Chapter Six: Bandits and Bravery
Tohan slept on the wooden couch in the den that night with Kamuy on the floor. It was the gentlemanly thing to do, to let the lady have the room and the more comfortable sleeping arrangements, especially seeing that she was injured as well. The next morning Tohan awoke to find Princess Alexandra leaning on her spear like a walking stick and making her way towards him. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Tohan sighed.
"My lady, you should be in bed. Your leg needs time to heal," he said disapprovingly.
Alexandra smiled.
"I know it does, but I must admit I was curious what the rest of this house looked like. Oh, come on. At least I'm not asking to walk back to Bale," the young princess insisted.
Tohan half laughed as the young lady pulled a chair of the wooden table across from him and seated herself.
"Speaking of Bale when are you planning on returning, my lady Alex? I mean after your leg is healed of course, he asked. Alex sighed in response.
"Well, like you said as soon as I am able to walk again, but you never answered my question as to whether or not you, Martel, and Kamuy would come back to Indels with me."
Tohan shrugged.
"It would be an honor for us, but I'm not quite sure that it would be such a good idea . . . I mean with those elves after us, I wouldn't want them to attack Bale looking for us."
Alexandra shook her head.
"If anything you'd be safer in Bale. We've got thousands of soldiers and mighty walls. Out here you three are pretty much on your own."
Tohan wanted to point out that Furni had soldiers and walls too, but he wasn't sure that would be the best thing to mention. At this time he believed secrecy was his best defense, and was about to argue this when Martel came in carrying a skirt full of bright pink berries.
"Are you guys hungry?" Martel asked.
"Oh yes! I'm starving!" Alexandra exclaimed. "I've not eaten in three days!" she added. "Say, what are we having anyway?" the young lady asked curiously.
Tohan and Martel groaned.
"Bramble Berries," they said together.
"Aren't those supposed to taste like candy? I had a bramble berry pie once. It was delicious," Alex replied in confusion to Martel, Tohan, and even Kamuy's expressions.
"Oh just wait. They suddenly become quite dull," Tohan assured as he handed Alex a large heap of the tiny fruits.
Alex ate her share with ferocity, while Tohan, Martel, and Kamuy nibbled at theirs uninterestedly. Many days passed in the same manner, with Princess Alexandra being able to walk more and more with each day. In the mornings Alexandra would practice walking to strengthen her leg and in the afternoon she would rest as Tohan told her Giganto legends and she, in return, told him of her two friends, Tiydus and Remus that lived in Seles. But most of all, Alex talked mainly of tales involving the Wind Dragoon. Tohan wondered if he should mention to his guest that he had been given what Kongol claimed was a dragoon spirit. Maybe Alex could tell him if it truly was what Kongol had claimed. After all, he had never actually seen Kongol transform and Alexandra seemed much more knowledgeable about such things than he was. But then again, maybe it was best to keep Kongol's gift a secret for now. However, much to Kongol's credibility, the tale Alexandra told of her father's travels matched his almost exactly. It wasn't that he didn't trust Kongol, but he still wasn't convinced that this wasn't a dream. Was Kongol serious when he said the power of a dragoon could defeat a tree guardian? Tohan had heard legends, but to him at the moment, that's all they were, legends.
A thought occurred to Tohan one afternoon as he sat with Alexandra on the wooden couch.
"My lady Alex, do you remember when I told you of what happened in Furni, that night? Do you know if maybe someone from Mille Seseau could have possibly sent a message out here to Bale? You said your father, King Albert was hearing about some strange occurrences in the region. Do you know what he heard?" Tohan asked seriously.
Alexandra looked up at him with boredom and pushed aside her evening meal of what else, Bramble Berries. Her green eyes locked into his gaze gently.
"Yes, I remember. I didn't hear much, reports from Mille Seseau are sparse and scattered. But my father is a good friend of First Sacred Sister Miranda, so he manages to get a few reports every now and then. Last I heard, the people in Deningrad were just as confused as we were about what was going on. Queen Theresa was preparing to sent a raid party into the forest to Furni to see what was going on.
Tohan's face had turned pale white.
"They'll all be killed! Those Tree-Things were unstoppable! All of Furni's knights combined couldn't even stop ONE of them! What about Furni's mayor? Has anyone you know heard news about him?" Tohan continued frantically, his heart now racing in his chest.
Alexandra's expression turned apologetic.
