Thirteen Rings

Chapter Five

How in Oblivion am I going to get in this time? He thought to himself as he crouched on the ridge overlooking the huge estate. Multiple guards patrolled the grounds and the windows were barred with iron. She really listened to my advice, and then some.

A soothing breeze washed over him as he examined the situation. There! Jumping to his feet, he made his move as the guards swapped shifts. Sliding down the escarpment to the house, Darius launched himself over the wall surrounding the property and landing with a thud on the grass.

"Shit." He cursed, feeling the jarring pain in his legs from the drop. Should have brought a rope like last time. Sprinting across the grass, he examined the side of the manor facing him. Almost there. Urging himself on, he put on a final burst of speed, and, heart pounding, he stooped low inside a bush with his back to the wall.

"I swear I saw something moving over here." A woman's voice muttered as a pair of guards rounded the corner.

"Was probably a bird." Her male partner offered in response, scratching at his bushy beard. "We should get back in position."

"Let me take a quick look first, it could have been something." She said as she made her way closer to Darius' hiding spot.

"Could have also been nothing." The bearded man scoffed, watching her as she began moving the bush's leaves around. Her eyes grew wide as she uncovered Darius and her hand flew to her sword at her waist.

"It's a man!" She exclaimed, pulling her weapon free and retreating a few steps as her companion fell in beside her, war axe at the ready.

Darius burst from the bush, wielding a dagger in each hand and still panting from his earlier sprint. They parried his simultaneous blows with ease and the man gave him a hard barge with his shoulder, forcing him backwards.

"I'll hold him off." He growled to the woman, pressing his advantage with a vicious swing of his axe, forcing Darius to duck beneath the blow. "Go raise the alarm."

"How about you go raise it. I'm tired of you treating me like this." She spat at him, her dark hair flurrying around her as she swiped her sword at Darius; who deftly blocked it with a single dagger and feigned to stab at her waist, only to lash out instead at the male with the last second. His dagger connected with the man's thigh with a soft thunk, and he let out a groan of pain before making a blind strike at Darius, forcing him to retreat and pull the weapon free from his leg.

"Fine." He hissed, limping backwards and disengaging from combat. Gripping his leg, he hobbled off. "Alarm!" His voice rung around the compound.

"Shit." Darius cursed, lashing out at the woman again.

"What do you want here?" She questioned, parrying his blow and returning with a counter attack. He blocked the blow and slid his dagger up her blade, stopping at the hilt to her weapon.

"I want to speak to Lucien Dawnstar." He replied, shifting his weight and unbalancing her. Pushing at her back with his fist, she tumbled into the bush, breaking branches with her body.

"Then walk up to the front door like a normal person." Jumping back to her feet, she lunged for him with her weapon.

"I can't." He hissed, dodging to the left and slicing at her arm. "Last time I was here, I stole some things."

Recognition flashed behind her eyes as his blade cut a gaping gash into her limb. "It's you!" She exclaimed, backing off and sheathing her blade, seemingly not to notice her wound. "He told us to look out for you."

"What?" He blinked, falling into a defensive stance as the rest of the guards rounded the corner with weapons drawn.

"Stand down." The female guard commanded them, and was met with laughter and disbelief as the guards surrounded them in a semi-circle, blocking off all chances of escape for Darius.