Page 23 of Furi

He moved and she grabbed for him. Suddenly her fear for him very real. “Be careful.”

“I will be fine.” He told her and then she heard the horses. And gripped him harder, her eyes wide. “My name is Furi. Named for the emotion that has always been a challenge for me to hold back. I struggle to hold it at bay. When pushed, it rises to the surface, and I become my name.”

That wasn’t comforting her any.

He stood back and walked around the truck door closing her in, her eyes all on him not seeing the men on horseback until he moved towards them. Illuminated by the truck lights.

She held her breath as he stood alone confronted them. She had to admit he looked deadly as he pulled twin swords from his back and saw the indecision on the faces of some of the men facing him.

The leader pushed his horse forward. She knew him, the tracker from before.

“Under the terms of this world, a female unprotected, without family needs a male guardian. Her property becoming his. We are here for the woman.” He called out. She sat stunned. She’d never considered this, and she should have.

“That will not be happening. As you can see she is with me.” Her relief at hearing his words hitting her.

“Then it will be a challenge for the right to have her.”

“Then you will all die.” And as he said it, suddenly several things happened at once.

The six men moved. Guns drawn Furi moving so fast she couldn’t keep track. The sound of gunfire going off left and right. Gripping the steering wheel she watched in horror as the six men confronting Furi took injury after injury, it was a deadly dance from one man to another. Trying to avoid injury Furi was caught by gunfire more than once taking the hits head-on, but he didn’t go down, the aggressors pouring with blood, from both sword and gunfire, some on the ground now no longer moving, horses running off in the commotion. It was chaos.

3 down and 3 to go.

Her fingers white in her grip. Furi finding himself surrounded, she’d never seen anyone fight like that. Her eyes wide, she watched him battle to stay alive. Then got caught again and her heart sank. “Furi!” She called out automatically. And before her eyes, he roared and struck taking out another two and then there was just the leader left and him.

Her fingers beyond painful as she gripped that wheel. She knew Cyborgs could take a lot of damage. She’d seen it over the years. Farm accidents that would have killed a human. They with time recovered as if nothing had happened and now he was putting himself in danger for her.

She’d not even been nice to him.

Tears hit her eyes as the two men circled.

“You took a big risk for her. Why?” The tracker asked.

“She’s my registered wife.”

Stunned she didn’t know what to think. 4 had told her she needed protection.

Was this what he meant? Someone recording a marriage?

It wouldn’t hold up to scrutiny. But maybe give her some time.

The leader dropped his gun and stood. “It’s recorded?”

Furi gave a nod. “It is.”

“She chooses you?”

“You saw us in the truck, heard her fear just now.”

The leader nodded again. “There was no way we could win this was there?”

“No. She belongs to me.”

“Then we will withdraw. Tend our wounds and let the town know.”

“You came with the towns blessing?”

The leader nodded. “Her farm produces high-grade produce. It's valuable and much sort after.”

---