It's been 3 months since the escape. Three months since the last time I saw Ally.

Let me tell you, even though I'm a free man it hasn't been an easy three months. After I jumped off the carriage I tucked and rolled, hitting the ground only a little harder than anticipated. I ducked quickly into the cover of the woods and ran in the opposite direction as fast as I could. I would've stayed to make sure Hart stayed unconscious for the trip but I knew that if I even waited a bit, I would stay. Imagine Hart's face if I actually had stayed, he'd be so happy to be the one to swing the axe in my public execution.

I drew close to Dhalawa when the sun just began to set. But I didn't go in. I turned left and ran even more. I didn't stop until I was dead tired, I dropped down on a patch of moss and slept till the sun was bright in my eyes.

After that, it was all down hill.

I won't lie. I went back to my old ways, did some bad things. I wasn't a changed man, there was no rehabilitation that I relapsed on. I found the nearest town and went to the grimiest pub. Soon enough an offer was made. I collected "rent" from a man that gambled with the wrong people. I sought vengeance for a girl's murdered sister on a group of rowdy, drunk young men. I stole my food and took shelter where I wanted it. If there was any problem I didn't hesitate to beat it out of them. I maimed and killed without a second thought. I didn't care what happened to me, what's the worst this small town could do? But then a month later I was visited by some old friends.

I was relaxing in a pub, drinking a a stein of whiskey, after taking care of a rather difficult hire. My employer didn't want to pay me for a "simple hit" because I apparently didn't dispose of the body right. So I went back with my machete, and left with a head.

I leaned against the bar counter, smiling, I asked the pretty bar wench, "Can you fill me up again?"

She smiled back, "Anything for you."

She really was pretty, I wasn't even trying to dial it down. She was petite, she had soft curves and soft brown hair that was tied up in a loose bun. She often wore a beige cotton dress but on this particular day she was wearing a yellow one. She looked so much a girl that I used to know.

She took the stein and turned away to fill me up, someone tapped me on the shoulder and I looked over. "Can I help you?"

A short stocky man with a dark brown cloak stood to my left, he lowered the hood and sat beside me, "I'm passing through in town. I saw your face and recognized it, have we met before?"

I shook my head, "I'm afraid not." Just because I was a criminal didn't mean I lost all my manners.

"I'm absolutely sure I've seen you before." The man scratched his head. "Oh!" He snapped his fingers like eureka. "I know where I've seen you before, here." He pulled out and unfolded a WANTED paper. He pointed to the picture of Austin's face. Underneath the picture was a sentence, "Reward: 20,000 silver pieces. Preferred alive. Courtesy of the Boss."

Before I could even suck my teeth I felt the tip of a metal piece dig into my lower back.

"Don't draw any attention, or you'll be drawing your last breath." A voice warned right by my ear.

I rolled my eyes. "How long did it take for you to think that up?"

"Quiet. We don't want no trouble outta you." The one in front of me said.

"You won't get any if you walk away right now." I replied.

"Too ba-" The man said, but I cut him off with a kick to the stomach. His friend threw a punch at the side of my head but I leaned back, dodging it. I grabbed his hand and bent it in a direction I shouldn't have. There was a loud crack and the thug screamed. The guy behind me holding the piece apparently wasn't as dumb as his friends. I spun around to face him but he had gone around the counter and now held the bar wench but the hair with a knife to her throat.

"I'll kill her!" He shouted. "Everyone out!"

Everyone in the pub exited as quickly as possible, all except for the bar owner, an old man with a limp. "Let go of the girl, take your fight elsewhere." He barked. But the his pleas were ignored. The girl who looked so much like Ally silently cried in fear. She looked right into my eyes, pleading me to help her.

"All I need is for you to come with me quietly, and I'll let her go." The mercenary said calmly, like he had done this a million times before. I've been in this situation too, but often on the other side. This was uncharted territory, and that was the scary part.

"I'm not coming with you." I replied.

The old man turned on me, "You foolish boy! You would let this girl die for you? For your worthless excuse for existing just because you're afraid of the judgement of the next life? You coward!" He advanced towards me, now brandishing a rather long fillet knife.

I jumped once out of the way. Twice. He chased me around a table, throwing chairs out of his way.

"Papa, no!" The girl cried. The mercenary jerked her sharply to quiet her. I could see him watching me, becoming amused with the situation.

Suddenly, I decided what to do. It was ridiculously dangerous, but I couldn't keep playing cat and mouse until something worse happened. I leaped forward and wrangled the knife out of the man's grasp. I had to knock him down and he crashed into the table before hitting the floor. I guess I would've felt bad if this had occurred a few months ago, but now nothing mattered. What's an old man's life to me?

Once I had the knife I turned to the where the mercenary and the girl were in a flash and threw the knife at his head. But he wasn't there. He was at the doorway now. The girl stood at the counter learning over on the counter.

"Remember this for the next time I come for you." The mercenary warned. He grinned, tipped his head, and disappeared out the door.

Ally! I forgot who was really dying for a moment. I ran to the girl and lifted her off the counter. By the looks of it, he had stabbed her in the stomach and pulled upwards. She collapsed in my arms and sank to the floor in my arms. "Ally? Ally!" I sobbed.

She had barely enough breath to speak but she mustered enough to ask, "This Ally must be really special, huh?"

I nodded and remembered that this girl wasn't her. She wasn't my Ally, but holding her like this as she lay dying it felt all too real. "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."

She shook and shivered violently and coughed up blood. "If you're really sorry, you'll help my father get over me. He'll be all alone. Take.. care of.. him." She coughed once more and fell still.

I stayed there, holding her for so long. I don't know how much time passed until the old man stirred and rushed over to see what happened. Numbly, I moved out of the way to let him grieve over his daughter's body.

"No! NO!" He sobbed. He cradled her head between his hands and begged her to wake up.

So sorry it took so long to begin the sequel to this series. Life still goes on outside of the amazing stories on this site, right? Just a little update, I'm no longer continuing the hidden song lyrics in this story. And chapter updates will not always be on schedule. I'll try my hardest to be consistent but no promises.

Thanks!