"Forgive me. I shouldn't have said anything, because now you'll worry and you're too far away to help . . .I could try to send a message, but I'd have to get back to Bale first and I'm afraid I'm still a few days short of being able to make the journey . . .As for Furni's mayor, I'm terribly sorry Tohan, but I haven't heard anything about him," she replied in earnest.
"No. Thank you for telling me lady Alex. I haven't heard anything since that night . . . Then again, you're really the only person I've had contact with besides Kongol, and he really didn't know much about it at all. I wish someone had heard something about the mayor though . . ." he said with a clenched fist and a mind full of raging thoughts.
"Why the mayor, if you don't mind me asking?" Alexandra inquired.
" Because he's my father, and the last I saw him, he was standing on a canal dock yelling at me to be careful . . .I don't know if he's dead or alive," Tohan said, by this time looking ill with worry.
"I'm so sorry Tohan. Me and my big mouth!" Alexandra cursed at herself.
Tohan shook his head.
"It's fine. At least no one can say he's dead for sure. I mean the elves attacked Furni looking for something, and who knows the city better than my dad? They might be keeping him around as a guide . . . I just hope they haven't found what they're looking for. . ." Tohan sighed heavily.
"I'm willing to bet that they haven't," Alexandra assured.
"And what makes you so sure?" Tohan asked in confusion.
"Because they're looking in he wrong place. What they're looking for is right here in Serdio," she explained.
"What do you mean?" Tohan asked with a puzzled expression.
"Well, isn't it obvious? You apparently have something they want . . .they wouldn't have come all the way out here just for nothing. You said it yourself that elves are not reputed to waste time," she said.
Tohan sighed again.
"That, or it was just a really vindictive, psychotic general that I fought."
"I wish I could help more, but that's really all I know. I seriously think that you should come back with me to Bale. You could ask Minister Noish about all of this. His specialties are legends and riddles," Alexandra replied, trying to comfort him. "You know, I'm feeling much better. We should get Kamuy and Martel and go for a bit of a walk. I could use some fresh air," Alex suggested.
Tohan eyed her skeptically.
"I really don't think you should strain yourself, my lady. The last thing you want is to break a bone or tear a muscle."
"But I have my spear with me, and besides I can walk without it now," the Serdian Princess protested.
"I dunno . . ." Tohan replied uncertainly.
Alexandra gave him a pixie-like smile and then stuck her lower lip out into a countenance not unlike Martel's puppy pout.
Tohan cringed. "Oh no, not you too. Please don't look at me like that! I can't stand that face," Tohan sighed.
"Exactly. I mean, I really, really want to go," Alexandra insisted, with a quivering lip to add to her display.
Tohan rubbed his head and sighed.
"Oh, all right. You win your majesty. Who am I to stand before the wrath of a woman? Soa, I'm such a softie, and why on Endiness are girls o good at that face?" the teenage boy remarked making Princess Alexandra laugh hardily aloud.
After they woke Martel and found Kamuy, who happened to have gotten outside and was now using a tree branch as a stick to play with, the four of them set of on a tour of nature. Tohan walked and Martel and Alexandra (on Tohan's insistence) rode on Kamuy's back. All the way Martel kept asking questions about Indel's Castle and Tohan asked about the landscape and the location of any nearby cities or towns.
"Miss Alex, do you wait on your balcony for a knight in shinning armor like the princess in mom's stories?" Martel piped as she turned on Kamuy's back to face her.
"Well, actually no. If I had my way I'd be the knight in shining armor," she sighed longingly.
Tohan managed an amused smile as he visualized the spicy Alexandra in full armor riding into a castle to rescue a prince.
"Forgive me for interrupting lady Alex, but do you know of any towns or stations around?" Tohan asked.
Alex considered for a moment.
"Well, Seles Village is about fifty miles northeast of here, and the Limestone Cave is about thirty miles north of here in the mountains. To the southwest there's . . ." she stopped and shuttered. Tohan nodded, he already knew she spoke of Helena Prison, he had read the crossroad sign.
"To the west there's what? What's to the West miss Alex?" Martel asked eagerly. About that time Tohan's ears began to twitch and fill with the sound of thundering hooves and for some reason, yelling. The sound was actually fairly close . . .
"Martel, I'm not sure I should say--- Tohan what's wrong?" the Serdian Princess asked upon seeing his concentrated look.
Tohan shook his head, willing the sounds away. Whoever or whatever was making the noise was possibly on the road as well . . .
"Kamuy get off the road," Tohan said hastily.
The quartet found a thicket of pine trees and ducked into them. Alexandra gripped her spear tightly form where she sat on Kamuy's back.
