31 Fisticuffs

Illysa jumped up with a start. She had just barely managed to get a few winks of sleep.

"Get up." Leonel strode into her room like a bandit, tall and intimidating. He walked over to her desk and threw her the cloak that she'd left there. Illysa, still dazed and confused as she took the mantle and wound it around her shoulder. Adrenaline kicked through her veins, and before she could mentally work out the details of the situation, she was already on her feet and grabbing her scattered belongings and following Leonel out the room.

"What's going on?" she asked, used to using a hushed voice to be safe.

"Doctor stirring up trouble," Leonel said quickly, "Nothing new. Stay back, but come down when I call for you." He held out a hand and stopped her from moving past the stairs. But Illysa was not deaf and could hear the commotion happening downstairs. There were Julian's barking laughter and a stumble. Shouting about bitches or something and she paled with horror and frustration.

Why was the Doctor stirring up trouble? When Illysa worked so hard to avoid said trouble. Hands shaking with fear, she pulled the cloak tighter around her head and nodded an okay to the Inquisitor.

Seeing the girl's agreement, Leonel was left with one less thing to worry about. Now it was just the dumb Doctor and a circle of pig-brained idiots.

Julian's sharp cat-like eyes were squinting at the balding man climb to his feet. The man roared something ugly and lunged. Still disorientated, he couldn't rush nor punch in a straight line. When he swung too wide, he stumbled again, this time into the crowd. The Doctor's laughter was loud and mocking, even daring to poke the fallen man with his walking stick. "This little bitch can't even stand up properly. And here I thought I was the one that had it the roughest, being crippled and all! I guess your ass must hurt that much from all the fucking!"

A few of the men snickered at that and gave Julian a cheer. His eyes grew more wild at the encouragement, drawing back his cane to give his opponent's behind a good whack.

The P-named man (this was what Julian was calling him inwardly now) growled at him, "Shut up and come up your pussy!"

"Meow!" Julian threw his head back and laughed. This only incited more rage—this time when the man charged. The Doctor was going to raise his cane so that the man might run into it, with his crotch of course. If he was lucky, he might even be able to rob P-man of his ability to have children.

It was all this great and ingenious plan that Julian had to abandon last second all because he felt a familiar presence appear behind him. The mad grin slipped off his face in an instant, and Julian had to lean to the side. The punch that came for him was caught in Leonel's palm.

"What is going on?" The Inquisitor's tone was icy and cold.

"I didn't need your help, you know?" Julian singsonged.

And P-man, of course, had a lot to say as well, "Hah! Got your boyfriend to come save your pussy ass?" The men's eyes all veered toward Leonel now.

One of them shouted, "What's with you? Let them fight."

"Let a man dos what a man's gotta dos," another sneered.

"Little bitch."

The majority of them were feeling a little riled, annoyed that their entertainment was suddenly stopped by this newcomer.

Leonel glared at each and every one of them. None of them particularly cared about his height of the massive sword strapped to his back; many of them sported weapons of their own and were itching to draw them.

"Look at the trouble you've caused for me," Julian chided, arms crossing in front of his chest.

Leonel glared down at him, annoyed that he suddenly became the center of blame. He was so annoyed in fact, that his fingers wrapped around P-man's fist. His grip tightened and then tightened some more until knuckles crackled under his grasp and P-man's face twisted from confusion to pain.

"You fucker! Let go you fucker!" He screeched.

Somehow, this encouraged someone else, "Yeah, let go of him, who said you could interfere?"

Leonel didn't care and kept clamping down until cries of anger turned to agony, and the man was trying to struggle free and claw at him with his free hand.

Someone else decided they were too riled up to watch from the sidelines and drew a dagger, advancing toward Leonel.

Julian rolled his eyes, but his mouth was pulled into a smirk and sidestepped out of the way.

Leonel pulled P-man over and then used him as a giant meat shield; shoving him against the man with the dagger in a single movement.

There was only a slight moment were the dagger holder's face switched from aggressive to surprise. With P-man barreling at him, he no longer knew what to do with his dagger. Another man shouted and apparently this was the war cry, for everyone to pull out their weapons and start charging; first at Leonel.

One came with a war-axe, but Leonel kicked him in the shin At the same time another man tried to charge at him with a sword, but Leonel caught his wrist on the downward swing and then pulled the man over to use him to block another person's fist.

This inspired anger in the man who was punched. He decided to take his rage out on the person who decked him in the face; only to catch a different person with his knuckles.

Soon enough, items were being thrown, people were shouting at each other and no one at all. The barkeep grumbled and continued to wipe down the counter like nothing had happened. But he did raise his voice without looking up, "Break my cups and my tables and I'll be adding that to your tab, you fuckers!"

"Good going," Julian snickered, nudging Leonel in the arm. The Doctor had somehow to escape with a single scrap, and Leonel wanted to pick him up and throw him into the fray just for the sake of it.

Leonel had escaped mostly unfazed, dodging and ducking below blows, parrying without much effort. But there were now splatters of blood on his shoulder from where someone got punched in the face nearby. His boots were smelling a bit like vomit, and the liquid he stepped on might have been beer but also might have been piss. It was difficult to tell from smell alone.

"Shut up. Let's get out of here."

Julian shook his head as though Leonel was being the impudent one or something. Leonel decided that ignoring the Doctor was best for his sanity and instead turned around to beckon Illysa to come with them.

Illysa paled, looking over from the stairwell. The whole group engaged in fisticuffs really had her anxiety thrumming. But she hadn't a choice. In the past few days, she was learning to come to terms with that. With a sharp intake of breath, Illysa dashed toward Leonel and Julian.

They were off to the side, close to the bar, hugging the counter to avoid most of the fighting. But Leonel still had to block a few blows, and throw a few people aside. Julian was snickering something mad saying something likened to "I don't need your help, Inquisitor Leonel!"

She was so captivated and horrified by Julian's reaction and behavior that she wasn't completely paying attention. A heavy hand fell on her shoulder and yanked her back, drawing out a sharp cry from her lips. Leonel was alarmed and quickly turned around to pull the drunk off her.

But the damage was already done.

Her hood thrown off. Someone was looking in her direction, their eyes widening with realization as they pointed.

"Hey! Isn't that the whore viscount's daughter!?"

The fighting stilled, all eyes fell upon Illysa. Her heart stopped in utter terror and fear.