"Get up! It's your turn," Cole kicked at Philip's legs, which were stretched across the hall as he leaned snoozing against door number two.
It was the middle of the night, and Cole was quite relieved that his shift was finally ending. Philip was less excited. His was just about to start. He opened his eyes a slit. "Are you sure?"
"I am certain and I need to relieve myself, so you have to take over unless you want an accident on your hands," Cole's voice was urgent, and the dark-haired man knew he better rouse himself.
"Fine, fine...Go take your break." Philip stood up and took his position at the door.
"Thank you." Cole did not need to be told twice. He hurried along the corridor, trying to make as little noise as possible.
It turned out the owner of the establishment lived in the first room of the hall. When he had come to bed only an hour ago, he had glared at the men in the hall but decided to let them be. Cole wondered if it was because he didn't want to wake the other guests or if he felt a little sorry for the supposed jilted groom, but he knew better than to ask. However, waking up the innkeeper now might yield different results. So Cole treaded as lightly as he could.
The outside air still held the warmth of the day, radiating up from the sunbaked earth. Cole fumbled around in the starlit night until he found a communal privvy by the inn's stables.
He had barely made it. When the task was completed, the soldier yawned. He dreamed of a nice warm bed, but a drafty, dank hallway would be his sleeping spot tonight. 'There are worse things,' he reminded himself.
Hushed whispers from behind the stable began.
"Da innkeeper said that da guard was sleeping out here…ouch!" A voice yelped as a thump accompanied his cry.
"The owner must've lied to make some quick cash, or the guard got wise after smelling your stench and ran off!" A harsh reply muttered venomously.
"I dunno know why ya trust me Jarek. Maybe ya should do these things on your own…" the first voice whined.
"Doesn't matter now. The other two are up in room two. We tracked them this far, I won't let them get away now," the harsher voice—Jarek said with conviction. "We don't get paid if we mess up…"
For a moment Cole felt a slight bit guilty for eavesdropping, but he could almost guarantee that the men were talking about him. He crept closer to try to gather more information.
Peeking around the corner of the barn, the soldier spotted two men. One looked fierce with greasy brown hair pushed back from his face: Cole guessed this was Jarek. The other looked—crazy? His gaze seemed to constantly be darting about and his hunched shoulders made him look like a wild-eyed ape.
A third figure crept out from the back of the barn and joined the other two. His long, dark hair dangled in tangled masses around his short frame.
"Their horses are still here, but there are no people." The third member picked a piece of straw from his hair.
"Ruadh, set loose the horses. Curtenus, come with me and we will tell the others. Better move in before it gets any later." Jarek tugged at one of the blades at his side. "You are sure the innkeeper won't be a problem?"
Ruadh shook his head in the moonlight as he chuckled. "He thinks we is gonna rob em only. I could kill da owner and his wife if ya like. Might muddy the water's when an investigation comes." There was a hungry look in Raudh's eyes that make Cole shiver.
"No, a dead couple and guard will make people think it was a lovers' quarrel. And the innkeeper will not tell what he knows because he won't want to be charged with the crime as well."
"Always a thinker..." Ruadh snapped his head to one side, having heard something beside the barn.
"I thought we were supposed to capture the girl..." Curtenus chewed on his lip as he pondered his boss's words.
"We were supposed to bring the girl back to our benefactor. He did not specify dead or alive. We will have to play it by ear." Jarek pulled at his chin as he contemplated all the villainous options.
Curtenus pulled out his knife and picked something out of his teeth. "That's my kind of symphony, Jarek. You have found my favorite tune...What are you doing, Rhaud?"
The scar-faced man was stalking along the edge of the barn wall. He might not be the smartest or the bravest--he was never allowed to forget the demon beast debacle-- but Ruahd knew when he was being watched. The bandit held his finger to his lips at the other criminal's question.
Drawing his long knife, he leapt around the corner. His eyes narrowed.
"What's wrong? See another demon beast?" Curtenus teased.
"Somethin' was there. I know it." Rhuad turned his head toward the inn where he believed he saw an indistinct shadow disappear. He sheathed his knife. "I think we has been spotted," he said gravely.
"Maybe by a fox or a rabbit...you worry too much." The short bandit brushed his comment aside. He had chased down too many woodland creatures in the name of 'being watched' to believe his comrade's claim.
Jarek moved around the corner and looked at the inn. His lips pressed together into a firm line. "Best not to take any chances. Release the horses, Rhuad, and meet as soon as it is done. It's time to move."
------------------
Cole left the bandits long before they were finished speaking. He had heard quite enough. The innkeeper had betrayed them and someone had paid these men to track them down.
The soldier had no proof of whom it might be, but he certainly had a guess or two. But there was time to think about all that later. First they needed to get to safety.
Bounding up the stairs, Cole's long strides quickly brought him to the other soldier. He had thought about waking the entire inn to chase off the three men, but Jarek had mentioned having other men. For all the soldier knew, it could be an entire army, and waking the others would only get innocent people killed.
Cole also thought about the owner of the establishment. If the innkeeper was willing to hand them over to be robbed in exchange for a bribe, he would be even more quick to give them to the bandits if he thought his life was in danger. Self-preservation was a significant motivator.
Philip watched the quickness of the other soldier's approach. "Are you that eager to get to sleep?" he asked, confused.
The other soldier ignored the remark. "We are under attack." There was no humor in his voice, and Philip immediately stiffened.
"How many? Where are they?" he asked quickly. The dark-haired man knew panic was his worst enemy at moments like these, and so Philip pushed the creeping sensation from his mind and focused on what he could actually control.
"I am not sure. There were three outside the barn but they spoke of meeting others." Cole gave as much information as he could in as few words.
"Are they after us or the inn?" Philip needed to know the enemy's goals.
"They are after the princess. They have been tracking us. The innkeeper sold us out. They know exactly where we are, I am pretty sure." Cole pressed his fingers to the bridge of his nose. He had really been looking forward to sleeping.
The men outside were willing to oblige and give him a rest, only in a much more permanent fashion than suited him.
"We have to get the princess out. Do you think there is time to sneak out the front door?" Philip had barely finished his words when multiple footsteps creaked against the stairs.
"I think the time for that is over." Cole pulled his sword, which he had retrieved earlier in the evening before beginning his watch, and held it at the ready. "You get the princess out and I will hold them off."
Just then in the dull light of the hall, a short man stepped onto the landing. He had a short sword in his hand which was not nearly as long as Cole's. The brown haired man smiled, looking at his smaller opponent, 'This will be easy,'
Behind him, a second man joined the first, his head nearly scraped the ceiling.
'....or not...'