"Something is definitely wrong otherwise we wouldn't be hiding. What's going on Tohan?" she asked seriously.
Tohan put his pointer finger to his lips signaling for all of them to remain silent and then grasped the teenage girl's shoulder and discretely pointed out a rising cloud of dust down the road. Crouched in silent waiting, it was less than five minutes before a large gang of scraggly, grungy, and malicious-looking men wrapped in desert hoods and attire appeared before the four, riding horses and escorting a carriage down the road. As they drew closer, the carriage was revealed to actually be a wooden cage full of people, all of which who where undoubtedly panicked and all of them where screaming for help frantically
"ALMOST HOME BOYS! NICE DAY'S WORK!" a rather tall man in front yelled.
"Bandits!" Alexandra hissed.
Tohan cringed.
"Almost home . . .my lady they are taking them to---!"
"I know," Alexandra said quickly. "Tohan, we've got to help them!" she cried quietly.
"I agree, but how on Endiness are we going to defeat all of them? There are too many for me and Kamuy to---"
"You and Kamuy? I can fight too!" the princess protested.
"I know you can, but you're hurt," Tohan insisted.
"I can still fight!" she whispered hoarsely.
"I don't want to see you get hurt anymore than you already are! Please stay here with Martel and guard her," Tohan requested. Before Alex could reply, Tohan had hopped on Kamuy's back, gently pushing Martel and Alexandra so that they both slid off and landed softly on the ground below. Giving Kamuy's sides a slight squeeze with his knees, the duo burst out of the thicket and sprang out onto the path in front of the bandits. The head bandit curbed his surprise just in time to swerve his horse sideways and avoid a collision with the axe-wielding teenager.
Seeing their Captain fall under attack, the rest of the company stopped and immediate went to arms as well.
"Stranger, help us!" a woman in the cage yelled frantically.
"Please, save us!" and elderly gentleman yelled out to Tohan as well. Soon the whole cage was roused and all of its many occupants screaming for help from the newly arrived 'Wildman'. Tohan realized that his appearance must not have been the most kempt, his hair was tangled and filled with dust, his clothes were almost cut-offs in all aspects, and he had quite a bit if stubble on his youthful face. Indeed, the look on his face was anything but gentle when the carriage-driver turned and pulled a whip upon his captives to silence them.
"You sick monsters! How dare you treat another human being that way! I swear if you don't release them right away, I personally will see to it that you never reach your hell of a home again!" Tohan snarled in outrage.
The fellowship of bandits all broke out laughing uncontrollably.
"Oh! My side hurts! And what makes you think that you can stop us boy? One man against thirty? We should throw you in the cage with the rest of them!" the lead thief cackled.
"Oh, and don't forget his overgrown pet too, Captain Ikmir," another of the ruffians laughed.
The captain, Ikmir, could hardly contain himself.
"Right. How could we forget the domesticated beast? Oh boy, you're almost as bad as that wanna-be knight Serdian Princess!"
Tohan heard rustling in the pine thicket and knew that Alexandra was probably furious listening to this, but he prayed that she would remain hidden. He and Kamuy could look after themselves, but guarding two other people while fighting was a bad idea. Ikmir laughed again.
"I'm losing patience kid, just get out of the way and we'll spare you . . .this time," he snorted.
Tohan didn't budge, and continued to stare the rogue down. " Fine. Have it your way, bright-eyes. Don't say I didn't warn you. It'll be one second boys," the bandit cockily bragged as he dismounted his horse and withdrew his twin sabers.
From the cover of the trees, Princess Alexandra cringed.
"Great, that bandit pig is at it again! Does Tohan know what he's doing?" she asked Martel, whom was clinging to the remnants of the princess' long, green skirt.
"I . . .I think so," the small child remarked timidly.
The Serdian teenager sighed and looked Martel in the eyes.
"Martel, I want you to promise me that you will stay right here and not make a sound, okay? I have to go help Tohan," Alex said softly.
"Miss Alex, please don't leave me here alone! I'm scared! What if one of those bad people come over here?" Martel cried and hugged Alex's knees.
Alexandra hugged her.
"It'll be okay. I promise I won't let anything happen to you, and neither will Tohan or Kamuy," she comforted. The sound of clashing metal brought the princess' eyes back to Tohan and the bandit chief.
The bandit, Ikmir had brought his twin sabers down in an overhead swing, which Tohan parried above his head with his axe. Quick as a praying mantis' killing blow, Tohan snapped his leg out and kicked Ikmir in the chest, sending him flying backwards into the dirt.
