Souls That Burn - Pero Tovar (The Great Wall)

-Eight-

When she came to, groggy and stiff, the sunlight was blinding against the sand.

There wasn't any sand at the Wall  which could only mean-

She jerked fully awake suddenly, giving a startled cry, finding that she was on horseback, out in the desert mountains.

"Constanza," came Pero's voice. He had been holding her close, she resting back against his chest where she sat in the front of the saddle. He had been holding her in her unconscious state so that she would not fall off the horse. 

"Where are we?"

"We escaped."

"What about William?"

"He made his choice," called Ballard who was riding his own horse ahead. "And we made ours."

"Well I didn't. This isn't my choice-"

"But it's the right choice."

"Is it?"

Ballard stopped his horse, looking around at the hills surrounding them.  "Go up there and take a look," he told Pero. 

Pero obeyed, dismounting and leaving her with the horse. 

"Pero - wait!"

But her warning came too late - Ballard urged his horse onward, grabbing the reins of Pero's horse and taking off. She was thrown from the saddle by the sudden movement. 

"No! No - bastard!" yelled Pero, charging back down the hill. 

"You fool!" She scrambled to her feet and punched his arm.  "You're so gullible! But he's not getting far-" She drew her bow and fired an arrow, which whipped past Ballard, though startled the horses.  The second one struck Ballard's shoulder, and the third struck the ground beside the horses, startling them further. His horse reared up, throwing him from the saddle.

They approached, standing over him. 

"Well, so much for your grand escape plan.  I say we leave him to the hill tribes," she suggested.

"Agreed."

And so that's exactly what they did. They tied him up, taking the horses and supplies - including lots of black powder - for themselves. 

"So now what?" Pero asked. 

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"We know how this looks..." She had insisted on returning to the Wall to find William, Pero not arguing this time - not too much.

"Damn!" So much for their lavish escape plan was right.  

 When they  arrived back, they found William gone and both she and Pero were promptly tossed in a cell as prisoners.

Now they sat on the cold stone floor of the dark cell, their wrists and ankles bound, their wrists tied together. 

"I'm sorry, Constanza," he said softly. "That that failed so miserably."

"It's not your fault - or at least not fully. You know, you say you are only a thief, liar and killer. That is all you see. But that is not all I see."

"What do you see?"

"A loyal friend. A caring friend."

She heard him chuckle.  "I wish I could kiss you right now, hermosa."

"If we ever get out of these bonds, then you may."

Perhaps needless to say, both were hoping that they would make it out of their bonds, and soon.