I lay on my bed in the Inn. It was quiet, the city was calming down after the events of the day. Working fathers were going home for supper, the pubs were not yet open. The setting sun shot it's too bright to light into the room. It didn't warm me though; the cold winter wind flowed through the open window.

The sunlight moved right into my eyes. Rather than move myself, or close the curtains, I lifted my hand and blocked the sun out with my dagger. I had been twirling it in my hands, throwing it easily into the air and catching it at its hilt. All afternoon I had paced the room. I had an idea, but it wasn't enough. It was only an idea.

There was a knock on the door. I muttered a low grunt. A moment passed, and Rico stormed into the room. He looked at me for a moment as I lay on the bed, staring at the dagger in my hands. Rico stormed over to the window and looked out over the rooftops. In the distance, the tips of the Impassables reached up to the clear sky.

“Christen was captured.” Rico said.

“I know.”

“They are accusing her of murder.”

“I know. She's innocent. Well, at least of the murder that they accuse her of.”

Rico set his hands on the window-frame and let his weight rest on his arms. The red sunset painted him red: his hair looked like fire. He hunched his head down between his shoulders, looking something like a flaming vulture.

“They don't think so.”

“'They' means Lord Emmerson?”

“And the people from her village. A small group of people who had come to seek justice.”

I nodded. “The new year is coming,” I said. The anniversary of the supposed date when the first mages put the moon's shattered form back together. “They probably want to get the year off to a good start by killing the girl who they think killed their lord... and her father.”

Rico turned around, his eyes aflame with anger. “But she didn't kill her father. She told me what had happened, Stiri. You killed her father, and her husband.” He spat the last word out. “It's your fault she's-”

“Did you go to her hearing?” I asked.

Rico nodded. “Guilty, of course. They plan to behead her tomorrow at noon.”

Noon. I didn't have as much time as though I had.

“We have to break into the castle again.” Rico said, “We did it once before, we can-”

“You need to use your powers again.” I said. “ if you do-”

I can't!” Rico snapped, “I can't not in the city itself!”

“Then get Justin to help!”

Rico sat down heavily in a chair that sat near the window. “Where do you think I had been all afternoon? Justin had been busy until just a little while ago, I only just got back from speaking to him.”

“And?”

“He said that the charge on her had nothing to do with him. He said that if she was innocent, she would be found to be so. He said it's too risky to get involved with such matters.”

“I figured as much.” I muttered. The sunlight was back in my eyes. I moved my dagger down a little more, then turned it sideways in the middle of the sun. Through my squinted eyes, it looked like a part of the dagger had disappeared.

“Then what do you plan to do!?”

“Start a riot.” I answered. “Create confusion and chaos. She will be publicly executed, am I right?” I glanced over at Rico, who nodded. “They always are. We start a riot, and in the middle of the mess, we take Christen away. The guards will be too busy taking care of the mob to bother with us. We might have to pull a few tricks though.” A few tricks. Yes, most of the guards would be busy with the riot, but how to get Christen away from the executioner? And not only that, how was I intending to start a riot? Fire-powder seemed a good way at first. A small explosion in the middle of the mob might scare a few people. But I was out of fire-powder. and Rico wouldn't use his own power.

“A riot. That's the best plan you came up with?”

“What would you do then?”

“I told you, I would go into the castle tonight, and take her out.”

“Too dangerous.” I said.

“Well...Think of something!” Rico said. He stood up quickly, knocking the chair to the ground. “You're the assassin, assassinate the executioner. Or assassinate Lord Emmerson. That might cause some chaos.”

“It would...” I said slowly. “To actually assassinate him would be troublesome though... And I would need to be closer to Christen, so that I could pull her away in the crowd...” I chewed slowly on the inside of my cheek, and twirled the dagger in my hands.

“You have that look in your eyes.” Rico said. “The spark, inspiration, whatever it is. You have an idea.”

“Of course I do.” I said. “I won't assassinate Lord Emmerson. You will.”

