Snippet #2569505

One moment Alcuin was fiddling with the lock, trying to his thin and sturdy stone between its cracks, and the next thing he knew they were greeted by a nasty tremor. He grabbed onto the bars in enough time not to fall into the murk at the bottom of his cell. The back of the lock came off during that. That would be been a blessing on his part had the other Watchers not secured the keys.
Alcuin hissed through his teeth. “Can’t I ever prove my mettle?” He said as his door swung open. It was bad enough that half the members of the Watchers spoken down to him, literally. Now he was being hustled along by members of the Watchers that he swore were lower ranks than himself. Eh well, this was not the most formal of situations—people can break ranks when their lives depend on it. Unless they are running the opposite direction of the fight. That is usually looked down upon. Alcuin doubted that anyone in the Watchers would do that.

He looked around at the prisoners fleeing. Immediately he felt better about his wounds. They seemed very minimal compared to the causalities that the others had received. Then again he hadn’t put up much a fight when Ulfric’s guards had come for him. He was out of arrows and knives. There was only the sword on his back, but by that time they had their blades pointed at his neck. Yes, Alcuin could draw his sword and maybe get it a half an inch out of the sheath before he was stabbed numerous times. So instead of throwing away his life, he held his hands up. That was when the guards so fondly reacquainted him with the ground.
Alcuin was sure he needed to realign his nose, but that could wait. The Order of Watchers poured out of the dungeon with courage and bravado springing from their lungs. He followed. No enthusiasm poured from his lips. He had always been a man of stealth. Not particularly stealthy to announce your presence to an entire castle filled with your foes. Though if Alcuin was right, Ulfric’s men had more to worry about than just the escaped Watchers. There were more men outside, with siege equipment.
“That is particularly good timing, isn’t it? I wonder if they witnessed all of the massacre, or just some of it.” Humans. Filthy, honor-less swine. Whatever they could do to get the upper hand they would do it. Even if that meant using the ambush of the Divine’s men to their advantage. Alcuin stilled his tongue before he said anything too blasphemous. Aside from the elven maiden, everyone else here was human. And not the recipients of his ire.

Alcuin poured into the next room with the rest. He was on the elfish lass and Mera’s feet. Mera spouted out something about finding the man who did this and ran into the castle on her lonesome. The elfish girl called after her but took a tumble. Before Alcuin could properly help her up, she was on her feet. Right, she wasn’t some court lady. She was capable of taking care of herself. As was Mera. Still, Alcuin didn’t like her braving the ramparts just to get one man, on her own. As the other men of the Watchers took swords, Alcuin pilfered as many daggers as he could before he took off after Mera.
“I’ll retrieve Sister-Sergeant Atkinson,” he said to the elfish woman. “You let the Lieutenant Commander know.”
Honestly Alcuin wished he had the time to grab a bow. But he was assured they would be using long bows in a castle; the flight of the arrows to get over walls and breach enemy lines. There were probably some skirmish bows here and there, but Alcuin didn’t have time to try to pilfer around to locate them. He had to retrieve Mera. It didn’t help that his legs weren’t as long as hers. Though, truthfully, she wasn’t too much taller than himself. But she had a lead on him, and he was trying to be cautious and not call all of Ulfric’s men to him. Fortunately he had whatever army was outside to thin out enemy presence in the hallways.
“Mera Atkinson,” Alcuin said in a low and raspy voice. “Where did you get to, lass?”