FLAMES

PART TWO: CLUES AND QUESTIONS (Maene)

I stayed completely still, as I watched and annalised from within the bushes.

There were five of them.

Hefty men dressed like the rogues that they were, terrorised Freya and the children. They believed no one could help them because they lived all the way out here in the woods, far from Ezra.

But they were wrong.

The King cared about all his subjects and as his loyal Knight, I made sure he didn't forget anyone who needed help.

I pushed away the stray short hair that had fallen on my fair forehead. I tightened my grip on the bow and arrow I had aimed at the men.

They wouldn't know what hit them until it did.

"Are these all the children?" One of the men asked in a husky voice. He had to be their leader for the rest were taking orders from him. He was a red head.

The others nodded in response. They had searched the entire wooden house and gathered all the children outside.

"Take them all!" He ordered.

"No! Leave them alone! They are just children!" Freya, a little plum woman screamed.

The oldest child couldn't have been more than twelve winters.

The men laughed at her futile attempts.

"I think we should take her too boss," a dark haired man suggested.

"You wouldn't!" Freya gasped.

Their boss gestured at the cage they had loaded on their carriage. The men understood and started working towards the order.

The dark haired man who had suggested taking Freya, started moving towards her. Freya retreated fearfully while holding some children protectively. The children also retreated with her.

There were about twenty children all clustered beside and behind her; as they followed her every move. The other three men who were all blonds, got to them and forcefully pulled a little boy.

"Let me go or my hero will get you!" The little brown skinned boy screamed confidently.

An uproar of laughter burst out of the blond man's mouth. "No one is coming for you kid. You're on your own!"

At that, the others pulled two kids at a time as the children screamed and struggled against their holds. Freya kept screaming at the men to release the children and their boss watched in satisfaction.

I still didn't move. I waited patiently for the signal.

The blond man was just about to throw the little boy into the cage when a golden shield blasted into his head.

"My hero!" The little boy exclaimed.

Indeed, it was Bakira.

His golden skin glowed beautifully under his dark leather pants, white shirt and leather brown waistcoat due to the sun. He placed his left leather boot on the fallen man's chest while still holding the golden shield and his long sword.

"You were saying?" He began.

All the children cheered in excitement the moment they realised it was him. A smile tugged at my lips as I saw how happy the children— as well as Freya— were to see him.

"Get him!" Their leader commanded and the men came at Bakira.

Bakira swiftly dodged the first man's attack. It was one of the blond men. The other two blond men came at him and attacked. They all carried huge daggers.