Puss in Boots: The White Eagle

XI - The Revelations

The passage the trio were creeping through finally came to an end. Paweł reached the entrance first and got out, hoping to see Bożena. But he saw nobody in any close proximity.

He stood there all attention, holding the White Eagle on his shoulder. When Puss went out and later Kitty followed him, they both noticed Paweł staying in one place lost in his thoughts.

„What's wrong, Senor?" Puss rested his paw on Paweł's shoulder.

„Bożena." Paweł answered. „She's not here." And so he rushed out of the cave too.

Kitty tried to catch up and asked a bit ironically: „Maybe she's so mentally deranged that she ran out of the Dragon's Lair just like that?"

But Paweł didn't mind Kitty's moment at this point. He eventually moved out of the cave, hoping to get some answers as to what happened to Bożena.

„Senor, calm down, we will find your daughter!" Puss said as he ran just behind him. He knew at this moment himself that even though Bożena overreacted a lot and behaved just how her strong emotions dictated them to, she was still Paweł's blood after all.

Just as the three cats walked out to get an ounce of fresh air, Paweł began staring down at the town for some clues as to where her daughter might be.

But when Paweł went down the rocky pathway to get to the main settlement and gain some clues, suddenly the whole party was jumped by the same armed group of armed men dressed in justaucorps. Kitty quickly hid the crown behind her back and Paweł immediately drew his steel saber when suddenly many German mercenaries surrounded him and his companions.

„Halt, Herr Myetchko-- Matchko-- Herr Paweł!" Gerhart stepped in front of the group and aimed his flintlock pistol at him. „Halt, Herr Paweł!"

But Paweł only aimed his saber right at Gerhart and bared his a bit crooked teeth. „I won't let you stop me, not after I finally have the chance to restore Poland's great power! Now, make way or you will end like your brothers!"

Paweł was at this time more or less angry at this ambush and both Kitty and Puss knew it. They drew their own weapons when they were occupied more with Paweł and awaited for the outcome. They all really hoped that this would end peacefully, since a bloodshed was the last thing they wanted.

But Gerhart only aimed his pistol upwards and smirked. „Let me show you something which will make you more compliant, Herr."

He tilted his head briefly and Adolf, his young lieutenant, held a mediocre-sized cage in which Bożena was locked up, without her saber, bow, or any belongings. She was even without her poor black boots. At this time, she clawed and hissed at the young lad holding her, but she switched her attitude once she saw Paweł.

„Ojcze!" She cried and banged against the cage at his direction. „Ojcze! They got me! Don't listen to anything they say!" And then her face formed into smile and she bragged: „I've managed to slaughter two of them, ojcze. Good enough? Are you proud of me?" And she cried again while banging her fists against the cage: „ARE YOU PROUD OF MEEE?!".

Paweł immediately answered: „This is not the time to talk about it. Not at all. How did this all happen?"

Gerhart straightened his back and talked: „You have a simple deal. You hand over yourself or your Bożena immediately gets killed."

Then, Adolf pulled out a knife and put it between the bars in the cage. He was determined to stab Bożena lethally if Paweł did not comply. And Paweł himself knew about it.

Puss stared at Paweł briefly, trying to see which action he was going to take. But something broke in Paweł. The old cavalryman, the Polish Hellrider was now all vulnerable and all of his will to fight was lost from fear and care of his daughter.