The traitor vs the bear part 3

"Do we need to keep some other guarding the traitor than one of Athelred's husclar?" Amala pondered.

"What? A Haraldrar wouldn't kill a traitor like that before he had the pleasure of defeating him in one-on-one combat. NEVER!" the high king retorted.

"So, what is to story behind your two people?" Amala asked.

"Hah, the Guiscards are an old family from the Haraldrar islands. Hundreds of years ago, Rolf Eisen wrestled an island from the Sardes federation after those dumb rose sniffers invited him in as a mercenary. Took some land by force and named himself king. Even took a Sardes last name," Athelred noted.

"I wouldn't call it a weakness to grow roses instead of forging swords. I would rather have it that way," Wulftrude said.

"And how well did they fare against you two?"

The twins went silent.

"In any case, what followed was an type of warriors who would, instead of raiding and pillaging, work as mercenaries. Only taking on fights they deemed they could win. That is why we are different. I believe in myself, and that wrinkly foreskin of a man never did."

~~

For an hour, everything was going well, but behind the decks, the old king Raymond still had some tricks up his sleeve. He had a small knife inside his long beard and used it to kill the Haraldrar warrior guarding him.

He then was able to free himself from the chains. Raymond sneaked into the front deck and, without anyone noticing, grabbed a torch.

"DAAAAAAAAAMN IT. I can not take it anymore. Release that old fool so I may best him in combat," Athelred yelled.

"Keep your voice down, you fool. There are gravity ships right near us, and one wrong move and they will think something is wrong with this vessel," Amala whispered.

"I am sorry, but it seems that I must foil your plan."

Raymond climbed to the mast, lit the sails on fire, and shot an emergency flare into the sky, alerting nearby gravity ships, indicating the vessel had been hijacked.

Amala quickly shot Raymond down with a stone arrow.

Before they could chain Raymond again, a cannon shell hit the ship. Two other gravity ships had appeared and were chasing them and unleashed volleys of cannon fire on their hijacked ship.

"Haaaahaaaa. You are now screwed!" Raymond said and laughed.

Another gravity ship was coming from the front, stopping them from going further.

"Shit, what do we do now....." Amala cursed.

At that moment, Athelred hugged Pema, Amala, and the twins and dropped them from the ship into the sea.

"What do you think you're doing, you dumb bear?!" Amala yelled.

"Save yourselves. I am a Haraldrar, and we die on the battlefield, so let me live like my ancestors. Besides, there is an old man who needs to learn his roots tonight," Athelred said and turned to Raymond, who grabbed the arrow from his chest.

The remaining Haraldrar controlled the ship and sailed it towards the chasing gravity ships. Without any fear in their eyes, they were ready to accept their fates as a diversion so Pema and Amala could escape.

"You fool. Because such romanticized views of the war were why we Guiscards left the Haladrar islands," Raymond said and grabbed a sword from the ground.

"Yes, but also, you have one thing that we, the real ancestors of Edmund Haraldrar, have that you people lost," Athelred boasted.

"And what would that be?"

"The joy of fighting like it was your last day on earth!" Athelred said and charged at Raymond.

The two started a fierce battle on top of the burning gravity ship as it was torn apart by cannon fire. Axes clashed with swords that could be heard from afar. Athelred, the high king, fought with a smile as Raymond was forced to just defend himself.

As Amala and the rest of them swam to the shore, they saw the captured gravity ship in a blaze and being cut apart by the cannon fire. Before it went down, it crashed into one of the gravity ships taking it down.

From afar, no one could see it but. Athelred Haraldrar, the high king of the Haraldrar warriors, held on to the decapitated head of Raymond from its long grey beard. He stood on the deck of the burning ship, laughing as it came crashing down.

~~

Amala, Pema, and the twins had arrived at the castle.

"Just so you know, we refuse to become your prisoners," Amala pointed out to them.

"No worries. As thanks for saving us, we will provide you with horses," Wultrude explained.

"Why would you provide us with horses now? You would just have to try and run into the castle and join the search parties, and you would be safe. You are not getting anything from helping us?" she asked.

"As we explained. You saved us, so we will help you. We were raised by our mother, so that is why we are different from our father," Wulfila explained.

"Just one thing I would like you to guarantee to us. Whatever happens in this war, do not take your frustration or anger on our people and nation," Wulftrude asked.

Amala and Pema laughed.

"Really couldn't if we would have wanted so. Our Raja and king happens to be a real pushover and nice guy," Amala said.

"It really sounds like we are fighting on the wrong side...."Wulfila said in a somber tone.

"Thank you for the horses...."Pema spoke.

"Oh heeeeey, the big guy can talk," Wulftrude said in astonishment.