From the Pit

Saviour of the Citizens

 Nothing comes up to be reported, so the Commander just tells me to stay with the company until the cities and towns start building up. He allows me to canter alongside the carrier, since Nightmare seems to be having an issue with being in a row behind it. His last rider must have hurt him to keep him in line before. An hour later, buildings begin clumping together and fields disappear, giving way to cobblestone streets and market stalls. I slow Nightmare and he complies, going back to his place in our row. James chuckles quietly. "How was he?" I nod and pat Nightmare on his sweat-coated neck. "He did well."

James smiles and leans back, basking in the sunlight. "This ride seems to be taking forever, even at this pace." I nod, staring into the darkened windows of abandoned shops. If we were to be ambushed anywhere, here would be the perfect place. Killing the Commander would cause havoc in the kingdom and bring the King to his knees. The Commander is his right hand man, his best friend in power. I grip my bag and dig around for my knife, my hair sticking to my neck from sweat. The cool handle grazes my hand and I pull it out with the tips of my fingers. I grasp the handle and close my bag, tying it back to the saddle. I remove the sheath and put it in my bag, keeping a careful eye on the alleyways between shops.

"You seem on edge, Champion." The voice floats over James' head and I laugh. "Why are you not? This is the perfect spot to be attacked." Another man snorts. "As if someone would attack the Commander of the Royal Army." I roll my eyes. "Who wouldn't? If he's not suspecting an attack, he could easily die in one." The men quiet down until all that can be heard are the horses and the carrier. The narrow street is still deathly quiet for midday, causing the silence to become even more tense. I feel the men's attitudes shift from relaxed to wary as they realize why I'm so on edge. I close my eyes and trust Nightmare to lead himself correctly, trying to sense anything odd about our surroundings.

A mouse's nails scrape across a tile. A dog's breath quickens as we pass. A woman whimpers in one of the shops. A sword unsheathes and I hold my breath. A man's deep voice threatens a woman to keep quiet and I gasp. I fling open my eyes and cry out. "Commander! There are rebels here! They are keeping citizens inside!" The Commander looks back at me and nods, slowing the carrier. I listen again and hear the man cursing, joined by twenty others. I stop Nightmare and silently dismount, followed by the other men. I listen harder and am able to pinpoint the buildings they are in. We're surrounded by rebels, more than the twenty I heard cursing. "Upwards of forty men, sir!"

I crouch and look around, waiting for the inevitable attack. The sun bears down on us heavily, the heat suffocating me. A foot scrapes in an alley on my left. I lunge forward and attack as a man yells his entrance into the fray, officially starting a fight. He goes down with a single stab of my knife to his stomach, twisting his organs into a knot. More men flood the narrow street, cutting off any chance of escape. I back away and Nightmare suddenly appears next to me, his front hooves flying into the face of another man. He shares a look with me and I smile. Franklin trained him well. Nightmare and I fight side by side, slicing into the crowd of rebels. The men behind me stay silent as they fight, used to the screams of agony. Ten minutes stretch into hours as we fight under the hot sun.

When we finally cut down the last rebel, people begin seeping out of their homes and shops, peering at us curiously. A boy trudges out in front of the rest, an old stuffed bunny in his arms. The Commander walks up behind me and claps me on the shoulder. "Good work, Champion. Glad you sniffed them out before we were surprised." The boy walks up to the Commander and smiles, despite the tear tracks running down his cheeks. "Thanks for saving us!" A woman puts her hand on his shoulder and I look at her. "Thank you all. We didn't know why they were here. Half an hour ago, they all herded us into the buildings and told us to stay quiet."

The Commander stops her, a soft smile on his face. "No need to thank us, miss. We've done what's right. If it weren't for our Champion here, we wouldn't have known about them until they attacked." The woman turns to me and smiles widely. "Well then. Thank you, Champion." I nod. "Call me Adrien, please. I was only doing what a good soldier should." She shakes my hand and the little boy steps up in front of her. "You're really pretty for a soldier!" I smile, but the woman shushes him. "Now, Jakob. You call men handsome, not pretty." The boy nods cutely and looks up at me. "I'm sorry." I wink at him and he giggles. I feel the Commander walk away and follow, giving the boy a small wave. "Alright, back on track everyone!"