Page 125 of The Robber Knight's Love
“Faster!” she yelled. “In the name of theVirgin Mary, move! You'll all be slaughtered!”
Hearing her words, the villagers fell into arun. The narrows wasn't far ahead. If they could just make it, justmake it there...
All around her, Ayla could hear the laboredbreathing of people running uphill, running with her. She prayed toGod no one would stumble. They couldn't stop to help; they justcouldn't afford it. And yet she knew, if it happened, she would.She couldn't bear to see someone, anyone, in the hands of thevillains who were chasing them. She would rather that it washerself.
Behind her, Ayla could hear the panting ofhorses, the pounding of hoofs.
“There they are,” a rough voice called out.“After them!” And then: “It's her! Lady Ayla! Get her!”
They knew her! They were after her,specifically!
Then why notstop?a small, weary voice said in the back of her mind.Why not give them what they want? It's notlike we have any hope of winning, anyway. We might as well give upnow.
No! Only a few more yards. The narrows wasnear, only a few more yards.
And then, suddenly, they were no longer onsmooth ground. Rocky cliffs fell off to their left and right,forming a narrow path.
“Stand and turn!” she shouted. “Stand andturn, men!”
The soldiers immediately did as shecommanded, forming a tight line all across the path. Spearsappeared in their hands, and swiveled down to point directly at theenemy. Hurriedly, Ayla slipped between two of the soldiers, and thegap closed behind her. Safe! She was safe. The villagers were safe.She was behind the soldiers and they—
All thought ceased as out of the darkness,the riders appeared. In full gallop they bore down on theirprey—only to discover that it was no longer running, but facingthem with sharpened steel. The sound of the impact wasbone-jarring. It threw Ayla, who had only advanced a few more pacesup the path, violently to the ground and made her clamp her handsover her ears in a useless attempt to deaden the noise.
The tumult of screams and screech of steel onsteel didn't cease. It went on and on as the wounded cried out inpain, soldiers tumbled off their horses, got trampled underfoot, orgot hacked to pieces by an enemy's blade. Ayla turned over, staringat the chaos just a few feet away from her. She was hardly able tomake sense of what she beheld. Yes, she had seen men fightingbefore, but never this close, never this horrible.
Or... maybe it's not ashorrible as it appears, she thought, as she watchedmercenary horses and riders in the dozens tumble down themountainside. The wall of steel between Ayla and the enemy stoodfirm. Only one man had gone down so far, and another had taken hisplace. Their faces tense, the butts of their spears set firmlyagainst the ground, they waited for the next attack—but none came.The falling enemies of the first charge tore the riders that camebehind with them down the mountain. They tumbled down the slopes ina bloody, screaming mess and disappeared into the darkness. Thatdid not stop the noise, however. It was quite some time until theircries could not be heard anymore.
Captain Linhart stepped out from among hissoldiers. His spear fell to the ground; his arm was hanging limplyat his side.
“That was it, men. Let's get out of herewhile we still can.”
He went to Ayla and offered her his goodhand. She took it with gratitude, let him help her up, and put abit of her weight on him. She wasn't quite sure whether her ownlegs would support her at the moment.
“Everything all right, Milady?” Linhart askedas they started to advance up the path, the soldiers followingclosely behind them.
“Not all right, Captain. As right as it canbe. And you?”
He smiled a weak smile. “As right as it canbe, Milady.”
Ayla's eyes searched the path ahead. “Whereare the villagers?”
“I, err, think they went ahead. They wereprobably not too keen on what was happening immediately behindthem.”
“Neither was I.”
“I can readily believe that, Milady.”
“What's wrong with your arm, Captain? Is itbroken?”
He winced. “Not broken, Milady. Just a bitstiff from the impact, that's all. Wecelo,” he called, turning hishead for a moment. “Pick up my spear, will you? We can't waste anyweapons!”
“Yes, Sir!”
It took a few more minutes, but finally theyreached the safety of the castle gates. The guards there startedcheering. Ayla had no idea why—this wasn't a victory. They hadsuffered a setback and just managed to escape with their lives!
Then a strange idea came to her:Maybe it's because I'm stillalive.
But no. That couldn't be, could it? Shecouldn't be that important to all those men... Men who weregrinning at her broadly, cheering, chanting her name, and bowingtheir heads in respect as she passed...
