Mocha 15, Cayenne 2, Chocolate Chip Mint 30
Author: Casey
Story: Nothing is Ever Easy (NIEE) universe, during NIEE
Challenge: Cayenne 2 (a duel), Mocha 15 (save your strength), Chocolate Chip Mint 30 (innocent)
Toppings: Hot Fudge (Sorin)
Word Count: 814
Rating: PG (it’s a duel, so some violence but nothing graphic)
Summary: It comes down to Sorin vs. Beau. By the time Beau realizes what Sorin’s planning, it’s too late. Or is it?
Notes: This is a ‘deleted’ scene from NIEE, towards the end. No one, other than Beau and Sorin, knows how this goes down for a long time.
Sorin knew something that Beau didn’t. He knew that the Freedom Fighters were going to win. Although he was sure Beau suspected it, he also knew that the young man would take this fight very seriously. Sorin was the enemy after all.
“Well,” Sorin drawled, knowing what he had to do, “seems it’s just us, Prince Beau Highcastle.”
Beau pursed his lips as if he wasn’t pleased with the reminder that he was royalty. “Seems so,” he said flatly, raising his sword. “Why don’t we skip the pleasantries?”
“Fine with me,” Sorin said and Beau approached cautiously and Sorin knew word of his skill with a blade had gotten out - not that he used it often. He much preferred files and pages and paper.
At first and for a while, until they are both covered in sweat and panting, the battle was silent except for the clash of blade on blade, neither speaking and the noise of the outside battle seeming to fade away with Sorin’s concentration on the battle. He had to make it look good. When Beau’s blade passed by Sorin’s defenses the first time, cutting him deeply in the left arm, Beau jerked back as if surprised, eyes meeting Sorin’s. “You’ve killed a lot of innocent people,” he snarled, to cover his surprise as he backed off and set his stance, as much for his own good as to apparently give Sorin time to recover.
Sorin ignored the pain radiating from his arm, raising his sword again. “I know. I also know that you, your brother and your friends will take good care of Tira after we’re gone.”
Beau had just darted in to slash at him again and when Sorin pushed his blade wide, the two paused, just staring at each other. “What are you doing?” Beau asked.
“Just trying to distract you,” Sorin said calmly, taking a swing at him.
“You’ve created a lot of harm for a lot of people.”
“You're sounding repetitive, Beau,” Sorin said, smirking.
Beau took another swing at him, managing to keep, Sorin noticed, his temper in check - his skill with a sword unmistakable as the two continued at it. “You’re all monsters. You, Anica, Vladimir.”
“Leave Ani out of this!” Sorin snapped, pressing the attack before forcing himself to remember that was not the point. Ani was safe, his son was safe, and the Freedom Fighters would never touch them - the king, Beau’s older brother, Ren, would ensure that.
Beau staggered back but quickly recovered, holding his ground. “Why should I? She was just as involved in all of this as the rest of you.”
“Ani was only here because she was our sister. Please, Beau, you have to leave her alone,” Sorin said, stepping away from him. In that instant, Beau had lunged forward, but he now tried to stop his momentum, seeing that Sorin had lowered his sword. Sorin knew Beau was too honorable to take advantage of this flaw, but he also knew that Beau had too much forward momentum.
Beau’s sword cut deeply into Sorin’s middle, and before he could even pull the blade free, Sorin had crumpled, sword clattering to the ground as he held his stomach. “What the hell was that?” Beau asked, plainly stunned.
“You’re right,” Sorin murmured, on his knees, looking up at Beau. “I’ve killed a lot of innocent people. I don’t deserve life.” He managed a faint, bloodless smile. “I shouldn’t have made you do this, Beau.”
Beau backed away, sword lowered, face almost as pale as Sorin knew his had to be. “Jez and Jay told me what you did for David Harper. For Jez.” He hesitated. “No matter how despicable you are, I will never forget that.”
Sorin nodded. “It was the least I could do,” he said, voice surprisingly steady in his ears. “Please, just finish it.”
Beau shook his head. “I can’t. I won’t strike down a defenseless man. Especially not one who Jez might well owe her life to.”
He gritted his teeth, reaching out with his free hand and grasping his sword as he forced himself to his feet. “There. I’m not defenseless.”
“Save your strength, Sorin,” Beau said somberly.
Sorin let out a laugh. “What for, Beau? If you don’t kill me, the first of your men to come upon me will.”
Beau wiped his blade on his pants and then looked back at Sorin. “Get out of here.”
“So I can bleed to death in some alley?”
“If that’s your fate, then that’s your fate, but I refuse to kill you. You must have something to live for.”
Sorin froze, one hand still pressed against his most likely fatal stomach wound, especially if it weren’t treated soon - he knew that just by feel. Yes, he had something to live for. Something more important than anything else in the world.
His son.
