took one of the horses, helping Garrett up to sit behind him, while on the other Jaro did the same for Bailey. Garrett felt another stab of misery shoot through his heart as he saw a third horse, saddle left empty, obviously intended for Oderan. "Make sure you hold on." Albion said firmly, and Garrett wrapped his arms around the panther's midsection.

"Bailey, hold on!" He shouted, and the wolf obeyed. Garrett saw he was shaking; it was just too much.

He's been through enough, damn it.

"Go!" Jaro screamed, kicking his feet. The horses took off, bolting out of the yard as arrows began to rain down around them. "We should be safe from the archers so long as we keep moving!" Jaro cried to Albion. Garrett struggled to hold on, wincing as the tiny shafts of wood flew past, crashing into the ground and splintering on impact. He yelped as one sliced too close to his leg, tearing through his pants and drawing a thin line of white hot pain through his flesh. He could feel the wound bleeding, but it was only shallow, he'd had worse whippings. He glanced to his left, head pressed into Albion's back, trying to make himself a small target. Jaro was keeping pace with them, riding a metre or so behind. Bailey met his eyes, grimacing his way through a smile. Garrett clutched Albion harder, trying not to fall. He couldn't believe the sheer speed they were moving at; the ground was barely a blur beneath them. The arrows had stopped falling, and although several guards were chasing on horseback, the distance between them was growing steadily.

"Are we gonna make it?" Garrett shouted, and he felt Albion nod. "I'm so sorry Albion!" The panther was silent for a moment, before turning his head back to make himself heard against the wind.

"Later." He called, and Garrett nodded.

Did we make it? He wondered.

They rode for what felt like hours, always pressing forward, trying to avoid towns and checkpoints, anything to keep away from soldiers. Of course the guards and soldiers they did meet on the road had no way of knowing what had happened, but they were all too shaky to deal with any kind of hold up. The matter of Jaro's bloodied uniform and Albion's matted paw, Aileen's blood now long dried, would also raise questions they didn't need. Bailey had closed his eyes some time ago, and Garrett wondered how the wolf was possibly able to nap and hold on through the jostling ride.

As the sun began to dip, Jaro slowed them to a more respectable pace, leading Albion away from the main road and into the forest. They travelled for almost fifteen minutes into the darkness, finally stopping at a small clearing. Garrett groaned, tears stinging his eyes from the pain. Everything hurt, his legs, his back, his throat, his entire body ached. His heart ached too. The group sat silently in their saddles for a few moments, before Jaro broke them from the stupor, swinging his long legs up and over his own saddle, dropping to the ground.

"I'll get some stuff to make a fire." He muttered, mostly to himself. Still on the horse, Bailey slowly lifted his own leg, half-falling off the mount as he did so. Albion carefully manoeuvred himself off his own beast, offering a paw to help Garrett once he was down. As the Akita hit the ground his legs went all wobbly and he collapsed, falling on his paws and knees. He was gasping for air. Albion came over and helped him to his feet again, waiting until he seemed stable before letting go. It took longer than he realised, and the sun went down fast. By the time Garrett found his feet it had gotten dark, and Jaro had already got some semblance of a fire going, mostly made of sticks and leaves for now, but it at least gave off a little light.

"Bails." Garrett breathed, walking over to his wolf, who was seated on a large log and staring out into the darkness of the forest. Bailey looked up at him as he approached, mouth hanging open, eyes distant. Garrett held a paw out and the wolf took it, letting himself be pulled up. "Allgod, we did it." He exclaimed, rushing forward and slamming into the wolf, arms wrapping around his body.

"Garrett..." Bailey groaned. Garrett pulled away, and his fluttering heart died as his paw came back wet.

"No." He whispered, shaking his head. The ground was moving; why could he feel the ground moving? "No, no...what? No." He grabbed Bailey's waist. He was trembling. It must be a wound like his own, just a graze, a short graze, they might bleed a lot but ultimately weren't harmful.

"I'm really sorry." Bailey said, stuttering slightly, as if he were having trouble thinking.

"Albion!" Garrett cried. "No...Bails...you, this isn't what...I don't understand. What happened?" He threw the wolf's arm around his shoulders before he could get an answer, leading him over to the fire. Albion came over, face gaunt.

"Is...what happened?" He asked, as Garrett set Bailey down.

"I ah, I got hit with...one of the arrows." Bailey explained, head jittering as he spoke. He sounded so frail. Garrett looked at the wound; it was on his left side, a torn up puncture right through the side of his abdomen.

"Why didn't I see this?" He muttered, already knowing the answer. Bailey had been behind to his left, while he'd been hit on his opposite side to the one facing Garrett.

"But, then you must have been bleeding for hours!" Albion said. Garrett nodded, that was right, so it musn't have been from that. He shuffled in closer, one paw beneath Bailey's neck, the other squeezing the wolf's paw.

"Bailey." He whispered. "No, don't go." He couldn't think of anything else to say. He felt so stupid and useless. Why hadn't they stopped earlier, why didn't anybody fucking notice?

"Why didn't you say anything?" Albion asked.

"I um, I tried." Bailey replied. His lips were going blue, and his eyes were bloodshot. His whole left side was soaked with blood now, and Garrett could feel it on himself. He didn't care about the mess. "I don't think Jaro could me. I didn't want to put the rest of us in danger..."

"You can fix him though right?" Garrett asked, looking at Albion.

"I..." The panther hesitated. "Jaro, can you come look at this?" He called. The Akkedisian trotted over, face falling as he saw the blood.

"Shit." He cursed, sliding in. He pulled back Bailey's shirt, studying the wound. "Where...where's the arrow?"

"Oh, it um...I pulled it out. But that ended up making it bleed worse." Bailey answered, chuckling slightly.

"Stop laughing." Garrett snapped. "It's not funny. Why didn't you wave to me, or start shouting, or something?! Jaro, _do_something!" He looked to the former Captain. The drake glanced at Albion, expression dour.

"Uh...there's...there's a lot of internal bleeding I think. I don't know how to help; I'm only trained in field medicine." He said softly.

"I'm uh, dizzy. Ah..." Bailey grunted. "Garrett we had to keep moving, we couldn't have stopped or they might have, have caught us..."

"Get away, if you can't do anything!" Garrett hissed, waving the others back. "Bails...please don't..." He couldn't say the word; he couldn't even think it. "Don't go."

"I love you." Bailey said. A slight trace of lucidity seemed to overcome him, his voice a little clearer, eyes more focused. His free paw went up to Garrett's face, touching his lips gently, tracing over them. "I love you so much. I'm so glad I found you."

"I'm glad you found me too. You gave my life meaning again." Garrett said. He was talking too fast; he couldn't slow down. "I'm sorry. It was my job to protect you and I--"

"It's okay. At least you're alright. You saved my life, a lot." Bailey said. He was blinking slowly. His fingers still rested on Garrett's lower lip, and the Akita kissed them. Bailey smiled. Garrett's vision went blurry as his resolve broke and he started crying, he began sobbing and coughing, his shoulders shaking desperately with each wheezing breath. He squeezed Bailey's paw so hard it hurt, pulling himself in close, sucking in air through his teeth as he cried. He had to do something, he needed to stop this, to slow it down, to keep Bailey with him. He just needed more time.

"Bailey please don't go." He begged, unable to see at all now, tears streaming down his face. He howled wordlessly, angry, furious, terrified of what was coming. He couldn't think about it, he could barely think, it was impossible to do anything but sob. Bailey's own cheeks were wet too, and he was still smiling.

"I love you Garrett." He said.

"I love you too." The Akita replied. "And I need you. Please don't leave me alone again."

Bailey kept smiling.