Masterful Trickery

XV. Double Village Trouble

Ralph could hear windows and doors being closed shut, a common occurrence in small villages like this during an ongoing fight.

"Move and I'll kill 'er!" the man holding Alex shouted frantically.

Undeterred, Ralph moved his arms and pointed the pistol at the man. "I would not care, really," he said in an even voice.

"Aye, he will not, guv," Alex gritted out. "We dinna even know one 'nother! Ye can even kill 'im after ye kill me and we'd never be chummy in afterlife."

"Shut up, you wench!" the man shouted.

An overwhelming sense of fury ignited inside Ralph. He saw Alex's equal fury at the word wench and he saw what she was about to do. But by some miracle, Ralph was faster this time and he shot the man's hand, the one holding the pistol.

The impact caused the man to fall away from Alex, giving her time to jump on the man and straddle him while he shouted in pain. Alex threw a strong blow against his face. While it was happening, the other injured man had come to his feet and kicked Alex off his companion.

Ralph growled as he ran to attack the man but the bastard disappeared from view. Alex had quickly come to her feet and threw herself at the man, growling, "Leave 'im alone, guv! 'Tis me fight!"

Ralph did not have the time to shout back a reply for he saw the other man reaching for his pistol on the ground with his good hand. He swerved to leave Alex with her current target so he could deal with the other.

A shot rang out and all four of them froze, Alex and Ralph straddling their respective enemies, holding them by the collar of their shirts.

"Leave our village at once!" someone shouted before letting out another shut. Dust flew from where the bullet hit the ground. "Leave us be!"

"I am a Guard!" Ralph shouted.

"We don't care!" answered the angry voice. The next shot nearly missed Alex's head.

"Bloody hell!" Ralph shouted as he reached for Alex, grabbing her by the arm and pulling her away from the man she was straddling.

Another shot hit the ground between Alex's earlier attackers and the two jumped to their feet. One jumped on the carriage while the other started to reach for his pistol. Just as Ralph was about to stop him by pointing his own pistol, another shot from their invisible enemy—or savior—rang out.

"Leave! All of you!"

"Oi!" Alex called out in protest when the carriage started to move and the last of the two attackers ran and jumped into the carriage. "We can't let 'em get away!" she said to Ralph but Ralph stopped her by gripping her arm tightly.

"We have to or we shall die along with them," he said through his teeth, searching for the invisible shooter. "We are being watched."

Alex shook his hold away with frustration, glaring at the disappearing carriage ahead. "The villagers are used te these squabbles," she uttered, "they know how te scare 'em away. Don't bother lookin' fer the other shooter, guv. Ye'll never find 'im." When she turned to walk back across the street, she shouted, "We're leavin'! Nae need te shoot!"

When no one answered, Ralph was amazed that the windows and doors began to open again and life went on in the village of Blucksley as if nothing had happened.

*****

Alex was glaring at the air before her when a large white box was dropped in front of her.

They were inside the tavern, in the empty drinking salon, waiting for the carriage driver to arrive.

The owner was carefully looking at them, but did nothing to keep them out of his property. He had not spared them a room last night, but he would dare not deprive them of a good meal after what hearing about the early morning squabble involving Ralph and Alex. And his drinking salon was empty and he needed extra earnings today.