MASKED CHARADES

CHAPTER 2

Aileen and Robert reached the village within few minutes. It was already past midnight and the moon was shining  with full intensity. They slowed their horses and took notice of their soon to be prey. The gang was composed of five men, all tall and broadly built. They were cruelly beating two villagers, demanding their money while the villagers begged them for mercy. The men were beating them cruelly and asking for money and belongings.Robert looked at Aileen and spoke,"I have full faith in you. Don't lose your temperament and always remember to think before you act. God bless you". Robert was in his forties

The brutes were ,mercilessly beating the villagers, tossing them to one to the other and cussing words at them. "We know ye got money, get it out and hand it over or we will kill ye here in the very darkness and no soul will take notice of yer good for nothing bodies" The two men were pleading with them and refusing them of any belongings. Suddenly strong horse hooves made it to their hearing range and everyone looked in the direction of approaching sound. They tried looking in that direction but moon had been hidden behind the clouds, making darkness swallow the contours of everything. Now the sound stopped and before them was a black stallion on which sat a masked man.

"Who are ye? Leave or ye will pay with yer life" one of the strongly built men spoke. The person jumped off the horse and started towards them. In a few quick strides he was standing in front of them. As if on cue, the moon shone again and the masked man's person came into view. It was not a man....

"Leave them be or else all of you will regret you lived once" the masked girl ordered.. She was tall and the confidence with which she spoke had them shut up for a moment, then everyone started laughing, leaving the two villagers on the dirt covered road. "Miss", one of them mocked, "Its no masquerade ball or no theatre going on. Now hop off that mule of yers and tag along the path ye came before we take the chance of robbing yer virtue".

Swiftly, at a lightening speed, she got her sword out and moved towards the man who spoke. Before any one got a chance to react further, the man was tackled by her and now laid flat on the dirt filled road accompanying the villagers he was beating a few moments before, with her one foot on his back. At this other men, stunned, starts heading towards her but she moves quickly, tackling and punching two of them in front of her with her fists and elbowing the jaw of one of them approaching from behind. The one under her foot tried to struggle but she kicked him hard in his ribs, producing a scream out of him that broke the silence on the road. All of them now laid flat on the road, tasting the dirt .

"Now who took your virtue? Though I truly believe you have none." She spat toward the man underneath her boot, kicking him in his ribs again but he passed out before reacting. She moved towards the scared villagers who now were up on their feet looking greatfully at her. "Thank you for the help, and if we may be so bold to know the name of kind Miss??" one of them asked. "Call me as you please but my purpose is to help those in need and  eradicate such scums plaguing the society". She answered. She directed her sword to the men lying on the road " And to you canines, if I found any of you in this village or anywhere meddling with innocents I"ll come for your life again, and next time I promise I won't grant mercy on your pitiful lives" With this she nodded at villagers and moved towards her stallion, mounting on it, and in a blink she was lost in the very darkness she came from.

Aileen was elated and overjoyed, after the hard training of many years, to finally help others who needed help. She rejoined Robert on the way back to the manor, making sure they were not followed. In no time they entered Beatrice's estate and made their way into the manor through a secret passage built for such hasty retreats. Beatrice was pacing back and forth in the study and was soon jointed by Aileen and Robert. There were worry lines all over Beatrice's face. She was a petite woman in her forties, A widow, who had lost everything to speak of with regards to family and had only her neice to call so. She had a few lines of grey marking her auburn hair, contrasting against beautiful hazel eyes. Aileen stepped forward in front of Beatrice, removing her black mask and holding her aunt's hand with tears of joy in her eyes." We made it Aunty. Our hardwork succeded. Oh how much i wish for you had been  present there and had seen it with your own eyes."

Her aunt pulled her forward, and looked at her head to toe, examining for any possible injury "My dear, you aren't hurt, are You?" Worry laced in her eyes, making frown lines over her forehead "Oh no Aunty, I am completly divine. Don't you worry now." Aileen hugged Beatrice, reassuring her and smoothening out her worries. Beatrice looked at Robert, her eyes enquiring if what her neice told her is true. With that Robert nodded and stepped forward,"I am so proud to be of worthy to train your neice, Countess. It was a mere left handed task for her, and her moves have become swift with time, unable to be predicted. Most of all her defences are strong, and will become stronger when subjected to more encounters." With that being said from Robert beatrice nodded at him appreciatively. Beatrice looked at Aileen with pride and affection, " I am so proud of you my dear.I wish if somehow your father could have been here, he would have been so proud." One tear escaped from Beatrice's eyes at the mention of her brother.

"Don't cry Aunty, for all the years we have waited, hardening ourselves to be strong from these emotions. Crying won't take us anywhere and it is still a long way to go. Once you taught me that and now is the time for us to follow. It's time to be robust." With that said, Aileen moved towards to window of the study giving view of the trees and gardens ahead in the estate. She sighed and said "My father will be proud when I avenge his and mother's death with the blood of that atrocious, barbarous man who took them away from me. He will pay for his sins and I'll see to that." There was a cold rage in Aileen's eyes and a hard determination to seek revenge for her family's death.

Aileen stepped backwards from window, turned around and looked at her aunt. "There are many like me, who don't get help when it's needed and lose lives at hands of such tyrannous men. But now i pledge no  soul will lose there life to such brutalities as long as I live" Beatrice held Aileen's shoulder and squeezed it reassuringly "Come now my dear,. you must rest. Your two lives await you ahead". Aileen nods and retires to her chambers wishing, Beatrice and Robert a good night's sleep.