Avalon/Roleplay Section/Hector/Hector Part I
Hector, part I
Four men gather in the center of a city; a city torn apart by war and rumors of undead hordes attacking and plundering these lands for many weeks now. The land belongs to Avalon, but from the mud and the burned out buildings, there's not much to own. Peasants are starving; children look like twigs while their parents look like the undead they fear. Hector looks on his 3 men left from battle. Their eyes weary from their travels and the recent wounds they all received. Hector has a large cut on his foreleg from their most recent battle and a slice over his eye.
"Men, you are 3 of the best that has ever walked alive...” the men chuckle a bit... After a short pause, Hector continues, "Of course, there were many more, but you men survived. We embark on yet another journey to Henhower, where some say the undead walk again. We've seen them already. My own eyes did not believe it, but, they were there. We await reinforcements from some very good allies of ours...” the men all nod their heads "Together we will take Henhower, Zod and beyond."
The men look around at each other. One of them, a rather large man, asks Hector, "Lord Hector, why can we not find extra men"?
Hector looks behind him to an abandoned building, then to a couple of peasants passing by, barely enough clothes to keep warm. A boy listens on from behind a crate, trying to hide and be stealthy.
"Binder, it's very simple, the people here have no heart for war. They've been ravaged, raped and pillaged. Their homes and crops have been destroyed and they have no desire to see more bloodshed. Most have lost loved ones. No one in this capital of ours has the desire to join or the heart for warfare. We have to force those who are healthy. That is why we need to move on to larger cities, where the men there have not been beaten into submission. It takes a time of peace to bring the sprits back up. Men, that is what we are here for! That is why we fight these undead hordes"
With that, Hector walks closer to his men and says, "Pack up gentlemen; we will be leaving within a day or two."
The men begin to walk towards their homes, as Hector turns to go to the local whorehouse, a boy runs up to him, no older than 13. "Sir, I could join your men. I haven't lost my courage"... A smile crosses Hectors face, "Perhaps lad, in a few years. Enjoy peace while you can...” He walks away, and looks up at the dark rolling clouds... "No, it won't take long. The seed of heroism blossoms already!"
The boy watches as the large, dark silhouette disappears down an ally way. He knows, someday, he will join Avalon's armies, and serve under Hector. "After all", the boy thinks to himself, "from the tales I’ve heard, he is a hero, like I want to be".
Hector, part II
As Hector walked down the long, dreary ally, water driped from the overhang of a three story house. He looked up. The houses look as if they are going to fall into each other. Clothes hung from many windows and laid over ropes strewn across the street from the top floors with clothes pins made from twigs tied together. Pigions picked at a dead dog lying in the street, and a dirty man came running up, clothes tattered and worn and chased them away. He picked the dog up and tossed it on his cart and started down the street. A little girl, maybe 6 or 7 stood near a gutter, crying as she watched her childhood pet taken away by this hored man.
He was coming closer now, closer to the brothel. The smell made his stomach uneasy. He glanced over and saw a stinking corpse lying in the gutter about a hundred yards from him. He saw a cat eating one of the fingers.
Hunger, what an evil thing!
He continued on to his home. A sign reads, 'Girls of Cteduul' and it hung from the front of a three story building. Loud music and roudy talk poured from the swing doors. It was getting to be dusk, and the entire street was starting to come alive with music and the sort or people you normally don't want around.
Pick pockets approached Hector. He, had no patience that day and allowed them to get close. As one created a distraction, the other reached for his purse. Before they knew it, one man was lying in a lifeless heap, and the other was under Hectors boot. "Lord Hector, please, we had no idea who you were..."
"The story of my life", he thought to himself.
Hector looked down at the man... "roach!" and stomped on his face, and continued onward, not even glancing back. The helpless man, blinded in one eye now, went staggering off, whaling from pain, blood covering his hands and face.
He entered the brothel, and went straight to room 219. As he opened the door, a beautiful woman came forward to greet him. "I've waited for you all day, what took you so long?"
