Shrill screams split the night air as bystanders realised that they were about to be witness to a murder most foul. To Jamie there, laid out across the cobbled stone street, straddled by an assailant of unknown origin who readied a cruel dagger to drive down into his sternum or his throat, the calls for guards were all well and good, and greatly appreciated, but--

Will somebody please help me?! Was the only coherent thought running through his mind currently.

Desperately Jamie brought his left hand up to smother his attacker’s right, holding onto their wrist with his arm outstretched so that they could not find a way down into his guts, while with the other hand he clasped onto the collar of their shirt for leverage! The two of them struggled back-and-forth for advantage for the briefest of eternities. Jamie wriggled and writhed like a worm to free himself from his lowered position against this would-be killer, thrusting them left or right in an attempt to roll them onto their back instead, but he consistently found his efforts foiled as his foe worked their way up to a kneel, before pinning one of his shoulders beneath their knee!

The Cabin Boy clenched his teeth in effort, his eyes bulged as the fixated on the sharpened tip of the blade which steadily grew closer to them as his resistance began to weaken! His palm perspired so greatly now that he feared he would lose grip of his attacker’s wrist, and then all would be lost!

“Just...die!” He heard the assassin growl through her teeth!

Even buffeted as he was with the power of the adrenaline which coarse through his veins, Jamie began to feel his arms and shoulders weaken and fail! They trembled and shook with effort well past what they should be capable now, and the dagger grew ever closer to pressing into his chest and breaking his skin! His chest heaved up and down with all of his might! The weapon was directly over the center of his chest now, and his fingers were just about to slip!

Whack!

Suddenly his attacker was disappeared off of their seat upon his chest, sent rolling backwards back into the narrow alley in a shower of wood and splinters! Cook stepped forward and stood over Jamie now protectively, dropping what remained of the barstool which he had shattered upon the assailant’s shoulders!

“Lad!” He cried. “Stay behind me!”

The masked figure quickly scrambled back to a lowered stance, holding their dagger high in order to drive it down like a pick into any would-be heroes that attempted to come near! There was a beat where nobody moved, nobody breathed. Slowly and deliberately, Cook reached back into his belt and retrieved a large meat cleaver, which he lofted above his head like an axe!

“Back! Back!” He cried, waving the blade about threateningly.

Looking about now and seeing the commotion they had caused, and the crowd of onlookers who were now gathering, the assassin finally turned tail and dashed back into the darkness of the corridor beyond, clutching at the hem of their ruined shirt.

No sooner had the assassin departed than did Cook come to a kneel by his side. “Are ye alright, lad?” He asked worriedly.

Jamie felt a sudden and heavy wave of exhaustion wash over him now as the adrenaline finally left him. His head fell back against the stones of the road, and his vision began to swim and darken.

“Lad? ... Lad..! …”

So quickly did he drift off into unconsciousness that he did not even realize or comprehend the sizable bauble which he tore from around the assailant’s neck in the scuffle: an ugly, misshapen, shrunken head which hung upon a string!

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A large, dark carriage rattled its way down a less-trodden dirt path. To either side a thick forest of trees and brush which let through their leaves and their branches very little light, lending the experience of a great long and dark corridor. This carriage was familiar to Jamie, emblazoned with the distinctive Noble Crest upon its dark exterior, as was her hunch-backed driver.

Loggart glanced back over the side of the vehicle at the Knights who rode along at its back, who had begun to look at their surroundings, and then over to him, with suspicious glares, cowing the dishonorable fellow back into his seat.

“Just a little more..!” Loggart mumbled to himself, almost in a pleading prayer, as he looked about the innumerable trees, obviously for something or someone, though Jamie knew not what or who. They rode along further still for a good deal of time, and Loggart appeared to grow more nervous and excited the longer they did so, soon breaking out into a nervous perspiration as he stared wide-eyed out at the seemingly never-ending road.

Finally Loggart spied what he had been searching for: the deliberate beam and gleam of the sun upon polished metal, which struck his eyes with its glare from behind a particularly large and wide tree some thirty meters down the road! He let out a little grateful laugh, and then he pulled upon the reins and the carriage slowed to a halt!

“What’s the holdup?” He heard one of the Knights call from the rear.

Loggart did not answer, but instead leapt down from the driver’s seat and scampered off into the woods, disappearing into the brush!

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“Hey!” Cried the Knight, but he was already gone. “Ready yourselves!” The Knight said in a grim tone, drawing his sword from his belt as the others did the same.

Then, from around that large tree crept the form of a large man, with receding orange hair, and a stringy beard. It was Cook, dressed in an unfamiliar attire of dark leathers and hides, and hefting up a heavy axe! Then came more from all around the carriage, what looked to be about thirty or so men dressed in similar garb, and armed just as well. From his ghostly vantage, Jamie came to the stomach-churning realization that he recognized most of these brigands, for they were his own crew! Helgi, Santiago, Cheshie, Loggart, and dozens more! There were men who had not returned from their previous shore leave, whom Jamie had thought must have simply absconded or retired, but now he was forced to suspect that they met their ends here on this dark path, at the hands of well-trained and furnished Knights!

