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A Storm of Sunflowers	By : FlayraDowitcher Category: +G to L > Hetalia: Axis Powers Views: 4890 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia or any of the characters. This story is strictly for fun and for the enjoyment of fans.

Chapter List
- 24
- 25
- 26
***Thanks for all the reviews everyone! Whew! I finished this chapter faster than I thought I would! I hope you all enjoy it! I went a bit soft on these battle scenes but like I said they can be difficult to write so I gave it my best! Please, be gentle. <3

***Warnings: Bad language, slight war gore, uncomfortable/disturbing scenes, slight yaoi.

***Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia.

Chapter 25

The city’s main entrance was already closed and locked up by the time Ivan had arrived there. The drawbridge was up with the iron gate behind it. Ivan rode his horse up along the wall, studying and observing all the weapons and supplies they had to work with. Guards and soldiers were already up on the wall, pacing back and forth and up and down to keep watch for any movement of any kind. The ground army was already sent out with Gilbert being one of the leaders. Ivan had chosen Gilbert to go with the ground soldiers because he was more rash and berserk when it came to fighting man to man. Ludwig was just as dangerous and strong as Gilbert was but he was more level headed and intelligent. The blonde man would be better off here, organizing the soldiers and shouting out orders. From what the soldiers had told him there has been no sound of battle from the ground army, which means that neither side has attacked yet. Ivan found that to be a little strange so he decided to ride back along the wall in search of Ludwig to get his opinion.

“Ludwig!” Ivan called to the man who was shouting orders at some soldiers who were clearly struggling to do as they were told. Ludwig stopped in his abuse and jumped from one of the many scaffolds along the wall.

“Yes sir?”

“I’ve been told that no sounds of battles have echoed through the air. Do you suppose they could be coming at us from another side?”

“The king has guards and soldiers posted and patrolling all along the circumference of the wall.

Someone would have seen some kind of movement by now. If they do attack from the back or the sides the torches will alert us. But chances are they will come straight to the front wall to storm the city because it faces the ocean.”

“But it is logical.” Ivan smiled and Ludwig nodded.

“Yes, it is.”

“Well, should they attack from another side I will go to there but I would want you to keep your post here and protect the gate.”

“Yes sir.”

“GENERAL! GENERAL LUDWIG!” A soldier came hurrying down the narrow stone steps to kneel before them.

“What is it? Speak up!” Ludwig said firmly and the soldier stood back up.

“There is a storm brewing from the ocean! We can see the dark clouds starting to form!” Ludwig hissed and looked at Ivan who wore a frown.

“Just our luck.” Ludwig said.

“But this may work for us or against us.” Ivan pointed out, sliding off of his horse. “The storm will help sink the ships if it is strong enough and any warriors that may be on them. However, ground battle and sight will be almost useless. Should they attack before the storm hits we will use as much of our firepower as possible. We should save the hot oil and rocks for when it starts to rain.” The soldier bowed.

“Yes sir!”

“How far away is it?” Ludwig asked.

“About a day, sir. It should be here by early tomorrow morning.”

“Alright. Keep close watch then. Ludwig and I have some battle planning to do.”

Meanwhile, the ground army were preparing themselves for the upcoming battle. The army was lined up in rows among all the trees as they waited for the invaders. Gilbert was one of the generals at the front line sitting proudly upon his horse. He kept grinning from ear to ear at the promise of a new type of enemy he had yet to fight. While it frightened some others Gilbert looked at it as a challenge and was prepared to meet the invading force head on.

His grin soon drooped slowly into a frown as he heard the boisterous sounds of howls and vicious barks. Soon after followed the shouts of warriors and some blasting sound of war horns. Gilbert immediately pulled out his sword and hundreds of other soldiers followed suit. The barks were becoming louder and Gilbert had ruled out that they weren’t wolves but must be dogs. The idea of it made him smirk and he was just about to start laughing when the massive amount of gigantic dogs came barreling through the trees.

“WHAT THE FUCK?!”

Gilbert shouted as invaders were followed the dogs. They were wielding swords and other various weapons. The king’s army was unprepared for the large war dogs as the beasts ran at them with spiked collars and jaws dripping with froth. With the attack of the dogs the soldiers weren’t able to focus on the warriors, which worked to the enemy’s advantage. Gilbert kicked his horse into a run and with a battle cry rode right into the mass of barbarians. He brought his sword down upon them as he rode through, slicing through shoulders and throats. He was unprepared for one of the large attack dogs run under his horse and use its spiked collar to tear open its belly. The horse let out an ear-piercing neigh as it collapsed to the ground, almost crushing Gilbert with it. Luckily, Gilbert was able to jump off the horse just in time and roll away from its corpse. His luck was short lived because the next thing he knew the same dog was coming back for him, the spikes stained with blood. Gilbert immediately leapt up and swung his sword in time to slice open the dog’s neck and mouth. He turned around to clash swords with a barbarian but he made quick work of the man, killing him with one swing.

One by one the barbarians came at him and he effectively killed them all. His men on the other hand were dying quickly due to torn throats and battle maces. Gilbert could see some of the large attack dogs ripping and tearing at soldiers as they screamed in agony. Gilbert quickly did away with a barbarian coming at him but missed the dog’s powerful jaws clamping down on his forearm. Gilbert cried out in pain as the dog yanked him to the ground and proceeded to tear his arm to pieces. In short time, Gilbert’s sword found it’s underbelly and he shoved the sword and through the dog. The dog whined loudly and fell to the ground, releasing his bleeding arm. Gilbert had to quickly rip at the bottom of his under tunic and wrap it around his bleeding arm while all the time watching out for any more invaders. It was his left arm, which he never used so he still had the upper hand in this fight.

The battle continued on but there was no end to the dogs coming at him wildly and a few times between swings he was either clawed or bit all over. Never in his life did he ever think he would be massacring dogs in large numbers like this. It wasn’t until the invaders broke through his army and continued their way to the palace. The war horns were sounded and the dogs took it as their cue to run after their masters, barking wildly behind. Gilbert was bleeding nearly from head to foot from all the dog bites but that didn’t stop him from looking around at the carnage before him. Dozens of his men lay moaning in pain or dying slowly. Only a small amount had survived and they were not enough to stop the enemy from continuing to the palace walls.

“Damn…wh-who the hell thought…dogs of…of all things…what’s next? Attack cats?” He hissed out and stumbled to the ground, limp with exhaustion and blood loss.