"Why you little . . ." the bandit chieftain huffed as he picked himself up. Without warning, Ikmir suddenly surged forward in a charging attack and began hacking away zealously with his blades. Tohan managed to either nimbly dodge or block the attacks, much to Alexandra's relief, however, just as she feared, Ikmir's next strike was a whirlwind attack. Tohan too, as she had been, was caught off guard and she saw him wince in pain as he involuntarily dropped his axe out of reflex. Clear, crisp, red lines appeared across the tops of Tohan's hands.
Alexandra clasped her hand over Martel's mouth just in time to stop her from screaming as Tohan's hands began bleeding heavily and dripping blood onto the ground.
"Shh!" the teenager urged to Martel. "I'm going to help him! Martel, stay here and don't make a noise!" Alex urged, then released her when the little girl nodded.
Grabbing her spear and darting out of the thicket with a slight limp, Alex raced towards Tohan just as Captain Ikmir swept his legs out from under him.
It's a good thing that the rest of the bandits think this is an amusing gladiatorial match. Father was right when he said bandits are stupid, because if they all attacked together Tohan would be dead by now. Geez, what was he thinking? Surely he doesn't believe that he can fight all of them, the princess thought as she raced into position behind the bandit leader as he prepared to strike.
Tohan gazed up at her from where he sat on the ground and grinned at Ikmir as Alexandra prepared to strike him.
"Do you find dying funny, boy?" the bandit sneered.
Tohan shook his head.
"Not, but it is funny that I heard Princess Alexandra kicked your ass when you met her and that she's dying to so again."
At the last second, Ikmir saw her reflection in Tohan's eyes and turned his head. While he wasn't looking, Tohan leapt to his feet and preformed to rapid spinning crescent kicks in succession, one to the right and one to the left, knocking the sabers out of his hands. He and Kongol had practiced that one many times. Ironically enough, the Giganto's training seemed to become of more and more use as time passed by.
Alex wracked the right edge of her spear head around Ikmir's body and slashed the upper portion of his right thigh. As he turned around to face her fully, she hit him across the face with her Spinning Cane technique, first with the blunt end, then with the sharp one, in a startling daze of speed. As he staggered back, grasping his bleeding wounds, Ikmir chuckled.
"Damn, you are tougher than I expected, missy. Although I daresay, you should have seen the look on your dear old daddy's face when I pushed you over the cliff."
Alex scowled.
"You seem rather fond of hearing yourself talk, don't you? I can fix that," she grinned as she took the blunt end of her spear and struck the snide bandit over the top of his head. As he fell over unconscious, she smiled. "You, know, I actually kind of pity him . . .I thought the headache I woke up with was bad," she remarked to Tohan.
Tohan half-smiled, half-chuckled, but suddenly his face went strait and he lunged towards her, burying his axe under her arm into the chest of an attacking bandit. The rest of the gang now seemed very angry, as they also began to dismount their steeds and thunder towards the pair.
"Uh," Alex muttered in concern as she and Tohan both took a gigantic step backwards.
"Damn it," Tohan swore as a particularly invigorated bandit jumped at him with a dagger poised on high. He made a quick dive for his axe, grabbed it and turned, just in time to bat the attacking thief away with the flat side of his axe like some sort of ball.
"I'm sorry Tohan, I just didn't want you to--"
He cut her off.
"That part's fine, but is she safe?" he demanded quickly with an indirect reference to Martel.
Alexandra understood him immediately.
"Yes, she's safe," she replied hastily.
"Well you won't be in a minute! That was a very bold trick you just pulled," a bandit wielding a sword sneered, "Your Highness," he added mockingly.
"And you pull a very risky tactic also, bandit scum. Attacking two highly skilled warriors isn't very bright," she shot back.
There was a loud growl and then a scream as Kamuy grabbed a bandit that had been rushing Tohan from the side by his tunic, and with a flick of his head, tossed him into the air.
"Make that three, bandit scum," Alexandra corrected with a smile towards the white wolf.
The bandit ranks began to encircle Tohan, Kamuy, and Alex as they fanned out on all sides. Tohan and Alex were pressed back to back with Kamuy to the right of them.
"There are too many of them, do you have a plan, my lady?" Tohan hissed in Alexandra's ear.
Alexandra groaned.
"Uh, I'm working on it," she said quickly, surveying her surroundings.
"You don't have a plan!?" Tohan grimaced, with a tone of worry.
