The Scelus Cadi army was practically decimated. They were too busy fighting for their lives to worry about her. If she could make it into the middle of the fighting she could duck into one of the burrows.
Kagan quo Rordan
Kagan listened from inside the cavern his men had dug into the ground waiting for the enemy. A leather flap and grass covered the top, making it impossible to see till one was on top of the pit. Outside the sound of the enemy rampaging out of the forest like a horde of metcors were on their tails was music to his ears. Things couldn't have been going any better till Kagan looked down at the message flashing on his comm from Dagaa.
"Phase 1 and 2 success, but Giselle captured in forest by Vigdis."
Kagan repressed a snarl. How the hell? What was she doing in the forest?
As the sound of the enemy approached Kagan was the first out of the burrow sending the signal for his men to emerge in mass. Rage overcame him as he fought through the Scelus warriors in red. Their numbers had been seriously cut down in the woods and now the enemy was erratic. It took little effort to take down the enemy who were still shocked by an entire army emerging from underground.
Kagan spared a glance to the edge of the field and saw Giselle running into the mob. As she neared the first group of combatants Vigdis snagged her hair and tugged her violently back.
Kagan swung his sword and took down his opponent with a growl. He worked his way towards his little bonded. The Scelus warriors were falling all around him or fleeing. Kagan glanced back towards where Vigdis gripped his little mate.
Giselle twirled and struck out with the knife she held. Her blade sliced across Vigdis' outer thigh making him release her hair. Giselle squatted low staring the cruel leader down. She was a ferocious little thing but she wouldn't be able to hold Vigdis off forever.
Kagan ran faster towards them striking down a warrior with swift and deadly accuracy as the foolish male dared to counter him. He held his breath as Vigdis moved to grab Giselle, then sighed in relief when she flipped the bastard on his ass.
Vigdis was up fast though and knocked Giselle to the ground with a well placed swipe of his leg. She wasn't able to back up fast enough not with Madhava closing in. Instead his little mate kicked out at her attacker. Her foot landed between Vigdis' legs. The male's knees buckled, but he lunged forward more enraged by the blow than injured.
Kagan roared as Vigdis gripped Giselle by the neck, yanked the knife out of her struggling grasp and pressed it between her breasts.
Kagan watched in horror. Time stood still though his legs still carried him toward the female he loved. Her bright blue eyes found him across the field. The look of frustration and fear dropped from her face as she gazed at him, love and sorrow taking its place. Kagan couldn't get there fast enough to stop this. This couldn't be happening.
"NO!" Kagan bellowed.
Vigdis looked up at Kagan a cruel sneer on his face as his grip tightened on the knife. But suddenly Vigdis' expression changed to one of shock. The knife fell from Vigdis' hand as the male staggered. Giselle twisted from Vigdis' grip and ran towards Kagan. That was when Kagan saw Madhava pull a long crimson blade from Vigdis' back. Madhava brought the blade up in an arc and swung it down severing Vigdis' head from his body before the bastard even hit the ground.
Giselle was at his side in an instant and Kagan paused to look her over. Besides the abrasion on her pale thigh and the dirt on her chin she was unscathed. Kagan pulled her in close holding her where he could protect her as he approached Madhava. The warrior's mutiny was mind boggling.
Kagan then realized the sound of fighting all around had ceased entirely. The part of the Scelus Cadi enemy that remained standing had surrendered. Seeing their Daimio taken down by his own commander had been the final straw that broke them. Kagan's warriors were holding their adversaries at blade point waiting for Kagan to make a decree. But Kagan wanted to know what Madhava was up to. What happened here was staggering and unprecedented.
Kagan approached the warrior cautiously. Madhava held his ground, bravely holding his blade aloft, staring back at Kagan. Then the warrior glanced down at Giselle with a look of admiration.
"Why?" Kagan said maintaining a comfortable distance since Giselle was at his side.
Madhava glanced across the field at the funeral pyre.
"There are some things I couldn't let continue." Madhava replied as he shook his head. "He slaughtered women and children and then led his own men to be slaughtered." The male admitted more to Giselle than to Kagan. "It would've been a shame to lose such an unusual little female."
Kagan nodded as he held Giselle. It was shocking to see the male he'd battled on more than one occasion so openly show disgust for Vigdis' actions. Yet again Giselle was right. Vigdis' own men didn't like him and were just waiting for a chance to overthrow the tyrant.