The world became silent, even Cameron went on and on about what he saw none of that filtered in as Ausan had only focused on the first bit.<span style="font-style: italic">He was gone.</span>There was no more that needed to be said or understood at the moment for her. Body moved under automation and familiarity, she started to don her armor even as her mind flashed back to nearly every moment of her life that had involved the lost prince.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FFFF00"><span style="font-style: italic">The fire popped and cracked, sparks allowed to escape up into the atmosphere as if they sought to join the stars above only to disintegrate before they barely passed the smoke. A quiet night save for the snores of their comrades, the both of them had stayed awake no words said between them just up in the silence and enjoying the company of one another. <br/><br/>Finally, she broke the silence, “You know you can sleep too, right?” Silence again as they both continued to look up at the stars. “Despite what you think or feel, you are not going to fail anyone if you get a couple of hours of sleep,” she lowered her gaze from the stars to look over at Barth. “Besides, I’m here, and I will always watch your back. You don’t have to constantly be on guard when I am around.”</span></span><br/><br/>Silent tears of rage and anguish slipped from her eyes to roll down her cheeks, unnoticed though even if she had noticed she would not have cared. This was not how it was supposed to be, he was meant to be safe. Always secure, because Ausan would be there to protect him and yet, he was gone. Taken from her by those who would call themselves a friend.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FFFF00"><span style="font-style: italic">The battle was thick and hot, blood soaked the ground to the point of turning it to mud which made each step a treacherous endeavor. How many had she slain by then? The count long since lost in the thick of things, especially now as she tried to get eyes back on Barth. “BARTH!” Ausan shouted at the top of her lungs once she dispatched another foe. If it were possible she felt him before she saw him, the prince covered in gore and dirt charged at her from the side and tackled her right out of the way of an axe she had not seen coming. Together they landed with him atop her, sword brought to bare prepared to defend her from another attack. “Hey!” she snapped to get his attention. “I’m supposed to protect you!” The smile she gave him came so quickly even in the thick of battle that it stayed even when she pushed him off to thrust her sword through the gut of someone who had managed to slip past his watchful gaze. “Together?” she extended her hand down to him and helped him to his feet. <br/><br/>Back to Back, they fought and Back to Back they won.</span></span><br/><br/>So many moments they had shared together. Moments when nothing but a look was given, and instantly she knew what he needed or wanted and vice-versa. Theirs was a bond unspoken, and it would not be broken. Not today. Not any day. Even if death claimed her, she would return and be there for him.<br/><br/>“Cameron! Enough of the apologies! Get my horse saddled and ready to go now!” Sword slammed home at her hip she strode out of her tent toward the stables.<br/><br/>The giant of a man stood there like an impassable mountain. Long had they been friends and years spent together on the battlefield. She had been there the day he lost his eye to Barth, and now he would lose the other if he did not get out of her way.  Nothing else mattered to her, not the war, not the army. Barth was her concern now and if she had to kill the man before her she would, though she prayed to the Gods that would not be the case.<br/><br/>“Move and allow my charge to get Symas so that I can retrieve, Barth.” The gaze she leveled at Haman was not one of anger or even hate. More of silent desperation, for she felt his delay of her would allow for her to be too late. A thought that she could not even begin to stomach. If he was…<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic"><a class="postlink" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXorliBQMxg">No surrender, no retreat<br/>I will tear down every wall<br/>Just to keep you warm<br/>Just to bring you home</a></span></div><br/><br/>“Haman…please.”<br/><br/><span style="color: #408000"><span style="font-weight: bold">Haman saw the look in Ausan's eyes, a look that made it clear she wouldn't be reasoned with. At the same time, he couldn't risk letting her leave the camp. There was too much on the line, and the woman was just going to have to trust him. Or be forced to, although he wanted to avoid a fight if he could.  <br/><br/>"I'm sorry, Ausan. But I can't," he responded, his voice firm but carrying notes of pleading on it. She needed to understand, but everything he knew about the woman suggested that wouldn't be happening. "Give it some time, and he will return. I can explain everything."</span></span><br/><br/>“You know I won’t do that…” the sword removed and handed to Cameron. “You know that I<span style="font-style: italic">can’t</span>do that,” if anyone knew of their bond it would be this man. The talk now was just a formality between them, not with any genuine hope of it deterring the other. Fists raised she squared her shoulders and decided to give him a final chance. “Move.”