[Takame wasted no time in lifting her up in his arms once more. If he had time to think, he would regret his lack of compassion, lament the fact that he was not Hina with her way with comforting words. But he did not. Thoughts were impediments. All he could hear were sirens and brandished weapons. All he could feel was impending death. All he could think about was Nothing. He couldn’t afford it. He would make his escape, he could see literal light leading outside so close and yet so far. He began moving when a weak voice began to speak. A third in the room.
“Takame… oen… Shijin.”
And he froze. On his face was tangible horror and wide eyes, in his limbs was tension, in his chest he felt that his heart would stop. Against everything telling him, begging him to not look at the voice that he recognized, he turned his attention to the injured man on the ground wearing a help with a shattered faceplate making his bitter smirk visible as well as the blood falling from his mouth.
“‘Ts Yuzuka, remember? You've come a long way from the lil' shite you were, eh?”]
You… [He remembered the man. Worked with him, took orders from him when he was younger. He couldn’t breathe. He tried, he felt his chest moving but why did it feel like no air was coming in or going out.
“‘ow’d it feel… ta run away. To work with the savages…”
Takame could still hear the footsteps, still hear the sirens… but the sound… it was as if someone was smothering him.
“They’re still lookin’ for you… you an’ that traitor Kesona.]
… Stop talking.
[Takame shook. Visibly shook. Rose could no doubt feel it.
“Why bother runnin’ with the eikon slayer. They’ll get her… you… and that little bitch of Keso--”]
SHUT THE FUCK UP.
[Through the corridors his voice echoed, his words punctuated with a nearly crazed single handed slice along his former comrade’s neck spilling more blood against the wall he fell down and leaving him with no more words. Only muffled gagging as his last moments were spent choking.] Never... threaten her.
[Takame was still shaking. Shaking, hyperventilating. He felt paralyzed, was for a few moments after that outburst.
Then he ran. Ran faster, still holding the Warrior of Light, not letting go of his weapon... but not looking at her. Not wanting to look anywhere but where the exit was. Leave. Move. Move. Leave.
When did it begin to rain, he wondered. That must have been the only reason his face felt so wet.]
[Confusion begins to swirl around Rose, and she isn't particularly sure what's going on. Apparently the person they'd sent to rescue her had previous affiliation with the Empire. Had they known that? He seemed trustworthy, if nothing else.]
[This is exactly the kind of situation Rose tries to distance herself from, but right now, she doesn't have a choice. She can't move, she's in enemy territory, and Takame--his name is Takame--is her only way out.]
[She stays silent as everything unfolds, watching in mild horror. There's nothing she can do to get herself used to war, and even the blood of enemies sends her head spinning.]
[Once they're out of range of the soldiers, once she feels like she can open her mouth without retching, she speaks.]
[It took him as long as Rose felt she could speak that Takame could even hear her. A response didn't come immediately, though he knew there was obviously no denying it. He couldn't speak. Couldn't get anything out. What he could manage between exhausted heaving as he kept running was one weak word.]
... Yes. [It was a fact. It could not be changed. He could do nothing about it. And he expected distrust.
He would have if he didn't have his mind set even more firmly on escape.]
At the least... [His voice gave out on the last word, but he continued coherently. Eerily so given the circumstance.] ... pray allow me to see you to safety.
Well, I’m certainly not going to ask you to drop me in enemy territory, if that’s what you’re implying.
[Rose waves her hand dismissively. For everything she judges people for, for as critical as she is, she’s not going to judge this. Tsuyu’s loss still weighs heavily on her mind, and she’s learned by now how lucky she’s been. If she only appreciated it more in childhood.]
For what it’s worth, I don’t particularly care. You’re clearly not with them now, and if it wasn’t for you, I’d still be sitting in a cell.
[Or worse, she mentally added. It’s quite possible that without Takame’s intervention, she would already be on the way to Garlemald.]
I... I see. [Was all he could muster. A Thank You would be inappropriate with death still following them. There was something relieving, though, in the fact that she would not look upon him as if he were still with the Empire.
She of all people, the Warrior of Light, who has fought endlessly against them this entire time. He half expected his life to be forfeit by her hand. And he would not blame her.
