Happy Easter!

I do not own.

Conrad slept fitfully. He just couldn't get comfortable. Finally, he gave up and got up to stretch his back. That's when he noticed the smell. He wrinkled his nose. It stung his lungs. He coughed, covering his nose and mouth with his hand. With the other he waved it in the air wanting to see where the smell is coming from. The air rippled slightly before he could see bright luminous smoke appeared to be seeping underneath the door.

"Roy! Get up!" He ran to his brother shaking him.

"Mmmphh, when the sun comes up." Roy muttered turning around.

"No, someone's trying to poison us." Conrad pulled Roy up.

"Huh? What? How do you know?" Roy asked still half asleep. Conrad didn't answer. Instead he gathered up some hay and shoved it under the door.

"We need a way out." Conrad said looking around the room.

"There's the door." Roy pointed out.

"No, some other way." Conrad feeling around the walls.

"I guess if there was a window, we can get out through there." Roy yawned.

"You are decidedly unhelpful right now." Conrad said.

"Well, pardon me. You woke me up at some ungodly hou…errr!" Roy tiredly leaned against the wall where the hay had been when it gave way. His upper half hung outside in the open.

"I take it back, you are helpful." Conrad pulled him in by his shirt before pushing him aside to immediately inspect the hole.

"No need to worry. I'm fine. Maybe just scarred for life." Roy said sarcastically.

"We're not far off the ground. We can jump." Conrad observed.

"What? Are you mad?" Roy asked now coming over to peer out the hole.

"Not mad, just slightly annoyed." Conrad unexpectedly grabbed his brother and shoved him through the hole. He leapt out after him.

0o0

Reselda's dagger flew at the stranger when he grabbed her wrist.

"I'm a friend." He hissed. She recognized him as the knight in green earlier that evening.

Reselda was about to challenge him when the door flew open. Two men with swords came in. The knight pushed her behind him and pulled a sword from his scabbard on his back. He dispatched the first easily then he blocked the blow from the other. Kicking him in his stomach, the other swordsman fell. The knight quickly took care of him. He turned to the princess who gawked in horror at the carnage.

"Come on." He grabbed her arm and pulled her to the window. It was then she noticed the rope hanging from the ledge. She was about to ask how he expected her to get down when he grabbed her waist and jumped out the window. She stifled a scream which came out as a sharp gasp. The sudden jolt told her that they had landed on the ground.

"Who are you?" She asked in a shaky voice.

"I told you… a friend." He answered flatly.

That reminded her. "Oh! Roy and Conrad are still inside! We have to save…"

A scream interrupted her as a body flew down into a cart full of hay. Another body followed after.

"Conrad, you may be my brother but next time you throw me out a hole in the wall, I'm spitting in your food." Roy snarled.

"I saw the hay cart." Conrad answered.

"Perfect." The knight lifted Reselda into the cart with the two brothers.

"Who's he?" Conrad asked suspiciously.

"It's the knight from before." Roy squinted to get a better look in the dark. He had run into the stable. He came out with their horse and another. Their saddles were already on them. He quickly hitched the horses onto the cart.

The lights in the tavern were starting to light.

"They're getting away! After them!" A cacophony of voices reached their ears.

"I think we best be going." Roy said nervously.

Reselda climbed to the front of the cart. The knight was already sitting up front.

"You better stay down princess. It will not be a comfortable ride." With that he swung the reins and the horses bolted. The princess fell backwards into Roy who caught her but fell onto his brother.

"Does this guy know what he's doing?" Roy asked helping Reselda move to the side.

"Well, he better. Because we have company." Conrad noted. Several horsemen were in pursuit. Their silhouettes in the moonlight made them look even more menacing.

"Hey stranger, they're right behind us." Roy called to the knight.

"The names' Senarius." He called back. "And do you know how to handle a sword?"

"I can use a shepherd's staff." Roy answered.

"Close enough." He tossed him a rusty blade.

"What do you want me to do with this?" Roy asked incredulously.

"Keep them off the cart." Senarius ordered.

"Keep them off… how?" Roy muttered to himself. Looking up he saw just in time a man leaping from the horse to grab the side of the cart. "Ack!" Roy swiped the sword along the edge causing the man to fall off.

"Piece of cake." Roy declared proudly until he heard a scream. Spinning around he saw one of them had grabbed Reselda. She was furiously trying to pull away.

The traces of dawn started to show between the trees. The extra light enabled Roy to see the attackers that surrounded them. Roy scrambled to get to Reselda, but another man was trying to get onto the cart. Roy tried his best to push him out as well. But this one seemed more experience as was able to dodge his sloppy attacks.

More horsemen surrounded the cart. The knight had his sword out and was keeping several at bay.

"Conrad! Do something!" Roy yelled desperately at his brother. Glancing over he saw his brother was just sitting cross-legged on the hay. "Conrad!" Roy screamed.

Suddenly, Conrad's eyes flew open, but they were white. He held out his hands and a strong wind emerged from him. Roy and Reselda were knocked back against the cart. All the attackers were blown off their horses. The cart raced down the dirt road away from them.

"Holy… You never told me you can do that?" Roy gaped. "Why didn't you ever do it before?"

Conrad wearily looked at him. His eyes had returned to normal. He opened his mouth to speak but fell in a dead faint.

"Conrad!" Roy crawled to his brother as did Reselda. She checked his wrist.

"He's still alive." She reassured Roy.

"A wizard… so you are useful after all." Senarius said peering over his shoulder.

"Wizard?" Roy asked confused. "I mean he wanted to be a sorcerer but never had the time to study…"

"Well, he nonetheless studied something." Reselda said. "But he's not very strong. That spell took up much of his energy."

"Is he all right?" Roy asked worriedly.

"He'll be fine after a long nap." She told him. Then she turned her attention to the knight.

"Senarius, thank you for your help but I must ask how did you know… about me… about this?" Reselda asked.

He looked at her for a second before answering.

"You are my betrothed." He said flatly.

"Say what?" Roy yelped shocked.

Guest: Thanks for your review. Yes, I'm a teacher and I've been taping lessons and putting it online for my students. I wanted to use Zoom to talk to them, but it was just banned because of security issues. So now I must figure out another way to meet face to face. My own children are doing their schoolwork remotely but finish them quick and are bored the rest of the time. They spend their time playing Animal Crossing. My son also plays League and Minecraft. I must wait until someone isn't on the Switch so I can play Pokémon Sword.

I did get inspired by Princess Bride for this story, but I think the story is going to be a traditional fairy tale. And yes, Conrad knows magic. I hope you like it. Keep safe and well.