Chapter 53

"Stop calling me that!" Emeric cried hopelessly. He slumped forward on Sarge's back, pressing his forehead into the stallion's mane. A hopeless moan escaped his lungs. Laughter echoed down the line of riders, everyone enjoying the joke.

Emeric knew that it would be months before he could feel anything close to dignity. The name Lover Boy just simply took any thought of chivalry out of someone...Emeric had become a walking joke. It pained him.

Hunter smirked, preparing to throw another play of words that would most likely result with Emeric turning crimson with embarrassment. He felt Aire's grip around his torso tense up as she also became aware of the coming embarrassment.

Emeric shot a glare at Hunter, "Say Lover Boy once more or anything of the same context and blood will be spilt..." The men laughed wholeheartedly. Emeric grimaced, knowing that nothing he could say would convince the men to quit their jabbering. His attempts had only worsened everything. If anything, his objections were amusing the older men.

Emeric gritted his teeth and sank his heels into Sarge's side, urging the horse forward. Sarge broke into a steady canter, passing all of the other Etreshian warriors. No one spoke, knowing that they had over done it.

They knew Emeric well enough to know that he wasn't usually sensitive to such things...He had thick skin after all. He had been able to ignore all the insults that the crowds had hurled at him in the Dome. Blocking words out was child's play for him. They didn't know why he acted up about it this time.

But what they didn't know was that the nickname wasn't bothering Emeric all too much. It was starting to amuse him...It was Aire that concerned Emeric. He could sense her discomfort each time someone brought up the jibing. He wanted to spare her the embarrassment.

"Won't you humour us with a kiss?" Radclyf called after them. Emeric's face turned red, not from embarrassment, but from anger. They were taking this too far. Instead of tackling the older man from his horse like Emeric felt tempted to do, he shot Radclyf a pained look that spoke louder than words could. "Or not..." Radclyf replied, unsettled by what he saw in the young Etreshian's eyes. And with that Emeric urged Sarge further into the forest.

They soon left the others behind. Emeric made sure that he could still see the others, but he was out of ears shot...Although, they still heard Rayhan's booming voice scolding the men. Emeric couldn't quite make out his words, but the tone of voice sounded reprimanding.

The young Rogue sighed and reined Sarge back to a walk. Aire's grip loosened around Emeric's torso as they slowed down.

Emeric's anger unsettled Aire. She wanted to help, but wasn't sure what she could say to ease the Etreshian's nerves.

"Are you alright?" She asked softly. The hesitation was evident in her voice.

"I swear if someone teases us once more I might actually punch him."

From Emeric's tone of voice she knew he was serious, he wasn't simply making meaningless threats to prove his point.

"But you know their just joking, pulling your leg to take the tension of the battle away." Aire tried calming him.

"The battle was nearly a week ago. They're just overdoing it now."

"I'm sure they're not actually trying to hurt you. It's just how men are. They try to make a joke out of anything and everything whenever the get the opportunity."

Emeric clenched his teeth, "I don't care what they do to me. They just can't disrespect you like that. It's not right."

Aire smiles softly...Her respect and appreciation for Emeric only growing.

"You know," She started, "I've suffered my own fair share of mockery in the Dome. This is simple teasing. It doesn't bother me too much."

Emeric stayed silent for a few seconds, "Doesn't make it right." he muttered softly.

"You're too soft for this life. You know that right?"

Emeric chuckled softly, "Just don't let the others hear you saying that. Just imagine, I'll be the soft Lover Boy...What a nightmare."

Aire laughed softly, "My lips are sealed."

Sarge's ears pricked and he walked with his head held high. Emeric tightened his grip on Sarge's reins, holding the large horse back as he lengthened his stride. Sarge's pulled at the reins, throwing his head down. Emeric was forced to let the reins slip through his fingers. If he didn't, the large horse would pull Emeric out of the saddle.

"What's gotten into him?" Aire asked.

Emeric did his best to control Sarge, but he had become a prancing terror. Emeric did all he could to stop Sarge from bolting.

"I'm not sure..." Emeric gazed through the trees to see if there might be a wild animal that might have unsettled the fine horse. A knowing smile crossed Emeric's lips, "We're nearly at the camp. He's probably just eager to get back." Emeric concluded as he recognised the trees around him.

However, Emeric frowned when he caught a scent in the air that set his bones rattling.

It was at that moment that Sarge decided to spin around. Aire clung to Emeric as the horse bolted. They were both almost thrown from the saddle, but Emeric managed to remain seated and helped Aire to straighten up in the saddle behind him...

However, Sarge didn't stop. He was evidently terrified. His nostrils flared and the whites of his eyes reflected his fear. He bolted to the others but instead of stopping, Sarge barreled into Rayhan's horse. Both Rayhan and his steed were sent crashing to the ground. Emeric pulled back on the reins, gritting his teeth with the effort. Sarge didn't stop. He sent men and horses scattering as he ran in a blind panic.

Emeric spun Sarge around, halting his bolting. The young Rogue dropped to the ground, clutching the horse's reins. Sarge threw his head, bumping into Emeric's shoulder urgently...To Emeric it felt as if Sarge was trying to warn him of some danger. The large horse pawed the ground, snorting. Emeric muttered soft, calming words to Sarge and gradually the horse stopped prancing.

