“It’s the room on the left at the end of the hall,” Bart told Riyan.
“Got it,” he said. Opening the door slightly, he saw that the hallway on the other side was clear. “Let’s go.” Moving through the doorway, he and Chad hurried to the stairwell and quickly ascended to the second floor.
The hallway at the top was clear so they turned to the left and headed for the end. They only made it two steps before the door at the end on the right, opened. The old fear welled up within Riyan when Rupert and his other two cronies left the room and entered the hallway.
As soon as Rupert saw them, he came to a surprised shock. Behind him, a crony said, “Well, if it isn’t sheep dung boy.”
“I thought I smelled something,” the other added. He and the first both started laughing.
Riyan remained still in the hallway as Rupert began moving closer. Beside him, Chad had his hand on the hilt of his sword.
“So Riyan,” Rupert said with a sneer, “you’ve returned? Did you come to pay your respects to my wife?”
“She’s not your wife yet, Rupert,” Riyan said. “And she never will be married to a swine such as you.” His initial fear at seeing Rupert was rapidly disappearing.
“You’re too late,” Rupert said. “We’re already married.” He could see the pain his words inflicted and reveled in it. “In fact, we’ve been consummating our marriage quite regularly. She plays such an active role, who would have thought she would love it so much.” Each word he spoke was a dagger into Riyan’s heart.
“Face it Riyan,” he said. “You lost.”
Riyan starred in stunned disbelief at Rupert. The smug look of self-righteous satisfaction on his face sparked a rage deep within him.
“Don’t believe him,” said Chad. “He’s a liar.”
Rupert’s face turned red with anger at the insult. “Get them boys,” he said to his two cronies.
“With pleasure,” they replied. Stepping past Rupert, they drew their swords and advanced toward Riyan and Chad.
Chad pulled his sword a second after Riyan. Together, they stood shoulder to shoulder to face the oncoming cronies.
“What are you going to do with those?” the one on the right asked. “Sheep dung boy and miller’s brat think they’re fighters.”
Rage, not nearly as blindingly hot as it had been on the riverbank, seethed within Riyan. Calculating coolness took over as he waited for them to draw nearer. Both he and Chad remained silent as the other two approached.
“Once you’re dead Riyan,” Rupert said, “perhaps I’ll share Freya with my boys.”
Riyan ignored the barb and waited for the one on the right to come. The look on the crony’s face said he thought this was going to be easy. But when he struck out and Riyan not only blocked his attack, but struck back, his confidence began to wane.
Next to him, Chad easily blocked the thrust of his opponent. Lashing out with a counter thrust, he scored along the man’s side. Immediately, he launched into an attack, similar in nature to one that Tad had frequently used back at the Guild.
Riyan went on the offensive as well. The rage within him giving him added strength as he thrust, parried, and hacked. It was soon clear the cronies were not going to be able to best them.
Three more passes and Chad’s sword took his opponent through the chest.
“Assassins!” Rupert began yelling as the first crony fell from Chad’s blade. “Help!” As Riyan dispatched the final crony, Rupert turned and fled back down to the door through which he had so recently emerged. Shoving it open, he rushed inside and slammed it shut. The sound of the bar being thrown quickly followed.
Chad reached the door and tried to open it.
“Leave him,” Riyan said as he came to the door on the opposite side of the hall. Rapping hard, he then hollered, “Freya!”
“Riyan?” asked a voice coming from the other side.
“Yes,” he said. “Open the door.”
“It’s locked,” she told him. “Rupert has the key.”
From within his room, Rupert was shouting for help at the top of his lungs.
“Stand back,” Riyan yelled.
Chad immediately realized what he planned and moved into position to help. Then together, they ran for the door and threw their shoulders into it.
Crack!
The doorjamb shattered and the door slammed against the wall on the inside. Riyan stumbled into the room and was soon wrapped in the arms of Freya.
“Oh Riyan,” she sobbed, tears of happiness at seeing him running down her face.
Chad was back in the hallway. “Hurry up man,” he said. “He’ll have every soldier in the area converging on this place in no time.”
Riyan broke the embrace and gazed into her red, teary eyes. “Are you…?” he started to ask.
She shook her head. “No,” she replied. “I heard what he said and it was all lies. We aren’t married and he’s never touched me.”
Relief washed over him at her words.
“And no matter what,” she said, “I’ll not marry him now.”
“But what about your father?” he asked.
“It wasn’t long after you left that he came to realize Rupert’s true nature,” she explained. “He just couldn’t find a way to break it off. Rupert’s family is too influential. But after this…”
“That’s all well and good,” Chad said from the hallway, “but we’ve got to get out of here!”
Riyan took Freya in his embrace one more time and kissed her. It was all he could do to let her go. Keeping her hand in his, he led her from the room. Before moving down the hallway, he paused at Rupert’s door. “This isn’t over yet!” he yelled. No reply came from within.
“Would you come on!” Chad yelled from the top of the stairs.
“They’re getting away!” Rupert yelled from within the room. “Get them!”
Bart appeared as Riyan reached the stairwell. “What took you so long?” he asked. Then he saw the bodies of the two cronies lying further down the hallway. Glancing to Freya, he smiled. “Nice to see you again,” he said.
“The feeling is more than mutual,” she replied.
“Now hurry,” he said. “Kevik’s holding them off, but Rupert’s cries may bring more.”
Riyan nodded. With Freya’s hand still clutched in his, he followed Bart down the steps. Chad brought up the rear. At the bottom, they found Kevik and Chyfe. Down the hallway to their right were a dozen goo covered soldiers spanning the length of the hallway.
“What is this?” Freya asked when she saw the goo covered men.
“No time to explain,” Riyan told her. Turning into the hallway he followed Bart toward the back door. “Is that her?” he heard Kevik asked Chad. Chad’s response was lost as Riyan and Freya passed through to the outside.
Bart paused just outside the back door for a moment. “The twins went for the horses,” he told Riyan.
Above, Rupert’s cries for help continued.
“I wish someone would shut him up,” Chad said.
Scanning the area, Riyan couldn’t see anyone coming in answer to Rupert’s cries. “Let him scream,” he said. “Doesn’t seem to be doing a whole lot of good.”
Just then, Seth and Soth emerged from the trees with their horses. Bart waved to them and led the others to meet them. Once the two groups were together, those still on foot quickly mounted. Riyan helped Freya swing up behind him. When she wrapped her arms around his chest, it felt good.
Laying her head against his back, she sighed, “I’m so glad you’re here.”
Bart scanned the area one last time for hostiles before heading out at a gallop toward the forest. “Riyan,” he said, “you take the lead.”
“Right,” he said.
“Where are we going?” Freya asked.
“To the south ford,” he replied. “My mother and Chad’s family are waiting there for us.”
Looking out from his window, Rupert saw them racing away. “Riyan!” he yelled. “Kidnapper! Someone stop them!!”
“Will you shut up,” a voice behind him commanded.
Turning around, Rupert saw Daniel framed in the doorway. “How did you get in here?” he demanded to know.
Daniel ignored the question. “I’m getting tired of you,” he told the Magistrate’s son.