Chapter 5
Swiftly Tino ran slowing to a jog until he stopped altogether when he made it back out of the woods. Narrowing his eyes to a glare, he tried to spot what was going on at the checkout. No use, with a small pant he kicked it into gear again running down the hill towards the border.
Meanwhile downhill, Behr struggled against the chains wrapped painfully around his legs and middle just as Lükas fought against his own shackles. They were tied to trees as the Englishmen took shifts every few hours, watching over the outpost and their small camp.
"What do they plan to do with us?" Behr hissed to the Norwegian who all but gave up struggling, saving his strength.
"I don't know." He whispered back eying the men who were talking amongst themselves. "I can only hear bits and pieces…"
"You. You can hear what they are saying? You can understand them?" The Swede grunted as he tugged harder on the chains again failing to get them to budge.
"Due to their leader's curse, I witnessed it firsthand. By feeding his men the blood of my people they can now mystically speak in our tongue." Behr hissed to himself. So that was how Tino could understand that man. He sighed and looked up, his eyes scaling the wall that made up the outpost. They were just inside the lining of the station's fort walls so close to crossing over to Sweden when they were ambushed and immediately put into chains.
"They don't seem to want to hurt us." Lükas observed.
"They're waiting." Behr moved back for some slack and rested on the ground panting softly.
"Probably until they can find out what to do with us." Lükas murmured back before his eyes caught one of the men breaking away from his group and walking over to them. He fixed the approaching man with a glare making him hesitate only for a moment before he gave them a glare of his own.
"You'll live for now." He spat at them. "Captain Kirkland's on his way."
Behr's eyes snapped open in shock as a recent memory shoved itself into his mind's eye.
"They call me Arthur Kirkland. I'm a pirate."
Damn it! Behr growled, beginning his struggling anew. Cackling, the Englishman turned his back on the prisoners walking back towards his group.
"Who is this Kirkland?" Lükas muttered softly, not liking the way Behr's struggling from before had now turned almost frantic.
"The bastard that did this to me is coming." He hissed tugging harder and harder and still getting nowhere. "We have to get out of here!" Once again the mage tried tugging on his binds hissing softly. "Can't you use your spells?"
"I can't…something in these shackles is nullifying my power."
"Great. Just great." He growled louder, tugging but this time pushing his weight onto the chains letting gravity take over. For a moment he heard creaking but nothing else. "How will we ever get out of this?…"
"Behr."
"What?" He looked up at Lükas.
"I didn't say anything."
"What? Then who…"
"Behr." The soft voice came again. Both bear and the Norwegian looked up in surprise to see a Finn slipping through the walls of fort now that the Englishmen had their attention elsewhere within the camp. No doubt making preparations for Kirkland. With a pant the boy ran up to them, worry evident on his face. "Are you okay?"
"Tino!" Behr gasped in shock.
"A little worn out but otherwise fine." Lükas nodded to the Finn watching him try his luck at tugging on the chains ."It's no use, it's locked tight." Lükas grunted giving another little tug.
"Nevermind that I told you to go back home!" Behr hissed at the young Finn.
"Change of plans, I missed you too." Tino panted as he tugged a little harder adding in a little side of sarcasm. "Don't worry, another messenger is sending word to the village. Ungh! What are these things made of?" He frowned at the metal, following up the chains to the lock. "Ah, finally we're getting somewhere!"
"What do you see?" Lükas looked over his shoulder.
"The lock. It looks simple enough but I don't think I can pick it…you wouldn't happen to know where the key is would you?" Tino looked over it carefully.
"One of the foreign men has a set of keys strapped to his waist." Lükas looked around keeping watch for any unpleasant surprises.
"Then I'll just have to swipe them." Tino took in a deep breath, swallowing nervously. "Which way?"
"Over there." Lükas nodded to a path in the trees. "Watch yourself. May luck favor you."
"Why does no one listen to me?!" Behr growled.
Off Tino went tiptoeing quietly in between the trees. He looked up and around checking to see if anyone or anything was planning to get the drop on him. Get the keys, save his friends. Get the keys, save his friends. It was that easy! He swallowed nervously again feeling his self confidence plummet. He had to cover his mouth to hide his pants when he heard voices just around the corner of the next tree.
Just there sitting on tree stumps, a few standing were the Englishmen drinking water from their canisters conversing amongst each other.
"When is the captain getting here?"
"Not too much longer. He'll give those two a look over."
"Them the two ones that escaped?"
"We think so."
What are they talking about? Tino tipped his head to the side. Escaped? It almost went unnoticed but he had to hold in the gasp as he saw one man stand, a large ring of keys hanging on his belt. There they were!
