Thank you mistygayle and KnightMaiden for reviewing! I hope you get the replies I send. Like my other story, the more reviews I get, the faster I update. And if the reviews stop, I stop writing the story. Also, if you read it but don't review, I don't know if you like the story or not, so I do not base this on the number of hits. The only thing I do not accept is downright bashing of my story. If you don't like it and have no constructive criticism, please don't review. Everything else I gladly welcome. Enjoy!

Chapter 2: Race Against Time

The next morning, the sun rose high in the sky. It did not appear ominous at all. However, Carina did as her father had wished and packed a small bag of belongings and rations to carry with her should the time arrive when they had to leave quickly. She also forced her sister to do the same amidst all her complaining.

After that, Carina ventured outside to see what Delanna was up to. She found her helping her mother with the laundry.

"Mind if I join?" Carina asked, taking off her cloak and rolling up her sleeves.

Delanna looked up and smiled, her blue eyes twinkling. "Not at all."

"Your father came to speak with us last night," Delanna's mother, Lucia, said.

"Oh?" Carina asked, scrubbing one of her own dresses.

"He told us to get some things together, that we might have to leave soon," Delanna replied. "Is something wrong, Carina?"

"No, no, nothing is wrong," Carina answered quickly. "Just rumors, you know. And you know my father, always prepared."

Lucia and Delanna smiled. Taddeo always was prepared for everything.

"Did you do it? Did you pack some bags?" Carina asked cautiously.

"No, not yet. Paolo doesn't feel it necessary. I'm going to try to talk him into it tonight," Lucia answered. Paolo was her husband and Delanna's father.

"Well, you might want to get it done…just in case, you know. I would hate it if father suddenly decided to leave and you weren't prepared after he told you to be." Carina continued to look down as she washed, but she could feel the two women's eyes on her.

"Of course," Lucia said softly.

The conversation turned to other, more ordinary matters, of which Carina was grateful. They finished the laundry just as noon was passing, and Carina hurried back to the estate, hoping she hadn't missed lunch. Her father and sister had already eaten, but some bread and jelly were still sitting on the table. She smiled, thankful they had remembered her.

Carina was at the brook again that evening, her mind mulling over what her father had told her. That afternoon he had sought her out and brought her to the stables, a place Arabela would never venture. He spoke quietly and quickly. He tried to pretend everything was still okay, but she could tell how nervous he had gotten.

"Did you pack a bag?" he asked, his brown eyes searching hers.

"Yes, father, just this morning. Arabela has packed one as well."

"Good, good," Taddeo murmured. "Now, we have no secrets, and I feel you are of age and responsible enough to hear this. I sent out a rider just two days ago. He returned today with the news that the Saxons are no more than twenty miles away."

Carina gasped. Could they really be that close?

"We leave tonight," her father continued. "Get your sister ready as soon as darkness falls. We will make for Hadrian's Wall."

"How long will it take us to get there?" Carina asked.

"I'm not sure, hopefully just a couple of days. Possibly up to a week." Taddeo was glancing around apprehensively.

Carina covered her face with her hands. It was hard to believe this was real.

Taddeo grasped her by the shoulders. "Please, Carina, I need you to be strong. For me, and for your younger sister."

The sixteen year old brought her hands down, tears shining in her eyes. "Yes, father. I will be strong."

And now she sat, waiting for the coming dark and the mystery and fear it held. They would be leaving in just another hour or so, she guessed. She was terrified, but happy that she had such a sturdy and loving father. He would take care of them. She knew that.

A sudden beating of drums brought her out of her thoughts. Carina stood up quickly, her heart pounding. Could they already be here? No, no, they were too far away to have gotten here so quickly. Her mind raced, all the possibilities flying through her head.

A scouting party, she thought. They must have gone ahead. The rider did not know a group of Saxon had continued on when the others stopped.

She took off running, as fast as she could, back to the estate. She burst through the gate and began screaming wildly for her father. Taddeo leaped out of the door, his face contorted with worry.

"Father, they are here!" Carina was screaming. Her hair was falling in her face, her brown eyes wild.