“Pwomise c’me b’ck.”
“I promise.”
Story: Nothing is Ever Easy (NIEE) universe, during NIEE
Challenge: Cayenne 2 (a duel), Mocha 15 (save your strength), Chocolate Chip Mint 30 (innocent)
Toppings: Hot Fudge (Sorin)
Word Count: 814
Rating: PG (it’s a duel, so some violence but nothing graphic)
Summary: It comes down to Sorin vs. Beau. By the time Beau realizes what Sorin’s planning, it’s too late. Or is it?
Notes: This is a ‘deleted’ scene from NIEE, towards the end. No one, other than Beau and Sorin, knows how this goes down for a long time.
Sorin knew something that Beau didn’t. He knew that the Freedom Fighters were going to win. Although he was sure Beau suspected it, he also knew that the young man would take this fight very seriously. Sorin was the enemy after all.
“Well,” Sorin drawled, knowing what he had to do, “seems it’s just us, Prince Beau Highcastle.”
Beau pursed his lips as if he wasn’t pleased with the reminder that he was royalty. “Seems so,” he said flatly, raising his sword. “Why don’t we skip the pleasantries?”
“Fine with me,” Sorin said and Beau approached cautiously and Sorin knew word of his skill with a blade had gotten out - not that he used it often. He much preferred files and pages and paper.
At first and for a while, until they are both covered in sweat and panting, the battle was silent except for the clash of blade on blade, neither speaking and the noise of the outside battle seeming to fade away with Sorin’s concentration on the battle. He had to make it look good. When Beau’s blade passed by Sorin’s defenses the first time, cutting him deeply in the left arm, Beau jerked back as if surprised, eyes meeting Sorin’s. “You’ve killed a lot of innocent people,” he snarled, to cover his surprise as he backed off and set his stance, as much for his own good as to apparently give Sorin time to recover.
Sorin ignored the pain radiating from his arm, raising his sword again. “I know. I also know that you, your brother and your friends will take good care of Tira after we’re gone.”
Beau had just darted in to slash at him again and when Sorin pushed his blade wide, the two paused, just staring at each other. “What are you doing?” Beau asked.
“Just trying to distract you,” Sorin said calmly, taking a swing at him.
“You’ve created a lot of harm for a lot of people.”
“You're sounding repetitive, Beau,” Sorin said, smirking.
Beau took another swing at him, managing to keep, Sorin noticed, his temper in check - his skill with a sword unmistakable as the two continued at it. “You’re all monsters. You, Anica, Vladimir.”
“Leave Ani out of this!” Sorin snapped, pressing the attack before forcing himself to remember that was not the point. Ani was safe, his son was safe, and the Freedom Fighters would never touch them - the king, Beau’s older brother, Ren, would ensure that.
Beau staggered back but quickly recovered, holding his ground. “Why should I? She was just as involved in all of this as the rest of you.”
“Ani was only here because she was our sister. Please, Beau, you have to leave her alone,” Sorin said, stepping away from him. In that instant, Beau had lunged forward, but he now tried to stop his momentum, seeing that Sorin had lowered his sword. Sorin knew Beau was too honorable to take advantage of this flaw, but he also knew that Beau had too much forward momentum.
Beau’s sword cut deeply into Sorin’s middle, and before he could even pull the blade free, Sorin had crumpled, sword clattering to the ground as he held his stomach. “What the hell was that?” Beau asked, plainly stunned.
“You’re right,” Sorin murmured, on his knees, looking up at Beau. “I’ve killed a lot of innocent people. I don’t deserve life.” He managed a faint, bloodless smile. “I shouldn’t have made you do this, Beau.”
Beau backed away, sword lowered, face almost as pale as Sorin knew his had to be. “Jez and Jay told me what you did for David Harper. For Jez.” He hesitated. “No matter how despicable you are, I will never forget that.”
Sorin nodded. “It was the least I could do,” he said, voice surprisingly steady in his ears. “Please, just finish it.”
Beau shook his head. “I can’t. I won’t strike down a defenseless man. Especially not one who Jez might well owe her life to.”
He gritted his teeth, reaching out with his free hand and grasping his sword as he forced himself to his feet. “There. I’m not defenseless.”
“Save your strength, Sorin,” Beau said somberly.
Sorin let out a laugh. “What for, Beau? If you don’t kill me, the first of your men to come upon me will.”
Beau wiped his blade on his pants and then looked back at Sorin. “Get out of here.”
“So I can bleed to death in some alley?”
“If that’s your fate, then that’s your fate, but I refuse to kill you. You must have something to live for.”
Sorin froze, one hand still pressed against his most likely fatal stomach wound, especially if it weren’t treated soon - he knew that just by feel. Yes, he had something to live for. Something more important than anything else in the world.
His son.
“Pwomise c’me b’ck.”
“I promise.”