บท 6: In the keep, part 3
The face of a mercenary could hardly have separated him from the crowd. Only his pale skin as if powdered with ashes slightly distinguished him from an ordinary person.
But it was not at all what caused Paris to recoil, bumping into the captain and the earl, who had already begun to take the swords from the sheath. Paris recognized him!
Konrad! Cousin of his mother. They grew up together. Throughout his childhood, Paris looked at his relative as at his own brother. Despite the mediocre appearance, Konrad always made a good impression on those around him with his keen mind, a bit shyness, and kindness. Which made his betrayal even more unbearable.
Paris froze in a daze, trying to realize what was happening. Pictures of long gone days popped up before his inner gaze. Their first meeting, joint training, fighting, and games. Always lively and such warm gray eyes of a friend were now cold and almost glassy.
Bending over the second figure in a coat stood a completely different person. In his expressionless face, one could hardly recognize the former youth. An awkward boy, who Paris once knew, turned into a stone sculpture, with the face full of wrinkles and scars.
Meanwhile, Konrad, not paying any attention to others, stretched out his hand to the place where, judging by the outline of the cloak, the second should have a neck. The palm disappeared into the cutout of the gray fabric, and they both froze in silence.
Barely audible curses from the earl and Berg finally brought Paris out of the stupor. He felt that the captain's fingers were digging into his forearm. Berg apparently considered the young comrade's retreat for an attack of fear and now tried to push him behind his back while keeping the earl from moving forward.
Paris hurried to squeeze the hand of his older comrade slightly, making it clear that he was already fine. As he felt Berg let go of him, the young captain moved a bit forward.
It was necessary to calm down and again assess the situation. But nobody gave him time to think.
Konrad suddenly leaned forward, trying to catch a figure in a coat opposite him that had begun to sink on the floor. By the sharp movement, one of his sleeves rallied, exposing the stump of his right hand, with which he was now trying to support his comrade. And although the second Stone Warrior was significantly smaller than Konrad, he still wasn't able to hold up a friend's suddenly limp body.
A tickling giggle came from behind the back of the earl. Apparently, Captain Werst once again wanted to steer a situation and decided to give voice again.
"Who would know that the legendary Stone Beast are such weaklings." - He decided to comment on what is happening.
It seems the fat man wanted to add something else, only now Paris did not hear him. And if the sight of his old friend Konrad almost knocked the young captain down, then when his eyes focused on the face of the figure that had settled on the floor, his legs began to buckle under him.
The gray fabric of the cloak scattered over the face, exposing the face of a young girl who had not left Paris's nightmares for many years.
Slightly plump, pouty lips, long, fluffy eyelashes. Paris remembered every line. The way her face blossomed with a smile and a perky dimple appeared on her right cheek, the way she bit her lower lip and looked upward when she really wanted something. And despite the pleading look on her face, the naughty imps danced in her eyes at such a moment.
As if in a fog on half-bent legs, Paris moved toward his sister. As if he was blind, putting his hand forward, he covered the distance to his only goal in a few steps, not noticing the rest of the Stone Beasts that began to move in his direction or his older comrades that was trying to stop him.
It seemed like an eternity or just a few seconds before the young man began to recover. He looked up at Konrad, who was sitting opposite. The guy continued to hold his hand on the girl's neck, only with his fingertips lightly touching her skin.
The wildest rage began to boil inside Paris. Not restraining it, the young man slapped away the hand of an old acquaintance and yelled at him.
"Take your dirty fingers away from her, monster."
Konrad turned his glazed eyes on his former friend for just a moment and again silently lowered them to the girl's face. It was as if not a familiar person was sitting opposite him, but a piece of stone that does not require any attention.
Paris didn't care at that moment for anything but the well-being of his younger sister. He gently touched her cheeks with slightly trembling fingers: the skin was cold and unnaturally pale. With horror, Paris realized that her face was as grayish as Konrad's. As if a layer of dust covered cute features.
Having lost the last drop of composure, Paris rushed at Konrad with a wild roar, taking the sword out of its sheath in one motion.
"What did you do to her, you bastard !?" - was the only thing that young man managed to shout before the sharp pain in his temple blew up his mind, forcing everything around him to be enveloped in darkness.
***
Consciousness returned to Cali with reluctance. Head ached unbearably, and the chest seemed to be squeezed in a clamp. It was hard to drow a breath and the wheezing accompanied each inhale.
But the instincts pushed the body to jump into action necessary for the survival. Cali didn't fully come to herself when the reflexes had already forced her to group, roll and froze in the usual pose in a half-squat with one hand on the sword's hilt and the other lightly touching the floor for balance.