"I guess I'd have to say watch yourself, and stay alive then, "Alex asserted, as she suddenly whacked an on-coming bandit into the air. She winced. Her leg was beginning to ache again, and it couldn't have happened at a worse time.
Kamuy gave a threatening growl to a bandit that had been inching closer to them, then gave Tohan an assertive bark.
"I can't argue with that logic, my lady," Tohan answered as he swung his axe against another aggressive bandit.
Sometimes single and sometimes in greater groups, the bandits began to rush the trio, as Martel peered out of the thicket in terror. With trembling hands, she closed the eye-hole she had been staring out off.
I've got to help! Martel thought.
"But what can I do?" she whispered and looked away. As she looked away, the young girl's gaze locked onto the cage full of screaming people. Martel felt sorry for them, they were probably scared too. Martel remembered what it felt like to be in a cage, her mother used to put her in a time-out pen when she was bad. Maybe those were all bad people in that cage, but it made no sense to her. Why would Kamuy, Miss Alex, and Mr. Tohan be fighting to save bad people? Another thought occurred to her. Maybe one of those people in the cage might be able to help Mr. Tohan and the others. Martel looked for the bandit that had been riding in the driver's seat, but she couldn't see him anywhere. She realized that she'd promised Miss Alex she would stay in the grove of trees, but she also knew somehow, that freeing those people was also important.
Scared thought she was, Martel took a deep breath and burst out of the thicket as fast as her feet could carry her. Bounding over to the cage side, Martel was unnoticed, due to the bandits' fixation on Tohan, Kamuy, and Alex. An old man with wrinkled, stretched, and thin skin clothed in rags noticed her and placed his hands out side the bars.
"Oh please, little one! Help us, please!" he called out to her urgently.
Martel uneasily shied up to the bars.
"I'm going to help you mister, but I don't know how to let you out," she informed timidly.
"Just go around to the back and pull the latch," the elderly gentleman instructed.
As Martel nodded and prepared to go around the cage, the old man called to her again, with his old brown eyes locking on her big blue one with concern. "Please, do be careful, little one, I don't know where that guard went and he could be anywhere," he warned.
Martel nodded again.
"Right. I'll be careful then. I'll get you out in a minute mister!" Martel said quickly and raced around the corner of the cage-wagon.
The latch was easy enough to find, it was large, rusty, and made crudely of iron. However as Martel extended her small hand to grab and pull the latch down she encountered a peculiar problem. She was too short. Martel jumped into the air and grabbed the cylindrical metal bar, expecting to be able to pull it down that way, but instead she dangled loosely in the air, suspended by her grip on the bar.
A middle-aged Serdian woman in a milkmaid's dress started to notice the miniature, would-be-savior, as Martel let go of the latch and fell into the golden prairie grass with a thud. She rose to her feet again with a groan and began to rub her aching tush. The small, golden-haired girl looked around desperately, but in vain, for something to stand on.
"What's wrong, little lady?" the milkmaid said softly as she knelt down behind the secured wooden bars.
"I can't reach! I need something to stand on, but I don't have anything, miss," Martel explained sorrowfully.
"I have an idea," the middle-aged woman remarked, as she turned to the person closest to her, pointed at Martel, and said something the child couldn't hear above all the noise.
The person that the Serdian milkmaid tapped soon tapped someone else's shoulder and they in turn repeated the process. Soon, the news of Martel's attempt at liberation had spread through the wagon entirely, and all of its occupants had fallen silent. Five of the stronger men squirmed up through the crowd to the cage-side, cupped their hands together, and then stuck them through the bars at intervals. A staircase of eager human hands lay before Martel leading up to the latch.
As the young child prepared to step up, an icy voice caught her from behind.
"Okay, what gives? Suddenly it got too quiet back there! What the--- a little rat escaped our grasp!" the coach bandit snarled as Martel felt rough hands seize her from behind.
"Wha-OH!" she shrieked in panic. He cry was answered by a hurried blend of female and male voices yelling and the eerie, dangerous howl of a wolf.
Martel began to thrash around madly, flailing her feet, legs, and hands in a wild attempt to escape. "Let me go! Let me go!" she squealed. Luck seem to favor Martel at the moment, because as she flailed around she managed to kick her captor in a place best not named to other men. The desert-wrapped bandit howled in pain and dropped her. As she landed again with impact, her hand was scratched by a small stone.
