Kings [A Medieval AU]

Chapter Six - Incident

Dan spends the majority of his time on the way to Divum sleeping or sitting in silence. The carriage is small and unsteady, every little rock or bump on the road making him sway or bounce around. The stops they make for the night are always welcome, as they give him a chance to stand up, stretch his legs, and eat a good, warm meal. He doesn't see Phil very much, the king probably too busy or too tired to pay his prisoner much mind.

The carriage stops for the last time on its way to Divum and Dan gets to his feet, waiting for the two guards he's used to to take him to his tent. When two unfamiliar guards appear in front of the carriage and unlock it, he immediately tenses.

"Hello, your majesty," one says, a smile on his face. For a reason that Dan can't explain, that smile puts him on edge.

"We've figured you've had it pretty easy, so we're here to make sure you know what it really feels like to be a prisoner," the other states.

Dan's stance is defensive as he backs away from them, arms crossed over his chest. "Stay away from me."

"He doesn't sound very scary for someone who's supposed to be a king, and an evil king at that," one of the guards says, earning a laugh from the other. "Get him out of there."

One of the guards steps in and Dan recoils even more, black magic starting to swirl around his digits. One of the men flinches at the sight of his power, but the other seems unfazed. Dan attempts to shove him back, but his magic bounces back the moment it gets too close to the carriage walls. The guards laugh and one of them lunges forward, punching him in the gut and dragging him out of the carriage by his hood. Winded, Dan collapses to the ground, which is covered in a thin layer of snow thanks to the recent snowfall.

Immediately, instinct kicks in. He rolls over, barely avoiding the boot of one of the men, and gets to his feet, black magic swirling even faster around his hands. He shoves forward with his hand as one of the men runs up to him, and a strand of magic flies forward and sends his assailant flying back. The other guard grits his teeth and pulls out his sword, dodging one of Dan's attacks and swinging at him. The king brings up a shield and the blade skids off of it, missing Dan by inches. While the royal is preoccupied with keeping himself alive, the other guard stumbles to his feet and sneaks around Dan, landing a kick to the small of his back the moment the king lets his shield down again.  Normally, he would probably have a better time defending himself, but after hours of exhausting, disorienting carriage rides, he physically can't fight to his full potential. 

Dan stumbles forward and the guard with the sword kicks him in the gut. Dan gasps and barely regains his breath before another flurry of fists and boots comes down on him, and he has to hold back the cry that wants so desperately to rip itself from his throat. The guards, seemingly unafraid of his magic now that they have Dan trapped, laugh and jeer as they push him around and beat down on him.

"Kneel, 'your majesty'," one mocks, forcing him to his knees the moment he tries to stand up. "Kneel to our king and we'll spare you."

Dan grits his teeth, weak, painful strands of magic swirling around his forearms and hands. Blood trickles from the corner of his lip, a bruise starting to form on his jaw. "I will kneel to no one."

"Aww, he thinks he still has a choice. Jeez, we thought you were powerful, with your black magic and your witchcraft, but it turns out that you have no power at all," the other guard jeers, burying his boot in his gut and sending him sprawling into the snow again.

The guards laugh, and as one of them raises his foot to kick again he freezes. They look in the same direction and then to each other, their posture straightening and their hands folding behind their backs. Dan doesn't glance over, his gaze trained on the ground ahead of him. He lets his magic absorb back into his body, doing his best to hide his trembling.