Lions and Lambs

[Clover]

((The sailors are Frenchmen. That being said, none engage the knight on behalf of the couple for fear of their own lives. They part like Alberich is Moses and they are the Red Sea. The only thing standing in his way now is the brave boy who isn't willing to let the Lion of Prussia steal away his beloved from him.))

[Alberich Anselm]

Alberich smirked when the Frenchmen babbled and begged for them to take whoever he wanted, as long as they didn't hurt them, some of them even going as far as to point the young couple out to them. Ah, the French were so very easy to get a handle on, and very easy to intimidate. Why, it almost made things too easy, but he was smart enough to also try to watch his own back. Though they probably wouldn't attack him head on, they very well might try to do something when he wasn't watching. He kept his sword resting on his shoulder, walking with deliberately predatory steps towards the young couple.

The girl hid behind the boy. It was mostly in Alberich's experience that at this point, the boy would start begging for his life, and saying he'd give the Prussian anything if he didn't hurt him. This one, though, surprised even him, by standing infront of his intended and glaring at Alberich with a sort of steely gaze he could somewhat respect, even if it wouldn't make any sort of difference what Alberich did. He tilted his head to the side and observed the two for a second or two, though he knew that he couldn't waste time. He didn't want the Captain to finally swim to shore and come to rally his crew, though it would probably take the captain quite some time to get over his near drowning experience he no doubt had in the slightly turbulent waters of the ocean.

The boy didn't look like one that would be threatened away, especially since he didn't seem to believe Alberich could commit the acts of violence that he had been threatening to do. Alberich stepped in uncomfortably close to the boy, leaning forward so that their faces were only inches apart. He carefully set the point of the sword and set it against the boy's neck, a soft smile appearing on his features. Then he spoke, but he didn't address the boy.

"So, girl, you either come with me back to your father, or I kill your boyfriend. Make your choice, now. You have five seconds. I'll make it quick, if only for the sake of his courage. 5, 4, 3..."

Alberich, if only to show he wasn't kidding, pressed the tip of the sword into the boy's flesh at his neck, just to the side of his pulse. It would be so very, very easy just to move the metal to the side, and slice his jugular. He pinned the couple in with his body and his sword, incase they tried something stupid.

((What does the girl do? Do any of the sailors show signs of wanting to attack Alberich?))

[Clover]

((There's a tense moment of silence, indecision . . . and then the girl blurts out "I'll come with you! Just please don't hurt him!" before she breaks down into tears. While none of the sailors standing around look too happy about what Alberich's is doing, none are brave enough to intervene.))

[Alberich Anselm]

Alberich shrugged and slowly took the sword from the boy's throat, even though it was somewhat regretful. He wiped away the traces of blood on the tip of his sword on the boy's pants, before reaching out with his left hand, missing the pinky, and grabbed the girl's arm, hauling her away from her little boytoy and towards the plank connecting the ship to the shore and dragging the girl down it, not paying much attention of she was keeping up with him or not. He didn't think she'd be coming from her own power, after all.

"You stupid girl. What, you thought your father would just let you trot off with the first kid that showed you his dick?" Alberich grumbled irritably, walking over to the two horses which were eying the girl with some surprise and more than a little irritability, at least on Ironheart's part. The mare was too beaten down to really care much about what went on around her, standing with her nose nearly down to her knees and one back foot cocked. From experience, Alberich knew that the mare wouldn't be any trouble and would follow whatever hand led her with calmness born of weariness.

Alberich grabbed the rope from the back of Ironheart's saddle, and tied the girl's wrists infront of her, before hauling her into the saddle on the mare, and tied her bound hands to the saddle horn. It wasn't anything personal, just good business sense to make sure that his prize didn't try to get off and make a run for it on the way back to Marseille. It would likely take much less time now that he was going along the main road to the nearby city, and not taking an ill groomed path.

"You're going to come with me, and you aren't going to do something as stupid as call for help. As much as I like my paycheck, I'll kill you if I have to."

The Lion of Prussia mounted back onto Ironheart, and made sure that the mare's reins were still firmly attached to the gray gelding's saddle. The girl would have one hell of a time trying to escape from him if she gave a try. He turned Ironheart's head towards the main road leading out of the port, glancing over at the crowd.

((Does anyone try to stop them from going through the crowd and to the main road? Do they get on the main road and get on the way back to Marseille? Does the girl try to escape on the journey back?))

[Clover]

((No one attempts to stop them even as they start traveling down the main road back to Marseille. That is, until they reach about halfway home. At that point, Alberich hears the sound of fast-approaching hooves as the boy from before and a group of Frenchman, likely his friends, head towards them. Apparently, Mr. Cad isn't giving up so easily.))

[Alberich Anselm]

Ah, now Alberich remembered why he spent next to no time around females: it was the crying that got to him. The girl had been sobbing incessantly for the last three hours, to the point where Alberich thought seriously about gagging her to muffle the sounds of her pathetic little cries, though he had also been paid not to harm one golden hair on the girl's golden little head. Even the horses seemed to be tired of the girl, both ears back in a matching state of irritation and weariness, though the mare walked with a far slower plodding walk than the gelding, though likely out of true weariness than the feigned one that Ironheart was currently sporting.

The first half of the journey went on without much incident besides Alberich attempting to restrain his homicidal tendencies, and keeping the horses from grabbing a tree branch as take out food. For a moment, but just a split moment mind you, he wondered if he would actually get her back to the noble's household without getting attacked by bandits, jilted lovers, or rabid animals, but then he heard the hoofbeats on the road behind him, moving fast along the road. He rolled his eye to the sky, and wondered what the hell he had done to deserve this this time?

It was never that easy, he should have known better by now. Why was it always him, anyway? Bad karma?

"Oh, this is just great. Just what I need to finish off my day."

Alberich shook his head and slipped out of the saddle, drawing his sword from where it was sheathed along Ironheart's side, and getting ready for the inevitable fight. He seriously doubted that the Frenchman and his cronies, even ahorse, would be nearly skilled enough to take him down.

Back in his Knight days, they called these kind of kids fodder. Throw them at the barbarians to weaken their forces before the cavalry arrived, so to speak. They could probably use their horses in the fight, but Alberich was skeptical that any of them had been trained as war beasts like his own Ironheart. He barked a short order to the animal, to fight as best he could with the mare and the girl strapped to him. But at least the gelding would keep any of the ner-do-wels from grabbing the girl while Alberich was busy.

They would be upon him shortly. He stared in barely concealed disgust as the first rider crested over the hill and charged him with a shout, the horse he was riding white eyed with fear and confusion. The Prussian's grip on his sword drew tighter, even as the first rider approached. Just as the horse was upon him, he'd simply move to the side, and bring his sword up in a swipe to bring him out of the saddle.

After that, if this worked, it would probably get ugly.

((Does Alberich's maneuver work? How many of the Frenchmen did the cad bring along? Does anyone get close enough to Ironheart to get a swift hoof in the face? What happens, talk to me!))

[Thom]

(( Alberich's move does work, and the horrified men spring into action as soon as the man hits the floor. There are five of them left, and they all draw their weapons to attack. A few round him in the hope of cutting off any kind of flee, while a couple others try their best to approach from the sides to get as close as possible. For the time being they're out of Ironheart's reach. The last one goes for the girl, hoping the others can distract their foe for long enough. He reaches her side after some struggle by the alarmed horse, and reaches over to cut her bound to the saddle. ))