“What!”

“That might work.” I said. “I mean, it might even be better than just starting a riot normally. I had been thinking of beating on a peasent, but that puts me right in the middle of the action. Then I have to try to make it to Christen and hope no one sees me sneak off with her. No, this way,” I smirked. “It's like telling a child to look away while I make some glittering bauble disappear. 'Everyone, look at Lord Emmerson!' as I sneak off with Christen while the guards are trying to protect Lord Emmerson and looking for the assassin.”

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

“I won't do it!” Rico said, “No, I won't! I can't kill anyone!”

“I know. Don't worry, it's an obstacle I've got covered. By the way exactly how good are you with a bow?”

“Very.”

“Excellent.”

***

The sun was rising high into the sky. I had been up well before noon, but I wasn't tired. I had been excited. A public display of my cleverness, and my skill. I half wished I had made a more elaborate plan. However, I comforted myself knowing that in a few days, the story of my daring will be exaggerated in pubs and told and retold.

I could live with that.

I was standing in the town center. A crowd had gathered to watch the execution. A great wooden platform, which had been built in the middle of the town center over night stood before me. I had gotten there early to get as close as I could. I glanced up to the rooftops, and saw Rico standing in the shadows of a stone chimney. No one would notice him there, unless they were looking. I grinned. 'Don't fail me, Rico.' I thought. He had such a vital part in the plan: I didn't like leaving such important things to other people. It's far to easy to be betrayed. And not only that, he had too many issues with the plan.

A caged cart was wheeled into the center of the square with Christen sitting inside. Her hands were in shackles, and so were her feet.

I had been hoping on rope. Would I be able to pick the locks? Well, so long as I could pick the locks on her feet first, we could deal with her hands later.

If I could pick the lock, if Rico did his part, if we could escape.

There were only ten guards there. There had been little opposition to Christen's death, save for my voice the other day. That had bought the time I needed.

As she was wheeled through the crowd. people threw fruits and rocks at her. It's times like this that humanity disgusts me. This was a show to many of them. Most of them didn't know who she was, didn't know who Lord Whyte had been, didn't even know their charges. However this event gave them the opportunity to loath, to hate a fellow human being without being looked down upon. They could yell and scream at her, they could throw things. They could mostly do whatever they wanted.

I watched carefully from under my hood as Christen looked around through the crowds that surrounded her. She was looking for Rico and I, I guessed. She didn't see me though, and for a moment, I wondered how she felt. I hadn't gone to her trial either. I had worried about planning her escape, not how she must have felt. Alone, abandoned in the cold dungeons with no one coming to help her.

Last night must have been bad.

I shook my head. Soon, she would forget about that, maybe. Once she was rescued.

The guards stopped the cart near the platform, and opened the door. A fresh shower of rotten fruits and rocks were thrown at Christen. The crowd easily excitable. This was good. I glanced over at the cart, and watched one of the guards unstrap an old horse from it.

I could use the horse. If I stabbed with with my dagger, or even just scratched it enough to scare it, it would take off, and scare some people. I only needed it for a little.

Lord Emmerson stood on the balcony, and started to read out the crimes that Christen had been said to have committed. The planning of murder, deceit, having a base character. These other things would not have stood, were it not for the murder. Other deceitful, very base people get along just fine in the kingdom: most of them are nobility.

“Come on, Rico.” I muttered to myself. When would he do it. Now? Now, as he was announcing the sentence? Now, as he rolled up the parchment and sat down? Now, as he gave the executioner the sign to get it over with?

Christen's head was lain on the wooden chopping block. The masked executioner carefully raised his ax.

There wasn't time. Rico wasn't going to do anything. I drew my dagger and walked towards the platform without really knowing what I was going to do. Several people yelped as I pushed past them, as they saw the dagger in hand.

The executioner took careful aim and raised the ax.

