Friends and Enemies // Chapter Eleven // Escape and Capture

 Friends and Enemies

Chapter Eleven

Escape and Capture

 

by Willow Silver Black

 

   The dark passages of the fortress hadn't been so foreboding before. Now the damp darkness was cruel and uninviting. Willow, Killian, Teclemith, Kadesh, and Shemesh all ran as fast as they could through the eerie darkness. Their pursuers were too far behind to catch them now. We might make it! Willow thought, gasping for breath as she lagged behind.

   "Hurry!" Teclemith hissed, grabbing her wrist and pulling her forward.
   Finally reaching a small escape gate on the side of the wall, Killian unlatched it and beckoned them through. Thick trees and underbrush crowded the way as the raiders tried to slip through them. The sound of hooves hitting the ground reverberated though the silent forest. They were being chased!

   "Quickly!" Killian ordered. "We must reach the horses before we are overtaken!" There was no time for answering him, as all of his cohorts were saving their breath for the life-or-death sprint. Willow didn't want to think about what the bad guys would do to whoever was caught. It wouldn't be pretty.

   Twang. A black arrow smacked the tree to her left, startling her. Instinct pricked her mind, and she drew a blue-feathered arrow from her quiver as she ran, strung it, turned back, and fired a deadly shot at the now visible against the foliage goblin archer. The shot proved accurate.

   She was the last to enter the clearing where they had left the horses. Teclemith grabbed her wrist, swung her into the saddle behind him, and kicked the horse into a canter as fast as he could. Because Willow hadn't originally intended to come along for this part of the trip, she double-rode with Teclemith because there were not enough horses to go around.

   Muttering under his breath. Teclemith dug his heels into the horse again. He was a older animal, and wasn't as urgent as the other horses. He also wasn't keen on carrying two people. Willow cast a worried look over her shoulder. Their pursuers were gaining on them.

   "Teclemith..." she warned.

   "I know, go, you idiotic animal!" Teclemith ordered the horse, digging his heels as hard as he could into him. He broke into a tooth-jarring gallop, clearing fallen logs with uncomfortably close jumps.

   The air was now full of black arrows, some whistling dangerously close to the duo as they thundered through the woods. Willow certainly didn't fancy getting shot with a goblin arrow, and whatever nasty substance they'd rubbed on the arrowhead. Letting go of Teclemith, she used her previous horse experience to hold onto the horse with her knees, which alone proved almost impossible. But managing to keep her balance, she slid another arrow from the quiver on her back, and started neatly picking off the bow-wielding goblins. But she didn't take out the people. Emmeth had insisted on not hurting the people unless absolutely necessary.

   Then without warning, the horse reared high, whinnying wildly. Willow tumbled backward, landing with a painful thump on her back that knocked her breath away. Teclemith managed to somehow land on his feet, and now tried to pull her to her feet. Half-dragging, half-carrying her, he slid to safety behind a grove of trees.

   Several horsemen pounded by.

   "Whew!" Willow whispered hoarsely, gasping for breath. "I didn't mean to fall," she apologized.

   Teclemith grinned. "I don't think you could have helped it. I fell off, and I've been riding since infant-hood!" She giggled. He motioned for her to be quiet, then pointed.

   Nodding silently, she slid an arrow out and laid it on her bowstring. Then mentally estimating the distance, she stepped out of hiding, and picked off several goblins while striding for the cover of another tree about fifteen feet away. Flattening herself against the rough tree bark, she grinned across the clearing at Teclemith. We might make it!

   Stringing her bow once again, Willow counted the hoofbeats of the approaching horses. Two, she estimated. Taking a deep breath, she stepped out from her hiding place to take out the goblins. Unfortunately, she hadn't counted on them being non-goblins. And seeing her first.

    "Got you, Rebel!" cried a guard, using his sword to knock Willow's bow out of her hands. Not thinking, she dove for it on instinct.

    "No!" Teclemith yelled, leaping into the clearing to defend her. Jumping off his horse, the guard's sword flashed in the early morning light as it collided with Teclemith's. Willow had by then grabbed her bow and was now reaching for an arrow. But as she did, she didn't notice Tajoreth galloping up behind her.

   He leaped down, darted forward and grabbed her wrist as she reached for an arrow, and twisted her into a headlock. Pressing his long sword against her throat, he called to Teclemith. "Drop your sword!"

   Teclemith had no way not to comply. He dropped his sword, and the guard tackled him. Willow struggled against Tajoreth's iron grip, while he used his sword to point to a nearby tree.

   "Tie their hands to that tree to await my brother," he ordered the guard. Nodding the guard shoved Teclemith roughly against the tree and ordered him to raise his hands. After he complied, the guard nodded for Willow. Tajoreth pulled her over, and the guard tied their hands above their heads to the tree.

   "A fine fix we've gotten ourselves into," Willow whispered, trying to twist her wrists free. Teclemith looked grim.

   "We're in for it now," he muttered. "Kedemeth and I are not on the best of terms."

   "Well, at least least I'm a girl, and they can't do anything that bad to me, right?"

   "I suppose. Unless Tash gets a hold of you. I'm sure he would love one of the Four to show off."

   "Great..." she trailed off, looking worried.

   Sudden hoofbeats dashed the silence, and Kedemeth and a really ugly goblin rode up, each on a jet-black horse. Swinging down from his saddle, Kedemeth smiled cruelly.

   "Well done, brother!" he complimented, slapping his brother on the arm. "Ah, Teclemith! It has been a while, brother-in-law," he grinned.

   Willow twisted around to stare at Teclemith. "Brother-in-law?!"

   Teclemith looked pained. He nodded slowly, staring at the ground.

   Kedemeth raised his eyebrows. "You mean that he hasn't told you? We are future brother-in-laws. I am betrothed to his lovely sister, Hyaline."

   She choked, but said nothing. Poor Hyaline. Poor, poor Hyaline.

   Kedemeth mockingly bowed to her. "My apologies, dear lady. It appears that you are in the wrong place at the wrong time. A pity indeed."

   Willow lifted her chin defiantly. "Even darkness must pass. A new day will come.And when the sun shines, it will shine out the clearer. That was a quote by Samwise Gamgee the Brave, sir. And I believe it with my whole heart."

   Kedemeth's face twitched slightly with annoyance. "Take them back to the fortress. I don't want them to escape, do you hear me?" he demanded, glaring at Zeeb the goblin. Zeeb nodded shakily.

   With a swift nod, Kedemeth swung himself back onto his horse. "I shall go inform my father and lord Tash about our unexpected visitors. I shall be back by sunset."

Stay tuned for Chapter Twelve // A Failed Escape