Camalot pt 13

“Wake up, wake up!” a strange voice said, as they shook the Queen. “Whitewolf wake up.”
The Queen’s eyes flashed open as she remembered the danger they were in.
“It ok your highness.” The female voice said again, and for a moment the Queen thought it was d’Arc, but then remembered what had happened to her friend.
Whitewolfs eyes opened to see a familiar sight. “Nickoale!” She cried out. “What are you doing here?”
Nickoale smiled down at her long time friend. “Its a long story.”
“Where are the others?” The Queen asked as she sat up and took in her surroundings. They were in a dank stone cell, with but a small barred door.
“The are a few cell’s down, i seen them when they were brought in. They look like they took a beating.” Nickoale explained.
The Queen fought back the tears that wanted to swamp her. She remembered they had surrendered, but the bandits wanted pay back for the men they had killed, they had taken turned beating Sheepwool and Grave. And let worse still her best friend d’Arc and Camalot’s savoir Red had fallen to their deaths. God it was all falling apart. Maybe it would have worked out differently had she and Jeanne stand back with the army. She shook her head clear of the thoughts, there was no time for if’s and but’s, only the now.
“Why are you here?” The Queen asked her old friend. “Last i knew you were on your way to Carinthia to see your father.”
“I was, but my escort was jumped by these highwaymen. And me and several others were taken prisoner.” Nickoale explained to her. “I have been here over a three weeks.”
“Oh my god, Nickoale i am so sorry, we didn’t know or else we would have sent an army to come find you.” The Queen bellowed out. “We left for Vanity only a few days after you left, there was no way for us to know.”
“I know, i know.” Nickoale told her.
“I promise you Nickoale i will get you out of here.” Whitewolf promised. “What are they planning on doing with all the prisoners?”
“In two weeks time they are heading out to the coast, where they will sell us to pirates, who will take us across the sea.” Nickoale informed her, fear coating her words.

Sheepwool rolled over with a groan, his head pounded and his body ached like he had been run over by a charging horse. He opened his eyes was glad it wasn’t bright.
“Welcome back to the world of the living.” A gruff voice said to the right of him.
Sheepwool rolled to the left and snapped to his feet his head cracking hard on the low ceiling, he cursed as he fell to his knee’s, but still he kept his guard up.
“Simmer down there lad.” The voice said. “I mean ya no harm, you got to figure if i did i would have done so well you were out.”
Sheepwool thought on the words and knew the truth in them as he slumped back down. “Fair enough.”
“Your friend here ain’t doing so well.” The man in the corner said.
Sheepwool looked over and seen Grave, laying in a pool of blood. “Shit!” He crawled over to his friend and checked his wounds. A large gash to his head was still dripping blood, so Sheepwool tor a piece of his shirt and wrapped his friends head to stop the bleeding.
“My god my friend, what did they do to you?” He whispered, looking down at Grave’s swollen face. Both his eyes were nearly swollen shut, his lips were split in several places.
“It could be worse, they could have killed him.” The man said.
“Who are you?” Sheepwool asked, not taking his eyes form his friend.
“The names Sempeii.” The man replied.
“I’m alright Sheepwool.” The weak voice of Grave whispered.
“Jesus shit Grave!” Sheepwool bellowed out. “I didn’t think you would ever wake up.”
“So whats the plan then?” Grave asked slowly sitting himself up, with the aid of Sheepwools arm.
“We get the hell out of here, thats what.” Sheepwool replied.
“You’ve got high hopes my friend.” Sempeii cut in. “You will die in here, or be sold for the fighters pit. Believe me i’ve tried to get out.” As Sempeii spoke the words he lifted his tattered shirt to show his scared back.
“How long have u been here?” Grave asked, his voice still weak.
“Don’t remember anymore. I use to keep track, but once they put me in the pit, all i keep score now is how many men i’ve killed.” Sempeii replied his voice drifting off. “that way when the day comes when i die i know the number to tell the Lord so he may choose my punishment.”
Sheepwool and Grave looked from one to the other, worry crossing their features.
“Well im not staying here a second longer.” Sheepwool declared. “You ready to move Grave?”
“Just say the word.” Grave mutter as he tried to stand and almost fell, but managed to keep his balance.
“So oh great one, how do you plan on getting out might i ask?” Sempeii asked, humor in his tone.
Sheepwool grabbed the bars of their small cell and began shaking them uncontrollably.
“Hey! Hey! Whats going on here?” A deep voice said as a burly guard came around the corner to see what the disturbance was all about. “hey you stop it!” The guard yelled.
“Come in here and make me pig!” Sheepwool hissed.
“Cocky little cow son!” The guard bellowed as he opened the door. “I’m gonna kill you for killing my friends!”
