Shirley's head throbbed. It was dark. It was cold.
She tried to move but noticed that her arms and feet were tied. She tried to shout but her mouth was gagged.
She then remembered what happened. She was just cooking dinner when armed men dressed in cloaks burst through their thin wooden door. They were fast, dragging her and her mother out. Her small body was slung on one of the men's shoulder. She struggled as hard as she could. Her mother was also dragged, her already soiled clothing further damaged. They were powerless.
That was afternoon. Now it was evening. She felt the floor with her cheek. It was marble. She then looked around. The huge halls and towering columns confirmed one thing- she was in the headquarter of the knights.
Shirley wiggled to one side. Her mother was also gagged and tied. She was still breathing- or at least Shirley hoped.
A few steps from her mother was a man. His face was bloodied and swollen. A closer look and Shirley recognized the man to be Captain Rain of the royal guards.
Shirley heard footsteps- fast, heavy and many. Down the white marble stairs came several men in armor. She didn't bother counting. They were many and that's what she knows.
"They have breached the walls Grand Master. The Castonians are currently pouring inside" said one of the men.
"And the city guards?" Asked a knight with a special armor. On top of his helm was a crown broken in two. The slit of the helm was narrow and the whole thing looked marvelous.
"Most of them are fleeing sire"
"Damn them. The bribes we paid meant nothing at all" Said the senior knight. He leaned against one of the columns "The militia?"
"They..." the junior knight struggled to continue.
"They?"
"They joined Princess Emily and the Castonians. The militia are currently fighting against our forces"
The senior knight slammed his fist against the column. "Damn it all! I was hoping we could hold the city until the Calgarians and our noble allies arrive. And Lutan..." he paused "Damn them. Once the news spread that Castonia and Vanadis are joining this mess, they retreated like the cowards that they are"
"We should escape Grand Master"
"That's the plan, yes. Order the third Century of knights to cause some trouble in the ghetto. Make it big and make it loud" he then looked at Shirley "And bring these people with us. Are you sure they are Henry's family?"
"Yes and we should just slit their throats. They are heavy baggage sire"
The man went to Shirley. He knelt to match her. He grabbed Shirley's chin. She just shut her eyes.
"Yes, the resemblance is there. She looks like First Spear" He rose and went to Captain Rain. He pulled the Captain's head up by the hair. Captain Rain grunted lowly, mixture of saliva and blood drolled from his mouth.
"We should bring them with us. I need the Captain in case the Princess comes after me and I need these two for Henry"
He rose, patting his hands together. A few knights then carried Shirley, her mother and Captain Rain.
Outside the headquarter a few knights were waiting beside some carts.
"Is everything ready?" asked Balian.
"Two caches left sire" one of the armored knights answered.
"Leave it" Balian said. He pulled the cloth that covered the top of one of the carts. Shirley saw gold coins heaped in the cart. They were shining.
The knights nodded. Shirley was put on another cart next to the one that have the gold. Her mother and Captain Rain were beside her. After a while they started to move.
**********
"Erik!" Henry called. The Marquis was on top of his horse-directing his men.
Henry went closer, raising his arm as high as he could. "Marquis Erik!"
Erik looked at him. He dismounted from his horse and approached Henry. They both held each other's arm.
"They told me you're dead" Erik eyed the the blood that trickled from his thigh "Never mind that. Let's get you on a horse"
A horse was brought and Henry was propped on top. His own knights followed him from behind.
"We will secure the city Henry. You should go and cut off the head of the snake. Go to the Headquarter directly. Find him"
Henry provided a single nod. It might be curt but they were running out of time.
"I'll be seeing you after this Marquis"
Henry pulled the reins. His horse's hooves ticked against the cobbled road. Several separated pockets of enemies tried to stop them but couldn't. Henry's force demolished them in one go.
It was chaos everywhere. Civilians were running around. Some of the city guards and Balian's knights were still resisting against them and the militia.
A lone rider then went to meet Henry and his men. The rider was one of Erik's scouts.
"Report" Henry demanded. Scout reports during battles are common so he didn't give the scout too much attention.
"About a hundred knights are attacking the ghetto sire"
With a sudden pull, Henry's horse stopped. His knights also stopped. Henry's face had a deep frown.
"Change course. We will go to the ghetto first"
"Prefect, the Marquis' strict order is to go directly to the headquarter" said Centurion Stan.
"I know" Henry breathed heavily behind his battered helm "But by the time the Castonians reach the gheto, many would have died already. You can go if you want but I shall protect the people of the gheto first"
Henry angled his horse to the left and made a turn towards the ghetto. The sound of hooves from behind confirmed that the knights followed him.