"What? Who is here?" Taddeo asked, his mind not registering.

"The Saxon!"

He stopped and listened, hearing the drums as well. Carina heard him take a sharp breath. He grabbed her arm, dragging her inside. "Get your sister!"

Carina ran up the stairs. "Arabela! Arabela!"

Her younger sister sauntered out of her room, a cross look plastered on her face. "What's all the ruckus about?"

"Grab your bag. We're leaving," Carina said breathlessly. She brushed past her sister into the room, picking up the bag herself and walked back out. Arabela still stood in the doorframe confused.

"Carina, what is going on?"

"I don't have time to explain right now. We just have to leave." Carina grabbed her younger sister by the arm, pulling her down the stairs. Arabela wrenched her arm free.

"I don't want to go!" she cried.

"Listen," Carina said hurriedly, squatting to be eye level, "the Saxon are here and if we don't leave now, we will all die."

Arabela stared at her sister, her eyes welling up with tears. Carina straightened up, putting her hand behind her sister's back and guiding her outside. Arabela no longer protested.

Taddeo was already waiting for them. "We must make for the stables." He put his hand on Arabela's head, who was whimpering slightly. Carina nodded. The three took off running, Carina slightly dragging her younger sister along. The stables were quite a ways off and closest to the north, which was the direction the Saxon were coming from. If they did not hurry it would be too late.

They reached the stables just as the Saxon scouting party was coming into view. A smaller group than a whole army, but still looked to be about thirty men strong.

"Hurry!" Taddeo shouted, picking up Arabela and running into the stables. Carina tried to keep her breathing under control. They had been seen. She heard their battle cry and the following thundering footsteps.

Taddeo placed Arabela on a horse, Mea, the most gentle one they had. "Up," he commanded Carina. He helped her up behind her sister, handing her the reins.

"What about you?" Carina asked. Her heart was thundering in her chest. Her own voice sounded distant and childlike.

"I will ride Ugo. I must go warn the people," her father answered quickly, mounting the horse.

"You're not coming with us?" Carina gasped. Arabela was crying by now, sobs wracking her small body.

"I am coming with you, but you must leave right now. Get as far away from here as you can." Taddeo took a long look at his two daughters. Tears were filling his eyes. He placed his hand on Carina's cheek. "I love you both so much. Now go!"

Carina did not move.

"Go!" Taddeo shouted, slapping their horse on its hind quarters, causing Mea to startle and take off running.

Carina held tightly onto the reins as they raced outside into the cool air, her sister's body pressing hard into hers against the force of the horse's gallop. Arabela's hair kept flying into her face, and she struggled to see around it. She turned, once, to see her father leaving the stables on Ugo. The Saxon were so close by then. Their archers were shooting arrows. They flew all around her father, but none struck him. Carina turned back around to control the horse.

They were passing the estate now, the people standing warily outside their homes as Carina and Arabela flew by. The older sister saw Delanna standing with her family. She turned Mea to ride up to them.

"You must leave, now," she said quickly.

"What is going on?" Paolo asked, his thick arms wrapped around his wife and daughter.

"The Saxon are here! You must leave now!" Carina cried out in desperation.

Delanna looked over at her mother.

"But, we haven't packed yet," Lucia said.

"Don't you understand? They will kill you!"

Carina turned at the voice of her father. "Ride, Carina! Leave this place!" He was coming up behind her as well as the Saxon. More arrows were flying.

It seemed like a dream as she watched an arrow fly through the air…striking her father. It had to be a dream, no, a nightmare. Please, God, let it be a nightmare. Carina's eyes opened wide in horror, watching as Taddeo looked down at his chest, at the arrow protruding from his breastbone. He looked back up at her, a blank look on his face. And he fell to the ground.

"FATHER!" The anguished cry seemed like it could not have come from Carina's lips.

Paolo grabbed his family, taking them inside.

"What? What is going on?" Arabela moaned, trying to turn around.

Tears streamed down her face, but Carina could not let her younger sister see their father dead. She turned back around and urged her horse into a sheer run, leaving everybody else and everything behind.