The guard took two steps before Sheepwool charged, catching the swinging club with his hand and landing a huge right hook, shattering the guards jaw and putting him to the floor out cold. Sheepwool slammed the club home three times into the guards skull until it was unrecognizable. “Kill me?” Sheepwool laughed. “Not even in your dreams.”
“Holy hell!” Sempeii bellowed out, not believing his eyes as he stood up.
“You sure you don’t want to come with us?” Sheepwool asked, a cocky grin on his face.
“You know, i think i have changed my mind and will come with you.” Sempeii replied with a grin. “Never know when you might need me and all.”
“Well as fun as chatting is maybe we should get the queen and get the fuck out of here!” Grave muttered as he fought to stay up right.
They exited the cell and moved down the hall, looking in each cell as they passed, many were empty, many contained dead or dying prisoners. Finally they found the one they were looking for.
“Your Highness!” SHeepwool cried out as he fumbled with the lock.
“Sheepwool! Grave! Your alive, i thought they beat you to death!” The Queen cried out over joyed.
“Nickoale is that you?” Grave mumbled as he stepped closer trying to clear his eyes.
“Saddly, yes it is me Grave.” Nickoale replied.
“But how? What?” Grave stuttered confused.
“Explaining can happen later!” The Queen cut in. “Lets get out of here!”
“Please don’t leave me!” A soft voice said from a cell behind them.
Everyone turned to see a tall, slender, curly brown hair woman pressed up against the bars. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying, her cheeks stained with dirt and tears. “Please, you can’t just leave me here... i... i can help fight... anything.. please!”
“Well don’t just stand there get her out!” The Queen barked to Sheepwool, who looked just as intent on leaving the poor woman.
“What the fuck is going on here?” An angry voice boomed several feet away, as two guards came onto the scene unfolding.
Without thought Sempeii charged, his right hand snatching the wooden club that Sheepwool had rested against the wall well he unlocked the cell. A mighty swing crushed the skull of the first guard before they had time to react, the second lifted his short sword and deflected the massive blow aimed for him, turning it aside. But Sempeii let go of the club after the guards blade was pushed aside. He grabbed the mans hair and pulled his head down and drilled knee after knee into the poor guards face. The sound of breaking and crushing bone echoed down the hall. With a quick snap of his wrist’s he broke the guards neck and let the body fall to the cold putrid earth.
“Give me back my club.” Was all Sheepwool muttered as he pulled open the cell door to let the brown haired girl out and the others looked on at one of the new comers with a new found respect.
Sempeii tossed the club back to Sheepwool, and picked up the rusted short sword from the guard.
“Can we be going now?” Grave asked through his swollen mouth as he rested against the cold stone wall.
“I’ll lead the way, i know most of these tunnels well enough.” Sempeii said taking lead.
The strange group of escapee’s ran through the tunnels of the underground fortress. Stopping every two hundred feet or so to see if they were being followed or if enemies were around.
“Its too quiet in here.” Sempeii replied. “Something must be wrong, there should be men everywhere.”
“Lets not question what good fortune we are having.” The Queen cut in.
Soon they had made it to the opening with the many tunnel openings where they had lost d’Arc and Red and been caught.
“I hear something!” Nickoale warned them.
“Shit back down the tunnel!” Sheepwool ordered as the group ran back several hundred feet and watched over a hundred man run by the tunnel entrance to the tunnel that lead the way out.
“What’s going on?” The Queen asked.
“Looks like they are preparing to fight.” Sempeii replied, inching his way up to the tunnel mouth again.
Battle could be heard loudly from down the exit tunnel.
“Hmm what now?” Grave asked. “We can’t go down there, staying here is foolish, we will be caught sooner or later.”
“Heathen BASTARD!” A mighty voice boomed from down the exit tunnel and everyone stopped.
“By the gods is that...” The Queen muttered.
“WHERE’S MY WIFE YOU COWSONS!” Another might roar came, as the sounds of death echoed down the tunnel.
“Our King has come to save the day.” Grave replied as he slumped down to the floor. “Good cause i really wasn’t up to fighting anyways.”
Bloodwolfe slashed his sword across the chest of his last victim. Blood soaked his clothes and sweat dripped form his brow as he and his men entered the massive room to see his friends standing their waiting for him.
“For the love of all thats holy.” He muttered as his love ran to him.
“Just in time my love to help us finish off what we started.” Whitewolf joked, though she knew from the look in her husbands eyes he was angry with them all.
“Perfect timing as always my King.” Sheepwool said as he carried Grave over.
“We will talk of this later.” The King replied. “Where is Red?” He looked around the small group. “And d’Arc?”
The others put their heads down as they passed, no one wanting to be the one to tell him.