After reaching the portion of the city set aside for the believers of the Great Rider, Henry and his knights dismounted. They held their shields interlocked. The mayhem earlier had stopped but the dead bodies littered around provided evidence. It was silent all around as if all the civilians in the ghetto had run away.
Out of nowhere several of Balian's knights attacked them. Henry held his shield with strength. He accepted the strong blow of a mace from a knight. His shield cracked, almost splitting in half. Henry retaliated by slamming the boss of the shield. His opponent lost balance and Henry saw a beautiful opportunity. He took his dagger from his side and stabbed. He knew where all the weakness of a knight's armor is located. His blade went into his opponent's side, just below the armpit. The knight staggered and fell. A few heavy breaths and the knight closed his eyes.
The surprise attack of Balian's knights failed. Several dozen of Balian's knights lie dead in the ghetto. A few of Henry's own knights were injured but none of them died. And although many people in the ghetto are dead and injured, the situation was better than what he expected.
All of a sudden a rider approached- another one of Erik's scouts. The man dismounted.
"Prefect Henry" called the scout.
Henry's eyebrows crossed. The scout was panting.
"What is it?"
The scout looked at him and then lowered his head. "I report bad news"
*********
The battle finished just after dawn broke in the horizon. They have won against Master Balian with minimal casualties. It was a great victory. The people of Bivon were cheering in the streets for both Princess Emily and the Castonians. The efforts of the honorable Knight Henry was also being sung.
But both the faces of Henry and Princess Emily were not slates of happiness. They wore deep frowns while sitting around the table in the great hall of the palace of Bivon.
"You should have went straight back to us after speaking with him" Princess Emily said. Her tone was unfriendly.
Henry would have just let this pass but he was not in a friendly mood after hearing that Balian escaped with the gold of the knights and, according to scouts, three hostages. After rushing back to his family's home, he confirmed that the hostages were his mother and Shirley. Henry cannot focus. He feared for them. If Erik didn't give him strict orders to remain, he would have already chased after Balian.
"I didn't think that Balian was capable of doing what he did. He is a knight. I trusted his oath"
"And you are foolish for doing so. You should have seen his intents"
"I am a warrior. I am not versed in reading intents"
"That's why you will only be a warrior. First Spear they call you, legendary name. Who would have known that First Spear can be tricked so easily"
"I made a mistake" Henry admitted, too exhausted to argue.
"Yes you did" The Princess pressed on "You made too many mistakes Henry. Look where your mistakes led us. You injured your thigh, your family was taken hostage and Rain was captured!"
"Captain Rain's capture is not my fault. Do not blame me for that Emily!"
"Oh but you let them go"
"They were attacking the ghetto. My honor as a knight cannot stand not to help them"
"Your honor as a knight doomed this war to continue longer"
"I miscalculated"
"Well if you didn't miscalculate then we could have recovered Captain Rain and your family"
Henry gripped the edge of the table with his hand. "Like what I said, I made a mistake. I'm sorry. Why are you so upset that Captain Rain got captured anyway? I should be more upset than you"
Princess Emily looked at him. Henry lost his annoyance after seeing her wet and red eyes. "You have the audacity to ask me that Henry? You know why!"
Henry opened his mouth. He slumped and looked down. He nodded. "You know. You already know"
"I'm not stupid" She looked away "I have always known. The two of you... no, all of you have been trying to hide it from me but I already know. You think I don't remember but I do"
"So you do" Henry nodded "What will you do now?"
"I will take what remains of my guards to rescue him of course. I will do everything in my..."
Henry then heard heavy footsteps. The Princess heard it too. Both of them looked to the side. Erik was looking at them with a terrifying expression.
"I heard it" He eyed the Princess "I have always noticed something off about you. I thought it only involves the King but it seems that it goes deeper than that. Tell me everything oh my dear ally"
"It is a personal thing Marquis Erik..."
"You think I care? Your personal secrets are yours to keep Princess. Yours! But now it involves you taking your men in some rescue mission. I marched here with my Castonians to help you. We marched here to provide you ease with your civil war. And now I just discovered that you have other priorities. I couldn't care less about your secrets but your decisions are already affecting my men! Tell me or I will pull my men out of Tulosa and leave you to deal with this mess yourself. I cannot ally myself with someone who keeps important information"
Princess Emily shivered under Erik's scolding. She looked at Henry as if asking for help.
Henry cleared his throat. "Calm down.."
"Shut it Henry. She's the one I'm talking to. And I'm not done with you yet. You disobeyed my direct orders" Erik continued his glare towards the Princess "Spill it now or before midday you'll find my Castonians out of Bivon"
The Princess avoided Erik's eyes. She bit her lips. "I will tell you. But first you need to know what happened during the last civil war of Tulosa sixteen years ago..."