Ever After

Chapter Sixteen

We ran up the stairs, until we reached the end. Now we were in a wide tunnel, that ran uphill to a gate that led outside. The sun shone through the gate, but there were around five guards stationed at the top. And they definitely didn't notice us.

"Up for some exercise?" I said. And we charged to the guards. Not even three minutes later, we snuck up behind the guards and took them out. Easy, with all three of us. Belle grabbed the keys from one of the guards,and unlocked the lock. Jett and I pushed the wheel that opened the gate, and when it was opened, we ran like hell into the courtyard.

The palace had a courtyard right in front of the gate that led to our freedom. There were walkways on the sides of the courtyard that allowed a view from up top. And just as we were about to beeline for the exit, we heard the notches of dozens of crossbows. Above,and all around us, guards were aiming arrows at us. We were sitting ducks in the center of the courtyard.

We ran and hid behind the nearest thing out of the sight of the crossbows.

"If this is part of your plan, then you better come up with a new one!" Jett screamed.

"Just wait." Belle said calmly. She peeked out from her hiding spot and I yanked her back just before an arrow would have hit her in the face.

We were behind an array of sculptures and bushes, on the right side of the courtyard under the walkway above. We were trapped in any way. Making a run for it would surely get us killed, and we couldn't take them all on, especially not when they have the upper ground. Hopefully Belle's plan works out. Whatever it is.

I peeked my head to the side and moved back just in time to not be hit. These guards had really good aim. I took the risk and looked again, and instead of an arrow being shot at me. I saw the guards on the left side of the courtyard's walkway being gathered up in a length of blonde hair. Their weapons were dropped and some fell to the ground on the left side of the courtyard.

The guards were tied up in blonde hair, and I saw a familiar girl in a purple dress, holding a rope, wrapping them. When she securely tied them up, she waved to us to get our attention. Then she pointed at the crossbows below, and I got the hint. Then an arrow was shot at her, and she just missed it. Looks like there were still guards on the other side. Thankfully the two walkways weren't connected, so they couldn't get to Rapunzel.

I motioned for Belle and Jett to follow me. Then I jumped out of my hiding spot and ran across the courtyard. An arrow just narrowly missed me and I slid on my knees, grabbing the crossbow on the ground and hiding behind a pillar on the left side of the courtyard.

I got up and stood behind the pillar. Soon Belle and Jett followed after me, and grabbed crossbows of their own. There were three pillars for us to hide behind, and we all got out of our hiding spot to shoot at the guards on the other side above. I saw Red back in her old clothes taking on the other guards. She went straightforward with her dagger and knife, taking down one by one. But they just kept coming.

So after getting a clear shot, I pulled the trigger, letting the arrow fly at one of the guards attacking Red now. Jett and Belle did the same. And when all the arrows were gone, Jett, Belle, and I ran to the wheel that held up the gate. We pulled it down with all our might, but it didn't budge.

Then, more guards started to show up.

"Get this gate open, we'll go hold them off." I said to Belle. Jett and I grabbed our swords and went to hold off the guards. Most of the time, I would try to avoid bloodshed. But right now it was inevitable. There were way to many.

Jett and I managed to handle the guards. Belle was trying to turn the wheel, but it wouldn't budge. I was fighting with one of the guards when I saw Red swing down into the courtyard by Rapunzel's hair. She landed and joined in the fight, then after her Rapunzel jumped down into a pile of her thick hair.

Rapunzel didn't have a formal weapon, besides her hair she used like a whip. But I'm thinking Red rubbed off on her a bit, because she had a little more skill than before. I turned my attention back to my fighting, and one of the soldiers came in on me. But I rotated my right shoulder back and dodged his attack. Then I kicked him in the gut and slammed him down on the ground.

Red, Rapunzel, and Jett were busy with other soldiers, who seemed to keep on coming. Two of the guards in front of me put their swords together to block me and I put my sword in the middle of their X crossed swords to cover myself. They pushed me backwards into the gate, and I struggled to keep the blades away from me.

Then Belle snuck up behind on of the guards, and swiped a dagger from him.

"Need to borrow this." She said. She slit the wrist of the guard closest to her and he dropped the sword, then she hit him in the back of the head with the hilt of the dagger. I moved the remaining guard's sword sideways, and kicked him in the face when our swords were against each other.

Belle rushed to the gate, and cut a line that was on the other side of the wheel. I watched the line reel upwards while a hefty bag dropped down onto the wheel. Making it move downwards and the gate upwards. But the wheel started to move up again and Belle ran to hold it down so the gate was open just enough for us to run through.

Rapunzel, Jett, and Red saw what happened. And got away from the guards, who chased after them. Rapunzel slid under the gate which was lowering from Belle's lack of strength. Red and Jett got under then I did. And just before the guards were about to reach Belle and the gate, Belle let go of the wheel and dove through the small opening that closed quickly behind her.

Red and I helped Belle up, and all five of us ran like hell out of the scope of the castle. The town was a half a mile away from the kingdom, and we couldn't go back there anyway. But Red, Rapunzel, and Belle were running towards the woods, so Jett and I followed. Hopefully they knew where they were going.

We ran through the woods near the castle, away from the town. I thought we had gotten far away from the guards, but the clomping of horses said otherwise. I looked behind me, and saw the brown and white blurs of horses gaining on us. With us only being on foot, and them on horses, our chances dwindled fast.

I pushed myself through the forest, until we had reached a waterfall. The rocks made a platform that ran across a large area. The end of the forest connected to the rocks, and on the right side ahead of us was a large waterfall with clear blue water. The rest was all connected to the forest to make a sort of half circle shape.

I recognized this place. It was my and Adam's secret area. The thought of him made my stomach twist in knots, but when the horses feet came to a stop, I whipped my attention to the cavalry. There were around thirty there, and not all of them fit on the cliff. Maybe around ten fit on the rocks, the rest stayed in the forest missing the action.

The ten soldiers on horseback jumped off, and withdraw their swords.

"I've been waiting a long time for this." The Captain said. I could tell he was the captain because of the ridiculous hat he wore that differed from the others. Which were still pretty stupid. "You aren't getting away this time Ashes." This time, I actually believed them. There was no way out of this one.