As of now, it was every surviving man for himself and Gilbert had to bandage up these wounds before he bled to death or they become infected. First thing he had to do was stand back up and make his way over to some of the fallen bodies of his soldiers. Painfully, he used a dagger from his boot to cut strips of cloth from their tunics to use as bandages. It took him quite awhile to properly wrap and tie the makeshift bandages, relying heavily on his good hand and his teeth. When he was finally finished he drug his body over to a tree to rest his back against it, letting out a heavy sigh. There was no way he could get back to the palace walls at this point in time. Horses lie dead all around him and his legs were aching terribly from the bites. The sounds of buzzing flies have already filled the air, feasting on the dead corpses. He had to bat one away from his face and he let out a curse.

“Well shit…I’m in quite a pickle right now. This…wasn’t a battle…it was…was a m-massacre.” He said to himself and let his head hit the back of the tree. He decided he would rest for a while and then he would attempt to make it to the palace walls. It would take some careful thinking and a clever disguise to get through the battle that was assured to happen shortly. Gilbert had just closed his eyes to try and relax when he heard the soft sound of building thunder in the distance. “Sure. Why not, right?” He laughed to himself.

Back at the wall, a bard had decided to try and lighten up the mood with some delightful music and singing for the soldiers. The sound was faint inside their tent but it was getting to the point of aggravation for Ludwig. Ivan didn’t seem to mind it as he continued to scan over the blueprints of the wall and the surrounding outside area. Joining them was Lord Owen and Lord Haywood, who’s generals were posted at the east and west walls. If the invaders did attack the front wall Ivan had their archers ready to attack first. With the shower of arrows it would disassemble the front line and make it harder for the warriors to run over the mass of bodies. Arrows would be their biggest advantage since Toris had told him that these barbarians wore no armor and if they did it would be very minimal.

“Do you think the arrows will be enough to send them retreating?” Lord Owen asked Ivan.

“I believe it will, yes. You see, I have a strong feeling that this attack will only be a small one, a ‘practice’ battle if you will.” He smiled. “This army ahead of us are just the pawns who are sniffing everything out and the BIG battle will happen at another time. And by some chance if it isn’t, then we will revert to the catapults. If that fails then we just have to start using some brute force to knock them from the wall.”

“I wish that stupid bard would shut the hell up!” Ludwig hissed through his teeth. “This is war not a stage show!”

“I think it’s very uplifting.” Ivan said with a smile, resting his chin in his palm as he twirled a tiny battle statue. “Has their been any word from Toris yet? Any falcons show up?”

“None as of yet.” Said Lord Haywood.

“What are you waiting for?” Ludwig asked Ivan with his still twitching at the sound of the music.

“Toris is busying himself with studying up on these barbarians. I’m hoping his findings will help give us some insight on what we are up against.”

“MY LORDS! PERMISSION TO ENTER!” Came a voice from behind the tent flap and Ludwig lifted it to the side to reveal one of the soldiers. “There are horns being sounding nearby! We can hear faint shouting and we are most certain it is the invaders!”

“Coming from which direction?” Ludwig demanded.

“Front, sir!”

“Everyone, to your positions!” Ivan ordered and then smiled happily at Ludwig, folding his arms behind his back and rocking on his heels. “See? I told you this is a practice attack! Any smart army would try to attack all sides of the wall, not just one.”

“But this means that they broke through Gilbert’s defenses!” Ludwig pointed out. “They can’t just be pushovers if they were able to break through him!” Ivan looked at him seriously then.

“Keep that blonde head of yours focused on what is to come at this moment. Don’t go fretting over what could have possibly happened to your brother for it will cloud your judgment and distract you. There’s nothing you can do about it right now anyway.” Ludwig knew that Ivan was right so he picked up his sword and left the tent to take his place at command.

Ivan followed after Ludwig and took his time climbing the narrow steps to the top of the wall. Ludwig was already shouting for the archers to take their place, bows and arrows in hand. Ivan wanted to get a better look at what was going to come through those trees so he climbed the steps that lead to one of the watchtowers. He could indeed hear the sounds of horns and men but the barking of dogs surprised him the most.

Then out of the trees came a swarm of barbarians matching his rose’s descriptions. There were no horses in sight but tons of dogs mixed in with the warriors. One of the invaders blew on the animal horn again in a strange set of tunes that called all the dogs back yet the barbarians continued forward. Ivan couldn’t think on it now so he raised his arm to signal Ludwig to ready the archers. Ludwig shouted the orders to cock the arrows and arch the bows, which the soldiers did in near perfect sync. When the barbarians appeared close enough, Ivan sharply lowered his arm and Ludwig gave the command to fire.

The arrows soared and whistled through the air as they came down like a dark rain upon the barbarians. The arrows had struck many of them down but more were storming their way to the wall. Ivan gave the signal for the next round of arrows and Ludwig repeated the same order. The second rain of arrows sang through the air again and struck down even more warriors than the first. However, their rain of arrows had to cease as still many invaders fearlessly continued forward until they reached the base of the wall.

Ivan hurried down from his place atop the watchtower to join the soldiers at the wall where rope hooks were starting to fly their way up to the stones and lock on. The archers had a difficult time shooting their arrows downwards at the barbarians climbing up with rapid speed. Ivan got his mace and axe ready and shouted for the swordsmen to ready their blades. The barbarians were easily scaling the wall and it would take all their physical manpower to hold them back now.

Ivan had no trouble with the first warrior who neared the top by him, his mace slamming down onto his head and making him fall. The body knocked down two more who were climbing up but more were following. Ivan quickly slammed his axe down and sliced the rope so it would fall. Many of the other soldiers were doing the same but the hooks were flying faster than they could be cut. While some soldiers were cutting the ropes others were swinging their swords at the warriors to keep them from storming over the wall.

Ivan brought his axe down on any hands that gripped the tops of the stones to make the bodies fall. His axe would meet with fingers and wrists, as his mace would crack against skulls. He grinned madly as he continued with his assault, doing more than most of the soldiers themselves were doing. Ludwig was still shouting out orders and moving the troops to the spots where the storming was strongest. A handful of invaders managed to finally flip over the edge and onto the walkway to clash weapons with the soldiers. The barbarians were overpowering the soldiers with speed and strength making some loose their lives, flying over the edge. That’s when Ivan had to intervene.

