Alexandria: The Rebel Princess

Chapter 19 - Part 2

Marcus stands atop a building behind me, another axe in his hand with Wilfrid at his side drawing his bow. Without a second thought, I scurry to my feet, kicking up dirt into the man's face. He groans covering his eyes and the man beside him grabs my ankle. An arrow wizzes by me and I'm released with a groan behind me.

Pushing the men behind me out of the way, they stumble back. A hand reaches for me and an arrow strikes it square in the palm. My stomach turns and adrenaline fills my tightening veins, pushing me forward, away from the crowd of rebels. A rain of arrows falls down behind me, each thud finding a victim.

"Get them," roars a groaning victim.

This was my only chance, I need to get out of here.

A few men frustrated and injured charge past me towards the buildings to scale the walls. Everywhere I look there is chaos. My only option is straight in the open where Wilfrid can defend me from behind.

Running along the street, I come to a stop. A horse charges forward, his rider none other than Chadwick.

"Chadwick, sir," cries out a clan member.

His face scrunches up in complete disgust, his scar wrinkles up from the gritted expression. "Grab her you imbeciles!" Even on a horse bounding forward, his stance is powerful as he points towards me with a command of authority.

Turning tail, I ran back towards the crowd of men. A loud wack echoes the silence and I see Macrus had thrown an axe down towards an alley beside the building they were above. No one had seen, they were too busy racing after me and dodging arrows.

Chadwick gallops towards me, tipping down his arm reaches out to grab me as he passes. I toss myself away from him and slide across the dust. Arms grab me, pulling me to my feet. I scream, my legs kicking out and I smash them against another guy approaching. The force sends my captor and I hurling back onto the ground. Wilfrid's arrows were scattered everywhere. Reaching out I grab an arrow. Prying it from the dirt, I quickly thrust it into his upper arm and he cries out in agony. Shoving myself off him, I charge the alleyway.

Bursting through the narrow passage a heavy smack of bodies colliding with the entrance has me turning around and stumbling back. Their arms scraping against each other in an effort to climb over the other to get to me. A thunder of arrows strict the men in the front, giving me a wall between my pursuers. Looking up through the small crack above, I see Wilfrid jumping over to the other roof and Marcus staring down at me.

With a thrust of his arm, Marcus roars, "Go!"

Dashing off down the alleyway I leave my pursuers behind. Dragging my arm around the wall, I turn a corner farther away from the battle. Footsteps echo behind me and I dare to glance back, realising that men have climbed over their dead partners. The exit of this alleyway isn't far and these men filled the whole alley, needing to turn to their side to squeeze through. With my slender frame, I race to the exit, my only hope.

Sprinting out into the main road, I don't look back, they are going to catch me if I give them any advantage. The street is quiet and still but behind me I could hear the sliding of bodies coming out from the alley. Wilfrid jumps off the building and lands ahead of me. Rolling to a stop, he draws his bow, aiming towards me.

"Get down," he commands.

I drop to the ground, groaning from the impact. Stomps of the horde of men behind me pulse through my palms flat on the ground. Flipping my head up, I watch as the arrows fly above me and towards the men. Far quicker than I had seen in the garden archery practice Wilfrid unloads arrows into the Northern Clan soldiers. Men groan and slam into the ground. A man stumbles forward and lands beside me, his face wide eyed and soulless. I scream, remembering his face from the camp staring at me curiously. A sickness turns my stomach and I look farther behind me, seeing the rest of the men laying dead.