Spoils of War

As you, Ashe and four Sunriders get to the entrance to the house, you once more hear another scream "Stay away from her!!" echos out the front door. You step inside, walking with purpose through a tight corridor until you appear out into a larger rectangular room, most likely the living area for the family who stayed here.

Immediately to your right, a dead older gentlemen with grey hair, probably in his fifties. Towards the corner of the room, an older women, about the same age, cowering in the corner holding a younger boy who maybe has just hit puberty, his right cheek already swollen and turning black from a hit. A syndicate warrior is standing over them, his spear pointing at the mother, making sure she doesn't move.

To the left of them, another syndicate warrior with his short sword on the table next to him, holding just a dagger in his hand, standing over the daughter of the family, her look doesn't actually seem scared at all, instead she's on the ground, her back against the wall, holding a small cooking knife in her hand, no more than two inches of blade on it. She doesn't look terrified at all, but fueled with rage.

"Sorry boys, you can have seconds but I claim this cunt first." The warrior standing over the daughter says, his back still turned towards you.

The other warrior, holding the mother and son at spear point looks your way and the instant he sees you, his eyes go wide as he pulls his spear away from the mother, holding it at his side, immediately turning non hostile as he now cautiously looks at you.

You turn your gaze towards the warrior over the daughter, he still once more doesn't turn towards you, instead focused on the girl before him. You step forward, getting closer and closer to him.

"I said, she's fucking mine!" he yells at you as he takes a step towards the girl once more.

Your hand goes on his shoulder and you immediately push him hard to the side, his body crashing into the table where his short sword was, it smashing into the ground. "WHAT THE FUCK?!" he screams as he rolls over onto his back, finally seeing who you are for the first time. "Si...si...sir!!!" he pushes his hand back, pushing himself up to hit feet, you see him swallow hard.

You stay silent, just looking at his face, you're a good six inches or so taller then this top heavy Syndicate warrior, he's looking up into your face, barely able to make out your features as your hood is shielding much of your vision from the outside.

To the family held hostage, they can only see what would be the armor of a sabre tooth, one man towering over another, the fanged hood, almost looking like it's going to devour the shorter syndicate warrior.

"What was one of my orders when we were taking over this city?" you ask the warrior, your voice sounding deeper than normal.

He once more swallows hard, you sense his body is shaking a little bit, he's nervous and maybe a little terrified and doesn't answer your question.

"I said" you pause "What was one of my orders when..."

"Not to harm any civilians who don't bare arms!" he interrupts you.

"And?" you ask

"She...she..." he hesitates briefly "Look, she has a dagger! Look!" he points towards the daughter on the ground.

You turn your head towards the dark haired daughter, her right hand still clenching that small cooking knife, the entire knife itself, probably the size of your middle finger. Your head turns back towards the Syndicate warrior once more, your right hand reaching out with great speed, wrapping around his throat and pushing him back into the wall behind him, crashing into the wall you hold him tight against it, squeezing down on his throat.

"Ahhh..." he growls at you.

"Ignore my orders again..." you glare at him, continuing to squeeze down on his throat, his bald head already turning a little purple "And I will kill you myself." you stay silent a brief moment, loosening your grip around the neck of the warrior, allowing him to gasp in some oxygen "Understand?".

Terror filled in his eyes, his body still shaking with fear. He holds his tongue for a few seconds before he finally lets out "Yes, yes! I'm sorry."

You release the grip around his neck and take a step back, he just nods at you, stumbles towards his short sword off the ground and immediately makes his way towards the exit. His buddy who was holding the mother and son hostage immediately follows his friend, apologizing to you as he walks past. This now just leaves you, Ashe, your four Sunriders and the family in the room.

Ashe begins "It's war, it's what the Syndicate has always done. We all don't like what would have happened but why bother so much."

Without turning towards Ashe, still looking at the family cowering on the ground, all three now bunched together, the mother cradling her son and daughter, the son crying into her mothers bosom, the daughter, still holding that small cooking knife, her arm shaking as she's squeezing the blade with so much force.

"Sunriders, leave." you order "Ashe, a word."

The four Sunriders turn to leave the house, Ashe stays still.

You turn towards your High Commander and take a few steps at her until you're about a foot apart from her, looking down at that fiery redhead. "I do respect your opinion" your monotone voice lets out "But don't you ever question my word in front of my warriors again. Do I make myself clear?" you glare at her.

She just looks back at your eyes, noticing the anger in them "I just...I just don't get why you..."

"Do. I. Make. Myself. Clear." you pause after each word, your voice getting more angry and deeper, your teeth starting to clench together.

Once more, Ashe swallows hard. She holds your gaze and it's probably the first time you have even see a slight sense of fear in her pupils. Her head slowly starts to nod up and down "Sorry. I understand." she nods once more.

"Good. Now go to the Tavern, make sure things are in order, I will be there soon." you command Ashe.

She begins to exit the house, getting to the corridor towards the entrance, she stops and turns once more in your direction "I didn't mean to do that..." the look of sadness in her eyes as she knows questioning your word is digging into her deep, she turns around to the exit once more and then says over her shoulder as she walks out "I'm sorry, Darien."