Fate - 12
A sound wakes him from uneasy slumber. At first Florian thinks it's thunder, but a glance towards the window indicates something else entirely. Removing the leash, he slips out of bed and crosses to the window quickly. He presses himself against the wall and peeks out, mindful of Solomon's warning.
The sky is filled with smoke, rising up from… Azura's mansion! Florian races for his shoes, and slides them on. He grabs his cloak and heads for the door. He's out of the room and down the stairs before he remembers Solomon's other warning - about staying in the room.
Too late now, he decides as he runs along with the rest of the crowd. People jostle each other to get closer, but not too close, to the once-proud building. Debris litters the street and mothers keep tight hold of their children to keep them from moving closer.
Pushing through, Florian moves away from the throng, seeking discrete entry into the damaged building. It's foolish, he knows. But Ray is there and Florian will do whatever he can to rescue him, Azura be damned.
He slips down a narrow alley and clambers over debris, finding a window large enough for him to climb through. He tosses the cape aside and manages, rather ungracefully, to get inside.
He moves cautiously, blinking against the smoke and using part of his clothing to cover his mouth and nose. There's shouting and movement towards the inner courtyard and he moves carefully towards a hole that might have been a window to risk a look.
"Ray!" he screams it before he can stop himself, his heart pounding at the sight of his lover only a short distance away, trapped between Azura and three men in matching uniforms all with swords drawn. They seem to be at a standoff, but at the sound of Florian's cry, they turn their attention towards him.
Before he can react, he's snared by Azura's whip and pulled forward and down where he lands, dazed and breathless. He's being pulled closer to his dreaded enemy when one of the swordsmen lets out a cry and slices the whip in two.
Tension gone, the whip lashes back, catching Florian on the chest and leaving him gasping. He hears Ray's voice and the sudden retort of a pistol. There's a moment of eerie silence.
"Florian!" It's Solomon, not Ray, who helps him up and steadies him, moving between Florian and Azura. For a moment, Florian can't see what's happening but he can hear the clang of steel and another gunshot.
He pushes around Solomon, desperate to save Ray. He just misses the bullet that catches Solomon in the shoulder. There's another shot and a wounded cry behind him, but Florian's attention is on Solomon, lying on the ground, blood flowing freely from the wound. Without knowing what he's doing, Florian improvises a bandage from Solomon's shirt. He moves quickly, wondering when a bullet will find his back or what will be left of Ray when he turns around.
He feels warm metal pressed against his arm and glances down to see Solomon handing him his pistol. "Only if you have to," Solomon gasps before closing his eyes. Florian takes it and conceals it at his side before standing.
One of the swordsmen is down, the other two wounded but three more are approaching cautiously. Florian uses the distraction to move silently to the side where he has a better view of Ray. The man has a wound on his arm, probably from a sword and Azura is still using him as a shield.
Florian crouches down trying to hide behind some bushes and debris. He watches, waiting even as he desperately wants to run in screaming to save Ray. He turns his head, risking a glance at the swordsmen, wondering who they are. He's seen uniforms like that in books, tunics with large crosses on them. But they couldn't possibly be…
A bullet finishes another of the first three swordsmen and Florian takes that as his opening. He sights carefully along the pistol, determined not to miss. He's never actually fired a gun but it can't be that difficult.
Damn!
Azura moves at the last second and the bullet grazes his arm. He turns his attention to this new attack and his smile is pure malevolence.
"The pretty toy has teeth," he tells Ray conversationally before wrapping one hand around Ray's throat. "If he knows what's good for him, he'll put down the gun and crawl over here begging for forgiveness."
Ray flails helplessly for a moment, then slumps against Azura, his eyes closed.
"No!" Florian stands, ignoring the cries from the swordsmen. He lowers his right arm, ready to drop the pistol when a battle cry startles him. He catches a glimpse of the last of the original three swordsmen running straight at Azura, sword pointed straight ahead at chest height. Without being conscious of his actions, Florian raises the pistol and fires.
