~Stay still

Don't fall

Stay quiet

Stand tall

You're loved

By them all~

Jans briefly stirred, and started to come to. Miri checked to make sure that Dan's attention was on the newcomers, and upon confirmation, heaved her whole body on the boy. He was still out of it, but Miri stopped his howl with a rigorous shake of her head.

In the time that took, Fendild and Laren raised their mallets at Dan and charged to attack. Peder lunged toward Miri and Jans as Dan ducked and rolled in the same direction. Dan emerged, holding Miri by her tied hands.

"Drop the weapons. Now!"

Miri made eye contact with her pa for the first time. She now knew that what Doter had said countless times was true: eyes were windows to the heart. And she saw that her Pa's heart was breaking for breaking for the third and final time. If she died, so would her pa.

She turned her gaze to Fendild. He was tightly coiled—ready to strike. Jans and Peder were at Dan's feet, but no one paid them any attention. Except Miri. Dan wrenched the mountain girl to her feet.

"Don't worry, you're dead anyway, Princess."

Miri gave Peder a glance; they locked eyes and never looked away. He spoke through the mutilated linder.

"Listen to me: get away and I'll take care of him."

"How?" Miri was desperate for answers.

He mimed kicking. "Got it?"

"Yes."

No hawk falters before the bite.

Dan was about to hurt, or possibly kill, her.

So strike.

Miri kicked Dan as hard as she could. Her heel made a nice little indentation in his calf. His hands dropped to his legs, letting his captive fall in the process. She grunted and put her hands out to brace herself, but, thankfully, her pa caught her.

"Miri," he breathed, before pulling her into a bear hug. "I can't believe I almost lost you!"

"Pa, please make sure Jans is all right; he tried to protect me, and I'll never forgive myself if…" Miri couldn't allow herself to continue.

"All right," said Laren gently. He and Fendild went to see if the poor boy was okay.

Meanwhile, Peder had Dan against the side of the mountain.

"You wouldn't, mountain boy," Dan jeered.

"Oh yeah? Try me," Peder said deliberately. He raised a sharp linder shard.

"Do it then. Kill me," replied Dan indifferently. Peder growled at him.

"Peder, wait!" Miri ran over. "I can't let you do this; you'll be as bad as him. Let me talk to him."

"Miri—"

"Peder, let me!"

He sighed. "All right. But you're not leaving my sight."

"Fair enough." Peder walked just out of earshot

"Well, well, Princess," Dan sneered,

"You listen to me, and you listen to me well. You are scum. I should have them kill you, but I don't want your blood on their hands. So, I'm giving you two options. You can have us turn you in to the king, or you can jump off the cliff. You'll probably die either way…"

Dan's face had a peculiar expression on it. "You're very bright, Princess. I value that." He glanced back at the mountain men. "Tell my men that they need to find a new leader, one who makes better choices." He turned and leaped off into the rocky valley hundreds of feet below.

Miri stood at the edge of the mountain, cold and numb at what had just happened. Peder came up and hugged her. She started sobbing.

"Shhh, shhh, it's all right, you're okay,"

"It's over. It's finally over," Miri repeated. Peder led her to her pa, Fendild, and a now standing Jans. Together, they walked back to their home.

Sorry guys, I meant to have this up last week, but I lost my notebook In answer to a question, yes, I write all of the poems my self.

~icecreamgurl6455