A Royal Romance

Chapter 22 Lord Richard Brandon

When the command to charge was given I had one thing in mind...finding Elisabeth, rescuing her and taking her home; nothing else mattered, but to get to her I had to fight and nothing was going to stop me even if I lose my life. Reaching the gates I descended from my horse and with my group of men we ran deeply into the keep. I had Hawthorn, George, Charles and Captain Gray at my side. We had to fight at least 20 men before reaching the main doors that lead into the manor. The 5 of us sliced through the human wall like it was butter and while I headed straight my companions split into two groups. At first I was not able to find much resistance but as we went farther in our objective was difficult to accomplish.

I found myself being attacked by one very massif man; at least a head taller than me. A swung my sword hitting a wall and for some time I was unable make him move. He hit back and I staggered back. I stood my ground and let him swing his sword. Once, twice, three times he swung hitting my sword with such power that I would wobble. Then I found it...his weakness. His right knee seemed to be in pain and on his next swing crunched down, turned and kicked hard his knee, cracking it. He fell to the ground and as I got up I swung my sword and was able to sever his head. It fell to the ground right next to his lifeless body as his blood spilled around.

I did not have time to recover when I saw a second man swing his sword towards me. I had barely any time to avoid his blade and I swung my body around and with one full movement I sliced his back with my sword. He screamed and fell to the ground taking his lasts breathes.

Two more men came to me and two more men fell before me...dead. I was able to finally reach the doors that led to the underground, but before going through I checked to see where everyone was. I saw William and Robert go up one side of the stairs chasing after Essex. I looked behind and saw my other brothers in arms making their way through. I did not want to waste any more time. I was close to Elisabeth and she could no longer wait.

Once the door was fully opened the smell that escaped the Manor's gut was infectious, nauseating. It took me but a moment to get a hold of myself and continue with my quest. I heard from behind me Georges and Charles following in to the narrow corridor. We spoke not a word making our way through listening to each noise we heard. It was much more difficult that we had imagined, every time we would reach a tunnel it would lead us to a dead end and just when we would think we had finally reached our goal we had to turn yet some more.

At the last turn we took a door stood at the end, quietly we walked to the door, I placed my ear close enough to try and listen inside. Voices could be heard but nothing that I could understand. I motioned for George to do the same and he had just placed his ear to the door when his eyes widen and his normal expressionless face became filled with rage. He mouthed that this is the place and with no more time to lose he opened the door. Four men charged us and as I tried to defeat mine I could see from behind him Elisabeth hanging with the top of her dress torn, her breasts were exposed and bloodied. As much as I tried I could not see her face or if she was breathing.

George quickly disarmed his opponent and killed him with his bare hands. He twisted his head with such force that his neck broke and died instantly. He then was able to plunge his blade to the back of his brother's challenger and with that help Charles was able to kill his man.

Upon seeing their sister both Charles and George stood there not knowing what to do. Shortly after I killed the last of the men and joined my brothers.

"Search for something to cover her up." I said to them. George went one way and Charles the other. I went straight to her and cut the ropes form her wrists. She still did not move. Once in my arms I tried to cover her with what was left of her dress, but it was useless. When normally I would love to see her hair lose, free, this time I was frightened by the dry blood in it. Delicately I pushed her hair away from her face. The sight before me was too much to bear, my sweet delicate wife was unrecognizable. If it were not for her birthmark above her left breast I would have never guessed this was her. Her eyes were swollen, bruised and cut. Her white porcelain skin was marked with cuts and dark purple bruises, there was barely a single inch on her body that was not mutilated in some way. I held her tightly and rocked her in my arms.