Robber Royale: Fairytale of a Thief and a Scoundrel

The Battle

Fox stood, wincing, then walked over to the wall, rummaging through some of the crates until he found a bottle of something. Opening it, he downed most of its contents, then limped back to Gaelian, handing the rest down to her. Once she'd drunk, he reached down to help her up, she simply dropping the bottle to the ground as she went. Carefully he took her hand, interlacing their fingers, then walked to the opening, stepping out onto the street, though staying back as everywhere was commotion.

Men were arming themselves and readying their horses. Woman and children were arming themselves as well, but also grabbing necessities, loosing animals, hefting crying babies, and falling back towards the rear of the village.

Over the tumult, they heard a distinct cry, and looking farther in, down the road, they saw Trake wave, having just turned their way after searching the nearest building. He came towards them, the other men following behind, looking exhausted and disheveled but otherwise no worse for wear.

The villagers seemed completely oblivious to their presence as they grouped together once again, Trake gesturing to Fox's face and exclaiming, "Ouch."

Fox laughed once, carefully. Saying jokingly, "Should've seen what I gave out."

"Right," Trake said dryly, "Bruised his knuckles a bit when he smashed yer face in did ya?"

"Found any'fin ta drink yet Fox?" Another man spoke up then, Fox nodding once and pointing back into the building they'd just come out of. All of them eased by and made their way into the building in search, but Fox stayed where he was, Gaelian staying with him, still attached at the hands.

He looked out passed the frantic people around him, passed the houses, to the road beyond where you could just now make out the dust from a large body of horses rising in the distance, the blood red morning sun rising behind it.

Soon the men were crowded around them again, following his gaze until they too watched the approaching mass, Trake finally saying, his voice tense. "If we leave now, we could probably make it. Sneak out the back and keep goin'. May even be some free horses..."

His tone sounded strange to Gaelian and she looked over at him, he looking at Fox.

"We could." Answered Fox in that same strange tone, almost like...like they were sharing some sort of joke between them.

Then they looked at one another and smiled.

"What? Why are we smiling?" Gaelian asked, suddenly feeling apprehensive.

No one answered her, instead another man said, "Anyone know where they put our weapons?"

His comment followed by one guy grumbling, "I'm gonna need me a little more drink first." While walking back into the small building.

"Right then." Fox said, clapping his hands together, "Someone find me a sword and a horse." Trake took off right away, others soon following suit.

Gaelian looked over at him then, alarm in her eyes, finally having caught on.

"You're going to stay aren't you, you're going to fight?"

Instead of answering her, he turned her around until she was facing out again, the confusion of people settling somewhat as they were all getting to their places.

"You see those women and children?" He asked, gesturing over to where a group of them were heading further back through the village and out of sight.

She nodded in response.

"Good. Follow them."

She turned back around and glared at him, crossing her arms in front of her chest, "Right. I'll just go cower in a corner then while you face your death out here? Brilliant! That's exactly what I'm going to do." She said sarcastically.