30. Escape?

Maria could hear the other men running around calling out to each other.

"Who is that?"

"He seems to know Eachann and that he is here."

"I hear he is the brother of the girl we captured."

"Which one the older or younger one?"

And so forth and so on.

Morag’s eyes were wide as she just stared at Maria.

Finally she said.

"That does sound like Paayl. But he is supposed to be further south. He never mentioned to anyone he was coming up here."

"That’s because he really wasn’t." said Maria.

Morag looked even more puzzled than before.

"It is going to take a lot of explaining but not right now. I just need you to trust me." said Maria.

"I trust you more than any of the brigands on the other side of that door." said Morag. "Paayl spoke highly of you in his letters, and he does not speak highly of many."

"Good." said Maria. "Now I need you to not cry out or be surprised at what is about to happen next."

Morag nodded her head.

"Theodore." she called out.

"I’m here." he answered.

"What’s happening right now?" she asked.

"Not much." he answered. "Paul is still standing out in the open and waiting. We can see movement inside but so far no one is saying or doing anything."

"I need you to come to where I am. Can you do it?"

"Wait a minute..... Found you. I will be there..."

Theodore appeared in the room.

"Before you know it."

Morag scrambled backwards at the sight of the white ferret appearing out of nowhere but, true to her word, she made no sound.

"Morag this is Theodore. Theodore, this is Morag."

Theodore stood on his hind legs and held out his paw.

"Pleased to meet you." he said.

Morag found her voice.

"Pleased to meet you as well." she said. "I would shake your hand but I am unable to."

Theodore saw that the two women were, indeed, tied up.

"That’s why I needed you." said Maria. "Hurry and untie us. Then we can get out of here."

Theodore quickly went to untie Maria. It took him a while as his paws where not that big.

"Paayl." they heard Eachann yelling from the tower. "Don’t be stupid. You know you can’t take on all of us. Just go now and you will not be hurt."

"I am not leaving my sister in your hands." Paul answered.

Eachann did not answer right away.

Finally Theodore was able to loosen the knot enough for Maria to remove them.

Maria then untied Morag.

But before they could do anything else, they heard someone at the door.

"He said to bring the girl." said a voice on the other side as the key could be heard turning in the lock. "He figures he threatens her, the other one leaves."

The door opened.

A fist met the man’s nose as he stepped through. He fell back as blood sprayed from the broken proboscis.

He fell into his partner behind him. Maria pushed the two off balance men out the door and closed it, putting her back against it.

She heard the men cry out as they tumbled to the floor.

Queries as to what was happening could be heard further down the corridor.

"I think it is high time we leave." said Maria. "Theodore, you take Morag, I will follow. We will meet at the top of the hill where we first entered."

"Right." said Theodore.

Pounding started on the door. Maria held it back but she knew she could not do this for too long.

A portal appeared and Theodore said to Morag.

"Follow me."

Morag looked at Maria.

"It’s OK." she said as another attempt at opening the door happened. "You’ll be fine. I’ll meet you soon."

Morag nodded her head and followed Theodore into the portal. It closed behind them.

The pounding at the door became worse. Maria waved her hand in front of her and a portal opened.

Waiting for just the right time, she jumped through just as the others rushed the door, which gave way easily, surprising them.

The last image she saw was that of a group of men falling on top of each other.

The next thing she saw was Theodore and Morag as she emerged at the top of the hill outside of the keep.

Down the hill, standing defiantly, she could see Paul. His axe was in his hand and he was still yelling at the men.

She was going to call out to him, when the alarm was sounded inside the keep. She could see the others in the small windows turning to see what their companions were saying and then turning back to look outside.

One of them pointed at the group at the top of the hill as the door of the keep began to open.

"Well, no need to worry about getting his attention now." said Maria.

"Paul!" she cried out. "Up here!"

He turned at the sound of her voice, saw that his sister was there, and immediately began to run to them. He was closely followed by the few men that had already emerged from the keep.

He quickly reached them.

"That was easier than I thought it would be." he said

He picked up his sister.

"Hello brat."

"Hello Brute." she answered.

"No time for family chit chat." said Maria. "Let’s get away from here and loose these people. When things are a little calmer we can talk all we want."

"Right." Said Paul.

He grabbed his sister’s hand and ran into the woods.

Maria followed close behind.

"Theodore, are you OK?" Maria called out.

"Yes." he answered. "I’m up in the trees. The others are starting to enter the forest. But they are a little confused. Wait a minute."

"What is it?" said Maria.

"I think I see something." he said sounding distracted. "I’m not sure. Do you hear something over the sound of the men running?"

Maria concentrated on listening as she moved through the forest. She heard the footfalls of the men behind them and those of Paul and Morag in front. And just underneath them all a sound was getting louder as something came closer to them.

"You’re right. there is something." she said.

"I think I can make it out. I am going in for a closer look. Whatever it is, it is blending in well with the forest." said Theodore.

He was silent for a while, as Maria concentrated on getting more distance between her friends and the brigands.

Suddenly she heard Theodore.

"What the... Yikes!"

"Theodore?"

"Go west!" she heard him say. "He’s heading straight for you!"

"Paul!" she cried. "West, now!"

They moved off but the sound she had heard earlier was now noticeable as the horse picked up speed.

They ran through the trees. Picking areas that a horse would find difficult to move through, but the rider behind them still seemed to be catching up.

They broke through the trees back onto the road the family had been attacked on. Right behind a rider in green emerged. He threw out his hands and next thing Maria knew she was entangled in a net of some sort.

She looked around and saw that Paul and Morag were also entangled in a net.

The rider stopped near them. Maria could see that attached to his pommel was a smaller net with a rather angry white ferret in it.

The rider pulled off his helm to reveal a scared face with a pointed nose and blue eyes. His auburn hair was down to his shoulders.

"Wilmot?" said Paul.

"You know him?" asked Maria.

"Yes." he answered still staring at the man on the horse.

"He’s just a local warlord with grand ambitions."

"Ambitions that your little sister is going to help me achieve." said Wilmot.