Any barbarian he saw he took head on, blocking their blows with his mace or axe. He made sure his weapons connected with head or face of any that came his way. Not one of them could touch him and he laughed breathlessly as he took turns smashing them one by one. Ivan was keeping count of how many he had tossed off of the wall with cracked jaws and gushing abrasions. He had about twenty so far and there were more to come he knew. This was no longer a battle for him but a heavy round of much needed massacring.

Alfred watched from the balcony as he had heard the news of the storming of the wall. He was too far away to hear or see much of anything other than tiny ant size figures running around. He could see the storm forming in the horizon and he hoped that the fight would be over by the time it arrived. He was all alone in his room except for Feliks and Matthew. After hearing about the attack on the wall, Tino had gone into a fit of panic and Berwald had taken him from the room to go see Arthur. Yao was so distraught over Ivan’s departure that he had Kiku make him some poppy tea so he could sleep his stress and anxiety away. Alfred planned on doing the same once he had his bath, which his brother was preparing for him. He needed to keep his brother busy or else he may break down and cry thinking about Gilbert out there on the battlefield. Feliks wasn’t doing much to help them out other than working on some embroidery pattern needlepoint. Alfred knew something had happened between he and Toris but Feliks was reluctant to talk about it. Alfred was hoping on having Feliks’ upbeat personality and humorous sarcasm to lighten up the mood but all around them there was only despair.

“Alfie, your bath is ready. I have the water nice and hot just like you asked.” Matthew smiled softly at him and Alfred turned from the balcony, closing and locking the doors.

“Thank you, Mattie…I sure as hell could use one. Is there still some wine left?”

“Yes, I already have it in there and poured for you. I also have your towels folded just right and I poured in some lilac oil instead of rose oil. And while you are bathing I’ll have Kiku make you some of that poppy tea, okay?”

“You know, on second thought, forget about the poppy tea for me.”

“Why brother?”

“I don’t know…I just rather have my wits about me.” He still had that feeling of being watched but it was overpowered by the uncertainties of what is going on at that wall and what Ivan is doing.

“Well, okay but…is there anything else I can do for you?” Alfred shook his head.

“No, I have all that I need. Hey Feliks, why don’t you put that needlework down and play cards or something?”

“I don’t feel like it.” Feliks replied with a lazy pout and he pulled his needle through. “I’d rather just, like, do this.” Alfred rolled his eyes and then looked at Matthew who’s eyes were trembling with unshed tears. He knew his little brother was worried for Gilbert and he wrapped his arm around his shoulders.

“Don’t worry, little bro. Our lovers will come back, you’ll see.” Alfred tried to give him one of his best smiles but even he had a hard time making it look reassuring. Matthew closed his eyes and wrapped his arm around Alfred’s waist.

“Thanks for trying to make me feel better…but you’re just as scared as I am.”

“I’m not scared!” Matthew chuckled.

“Yes you are and that’s okay! I’m scared too, brother! But at least we are together and that counts for something.” They turned so their foreheads rest against the others’.

“You’re right, Mattie. I’m glad you’re here with me…but it’s a shame that Arthur can’t be here with us…he always knew how to calm us in our time of fear.” Matthew nodded sadly and Alfred pat his shoulder then. “Hey, while I’m getting a bath, why don’t you take a little trip to Francis’ room and see Arthur? Feliks is here with me so I’m not alone.” Matthew looked at him worriedly.

“But brother…that’s not fair to you…that I can be held and comforted by Arthur and you can’t.”

“Look, I don’t want to talk about ‘that’. Just go. There is no use in both of us shaking like leaves in a windstorm. Go to him and bring back whatever he tells you to me…so it will be almost indirect.” Matthew couldn’t pass up the option to see Arthur because he really needed his emotional strength to help him through this crisis.

“Alright Alfie…I’ll go. I promise to be back soon! I’m so sorry you can’t come with me!”

“I could but I don’t want to risk it…” Alfred smiled. “Go ahead, I’ll relax in my bath have a glass of wine or two. Best way to relax!”

“Just don’t drink too much, okay?” Matthew pleaded with him and Alfred just chuckled softly.

“Of course. Run along now.” Matthew hurried out the door and closed it behind him. Alfred sighed and turned to the somber Feliks. “Feeling any better?”

“No.” Was Feliks bland reply and he didn’t even look up from his needlepoint as he said it.

“You’d probably feel a lot better if you talked about it.”

“Well, I don’t want to.”

Alfred just gave a heavy sigh and went into the bathroom where his fragranced bath water was waiting. He stripped himself of his shirt and robe and carefully got into the hot water, sinking down until it covered his nose. He had forgotten to remove his glasses so he placed them on the side of the tub where they wouldn’t get wet. He closed his eyes and remained there for a short while before coming back up for some air. He opened the large window so he could continue to gaze out at the wall where a battle was taking place. Alfred sighed and took the goblet of wine from its tray and sipped. The wine was dry this time and he decided that he preferred sweet wines more.

As he continued to look out at the wall he couldn’t help feeling anxious and useless. Sure, he had never actually been in a battle or swung a real sword but he wasn’t a dummy when it came too basic fighting. He would beat up the boys who picked on Matthew without any trouble and he’s even gotten into a few scuffles at the market. Alfred could be at the wall right now, dropping rocks onto the invaders or whatever else it is they are doing out there. All he wanted to do was help from the very beginning and become a hero. That’s how everything started, he just wanted to help make things right. Being here right now in this hot bath sipping wine was nice but he wasn’t doing anything constructive. If this was going to be his ‘life’ as a noblemen then he would have to speak to Ivan about more exciting things he could do.

What was really bothering him was the fact that he had no clue what was going on. His curiosity was getting the best of him but he had to keep himself in check and remain where he was. To often had he disobeyed one’s rules and let his curiosity outweigh the outcomes. Sniffer and Rammy were the perfect example and if he had only listened to Arthur then he wouldn’t have those horrible memories in his head. Just like Arthur had tried to do what Ivan is doing now, keeping him out of harms way to ensure his safety. They had good reasons to do so but that didn’t mean it made Alfred any less curious.

“I just want to help.” He said softly and sipped more of the wine before placing it back on the tray.

He sunk back into the water and took one of Matthew’s rolled up towels to put under his neck so it wasn’t pressed against the cold marble. Closing his eyes, he let his mind wander to the wall where he pictured Ivan bravely fighting off the barbarians. Ivan would knock them away with one swing of his mace or by just using his bare hands. Alfred was familiar with the brutality those hands were capable of but when they were on somebody else, especially an enemy, it filled him with something other than fear.