<br/><br/><span style="color: #408000"><span style="font-weight: bold"> Haman's single eye went from fist to fist before landing squarely on the face of Linden's last Maiden. He knew he was doing what needed to be done, and that if he failed to stop her a number of things would go terribly wrong, but it still pained him to stand in Ausan's way. <br/><br/>Every instinct in his mind and body told him to stand aside, or even to help her, and accompany the leader of the Sisters as they laid ruin to the plan. The plan that was their best chance of ending a real threat, once and for all. Of course, it was just wishful thinking, nothing more than an idle fantasy that offered him a chance at evading the coming strife. <br/><br/>"Walk away, Ausan," he said quietly, even as he put his own hands up.</span></span><br/><br/>“You know that won’t happen,” as the last word left her mouth she moved. Fighting is what she did. It was all that she had done in her life, thanks to her father and what he wanted her to be. A classic combo, with a right and left hooks, thrown with a bit of force but mostly she wanted to see how fast he was. They were blocked seamlessly, but he gave some ground that she quickly took and threw a couple of punches lower at his kidneys. Even as she contacted with his flesh, it felt more like one of the many times she hit a wall. Thick. Solid and unforgiving, her gauntlet fist offered some assistance but not much.<br/><br/><span style="color: #408000"><span style="font-weight: bold">Haman blocked the blows and stepped back, but Ausan stayed right on the offensive. It fit with what he expected of her, but it was a nuisance as she prevented him from taking advantage of his range. <br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">And could I, even if she let me? Can I strike this woman?</span>he asked himself with more than a little exasperation as she delivered a pair of strikes to his kidneys. The impact was solid, but he withstood it easily as he threw out an open palm, shoving her away from him as he shifted his weight forward, stepping into her path of attack and throwing her balance off. <br/><br/>She was holding back, at least for the start, and he couldn't seem to be able to bring himself to launch a real counterattack. He was going to need to get over that quickly, however, if the look in Ausan's eyes was any indication.</span></span><br/><br/>Like her he held back, but even still the shove was enough to light a fire under her ass and make her drop the guise of a “friendly” fight. If she wanted him out of her way, she would have to make him move. Into his space, she stepped once more, as she needed to keep close to him so that he could not use that ridiculous reach to his advantage. A stomp to his instep gave her an opening that she used to right hook to his gut, which she followed up with her forearm to his jaw once he doubled over. To try and seal the deal she threw all of her weight into him, the idea being to knock him off balance and send him to the ground.<br/><br/><span style="color: #408000"><span style="font-weight: bold">Ausan drove in once more, and it was clear she was no longer only testing the waters. Her next punch was a powerful one, and as it hooked into his stomach he felt the air rush out of him and he doubled over. There were only a few people with a strong enough punch to get that kind of reaction out of him, but the Maiden was one of them. At the same time, he exaggerated his response, just a bit. <br/><br/>The forearm shot to his jaw was sturdy enough to send lights dancing across his field of vision, but he kept his head about him as she threw her form into his, seeking to knock him off his feet. <br/><br/>With a roar, he wrapped his thick arms around her and straightened up, feeling her squirming violently in his grip as her feet left the ground. With nothing else to do, he squeezed Ausan in a massive bearhug, enveloping her torso completely. She punched him, repeatedly landing blows to his sides and back, but he only held on all the more tightly as he put everything he had into squashing the fight out of her. <br/><br/>"Stop…. struggling," he muttered through gritted teeth.</span></span><br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">NO! NO! NO!</span><br/><br/>Frantically, she struggled against the grasp of the man who held her. In desperation, she tried to head butt him but found his skull thicker than she expected. A trickle of blood rolled down her forehead and into her eyes, though Asuan continued to struggle.<br/><br/>“HAMAN! PUT ME DOWN! I HAVE TO GET HIM! I HAVE TOOO!” The punches continued until finally she just stopped. “Please…if I lose him…” the words were lost as she openly sobbed in his arms. “I have to save him…without him…”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FFFF00"><span style="font-style: italic">“You can always place your faith in me, Barth. From this world, into the next and even beyond that you can count on my sword and my friendship.”</span></span><br/><br/>She had betrayed that faith.