Dust was coming up the road, the tell tale sign that someone was approaching 327. They were coming fast and it was quite a bit of dust. Ty didn't come alone.
Rudy, Jack and Kim watched from horseback while the guards and prisoners stood in formation. They could be taken as prisoners forced to be on their best behavior, but the weapons hid in trap doors in front of each man and woman couldn't be mistaken for ceremony.
"Think this'll really work?" Kim asked, biting her lip.
"I'm sure of it," Rudy said confidently. "He'll probably have no more than twenty Dragons with him. Twenty Dragons can't do anything by themselves against five thousand soldiers."
The gate opened and the first strike was moments away. Jack cracked his knuckles and rolled his neck, waiting.
"Kim, you know the plan as well as I do. When it's time, give the order. You need to lead us now," Jack told her, firmly taking her hand in his. "You're the Empress, I'm a soldier."
Kim nodded and squeezed Jack's hand, still holding firmly when the first Dragon came through the gate. Nine more followed, then Ty, then ten more Dragons.
"Where is he? Where's my main man Rudes?!" Ty shouted, hopping off his horse. "You all look great, by the way," Ty said with a smile as he passed. "There you are!" Ty's face lit up when he saw Rudy.
"Now!" Kim shouted when Ty and his Dragons were in the center of the formation. They jumped to action and lifted the doors, grabbing swords, axes, spears and small round shields. Whatever Kim's factory and crafts people had time to make.
"What the fuck?!" Ty shouted, spinning around. "Rudy, what's going on?"
Kim answered instead, "Dragons, lay down your arms and no harm will come to you. Ty, descendant of an usurper, today begins my take back of what is mine."
"What is yours... what is yours..." Ty racked his brain to see what came up. "If you want a pardon so you can have your shitty little life back, just say so, damn!"
"The throne, you god damn Christmas nut! I'm Kim Crawford of the same Crawfords that were on the throne before you! I'm taking it back!" Kim shouted, not sure where the power came from. Jack told her she was going to be a leader, and it scared her how natural it felt.
"You're a Crawford? Damn girl, if I would have known that, I would have had Jack kill you a long time ago," Ty chuckled like it was no big deal. "Jack, do me a huge solid and kill her please," Ty said with a simple hand wave.
"Yeah, I'm sorry, but I can't do that," Jack said firmly, putting an arm around Kim. "I told her who she was and what she's entitled to. You don't see five thousand prisoners and five hundred highly trained guards anymore. You see an army of 5,500 free men and women fighting for a just Empire."
"You're in on this? And Rudy, you too?" Ty's eyes began to water and his bottom lip quivered.
"Yeah Ty, we're in on this," Rudy confirmed. "Your dynasty has done nothing but served itself and degraded the entire Empire. The Brewers have done all they could through council to save it, but it's time for the Crawfords to rise again and fix the mess your family made."
"Seize Ty and cut down any Dragon that stands in front of him," Kim ordered. The army took an aggressive stance, and the intelligent Dragons stayed their weapons to not go to a pointless death.
The Dragons stepped back and Ty was led forward but not manhandled. "So are you guys going to kill me or..." Ty asked, knowing he was at their mercy.
"Your father tried to have me killed, but pleaded for my life," Rudy said solemnly. "I won't forget that. In return, I've spoken with Jack and Empress Kim. Because you saved my life, yours is safe with me."
"Holy... Rudy man, you will not regret not having me killed. I don't even want the throne that much anymore, really! I mean, the pressure, the late nights, being all alone and stuff, Kai waging wars without even asking me!"
Jack and Kim shared a look at the mention of wars. "Ty, what wars?" Jack asked, leaning forward in the saddle.
"Kai's been declaring war on a bunch of neighboring tribes outside the Empire. He's fought a few battles, but nothing huge," Ty explains.
"Kai's waging war hoping tribes will attack the camps. Also, he's seasoning his troops," Kim guessed at Kai's motives. "He knows we're going to war and that other camps are going to be our supply line and troops."
"We've gotta get to the other tribes and tell them what's going on. We can't fight them and Kai," Jack says urgently.
