Cries from the helpless [Nicholas]

What a wicked game we play

to make me feel this way

With the sun demanding more and more space the people stayed out longer. It was a nice sight, the children running over the dusty grounds not aware of all the danger lurking around the corners. In a world like this you couldn’t reassure their safety, not even when you had a full protection detail. Just not everything went the way you liked, he of all people knew it. His blue eyes rested on the horizon from his spot on his horse, to an upcoming sun. Axis never choose a to tight job, because he know what would come one day. Aside that these royals were part of his family and it was just something where Axis held his distant from, that was why he was often seen in Valyria, scouting through the villages, standing guard at some walls, looking out for the people here that just needed as much protection as some others.

But now he was leading the horse away from Valyria towards the largest kingdom on this earth, Archeon. In some way he loved to do this trip, it became a habit and his horse started to knew the way just as good. In that short moment he enjoyed the silence over an empty early path. It was rather early and he was already on his way to the castle to see his task for the coming day or week. With the sun coming up behind him whole Archeon got slide into a magnificent light game. Every morning the same, every morning Axis couldn’t resist the smile.

Arriving at the big gates he noticed a group of people, men, woman, even a little kid, shouting and knocking on the door like their lives were depending of it. ‘What is going on?’ Axis asked as soon as he was within reach. He was often seen as a gentle type, get he took his work very serious and laid his face in a rather neutral position as they all started to ran towards him. His horse snorted and Axis hussed it, stroking it over his neck. ‘Our little village got robbed.’ One started, pointing to the rocks. Axis never understood why some people would live there, so far from the bigger villages. ‘Everything is gone, our food, our cattle, some of our personal stuff.’ Another rustled in between. Axis turned in the saddle looking over to the mountains. ‘Our leader got killed to, a loyal subject to the king.’ One breathe out. ‘I will look into this, give me a moment.’ Axis nodded towards them. Whatever this was, this could always be more, a grasp of power, a threat to the throne, for that Axis took it serious. He nodded to one of the guards who opened the gate while he galloped with his horse to the courtyard of the castle. He jumped out of the saddle and gave his reins to one of the stable boys before walking inside, roaming his eyes in the hallway, his hand resting on his belt. ‘Nicholas!’ He shouted when he recognized one of the higher guards. ‘You got a minute?’ He asked with a respecting nod and greeting.

Nicholas

The castle and its grounds were never silent there were always voices, sounds of armor and swords being polished, the grunts of the guards sparring with each other. And just outside the castle walls where the sounds of the city, its villagers. It sounded like home.

Nicholas was leaning against the wall in the courtyard right now, emerald green eyes looking at some younger guards who where sparring with each other. It was, and still is, one of his favorite things to do. It kept you in good shape, made sure your wits didn’t dull. It kept you sharp. The sound of clanking armor made him tear his eyes away from the two young men. A soft smile made the corners of his mouth curl up when he indentified the owner of said clanking armor. ‘Ronald.’ He greeted the gruff looking, bearded man. His hair and facial hair was black, peppered with graying hairs. ‘How’s fatherhood treating you?’ The dark haired, older guard mumbled something before speaking up. ‘Treating me better than it’s treating the wife.’ He grumbled out. ‘The babe keeps waking her up with every small whimper. I’m telling you, that babe is one of those whom cry a lot.’ Nicholas nodded, and noticed the circles around the other’s eyes but being tired wasn’t unusual in this profession. He himself didn’t have experience with fatherhood, yet. But first things first, a wife was important for children. And he was lacking in that department. His eyes drifted back to the two sparring boys, just in time to see one of them yield. He had lost his footing and had fallen.

‘Have you heard?’ With a small frown Nicholas looked up at his colleague. ‘That depends.. Heard what?’ The older guard looked around before speaking and said, in a hushed tone: ‘I heard there’s some kind of assassin in town. I don’t know the details, but whatever has happened; it has some of the king’s most loyal men on edge. At least, that’s what I heard in passing.’ He shrugged and cleared his throat, while Nicholas shook his head lightly. ‘An assassins?’ He whispered back. He hadn’t heard that yet. ‘I’ll try to keep an ear out and one eye open at all times Just in case. Might be just a rumor but it can’t hurt to be an extra bit.. on guard .’ He concluded next, with a light chuckle. That pun was, well, good, if he said so himself. And it lightened the sudden grim, dour mood. Ronald grinned and nodded while grumbling an ‘As will I.’ they were quiet for a moment, before Nick broke the comfortable near silence. ‘Well, I should get back inside. Keep an eye on those two, yeah?’ With a grin he pointed over his shoulder, at the two sparring and walked inside of the castle. His eyes were searching the halls, looking at the royals present and he was on edge, a bit more then usual though he wouldn’t admit that.

His eyes snapped up, someone had called his name. He looked for the source ‘Axis.' He greeted his fellow guard. 'To what do I owe this visit?’ He asked, not unkindly and a bit surprised. Softly he excused himself, asked for someone to take his post momentarily and he walked closer to the other man. ‘You look… troubled.. Is something the matter?’ He searched his face and eyes for some clue about what was going on.

@Axis Morningstar @Athena Reagan
591 words

What a wicked game we play

to make me feel this way

Seeing these people here before the gate so early on the day stated the seriousity of the situation. Not that Axis ever took something not serious, it was just odd to see them this early. The sun hardly sparked from behind the mountains, the mountains these people came from. It wasn’t that he find it odd they all lived there, he just didn’t always understood why. They were so much more in the protection of the king if they just would live in the city itself. But safety clearly never bothered them, not until now anyway. Probably one of the guards sended already a message out but it seemed that Axis was there to take their messages. Talking in between each other made it yet again clear that they were shocked for what had happened. Axis was a pretty good judge of character, he dealt with the smallest things every day, he got to know the sneaky ways of the people, the fact if they were lying or not. You wouldn’t bring a child wit you if you were lying. His blue eyes rested on the little boy standing aside his mother, he looked up to Axis with such despair that he knew for hundred percent sure that this wasn’t an act to get food or attention but that this was a serious matter.

Leaving his dark horse with a stableboy on the courtyard his legs brought him in automatic pilot inside the castle. He nodded to the people he passed, gazing his eyes over the beauty that castle contained. He never would grew bored of it, or his job. For that his past had left to much in his body. Normally he would go to the command centrum where he got his assignment or special orders, now he was just looking for a recognizable face to lay the problem in from. And that face was nobody else then one of Larethian his king guards, Nicholas.

As soon as Nicholas looked up at the sound of his night Axis nodded, walking further over to him. Normally if a guard or somebody would ask such a question Axis would probably make a lame easy little joke about it, but that little boy his look in despair hunted him so he just shook his head, wanting to speak until Nicholas noticed it himself. ‘Yes.’ He nodded on the words. ‘There are some villages standing before the gates, from out of the mountains,’ he fell a little silence, so that Nicholas could take in this information. ‘They are robbed, their leader is killed.’ He pressed his lips on each other and looked for a moment over to his fellow higher guard. ‘They looked rather confused and I don’t think that people like that would travel all the way for a robbery. They have a child with them.’ He followed on the thought of that little kid. ‘Archeon didn’t get any other similar messages?’ He asked careful, nodding to another guard who passed. He would love to go investigate it but it wasn’t up to him to decide what he could and could not do. The one thing he hated about this all, that he wasn’t that free. He just found this worth a little investigation, even if he had to do it alone.

Nicholas