Vexire:Prince of Aurem (Ch3)

Map -----> http://i.imgur.com/xwXjF.png

Chapter III - Vexîre: Prince of Aurem

"I can't be arrested!" said Garland, pushed by the uniformed soldiers. "I've got cattle to feed"

"This is preposterous!" William agreed, clearing losing his patience. "I'm the PRINCE! I did not kill my father! Why would I? So that I could take his throne? I would anyway!"

"Shut up, back there." said one of the Legionaries. The line of gold plated men and woman stretched ten people, including Alexander, William, and Garland.

They walked down the footpath, and over the hill to see a large golden airship.

Being the Prince, William had seen many airships. All over the capital, people rode them instead of Pegusi to bring goods, large amounts of people, and of coarse, prisoners. He must have seen thousands of them, although none were as elegant as this one.

It looked a little bit like an old fashioned pirate ship. On the exterior, it had a top deck, with what looked like an eating table, a few gold cannons, and of coarse, a sail with the seal of Aurum on it, a triangle with a gold circle in the middle. The large vessel said "The Vixin" on it.

The inside was much different than the outside. Inside had a common area, where the steering controls were. Off the back hallway was 10 or 12 rooms for the crew and even a small kitchen.

William and Garland were directed to the back of that hallway, into the small barred room which must have been for stowaways.

The two stayed quiet until they heard the low rumble which meant the ship was taking off.

On top, steam was blown into the sails, which propelled the ship upwards. The sailed flattened out, and it began to move.

"Where do you suppose their taking us?" whispered Garland.

"Lux" replied William grimly. "The supreme jail."

"I can't go there!" said Garland nervously. "Why, I'm just a little old man! I shouldn't have brought you home. Maudie would have told me not too... Should've listened, Bexan Dammit."

"Who's Maudie?" said William. Garland apparently didn't realize that he was talking to himself.

"She was my wife." said Garland. "She's gone now."

"She's dead?"

"No." said Garland. "We used to be workers in Tekka, me and her. Then, when those damned Nex-Lovers came and took our land. They took her from me, and left me alone. That was five years ago. I don't think I'll find her again. Oh, my poor Maudie...."

Up until this point, William had considered Garland just a weird old guy, but now he realized that old Garland had some compassion.

"There, there." said William awkwardly. "You know, I just lost my father. Maybe we can grieve together, eh?"

Garland fiddled with a spring and a golden watch in his hands, and said "That would be nice"

The two shared their stories, as brothers in binds, and vividly remembered their life. Due to this horrible mistake, they would probably not be alive to see another day, and there wasn't much they could do about it.

======================================

"What is our bearing?" said Alexander.

"Southbound to Lux Supreme Prison." said Beakus, the pilot.

The two sat staring out the front window. They both had a mug of coffee and looked tense.

Alexander rubbed his chin. "Change coarse to Imperium, please."

"I beg your pardon?" said Beakus,

"Change coarse. Now" Alexander said it more forcefully now.

"But sir, the prisoners, what about them?"

"CHANGE COARSE!"

"Sir, no! I will not go against the commander's orders!" Beakus shifted in his seat.

Alexander held his sword to Beakus' neck. "Yes sir." mumbled Beakus.

==========================

The room suddenly shifted.

"What was that?" said Garland.

"Changing coarse." said William. "Looks like we're going the other way."

"Why's that do ya reckon?" said Garland.

The door slid open and Alexander appeared. He closed it.

"Get away!" said Garland. "Don't you hurt us!"

"Shut up." said Alexander. "I'm on your side."

"What?" William was confused.

"I haven't much time to explain." said Alexander. "But this was the only way to get you to Imperium safely. You've been framed." Alexander began unlatching Williams' bindings.

"I'd noticed." said William. "By whom?"

The door burst open, and two of the Legionaries entered.

"Alexander, what in Gods name are you doing?"

"I knew it!" said the other soldier. "He's a traitor, just as the commander said he was!"

They drew their swords, and Alexander drew his. William flailed his rope like a weapon, and Garland continued toiling with his watch.

Alexander fought the first man as William jumped around the second and latched onto him from behind with the rope. He squeezed his neck with the rope.

Alexander dodged a blow to the face with the backside of a sword, but was hit the second time. He fell to the floor.

The soldier, bloodied and angry, prepared to stab Alexander.

Garland loaded a nearby nail on the floor into his newly engineered watch-shooter, and shot it across the room into the attackers chest. He fell, spurting blood.

With a final breath, William's rope depleted the last of the other man's life.

The three snuck out of the room, and up the surface ladder. From the outside deck, they could see they were thousands of feet in the air.

It wasn't long before the other guards found them. Thankfully, by then, they had gotten into the armory.

"Follow my lead." said Alexander, sporting a two sided long sword, a literal Double Edged sword.

Alexander and William did most of the fighting. Garland kept making weird weapons out of the old ones and giving them to the two.

"Why-" *CHING* "Are you helping us?" said William.

"Because" *CLANG* "Bad things have happened since you disappeared. Mordis will fill you in when we return."

When the last armored man was dead, Alexander said "Put on their armor, you'll need it as disguise in Imperium. Your a fugitive now." he went back inside.

==================

"Beakus?" said Alexander. He looked at the control board. Autopilot.

"Beakus!" repeated Alexander.

His calls were answered by Beakus charging at him from the back. Alexander turned and parried the thrust, and then thrust his own sword into Beakus' heart.

"I'm sorry, friend." said Alexander. "It's for the greater good."

William and Garland came in to find the bloody mess,

"What-"

"It's nothing." said Alexander. "Right now though, we no longer have a captain. I have no idea how to drive this thing."

William shrugged. They both looked at Garland.

He looked amused. "I'm sure I could give it a shot.

==========================

'The Vixin' landed at the Golden Palace effortlessly, thanks to Garland.

The three, with Garland and William covered in armor as not to be recognized, walked across the bridge. It was gold plated, and so high up that they could see the entire city.

"Mighty windy up here." remarked Garland to nobody in particular.

The entered the main palace.

As soon as they saw Mordis, William took of his helm and ran to him.
"Brother!" said Mordis. "I've missed you so!"

"Likewise..." said William, almost in tears. "What the hell is happening here? Why am i being framed?"

Mordis looked around at these three men. He told his courier something, and then said, "You all better sit down. We have much to discuss."

=================================