“What are you two doing under here?” she asked “Soldiers are advancing this way!”

  “We know!” Robert said. “Get under here! They have archers!” Loxo grabbed the girl by the arm and yanked her underneath.

  “Hey!” she squeaked. “Get your hands off me! What are you doing?” Various “THUNK” sounds surrounded them as a flurry of arrows embedded themselves in the cart.

  “It’s quite unsafe to be in the open, my dear.”

  “We can’t stay here under this cart all day.” Robert added.

  “Why didn’t you fly back and warn us?” asked Siouxsie. Her eyes grew wide when her twin produced the broken broom. “Oh dear.”

  “Go back and warn the others.” commanded Robert. “Bring Ignatius. He can use his wind power to keep the arrows at bay until we can run to safety.”

  “I’m not leaving you here! You can sling fire faster than anyone, but I saw hundreds of soldiers over the far crest, and they’ll be here in no time!”

  “We don’t have time to spare!” Robert yelled. “They’ll be here in no time! Go! I can hold them off! The longer you wait the less chance we have!”

  “Fine! I’ll go, but take my bats first.” She said, reaching inside her cloak and pulling out a small ball of fur and wings. “But I will return for you!” she said, hugging him.

  “And me as well?” asked Loxo with a pleading half grin

  “We shall see.” She frowned at him.

  “Zig zag like a honeybee and they won’t be able to hit you.” Said Robert. “Go!” Siouxsie hugged her brother, snatched up her broom, and bolted from cover. Her winkle pickers didn’t make two steps in the grass before her feet disappeared and she vanished in the sound of a fluttering cloak.

  “Well, I suppose that leaves us here until help arrives.” Sighed Loxo. “Shall we play a game? He asked. “Do witches gamble much?”

  “We would do better to make our shelter work for us.” Robert said. “What’s in the bags of loot?”

  “Oh, the usual smattering of things one finds in a castle.” Loxo said nonchalantly. “Trinkets mostly, some jewelry and rings and fine silver serving trays and the like. Things I’d imagine they would have thrown out eventually if I hadn’t rummaged through it and helped myself. I’m sure nobody will miss them.”

  “Jewelry, rings, and silver trays.” Robert squinted his eyes at the man. “You’re impossible, pirate. But your greed may be of some use.” Without exposing himself too much, Robert reached around to the top of the cart and upon finding a sack, yanked it down. A sizeable cloth bag clattered to the ground, spilling its contents. Just as the man had admitted, trinkets and baubles made of precious metals littered the ground. When he didn’t see anything resembling what he was looking for, Robert yanked down a second bag and then a third. Quick hands sorted themselves through the bags before haphazardly discarding the items and moving to the next.

  “Hey, don’t do that!” said Loxo. “Put those things back where you found them!”

  “You pick them up if you want.” Robert said, opening the fourth bag. “I’m trying to find something.”

  “If you’re looking for a particular bauble, I assure you we can reach an amiable price. Perhaps you’d enjoy a nice gift for your sister.”

  “I’m not giving you a single copper. What I need is….Right here!” The witch said excitedly. Both hands reached into the bulging bag and produced a large, rectangular, metal serving tray with a handle on each side.

  “This is hardly a time for serving desserts, Robert.”

  “I’d worry less about desserts and more about those advancing soldiers.” Robert said, removing one of the belts from his underclothing and looping it through one of the handles on the tray. “When they’re close enough, they’re going to start shooting volleys until we both look like that horse.

  “Oh, pish.” The pirate said with a dismissive wave of his hand. “They’ll just do what armies always do; they’ll take us prisoner and then try and barter for an exchange of some sort.”

  “Loxo, we’re not friends so I don’t mind telling you’ve got eggs between your ears if you think those archers mean to do anything other than slay us. The first thing those three soldiers asked me about when they had me was the prince. They’re after the prince and that’s all. You and I don’t matter in this situation. And if I’m going to be honest, most humans wouldn’t think twice about dispatching a witch in the first place. Don’t fool yourself; anyone other than prince Damron is just target practice.”