The situation around didn't look too good: Konrad's back loomed right in front of Cali. Judging by the little movements, he repealed someone's stubborn attacks. Borgis was standing next to him, blocking the view on most of the room, and also seemed to reflect someone's offense.
On the left, froze Anita, ready at any moment to rush to help her comrades. And to the right, now a little behind, Karo sat on her heels. Seeing that Cali woke up the dark-haired girl moved closer and began to study her leader.
"You shouldn't get up now," - she said in a barely audible, slightly hissing tone, addressing Calisto.
"What's going on?" - Cali interrupted abruptly.
Karo moved closer, ready to help her friend at any moment, but still not touching her while this was not necessary.
"You fainted. Konrad picked you up. The young Riolian captain ran to you when he saw this. Then he attacked Konrad, who knocked him out, but the rest of the Riolians chose this moment to attack us too. The sounds of battle apparently attracted the attention of the servants, and now they are breaking the door "- Karo nodded indifferently in the direction of the massive wooden door which was shaking under a rain of strikes.
Cali barely noticed the last phrase. She was seized by a bizarre feeling, almost forgotten. It pinched her heart, forcing her eyes in a panic to scour the floor. Finally, her eyes fell on the body prostrate at Konrad's feet. Without hesitation, Cali rushed to him.
The young Riolian captain was immovable, but his chest heaved in even breath, made the girl calm down a bit. A big bump already started to swell at the guy's temple pointing at the cause of the young man's unconscious state.
Cali firstly pulled the guy to the wall, and only then carefully examined him for other damages. Finding nothing, the girl felt so relieved that her body relaxed on its own, dropping to its knees beside the young man.
"Leader?"- Karo quietly called to her from behind.
"Cali?" - She repeated, without waiting for an answer. A barely noticeable shadow of confusion appeared in the girl's eyes, but it vanished instantly.
However, Calisto didn't even look at the other Stone girl, she could not take her eyes off the face of a young man.
He matured: his face almost lost its youthful angularity and softness, giving way to robust, strong-willed features. His chin and cheeks were covered with light, slightly reddish bristles.
Cali stretched out her hand and removed the bright blond lock in a peach shade from the young man's forehead. Her hair had the same color once. Lips themselves quietly called.
"Paris"
Guy grimaced coming to himself. The eyelids parted slightly, but the eyes were still full of mist. Some time passed before the young Riolian was finally able to focus on the girl bending over him.
At that moment his pupils dilated, and he abruptly tried to get up. But Cali held him gently, pressing her palm firmly to his chest.
"You need to lie down for a bit. You got a strong blow to the head. "
At the sound of sister's voice, Paris stopped attempts to get up but noticing her hand that the girl was about to remove, quickly caught it in a grip.
"Cali, is that really you?" - Guy's voice was hoarse with excitement. Eyes full of disbelief and hope rummaged around the girl's face.
"Yes" - Cali squeezed out, struggling with a lump that rolled up to her throat, and her eyes started to sting. The pain in her chest, with which she woke up, and which faded into the background for the time, has now cut through the nerves of the girl with a vengeance.
Cali clenched her teeth trying not to pay attention to it, driving it deeper, but then there was a strange sound, and the girl's body seemed to be pierced by lightning. Unable to restrain herself, Cali cried out. She arched and clutched at her chest, which felt like it was torn apart.
***
A sharp cry of the girl made the fighting men halt and turn around. Cali continued to squirm on the floor, trying to tear off her leather vest.
Karo and Paris, who came to the rescue at the moment, tried to work together to keep Cali still and figure out what was going on. Konrad wanted to move in the direction of these three, but the presence of Berg behind his back with a drawn sword made him pause.
Konrad assessed the situation slowly turned to the enemy and pointedly put the sword into the sheath.
"You attacked us first. Now we are only defending ourselves, but if you provoke a new fight, then we will have to kill you both "- Konrad spoke slowly as if stamping every word without taking away his eyes from Berg.
The old Captain felt goosebumps on his back hearing the opponent's calm, confident voice.
It was not so hard to figure out the skill of his enemy. Stone Beast easily reflected all his attacks and did not attack in response just because he did not want to. Having exchanged glances with the Earl, the captain noticed the same thought in his superior's gaze.
"Listen," - The Earl began carefully as if probing the ground. - "As I understand it, you don't have a task to harm us. I am aware that you are only fulfilling an order. And it seems like one of your people need help. Perhaps we could come to an agreement?"
" The order is of less importance to me now," - the Stone one replied coldly. Apparently, he started this dialogue only to warn his opponents that they would not hold back anymore if they attacked again.
