Right, I'm back. Holiday was OK, lots of puddles to jump in with my new spotty wellies. Yes, I'm a child. And, no, I don't care.
Hi-ho silver, away!
Alokia struggled, but the man was too strong.
"Keep still." He growled, holding her by the wrists in one hand, his other hand at her throat.
Alokia kicked out, catching him in his stomach. His grip loosened enough for her to escape. She was halfway to the door when strong arms tightened around her waist and dragged her back. She cried out in fear, kicking and struggling desperately. "I said keep still." His snarl sent chills down her spine and fear slammed into her stomach, causing hesitation. In her hesitation, she fell still.
The man threw her back on the bed and pinned her down beneath him, his hand returning to her throat. "If you keep still, it'll hurt less." He sneered. Alokia whimpered, feeling his other hand on her leg.
There was a sudden, loud smashing of glass followed by four, consecutive and dull thuds. The sound of an angry horse's neigh had the man swivelling round in outrage.
"Get away from my daughter, ya lil' bastard." Alokia gave a nervous, yet relieved laugh.
"Come to join the party, have we Louisa?"
"Ya funeral party, obviously." The man slid from the bed, retrieving a double edged sword Alokia hadn't noticed before.
"By all means, make it my funeral party." Louisa dismounted the stormy grey Pegasus, a bronze-gold sword appearing in her hand.
The two clashed, the swords sending a metal clang around the room. Alokia watched in awe and in fright as Louisa slashed and slammed into the man, not giving him the chance to attack.
Alokia had never seen Louisa so angry. It was as if her mother had become an entirely new person.
Louisa sliced and a thick, long diagonal gash bled crimson across the man's chest. He was stunned for a few seconds, allowing Louisa to slam the hilt of her sword into his stomach, winding him. While he doubled over in agony, Louisa slashed in an upwards, diagonal arc. The man dropped his sword, staggering back while crying out in pain, his face hidden in his hands. Blood seeped through his fingers, dripping onto the floor and running down his arms, soaking his sleeves.
Louisa kicked away the man's weapon and advanced, swinging the sword in her hand. She grabbed the man by his blonde hair and yanked his head up, shoving the tip of her sword against his throat.
Blood gushed from a deep, slanted wound running from the man's left cheek, across his nose, through his right eye (which wasn't ideal to look at) and to the right side of his hairline.
Alokia looked at her mother, trying to see past Louisa's murderous glare to discover what her mother would do next.
She saw no tell-tale signs of anything.
So she did not expect Louisa to run her sword, straight up to its hilt, through the man's throat.
Arterial blood spurted from the new injury. The man's limp body sagged to the floor, the blood shooting upwards and splattering across Louisa.
"Ugh, great. More washin'." She grumbled, looking down at herself. Her bloody sword shimmered and faded back into her watch.
"M-Mom?" Louisa looked up. "Y-You j-just k-k-killed s-s-someone…"
"Yeah, I've done it before." Louisa gave a heavy kick to the man's limp body. "Same idiot."
"How can… how can you… you've killed him twice?" Louisa nodded. "How?"
"Dunno. He just came back alive." Louisa looked up, frowning slightly. "Didn't I tell ya ta stay at home?" Alokia flushed, her eyes darting around the room nervously.
"Well, um… I was, uh, daydreaming and, er, I just saw Elsie in trouble and, mm, I knew where she was so I, erm, went out the window, leaving a note for Dad."
"So ya bunked?"
"Kinda." Louisa shook her head.
"What happened after ya went out the window?"
"I got to the alley and that… he," Alokia pointed at the man. "He said he could help me and that he was an old friend of yours." Louisa gave an angry laugh. Alokia hesitated, shrinking back against the pillows. "I blacked out afterwards and woke up here. You arrived about five minutes later. On that." Alokia looked at the Pegasus. The winged horse whinnied in protest.
"She says that has a name."
"You talk to horses."
"Yup." The Pegasus neighed and pawed at the ground. "'N' pegasi."
"Right. How come?"
"I swear I've told ya." Alokia shook her head. "Huh." Louisa petted the annoyed Pegasus. "Oh, this is my Pegasus. Say 'hi', Storm." The horse whickered, moving restlessly on her hooves. "I know she's annoyin', I live with her."
"I'm not that annoying." Alokia mumbled, slightly miffed.
"Get over here, kid. I got a lot ta tell ya 'n' hangin' around here ain't ideal." Alokia scrambled off the bed and ran to her mother. Louisa helped Alokia up onto the Pegasus, telling Storm to behave or else. Louisa sat behind her daughter. "Storm, easy on the take-off, 'kay?" Storm shook her head and spread her wings. Alokia didn't feel safe.
"Mom, she is safe, right?"
"Sometimes."
"You're either very brave or very stupid."
"Can we go with both?" Alokia nodded, reaching back to take her mom's hand. "Don't panic, 'cos Storm will panic 'n' we don't want that."
"OK." Alokia squeaked.
The Pegasus took off at a run, circling up around the room and leaving through the shattered glass ceiling.
Alokia whimpered, but Louisa was on hand, hugging her daughter from behind, offering comfort and support. "How long will it take to get home?"
"Without the Pegasus Turbo thing? About three hours." Alokia groaned.
"Wait. What Pegasus Turbo thing?"
"That's what I call it. Storm has this thing where she can go super-fast, but she can only do it in emergencies 'n' it leaves her real tired."
"That's pretty neat." Storm neighed.
"She says 'thanks'."
"You're welcome."