The Hibernian Runaway

Chapter 16

 Halt knelt on the ground, inspecting the hoof marks in the dirt. He could determine that the Hibernian party had met up with ten others shortly after leaving the castle. They also had a small cart, so they would be moving slower than they would've if they all had horses. He followed the tracks off of the main dirt road and into the forest.

 He followed them in the faint moonlight almost losing the trail until they stopped in a clearing. Halt could see where the men had lined up, facing a huge disturbance in the dirt in front of them. He could see one set of footprints clearly, moving in the dust what seemed randomly. Halt bent down and touched a darker patch of dirt and his hand came away from the sticky patch. It was blood. He rubbed his hand on his trousers and stood up and whistled for Abelard.

 The shaggy horse stuck his head into the clearing. Halt walked over to the horse and mounted him. There was nothing else to do, except to follow the tracks.

 Halt knew that whoever was in charge of the Hibernian group had made a show of beating Lilly, and he wondered why. It was one thing to tease a prisoner with the occasional cut or bruise, but to make a show out of it was either an interrogation, a showing of power, or something personal. Or possibly all three.

 "Let's go, Abelard." Halt said, nudging the horse's sides. Abelard started forward, slowly so Halt could follow the tracks.

  

Lilly sat in silence with the others on the back of  the wagon. Gregory had punished his men for burning the farm house. It would certainly draw attention of any passing person, and he made them carry on. But not after making sure that everyone was dead.

 Alyss would cough occasionally in the darkness, Lady Pauline always by her side. Both women were resting in the farmhouse when the Hibernians arrived. One of them had recognized their Courier's uniforms and decided to take them as prisoners. Alyss had fought back and ran away, near the burning house before being taken again. It was now affecting how she was breathing.

 There was shouting from the men riding behind them. Hoof beats thundered up as one Hibernian rode up to Gregory. Lilly shivered, waking Nial who was leaning against her shoulders. "Are you cold?" he asked sleepily.

 "No," she replied. She tried listening to the shouts of the men in the back of the pack.

 The man who had gone up to the front of the convoy was riding back, with Gregory behind him. He stopped next to the cart and pulled himself into it. He grabbed Lilly by the collar of her shirt and pulled her to her feet.

 "How did they find us?" he asked her, his anger cool, not red hot.

 "Who?" She struggled to get out. She was holding onto Gregory's forearm to support herself. Gregory snorted then threw her to the bed of the cart, but Nial caught her before she could hit the wood.

 "The Araluen trackers that are on our tail. They were able to shoot one of our trailers, but he missed the first shot, so we were able to be warned." Gregory explained. He pulled Lilly to her feet again, waving the black, broken shaft of an arrow in her face.

 Before Lilly could answer, another black shafted arrow slammed into the man standing behind Gregory. Gregory opened his mouth in shock, then pulled Lilly close, using her as a very valuable human shield. Gregory's assumptions were correct, and no other arrows came in his direction. He pulled Lilly down from the cart and an arrow skidded in the dirt just to the right of his feet.

  

Halt was standing up out of the bushes, his eyes narrowed in concentration. He was trying to prevent the man from leaving with Lilly, but without actually hitting her. He was too concentrated on Lilly that he didn't notice the other people in the cart until one of them shouted in pain.

 He looked at the cart and almost dropped his bow. One of the Hibernians was pulling Pauline out of the cart by her hair. To his dismay, the man with Lilly got on a horse and galloped off, using the cart for cover. He realized that he would be able to track them down afterwards.

 Halt took careful aim and shot an arrow at approaching man. He dropped like a stone with an arrow through his neck. He put another one in the knee of the man who had dragged Alyss out of the wagon. He turned his archer's eye to the man who still had Pauline, but couldn't find a clear shot to a vital spot.

 All the other Hibernians were watching in awe, already surrendering when they realized that they were dealing with a King's Ranger. None of them were making any advances towards the cart or Halt.

 Then all of a sudden, a blonde haired boy tackled the two of them from the cart. He wrestled with the man, Pauline able to get away. She ran to Alyss who was laying in the dirt in pain. Halt realized that he would never get a shot off and ran out of the bushes toward the struggling men. He saw a flash of silver and the two of them stopped moving. The Hibernian was laying on top of the boy and was beginning to push himself up. Halt ran to the two of them, and pulled the Hibernian off the boy and sighed in relief.

 Nial was drenched in blood, but it wasn't his. He was in a state of shock, his hands still miming holding the six inch long knife that was now plunged into the Hibernian man's chest.

 "Oh my god," He breathed, staring at the man he had just killed. Then he remembered Lilly, turned and started after them. Halt caught him by the arm and held him back.

 "Let me go!" Nial shouted, turning to the shorter, but stronger man.

 Halt could see that he was crying, tears streaming down his face. "You need to calm down." He said sternly and quietly. "Lilly isn't going to die."

 "But she will." Nial said, taking deep breaths. "If Gregory gets her back to Hibernia, the Queen will execute her because-" Nial took a shaky breath. "Because she's the Princess."

 Halt let go of Nial's arm, stunned into silence. "What?" he asked. "She's the daughter of King Sean?"

 "Yes, and Queen Josephine will kill her for it." Nial said. "That's why I have to-"

 "You don't have to go and save her just yet." Halt said. He walked over to the women. He nodded to his wife and then stopped in front of the rest of the Hibernians.

 "I am a King's Ranger, and I hope you realize the gravity of your situation." He shouted. "I do plan on having you arrested, but I do not plan on it right now."He stopped to listen to the murmuring crowd. "Those who decide to make themselves useful will get a lighter sentence from the Baron, maybe even a full pardon." Halt paused for more drama. "Now who will help me?"

 Almost immediately, the men of the remaining Hibernian party surged forward to declare their new allegiance. He ordered the bunch of them to ride ahead and alert Baron Arald at Redmont. Then he ordered another group to ride back to Castle Araluen and get the King's help.

He sighed and stared at the rising sun, hoping that Will was able to get the ports closed along the Redmont border.