"I better get back to check on our prisoners." He parted from the group and walked back to where the mage and bear were tied up the keys jingling all the way. In the foliage of the trees and brush Tino ducked in and out watching carefully waiting for the right moment to snatch his quarry. "Oi!" Lükas looked up at the cry, eyes looking on impassively. "Ye lot are awful quiet aren't we?" He chuckled standing in front of them. "Say bear, say somethin' why don't ye? Go on, I heard what ye are." Behr glared silently, not even letting out a bearish bellow. "Not feelin' up to talkin' huh?" Out of his pocket he drew a pistol and clicked it, holding it up to Behr's head. Had he been a human, the surprise would have been clear upon his face. Lükas too looked on in silent horror knowing full well the power of those weapons. "Just one-ugh…" With a loud thud he fell to the ground out cold.
"Tino!" Behr gasped up at the Finn standing over the knocked out body holding a rather large log high over his head.
"Okay…okay, I got them!" Tossing the club away he reached for the keys and yanked them free from the belt, trying them out one by one on both locks.
"Hurry hurry!" The Swede urged him, shifting from foot to foot.
"I'm trying…there!" He smiled seeing that one key unlocked Lükas watching the metal chains come rolling down at his feet. "Oh…oh no…th-the same key doesn't work on Behr!"
"Test the other keys." Lükas turned to look at the other two over his shoulder. "I'll stand watch and hold them off. I would advise you to hurry in the meantime."
"Yes yes!" Tino gasped, hands shaking as the worked on shoving keys into the lock and not having any success. Noticing he was pressured and having a hard time, the bear decided to calm his nerves and in the best way the boy would accept it. It was the least he could do on the plus side it seemed to be called for as well.
"Tino…Tino…hey!" Behr murmured at him.
"Wha-huh?" He looked up in surprise, still trying the keys. The bear sighed, looking up at him trying to work out the words.
"I'm…sorry I yelled at ya…and…" He looked away, a little embarrassed by Tino's growing smile. "I'm glad ya came back."
"Aw Behr I can hear your accent…"
"Don't push it." He huffed giving him a half growl.
"I missed you too." Despite the growing tension, Tino paused in his work and wrapped his arms around Behr's neck hugging him tightly.
"They're coming." Lükas gave them a look once again over his shoulder in warning. "Better find that key in the next few seconds." Looking back to the clearing he held his hands out in the fashion of pulling the twine of a bow.
"Here it is, last key!" Tino pulled back and muttered to himself as he shoved the key into the lock, fumbling with it nervously before he turned it watching the chains tumble to the ground with a loud thud.
"Get back." The Norwegian walked backwards holding his arms still in the way of holding his invisible bow. The boy and bear backed up slowly behind Lükas, Tino holding tightly onto Behr's fur for comfort. "…I can't hear anything anymore…" Too true. The sound of approaching footsteps in the brush had silenced.
"Neither can I…" Tino whispered, trying to perk his ears to listen for a sound. Any sound.
Click.
He gasped and turned around finding himself staring down the barrel of a melded silver pistol. With a frown Lükas turned around facing the source of the soft click of metal. "You." Behr's blue eyes glared maliciously.
"Prisoners of war aren't supposed to escape." Arthur smirked tipping his head to the side cackling. "They die." Tino quivered, glued to Behr's side his violet eyes wide with fear. "Alive after all aren't you?" Arthur grinned. "Barbarous wretch. And you." He looked up to the mage smiling wider as Lükas' expression soured. "I thought you slipped through the cracks, escaping with the rest of the stragglers to Sweden. A good thing I thought right."
Tino held Behr tighter as he heard the rolling vibrations of his growls against his skin.
"And what's this? A little mouse!" Arthur laughed playfully upon finally noticing Tino's presence, using the tip of the gun to poke at his cheek and hair. Giggles left his lips, so amused that he could make the boy squeak and whimper without even trying. "Little mouse indeed!"
"Leave him alone!" Behr snapped at Arthur bearing his teeth. All playfulness had left the pirate but the smile remained as his one green eye slowly slid over to view the bear, the other eye covered by a patch. He chuckled quietly clearly amused. "…"
"So you can still talk. Wonderful." Behind the group the other Englishmen stood. Sensing the men Lükas tensed up, arms twitching. "Ah ah, I wouldn't try it mage. Remember what happened to your precious king and queen when you last tried that?"
"Monster." He spat.