He's already running, when Azura staggers back, caught in the shoulder. Florian fires a third time and it catches Azura in the arm, causing him to drop his gun. Ray slams back against the wounded man and dives for the weapon even as the badly wounded swordsman strikes.
Clinging to each other, Ray and Florian stagger off to the side and watch as the rest of the swordsmen converge on Azura. He's wounded but not fatally and he glares at the two men, his gaze promising pain.
One of the swordsmen comes over to tend Ray's wounds while another helps a shaky Solomon. They all turn to watch as Azura is led away at sword point. His broken whip lies forgotten on the ground.
"What will happen to him?" Florian asks, his voice shaking along with his body. He can still feel the recoil from the pistol vibrating through him and he thinks he might be sick very soon.
"He will be punished," the swordsman tending Ray answers calmly. "He will not trouble you again."
Ray looks away, unable to let Florian see his reaction to that statement and all it implies. He looks back again when he feels a warm hand on his face.
"I'm glad you are alive," Florian says gently. He holds Ray's hand while wounds are tended, letting the contact calm him and trying to return the favor for Ray.
They both look at Solomon, then at the swordsman. "Who are you? Why are you here?" Florian asks.
"I think I know the answer," Ray offers. "These men are the Knights Templar and they are here for this." Ray slips a folded piece of paper from his pocket. "I took this from Azura during the fight. It's the translation of your riddle."
"What riddle?" Florian demands, frustrated that everyone seems to know what is going on but him.
"The reason Azura brought me back was to translate a document he had stolen. It is a riddle that supposedly reveals the location of a sacred treasure. A treasure that the Knights Templar have been sworn to protect."
"But how did they know that Azura had the document?"
"Do you remember that note I received at the restaurant?" Solomon asks Florian. "I'd suspected what Azura was up to and made some inquiries. That's where I went a few hours ago." He raises his eyebrows at Florian. "When I told you to stay in the room."
Florian frowns and blushes at the same time.
"I met with an old friend of Ray's, Isaac, and he introduced me to Henri, here, " Solomon continues, pointing to the swordsman who had tended his wounds. "I was able to provide some information about the interior of this mansion that helped them plan their attack. They knew Azura was about to leave for Tunisia and feared he was after the treasure."
"About that translation." Henri looks at Ray, assessing him. His hand rests on the hilt of his sword. "What are your intentions?"
"I intend to do this," Ray tells him, handing over the paper containing the translation of the riddle. "That is the only copy."
Henri nods, removing his hand from the sword and tucking the note away carefully.
"Don't you want to pursue the treasure?" Florian asks.
"What would I do with all that gold and jewels?" Ray responds. "Sounds like more of a nuisance than anything. And it still wouldn't free you of your debt, Florian Rochefort."
"Rochefort?" Henri echoes, surprised. "As in that aristocratic family with ties to the ancient kings?"
"Yes, why?" Florian responds, confused about what that has to do with anything and why a Knight Templar in Morocco would know about his family.
"Perhaps you owe them money too?" Ray teases, touching Florian's face. Florian blushes again and ducks his head, missing the look that Ray gives the knight.
"N..nothing," the knight stammers. "Just a name I heard once."
"Oh." Florian might have said more if Ray hadn't staggered and nearly fallen. "He needs rest. May I?" He looks to Solomon for permission to take Ray back to the hotel.
"Wait." Henri motions to one of the Knights who has returned and is tending to his fallen comrades. The man gladly agrees to help Florian and Ray.
When they were gone, Solomon turns to Henri, curious. "Why didn't you tell Florian he's the rightful heir to the treasure?"
"I'm not sure really," Henri replies honestly, looking off in the direction the men had taken. "But I think he'll be happier not knowing."
Solomon smiles and pats the knight's shoulder. "I believe you may be right."
::end part 12::