I staggered backwards as the arrow struck me right in my left shoulder. Hissing slightly, I let go of Lord Skarde who ran towards the guards like the coward he was. I reached for the arrow on my arm and yanked at it. Warm blood droplets slid down my arm and a sudden pain cut through my body making me wince but I didn't let it slow me down. Clutching my bleeding arm, I raised my head up and scanned the area for who my attacker was.
A tall man emerged from the darkness onto the dimly lit courtyard and his large stature improved his dominating presence. My heart skipped a beat as I finally saw the face of my attacker. No, no, no, this can't be! It can't be real, this had to be a dream, this isn't real.
My brain pushed back at what my eyes saw and yet there was no denying who stood in front of me. There was no way I wouldn't recognize those sharp cheekbones and that intense jaw or those piercing dark eyes that had once gazed upon me with emotions that tugged at my heart strings. The man in front of me wasn't just any attacker, he was someone I knew, someone I…loved!
Please, please, please let this be a dream! Let this be a dream! I prayed to the gods listening in at that moment but the cold air hitting my face coupled with the pain in my arm made me realize that this was genuine, this was all real!
"Reagan…" I breathed out, my voice thickened with emotion.
Reagan lips curled into a cold smile as he stared at me, "You know my name then?" He asked me as he strolled forward, "I'm guessing you are the one they call the black knight!"
Swallowing I looked away, but cleared my throat. "Guess I became pretty famous over the years." I retorted, making my voice nonchalant.
"That you did!" Reagan said with a chuckle before he strolled towards me, "Look we are not here for history lessons, so how about we get right into business?" He asked, taking long steps towards me until we were inches away from each other.
"And what business do I have with a knight?" I asked tilting my head to the side.
Reagan smiled widely at me, but it was cold. "You see you have been ordered to be brought forth to the king and be put to justice."
"Justice, you say?" I asked with a smile, "And do tell, brave knight? What does the king of Iravia, know about justice? The people are suffering every day, barely having enough to get by. Families are starving, men are forced to resort to devious means just so they could provide for their families. Women have no choice than to sell their body to eat and children are thrown out to the street, or being sold and yet you come before me to demand justice? What about justice to the people of Iravia? Tell me knight, who is going to offer them that?"
Reagan still wore that blank look on his face, although a quick ripple of possible guilt flashed in his eyes before it was gone again. "Well it's not up to you to take matters into your own hands and besides there are laws to this thing and we are bound by that law, whether we like it or not!" He said his hand going to rest on the hilt of his hands, "Now drop your weapons and come with me, no one has to get hurt!"
I pretended to think about it, my hands going to rest on the hilt of my sword. "On a second thought, I'd rather not!" I said to him and then with speed, I brought my own sword out.
His sword clashed against mine creating a resonant metallic noise which rang throughout the room while his blocking pressure moved up my entire arm. The speed at which Regan moved was very impressive, his strength was also formidable too.
The pain in my arm was causing me not to be as fast as I'd liked. It produced intense pain the more I tried to move, so it was a burden to me. I pushed on though, gritting my teeth as I ignored the pain, trying to hide it from Reagan both my distress and mounting fatigue.
In that brief instant moment, Regan lunged again and I met him head on. He swung his sword in a wide arc and the conjunction of our blades produced instant sparks when I evaded the sword point at exactly the right moment but I still wasn't fast enough.
His sword sliced through the arm with the arrow and I had to grit my teeth from screaming. Fuck the pain hurts! I thought as I held my sword and pointed it at him.
Reagan's smirk widened as he saw that I was trembling to hold the blade because of the pain. My clothes were starting to get soaked in blood. I could feel it traveling up my arm as my hand became coated with blood.
Reagan lunged forward again with precision, unrelenting as he raised his sword high but this time around I was ready. I side stepped out of the way but I was too slow as his sword caught in the fabric of my hood, ripping it to the side.
The massive long hair that I had struggled so much to hide, tumbled down in waves in slow motion as I hid my face to the side. Fuck!
"You…" Reagan breathed out, "You are a woman?" He asked and there was no mistaking the surprise in his tone.
That was it! It was time to get out of here! Reaching inside my waist belt, I brought out the smoke bomb I always had on me in case of emergencies like this. My heartbeat raced through my chest as I held it tightly before recognizing a single opportunity remained.
Through the curtain my hair provided, I could make out Reagan's sword descended slightly with reluctance as he stepped slightly forward. "Who are you?" He asked, his voice sharper now.
I couldn't answer the question, so I did the next sensible thing. Using all my strength, I slammed the smoke bomb down to the ground.
The smoke bomb shattered on the ground, unleashing a dense gray smoke that overwhelmed our surroundings. Seizing the opportunity, I spun on my heel and fled into the night not bothering to wait at all.
I found my horse and I immediately mounted it, ignoring the screaming protest of my arm as I grabbed the reins and rode into the night.
By the time I got to the manor, it was almost dawn and I met Heather waiting outside for me right at the entrance at the secret passageway. When she saw how slumped I was over the horse she could sense something was wrong. When she approached me and helped me down from the horse, her hand touched the soaked material of my clothes and she grew pale.
"What happened?" She gasped at me, her eyes filled with worry.
"Not here," I manage to grunt out a response, "Inside!" I said and she nodded her head, wrapping her arms around me as she helped me inside before anyone else could find out.