He paused and smiled, "Why, I had to collect money for the church."
As he sat down, he took off his armor and unlaced his boots. He laid his sword down near the bed and took off about 3 daggers. She climbed on his lap. "So tell me, what today, the usual"?
He looked down, searching for something... and looked back up and said in an unaudible response, "yeah, the usual". He took 2 gold coins from his purse, and handed it to her, gently, as they stared in each others eyes. She tucked them in her bossom. And laid her head on his shoulder.
"Just once, I wish you would ask for more.." She said, with her eyes starring off. "Holding me all night, is nice, but it is not what most men want".
Hector adjusted his arms to settle her in and he began to rock and stare off through the dimly lit room. She nestled into his large arms and felt strangely comforted and at peace.
Hector drifted off, to his past. He thought of a woman he once loved. A woman like no other. The one he holds in his arms looks exactly like her... He holds her tight as he thinks back. Not only did he love her, his brother, Achilles loved her too. So much, that they almost killed each other over her. His hatred grew so strong for his brother, Achilles, that one day, he attempted to kill him, but instead, mistakenly killed their youngest brother Pontus who had warn Achilles armor that day. Upon hearing what happened, Achilles tricked the woman they both loved, Hermione into coming to see him. She loved Hector, but had strong feelings for Achilles. When Hector walked in and found them talking, Achilles jumped up and grabbed Hermione by the arm, pulled her to him and slit her throat in front of Hector. To his horror, she dropped lifeless at his feet. He screamed louder than any man has ever screamed! He grabbed his hair then reached for his sword. For two days the brothers fought. Both were exhausted, when Augustus snuck up behind Hector and hit him with the butt of his sword.
When Hector came to, he was on a guillotine and they were about to pull the cord. Then, Augustus rose to his feet and cried, "Wait, I can not loose another son!" He quickly ordered his release. Then, with a soft spoken tounge, ordered his banishment from Atamra.
Hector jerked awake, he had fallen asleep. He was in bed now, with Jessica in bed with him. He looked around the room, dazed and confused. He sat up grabbed his armor. He put on his boots and laced them up. He looked over at Jessica and said, "If I had it in me, I could love you, but that part of me is dead now."
As he stood up and left, Jessica opened her eyes... tears ran down her cheeks. He'd never talked in his sleep before. And her heart felt like a sinking ship. She's accepted no business since she fell for him.
Hector, part III
It's day break and Hector walks up to his three men.
"Gentlemen, good morning." I have great news. I was able to find ten able and willing men to join our ranks. We will now be a formidable apponent to anyone with a dozen men." The men chuckle a bit.
"Now, I know morale is low. We head out to Henhower to claim another land for our great Nation. Troops and allied troops have already formed there for the take over. We are a valiant group and we shall be of great importance to our kingdom. Not to mention, I control all the money, so hopefully, we will be a rich group." The men burst into laughter and jestfully cheer Hectors name. As it quiets down, Hector continues..
"But seriously, I am proud to serve with you men. Many of us have lost dear friends, and in the recent invasion, lost someone we love very much." His voice drops off and he slowly drops his head starring off. His men look around, he appears a little odd. He slowly raises his head back up, "But, we have work to do, to defend those left alive." The undead walk these lands, but not for long. The armies mustered ahead are a great army. They will assist us all the way to Wudenkin. Which I hear has many a fine whore houses..." The men cheer wildly and look around at each other.
"Enough speeches men, let's head out". With that his men gather their belongings lying in the courtyard. They are already a day behind and will have take extra efforts to catch up with everyone.
As he leaves, he senses cloaked figure in a doorway across the street. He smiles as he looks down. A sharp pain enters his chest. He will never grow tired of her watching him leave town. It's almost a ritual now.
This time, however, as he disappears into the mist, she looks down and sees a small, red rose bud at the base of the doorway where she stood. A smile crosses her face from under the cloak, as she watches the only man she will ever love, walking out of her life again.
Next: The Battle of Henhower