"Why . . .you. . .little . . .you're going . . .to regret . . .that!" the bandit man snarled through gritted teeth. He drew his dagger and began fumbling towards her. Martel grabbed the small pebble in her hand and used her knees to scuttle backwards.
"I've seen Mr. Kongol do this before, I hope it works!" she prayed and closed her eyes as she hurled the stone in the air.
"OWW! OI!" she heard the ruffian growl and suddenly he wasn't talking anymore. Martel opened her eyes nervously in time to see the bandit coachman fall to the ground, out cold, with a large red spot right between his eyes.
"Are you okay, little girl?" a man in the cage called.
Martel got to her feet and nodded.
"Ready to try again?" another captive man asked.
"Yes, I'll make it this time," she replied and climbed up onto the first man's hands. He used all that was left of his famished muscles to hoist her up to the next prisoner.
Martel reached the top of the human ladder and grabbed the cold, metal latch in her hand. She pushed as hard as she could downward on the latch and immediately the door swung open upon its hinges. Martel sighed in relief as she was caught by the milkmaid before she could hit the ground again after releasing the latch.
"Oh thank you little one! We are free now!" she cried happily and tightly hugged Martel, as people everywhere exited the cage in a rush.
"I need help! I have to save Mr. Tohan, Kamuy, and Miss Alex! Please help me!" Martel cried aloud to anyone that would listen.
Meanwhile Tohan and Alex had been frantically trying to reach Martel and break through the ring of bandits.
"Damn! We'll be too late by the time we can get to her!" Tohan cursed as he swung his axe strait into a bandit's torso, sending him flying into his companions around him.
Alexandra hit and approaching bandit with the sharp end of her spear and was almost in tears.
"Oh Tohan! I'm so sorry! It's all my fault!" she cried. Suddenly, her cry of worry became accompanied by one of pain. A bandit had kicked her injured leg, reopening her wound when she had turned to look at Tohan. Alex suddenly lost her balance, and had to use her spear to keep herself upright. This was what Tohan had been afraid of . . .he had gotten the sense that she was a good-enough fighter, but in her current condition, she shouldn't have been fighting.
"Ehheehee! Stick to what you're good at highness! Sitting around and looking pretty," one of the bandits sneered in glee. "Oh opps! It seems I've gone and scarred your pretty little leg," he taunted further, with cheers from his companions. "I think my hand might slip again, his time in your pretty face," he threatened and before he could laugh anymore, a large fist slammed into the side of his jaw and sent him sprawling to the ground.
"Leave her alone, you bastard!" Tohan growled and grabbed Alexandra's arm to help her stand up strait. "Are you okay?" he asked gravely. The princess bit her lips and nodded as she struggled to stand on her leg.
There were too many . . .he and Alex would both be killed . . . . Tohan pulled Alex close to him as Kamuy stepped in front of both of them, snarling with fur raised. Now the princess was between them. She might last longer there . . . .
Tohan's facial expression displayed a desperation as still more bandits tightened the ring around them. Though they had managed to considerably par their numbers, quiet a few still remained.
"Lady Alex, please stay back," Tohan whispered over his shoulder.
The Princess let out a small cry before she placed all of her weight back on her feet and she took her spear in her hands to brandish it.
"If we are going to die, or whatever else fate has in store for us, I will not see you stand alone to face it. Not while I can still help you!" she insisted bravely, despite her obvious pain.
Tohan was touched, but he didn't want her to become ever more injured than she already was. That, and he definitely didn't want her, or any of them, to die.
Simultaneously all of the twenty-odd bandits remaining began to charge. However, there suddenly came a volley of sticks, rocks, and even shoes flying towards them, pouring fourth like rain.
"What in the name of Soa?" Tohan muttered in confusion as he signaled for Alex and Kamuy to drop to the ground.
The bandits all around them seemed to be just as confused and too busy trying to shield themselves from the odd barrage of assorted objects to notice the teenagers' sudden vulnerability. From somewhere a short way away an elderly woman yelled out,
"Bandit trash! Cowards! Leave them alone!"
"Bandit worms! Why don't you come over here! We'll be more than happy to pelt you to death!" a man's voice yelled, accompanying the woman's.
"What's going on?" Alexandra mumbled from underneath Kamuy's neck. Tohan, who lay perfectly still, could barely be heard above the commotion.
"It must be the people! The Villagers in the wagon! They've broken free!" he exclaimed.
Suddenly a familiar voice rang through the air.
"Mr. Tohan? Kamuy? Miss Alex? Where are you?"
"It's Martel! She sounds like she's okay!" Alexandra exclaimed in unparallel relief.