He moaned softly and let his hand rest on his lower belly where that familiar tingle was turning him on. His hand wrapped around his growing erection and he started a series of slow strokes as he went back to his envisioning. Ivan, his husband, was slowly reeking havoc among the warriors, killing them off as they ran at him. He would grab their necks and toss them off the wall or press his sword up into their bellies. However, Alfred was just envisioning himself watching Ivan but he was actually aiding him in his fight. Alfred was dressed in shining silver armor as he made quick work of the enemy, slashing them open easily as if he were batting away pesky flies. The two of them were working together as a team and once all the barbarians were out of the way they were free to focus on each other.

Alfred’s armor clad dream self pressed against Ivan’s as they crushed their lips together. His strokes grew faster as he imagined Ivan tearing off his silver armor so his lips could caress his skin. Everything in dreams moves faster and soon Alfred was under Ivan’s still clothed body, his husband guiding himself into his body. Ivan’s blood caked hands found his and threaded their fingers together as he began thrusting in and out. The pleasure of the thrusting felt so real to him that it wasn’t long before he was arching his back in the water as he came. He opened his eyes and stared up at the ceiling as he panted, riding the last waves of orgasm before sitting up in the tub. He definitely could not stay in this water now with bits of his essence floating on the surface so he held onto the sides and stood up. He carefully stepped down the tub steps and wrapped the towel around his body, drying himself off.

Once he was completely dry he went to one of the decorative chairs and grabbed his glasses, nightshirt, and red robe, throwing them on. He tied the robe around his waist and then went over to the small vanity where various hair brushes, hand mirrors, and lotions were perfectly placed. He took the brush and gave a few quick strokes of his hair before picking up a lotion container. He gave it a quick sniff and it was something he was unfamiliar with. The scent was pleasant enough so he took a quick look at the label. It read ‘coconut’ but Alfred couldn’t properly make out the word. Instead, he started applying it to his body but froze when he saw something behind him in the mirror at the window. He whipped his head around to look at the open window but nothing was there. Maybe it was just a bird that flew by or the wind blowing around some leaves. Whatever it was it gave him a very eerie feeling, enough where he decided that closing the window would be best.

He stood up from the vanity stool and made his way over to the window. Carefully, he lifted himself onto the flat part of the marble tub so he would not have to step into the water again. But like a flash of lightening, a black clothed man wearing an executioner-like mask appeared in front of him and backhanded him with such force it knocked him onto the floor. Alfred was completely stunned and before he could even react the stranger was flipping him over onto his stomach. The man grabbed his wrists and yanked them back roughly as he quickly tied them together. The rope was already cutting into his skin and when he actually managed to find his voice, one of the hand towels was forced into his mouth. Alfred began to struggle in the man’s grasp as his wits came back to him. As the man started to lift him back over to the window, Alfred managed to kick the decorative table holding a potted plant as it smashed to the floor. He heard the man hiss and whisper a curse as he nearly slipped on the wet marble surface getting back to the window. Alfred saw the man toss a tied piece of scroll paper to the bathroom floor, most likely a ransom note. That’s when the door flew open to reveal Feliks, having come running when he heard the crash.

“ALFRED!” Feliks shouted but the man was already out the window and beginning his decent down the rope.

Alfred struggled to look back up at the window and saw Feliks there, shouting his name and screaming for help. The man held him in a bruising grip as he was thrown long ways on his stomach across a horse’s saddle. The man leapt on behind and kicked his horse into a fast run, galloping away before any guards could mount their horses and chase after him. The man knew soldiers would already be after him but he had a head start and knew just how to loose them. Alfred kicked and squirmed on the horse, trying to make himself fall from the horse.

“Stop squirming!” The man’s voice hissed at him and the next thing Alfred knew the man’s elbow jabbed him in the back of his head and stunned him. Pain traveled down his body and his vision even blurred for a short time. “Remain still or you’ll get to meet my elbow for a second time!” He threatened and Alfred knew it would be pointless right now to attempt escape again. Even if he did fall from the horse, he would probably hurt himself and could never get far enough away in time. The man would only catch him again and he’d be right back where he started. “Here, this will shut you up.” Alfred’s eyes widened when he felt something prick him in the neck and something warm travel through his bloodstream. He felt his body growing limp and the last thing he saw was the cobble stone street below him before everything went black.

At the palace, Feliks was running the halls, shouting for anyone in particular but hoping to find Toris. Alfred was just kidnapped right before his eyes and he couldn’t be certain that any of the guards knew or heard him. He was attracting attention from everyone but some of the nobles he passed seemed to ignore him. All of his shouting for Toris finally reached the man’s ears and he came running out of his small office to see Feliks rushing down the halls.

“Feliks?”

“Toris!” Feliks ran to him and fisted his hands in Toris’ shirt. “Toris, Alfred’s been kidnapped!” Toris’ eyes widened.

“W-what? Are you serious?!”

“Yes! Yes it was a man all dressed in black wearing a mask and he carried him out through the window! There was nothing I could do! I was like, shouting and shouting but no one heard me!”

“Alright…alright calm down.” Toris wrapped his arm around him and held the shorter man to his chest to calm him. “Listen, go to the guards and tell them what’s happened. We are very short handed here because of the battle at the wall. But go and let them know, tell them I command them to go out after Alfred. And let the king know as well. I will go up to his room and see if anything was left.”

“Okay!”

Feliks let go of him and ran off to do as he was told and Toris made his way up to Alfred’s bedroom. The whole time he was making his way there the fear of telling Ivan what happened was threatening him to commit suicide. Killing himself would be much easier than letting Ivan know that the enemy, which it had to be, had just kidnapped his favorite wife. Why did these things happen? And more importantly, why did they always seem to happen to HIM? If he weren’t so afraid of Ivan he would have resigned as his advisor ages ago but now he was stuck here. The only thing he had to look forward to know was pure hell.

“Toris!” Toris looked up as he saw Yao at his own bedroom door with Feliciano and Kiku beside him. “We heard Feliks screaming for help! What’s happened?”

“Alfred’s been kidnapped.” Toris said flatly. “Snatched right out of the window. I’m going in there now to see if anything was left. Remain in your rooms and for the love of all that is holy keep the windows closed!” Yao looked frightened but nodded, ushering the other two back in as he closed and locked the door. Toris went over to Alfred’s door and slowly peeked inside. He knew no one would be there but it never hurt to be overly cautious.