Then without waiting for an answer, he calmly turned his back to them and headed for the girl moaning on the floor. But as soon as Konrad approached, to the surprise of Berg and the earl, he was stopped by Paris' sharp cry.
"Just try to get even closer, and I will rip out your heart with my own hands, freak!" - Snarled young man. Even though all his efforts went to keep his sister's hands pressed to the floor, the captain's eyes full of hatred followed every movement of the Stone guy.
Berg and the Earl looked puzzled. Lord Wolcroft tried calling the young guy, but he didn't even flinch.
A feeling of confusion and anger flooded over Berg. The situation went out of control again. The behavior of Paris was odd. And the door to the office stopped shaking from blows for some time now.
"Paris, damn you!" - Berg shouted louder, starting to boil. - "come here immediately. They will deal with their own. "
" She is not theirs, she is mine! "- the young man shouted back not even looking at his comrade. The girl in his arms finally calmed down and lost conclusion again. Feeling this, Paris gently slid his hands under her head and knees and picked her up.
"Let me through, I'll take her to the doctor" - the young man threw trying to get around Konrad on the way to the door.
But the man blocking his way didn't move.
"We are Stone Beasts, Paris, not a single doctor would be able to help Calisto." - he stated calmly.
The words of Stone guy cast Berg into shock. The mercenary knew the younger captain. Moreover, the young captain Marsters knew him and the girl he was holding in his hands. Was Paris a traitor ?!
"Paris, what the hell are you doing?" - the earl snapped.
The words of the general finally swayed Paris a little. He turned sharply to his comrades and spoke rapidly.
"My Lord, Mr. Berg. I am begging you. This is my sister Cali, she is unwell. I already lost her once, I can't bear to lose her a second time ... "- his voice cracked, his face was distorted with a grimace of suffering. The boy held the girl closer and leaned forward, ready to fall on his knees in front of the earl.
"Wait, Paris, what nonsense are you talking about?" - Berg was the first to come to his senses. He did not expect such a turn of events. Before the arrival of the young captain Marsters to the fortress, he and the earl studied in detail his past achievements and family history.
Paris really had a sister. She was the reason why Marsters family was covered in shame, and why the promising young aristocrat was sent to this remote place. Only now everyone knew that young lady Marsters was brutally murdered by her cousin Baron Barlow, Konrad Lee Barlow, almost six years ago.
Berg was then shocked by this news. He met the young baron at the court several times and could not imagine that a young man with such an open face and a warm, shy smile could kill a girl of sixteen in cold blood. His face ... a sudden thought struck the old captain.
He whirled around finding the Stone guy with his eyes.
"What the ..."
Berg didn't get a chance to finish as a sudden mighty blow that shook the door. Then the second. On the third heavy oak door could not stand it, the bolt flew out of its hinges and the door burst inside. Together with it, several guards flew into the room.
They scanned the surrounding and halted, not understanding what was going on.
None of those present had swords in their hands.
Moreover, there were three women in the room: one in the arms of the young captain, and the other two slightly behind him. Opposite him stood an unfamiliar one-armed man, that didn't really look all that treating. And finally, the earl with Captain Berg, who seemed more dumbfounded than hostile.
Berg looked around the room with astonishment. There were definitely five Stone Warriors, and there was no sight of Werst anywhere.
"My Lord, are you okay? We heard the sounds of fighting, and you didn't respond to our screams ... "- the head of the county guard once again looked intently at those present trying to figure out who they should attack.
Paris continued to look at the earl with a plea. Konrad and the rest of the Stone Warriors looked blank.
Berg had no idea what to do in this situation. The earl apparently decided to take everything into his own hands.
"Aaron, it's all right. We were too enthusiastic about discussing the strategy of the upcoming battle," - the earl said in a more calm and relaxed tone. His security chief nodded knowingly but did not take his suspicious gaze away from strangers.
"Aaron, my boy, you see, we have an unforeseen situation here. The cousin of my good friend Baron Bar ... Barnaby suddenly felt unwell."- he said, slightly stretching the words, making up excuses as he went. - "We urgently need to find a place for her so that a lady can recover after a long journey."
The story turned out to be awkward, especially considering that for five days nobody had entered or left the fort. But Aaron, not feeling any hint or warning in the words of the commander-in-chief, relaxed a little and began to give instructions to those that came with him.
"My Lord, in the keep all the rooms are already closed. Only yours and the captains' chambers remain. "
" Let me pass, Aaron, "- snapped Paris moving toward the door, Konrad did not interfere with him this time. Aaron only managed to retreat to the side as the young officer flew out of the room and headed for the stairs.
Stone warrior followed him, as did both of his companions.
The Earl had no choice but to go after them. Berg lingered only to give instructions to fix the door and get the latest report from the walls.
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