Bam!
The door is hit from the other side as his pursuers attempt to break it in. He glances and finds the dresser and chairs are for the moment keeping them at bay.
“My baby!” can be heard coming from the hallway.
Ripping the sheet off the baby’s bed, he ties it to the side of the crib and then puts the excess out the window. At this point the child starts to sob and then lets out with a god awful scream. Jiron glances toward it and sees the child is attempting to reach through the bars for something.
On the floor next to the crib he finds one of Tersa’s teddy bears. Are these things everywhere now? Picking it up, he hands it to the child who immediately quiets down. It must have been lifted from the crib when he had removed the sheet.
Bam!
The door opens an inch and begins to be pushed further into the room as those in the hallway put their weight into it. Swinging out of the window, Jiron takes hold of the sheet and proceeds to climb down. Unfortunately the sheet only extends several feet and he has to let go and freefall the remaining ten feet.
Landing on his feet, he glances up just as Orlander’s head pops out of the window. “He’s on the street outside!” he hollers. He leaves the window and a crossbowman takes his place. Taking aim at Jiron he fires just as Jiron begins running away down the street and misses, the bolt strikes the ground where he just vacated.
Coming to the edge of the house, two of Orlander’s thugs round the corner and engage him. Not even slowing, he waits until the last possible moment then drops to the ground and rolls into their legs. One hops over him as he rolls and the other fails to move fast enough and is tripped.
Coming to his feet quickly, he turns and goes on the offensive with the one still on his feet. Feinting with one knife, he draws the man’s sword into a defensive position. Using his other, he knocks the sword out of the way and ends it with a kick to the man’s chest which sends him stumbling backward, tripping over his comrade.
Turning, Jiron resumes racing down the street as more of Orlander’s men leave the house and gain the street.
The commotion on the street has begun to draw the attention of those living in the vicinity and many are sticking their heads out the window to see what’s going on. When they recognize Orlander and his bunch, they immediately pull their heads back from the window and throw the shade.
Just three streets away is the inn where hopefully James has begun to get the horses ready for a quick getaway. Needing to give him a few more minutes to assure he’ll be ready when he gets there, he pauses at a corner at another junction where he’s sure the light from the moon overhead will illuminate him. Making sure he’s seen by Orlander’s bunch, he then races around the corner.
Ping!
A crossbow bolt strikes the building near where he had just stood. The thunder of pursuit remains behind him as he continues to lead the mob through town. At one corner a member of the city watch appears before him.
“Here now…” the man begins to say as Jiron runs right into him without even slowing. Bowling the watchman over, he continues fleeing down the street.
Hoping James has had enough time to get the horses ready by now, he begins to make his way back toward the inn. Shouts from all over begin to be heard as Orlander’s group splits up to cover many of the streets. The watchman join the group, seems they’re on rather friendly terms with Orlander. He must’ve bought them off.
Pausing for a moment to catch his breath in a darkened doorway, he holds still as a group of five men race past. He waits there until they turn at the next junction and then continues heading toward the inn.
In the dark of night with nothing but the moon to light the way, he’s not entirely sure he’s kept his sense of direction until he sees the inn coming up the road ahead.
Crumph!
From the back courtyard of the inn a loud explosion can be heard. Between him and there are three men all running with swords drawn toward the courtyard. Jiron leaves the protection of the shadows and races behind the three men. With knives in both hands, he comes up behind them and stabs two through the back and as the third turns to face this threat, slices him across the throat.
Leaving the dead and dying behind him, he races to the side of the inn and enters the courtyard. He finds James standing by the saddled horses holding off three men. A stone flies from his hand and takes one out as the other two charge.
With a cry, Jiron races to intercept. The men hear his cry and turn as he advances upon them. One moves to intercept him as the other continues toward James. The man heading to James suddenly cries out as he’s picked up and thrown across the courtyard where he smashes into the side of the stables.
The cry of his partner distracts the remaining man just enough for Jiron to get inside his defense and slice open his belly. Then he kicks out with his foot and smashes the man’s knee. As the man falls to the ground he yells to James, “Get on the horse!”
Closing the distance to the horses, James gets into the saddle just as Jiron catches the pommel of the saddle of his horse and quickly swings himself up. Without a word, they both kick their steeds into quick motion as they race for the way out of the courtyard.
As they near, Orlander and his bunch show up. “Don’t stop!” Jiron cries and they both hug their horses’ neck as they ride through the group.
Orlander and the others have to dive out of the way in order to avoid being trampled by the charging horses. When he gets to his feet, Orlander yells “I’ll kill you both if it’s the last thing I do!”
Leaving them behind, the two riders race through town following the western road leading to the mountains. “Let’s rejoin the others,” James tells him.
“I’m for that,” he replies. Behind them the glow which was once Orlander’s tavern lights the night.
Once they are again within the beginnings of the pass, they slow their speed. They don’t ride very far before Jiron asks, “Do you think the Empire’s men are still around?”
“Never know,” James replies. “Best if we kept an eye out.”
“Next time around should my horse become skittish I’ll be more careful,” he says, remembering the creatures they fought not too long ago.
Nodding, James says, “You got that right.”
As they ride the sky begins to lighten with the coming of the dawn.
Two hours after leaving the town behind, the thunder of approaching riders begins to be heard coming from the pass. Deciding discretion may be the wisest course at this time, they edge off the road and hide within a copse of trees.
Just as they gain the cover of the trees, the horsemen reach them and thunder past.
“Fifer!” James exclaims at the departing riders as he quickly returns to the road.
The rider in the rear turns around to glance back and cries out, “It’s James!” Miko stops his horse and turns back, the others following suit.
“What the hell happened?” Uther asks as they come close.
“A lot,” Jiron replies. “Sure am glad to see you guys.”
“Where did you get the horses?” James asks Fifer as he pulls up next to him.
Nodding back the way they came he says, “Back a ways. We were hurrying to follow you when a couple soldiers from the Empire suddenly appeared in the road ahead of us. Seems they were coming from a hard to see trail and must not have seen us. When they finally saw us, a cry went up and one of them fired a crossbow but fortunately failed to hit.”
“Yeah,” interjects Uther, “after that we charged and took them out. From the looks of them they had already seen some action, bandaged as they were.”
Nodding, Fifer looks to James and says, “Some were even sporting severe burns.”
“We saw the explosion,” Dave says, not wishing to be left out of the conversation. “What happened?”
“Let’s find a spot off the road where we’ll not be observed and I’ll tell you,” he says to them.
Turning off the road, they move through the trees until they find a suitable clearing where they can rest without those passing on the road finding them. Once settled in, James and Jiron take turns in describing all the events which transpired since they left the others.