Toris walked into the room and made his way to the bathroom where the incident happened. As he entered the bathroom there was a clear sign of struggle, the broken plant and scattered towels being proof. Toris noticed the scroll on the floor and he bent down to pick it up. He untied the string and rolled it open, reading its contents.

‘We have your wife in our custody. Cease your attacks on our king and present yourself to our Hound Lord with your surrender. Your wife will be returned to you then.’

“ ‘Hound Lord’? That must be the leader of these barbarians. Damn it!” Toris hissed and almost tore the paper in half with his anger. “It doesn’t even say if he will be harmed or not! Gods above Ivan will be FURIOUS!” Toris knew that he had to send a messenger bird to Ivan quickly with this note. At least Toris would be far enough away from Ivan’s rage, if only for a short time. Ivan had left him in charge and in this short amount of time he had lost Alfred. He was doomed. “Damn it all! WHERE THE FUCK IS EVERYBODY! I CAN’T STAND THE INCOMPENTENCE!”

Toris knew that his overreacting was not like him but with the current situation at hand he could not be composed. Where was Berwald? Where was Matthew and Tino? Why the hell wasn’t Feliks in the bathroom with Alfred if everyone else had gone? Toris’ whole body began to tremble in anger and before he left the room, he took the open wine bottle with him.

Back at the wall, the battle was still raging on with Ivan’s men gaining the upper hand. Ivan knew it would not be long before the barbarians chose to retreat. Their army was small and with the large death toll of their warriors they would have to retreat and regroup back at their ships. He knew that this was not all of the barbarians and more were waiting at the shore. An invader came at him and he effortlessly sent his axe into the man’s neck, kicking him down onto their side of the wall. Ivan wanted some of the bodies on their side so he could examine them closely to see if he could pick up on anything about their culture or their battle strategies. All those tattoos that adorned their bodies had to be there for some specific reason. As he smashed his mace into another barbarians’ head he wondered why Toris has yet to send him any information on them. Ivan hoped that nothing was wrong at the palace as he sent another barbarian flying over the wall.

The sudden sound of the war horns again were different than the ones used to call back the dogs but Ivan knew it had to be one of retreat. Sure enough, the remaining warriors ceased their storming of the wall and proceeded to retreat back into the trees. Ludwig shouted for the archers to cock their bows again and send the arrows flying to strike any enemy that tried to escape. The archers’ arrows managed to get some more barbarians but a decent number of them escaped into the trees. The soldiers all began to cheer in victory at the defeat and Ivan just made his way back down the stone steps to regroup with Ludwig in the tent. Ludwig followed him immediately into the tent and Ivan was the first to speak.

“How many causalities?”

“Hardly any, sir.” Ludwig stated. “It’s too early to tell right now though.” Ivan nodded.

“Did you see all those dogs at the beginning of the battle?”

“I did. I found it very strange…all the dogs were large and had spiked collars.”

“I have heard of attack dogs like that before and I’m beginning to wonder if they weren’t the cause of the army breaking through Gilbert’s line.” Ludwig’s back straightened at the mention of Gilbert. Now that the battle was over (for now) he could go out and search for his brother. “I’m sure Gilbert would have been shocked at those large beasts charging at him and his men. With the distraction of the dogs the warriors could have easily overpowered his army.”

“Sir. Permission to leave the wall and seek out Gilbert’s army.”

“Hmm…seeing as now things have quieted down I give you permission to leave. However, I would wait a short bit to let the barbarians gain some distance ahead of you so you don’t get caught. They would charge a high price for your head.”

“I understand. I plan to return here with Gilbert the moment I find him so I can resume my post here as general.”

“For fuck’s sake, Ludwig. I hate it when you are so formal with me when no one else is with us.” Ludwig flushed a bit in embarrassment.

“W-Well…that’s just how I was trained.”

“Understood. Now go. I have some paperwork to write up and send back to the king. We can assume that our battle is far from over.” He smiled at Ludwig who gave a quick bow before leaving the tent.

Ludwig would have stayed and helped reassemble the men but he was not the only general there at the front wall. Right now he was determined to find Gilbert and find out how the invaders had gotten past his army. Ivan’s reasoning made sense but he had to see for himself. Ludwig demanded a horse and one was giving to him. Orders were given to lower the bridge and raise the gate so he could ride out into the open field. He could hear the bridge being closed up behind him as he made his way into the trees. Ludwig hoped to find Gilbert while the sun was still shedding light. It wouldn’t be long until the sun would set and darkness would strain his vision.

As he rode through the woods he couldn’t help but wonder if Gilbert was even alive. His brother was always hearty and difficult to keep down but if these monstrous dogs got to him then he may not have been so lucky. When he found the fallen army would he find Gilbert mauled to death? Would he even find him at all? What if the enemy captured him and brought him away with them to the ships? Ludwig growled and kicked his horse into a faster run. He just had to find out if Gilbert was alive or dead and every second counted. The sound of distance thunder made him swear under his breath. That would be the last thing he needed right now, the storm sneaking up on them much faster than previously predicted.

“Come on, Gilbert! Where the hell are you?”

Ludwig continued to ride strait until the smell of blood pinched at his nostrils. He knew he was getting closer to the battlefield and he kept on moving forward until the first group of fallen bodies came into view. Ludwig slowed the horse down to a walk so it wouldn’t trip over the bodies that littered the ground. He looked around at the state of the corpses and noticed they were all either struck down or bitten, or both. Ivan was right in assuming that the attack dogs had surprised Gilbert’s army and attacked them brutally. Even he himself would have been unprepared for such an attack like large dogs. There was not one soldier left alive but if they were they would have fled the scene by now. Ludwig had to focus on finding Gilbert’s body among the carnage and the more he rode on the more he got a sickening feeling his stomach. Ludwig wanted to call out his name but it was best not to attract any attention if he could help it. Just when he thought he was nearing the end of his search he saw a familiar patch of white hair beside a tree.

“Gilbert?” Ludwig quickly slid off his horse and stroked it’s neck to calm it into staying in place while he hurried over to the man he hoped was his brother. “GILBERT!” He said his name louder as the body against the tree was his brother. He was wrapped in cloth bandages that were soaked through with blood and most likely he had been mauled by dogs. “Gilbert! It’s me, Ludwig!” He bent down next to him to give him a gentle shake.

“Nnmmm…Ludwig?” Came Gilbert’s heavy groan as he lifted his head to look upon his brother. “Is it you?”

“Yes…yes it’s me. What in the hell happened here? What have you been doing this whole time?”

