The Hibernian Runaway

Chapter 26

Lilly could hear shouting and the clanking of armor and swords to her right, just inside her blind spot. She couldn't make out exactly what was being said, but she hear her name and ,"the Queen". She struggled once more against the ropes that held her prone to the block, hoping for the miniscule and fleeting chance of freedom, but they held fast. Rough hands pushed her to the block, grappling her arms, sawing off the ropes that bound her and forcing her back into shackles.

"Get off of me!" she shouted, struggling, but it was no use. The metal shackles were locked around her wrists and a guard was hauling her backwards. She fought as much as she could in her limited range, clawing and kicking at anyone who got too close. She felt a foot connect with one guard's stomach and he disappeared over the side of the stage. The guard hauling her backwards, grabbed a fistful of her hair and jerked her head to the side.

"Behave, or your head will soon follow him," he whispered, Gregory's voice sending a cold shiver down her spine. "We're going into the castle where Josephine can take care of you herself."

Angrily, she threw back her head, slamming it against his head. He grunted and dropped her, his attention momentarily distracted by his own problems.

Lilly scrambled to her feet in a flash, catching splinters in her hands. She rolled to the side, dodging two guards that tried to tackle her. She gasped in pain, her back slamming into the corner of the rough stone block, black spots dancing in front of her vision. She couldn't move, the weeks spent in the Queen's custody had taken away the vigor and strength she had found working on the small farm all those months ago.

One booted foot stepped in front of her. Then the other. They pounded like marching drums on a silent practice field, so loud they drowned everything else out. She tilted her head up slowly, her muscles creaking in pain. The face of the executioner seemed to block out the sun, his dead eyes meeting her's in a cold, hard stare. He smiled a little, a grotesque contortion of his mouth, riddled with scars and pockmarks. He calmly reached for the sword at his side, enjoying the power he held over her at that instant. The metal screeched as it left the scabbard, echoing in the clamor around her. Everything seemed to fade into the background, too unimportant to be noticed.

Lilly urged her arms to pick herself off the ground, but they wouldn't coordinate. She felt her heart jump to her throat as she watched the sword slowly rise. She froze, staring at the beautiful, yet terrifying, weapon that gleamed in the sunlight. She suddenly realized that she was going to die, that the sword would end her life. She was going to die, and not a single person could do a thing to stop it.

She heard over the sound of the clamor a familiar voice, broken in pain.

"Lilly!"

"Lilly!"

Will almost fell off the building he was climbing. The sheer emotion in the scream shocked him to the bones. He felt like he had just lost Alyss and Adrian, something that he wished that he'd never have to live through. He hauled himself to the top and took a look at the fray.

Nial and King Sean had joined the Araluen guards in pushing towards the stage. They had found the King a Sword and he was leading the advance towards the castle. Nial had a look of absolute horror on his face, the shout echoing from his lips. He was already sprinting towards the stage, faster and nimbler than any of the knights they had there.

Halt and Crowley were on the ground, leading their own form of an advance with Hibernian guards. Those who didn't join them were quickly dealt with, knocked out cold or restrained, not killed. By then the only people in the way were guards or soldiers, most of the spectators had already retreated to the grounds outside of the castle.

Then his eyes fell to the stage. Lilly was on the ground, her face contorted in pain. The executioner stood over her, raising the sword over her head. Queen Josephine was surrounded by her guards who were trying to escort her back into the security of the castle. Horace was busy disarming and taking care of most of Josephine's garrison, about a dozen dazed or wounded guards littering the ground around him. He had seen the executioner and was running towards them.

But he noticed that nobody could quickly come to the aid of the fallen Princess. Halt and Crowley were obviously out of arrows, on the ground maneuvering the shifting loyalties of the guards to their advantage. Nial, even though he was one of the quickest person there, wouldn't be able to stop the giant of the man wielding the sword. Horace was too far away to help, and so were the bulk of the able bodied guards.

Will had seen enough. He had an arrow already loaded on his bowstring and brought it up. He sighted, taking careful aim, and took a deep breath. He blinked once, rechecking the aim of the small but deadly missile. He thought of Adrian back at Redmont with Alyss, his family waiting for him to return. He thought of King Sean watching his daughter, probably thinking the worse, watching her life flash before his eyes. Watching her scream as she was born, thinking that she was the most precious thing in the world. Watching her grow up, not understanding what it meant to have a mother, but understanding the importance of family, accepting her infant half-brother like they were from the same brood and blood. Watching the strong and mature woman riding away on horseback, shouting that she'd be back for him over her shoulder as he held off the guards. Will closed his eyes and took another deep and steadying breath to clear his mind.

Then he released the arrow.