They were not safe yet. Ruminations and regrets would come after they've left. After he could hear again, breathe again. The storage compound was not far now, but groups behind them converged from the last area's flanks all into a massive mob. Footsteps in uneven rhythms, clinking armor and unsheathed weapons. If he were to look back he'd no doubt see the sea of aether from conscripted mages. But he did not. He kept forward. Moving.
[Rose is tired of many things, and fighting is at the top of the list. She isn’t sure who started this rumor that she was some demon hell bent on destroying the Empire and everyone who was a part of them, but it is absolutely untrue. It would be a lie to say that she likes the Empire, certainly, but all of her recent battles have been because they were threatening her or someone close to her. And the whole Ala Mhigo mess. She still doesn’t like to talk about that.]
[She can understand why Takame would be hesitant to reveal his past with the Empire, especially to the Warrior of Light, but the last thing she’s going to do is start a fight when she doesn’t need to. The last thing she’s going to do is hurt someone who has done nothing wrong.]
[There are footsteps behind them, and she can hear Takame’s labored breathing. Her aether reserves are low, and she likely has enough for only one spell. Rose grips her stolen staff tight, and looks up towards Takame.]
I’m trusting you to carry me to the storage compound after this. I’m likely to pass out.
[Without giving him time to think on what she just said, she draws up all of the energy she can from the nearby earth, and unleashes a holy spell on their pursuers. It’s not enough to kill any of them, but it should stun them long enough for them to make an escape. As soon as the spell is done, she slips into unconsciousness, true to her word.]
Underst... what? [Half the first word came out by habit, then he saw her gather much aether for a spell. He did not see the results of it, but behind them he heard the shouts and confused cries of the soldiers chasing them. The sound of armored shoes against metal ground all but completely ceased. He did not even have a chance to comment before he felt Rose go limp in his arms.]
My lady... [She could not hear his thanks even if he gave them. Like before, he would save them for later. When they were safe. She gave them a huge advantage that Takame would not waste.
He kept moving, running out of range of the soldiers into his destination. The rest of the long slog went without a hitch thanks to Rose and waiting for them was an officer of the Maelstrom, the one who assigned him this mission. Shock came over them seeing Takame holding a passed out Rose, but he shook his head.]
She is alive, but she needs treatment immediately. [They gave him a Storm Salute and informed him that a carriage has been prepared to transport them away. "What of the others?" the officer asked him curiously while they made their way out and transferred Rose into a healer's care.]
... Dead. [Then there was silence as the two looked down. Silence from the officer in prayer. Silence from the Au Ra because he had nothing to say. Nothing at all.
He was still shaking and breathing heavily. The one that broke the silence finally was the healer caring for Rose, scolding the other two to "Get the hells on already". That was all the command Takame needed to follow. He did so and they took off at full speed, taking one detour to throw any further pursuers off but proceeding smoothly otherwise.
When they arrived to Ala Ghiri, they insisted to look over the shaken Au Ra as well, but he politely declined, refusing to even speak. He did not need the treatment. He did not need the care. The Warrior of Light needed it more. He would thank her... until then it would be best that he was alone.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
“Takame… oen… Shijin.”
And he froze. On his face was tangible horror and wide eyes, in his limbs was tension, in his chest he felt that his heart would stop. Against everything telling him, begging him to not look at the voice that he recognized, he turned his attention to the injured man on the ground wearing a help with a shattered faceplate making his bitter smirk visible as well as the blood falling from his mouth.
“‘Ts Yuzuka, remember? You've come a long way from the lil' shite you were, eh?”]
You… [He remembered the man. Worked with him, took orders from him when he was younger. He couldn’t breathe. He tried, he felt his chest moving but why did it feel like no air was coming in or going out.
“‘ow’d it feel… ta run away. To work with the savages…”
Takame could still hear the footsteps, still hear the sirens… but the sound… it was as if someone was smothering him.
“They’re still lookin’ for you… you an’ that traitor Kesona.]
… Stop talking.
[Takame shook. Visibly shook. Rose could no doubt feel it.
“Why bother runnin’ with the eikon slayer. They’ll get her… you… and that little bitch of Keso--”]
SHUT THE FUCK UP.
[Through the corridors his voice echoed, his words punctuated with a nearly crazed single handed slice along his former comrade’s neck spilling more blood against the wall he fell down and leaving him with no more words. Only muffled gagging as his last moments were spent choking.] Never... threaten her.