“Sitting here thinking about our place in the universe. What the fuck do you think I was doing!? I was laying here!” All right, that was a stupid question on Ludwig’s part but he was just relieved to see his brother was alive and well. “I couldn’t very well get up and fly back to the wall in my state! Let me just pull a broomstick out of my ass!” Ludwig ignored him and carefully lifted him to sling the wounded man over his shoulder.

“What happened to you?” Ludwig asked as he carried his brother over to the horse.

“We were attack by dogs the fucking size of Kiku! I’ve been mauled, bitten, clawed, scratched, and possibly humped!” Ludwig rolled his eyes as he helped settle Gilbert onto the saddle before climbing up behind.

“Are there any others around?”

“I doubt it. After I wrapped myself there were only so few still standing that I know they ran off. What else could they do? We were sitting ducks out here! I think I’m safe to say that Ivan and the king sent us out here as pawns!”

“They did what they needed to do, brother.” Ludwig told him as he kicked his horse into a walk. “We did not expect something like this to happen. We did, however, win the first battle at the wall.”

“Good, at least one of us came out a victor. But brother…as I was drifting in and out of conscience there was a moment where I think I saw the leader of the barbarians. He was atop one of the hills nearby and he had two large black dogs on either side of him. He wore a cape and some kind of fancy headdress. He wasn’t dressed like the others.” Ludwig didn’t know if he should believe Gilbert’s words as his brother may have been hallucinating but it would be unwise to assume differently with an enemy he barely knew.

“Yes, we can assume that he was the leader, or at least one of their generals. Or whatever type of leader they may have. It would be strange for the leader to leave the camp but then again we do not know how these people operate. But you really should stop talking now, brother, and rest up. We’ll fix your wounds when we get back but save your strength until then, okay?” He really just wanted Gilbert to shut his loud mouth before he drew any unwanted attention to them.

“Just tell me I’m making too much noise, Ludwig. I know you.” Ludwig sighed but continued on his way back to the palace wall. He knew that this was just the beginning of a whole stream of trouble.

In another part of the woods, the kidnapper had chosen to rest his horse for a bit while Alfred slowly started to come to. It took him a couple of minutes to regain his bearings but when he did it all came back to him. Without even thinking things through, Alfred rocked himself a few times and fell from the horse. He hit the ground with a loud thud but his hands were still tied behind his back and it made maneuvering extremely difficult. The kidnapper was on him in a second and he yanked the towel out of his mouth. Alfred sputtered and coughed as he took in large gulps of air but it was cut short by the man’s foot on his throat.

“And just where did you think you could run off to? You’re not too bright, are you?” he still had the mask on so Alfred couldn’t see his face to ever indentify him. Alfred choked heavily with the boot nearly crushing his windpipe and he was relieved when it was finally removed. He rolled over onto his side and spit up a bit on the ground in front of him.

“Damn bastard…let me go right now!” The man scoffed.

“Oh yeah, sure, I’ll just cut you loose right now.” He said in a mock tone. “Don’t keep showing your stupidity, slut. It’s revolting.” Alfred glared up at him and grit his teeth.

“I’m not stupid nor am I a slut! Just you wait until my husband gets his hands on you! He’ll tear you limb from limb!” And he probably would, too.

“Please. Once I deliver you to the Hound Lord I’m outta here! I would have done my job!”

“W-What ‘Hound Lord’? And what do you or he wish to gain by kidnapping me?”

“Like I would tell you. It’s not your business, little boy.”

“You just wanted to kidnap me so you wouldn’t have to face Ivan! Hiding behind someone like me is pretty pathetic, you know.”

“For a lowborn pup you have a sharp bite.” He chuckled. “Don’t continue to piss me off, little puppy, because I have the upper hand here. I could flip you over and fuck you raw right here if I wanted to. But I wouldn’t go anywhere NEAR something where that bastard Ivan’s been. It’s disgusting.” Alfred narrowed his eyes at him as the words stung in more ways than one but that didn’t mean he had to take it from this asshole.

“Eat shit and die you fuckrag!”

Alfred shouted and kicked the man’s feet out from under him. The man fell back onto the ground, letting out a hiss and curse. Alfred rolled onto his stomach and forced himself up, stumbling as he did. Once he got his footing he took off as fast as his legs could carry him. It was difficult to dart around the trees with his hands tied but he was managing well enough. Just as he thought he was getting away he tripped over a raised root and collapsed to the ground. The kidnapper was already on him by then and he gripped Alfred’s shoulders to hoist him up.

“You’ve got some balls on you, pup! I’ll give you that!” He drug him painfully back over to his horse where he tossed him onto the ground. “I’ve had just about enough of you.” Alfred managed to get to his knees and sneered at the man before him. “Aww, that’s cute. If you weren’t such a useless mistress I would be threatened by that look.” He moved closer to Alfred so he could tower above him in triumph. Alfred slowly scanned his eyes upwards to see the laughing brown eyes of his tormentor staring down at him. Alfred noticed how close the man’s crotch was to his face and Alfred flashed him a smirk.

“I have more to threaten you with!” Alfred said and without any warning he clamped his teeth onto the man’s balls and bit down hard. His kidnapper screamed out in immense pain as he was practically paralyzed by Alfred’s attack. Alfred refused to let go as the man tried desperately to back away. When that didn’t work the man quickly lifted his elbow and brought it down to collide with Alfred’s head. The first blow didn’t knock him away but the second one did and he fell back onto the ground. His head was screaming in pain and his eyes were blurred once again.

“YOU SLUT! I’LL KILL YOU!” The man cried out in pain and anger as he clutched at his wounded crotch. Alfred saw this as another opportunity to escape but the recent blows to his head prevented him from doing so. Alfred didn’t know how long they were laying there but he finally saw movement from his kidnapper out of the corner of his eye. “D-Damn you...I’d hate to have to use another…but considering your constant…attacks…I have to!”

Alfred heard him shuffling through his saddlebag and he tried to lift his head to see what he was getting. He watched as the man took out a small dart and Alfred knew that that was the prick he felt before he blacked out before. It was a drug of some kind and the man planned on giving it to him again. Alfred tried to slither away but the man grabbed his ankle and pulled him back. Alfred struggled again but the man held his face down in the sound ground as the prick of the dart was felt in his neck. The warmth filled him again and soon he was limp on the ground. This time the drug worked much faster and he felt himself slip into that black oblivion once again.

