Don't Shoot, Messenger!

[Alistair]

::Alistair::

Hearing the young prince about to enter, Alistair lifted the cross bow in his hands and aimed it at the entrance . . . .

A Few Hours Earlier

It was funny how if you walked around like you belonged how everyone assumed your did; and all you needed was a few simple knight like clothing. The tunic, for example, could be found on any close-line drying in the morning sun. It had been a few weeks since he had meet Isadora on the side of the road taken by Cenred's men, and then taken her home safe and sound. During that time she had put an idea in his head; and one that would not ago away any time soon. So in order to test his fate, he would attempt one last act as Alistair the druid who fought against Camelot.

He would put his faith in Dora's words, and see for him self.

Their were tents up everywhere and it was not hard to learn which one belonged to the young prince. He slipped into it and waited; and waited; and waited for him to show up. After what seemed like hours he heard him approach. Hearing the young prince about to enter, Alistair lifted the cross bow in his hands and aimed it at the entrance. He remained very still until the prince was inside the tent, "Now your highness, don't do anything rash." He warned as a greeting.

[Arthur Pendragon]

Bloody Hell. Arthur was mortified. Not only had Gwen been the one to find him looking like a donkey, but for some reason, his father decided to announce it to the entire council. And now he had just been making donkey noises; he hoped the most recent one was the last one he would ever emit. Frustrated, he began to walk back to his tent, bidding the others farewell. He began to take off his gloves, and walk back to his tent. As if his day could not get any worse . . . Arthur was now looking at the tip of an arrow.

Bloody hell.

He was about to reach for his weapon, but he was no idiot. There was enough distance between them so that he would not get a blow in before the man released the arrow which was pointed near his head. And that was when Arthur looked at the man behind the weapon. It was . . . him. The same man Arthur had met in the woods that day. The same man who had kidnapped Isadora, and then Guinevère, and then Uther, in that exact order. Arthur despised him. He had put people he cared about in danger, and for what? Gold? Riches? Arthur decided that before he parted ways with this man, he would surely kill him for all the trauma he had put his love, his father, and his friend in.

He said nothing at first. He just looked at the man with a bit of a glare. "Was everything done to lead up to this moment?" There had to be a reason that the man went after others, and not him. "If you want to kill me then, go ahead." He was not one who would beg for his life, or try to ration with him. This could be another ransom attempt for all he knew. Arthur was certain of one thing; this time, the man would not go unpunished. This time . . . he would make him pay. This time . . . he would bring justice where it needed to be served.

[Alistair]

::alistair::

Alistair noticed the little brat did not look afraid and it annoyed him. He should have done something more dramatic, like brought Vaughn, or found out who Arthur's girl was and taken her along with him. Alistair did not wish to frighten some noble girl or princess, but he wanted to strike a little fear into the prince. It would be good for him. "I had not planned on it coming to this, but this will make a fine ending." Because after this, he was done attacking Camelot. he was going home; to Gwent. He was getting his woman, and fighting against a new much more subtle enemy. Her father.

"This time, we both know who the other really is." He said in effort to bring up their last meeting. The one that had served as the catalyst that pushed him over the edge. The king had hunted his people, killed his parents and was still ruining families; when the prince and him crossed paths in the woods it had been the straw that broke the levy. Alistair fully planned to ask him how is father was at some point.

[Arthur Pendragon]

Oh if only Alistair had known. If only he had know just how consumed with fear Arthur had been when the people he loved were taken from him. When he could not protect them. When he did not where they were, or if they were even alive. A ransom note did not guarantee their safety. He truly loathed this man and would not give him the satisfaction of watching a Prince fall to his knees, tremble with fear and beg for his life. Was he really going to kill him? Over what? What could his death possibly do? Upon his next comment, Arthur had to wonder if Alistair was still truly bitter over him changing his name, concealing his true identity, or if he was just bringing it up as a weird joke. The man did not look like he had a strong sense of humor.

"And what did you plan, to kidnap someone else? Is there even anyone left on your list." Arthur was angry at him, and he could feel it building up inside of him, even if his voice was composed and he was not at the point of yelling. All he could think about right now was Guinevère and the fact that this man had taken her from him. And he would pay. The thought of revenge was the only thing that was keeping Arthur relatively calm right now. He would soon enough get his aggressions out.

[Alistair]

::Alistair::

Alistair had not planned that far ahead when he started fighting back. Part of him had assumed that at some point, one of them would have to die. Mostly the saw Uther as the one he fought against; but he saw Arthur as the son who would become his father. Or he had saw him that way; he was here because she had told him other wise. "You assumed that I thought this would end one day." For it to end, Uther had to die and Arthur either had to prove Dora right or become his father . . . and then die.

"You can stand there and be upset because I kidnapped a few people and returned them unharmed?" He asked, knowing that if his father had gotten his hands on a druid then the 'unharmed' part would not be the same. They'd be dead. If evils were done to them, it was the end of the world but they over looked their own evils in favor of breakfast in bed?

[Arthur Pendragon]

Was he really trying to justfiy his actions? Moralize them? Rationalize them?" Tell Arthur that he had been overreacting to the series of kidnappings. It only further enraged the prince, but again, he maintained his position, not doing anything as reckless or stupid as charging towards him. The arrow would be released and Arthur was not desperate enough to throw a few punches in there to risk his own life. He had to be more cautious than that. He did however feel that Alistair wanted something from more from him rather than just the satisfaction of his death. He had not killed him yet, and that lead Arthur to believe that perhaps this entire thing was just a bluff. That, or he was waiting for him to be caught of guard. OR, he was still waiting to see the prince humble himself and admit defeat, which was an option.

"No," he said, answering the question. "I am standing here, upset over the fact that you kidnapped the King of Camelot, the Princess of Gwent, and the personal maid of Morgana," -- aka, the woman he loved -- "Killed those men who had tried to protect them," -- Mainly in his father's case -- "Put them through physical and emotional distress, placed a monetary value on them, and had absolutely no disregard for anyone other than yourself, and whoever you were working with. as you spat them back out, selfishly taking your ransom with you." THAT was why Arthur was upset and while he could go on and on about it, he did not talk that much about his emotions, not even his rage.

[Alistair]

::alistair::

"The servant girl was a mistake; i it was why I did not ransome her and the pretty princess was unharmed." He reminded the princes. "You can be angry over the king but no one was harmed with the girls." The knights who protected the king would have been the same ones who hunted Druids over the past year. He was not going to cry for their loss.

Besides, the king was returned unharmed as well. Should that not be all he was worried for? Isadora said he cared more for the people then this father did. "I was told you were a better man then your father. I came here to see if it was true." The maid had seemed to think so; and Isadora believed it. He would take her word for it; but he wanted to make sure no one got blamed for his actions and that the little prince knew he could get to him him. Besides, he needed to prove something to him self here.

[/quote]

[Arthur Pendragon]

Guinevère was a mistake? Well that was awfully coincidental. Still. It did not justify his actions. The point was, he had taken her. He had put her through something horrible, and Guinevère did not deserve a moment of it. "Do you expect me to thank you for not physically harming them?" He asked sarcastically. "They should have never been put in such a situation in the first place. They had done nothing to you." What kind of man was he. What kind of person could justify taking two defenseless woman, holding one for ransom and keeping the other for the sheer pleasure? It was positively revolting.

Arthur was not going to take that as a compliment, or feel honored that the man had come to see. His opinion and judgment meant nothing to Arthur. "By doing what, pointing a crossbow at me?" Again, he was sarcastic. It tended to happen when he was so angry. He wanted this man to do whatever it was he came here to do so that he could get his own revenge on behalf of all those he had taken.