The scarred, albeit still somewhat youthful, sergeant was completely caught unawares by many things. He had not thought to see Gilbrecht and a small group of men guarding over a woman like she was some cultist ripe for execution. He had thought that they would also still be in their armor from having just slaughtered Beastman. These and of course, the charming woman running over to embrace him like they were lost lovers, or family. His mouth moved before his mind could. 

"By Sigmar it's good to see you." he breathed, loud enough for the Commander and his men to hear. Immediately he regretted the words. He knew he held no love for Lord Egling or his men. Their timely intervention in the forest was done for themselves, and only Hilde had been shown any kind of kindness since then. However, deceiving them in their own castle was something only the very foolish would do. 

[i]That's me. The very foolish.[/i] Cerdic pushed her to arms length, looking her up and down. He'd not been held by a woman in quite awhile, and he had to admit he would have been a bit friendlier to Hilde as well if they had met in a tavern instead of a bloodbath. "You've not aged a day!" he announced, giving a smile. "This was the last place I expected to see you."

[hr] 
Balgar the Demonhearted sat within his tent, the fabric around him whirled with a multitude of colors and visions that would drive a man insane if he dared to look upon it for any length of time. The armored champion looked down at the miserable, pitiful Ungor that shuddered beneath his gaze. The news that they had not retrieved the woman, man, or powder was not something he was pleased with. Behind the sniveling creature, Crovendif the Indulgent moaned lightly from what he knew would come next. 

The great Chosen of Tzeentch stood up off of his skull of bones and gazed down at the Ungor through his magnificent helm, the creature paralyzed with fear. So dumbstruck by the sight of meeting the Chosen eye to eye that it did not feel the pain of having its body sheared in half by the ethereal blade. A light cackle from Crovendif followed the wet thump of the corpse hitting the ground. 

"Imperial Knights." he said with contempt. "Pretenders. Take all of your followers, and whatever Beastmen you can find, Crovendif. Ransack and kill whomever you will. Do as you do, however... Leave the woman alive for me to question. After that you can have her for yourself." 

"And the man?" the Slaneesh worshiper asked, barely contained ecstacy in his voice from the prospect of having Hilde in his grasp. A stark contrast to Balgar's calm reserve. "Make sure he is dead."

[@Austronaut]