[Takame was still shaking. Shaking, hyperventilating. He felt paralyzed, was for a few moments after that outburst.
Then he ran. Ran faster, still holding the Warrior of Light, not letting go of his weapon... but not looking at her. Not wanting to look anywhere but where the exit was. Leave. Move. Move. Leave.
When did it begin to rain, he wondered. That must have been the only reason his face felt so wet.]
no subject
[This is exactly the kind of situation Rose tries to distance herself from, but right now, she doesn't have a choice. She can't move, she's in enemy territory, and Takame--his name is Takame--is her only way out.]
[She stays silent as everything unfolds, watching in mild horror. There's nothing she can do to get herself used to war, and even the blood of enemies sends her head spinning.]
[Once they're out of range of the soldiers, once she feels like she can open her mouth without retching, she speaks.]
So, you used to be with the Empire, then?
no subject
... Yes. [It was a fact. It could not be changed. He could do nothing about it. And he expected distrust.
He would have if he didn't have his mind set even more firmly on escape.]
At the least... [His voice gave out on the last word, but he continued coherently. Eerily so given the circumstance.] ... pray allow me to see you to safety.
no subject
[Rose waves her hand dismissively. For everything she judges people for, for as critical as she is, she’s not going to judge this. Tsuyu’s loss still weighs heavily on her mind, and she’s learned by now how lucky she’s been. If she only appreciated it more in childhood.]
For what it’s worth, I don’t particularly care. You’re clearly not with them now, and if it wasn’t for you, I’d still be sitting in a cell.
[Or worse, she mentally added. It’s quite possible that without Takame’s intervention, she would already be on the way to Garlemald.]
no subject
She of all people, the Warrior of Light, who has fought endlessly against them this entire time. He half expected his life to be forfeit by her hand. And he would not blame her.
They were not safe yet. Ruminations and regrets would come after they've left. After he could hear again, breathe again. The storage compound was not far now, but groups behind them converged from the last area's flanks all into a massive mob. Footsteps in uneven rhythms, clinking armor and unsheathed weapons. If he were to look back he'd no doubt see the sea of aether from conscripted mages. But he did not. He kept forward. Moving.
Heaving.]
no subject
[She can understand why Takame would be hesitant to reveal his past with the Empire, especially to the Warrior of Light, but the last thing she’s going to do is start a fight when she doesn’t need to. The last thing she’s going to do is hurt someone who has done nothing wrong.]
[There are footsteps behind them, and she can hear Takame’s labored breathing. Her aether reserves are low, and she likely has enough for only one spell. Rose grips her stolen staff tight, and looks up towards Takame.]
I’m trusting you to carry me to the storage compound after this. I’m likely to pass out.
[Without giving him time to think on what she just said, she draws up all of the energy she can from the nearby earth, and unleashes a holy spell on their pursuers. It’s not enough to kill any of them, but it should stun them long enough for them to make an escape. As soon as the spell is done, she slips into unconsciousness, true to her word.]
no subject
My lady... [She could not hear his thanks even if he gave them. Like before, he would save them for later. When they were safe. She gave them a huge advantage that Takame would not waste.
He kept moving, running out of range of the soldiers into his destination. The rest of the long slog went without a hitch thanks to Rose and waiting for them was an officer of the Maelstrom, the one who assigned him this mission. Shock came over them seeing Takame holding a passed out Rose, but he shook his head.]
She is alive, but she needs treatment immediately. [They gave him a Storm Salute and informed him that a carriage has been prepared to transport them away. "What of the others?" the officer asked him curiously while they made their way out and transferred Rose into a healer's care.]
... Dead. [Then there was silence as the two looked down. Silence from the officer in prayer. Silence from the Au Ra because he had nothing to say. Nothing at all.
He was still shaking and breathing heavily. The one that broke the silence finally was the healer caring for Rose, scolding the other two to "Get the hells on already". That was all the command Takame needed to follow. He did so and they took off at full speed, taking one detour to throw any further pursuers off but proceeding smoothly otherwise.
When they arrived to Ala Ghiri, they insisted to look over the shaken Au Ra as well, but he politely declined, refusing to even speak. He did not need the treatment. He did not need the care. The Warrior of Light needed it more. He would thank her... until then it would be best that he was alone.]