#tkatn

[olindabell]

Chapter 13 of The Knight and the Necromancer is up on AO3

this chapter is a smutty interlude between adventure chapters, this time aubrey/sweets :)) read it here!

[olindabell]

finally, the new chapter of The Knight and the Necromancer is now up! read it on ao3 :))

[olindabell]

chapter 11 of the knight and the necromancer is now up! read it over on ao3  :3

[olindabell]

The Knight and the Necromancer ch. 3

chapter 2/?: The Start of the Adventure – read on ao3 or below

fandoms: bones, dungeons and dragons

pairings: seeley booth x temperance brennan, jack hodgins x angela montenegro, lance sweets x james aubrey

summary: when a cannibalised skull is thrown from a bridge in waterdeep, necromancer temperance brennwyn and paladin seelie booth are tasked with assembling their adventuring party and hunting down the prime suspect, the lich gormogon.

warnings: general fantasy violence, angst, slow burn, description of dead bodies.

-

They left the next morning, before dawn, when only the drunks and criminals and sailors were awake to see them leave, under a grey sky and a blanket of rain. Booth drove the front carriage, Temperance by his side, Camille and Zack under the shelter of the covered wagon. Aubrey and Sweets drove the other, with Angelica and Jack trudging alongside, no room for them amongst the books, rations, bedrolls and weapons.

Booth stole a glance sideways at Temperance. Her dark hair stuck to her pale skin in straight lines, hugging the edge of her jaw and the curve of her pointed ear.

‘You should go inside,’ he said. ‘Send Zack out here.’

‘I’m fine.’

‘You’ll catch a cold.’

‘I don’t mind, Booth, really.’

They fell back into silence.

‘I just think we should protect our best spellcaster.’

She turned to face him. ‘Everyone here is quite competent.’

Booth flushed. ‘Of course they are, I just mean, you’re–you’re very competent.’

‘True.’ She turned back to face the road. Booth thought, Am I even getting anywhere? And where am I trying to get, exactly?

The wagons rattled as they crossed a wooden bridge over a small stream, the water rushing high after a morning of rain. One week to Daggerford, a bit faster if they pushed the horses when they could. Booth itched to snap the reigns and take off down the road. He was antsy, itchy beneath his armour. But instead, they plodded on, Temperance silent beside him.

-

A week later, they passed through the gates and into Daggerford. The week had passed in varying levels of silence – the quiet of nights sleeping roadside interrupted by Jack and Angelica moaning in the grass, the low chatter of Bones and Zack as they drew runes in the air, the awkwardness between Aubrey and Sweets as they were forced to camp together as strangers, Camille quietly teasing Booth when she caught him stealing glances at Bones. And Daggerford was no different, the town’s population spending their days on their farms and estates in the countryside nearby, leaving the streets quiet and the inns empty.

Booth paced outside the apothecary as Bones resupplied her component pouch. The silence was making him itch; he needed action, and fast, before he started lurking in alleys looking for pickpockets to arrest.

‘Why are you tense?’

Booth jumped. ‘Jesus, Zack, give a guy a warning!’

The gnome hovered just below Booth’s hip. ‘I think you should relax.’

Booth sighed. ‘It’s too quiet, I need something to do.’

‘I think we were going to rest a few nights in town–’

‘Hey, Bones!’ Booth skipped over to Bones as she shouldered open the apothecary door. ‘Done? Got everything?’

‘Yes.’ She frowned at him. ‘Why are you so jumpy?’

The wind blew gently down the street. ‘He said it’s too quiet,’ said Zack.

A wagon rumbled up, Aubrey, Sweets and Camille perched on the outside. Aubrey swung down from the coach box. ‘We’ve restocked rations, local artificer checked the wagons, got a new whetstone from a blacksmith.’ He tossed the stone to Booth.

He caught it one hand. ‘We should get going.’

‘What happened to staying a few nights?’ Aubrey said.

‘Booth says–’

‘Say it one more time, Zack, and I’ll punch you,’ Booth said.

‘If we’re leaving, we should go now,’ Aubrey said. ‘We’ve only got a few hours until the sun sets.’

‘Wait,’ said Camille. ‘Where are Jack and Angelica?’

Everyone paused. ‘Weren’t they with you?’ said Bones.

‘No, I thought they were with you.’

Booth wandered down the street, scanning back and forth. ‘They took the other wagon,’ he said, kicking the ground.

‘Well, it’s decided then,’ Camille said. ‘We’re staying.’

The ground began to shake. Bones stumbled, and Booth jumped towards her. Then, distantly, screams.

The group stood frozen for a moment. Until Booth drew his sword and began to run.