Wil struck the Orc in the side with his blade causing little more than a flesh wound, but the sting of pain was more than enough to get the wretched creature's attention. With a backhanded fist across his chin the man of Bree was sent tumbling to the ground, both his sword and the banner he held deserting him as if fear had carried them away.
The Orc had breath so foul it was a wonder it didn't raise the dead as it howled at the fallen man in anger, causing Wil to hold his nose despite the rising panic. The sweat covered muscles of the Orc tensed as it raised it's sword arm high, preparing to deliver the finishing blow. Then, with a sickening crunch and grinding of metal on metal the Orc froze dead; moments later twitching in pain as the pointed end of a Greatsword forced it's way through the breastplate of his armour from behind. The cascade of blood that followed from wound and mouth alike smelt even worse than the creature's breath, which was saying something.
'You took your time.'', said Wil with as confident a smirk as he could manage.
'Sorry, but I was a little busy with the other three, in case you didn't notice.', said Beolrath with a chuckle as he haphazardly discarded the Orc's body to the side with a heave to withdraw his blade.
'Excuses, excuses.', came the remark as the Captain offered a hand to his friend. Hoisting him to his feet with little effort.
'That should be enough for today, lets head back to Bree and claim the bounty. I need a drink.', Wil waited until they were beyond the edges of the Orc encampment before venturing a response.
'You always need a drink. You drink too much, that's probably why you nearly let me die back there.', the Man of Rohan chuckled.
'Thinking of giving up your pledge to fight beside me as my Herald?', Beolrath asked with what to most would have seemed an odd amount of hope in his tone of voice.
'Never Sir. You risked your life to save my family when you didn't need to, there is good in you. You'll help alot of people one day when you stop brooding.', the wind blew gently upon them in the silence that followed the only sound to break it the crunch of clink of Beolrath's armour as they moved onwards towards Bree. After a few minutes of silence the former rohirrim sighed.
'I keep telling you Wil, you cannot depend upon me; nobody can. You will get yourself killed if you do not wise up soon.', the Herald looked up at the banner he held aloft, flapping gently in the breeze and shook his head.
'I've fought beside you for nearly ten months now Beolrath and you've kept me alive so far.', the brooding Captain grumbled slightly but didn't reply.
Ever the confident Captain to those seeking his aid but when drinking or when alone with Wil, his thoughts fell quickly into dark brooding and meloncholy and today was no exception. They were both somewhat relieved when Bree city gates came into sight to break the tense silence, going their seperate ways for now. Wil to see his family and Beolrath likely to sink into the nearest beer bottle he could find.