"I try. I do. Really you and the beast here think alike." He sighed in mirth shrugging his shoulders putting distance between the prisoners and himself. The other pirates spread out and covered any pathways, snickering as their captain slowly circled around his quarry. "You know, this could go well with my plan." Kirkland wagged his gun in thought, tapping the barrel against the brim of his hat. "Yes it could! After all, you two-" He pointed the gun to and back and forth at the Swede and Norwegian. "you're so good at just going where I need you to go. Predictable even! Why you might as well be a part of the crew!"
"We're nothing like you!" Behr roared. "We fight for life, not for dominance!"
"You fight period you heathen." Arthur ground out with a twisted smirk. "Be it for life, for food, or even for love you will not hesitate to raise your blades against one of your own and slice him down!" He pointed the gun up into the air firing a shot making Tino wince and cover his ears. "…you should have seen the looks on your faces!" Arthur laughed out, making his men laugh amongst themselves. "As I have made my point clear before. This is war barbarians. It's not about who is good or who is evil it's about who is strong and who isn't. And if you don't make the cut, you get cut. But since you're feeling particularly mouthy, I feel you want to volunteer yourself." He raised the barrel up and took aim right at Berwald's head. "I can risk losing you."
"NO!" Tino shouted, throwing himself out in front of Behr standing his ground arms outstretched.
"Oh this is priceless!" Arthur kept his arm steady. "You'd risk your life?!"
"That's right! I won't let you hurt him as long as I've alive!"
"I could fix that for you little mouse." He fired the shot, deafening the ears of his target.
"TINO!" Behr gasped in horror.
When Tino blinked his eyes open he panted softly feeling a wetness trickle down his cheek. With a quivering hand he reached up to tap the wetness, bringing it back down to look at the red blood tipping his fingers. "Oh but then you remind me so much of Berwald. He said the same thing to me come to think of it."
"Berwald?" Tino's eyes widened, almost swelling with tears. "You know where Berwald is?"
"Oh…ohohoho, OH this is priceless! You haven't told him?!" He looked at Behr who lowered his head in shame but kept his attention trained on Tino. "Well I could tell him…just to twist the knife a little." Arthur narrowed his eyes, scrunching his face some tipping his head to the side.
"I want to know! Where is Prince Berwald?!" Tino cried.
"Right in plain sight little brat." Kirkland cackled, green eye glimmering but that was as far as he got in explaining himself. The men blocking the exits looked around in confusion then gasped, ducking out of the way as a carriage headed by horses stampeded into the camp knocking them aside.
"Get in!" A small boy ushered to the group. "Come on!" Lükas urged Tino into the carriage, jumping in himself behind Behr. "Hiya!" He slapped the reins, the horses rearing up with shrill whinnies as they galloped out back the way to Finland out of the checkpoint.
"Little blighters!" One of the Englishmen held out a musket, shocked to see the gloved hand of his captain place itself over the top of the barrel lowering it. "But captain-"
"But nothing." He cackled. "Everything is going according to plan. Stick with it." He almost seemed to shake with glee as he saw the carriage disappear over the hills.
Tino turned around to see the checkpoint now a dot in the distance, the wind whipping his hair around. Letting out a sigh he turned back around and sat back in his seat turning to take a look at their rescuer. "That was close, th- …it's you!" He gasped. "The boy back in the woods!"
"That's me." He gave him a little smile urging the horses along through the forest. "I-I'm Ravis."
"Ravis thank you so much!" Tino beamed pulling him in giving him in a hug making him squeak.
"Just returning the favor. Y-You can relax now, I'm going to take us somewhere safe." Safe. That sounded nice. Tino moved back to lean onto Behr making it easier for him to look up at the sky. Here and there he caught glimpses of the harsh sunlight through the passing tree branches before letting out a heavy sigh.
"Tino are you okay?" Behr murmured, looking up at his face. It wasn't like Behr to worry but ever since he met the Finn it appeared that it was all he was good at.
"I'm fine." Tino smiled back and hugged him, burying his face into the soft fur of his friend. They had gone on a little while longer when Lükas decided it was finally safe to relax. He too sighed and reclined back into the cart leaning over and watching the other two with a small hidden smile. Tino curled up next to the bear, Behr giving Lükas that 'shut up' look letting Tino do as he pleases. "This is great." Tino piped up again in the silence.
"What is?"
"We're traveling in the forest again! I can tell more of my stories!" He smiled. Lükas had to look away to cover his smile again as Behr groaned not looking forward to a repeat of forest traveling with a bubbly Finn.
Author's Notes: Oh noes they was caught. But at least they escaped! Sorry I hadn't updated in a while. Still got that nasty case of writer's block for the story. I already started two other stories in the wake of this one. I still need to finish The Wrinkle In The Sky as well. I think I know where I'm going with this one now. It's still a little slow starting out but please give this story a chance, you might like it.