Mist on the Moon

The girl in the window

Justin knew he would have to kill. He had never before killed a man. He had killed lots of animals, either in hunting with his bow and arrow, or when a horse or even a dog needed to be put down. From that, he knew how to kill quickly, humanely. Now, he needed to kill both quickly and quietly. He considered his situation. One man, facing a great number of the enemy. He would have to be careful.

He had been watching from the forest now for hours. He saw guards making their rounds, seeming to follow a schedule as they patrolled outside the walls of the fortress. Fortunately, though there were two or three of them, they came only one at a time toward where he stayed hidden out of their sight. Yet he could see the guard clearly as each in turn came near.

Justin spent much of that day and the next watching, checking on the time of each guard as he made his way toward him. For his plan to work he needed to wait until nightfall so that he could get as close as possible to his adversary. Now, he was ready. The man on horseback slowly came in his direction. In the darkness, Justin was able to come close to him before he was seen. Suddenly, he sprang at the man, and using his large knife, he quickly cut his throat. Thankfully, the man uttered hardly any sound. He fell silently from his horse, and Justin dragged him by his collar into the woods far enough where he could not be seen.

Now, for the first time, he had killed a man. The thought of having done so bothered him. He knew nothing of the one he murdered, only that he was one of the enemy. It upset Justin that the man might have a wife and even children. Yet there was nothing he could do about that. He had to try to save Cara. He removed his own outer garments and put on those of the one he had killed. Good that he had chosen the largest of the Magyar guards to be his victim, for even his clothes were somewhat tight on Justin's larger frame. Dressed as a Magyar, wearing their sword but concealing his own knife, he was ready for his next objective.

He rode toward the gate, and was thankful that it was lifted for him without any question. Now, he was inside the strong walls. But where had they taken Cara and her handmaid?

* * *

Cara paced the room they were locked up in. They had had breakfast, and supper, and now were again confined to the large bedroom. Much better than a dungeon, but still far from what she was used to. She looked at Gina lying on the bed, her head down as if in prayer. "Gina, we've got to get out of this place."

Gina lifted her head. "I don't know, Cara. Surely Prince Trent will come. Maybe better to wait. Besides, what can we do?"

Cara looked at the windows high above. "If we could somehow get up to the window, at least we could see something besides this miserable little apartment. Maybe we could even find a way to escape."

"I'm afraid, Cara," Gina uttered. "You know what they said."

"That was to make us fearful. I don't think they will take a chance on losing the huge ransom they hope to get by mistreating us. That's just my opinion."

"I hope you're right," she answered, getting off the bed. She looked up at the overhead windows. "They're so high up, Cara."

Cara scurried around the room, trying to find anything they could use to reach those windows. She opened the big garderobe door and looked inside. It was dark, filled with clothing, and she lifted some of them up and felt around in the dark. Her hand hit something, and with some difficulty getting it around all the clothes, she pulled it out. "Look at this."

"A long, heavy pole," said Gina. "Oh, I bet it's to open and close the shutters."

"I think I can use it to get up there."

"No, Cara, you'll fall! Don't even try."

Cara looked at Gina and then up at the window. "It's not that high, Gina. I think I can do it if you hold the pole so it doesn't slip. I used to be a tomboy before you knew me. Before my parents insisted it was unladylike."

Gina looked at the high window, maybe six feet above their outstretched hands. She looked back at Cara, fear in her eyes. "I really wish you wouldn't try."

Cara placed the stout pole on the floor and angled it up to the window. It was plenty long, going at least three feet above the bottom of the window where there was a thick ledge she hoped to get onto. She removed her outer garment to leave her arms free. "Gina, you hold tight to the bottom near the floor so it doesn't slide. Are you ready? I'm going to try this."

She grabbed hold of the pole with her arms, and wrapped her legs around it, then pulling herself with her right arm and then her left, she gradually moved upwards. "Whew! This is tough," she said in between taking deep breaths. "Think I was lighter the last time I tried climbing."

Gina hung onto the pole near the floor and looked up at her. "You don't have far to go."

Cara managed to get three more handholds on the pole, reaching a place where she could almost step onto the ledge. With one more pull, and a lot of heavy breathing, she was there, and while holding on she put one foot on the ledge."

"Careful, Cara! I've got the pole."

At last, she was there, and taking a moment to catch her breath, she looked out. "What a view! There's a quarter moon shining, throwing some light on the walls and the courtyard below. Oh, I wish we could be free!" And there's a kind of a white mist floating near it, and, oh my! a big black bird just flew across the moon."

"Wish I could see what you're seeing."

"Oh no!" Cara bent down as much as she could, trying to hide. In a much quieter voice, she whispered to Gina, "There's a Magyar beneath us in the courtyard. I hope he didn't see me. I'm coming down. Hold onto the pole."

* * *

Now that he was inside the walls of the manor, Justin didn't exactly know what he would do next. He needed to find out where Cara was, but he couldn't ask one of the Magyars, even if he could speak their language. If he could find someone else, one of the people of the manor, they might know where the girls had been taken.

Justin wanted to keep a low profile, and he especially didn't want to meet up with an armed Magyar who once he realized he didn't know their language, might challenge him or even arrest him. Fortunately, it was dark, only a quarter moon providing any light at all. Slowly, and quietly he began walking near the perimeter of the fortress.

A few dim lights illuminated the high windows, as if the occupants of the apartments were awake by candlelight, but he couldn't see anyone. Then, to his surprise, he saw a woman. She was actually sitting in the high window. How did she get up there? As he observed her, she seemed to be looking at the moon. Even though the light was poor, there was something familiar about her.

Suddenly, she disappeared. Had she seen him? If so, she would have thought he was an armed Magyar, for that's how he was dressed. The thought came to him. Could she be Cara?

Of course, we already know what Justin is unsure of. Still, how can he possibly rescue her? What a surprise for Cara when she sees him. I'm hoping no one gets killed, except the enemy. Hope you liked this part. You know I love your comments.