  “That’s not very favorable view of the situation” said Loxo

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  “No,” said Robert, looping the belt over his head and clasping his cloak over the tray. “But it’s a very real view of the situation Get that sword ready. I’ll try and draw the attention of the archers; the rest are yours. Here they come.” Robert slinked out the back of the cart, jumped on top of it and waved his arms. “Booga booga! shoot the witch!” he yelled. Ten scout soldiers came into view; six archers and four swordsmen. The archers, their arrows already knocked, wasted no time in drawing their bows. In the time between heartbeats before the arrows flew free, Robert threw himself flat upon the bags of loot causing the arrows flying over him. In the same motion, he pushed himself up, with pointed weapon in hand and leapt into the fray, launching fireballs one after another. Of the six soldiers with bows, he hit the three nearest ones in the torso, causing their clothes and leather armor to burst into flames. They flailed and batted at the fire to get off. Of the three behind them, one panicked at the sight of the shadow with a pointed hat and dropped the next arrow pulled from his quiver. There wasn’t time for him to grab another before Robert was already charging with a primal scream. The sight of the shadowy figure with the glowing eyes froze the archers’ limbs in place which made it all the easier for the witch. Robert grasped the lyythium tipped weapon tight in his fist with the point facing the ground only to raise it high by his right ear. At two paces away, Robert leapt into him at full speed to drive the entire length of the needle not only through the man’s hand held trying to stop him, but into his chest so far that only the wooden handle of the broom was showing. With the opposite hand he flung the ball of bats at the other men. The ball came apart midair and the flurry of flapping leathery wings and little teeth was startling enough to frighten the last two long enough for Robert to pull the weapon free and rush them. The swordsmen might have backed them up if a lean pirate hadn’t made himself known by jumping atop the cart of loot and yelling out to them.

  “Ahoy there, filthy rapscallions!” he bellowed from a fancy stance holding his sword out to get their attention. “You don’t want that measly witch, you’ll be wanting a piece of Loxor Santium Balthazar the Fourth if you’re man enough to take a swing! Come this way, don’t be shy, you slovenly milkmaids!” With a nod from one of the men, the four split up, two coming for the cart and two after the witch. The first soldier rounded the cart to try and flank Loxo from behind. An inexperienced swing of the word fell short of the pirates’ leg by several inches. Offended by the poor effort, Loxo jumped off the back of the cart, deflecting a second swing only to parry with one of his own and jump down to his level. The soldier looked frightened in the eyes and Loxo capitalized on his fear by making a false lunge which garnered another clumsy swing. “Oh dear.” He said. “It looks as though you’re quite green when it comes to swordplay.” He goaded the soldier with a few more expert parries to bat away his sword. “Have you perchance considered taking up the bow? It might be a more suitable weapon until you’ve seasoned yourself with enough training to enter the fray at such a short distance.” The other swordsman came in from behind, But Loxo had kept an eye on him and masterfully dodged the diagonal down swing, pivoting to the outside just fast enough to strike the man between the eyes and slip behind him. Stunned, the soldier was too dazed to stop Loxo from putting his sword to his throat. Now the men stood facing each other with Loxo holding the second hostage. “Now you see here?” Loxo asked the first man. This is a proper chance for you to get some sword practice in. Have at my dummy here and see if he can defend himself! Fight back, dummy,” He whispered into the man’s ear. “Or I’ll have your neck. Swing! Get to swinging!” A moment later he had the two soldiers slashing and battling amongst themselves. “That’s it, you clumsy dolts!” Fight like you mean it! Keep that sword high, squire! We’ll have you skilled enough to best dragons and wyverns before sundown!”

  On Robert’s side of the cart, the first swordsman rushed him, ready to strike him down with a mighty blow. Robert slid on his knees to dodge the strike and drive his needle deep into the fold of the thigh where it met the groin. The man shrieked, dropped his sword, crumpling to the ground to grab the wound with both hands. Before Robert could recover one of the archers was already shaking loose the bats and knocking another arrow.