Then, swift as lightning, an arrow flew from the rooftops and over the town center. The arrow flew towards Lord Emmerson, and stuck into the back of the chair that he was sitting on. It stayed there, quivering for a a long moment. For a moment, there was silence, as everyone eyed the arrow. The Executioner let the ax fall to his side.

I turned and looked at the horse which stood right next to me, oblivious to the tension in the air. I poked at his side with my dagger.

the horse gave out a pitiful whinny reared up on its hind legs, and ran into the crowd. Several people were knocked over, and many men ran to calm the beast. Many more people just ran, trying to get out of the way. I struggled to stay on my feet as I watched the guards. There was a moment of indecision between them, until they finally split up, one group going to guard Lord Emmerson, the other going to find the assassin.

I leapt up onto the platform, and dashed towards Christen, pulling her away from the chopping block.

“Stiri!” she cried out.

“Quiet.” I snapped. I pulled the shackles towards me and worked on picking the locks, “This might take a moment.”

“Look behind you!”

I turned, and saw the executioner. He didn't seem to like his work being disrupted. He stormed towards me like an angry bull, pulling his double ax over his head. I rolled out of the way, and pulled Christen with me as the ax fell and cut through the wooden suface of the platform. He lifted his ax out of the great hole he left there, and came after me again. I pulled Christen towards me and she gave a yelp as she fell down on the hard wood. I ignored her. The ax was coming down again. I grabbed the chain on the shackles of her feet and pulled them towards me just as the ax came down. The ax missed Christen, and myself, but sliced through the chains like a knife through roasted meat. I took the small length of chain that came off the shackles, and slapped the executioner in the face with it. The mask may have protected him, but he dropped his ax, and covered his face.

He was a big strong looking fellow, but executioners don't have to fight, they just have to kill.

I grabbed Christen by the shackles that still held her wrists and pulled her through the thinning crowds. We slipped into an alley, and out of sight of Lord Emmerson.

I pulled my own cloak off, and threw it over Christen. I took a piece of wire and fiddled with the locks on the shackles on her hands for only a moment. The lock clicked, and the shackles fell to the ground.

“Wear the cloak.” I said, “We'll worry about the shackles on your feet later. Dawn and Night are near the docks, the caravan is hidden outside the city gates. We'll ride the horses out of here, and then double back later for my caravan. I pulled her down the alley as I spoke, we had little time.

“I didn't think you would come.” She said softly. “I thought that-”

“Later.” I snapped. “ I promise I'll listen to whatever foolishness is swimming in your rattled little head later. Right now we need to get out of Teans.” The alley broke off into two small roads. I pointed down one. “You go that way, I'll go this way. We need to split up. If you get to the horses at the docks, and no one is there, then grab Dawn and get out of here. Rico and I can defend ourselves.”

Christen hesitated a moment, “What are you waiting for!” I snapped. “Go!”

Quickly, she ran down the small street. I turned and ran down the opposite way.

Foolish girl would get me killed one day.

I ran down the alley. A few people were running about, others were walking, having apparently decided not to go to the execution. I ran past them, knocking a few people down. I doubled back down alley, leapt to the rooftops, and ran over the houses until I neared the harbour front. I slipped down into an alley, and crept to the side of the street. The horses were there, but Rico and Christen were not. I waited patiently until I saw Christen running towards the horses from the other side of the street. I ran out of my hiding place and towards her. We would leave Night for Rico, Christen and I would leave on Dawn right now.

I was about halfway there. I heard something in the air. A sharp pain struck the back of my leg. I fell to the ground and grabbed my calf.

There was an arrow sticking out of my leg. Blood began to seep to the ground. I struggled to my feet, and tried to limp towards the horse. I felt someone grab my shoulder. I stumbled forwards, and turned around.

The executioner stood behind me, his great fist pulled back. The pain in my leg, the increasing blood loss kept me from reacting quickly. I tried to duck, but his fist connected with the side of my head. Pain shot through me. I fell to the ground, and blackness overtook me.