Rayhan hurried to Emeric's side, leading his horse behind him. "Are you alright? What spooked him?" Emeric hinted the fatherly concern in Rayhan's voice. Emeric nodded, his throat tight with adrenaline. "Yeah we're good. Sorry about that crash. Sarge just totally went manic."

Before Rayhan could reply, Emeric urgently spoke, "Dad, there's smoke up ahead." Rayhan nodded, as if everything made sense now.

Emeric shot Rayhan an inquisitive look.

"Sarge's dam was killed in a forest fire. It nearly took him too. He's traumatised each time he smells smoke." Emeric nodded his understanding. He stroked Sarge's nose reassuringly. Stepping closer to his father, Emeric spoke in a lowered tone of voice so that only Rayhan could hear him, "Dad, we're almost at the village..." Emeric's worry resounded form his unspoken words.

"Emeric, Hunter, on me. The rest of you wait here." Rayhan commanded as he remounted. "Radclyf, give Emeric your horse. Stay put and wait for us to report back." The authority in Rayhan's voice set everyone into swift action. Aire dismounted as Emeric mounted onto another horse. The horse pulled at the reins excitedly. The mare could feel Emeric's excitement and fear.

Rayhan gave one look back, checking that Hunter and Emeric was ready before setting his horse into a swift canter as he weaved through the trees. Emeric and Hunter raced after him.

As the thick stench of smoke reached their noses, the trio urged their horses faster. They all felt the horror growing inside of them...Something in them knew...just knew that the smoke was from the camp...From the village where all the families were supposed to be tucked away in safety.

Rayhan drew his stallion to a halt as he reached the clearing where the village had been...All that remained was the burnt down structures of the cabins. The fence had collapsed, nothing more than a pile of blackened charcoal. Most of the cabins were just burnt down structures, only a few still had walls standing.

Emeric met his father's angered yet fearful gaze. A silent message passed between them as the dismounted and ran into the structure to look for survivors...

As they searched, it was evident that the attack had happened a day, or maybe even two prior. The flames had all died down, only ash and black, skeletal structures remained. Rayhan, Hunter and Emeric ran through the cabins, searching for survivors. They found none.

The fact brought both relief and terror over them. It either meant that everyone had escaped, or they had all been captured by the Elite. The latter was an unsettling thought. If it happened to be true, dozens of men, women and children would suffer unthinkable fates.

As Emeric passed a collapsed building, he spotted something that terrified him. Sticking out underneath the pile of fallen logs and cabin walls were a pair of legs. "Dad!" Emeric cried as he rushed forward, throwing planking and charcoal walls to the sides. Some of the planks at the bottom still had warm glowing ashes.

Emeric ignored the burn on his hands as he peeled the last of the planks off of the person who lay beneath. His hands were raw with burn wounds by the time he finished. He knelt down next to the victim who had been trapped under all the rumble.

The man was pale...deathly pale. Even though Emeric knew that the man was dead, he placed his hesitant figures against the man's neck, feeling for a pulse...there was none...

With a sad sigh, Emeric stood up. He examined the man's face, taking note of the harsh burns that the man had suffered before death had come to claim him. Rayhan and Hunter came to a shocked halt next to Emeric. The both blanched when their eyes landed on the corpse.

Rayhan sighed softly...remorsefully. He had known the man...he had known everyone in the camp...They were his family...Some his kin...The thought of them all laying dead in a gutter or executed in front of crowds overwhelmed him. He clenched his fists in anger.

"What do you think happened?" Emeric asked softly. Rayhan shook his head sadly as he looked around his burnt down home...How many years had it taken to build it? He took a step back in horror when his eyes landed on a distant sight.

"Oh my goodness..." He muttered in horror.

Emeric turned to see what his father had seen...

How he wished he hadn't...

Although he had been a Dome fighter...Although he had caused death a hundred time...Seen death more times than he could remember...The sight that met him would haunt him forever.

On the far side of the destroyed settlement was a pile...A pile of corpses...None of them were the enemies'...

Men, women and children alike lay dead...Piled up like ragdolls. Emeric turned away from the sight...It was too much for him. Beside him, Hunter emptied his stomach. It wasn't only the sight that assaulted them...The smell was nearly ten times worse.

Rayhan gazed at the fallen comrades in expressionless fury. Nearly a dozen of his people lay dead before him...He was their leader. he should have been here to protect them from whatever horrid group had attacked them. Yet here his people lay... they would never rise...

He thought of all the meaningless teasing that had transpired between him and his men in the time where these loyal followers had been slaughtered...

After sparing moments of silence for the fallen, Rayhan whipped around, heading back to his horse...It was too much for him to stay here, knowing that the murderers who had done the dead was roaming somewhere out there.

As Emeric turned to follow, movement from the corner of his eye caught his attention. It had only been a minute movement...But enough to be noticed. Emeric turned to see what it had been. From the pile he saw the movement again...A twitch of a figure.

A survivor...