Then he, and all those around the carriage as well, detected a distinctive click as a lock came undone, and the door of the vehicle swung open so that its small and peculiar occupant could descend down the steps to join her surrounded soldiers.

“What is the meaning of this?” Demanded the woman in a voice that sounded at such a pitch as to almost be childlike.

Cook stepped forward, wordlessly implying his role as leader of this misbegotten group. “My apologies yer Ladyship, but we’re going to have yis come with us.”

Though mostly inscrutable beneath her dark veil, the lot of them could see that the small Noblewoman tilted up her head so that she may look down her nose at the brigands.

“Tell me then. Who is it that seeks my head this time?”

Cook shook his head to dissuade the notion. “Not yer head miss, but yer blood.”

“Ah.” Was all she said in reply, with a knowing tone to her voice.

“The King of Leades has promised a mountain of coins for anyone who can grant him life eternal.” He lifted up his cutlass and pointed it straight towards the Lady and her guards. “Yer our best bet, sorry te say.”

Her Knights moved in close to her, guarding her at all angles like a shell. “Stay behind us, m’Lady.” One of them requested. Instead, however, the Lady reached over to his belt, and she drew his shortsword from off of his hip!

“Lady, you can’t! Not in this weakened state!” The Knight cried in protest, but she simply stepped past him, and Jamie could spy a coy little smile draw her lips.

“Come now, for what good would all of those fencing lessons I took if not now?”

Her protectors put on grim expressions at that, feeling defeated simply to have allowed a situation as dangerous as this to befall their Liege, but they did not protest any further. Cook watched as the Lady took her blade and swiftly tore through the middle of her dress, freeing her legs for ease of movement, and he sighed with exasperation.

“I suppose yer not gonna go quietly, are yis?” He groaned with a hint of regret. He turned over his shoulder to look down at the rest of the crew. “Take them.” He commanded, and no sooner did he than did the gathered force begin to close in on their surrounded quarry. All except for two.”

As the sounds and screams of combat commenced, Helgi froze, pale-faced and perspiring with nervousness. Cook approached her, placing a hand upon her shoulder.

“S-Sorry…” She managed to gasp out from under her breath. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine, lass.” Cook replied, though he sounded somewhat exasperated. “But yer not gonna be takin’ many thrones if just this is enough to quell yer hunger, no matter how much coin ya have.” Helgi gulped and she nodded, and Cook marched forward past her to where the Lady was just now finally being restrained.

Cheshie growled in frustrated anger as she shoved the Noblewoman down onto her knees, wrenching her arm back painfully so that her bloodied blade was sent clattering away amongst the beaten bodies of her Knights, and what victims they took with them. Cheshie reached her hand up to her forehead, where a deep and bloody gash wept down across one of her eyes, and then she clenched her fist in anger and then belted the Noblewoman across the face, and her veil mask dislodged and fell from her face!

“Oi! Cheshie! That’s enough!” Cook cried out angrily, grabbing the young woman by the shoulder and then forcing her stumbling backwards behind him.

As two more crewmates swiftly bound her arms behind her back. Cook knelt down and lifted her face by her chin to peer down at her.

A Monster..? The ghostly Cabin Boy thought with a start as he hung overhead.

Along with her aforementioned pigmentation the color of stone, the woman sported a pair of peculiar eyes, wherein what should have been white was instead pitch-black, and her pupils were crimson in color! She was hairless upon her head and face alike, giving her somewhat of a resemblance to an egg, while her ears were twice as long as they should be, and pointed sharp! Then Cook brought his thumb across her jaw, putting it beneath her lip and pulling it aside to reveal her teeth, several of which were intimidating and needle-sharp!

“Yeh, that’ll have to do then.” Said Cook in a grim way.

The crew moved quickly and efficiently, setting the carriage alight as well as moving the dead off of the road. As Jamie gawked down at this horrible scene of bloody death, and this strange woman who his friends had waylaid, his blood ran cold. For he realized the strange Noblewoman was now staring up and back at him, and there was a little grin on her face!

Jamie lurched up and awake!

He was laying in a familiar bed in his lightless Inn room. Outside it was a pitched night. Jamie crept out of his bed most unsteadily, his throat painfully parched. With a creak he pulled open his door, allowing dim light from a far off lantern to spill weakly inside, and he slipped through into the hallway.

He moved carefully down the way, walking on the tips of his toes so as not to disturb any of the other patrons sleeping in the passing rooms, and towards that distant dim light. The light sat over a corner staircase which led down to the eatery of the Inn, where Jamie could begin to hear some light conversation as he drew closer.

Jamie was just about to push open the partially closed door to the common room, when a familiar voice from within gave him pause!

“What were you thinking, Cheshie?”

And as Jamie snuck a glance through the crack in the door, he was witness to a meeting of familiar faces. Cook and Cheshie, Santiago and Helgi and Loggart and more. Cheshie in particular sported a new large and swelling bruise on her shoulder. She stepped over to Cook and glared up at him.

“This is about that Cabin Boy!” She growled back up at him. “He knows!”