Mist on the Moon

His attempt to rescue her

Justin stood looking up at the window, but though he waited a long time, she did not reappear. He listened also, trying to catch her voice, but he could hear nothing other than what could have been whispers. He wondered. Could it have been Cara? The more he thought about it, the more he felt that it was her. But how to contact her?

He thought about that. If only he could find a way to her room. Yet when he considered it, he had doubts. Would the Magyars leave her free to come and go? Or instead, did they have her locked up in the room? If so, how would he be able to free her? What could he do now to alert her to his presence? He could try calling out her name, but that risked giving himself away, and if the Magyars discovered him, he would not be able to do anything to try to rescue her. They would likely kill him without asking questions.

An idea came to him. He reached down to the gravelly ground and picked up a small stone. One light enough not to hurt anyone, but heavy enough so someone would notice it. He threw it toward the window and heard faintly that it landed inside the room. Then he took off his Magyar helmet and waited. He thought without that on his head he might be recognized for who he was. No sound or any activity ushered from above. He picked up another pebble and threw it. He waited. Nothing. He did the same thing again.

"What is he doing out there!" said Cara, after the fourth small pebble tumbled into their room. "That crazy Magyar!"

"It's getting on my nerves. It's like every five minutes he throws in another one. What is it with the man?"

"I have no idea. I wish I could report him to his leader. The man is acting very strange. I feel like getting back up on the window and screaming at him."

"No, don't do that! And don't even think of getting back on the window. He could shoot an arrow at you."

"You're right, and it probably wouldn't be a good idea to scream. Who knows what the Magyars would do then. Maybe I'll just go and stick my tongue out at him. Surely the Magyars understand the meaning of that."

Gina began laughing, until she saw Cara put the stout pole up against the window. "Cara, you're not really going to go up there and expose yourself to that madman?!"

Another small stone flew through the window and both girls looked down at it on the floor. "Glad they're not very big," said Cara.

"Cara, don't risk it. He might very well try to fire an arrow at you if you go up there again."

"I don't think so. Hold the pole tight on the floor for me. Don't worry; I'm not really going to expose myself. I just want to take a look at him. He could possibly be someone wanting to get our attention. It's possible he is trying to rescue us."

"I hadn't thought of that," said Gina, as she knelt on the floor holding tight onto the pole. "You be careful," she added, as Cara started on her way up.

This time, Cara wasn't going to go all the way up to perch on the window sill. She only wanted to go far enough so she could see the one throwing the pebbles. Reaching the bottom of the window ledge, still holding onto the pole, she looked out. At first, she didn't see anyone, but then pulling herself up a little higher she saw him. She watched as he bent down and picked up another rock. When he looked toward the window, taking aim, she felt he saw her.

"Don't!" she said, in a whisper.

Justin let down his hand, and dropped the pebble. Though the woman's voice was only whispered, he thought it sounded familiar. "Cara?" he whispered back to her.

"Yes," she answered softly, hope rising within her that it was Justin.

Justin smiled, and almost in slow motion waved his hand at her in the old familiar way she knew.

Suddenly, Cara felt ecstatic. She turned toward Gina, "Oh my God, Gina, it's Justin!"

"No! Really? Are you sure?"

Cara held onto the pole, though it was getting harder for her to do so. She watched Justin making motions with his hands, one over the other, rising over his head. At first she didn't understand, but then it came to her. He wanted her to throw something down to him so he could climb up. What could she do? There was no rope within the room that she knew of. Her strength ebbing, she nodded her head to him, quietly telling him, "Yes" before sliding down the pole.

Though breathless from her climb, she quickly told Gina, "He wants to come up here through the window. We've got to tie some sheets or something together and let it down to him." She pulled a large sheet off the bed.

"But, Cara, what can he do? If it is only him, what could he do against so many of them."

"I don't know, Gina, but he must have a plan. Justin is smart. I bet he's thought of something."

"I hope so." She helped Cara pull up another sheet from the bed and then went to look inside the garderobe.

It took some time, but the girls managed to tie together two sheets and two blankets. Hoping it was strong enough for Justin to climb up, they tested it by standing on opposite ends of the room and pulling on it with all their strength. Then, Cara climbed up the pole again, checking to make sure Justin was still there before dropping it down to him. She shimmied down to the floor and both girls held on tight. Very soon, they felt a strong pull from below and then felt Justin's handholds on the makeshift rope and knew he was coming up. He appeared in the window, signaled them with his hands to move away, and then jumped down.

"Justin!" she said, so happy to see him. She went to him, hugging him tightly and then Gina joined her in holding onto him. Justin smiled, holding them both in his embrace. But it seemed he was already thinking of how they would try to make their escape.

"Do they have you locked in here?"

"Yes," both girls answered him.

"I thought that might be the case. Have you tried to see how strong the bolt is?"

"No, but even if we could get out, we didn't know how we could escape from the fortress," answered Cara.

Justin went to the door, noting it's heavy construction. He pushed on it, and tried the lock to no avail.

"How are we ever going to get out of here?" asked Gina, her trembling voice betraying her fear.

Justin looked at her and then at Cara for a moment, thinking. "They do take you out of here to eat, don't they?"

"Oh, yes," answered Cara. "We get enough to eat."

"When they come for you, how many of them are there?"

"Two. One doesn't speak our language and the other is Csaba, the one with the evil smile who makes terrible threats. I wouldn't want to be left in his hands."

"Only two. Good. I have an idea, but you will need to help if it is going to work. We have to kill them. Silently."

"I have never killed anyone," uttered Gina, her voice quavering. "I don't know if I could."

Gina put an arm around her. "Don't worry Gina. We can do this. Justin will show us how. You will, won't you, Justin?"

If Justin is able to free them, I think Cara will be so grateful of him risking his life for her. And, Prince Trent may be grateful as well. But first, can he really find a way?