"Jack man, I got this!" Ty says excitedly. "Let me do my part in fixing stuff. Send me with the Dragons to the tribes Kai has been warring with. Furthermore, I'll tell them of the rebellion. I know how big of a dick my dad was to them, so they'll definitely want to take down the Empire. They're already at war so they can't say no to an ally."
"Ty, you're making sense. What happened?" Rudy asked like it was ground breaking.
"I don't know, it just kind of... poofed into my head. If you don't trust me, I totally get that. Send Rudy with me. Two best buds on a road trip to save the rebellion!"
"Hell yeah we don't trust you!" Kim challenged. "You were the Emperor five minutes ago. Why would you help an overthrow?"
Ty rolled his head and his eyes at the challenge. "Because I hate that job? Didn't I just explain that? Everyone hates me, there are little baby rebellions all over the place because my father 'taught' me how to rule. Jack was the one that always made it okay and he's on your side. Rudy's on your side. Kai pretty much does everything for me. You could kill me if you wanted. I'm not a bad guy, I swear! I just don't know any better," Ty poured out his heart.
"Alright Ty, I'll go with you. We'll talk to the tribes," Rudy gave in to his old lost friend.
"Alright," Kim nodded, giving her consent. "The rest of y'all, get your gear because we're moving out in exactly half an hour!"
"Well Kim, your army just found out their foreman is also the Empress and they seem pretty okay with that," Jack smirked and flicked the reins, his horse moving on.
"They found out what just now?" Kim asked in a daze. "They just found out who I am?"
"Yeah. I never told them," Jack shrugged. "They were cool with us leading the Empire before and they're just as educated as you were before I let you in on your family secret. Now they know just what horse they're backing."
"Should I not have said all that in front of them?" Kim was beginning to worry about her mouth and her temper.
"I feel like it was a good morale boost, actually," Jack said, his tone still very business like. "Come on inside. I have something for you," Jack told her with a smile.
"I feel like I should be wary, but your smile gives me butterflies," Kim thought aloud.
The couple dismounted and entered the mansion, Jack leading her up to the office. He continued through the office and to the bedroom behind it.
"Jack, don't we have a little too much going on for uh..." Kim bit her lip and looked to the bed.
Jack laughed at her and shook his head. "That's not what we're up to, Beauty. Maybe tonight, though," Jack said with a wink as he crouched on the floor and dug under the bed, pulling out a small wooden chest. He opened the chest and Kim could see his smile but not what he had.
"Jack, come on. You know I hate surprises," Kim almost begged.
Jack finally stood and set the chest on the bed. Kim joined him at his side as he opened the chest. Her jaw dropped and his smile grew.
"I brought this with me. I stole it from the Imperial Archives for you. I can't promise it will fit, but we can adjust it quickly," Jack told her as he held up the green and white leather gi of the Line of Crawford. "Go ahead, put it on," Jack urged her, his eyes bright with pride.
Kim quickly stripped to her underwear and didn't so much as blush when under Jack's intense gaze. They had spent their first night together last night, and neither felt regret or shame.
Once incased in the worn but comfortable leather, she rushed to the mirror and smiled at herself. She looked like a warrior, a leader, a Crawford.
"You're gorgeous, Kim. Have I ever told you that?" Jack asked in a whisper, standing behind her and sweeping her long blonde hair over her shoulder. He leaned down and brushed his lips against her hot, soft skin.
"You have, but we have a lot of time to make up for," Kim moaned as Jack brought his hands up and massaged her pliant muscle through the gi.
"I think we started catching up on something last night..." Jack chuckled deeply and nibbled Kim's exposed neck. "I think we may need to play more catch up tonight," he smirked against her neck and he caught her as her knees actually buckled a little. "I think I'll take charge this time."
Kim shuddered again, but was able to find her mind. "We should probably get back to business before we make our own army late," Kim suggested, turning in his arms and kissing his waiting lips. "Definitely to be continued," she growled and left him behind.
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Jack said goodbye to his office and mansion that had come to mean quite a lot to him. Kim didn't seem to hold similar sentiments, which Jack could understand. He didn't have the hard times here that Kim suffered through.
"Come on Beauty, let's get you out of here," Jack said as he helped Kim into her saddle. She didn't need help, but she appreciated Jack's care and chivalry all the same.
