Chapter 5

All heck had broken loose.

The Countess had screamed, men had come pouring into the room, swarming in on the entire area.

In his shocked stupor, he could see that Xena and Autolycus had been picked up as well. Too stunned to offer any resistance, he was hauled roughly by the scruff of his neck. Eventually he found himself thrown into a cramped little room along with Xena and Autolycus.

"Well," Xena turned to Autolycus, "here's another fine mess you've gotten us into."

"Me? Listen sister, I wasn't the one who was supposed to be on the lookout."

"Well, 'look out!'" She jumped at him, waving her hands.

"Cute."

"What happens now?" The boy asked, barely able to keep the quake out of his voice.

"Now?" Xena replied calmly. "Now we face the music. You do the crime you've got to be prepared to do the time. Right Autolycus?

"Right Autolycus?..." She repeated, leadingly.

"Oh, right! Sure. Yeah, whatever..."

"Wha-what do you mean?" The kid's eyes were wide with panic.

"They hang thieves don't they?" Xena asked out loud.

The kid's cast paled. "Hang?" He managed to squeak out.

"If we're lucky. Of course, they're more partial to tar and feathers around these parts..."

Before the startled boy could react, their cell door opened, revealing the source of their current situation.

"These are them?" The Countess asked the guards. "A rather motley crew..."

"Hey lady, you can take your..." Autolycus trailed off at the look from the guards.

"Why, this one's just a child!" The Countess exclaimed upon a closer look. "Surely there has been a mistake?" She looked imploringly at the guard.

"'Fraid not m'lady. 'e was in the room right enough."

The Countess bent down and looked the boy in the eyes. For his part he couldn't see past the huge plumed hat the woman wore, obscuring her features even at this close of a distance. Sighing, the Countess rose up again.

"All right..." motioning to the guards, she was escorted out of the cell.

Autolycus leaned back against the wall. "That was pleasant..."

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"Up on your feet. Come on, let's go."

Roused out of their sleep, the trio were bundled out of their cell, each squinting against the noonday sun.

"All right, all right! Don't have to shove. Where's this dog and pony show going anyway?" Autolycus wanted to know.

"There." One of the guards pointed straight ahead-to a gallows.

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"What-what's going on?" The boy asked, panicky.

"The end of the line." Xena replied, resigned.

"Whoa there. Aren't we entitled to a trial?" Autolycus wanted to know, not liking the looks of things. At that, a guard laughed.

"There's got to be something we can do, right? Right?" The boy looked anxiously from Xena to Autolycus and back again.

"Afraid not." Xena said. "They're not big on turning the other cheek around these parts."

Scared, the boy fought to get loose, but to no avail. "None of that." A guard said, giving the kid a shake.

Before long, the hangman's noose found itself around the trio's necks.

"Any last words?"

"Yeah," Autolycus piped up. "Quite a few in fact. Shouldn't take more than five or six hours." The noose was tightened.

"Anyone else."

While Xena was silent, a sob could be heard escaping from the boy. Everyone held their breath as the hangman's hand slowly made its way to the lever. Seeing his short life pass before his eyes, the boy, in horror, watched as the hand of doom tightened upon the instrument of his destruction.

"Wait!"

All heads swiveled around. Coming down the street in the most regal of manners was the Countess herself.

"Stop, stop! Hanging of a child? Really now!"

Bowling her way through, the Countess made her way up onto the platform.

"Who's in charge here?"

The guards looked at one another. "The village headman." One offered helpingly.

"Then get him here-immediately!" She snapped, causing the men to jump to.

"Hey buddy, while we're waiting..."