Lisieux Family/Steady Aim

As the sun faded over Akanos, a lone rider rode through the streets. In one hand, he held a jug of rum, in the other, the reins of his horse hung loosely. The rider himself leaned forward, swaying gently from side to side, only sitting up to take another swig of his booze before tipping over again. The loss of his beloved cousin had filled him with grief and remorse. In a way, he was happy that Alexandre's body was hundreds of miles away... seeing him would have driven the rider mad.

Finally, after a long journey that saw him almost falling from his horse a few times, the rider reached his destination. He dismounted, and careened into the iron gates as soon as his feet touched the ground. Hoisting himself up by the bars of the gate, he managed to stay more or less upright, and as soon as he had regained his composure somewhat, he started rattling the gates, shouting loud slurs into the crisp dusk air.

"GRIMBOLD! OPEN UP, YOU THICKHEADED EXCUSE FOR A HUMAN BEING!", the rider screamed. "DO IT NOW, OR I'LL GUT YOU LIKE A FISH AND STRANGLE YOU WITH YOUR OWN ENTRAILS!!"

Moments later, a towering figure approached the gates. Holding a torch in one hand and a set of keys in the other, captain Grimbold rushed to let his master inside. As soon as the key turned in the lock, Hugues kicked open the gates, almost hitting Grimbold in the face.

"My lord!", he spoke with genuine concern. "Are you alright?"

Hugues grinned, then lashed out at Grimbold with the jug. Fortunately for the giant, Hugues was much too drunk to see straight, let alone hit a man who stood a full feet taller than himself in the face. The nobleman spun around from his own momentum, and tumbled to the ground. Grimbold rushed to help him up, but his aid was not appreciated.

"Hands off, you buffoon!", Hugues garbled. "Get Buyak inside, lock up and get out of my sight before I decide to kill you..."

"But, my lord...", Grimbold protested.

Hugues swung at him again from the ground. "GO! Get lost, you oaf!"

As soon as Grimbold had left him, Hugues stumbled into his stable. He brushed his horse's cheek and kissed it. "Sorry, Buyak, old friend...", Hugues mumbled, "this is where our ways part..."

He searched around until he had found what he wanted, and left the stable with another jug of rum in his hand, and a long rope coiled around his shoulder. He went into the yard, sat down under the largest tree there and downed another mouthful of licquor. Looking up, he noticed that Esme was in her quarters, as they were lit feintly with torchlight. He grinned as he thought back of their earlier encounter... two stubborn fools bumping heads... a recipe for fun.

Hugues removed his gloves and felt his neck. The circular scar from his earlier suicide attempt was still there... a reminder of how his life had gone... one failure after another. He couldn't even kill himself... and everyone that came too close was hurt instead. No more. Rather than thinking about himself all the time, he would do the only thing he thought was left to try... He tied one end of the rope into a noose, and slung it over a thick, sturdy branch. The other end he tied around the trunk of the tree, making sure it would not give way even an inch. He found himself a crate to stand on, and stuck his head through the loop of the noose, and prepared for his final words...

"Lady Esme!", he shouted at the top of his voice. "Send my regards to our liege! Tell Duke Dekion that my estate has become vacant once more!"

He paused for a moment, hoping deep down that she would stick her head out of the window, but she did not.

"Fair enough...", he murmured, and kicked the crate out from under his feet.

Arnaud Capet (Knight of Akanos)