"I'm going to miss what we did here, the changes we made, but I'm not going to miss this place," Kim said softly as her eyes flitted from the mansion to the streets to the slabs and then to the open gate that had sealed her in this hell for three years.
"We're leaving this place behind, Kim. We're freeing so many more like you that won't ever have to look back," Jack said, taking her hand to squeeze it before letting her go and jumping into his own saddle.
"Alright you men and women! Until this day you were denied the taste of freedom!" Kim addressed the 5,500 troops that would fight to overthrow a throne that sat crooked and twisted for one hundred years. "We march today towards a new beginning for ourselves and a future worth living for our young and yet to come! Come with me and fight for that life, fight for what we deserve but are forced to take with blood!"
Kim rose high in the stirrups, a fist in the air as the men and women around her roared and begged for the chance to remove those that cast them so low. "For your present and the future, march!" Kim called and as practiced, the streets of 327 seemed to come alive themselves as the occupants poured out of the wall and turned down the dirt path that had led them there.
"How do you feel?" Jack asked with a smirk as he, Kim, Jerry and Lusa watched their forces move forward.
"I feel like we can make a difference," Kim sighed, a warm smile on her face. "We have a lot of work to do, and nobody told us it would be easy, but someone needs to fix this Empire, and who better than us?"
"Nobody, that's who," Jack smiled and took Kim's hand in his, kissing her knuckles. "We have 5,500 soldiers. Brody has another 3,300 along with Milton's 2,200. We have a combined force of 11,000 men and women. That alone is enough to put Kai on the defensive."
"11,000? That's a nice start, but we'll need far more to topple the Empire," Kim said, running a hand through her hair. "Like I said, it won't be easy. It's literally going to be a war, but I think it's one we can win. After a few victories, I think it's only a matter of time before the citizens of the Empire start choosing sides, then we have a real civil war," Kim flicked the reins as the last of the troop began it's movement, Jack, Lusa and Jerry falling in next to her. They all wore the gis of the past Crawford dynasty. They were no longer subjects under Ty's rule.
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Night quickly approached the army, much to the disappointment of the four leaders. They were still a day's march from Camp 328, and they had no idea what to expect. Would the camp go willingly, guards and all? Would they have to lay siege? Did a warring tribe riled by Kai already sack it?
"Kim, we have to stop for the night," Lusa urged. "The troops have to be tired and we may have issues trying to find our way in the dark."
"She's right, Kim," Jack concurred. "We can start at first light, but getting camp set up before last light is the best call."
"Damn it! Alright..." Kim gave in, wishing for more to show for their first day.
"You can't expect us to move a whole mountain in a single day, Kim," Jerry added in sadly. "You could probably use some rest yourself there," he suggested.
"Jerry, please move it down the column that we're setting up camp for the night?" Kim asked with a smile. She was the Empress, but that didn't mean she had to be a bitch about everything. She also would never forget who her friends were.
"Yes ma'am," Jerry saluted because he thought it was fun, and took off down the dirt road with Lusa at his side. The couple were all but inseparable.
Jack and Kim both quietly laughed at the two but soon realized they weren't much better.
"Oh my god, are we like that?" Kim asked, realization dawning on her.
"Yeah, probably," Jack chuckled, running a hand through his hair. "I don't even care. I probably would if I wasn't willing to admit that I love you yet, but we're past that," Jack said, loving the way Kim smiled at his words.
"Well I love you too," Kim said, tilting her head slightly up and turning her nose at him. Jack only laughed as he watched as the road cleared and the fields on both sides became active with the hustle and bustle of setting up camp.
Nobody was a fan of the act of setting up camp, but everybody fought with it as quickly as possible because it held the promise of rest and relaxation for a couple of hours. It was like watching ants.
Soon the entire camp was set and everybody was relaxed and setting about to light happy camp fires. Jack began sniffing the air and he could already smell smoke before any fires were lit.
"Jack, why's there smoke coming from up ahead?" Kim asked nervously.
"Nah, that's never good. It's all billowy and there's a lot of it," Jerry commented.
