"My Lord, it is I, Elton," said his kinsman respectfully.
For two months Elton's younger brother blended in perfectly at the fortress so he could spy and relay information to Maxixe and his men.
After Maxixe acknowledged his presence by nodding.
Elton continued, "Our spy said that we arrived too late. Captain Herbert has already left the fortress to seek the permission needed to marry Lady Kaoma from the king. I heard your cousin Aiden speaking about it, and he doesn't seem pleased that we are here. Do we have orders to enter?"
"Yes. Tell the men to move out," he said sharply. "Where are Zori and Canaan?"
Elton responded, "they should have taken care of the foot patrol by now and are waiting by the drawbridge at the rear of the fortress. The plan was to make our escape at that spot."
"Lady Kaoma, where is she?" he demanded.
"My lord, she is unaware that the fortress has been breached and is sleeping peacefully in her chambers with her son."
"Bring them to me."
Anxiously Elton offered, "Let's not be too hasty. I feel there is far too much risk involved. Let's take some more time to plan this properly"
"I did not come this far to leave empty handed," he said again for reinforcement, "I will grab the woman, you take the child."
Elton paled significantly at the harshness in his master's voice.
Maxixe's voice thundered, "No more wasting my time, let us hurry."
A full moon was in the sky just like the fateful night he rode with the Wild Hunt.
Bright moonbeams cast long shadows that highlighted the mighty stone fortress to its best advantage.
Maxixe had the misfortune to arrive when Lady Kaoma just ordered a spanking new watchtower built which rose five storey high above sea level.
One of the members of his band crossed through the murky waters of the moat to the other side.
He was very lucky to not be eaten by the alligators that made their home beneath the waters.
His man secured the rope to the wall with a hook and top knot.
Then he checked that it was strong and sturdy enough to hold his body weight without snapping before he gave the signal for the others to follow.
It had started to rain and mist rose up through the darkness giving them the perfect cover.
They snuck over along the rope as quickly and quietly as they could.
Lady Kaoma was definitely in the fortress, he felt it in his bones.
He and his men finally reached the entrance to the keep and they forced their way in using their full strength.
Lucky for them the wooden gate was not reinforced with steel but the wood was very thick and for the ordinary human would have seemed impenetrable.
Most of their power had been sealed once they entered earth's domain and they could not use their magic.
It would have been easy to fly around and it would have saved them time and energy.
Instead they found themselves applying brute strength and battering the wood with their bodies until it smashed wide open.
They ran into the courtyard in their numbers yelling their battlecry at the top of their lungs, waking and scaring the occupants.
"Save yourself."
"We are under attack!"
"Run for your lives."
It was chaos and pandemonium in an instant.
Once again Maxixe gave over to his bloodlust, he was like a berserker with rage.
As humans rushed out in hastily placed armor trying to back him into a corner.
His bloodlust seeped out from his pores and caused his men to go into a frenzy.
Maxixe led by example and plunged into the mass of humans, blood and guts spurted all over.
The bloodthirsty fairy strolled into the courtyard undeterred as he hacked away at his occupants with his blade.
He was not completely heartless; he yelled out, "only leave the elderly plus the women and children alive."
Captain Herbert had taken the majority of the men with him leaving only a handful behind to guard the large property.
They did not have many loyal retainers because before Lady Kaoma came they only hired mercenaries when they needed to add to their numbers.
Lady Kaoma had to push to get the security of the fortress up to what it was presently and it was weak in comparison to what it should have been.
Taken by surprise and unprepared the humans, sniveling cowards that they were, did not put up much resistance.
How many times had she mentioned that getting her pregnant was necessary?
He remembered how he must have appeared weak and helpless to her.
Maxixe bristled over his period of enslavement and how it changed him for the worse, making him more cruel and callous over the years.
Unconsciously his fingertips brushed the fading purple bruises where the chains had bound him.
She looked angelic in her sleep, her breath coming in waves of soft gasps.
His eyes couldn't resist trailing down the length of her body.
Irresistible or not, he reminded himself that she was the enemy.
Kaoma looked innocent but appearances were deceitful.
He felt like she had bespelled him, making him spend many restless nights dreaming about her.
Maxixe got it into his head that if he was to have his way with her.
He would finally get her out of his system and want nothing more to do with her.
Then she smiled in her sleep and he lost it, his hands moved with lightning speed.
He stuffed a sock in her mouth then tied his large handkerchief around those closed lips tightly.
Her eyes flashed open with fear by then he had already moved on.
Both her hands were clasped together as he tied the rope around them.
While he worked she stared at him with a mixture of outrage and confusion.
Then he did the same to her feet.
Kaoma felt groggy from dreaming, she had been sleeping peacefully one moment then forced awake in the blink of an eye.
It did not take her long to recognise Maxixe this time around and his facial expression sent shivers down her spine.
She bobbed her head trying to distract him but he ignored her leaving her transfixed and unable to bear what was happening.
There was blood all over him, there was no emotion to be seen in his face, not knowing what he was about troubled Kaoma.
Time was of the essence; they did not want to miss the portal that led back to their homeland; he had no choice but to knock her out.
She saw his huge fist coming before she felt it and then saw black.
Maxixe picked up her unconscious body and slung her over his shoulders.
The child woke up, looking like he was about to cry in Elton's arms.
"Be quiet," Maxixe said sternly to Jax.
There was no denying the boy was his, his son was the spitting image of himself as a child.
Wisely Jax obeyed, staring in wonder and curiosity at the men, they looked like his toy soldiers come to life.