By the time Ludwig and Gilbert had gotten back to the wall the storm had starting rolling in with dangerous speed. The bridge was lowered and Ludwig rode them in, refusing to stop until he got to the medic’s stone hut. He had to wake Gilbert up to help him get off the horse and into the hut. The doctor was already working on another soldier but when he saw the two generals enter he had to stop in his current work. The doctor had to take care of the generals and lords first.

“General Ludwig, what seems to be the trouble?” He asked him as Ludwig helped his brother lay back on the examining table.

“My brother was attacked by war dogs. He torn up and bitten all over.”

“Just another battle story to tell in the tavern over a good round of ale!” Gilbert said proudly and pumped his fist in the air but hissed at the pain it caused.

“I wouldn’t move around so much.” The doctor said and proceeded to take off the makeshift bandages, starting with his arms. “Oh my…these will take some careful stitches…and judging by the blood soaking through all the others he will need to be stitched up in more than one place.” Ludwig nodded and looked down at his brother.

“I fear you are in for a long night of pain, brother.” Gilbert smirked at him.

“Ah, whatever. Pain reminds you that you are alive. Better get back to Ivan’s tent before the downpour starts. We’re in for a washout!”

“Yes. Good luck, brother. I will check on you when I can.” Ludwig said and carefully pats his brother’s shoulder before leaving the hut. He hurried across the way to Ivan’s tent just as the heavy raindrops were beginning to fall and plopping along the ground. He didn’t bother to announce his arrival but rather just slipped in through the flap. “Lord Ivan. I have returned with Gilbert! The war dogs had attacked him like you said. We know now that the dogs are their strongest weapon and-“ Ludwig paused in his speech as he noticed that Ivan had yet to put down the scroll he had been reading when he entered. The messenger falcon screeched loudly in the tent which led Ludwig to believe that word had come from the palace. “Sir?” He asked cautiously but Ivan still would not put down the scroll. He kept staring at it as if it possessed him. “Lord Ivan?” Ludwig asked again and this time Ivan answered him.

“They took my rose.”

“What?”

“They took my rose…my Alfred. Those barbaric bastards TOOK MY ALFRED!” A clash of thunder roared across the sky and shook the ground as Ivan shouted the last three words. The wind had started to pick up and blow ripple waves along the tent walls. “He’s been kidnapped!”

“Do we know by who? How could a barbarian have gotten into the city without us noticing?” The rain began to fall heavily on the roof and the thunder was building more and more as Ivan’s rage continued to climb.

“Alfred had told me had the feeling he was being watched for quite awhile. I’ll bet our kidnapper was right under our nose the whole time! Watching and waiting!” Another clash of thunder shook the ground and the tent was starting to loose it’s footing in the ground.

“Lord Ivan! We need to get to a better shelter! Lets go to the medic’s hut where Gilbert is! It’s stone built and we will be safer there!”

Ivan nodded angrily and shoved the two letters into his armor before leaving the tent with Ludwig. The ground was soggy with wet earth and they had slight difficulty lifting their feet as they ran. The rain beat heavily against them but it didn’t take long for them to arrive at the stone hut of the medic. The medic was surprised to see them both break in through his door but knew better than to question Lord Ivan. The medic was busy with stitching Gilbert who was twitching slightly in pain. When Gilbert saw them both enter, the first thing he noticed was Ivan’s grim and dangerous look. The man was completely soaked and his silver bangs nearly covered his eyes but he didn’t seem to notice or care. He had to ask.

“Alright…what’s happened?” he hissed as the needle pushed through his aching skin. Ivan wouldn’t answer him but instead went over to one of the chairs and sat down heavily upon it. He took out the scrolls and continued to read them. Gilbert looked over to Ludwig, hoping his brother could fill him in on what was happening.

“Ivan received a note that Alfred’s been kidnapped.”

“Kidnapped? By who?”

“We’re not sure. We know it’s the enemy and the kidnapper, we can assume, was with us the whole time at the palace. He was just waiting for the right time to snatch Alfred away.”

“What do they want with Alfred?” Gilbert hissed out and this time Ivan answered.

“They want me to cease in my attacks against their ‘king’ and surrender personally to their Hound Lord and Alfred will be returned to me.” He smirked evilly and crumpled up the first scroll. “Ha…ha ha ha…HA!” he laughed manically and the sound made everyone in the room experience a sudden tremor of fear. “I WILL NEVER SURRENDER TO THEM! THEY WILL SURRENDER TO ME!” He said loudly and took out both of his weapons. Ludwig gulped and put his hand on the hilt of his sword, unsure of what Ivan was planning to do. It wouldn’t be farfetched to assume the man could go ballistic. He’s done it before.

Instead, Ivan just walked out of the hut and into the thunderstorm, not caring about the raging winds, heavy rain, and crashing thunder. The constant flashing of lightning across the sky was the only form of light he had as he wandered around the camp aimlessly. He swung his weapons wildly around the open ground, watching as the lightning sparkled on the blades and sharp edges. Anyone who saw him knew that he had gone into one of his insane, black rages and it was best to stay away from him. However, while it may look like crazed nonsense to others, Ivan’s mind was actually preoccupied with thinking of a plan to get his beloved little rose back. He had already thought of one and he started to ramble it off in broken chunks.

“Mud…lots of mud!…Sun!…Sun will soon rise…! Bodies…bodies…bodies…creeping, creeping, creeping! HERE I COME!” He laughed loudly and continued his dancing in the storm. His plan was magnificent and he couldn’t wait to carry it out. He threw his arms out wide and looked up into the sky, blinking his eyes at the heavy raindrops that splattered against them. “LIKE I SAID, MY BELOVED LITTLE ROSE! I WILL TEAR THE SKY OPEN TO GET YOU BACK IF YOU WERE EVER TAKEN FROM ME!” The lightning cracked across the sky and struck at some supply barrels near the wall. The barrels went up in flames and the shouts of men could be heard over the echoing sound of thunderous rain. Ivan cared nothing for the fire that was building inside the wall. Let the rain take care of that for he had a BIGGER flame that needed to be put out.

He chuckled as he climbed the stone steps that led up to the wall’s walkways and looked out at the ocean. He could see the fleet of ships rising up and down with the waves and Ivan refused to leave this spot. The storm only seemed to reflect his rage and the thought of leaving it would be a disgrace unto himself. For the rest of the night he remained in that spot just staring out into the sea and thinking of his beloved Alfred and how he planned to get him back.

