Rules Are Meant to Be Broken

[Acalewia]

Narim lunged at Anoura, bringing his sword around. To both their surprises, another sword blocked the blow. Narim blinked.
"You're dead,"
"Really? I didn't notice. My brother thought the same," A bruised and bloodied, not to mention highly pissed, Claudious said as he forced Narim back. "He was dead wrong. And so are you," Anoura noticed he was holding own sword. She also noticed it was in his left hand. Narim noticed this as well. He smirked.
"I didn't realize you were left handed, General," Claudious had a dangerous look in his eyes.
"I'm not," he said, bringing his sword around and slashing Narim's sword arm. Narim clutched his arm and glared at the General. The next instant, he tackled Claudious. His sword slid out of reach.
"Not as fast as you thought, now are you?" He pressed the edge of his sword against Claudious' throat. He hesitated when a small smile came across Claudious' face. A moment later, a knife was embedded in Narim's ribs.
"You're not as smart as you think," Anoura hissed in his ear.
"Wench!" Anoura trotted back as he scrambled up and plucked the knife from his side. He turned and threw it at the Queen, who expertly caught it in mid-air. Claudious retrieved his sword.
"That wasn't nice," Narim was clutching his side as Anoura approached him. "Did you really think I would give up without a fight?" Her voice took on a dangerous tone.
"No Queen has ever fought herself,"
"I am not every Queen," Claudious' blade came through Narim's chest as Anoura blade found his lower stomach. The blades withdrew as Narim fell, his face showing his shock.
"Marcus was behind this," Anoura gave Claudious a puzzled look. He squatted next to Narim's lifeless body and tore open his shirt. On the right side of his chest was the Panther and Falcon. "I realized too late he had planed this before his death," Claudious stood as an equally bruised and bloodied La'Rynn entered the room with several soldiers. He staggered a bit as he bowed with fist to chest.
"The uprising has been crushed, Highness,"
"Good," La'Rynn turned and signed for the soldiers to behind him to start cleaning up the Throne Room. Anoura turned and embraced Claudious. His sword clattered on the stone floor. He reached up and stroked her brown hair.
"It's over, Anoura," he whispered in her ear.
"Forgive me," she whispered.
"You have done nothing to need to be forgiven for. You did exactly what I hoped you would do. I did not want you to give up the throne for me. I would rather have died," Anoura looked up and gently touched the massive bruise on the right side of his face. Claudious winced slightly.
"How did you escape?" he smiled.
"I had help," He jerked his head toward the Throne. She turned and frowned. The man with the bow was leaning on his weapon and giving the Queen a sheepish grin. Anoura sighed.
"I thought I told you to get to safety, Tobias,"
"You did,"
"Then why didn't you?"
"Well, you never asked if I could use a bow. I went to my rooms and got it. Then I thought 'where is the last place anyone would look for Claudious and La'Rynn?'" Anoura remembered the stone room.
"You're kidding! Narim had them in the hidden cell?"
"Exactly. The cell in the lowest reaches of the dungeons where the Queen's of the past held prisoners she did not wish for the people to know about,"
"Tobias took out every guard Narim had left us,"
"Starting with the one about to give Claudious a soldier's death," Tobias smirked. "It was Claudious, though, that remembered the hidden trapdoor behind the throne,"
"You have been the Queen's advisor for over twenty five years, Tobias," Anoura started. "When did you learn the bow?" In response, Tobias shrugged off his coat and freed his right arm from his shirt. Anoura was surprised to see a few faint scars and the Panther and Falcon on his bicep.
"Does every Bandit have the Panther and Falcon tattooed on their body?" she sighed.
"Yes," Tobias buttoned his shirt. "Although it is the leaders and their children that wear their sigil as well," Leah's eyes widened when he looked straight at Claudious. "With your father and brother dead, that makes you their leader," Claudious shook his head.
"I'm no longer a bandit," Anoura traced one of Claudious' scars. He lifted her chin.
"I love you," he whispered.
"We are going to have to do something about those bloody Rules," Tobias commented. Anoura smiled mischievously.
"Rules are meant to be broken," she said as hers and Claudious' lips met in a passionate kiss.