Dishonored

Book 2

Chapter 1

[Seven months later.]

General Odo de Deston was an elderly gentleman, dressed in browns and blacks, his coat of arms bearing that of a silver drake on a brown field with silver runes. He took off his glasses to reveal hazel eyes that looked tired. As he ran his hand over his near bald head he looked over to a Captain that was in blacks and greys, his coat of arms showing two silver chevrons on a black field and different runes.

"I said that plan was suicidal...Why did you go anyway when we were outnumbered four to one?" Odo looked hard at the arrogant Captain.

"We de Geron's have always fought bravely, no matter the odds." The brown haired and blue eyed man looked at the General as if he was weak. "Your plan was foolish. Lure them into a trap and then kill them? There is no honor in that."

"And there's no honor in dieing foolishly. I've fought the Germanian's, I've fought bandits, and I've fought pirates. I'm still here to tell the tale. Now next time, you will follow orders or I won't send in our reserves to save you." Odo glared at him.

"And why is that?"

"Because that used up our reserves. And due to that, we lost the port city of Marvin..which means they now have a place to start sending troops to our allies and our homeland. Now I'm changing where your going to go...you want to have an honorable fight? I want you to retake Marvin, you will only have the troops that you brought with you." Odo gave a knowing look.

"Just me and my Dragon Knights? Yes...It will be done." de Geron walked out of the cabin.

"Young fool…" The tired General rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"Sir, I've sent a messenger to the palace with the news…"

"Knowing the Queen, she'll want to come out here to boost moral...at least it will give me a break." He got up and left the cabin.

The Lieutenant blinked and then followed the General.

"The fall back point is la Rochelle, she'll more than likely meet us there. At which point in time I'll see if I can get some leave."

"Sir, shall I send another messenger?"

"No...get some sleep, you'll need it."

"Yes sir!" The Lieutenant bowed and left the General. When the General entered his cabin he got ready for bed. His maid entered from her personal room and rubbed his chest.

"Shall I?" She whispered in his ear.

"Yes."

xXXx

Saito stood there on the bridge of the ship as he looked out the windows. The starry sky greeted him warmly as he smiled. He still wasn't used to the mantle he was given, so at times he was just seen in his blue sweatshirt. As he fiddled with his ring on his left hand the person of his thoughts came onto the bridge. Tabitha was now in her usual garb and as was Sylphid.

"Why don't you come to bed?" She was at his side and felt his uneasiness.

"I just thinking of many opportunities the Mad King could use...and this reeks of his tinkering." Saito scowled as he thought of his uncle-in-law.

"General de Destin is a great tactician, but he was paired with Mercer de Geron and Ancil de Roussel. De Geron is known for letting his pride get in the way and Ancil is known for giving way." Tabitha took his hand and squeezed it.

"Then its a great idea I brought Clarence and his men. They have won us some spoils, and have managed to talk their way into some of it...but it was a mistake to pull them from the front line. Now they'll retake Marvin and help us push into Albion." He looked troubled at some of his planning. He felt her need to have him close, so he nodded and put the map down. "I'll come to bed."

She smiled as she walked hand-in-hand with him to their quarters. Inside their cabin lay four other sleeping forms. 'Just like when we went to Albion...' He tensed but then relaxed as he felt a calmness come over him. As he got into bed, Tabitha joined him in her see through nighty and held him close.

"I know I can't help you relax...But Siesta can." Tabitha looked into his eyes.

"Not now, I'd rather spend time with you." He felt her happiness as she felt his.

"Alright…" She smiled as he held her close.

xXXx

Lady Heather of York looked down on the now defenders of the port city of Marvin 'How do they expect me to keep this city with this many defenders?' She ran a hand through her red hair as she had a worried look in her orange eyes. 'I only have a hundred and fifty troops total, and those are the ones in fighting condition! About two hundred wounded and another fifty that will never fight again...I hope those reinforcements come soon, or this was all for nothing!' She slowly took off her armor and all the clothing underneath it to bathe to reveal a generous 'B' cup and a thirty-two inch waist. As she bathed getting the mud, blood, grime, and caked soot off of her a Lieutenant walked in and averted his eyes.

"My lady, the reinforcements has been delayed for three weeks."

She sighed and looked at the dark water. "And supplies?"

"Another month out my lady."

She face-palmed and groaned. "Dismissed." 'And they expect me to hold this port with so little...if they attack again, we'll surrender.'

As she left the bath and got into her nightgown she looked down in thought. 'In order to let my men live, I'll surrender.'

xXXx

Mercer de Garon was flying with his dragon knights, all twenty of them. As the port city came into view something looked off. As dawn's light came into view he saw a white flag. 'They're...giving up? No honorable battle...' This made him angry.