"Jerry, go get twenty riders. We're going to go check out the smoke," Kim declared. Jerry's first real mission was to raid an Imperial ranch that was a five day march from the camp. Jerry had returned with two hundred horses and fifty heads of cattle.
Jerry did as told while Jack and Kim rode to the front the camp and waited for Jerry to return. Once assembled, Kim waved them forward and they stormed down the worn dirt path.
It was a short journey by horse to the cause of the smoke, and much like Jerry said, it wasn't a good thing. Kim's jaw dropped when she saw the gates of 328 wide open and smoke rising from behind the walls.
"No, no no no no!" Kim shouted as she tapped the sides of her horse and galloped into the burning camp.
"Kim, no! It's a trap!" Jack cried out as the gate closed directly behind her, the others just short of joining her. "No!" Jack shouted again.
"Jerry, go back and fetch the rest of the cavalry. Lusa, stay here. I'm going to find a way to get that gate open," Jack directed with an unmistakable resolve.
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Kim looked around, nearly blinded by smoke. She couldn't see more than ten feet in front of her. One thing caught her attention, though. The coppery scent of blood and the ominous, brooding feeling of death that lingers over a battleground was absent.
Kim was robbed of her vision, so she closed her eyes and centered herself to rely on her other senses. She dismounted and removed the katana from her back, the hairs standing on the back of her neck promising her that Jack was right in this being a trap. She certainly wasn't alone.
She heard the first sign of movement, rapid footsteps. She called her breathing and waited, waited, waited. Finally when the footsteps were right on top of her, Kim opened her eyes, side-stepped the charging warrior and brought the razor sharp blade of her katana across his back.
She waited for the next one, her eyes again closed. Again, she waited for the attacker to be directly in front of her. This time, Kim didn't open her eyes until she felt soft flesh around her blade, the fool impaled by an effortless thrust.
They had to know soon that one on one attacks would be too easy for Kim. They would soon come in groups and overwhelm her or make her tired. Kim wasn't going to give them that chance.
Kim took a chance and began stalking forward, katana at the ready. She wouldn't alert them like they had alerted her of their presence. She knew if the smoke could hide them, it would hide her as well. The deeper she went, the higher her anxieties rose.
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Jack stood outside the wall, searching for any way he could get in. Luck was with him for once when he found an uncared for section of wall, long veins of ivy growing unchallenged.
Jack took a thick vine in hand and smiled to himself as he began his climb. He wasn't sure if the wall would be watched or if he could get to the gate house unchallenged. Anyone in his way would be cut down without remorse or a second thought.
He sprinted across the wall that was wide enough for only two men at a time. He didn't care about alerting others to his presence. Something in his gut told him Kim was still free somewhere in here, and he would buy her all the time he could.
Jack was able to reach the gate house without a problem and opened the massive doors. Without any order, Lusa and her riders surged through the gate, weapons drawn. Jerry would be there soon with the rest of the cavalry and there may be a real fight on their hands.
"Nobody leaves until we find her," Jack ordered from the wall.
"Jack, the smoke is still thick enough to cut and it's getting dark. It'll be a while before Jerry is back with the cavalry," Lusa pointed out.
"Did I stutter?" Jack dared Lusa to challenge him.
"No..." Lusa said quietly, staring at the ground. "I don't want to lose her either, Jack. She's my best friend," she sympathized.
"She's the Empress. If Kim is captured or any harm is done to her, that's the end of the rebellion and the end of all of us," Jack seethed.
"Are you going to admit you need her too?" Lusa asked, now at the wall below where Jack stood.
"Yes," Jack whispered, Lusa's ears strained just to hear him. "Fuck it," Jack growled. Go back to Jerry and stay with the main force. Relink with Milton and Brody. This smells like Kai. He knows what we're up to and we can't risk dividing our forces."
"What about you?" Lusa asked, afraid of the answer.
"I'll come back as soon as I have Kim. She asked me not to go where she can't follow, and right now, I can help that. I'm going to get Kim back alone."
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I know it's been far too long, and I'm so sorry. I haven't even been that busy, but some things have been happening lately that have sapped my will to write this. I think I'm back, though. And after this story, I'll tell you all what's been happening with me by reopening Holding Out For A Hero after this story is done.