Ludwig remained in the hut as he let the others deal with the barrel fire. Right now he had to read the other scroll that Ivan had left before he decided to go berserk. Gilbert was still hissing in pain and complaining about the stitching of his wounds but Ludwig easily blocked him out as he sat down to read the print in front of him. It was from Toris as he recognized the signature at the bottom. The letter explained how Alfred was kidnapped but it also gave some insight on who the kidnapper could be. Toris believed that the barbarians hired him so they could use Alfred to their advantage and keep Ivan from attacking. Toris suspected that they highly feared Ivan, which meant that this idea probably came from the other king warning them about his battle reputation. Toris also noted that upon his studying he found that this barbaric tribe worship dogs and use them in battle. To them, man and dog were the same and they fought alongside one another in battle.

“Hm…that makes sense.” Ludwig said out loud as he re-read the letter from Toris.

“What does?” Gilbert asked from his spot on the bed.

“This letter from Toris. It explains some things about the warrior tribe we just fought. They worship dogs and that’s why they use them in battle.”

“Great. Now we’re up against dog worshippers. I guess they could be worshipped…I mean, they can lick their balls all they want and that’s something worth worshipping, right?” he chuckled softly so as to not hurt his aching body further. Ludwig looked up from the scroll.

“Sometimes I hate you.” He frowned and rolled the scroll back up. He assumed Ivan had read this one but he would still save it just in case.

“Well, Toris told us some information that can be quite useful. I bet we can rip these bastards a new one by threatening their dogs. Lets keep that little nugget of joy in our heads, hm?”

“Right. We can certainly use that to our advantage if the opportunity ever arises. But right now we have a bigger problem. Ivan.”

“Yeah…I swear this storm is here because of him! OW! CAREFUL!” He yelled at the doctor who gave him a quick apology.

“I have a feeling he’s planning something big…I just hope we don’t have to get involved.” Ludwig knew that he would have a sleepless night worrying about Ivan’s mental stage, Alfred’s kidnapping, and what surprises were going to come next from their enemy.

By early morning the storm had cleared up and passed but left massive amounts of damage that would take all day and night to clean up. The rain had put out the barrel fire but they were the ones that held their food. Everyone would go hungry this morning but word was sent to the palace to have more food supplies brought to the front wall. The only ones who weren’t working were Ivan, Gilbert, and Ludwig. Gilbert was stitched up and resting peacefully in the medic’s hut. Ludwig, after making sure his brother was well taken care of, left the hut in search of Ivan. He had stayed awake all night but the man had not come back to the hut. Ludwig hoped the man didn’t just take off blindly for the barbarian ships for it would be suicide to do so. He did not have to continue searching far for the sudden parting of the soldiers told him that Ivan was coming this way.

Sure enough, a half dried Ivan walked calmly towards him dragging a dead barbarian’s body behind him. The man looked terrible for he had stayed all night long in the rain. His hair was still plastered to his head and his eyes held heavy dark circles beneath them. Ivan had an eerie smile on his face that seemed to be frozen in that position and it had to be the most frightening feature on the man right now. Ivan stopped in front of Ludwig and his eyes blinked for the first time so far.

“Ludwig…make sure I am not disturbed. I will be very…busy.”

“Y-Yes sir…do you need any assistance?” Ludwig didn’t want to ask that but he knew it was his duty.

“No, I will need to do this by myself. It will be awhile though so make sure I am COMPLETELY alone. I will be behind my tent…don’t bother me for anything.”

“Yes sir.”

Ludwig gulped as he watched Ivan continuing to drag the body as he walked on. He did as he was told and started shouting orders for Ivan to not be disturbed and to get back to work. He was concerned with the fact that Ivan had a dead body accompanying and he couldn’t help but wonder what the man had up his sleeve. It was even more puzzling when Ivan had demanded that a soldier go out with a bucket to get as much tree sap as he could find. What could Ivan be planning with all these strange demands?

Ivan grinned maniacally at the idea that was whirl winding inside his head. Thanks to the storm the ground was heavily soaked with dark mud and the sun had yet to dry it all up.

Dropping the body on the ground beside him, Ivan began to strip himself of all his armor and wet clothes. Once he was naked he knelt down on the wet ground and took handfuls of the dark, wet mud. Humming a tune, he began rubbing it all over his body from head to foot, making sure the sun was hitting the muddy surface just enough to harden it. It took a few layers and a lot of time to make it look like a second skin but by then the tree sap was delivered to him.

True to his command, whomever it was who delivered the sap only placed it beside the tent in Ivan’s eyesight. Ivan smirked and got up, going over to the bucket and bringing it back over to his spot. Ivan studied the amount of sap in the bucket and knew it would be more than enough to get the job done. He placed the bucket by the dead body and stood over the corpse, smirking down at it. Ivan trailed his eyes all along the warrior’s body before stopping at the tie of the pants. He made quick work of them and slipped them on himself, finding the pair of animal hide pants just a bit too snug but they would have to work. The warriors did not wear any type of shoes or boots so barefoot it was. But he wasn’t done just yet. Ivan grinned from ear to ear as he went to his pile of clothes and sought out his own pants. He slipped the dagger out from the leg belt and went back over to the dead body, twirling the dagger in his fingers.

“Almost complete.” He wiggled his eyebrows and laughed as he set to work.

~~

Ludwig noticed how late it was getting in the day and it wasn’t before the sun had set that he decided to go to the tent and find out what Ivan was so busy with. He was almost hesitant to ask as he made his way over to the large tent. Why he needed tree sap and a dead body was beyond him but if working for Ivan for so long had taught him anything about the man it was that he was very unpredictable and unnerving. He stopped at the left side of the tent and cleared his throat before speaking.

“Lord Ivan? Is everything alright?”

“I was just finishing up, General Ludwig. You may approach me.”

Ludwig was unprepared for the sight that greeted him when he rounded the tent corner. His eyes widened when he set his sight on the mutilated corpse before him. The hair and scalp were missing as well as every tattoo on the barbarian’s body. Each one was neatly and expertly cut from the body like one of the cookie cutter dough sheets in Francis’ kitchen. His eyes then traveled up from the ground to lock on to Ivan who was standing proudly before him and asked in an almost sheepish tone:

“Do I look barbaric enough?”

End Chapter 25 TBC

***I hope I didn’t make anyone loose his or her breakfast/lunch/dinner/midnight snack? If so, terribly sorry! ***

***Note: Don’t worry, more will be explained in the next chapter! :)
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A Storm of Sunflowers