"Men, take no prisoners." He ordered. All but five were happy to follow through with it.

The city defenders waved the white flags and Mercer smiled. When he landed five of his men commanded their drakes to breath fire on the catapults. Another five started scorching men, as the riders caste fireballs to wreak more havoc among the morning guards. The barracks where the wounded was being held went up like tinder by another five. The unhappy five just landed in front of an expensive hotel where two sleeping guards were. They snuck in and found the most expensive room and opened the door, inside they found very shiny armor and a very decorated long sword. The red haired beauty woke up to five men in her room, all wearing a shield out of Gallia. She held up her hands in surrender but then looked confused.

"My lady, we don't have time for names, we need to get you out of here alive to meet with General Saito. Lord Mercer gave the order to take no prisoners, but if a maid asked us to take her back with us, we can't say no." The lead rider was pleading through his eyes.

"Will this General be fair with me?" She looked to them.

"Yes, now we don't have much time, we have to go NOW!"

"Go where? She's staying right here...to burn." Mercer drew his sword-wand. As he prepared the spell that was going to fry the noblewoman, he stopped and looked surprised over his shoulder.

"I didn't sign up just to rape and murder the defeated...my honour will not be stained by yours." The lead rider looked to his now dead leader.

"We need to go!" She nodded and hastily dressed in a commoners dress.

As she left her room she looked to the men that had saved her from a horrible death. 'If there are men like this in Tristain and Gallia, there is still hope. They must also respect this General if they are trying to get me to him...'

xXXx

Saito felt very warm, so he wasn't surprised when he found the other three bodies in bed with him. He looked to the four of them and smiled.

"You always do like to sleep in." Henrietta yawned and stretched, knowing that he was looking at her bust.

"Well, we have a busy day...me and Kage have to get breakfast ready for everyone." Siesta looked to the demon with a smile.

"Can't I just have five more minutes?" Kage's eyes looked sleepily to her master.

"We all have to get ready...I get to meet some of the nobles that has been on the front line. I need to judge their character." He looked like he was remembering something.

"What's wrong?" Tabitha looked to her husband.

"...its just that...war changes people, in ways which aren't always good. Some get used to having that feeling of power and they can't stop the bloodshed after the war." Tabitha and Henrietta had an immediate understanding.

"I see, if we need to replace people, you want to see which ones." Henrietta looked thoughtful.

"Actually Agnes reminded me of something...in the world I come from...there are fiction books about a dark future, I won't go into detail about that universe...but in that story line there are these political officers known as Commissars. They tend to lead through fear, so when the troops underneath them get fed up enough...they tend to have a lot of accidents, weapon misfires, dropping artillery on them, you get the picture...I just want to make sure that none of the Nobles we've sent here have either gone crazy or have angered the men underneath them to that degree." He sounded worried.

"I see. You also want to make sure the tinkerer can't do a lot of tinkering." Tabitha looked at him smiling.

"Yes...it was him that had sent Clarence and his men under my authority home. I let them have a month and now we are returning...we really need to find a monkey wrench to throw at him."

"We need to take Londinium, with Clarence and his men, we'll do just that." Henrietta sounded hopeful.

"I'm just sleepy..." Kage got up lethargic.

"Well we all need to get going..." Tabitha moved first and then the rest of them did.

xXXx

Odo woke up to a man in Mercers colors standing with what looked to be a maid. As he rubbed his tired eyes he looked to him.

"What is the meaning of this?"

"I am Lady Heather of York, I humbly surrender." She curtsied before him.

"Why is she here?" Odo looked to the dragon rider.

"Lord Mercer gave the order to take no prisoners, but when we saw the flags of surrender, he didn't change his orders. I had to find the noble in charge and get them out...I didn't want a repeat of...Lordsfoot. I will take any punishment you deem appropriate." The dragon rider took a knee.

"I won't punish you...but I will ask you to relay the order to turn the ships back. We will deal with Lord Mercer. I accept your surrender Lady Heather. Now find her some quarters and get out of mine." Odo looked annoyed to the dragon riders. They left the general to follow his orders and to let him get ready for the day.

xXXx

Saito was on the bridge again when the look out from another ship sent a signal.

"White, yellow, white...a messenger. I wonder what the message is..." He looked thoughtfully to the forward ship.

When the dragon rider landed on the deck he looked tiredly to the bridge. Saito left the bridge and met the rider.

"My Lord." He handed Saito a scroll. The look on his face was arctic.

"You and your mount can rest. Get me Clarence." He looked to the messenger and then to a sailor. Both men went to do as ordered.

Henrietta and Tabitha saw the look and just knew something had just went wrong.