"Come on! They seem to be distracted, let's go!" Tohan urged as he grabbed her hand and pulled her up. Instead of letting her go, however, Tohan put her arm across his shoulders. "Here, lift your leg a little and lean on me," he instructed gently. "We'll find Martel," he said and the two, with Kamuy nearby, slowly began walking aside from the bandit scourge unnoticed.
Halfway to the tree-line of the prairie, Tohan caught sight of a bushy, blonde head bobbing up and down and racing towards them.
"Miss Alex! Mr. Tohan! Kamuy! There you are!" she panted, out of wind when she ran up to them.
"Martel, what in Soa's name are you doing outside the thicket? Me and Alex both told you to stay put! You could have been killed!" Tohan reprimanded harshly, like a parent to a child.
"I'm really, really sorry Mr. Tohan, but I wanted to help you guys! I was watching you and you were in trouble! I thought maybe those people in the cage might help you, so I let them out," she explained with teary eyes from being scolded.
"I--still!
You shouldn't have left the thicket! You could have been killed!"
Tohan repeated. "Do you have any idea how bad I would feel if I
lost you?" he continued.
"it really was my fault, Tohan. I
shouldn't have left . . .you should probably be angry with me,"
Alexandra offered in Martel's defense.
"Well, you can defend yourself and knew what you were doing! She didn't!" Tohan insisted.
"Are you mad at me, Mr. Tohan?" Martel asked with misty eyes.'
Tohan's expressions softened and he knelt down beside her.
"I don't ever want you to do that again, okay? I was scared I'd lost you!" he said and hugged her briefly. Martel managed a small smile and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him back.
"You saved our lives today, Martel, you were very brave," he admitted at last, making her beam.
"Eee! I won't be bested by a bunch of peasant's throwing things!" Get back in the cage where you belong!" a bandit screeched. His underlings vocalized their agreement and they all suddenly charged towards the villagers that had come to the teenagers' aid, making them scatter.
"Tohan! My people! We have to help them! This isn't over yet!" Alex cried and made an attempt to lunge into a run, but Tohan grabbed her arm and stopped her.
"Wait Alex! I hear something coming up the road. It could be more bandits! We need to wait!" he stated firmly.
"What does it sound like?" Alexandra asked in worry.
"Horses . . .I really hope it isn't backup," he growled and readied his axe once more. If more bandits were coming, he would not waste anymore time. Kongol had given him a dragoon spirit, and though he wasn't exactly sure how to use it, he sure as hell would try.
Tohan had been right on the mark when he had heard horses coming, but he never would have guessed who the riders were. Swiftly and powerfully, a band of about forty stallions bearing riders in blue and white chain mail armor wielding spears and swords thundered over the hillside.
"KNIGHTS! KNIGHTS OF BASIL!" Alexandra exclaimed in amazement. "We're saved!" she continued.
Tohan cringed.
"Look out! We'll be trampled!" he shouted as the horses galloped strait towards them, apparently not noticing them. "What the--" was about all Tohan had time to say before the stampede overcame them and he and Kamuy jumped aside to the right, him grabbing Martel. Alexandra preformed a diving roll, to the best of her ability, to the left. Thick clouds of dust filled the air and all around people shouted in confusion and the bandits, with their squeaky voices, yelped in terror.
Minutes later, when the dust cleared, Alex opened her eyes and gazed around from where she lay. The bandits were nowhere to be seen, they had all fled, somehow, including Ikmir and those that had been knocked unconscious. Presently, the princess could see knights of Basil all around, helping up those villagers who had been injured or who had fallen.
Alexandra picked herself up onto her knees. She couldn't see Tohan, Martel, or Kamuy. Suddenly a gauntlet-covered hand was placed in front of her face.
"Please let me help you up, miss. Are you injured at all?" a smooth, comforting voice offered. Alexandra knew a knight of Basil was before her, and that the moment she raised her head he would recognize her. The problem was she didn't want to go home without first speaking with Tohan, Martel, and Kamuy.
"My lady?" the knight asked again.
Alex sighed and placed her fair-toned hand in the knight's armored one as he pulled her shakily to her feet. She quickly turned her head away.
"There now, that's better, maam.
"Thank you," Alexandra said quietly and went to withdraw her hand when the knight's eyes caught the glimmer of emeralds on her wrist. His eyes went wide beneath his helmet.