"What do you think it is?" Henrietta locked eyes with her partner. They then saw Clarence and after the conversation the dead look in Clarence's eyes told them that something really bad had just happened.

"I don't know, but I'll ask tonight." Tabitha looked to her beloved.

"Your tea." Siesta had appeared and then looked to him. "Why does he look so angry?"

"We don't know, but we'll find out later." Henrietta looked back down to the map.

xXXx

A dragon rider in Mercer's colors looked to the destruction he had waged and a cruel smile came on his face. He counted his men only to come up five short. 'Oh well, I wonder how Lord Mercer is doing...now we come back as victorious heroes...' One of the men came forward looking grim.

"Lord Mercer is dead, he was stabbed from behind."

"I see, burn this city to the ground."

"Yes sir!"

"Oh yes, I love to watch things burn!" He laughed as civilians ran from the burning city.

xXXx

[one day later.]

Odo looked back and seen a ship catching up with his flying the Queens colors. 'Finally...this can be her headache.' He walked up to the bridge and looked over the plans.

"General...the Queen is here." The Captain made way for the royals.

"Ah I see you've brought everyone with you." He looked and seen a new face. "And who might you be?"

"Saito Hiraga, where is Mercer De Garon?"

"I sent him back to take back Marvin..but I know what he has done. I also know that he was killed by one of his own men. He did it to save someone, and you should meet her." He nodded to a sailor and he left quickly.

"I was told the news by a messenger...one of his own men. But he didn't know that he had been killed. All I was told was that he started killing surrendering men." Saito looked ashamed.

"I sent him back to teach him a lesson, but I didn't know that they had surrendered, so its all my fault. So I ask to be relieved of command." The old man looked to the young people.

"I'd rather have you here, you are wise and know when to do things...I'll need your help on other matters…" Saito then looked to the old man smiling.

"Alright…"

"Where is Ancil?" Tabitha looked to him.

"That coward is with what's left of the reserves...and it isn't much…" Odo looked back to the bluenette.

Onto the bridge walked Lady Heather. What made her stop short was the oddly dressed man with the Queen of Tristain and a noble of Gallia.

"I am Lady Heather of York." She curtsied in front of the royals.

"I am General Saito Hiraga, pleased to meet you, but the circumstances could be better. I would like to apologize to you on the behavior of our nobles. It is something I'm here to remedy. If you have any complaints-"

"I have none. The general here has treated me like his own daughter...for that I'm thankful." She nodded to the aged General and he smiled.

"I see, in any case we need to hear on why you chose to surrender." Tabitha looked to the red haired noble.

"...I would like to write it down. I also wish for you to recognize the men who saved me for their valor." She looked to one of them that was also on the bridge.

"Done. Get the rest of them, I have a special assignment for you five." He looked to the man that was there in Mercer's colors.

He bowed and left quickly as she wrote her account of what happened.

"Saito...what do you plan on doing to the returning men? Seeing as how they haven't returned?" Tabitha looked to him confused.

"Simple. Spike their drinks, tie them up, and we have a trial to see who's guilty and who's innocent. A fair trial. I want to make absolutely sure that they are guilty. General Odo, I'll ask for you to be the defending counselor. As for the prosecution, that will be Clarence. I'll be somewhere else as to not inflame him or give him orders. Not even the Queen can command him, he is under my direct command." He looked to Odo who smiled.

"I see, you want a fair trial, so you're removing yourself from the proceedings. Clever." He looked to the Queen who nodded.

"His Counsel is wise. Choose a panel of five noble's to act as judges, I will be taking Saito's route as well." Henrietta looked to Tabitha who nodded.

"Agreed, as will I. I don't think they would consider it fair if the judges had prior knowledge of their acts. The judges should be impartial." She looked to her husband and he smiled.

"Alright, I'll get right on it...and when we get back to Marvin, we'll hold the trial there." Odo looked at them.

"Agreed." Saito smiled and left the bridge to talk to the crew with Henrietta and Tabitha.

"That kid is more worldly than he lets on." Odo looked to lieutenant and chuckled.

"Sir, if I may, it looks like the Queen has him as a partner…"

"That's her affairs, let it be...now we have to welcome them back." He looked and the lieutenant saluted and left.

xXXx

A/n: To the person that gave review #51, I like your review and it did make me think, but then if the justice of the land has been corrupted, no court will suffice. Natural justice then is followed. Henrietta was almost assassinated, her mother murdered, the adviser that helped her is dead, she was reeling from those losses. Saito was still reeling from being called Henrietta's partner, so he will be kinda out of it.

But I will say this though, the big threat of war will always come first in a leader's mind, so dealing with traitor's always comes first. Logically speaking, its good to plug the hole before it becomes a problem.