"Miss! Wait! Where did you get such a bracelet?" I'll have you know that this bracelet belongs to the Princess Alexandra! There is only one such in Serdio! What brings it to you? Or are you a bandit we missed?" he suddenly asked threateningly.
Alex didn't pay him much attention, instead she was busy scanning the surrounding area for any trace of Tohan, Kamuy, or Martel.
"Answer me!" the knight growled menacingly and Alex was suddenly aware of an increase in wind. She twirled around lightning fast and grabbed the shaft of the Serdian soldier's spear, stopping the point inches from her nose. The knight of course, instantly dropped to his spear and feel to his knees realizing what could have been a very grave mistake.
"Your. . .your Majesty! What are you doing here?!? Never mind! My lady, oh please forgive me, I knew not that it was you!" he apologized rapidly over and over again.
"At ease good knight. To answer your question, this bracelet comes to me as a gift from my parents at the time of my birth. It was made from the finest emeralds in Mille Seseau and crafted by the hands of a smith under my Grandfather Zior. Forgive me for not answering you sooner, I'm afraid I didn't hear you," she lied quickly, releasing the spear she now held and reaching down for her father's that lay on the ground.
"Oh my lady! I am dreadfully sorry! I could have--I could have-- Oh Lord Albert would never forgive me!" the soldier stammered, his nerves almost completely gone.
Just then, another Knight rode up to the pair on horseback.
"Danvy, what are you doing, man? Get up, we've got to escort the villagers to---oh my God!" the knight commander said quickly, as he gazed upon Alex's face. "It can't be!"
"It is!" the knight called Danvy exclaimed.
The Knight commander quickly put his arm across his chest and bowed low upon his horse.
"Majesty! What a surprise! My lady, what in Endiness are you doing out here?! We've been searching for you for weeks! His majesty Albert and Queen Emille have been worried to death! And here we had almost lost hope! But lo, here you are and quite . . .unharmed! It's a miracle! Were you the prisoner of the bandits?" he asked respectfully and astounded at the same time.
Alex shook her head.
"No, actually I--"
"Oh look at me jabbering on! Majesty it's time to get you back to Bale!" he interrupted, and pulled her up onto his horse before she could object.
"Wait! Commander, I have three friends here! Did you see them? One was a boy with two differently colored eyes, one was a small girl with bushy pigtails, and the other was a giant white wolf!" she asked hastily.
The commander laughed.
"The two humans might have been around here somewhere my lady, but we would have most certainly seen a large, white wolf! We have seen no such creature, have we Danvy?" the commander asked.
"No, Sir! No such thing!" he answered.
"They must be here! I must find them!" the Serdian Princess insisted.
"Oh your majesty, it pains me to say that you might have suffered an injury and dreamed this. Not to worry, we'll soon have you to Bale's finest doctor. ALL MEN, GET THE WOUNDED ON HORSES, WE RIDE FOR BALE!" the commander shouted and several knights rushed all over the fields to obey his mandates. The head of the Knighthood then tapped his horse's sides with his heels and the steed began to walk.
"Wait! Commander! It was no dream! Please, I must speak with them before we go!" she pleaded.
The Captain shook his head.
"I have orders from his Majesty Albert that should I find you, dead or alive, to return you to him without delay. Obviously I'm glad it was the latter of the two . . . ."
However, Alexandra wasn't listening. Instead she was once again searching for any trace of her friends along the forest line. And she found them. A short ways into the wood, far to her left, starring at her. Alexandra gave a nod to Tohan. Which she hoped he would both see and understand. She smiled in relief when he gave her the thumbs up. Then, as he tapped Martel onward, Alex turned her attention back to the Knight Commander, whom was still rambling on.
Tohan patted Martel on the shoulder softly from where he watched his new friend leaving the prairie.
"Come on, let's go home."
"But Mr. Tohan, shouldn't we go after her? She said she'd take us to the castle!" Martel exclaimed.
"Trust me when I say we are safer where we are and so is she. Come on, I'll give you a piggy-back ride," Tohan replied.
Martel sighed and hopped onto Tohan's back.
"Alright, but I really wanted to see the castle," she said in disappointment.
Tohan chuckled.
"When we go home, I'll see if I can't take you to Deningrad. They've got a huge palace there."
"Mr. Tohan," Martel said suddenly, "Do you think we'll ever see Miss Alex again?"
Tohan smiled in reply.
"You know what, Martel? I guarantee that we will. I don't know why, but I have a feeling that this is just the beginning of something big," he explained, and the two, along with Kamuy walked deeper into the trees and disappeared behind them.